أَلا مِن لِقَلبٍ لا يَمُلُّ فَيَذهَلُ
أَفِق فَالتَعَزّي عَن بُثَينَةَ أَجمَلُ
Alas! For a heart that does not tire or languish!
Look towards the horizon, for consolation from Buthaina is most beautiful.
سَلا كُلُّ ذي وُدٍّ عَلِمتُ مَكانَهُ
وَأَنتَ بِها حَتّى المَماتِ مُوَكَّلُ
Greetings to all beloved ones whose places I have come to know,
While you remain there until death's appointed time.
فَما هَكَذا أَحبَبتَ مَن كانَ قَبلُها
وَلا هَكَذا فيما مَضى كُنتَ تَفعَلُ
Not like this did you love those before her,
Nor in times past did you behave this way.
أَعِن ظُعُنِ الحَيِّ الأُلى كُنتَ تَسأَلُ
بِلَيلٍ فَرَدّوا عيرَهُم وَتَحَمَّلوا
Help me endure the piercing of ardent love that you used to ask for
In the night they returned their revilements and endured patiently
فَأَمسوا وَهُم أَهلُ الدِيارِ وَأَصبَحوا
وَمِن أَهلِها الغِربانُ بِالدارِ تَحجِلُ
So they became the people of the dwellings by morning and
The ravens in the abode became anxious.
عَلى حينَ وَلّى الأَمرُ عَنّا وَأَسمَحَت
عَصا البَينِ وَاِنبَتَّ الرَجاءُ المُؤَمَّلُ
At the time when authority turned away from us and
The rod of separation flourished and hoped-for reconciliation sprouted.
وَقَد أَبقَتِ الأَيّامُ مِنّي عَلى العِدى
حُساماً إِذا مَسَّ الضَريبَةَ يَفصِلُ
And days have left in me, because of the hostility,
A blade that severs when it strikes.
وَلَستُ كَمَن إِن سيمَ ضَيماً أَطاعَهُ
وَلا كَاِمرِئٍ إِن عَضَّهُ الدَهرُ يَنكُلُ
I am not like one who, if he feels injury, submits,
Nor one whom fate has bitten and who recoils.
لَعُمري لَقَد أَبدى لِيَ البَينُ صَفحَةُ
وَبَيَّنَ لي ما شِئتَ لَو كُنتُ أَعقِلُ
By my life, separation has shown me its aspect
And made clear what I would want, had I any sense.
وَآخِرُ عَهدي مِن بُثَينَةَ نَظرَةٌ
عَلى مَوقِفٍ كادَت مِنَ البَينِ تَقتُلُ
And the last time I saw Buthaina was a gaze
At a stance that nearly killed me from the separation.
فَلِلَّهِ عَينا مَن رَأى مِثلُ حاجَةٍ
كَتَمتُكِها وَالنَفسُ مِنها تَمَلمَلُ
So God bless he who saw the like of an ardour
I concealed though my soul chafed from it.
وَإِنّي لَأَستَبكي إِذا ذُكِرَ الهَوى
إِلَيكِ وَإِنّي مَن هَواكِ لَأَوجِلُ
I weep when love for you is recalled
And I am made abject by passion for you.
نَظَرتُ بِبِشرٍ نَظرَةً ظَلتُ أَمتَري
بِها عَبرَةً وَالعَينُ بِالدَمعِ تُكحَلُ
I looked with a joyous mien, a look which left me
Shedding copious tears while my eyes grew dark.
إِذا ما كَرَرتُ الطَرفَ نَحوَكِ رَدَّهُ
مِنَ البُعدِ فَيّاضٌ مِنَ الدَمعِ يَهمِلُ
When I glance her way it returns the glance
Damp with tears welling forth.
فَيا قَلبُ دَع ذِكرى بُثَينَةَ إِنَّها
وَإِن كُنتَ تَهواها تَضَنَّ وَتَبخَلُ
So heart, leave off thoughts of Buthaina though
You love her, fretting and miserly.
قَناةٌ مِنَ المُرّانِ ما فَوقَ حَقوِها
وَما تَحتَهُ مِنها نَقاً يَتَهَيَّلُ
A canal of bitters not above its banks
With naught beneath it but brackish seepage.
وَقَد أَيأَسَت مِن نَيلِها وَتَجَهَّمَت
وَلَليَأسُ إِن لَم يُقدَرِ النَيلُ أَمثَلُ
I have despaired of attaining her and frowned gloomily
For despair, if attainment lacks, is best.
وَإِلّا فَسَلها نائِلاً قَبلَ بَينِها
وَأَبخِل بِها مَسؤولَةً حينَ تُسأَلُ
Unless you ask her before she is far off
And spare her when asked, once distant.
وَكَيفَ تُرَجّي وَصلَها بَعدَ بُعدِها
وَقَد جُذَّ حَبلُ الوَصلِ مِمَّن تُؤَمِّلُ
How can you hope for union after such distance
When the rope of union is cut by the one you hope for?
وَإِنَّ الَّتي أَحبَبتَ قَد حيلَ دونَها
فَكُن حازِماً وَالحازِمُ المُتَحَوِّلُ
She whom you loved is now beyond reach
So be resolute and turn elsewhere, O resolved one.
فَفي اليَأسِ ما يُسلي وَفي الناسِ خُلَّةٌ
وَفي الأَرضِ عَمَّن لا يُؤاتيكَ مَعزِلُ
In despair there is consolation, amongst people there are friends,
And on earth, a refuge from those who do you no good.
بَدا كَلَفٌ مِنّي بِها فَتَثاقَلَت
وَما لا يُرى مِن غائِبِ الوَجدِ أَفضَلُ
Coolness from me towards her was burdensome for her
And the hidden torment of ardour is best.
هَبيني بَريئاً نِلتِهِ بِظُلامَةٍ
عَفاها لَكُم أَو مُذنِباً يَتَنَصَّلُ
Excuse me, attained by darkness,
Whether innocent or culpable, seeking respite.
