أَرى الأَيّامَ صيغَتُها تَحولُ
وَما لِهَواكِ مِن قَلبي نُصولُ
I see the days changing their shape,
Yet your love remains firmly lodged in my heart.
وَحُبٌّ لا تُغَيِّرُهُ اللَيالي
مُحالٌ أَن يُغَيِّرَهُ العَذولُ
A love not altered by nights,
Impossible for separation to change it.
بِنَفسي مَن وَهَبتُ لَها رُقادي
فَلَيلي بَعدَ فُرقَتِها طَويلُ
To her I gave my soul when I slept,
So my night after her parting was long.
وَما بَخِلَت عَلَيَّ بِيَومِ وَصلٍ
وَلَكِنَّ الزَمانَ بِها بَخيلُ
She did not begrudge me a day of union,
But time itself was ungenerous to her.
فَتاةٌ في مُوَشَّحِها قَضيبُ
وَتَحتَ إِزارِها حِقفٌ مَهيلٌ
A girl in her flowing robe, slender as a twig
Under her loincloth, a smooth belly.
يُريكَ قَوامَها خوطُ الأَراكِ ال
قَويمُ وَجيدَها الظَبيُ الخَذولُ
The line of her shapely bust shows you
An upright, beautiful gazelle of the dunes.
تَميلُ عَلى القُلوبِ بِذي اِعتِدالٍ
لَهُ مِن نَشوَةٍ وَصِبىً مَميلُ
She sways over hearts with poised grace—
In her charm and youth a touch of languor.
وَيُقعِدُها إِذا خَفَّت نُهوضاً
لِحاجَتِها مُؤَزَّرُها الثَقيلُ
When she rests her fatigue, her heavy skirts
Make her sit.
سَقا دارَ الحَبيبِ وَإِن تَناءَت
مُلِثٌّ مِثلُ أَجفاني هَطولُ
I came to my love's abode though far,
My eyelids raining like April showers.
وَلا بَرِحَت تُسَحَّبُ لِلغَوادي
وَطوراً لِلصَبا فيها ذُيولُ
She did not stop being dragged to the valleys
And led now and then up winding paths.
فَجَفني وَالغَمامُ لَها غَزيرٌ
وَقَلبي وَالنَسيمُ لَها عَليلُ
My eyes and the thick clouds weep for her;
My heart and the soft breeze are sick for her.
وَعَنَّفَني عَلى العَبَراتِ صَحبي
عَشِيَّةَ قَوَّضَ الحَيُّ الحُلولُ
My friends blamed me for my tears
One evening when the loved ones left.
وَقالوا اِستَبقِ لِلأَحبابِ دَمعاً
فَقَد شَرِقَت بِأَدمُعِكَ الطُلولُ
They said: Spare your tears for your loved ones,
Since through your tears the hills flowed.
مَعاذَ الحُبِّ أَن أُلفى حَمولاً
وَقَد سارَت بِمَن أَهوى الحُمولُ
Love forbid that I find litters
When those I love traveled on camels!
وَعارٌ أَن تُزَمَّ لِيَومِ بَينٍ
جِمالُهُمُ وَلي صَبرٌ جَميلُ
A shame that you rein in your tears
On a day of separation—beautiful is my patience!
فَلا رَقَتِ الدُموعُ وَقَد تَوَلَّت
رِكابُهُم وَلا بَرُدَ الغَليلُ
So neither the tears flowed nor the torment cooled
When their convoy turned away.
وَفي الأَظعانِ مَن لَولا اِعتِلاقي
بِهِم لَم يَعتَلِق جَسَدي النَحولُ
In my ribs were some who, were it not for my love,
My emaciated body would not have clung to.
وَلَولا الكِلَّةُ السيراءُ ما ها
جَ وَجدي بَرقُ سارِيَةٍ كَليلُ
Had it not been for a sleepless night of memories,
My heart would not have been struck by the flash of lightning.
وَيَومٍ بِالصَراةِ لَنا قَصيرٍ
وَأَيّامُ التَواصُلِ لا تَطولُ
A day we had was short at the cavern,
While the days of reunion do not last.
سَرَقناهُ مُخالَسَةً وَداعي ال
نَوى عَن شَملِ أُلفَتِنا غَفولُ
We stole it, evading the sleepless one
Who forgot to keep our company whole.
إِلامَ تُسِرُّ لي يا دَهرُ غَدراً
أَما اِنقَضَتِ الضَغائِنُ وَالذُحولُ
Why, O Time, do you gloat over betraying me?
Are grudges and resentments done with?
وَكَم يَتَحَيَّفُ النُقصانُ فَضلي
وَيَأخُذُ مِن نَباهَتيَ الخَمولُ
How loss lessens my glory
And sloth takes away my alertness!
فَيَلفِتُ وَجهَ آمالي وَيَلوي
دُيوني عِندَهُ الزَمَنُ المَطولُ
It twists the hopes I set store by
And my debts to it unravel into length.
مَطالِبُ أَمسَت الأَيّامُ بَيني
وَبَينَ مَآرِبي مِنها تَحولُ
Demands have stood between me and my wishes
While the days change.
سَأُدرِكُها وَشيكاً وَاللَيالي
مُخَزَّرَةٌ نَواظِرُهُنَّ حولُ
Soon I shall attain them, while the nights
Are tucked away, their spies concealed.
وَلا سِيَما وَمَنصورُ بنُ نَصرِ بِن
مَنصورِ الجَوادِ بِها كَفيلُ
This especially since Mansur ibn Nasr ibn
Mansur the Generous sponsors me.
فَتىً بِنَداهُ رُضتُّ جَموحَ حَظّي
فَأَصبَحَ وَهُوَ مُنقادٌ ذَلولُ
A youth whose help has pleased my wayward fortune,
So it became submissive, obedient.
وَهَزَّتهُ المَكارِمُ لِإِصطِناعي
كَما اِهتَزَّ السُريجِيُّ الصَقيلُ
The virtues shook him, to grant me success,
As the polished sword shakes in its sheath.
وَقَلَّدَني مِنَ الإِحسانِ عَضباً
عَلى نُوَبِ الزَمانِ بِهِ أَصولُ
He gave me from his kindness a sword
To drive back the shameless times;
وَأَلبَسَني مِنَ النَعماءِ دِرعاً
تُناذِرُها الأَسِنَّةُ وَالنُصولُ
And dressed me in a coat of mail of bounty
At which tongues and blades bristle.
إِذا قَلَصَت سَرابيلُ العَطايا
ضَفَت مِنها الذَلاذِلُ وَالفُضولُ
When the purses of gifts were depleted,
Extravagance and overabundance then filled them.
فِناءَكَ يا ظَهيرَ الدينِ أَمَّت
بِنا طُلحٌ مِنَ الآمالِ ميلُ
Your sanctuary, O Supporter of the Faith, harbored
A surge of hopes in us like guests;
وَأَنزَلنا الرَجاءُ عَلى رَحيبِ ال
قِرا وَالباعِ يَحمَدُهُ النَزيلُ
And hope brought us down in a spacious abode
Whose hospitality the guest praises.
مُمَرِّ الحَبلِ مُحصَدَةٍ قُواهُ
وَحَبلُ سِواهُ مُنقَضِبٌ سَحيلُ
The rope of destiny's changed, its strength
Cut off, while the rope of other than it lies severed.
تَخافُ سُطاهُ أَحداثُ اللَيالي
وَيَهرُبُ مِن مَواهِبِهِ المُحولُ
It fears the passage of nights,
While the fickle flees its gifts.
حَمى ثَغرَ المَمالِكِ مِنهُ عَبلُ
الذِراعِ لَهُ القَنا الشِطِّيُ غيلُ
It protected the frontier of the realms with a hero
Whose bared arm the elbow-joint obeys.
مَعاقِلُهُ الجِيادُ مُسَوَّماتٍ
وَخَيرُ مَعاقِلِ العُربِ الخُيولُ
Its redoubts are steeds marked with brands,
And the best redoubt of Arabs is horses.
يَمَيلُ بِعَطفِهِ كَرَمُ السَجايا
كَما مالَت بِشارِبِها الشَمولُ
He inclines in his kindness like the acacia boughs bend,
As their dangling pods sway.
وَيُشعِفُ قَلبَهُ لَمعُ المَواضي
إِذا اِنتُضِيَت وَيُطرِبُهُ الصَهيلُ
The sheen of meadows excites his heart
When the herds are roused and neighing arouses him.
بَغى قَومٌ لَحاقَكَ يا اِبنَ نَصرٍ
وَقَد سُدَّت عَلى الباغي السَبيلُ
Some sought to rival you, O Ibn Nasr,
But the way was closed to the rival.
وَراموا نَيلَ شَأوِكَ وَالمَعالي
لَها ظَهرٌ بَراكبِهِ زَليلُ
They aspired to your lofty station, but
For it a help against its rider is frail.
فَأَتعَبَهُم مَدى خِرقٍ جَوادٍ
حُزونُ المَكرُماتِ لَهُ سُهولُ
So the distance frayed them, a noble steed
Whose flourishing side the honors smooth.
وَأَينَ مِنَ الثَرى نَيلُ الثُرَيّا
وَكَيفَ تُقاسُ بِالغُرَرِ الحُجولُ
How remote from attaining gems is the dust!
How can pebbles match jewels!
حَلُمتَ فَسُفِّهَت هَضَباتُ قُدسٍ
وَجُدتَّ فَبُخِّلَ الغَيثُ الهَطولُ
You were forbearing, so the hills of Jerusalem raved,
You were generous, so the rain was miserly.
وَطَوراً أَنتَ لِلضاحي مَقيلٌ
وَطَوراً أَنتَ لِلجاني مُقيلُ
One time you tilted your cheek to the friend,
Another time to the foe it was bent.
بَلَغتَ نِهايَةً في المَجدِ عَزَّت
لَكَ الأَضرابُ فيها وَالشُكولُ
You attained such heights of glory
That minds fall short and peers falter.
عَلى رِسلٍ فَما لَكَ مِن مُجارٍ
إِلى رُتَبِ العَلاءِ وَلا رَسيلُ
In the signs of the Book that testify to his merit
What can a person say!
بَلا مِنكَ الخَليفَةُ ذا اِعتِزامٍ
يَذِلُّ لِبَأسِهِ الخَطبُ الجَليلُ
O Abu Bakr, your rule there is new,
Its auspices for you: a life prolonged!
وَجَرَّبَ مِنكَ مَطروراً لِطولِ ال
تَجارِبِ في مَضارِبِهِ فُلولُ
A forefather no ill omens can touch
And joy whose ascendant cannot set!
فَفَلَّ بِعَزمِهِ حَدَّ الأَعادي
وَأَرآءُ الخَليفَةِ لا تَفيلُ
Your abode was not devoid of congratulations
And the tent-pegs were lodged in your province.
إِمامٌ هَذَّبَ الأَيّامَ رَأيٌ
لَهُ جَزلٌ وَمَعروفٌ جَزيلُ
I complained to you of the lack of equity,
Knowing that for me you have bounty unmatched,
وَمَدَّ عَلى البِلادِ جَناحَ عَدلٍ
لَهُ ظِلٌّ عَلى الدُنيا ظَليلُ
To preserve from my pacts what a friend forgot
And what eluded the thoughts of a comrade.
أَميرُ المُؤمِنينَ وَمِن إِلَيهِ
مَآثِرُ كُلِّ مَكرُمَةٍ نَؤولُ
Though they cut their ties in disdain,
You are the benefactor, the shelteringtent pole.
حَباهُ اللَهُ بِالمُلكِ اِحتِباءً
وَوَرَّثَهُ خِلافَتَهُ الرَسولُ
On you their slander glided: untrue, unjust—
Intimacies in hearts where they gained acceptance.
صِفاتٌ لا يُحيطُ بِها بَيانٌ
وَمَدٌ لا تُكَيِّفُهُ العُقولِ
Virtues no vulgarity of men degraded
Nor did baseness defile them.
وَمَن شَهِدَت لَهُ بِالفَضلِ آيُ ال
كِتابِ فَما عَسى بَشَرٌ يَقولُ
In their clan an ancient lineage,
When they trace it, and a worthy house, noble.
أَبا بَكرٍ هَناكَ جَديدُ مُلكٍ
مُحالِفُهُ لَكَ العُمرُ الطَويلُ
Their kin are Murrith and Ibn Aws
And their forebears: Mubarrid and Khalil.
وَجَدٌّ ما لِطائِرِهِ رُقوعٌ
وَسَعدٌ ما لِطالِعِهِ أَفولُ
Praise like the breath of Khuzami poets
Walked about in their quarters and met acceptance,
وَلا عَدِمَت مَواطِنُكَ التَهاني
وَحَلَّ بِرَبعِ طاعَتِكَ القُيولُ
Just as a songstress from Syria strolled
Through the gardens of grief—for her a long tail.
شَكَوتُكَ قِلَّةَ الإِنصافِ عِلماً
بِأَنَّكَ مِنهُ لي كَرَماً بَديلُ
When she declaimed in her eloquence
The stalwarts cowered at her powerful voice.
لِتَحفَظَ مِن عُهودي ما أَضاعَ ال
صَديقُ وَما تَناساهُ الخَليلُ
She esteemed contentment and went astray in modesty;
Some poetry is despised and vile.
وَإِن قَطَعوا حِبالَهُمُ جَفاءً
فَأَنتَ المُحسِنُ البَرُّ الوَصولُ
Before you I feared her hand might stretch
Greedily toward it. How far from you is such singing!
عَلَيكَ جَلَوتُها غُرّاً هِجاناً
أَوانِسَ في القُلوبِ لَها قَبولُ
If praise wearies the generous,
How can a miser accept it from me!
كَرائِمُ لَم يُهَجِّنها اِبتِذالُ ال
رِجالِ وَلَم يُدَنِّسها البُعولُ
I have seen that poetry was uttered by many,
A host of them, but the excellent are few.
لَها في قَومِها نَسَبٌ عَريقٌ
إِذا اِنتَسَبَت وَبَيتُ حِجىً أَصيلُ
So do not make her bored, God forbid
That any but you should please with songs.
فَعَمّاها المُرَّعَثُ وَاِبنُ أَوسٍ
وَجَدّاها المُبَرَّدُ وَالخَليلُ
And live as long as the love-crazed raves
And anguish inspires the sleepless ruins.
مَدائِحُ مِثلُ أَنفاسِ الخُزامى
تَمشَّت في نَواحيها القَبولُ
كَما طَرَقَت رِياضَ الحَزنِ وَهناً
شآمِيَةٌ لَها ذَيلٌ بَليلُ
مُفَوَّهَةٌ إِذا هَدَرَت لِنُطقٍ
شَقاشِقُها تَقاعَسَتِ الفُحولُ
تَعِزُّ قَناعَةً وَتَتيهُ صَوناً
وَبَعضُ الشَعرِ مُمتَهَنٌ ذَليلُ
وَقَبلَكَ كُنتُ أُشفِقُ أَن يَراها
وَقَد مَدَّت إِلَيهِ يَداً مُنيلُ
إِذا أَعيا عَلى الكُرَماءِ مَدحي
فَكَيفَ يَسومُهُ مِنّي البَخيلُ
رَأَيتُ الشِعرَ قالَتُهُ كَثيرٌ
عَديدُهُمُ وَجَيِّدُهُ قَليلُ
فَلا تُحدِث لَها مَلَلاً وَحاشى
عُلاكَ فَغَيرُكَ الطَرِبُ المَلولُ
وَعِش ما حَنَّ مُشتاقٌ وَهاجَ ال
أَسى لِمُتَيَّمٍ طَلَلٌ مُحيلُ
