عَفا ذو حسًى مِن فَرتَنى فَالفَوارِعُ
فَجَنبا أَريكٍ فَالتِلاعُ الدَوافِعُ
He who is of sound judgment pardoned my dereliction, so the obligatory duties remain neglected;
I avoid the cushioned seat, so temptation and desire remain.
فَمُجتَمَعُ الأَشراجِ غَيَّرَ رَسمَها
مَصايِفُ مَرَّت بَعدَنا وَمَرابِعُ
The place of gathering has changed its features after we frequented it, and the resting-places have passed away.
I fancied I saw in it vestiges to which I was accustomed, after six years and this is the seventh.
تَوَهَّمتُ آياتٍ لَها فَعَرَفتُها
لِسِتَّةِ أَعوامٍ وَذا العامُ سابِعُ
Ashen dust like the kohl of the eye, I make evident my plaint, and a slumber like the moisture of the cistern, dark and humble.
As though the course of the Pleiades declined because a matting on which the manufacturers have worked has been spread over it.
رَمادٌ كَكُحلِ العَينِ لَأياً أُبينُهُ
وَنُؤيٌ كَجَذمِ الحَوضِ أَثلَمُ خاشِعُ
On the back of a new constructed building, its walls he circulates amidst the soft sand selling.
I brushed away a tear from myself but I turned it back onto my throat, a beginner and a tearful one.
كَأَنَّ مَجَرَّ الرامِساتِ ذُبولَها
عَلَيهِ حَصيرٌ نَمَّقَتهُ الصَوانِعُ
At a time when I chided hoary hairs over youth, and said: "How sound is even hoary hair when it deters!"
But an anxiety has intervened, occupying the place of the diadem, which the fingers seek.
عَلى ظَهرِ مِبناةٍ جَديدٍ سُيورُها
يَطوفُ بِها وَسطَ اللَطيمَةِ بائِعُ
The feast day of my father Qabus came to me, though its reality was changed, and below me a blanket, so the resting places!
I pass the night as though a slight viper has visited me, in whose fangs is deadly poison dripping.
فَكَفكَفتُ مِني عَبرَةً فَرَدَدتُها
عَلى النَحرِ مِنها مُستَهِلٌّ وَدامِعُ
It lulls to sleep harmlessly the jewellery of the women in his hands, clanking.
The charmers charm it against the evil of its poison; it divorces for a time, then returns.
عَلى حينَ عاتَبتُ المَشيبَ عَلى الصِبا
وَقُلتُ أَلَمّا أَصحُ وَالشَيبُ وازِعُ
It came to me: "May you be cursed! That you have wronged me, and that is what makes the ears tingle."
The saying that I should attain it, which is, coming from the like of you, shocking.
وَقَد حالَ هَمٌّ دونَ ذَلِكَ شاغِلٌ
مَكانَ الشِغافِ تَبتَغيهِ الأَصابِعُ
By my life ― and my life is not easy for me ― the dice have told against me a terrible tale.
The shocking tale of `Awf; I attempt nothing but it, faces of monkeys desiring one they may cozen.
وَعيدُ أَبي قابوسَ في غَيرِ كُنهِهِ
أَتاني وَدوني راكِسٌ فَالضَواجِعُ
There came to you a man harboring hatred against me, who has, from an enemy, the like of that pleading his cause,
Who came to you with a saying the woven threads of which are lies, and he brought not the truth which is brilliant.
فَبِتُّ كَأَنّي ساوَرَتني ضَئيلَةٌ
مِنَ الرُقشِ في أَنيابِها السُمُّ ناقِعُ
He brought you a saying I was not going to utter, even if all fetters were bound upon my arms.
I swore an oath and left you no doubt, for does one sin, who has a nation, while obedient?
يُسَهَّدُ مِن لَيلِ التَمامِ سَليمُها
لِحَليِ النِساءِ في يَدَيهِ قَعاقِعُ
With fair companions, of smooth skin and plumpness, who visit at night, their progress jostling.
Wild cows their eyes rival the wind, for them on the road are equipages and litters.
تَناذَرَها الراقونَ مِن سوءِ سُمِّها
تُطَلِّقُهُ طَوراً وَطَوراً تُراجِعُ
Dishevelled they cling to their pilgrimage, so they are like the ends of cane, bending.
You have burdened me with the sin of a man and left him, like the one whose shoulder bears the knotted ropes.
أَتاني أَبَيتَ اللَعنَ أَنَّكَ لُمتَني
وَتِلكَ الَّتي تَستَكُّ مِنها المَسامِعُ
If I am not believed when I deny it, and my oath of innocence is unavailing,
And I am not safe with anything I may say, while you are resolved upon a matter unavoidably occurring,
مَقالَةُ أَن قَد قُلتَ سَوفَ أَنالُهُ
وَذَلِكَ مِن تِلقاءِ مِثلِكَ رائِعُ
Then you are like the night that overtakes me, though I think the refuge from you ample.
Bits of slender rope in strong ropes whereby hands pull toward you, tempting.
لَعَمري وَما عُمري عَلَيَّ بِهَيِّنٍ
لَقَد نَطَقَت بُطلاً عَلَيَّ الأَقارِعُ
Do you threaten a slave who has not betrayed you any trust, and leave a slave who is unjust while he is rising?
You are a spring that nourishes people with its rain clouds, and a sword that death has lent as one cutting.
أَقارِعُ عَوفٍ لا أُحاوِلُ غَيرَها
وُجوهُ قُرودٍ تَبتَغي مَن تُجادِعُ
God has refused anything but His justice and loyalty, so neither favour is lost nor the known forgotten.
You give drink when you wish, inexhaustible, with a leather bucket whose cords are fine musk, fragrant.
أَتاكَ اِمرُؤٌ مُستَبطِنٌ لِيَ بِغضَةً
لَهُ مِن عَدوٍّ مِثلَ ذَلِكَ شافِعُ
أَتاكَ بِقَولٍ هَلهَلِ النَسجِ كاذِبٍ
وَلَم يَأتِ بِالحَقِّ الَّذي هُوَ ناصِعُ
أَتاكَ بِقَولٍ لَم أَكُن لِأَقولَهُ
وَلَو كُبِلَت في ساعِدَيَّ الجَوامِعُ
حَلَفتُ فَلَم أَترُك لِنَفسِكَ ريبَةً
وَهَل يَأثَمَن ذو أُمَّةٍ وَهوَ طائِعُ
بِمُصطَحِباتٍ مِن لَصافٍ وَثَبرَةٍ
يَزُرنَ إِلالاً سَيرُهُنَّ التَدافُعُ
سَماماً تُباري الريحَ خوصاً عُيونُها
لَهُنَّ رَذايا بِالطَريقِ وَدائِعُ
عَلَيهِنَّ شُعثٌ عامِدونَ لِحَجِّهِم
فَهُنَّ كَأَطرافِ الحَنيِّ خَواضِعُ
لَكَلَّفتَني ذَنبَ اِمرِئٍ وَتَرَكتَهُ
كَذي العُرِّ يُكوى غَيرُهُ وَهوَ راتِعُ
فَإِن كُنتُ لا ذو الضِغنِ عَنّي مُكَذَّبٌ
وَلا حَلفي عَلى البَراءَةِ نافِعُ
وَلا أَنا مَأمونٌ بِشَيءٍ أَقولُهُ
وَأَنتَ بِأَمرٍ لا مَحالَةَ واقِعُ
فَإِنَّكَ كَاللَيلِ الَّذي هُوَ مُدرِكي
وَإِن خِلتُ أَنَّ المُنتَأى عَنكَ واسِعُ
خَطاطيفُ جُحنٌ في حِبالٍ مَتينَةٍ
تَمُدُّ بِها أَيدٍ إِلَيكَ نَوازِعُ
أَتوعِدُ عَبداً لَم يَخُنكَ أَمانَةً
وَتَترُكُ عَبداً ظالِماً وَهوَ ظالِعُ
وَأَنتَ رَبيعٌ يُنعِشُ الناسَ سَيبُهُ
وَسَيفٌ أُعيرَتهُ المَنِيَّةُ قاطِعُ
أَبى اللَهُ إِلّا عَدلَهُ وَوَفائَهُ
فَلا النُكرُ مَعروفٌ وَلا العُرفُ ضائِعُ
وَتُسقى إِذا ما شِئتَ غَيرَ مُصَرَّدٍ
بِزَوراءَ في حافاتِها المِسكُ كانِعُ
