خَليلَيَّ مُرّا بي عَلى رَسمِ مَنزِلِ
وَرَبعٍ لِشَنباءَ اِبنَةِ الخَيرِ مُحوِلِ
My friend, pass by the abode of Shunbāʾ, daughter of goodness,
And a quarter inhabited by gentle doves.
أَتى دونَهُ عَصرٌ فَأَخنى بِرَسمِهِ
خَلوجانِ مِن ريحٍ جَنوبٍ وَشَمأَلِ
The evening came and erased its vestiges
With the breath of a southern wind and storms.
سَرا جُلَّ ضاحي جِلدِهِ مُلتَقاهُما
وَمَرُّ صَباً بِالمورِ هَوجاءَ مَحمَلِ
It moved onward across the bare rocks of its valley,
Where storms blew with furniture laden.
وَبُدِّلَ بَعدَ الحَيِّ عَيناً سَواكِناً
وَخَيطَ نَعامٍ بِالأَماعِزِ هُمَّلِ
After life it became desolate ruins
Where the thread of ostriches mingled with goats wandering freely.
بِما قَد أَرى شَنباءَ حيناً تَحِلُّهُ
وَأَترابَها في ناضِرِ النَبتِ مُبقِلِ
When I see Shunbāʾ sometimes inhabiting it
And her neighbors amidst luxuriant vegetation.
أَعالِيَ تَصطادُ الفُؤادَ نِساؤُهُم
بِعَينَي خَذولٍ مونَقِ الجُمِّ مُطفِلِ
Their roaming wives hunt hearts
With languid deep black eyes of flexible waists.
وَوَحفٍ يُثَنّى في العِقاصِ كَأَنَّهُ
دَواني قَطوفٍ أَو أَنابيبَ عُنصُلِ
They are bent over branches as if they are
Bunches of grapes or sessile cymes.
تَضِلُّ مَداريها خِلالَ فُروعِها
إِذا أَرسَلَتها أَو كَذا غَيرُ مُرسَلِ
They wander through its branches
Whether released or led by a halter.
وَتَنكَلُّ عَن غُرٍّ شَتيتٍ نَباتُهُ
عِذابٍ ثَناياهُ لَذيذِ المُقَبَّلِ
They avoid a barren rugged land whose vegetation
Is a torment with branches enticingly kissable.
كَمِثلِ أَقاحي الرَملِ يَجلو مُتونَهُ
سُقوطُ نَداً مِن أَخِرِ اللَيلِ مُخضِلِ
Like the sand dunes gleaming with high peaks
Beneath a downpour at the end of night.
إِذا اِبتَسَمَت قُلتَ اِنكِلالُ غَمامَةٍ
خَفى بَرقُها في عارِضٍ مُتَهَلِّلِ
When she smiles, you say it is the unveiling of a cloud
Whose lightning is hidden behind a cheek flexing with joy.
كَأَنَّ سَحيقَ المِسكِ خالَطَ طَعمَهُ
وَريهَ الخُزامى في جَديدِ القَرَنفُلي
As if the pulp of musk were mixed with its taste
And the phial of scent sprinkled with cloves newly picked.
بِصَهباءِ دِرياقِ المُدامِ كَأَنَّها
إِذا ما صَفا راوُوقُها ماءُ مَفصِلِ
With claret of fermented wine as if when undiluted
Its red sourness were water strained through a filter.
وَتَمشى عَلى بَرديَّتينِ غَذاهُما
يَهاميمُ أَنهارٍ بِأَبطَحَ مُسهَلِ
She walks on two gray robes feeding them
Like the bellowing of rivers amidst a smooth plain.
مِنَ الحورِ مِخماصٌ كَأَنَّ وِشاحَها
بِعُسلوجِ غابٍ بَينَ غيلٍ وَجَدوَلِ
One of the lovely houris whose scarf
Is like the interlaced sweet basil amid oleander and streams.
قَليلَةُ إِزعاجِ الحَديثِ يَروعُها
تَعالي الضُحى لَم تَنتَطِق عَن تَفَضُّلِ
Rarely bothered by talk, she is dignified in manner
Not speaking unless asked with utmost courtesy.
نَؤومُ الضُحى مَمكورَةُ الخَلقِ غادَةٌ
هَضيمُ الحَشا حُسّانَهُ المُتَجَمَّلِ
Sleepy-eyed, perfect in creation, returning at noon
Her tent pegs firm, her tent ropes tight.
فَأَمسَت أَحاديثَ الفُؤادِ وَهَمَّهُ
وَإِن كانَ مِنها قَد غَدا لَم يُنَوَّلِ
She has made the heart’s passions and its thoughts
End at night though they started in early morn.
وَقَد هاجَني مِنها عَلى النَأيِ دِمنَةٌ
لَها بِقُدَيدٍ دونَ نَعفِ المَشَلَّل
Yearning for her from afar kindles in me
A sickness needing no medicine to be cured.
أَرادَت فَلَم تَسطِع كَلاماً فَأَومَأَت
إِلَينا وَنَصَّت جيدَ أَحوَرَ مُغزِلِ
She wanted to but could not speak so she gestured
To us and nodded her slender soft neck.
فَقُلتُ لِأَصحابي اِربَعوا بَعضَ ساعَةٍ
عَلَيَّ وَعوجوا مِن سَواهِمَ ذُبَّلِ
So I said to my friends wait awhile
And leave me, diverting yourselves elsewhere.
قَليلاً فَقالوا إِنَّ أَمرَكَ طاعَةً
لِما تَشتَهي فَاِقضِ الهَوى وَتَأَمَّلِ
After a little they said, “We obey whatever you desire.
Indulge your passion and take your time.”
لَكَ اليَومَ حَتّى اللَيلِ إِن شِئتَ فَأتِهِم
وَصَدِّر غَداً وَكُلُّهُ غَيرُ مُعجَلِ
Today until night is yours if you wish. Approach them
And tomorrow morning you can be off again unhurried.
فَإِنّا عَلى أَن نُسعِفَ النَفسَ بِالهَوى
حِراصٌ فَما حاوَلتَ مِن ذاكَ فَاِفعَلِ
For we strive to satisfy the soul’s passions
And whatever you attempt in that regard, then do it.
وَنَصُّ المَطايا في رِضاكِ وَحَبسُها
لَكَ اليَومَ مَبذولٌ وَلَكِن تَجَمَّلِ
We offered our mounts for your pleasure and held them back.
Today they are at your disposal but take your time.
فَلَمّا رَأَيتُ الحَبسَ في رَسمِ مَنزِلٍ
سِفاهاً وَجَهلاً بِالفُؤادِ المُوَكَّلِ
When I saw it was foolish and ignorant
To confine her spirit that entrusted itself to me.
فَقُلتُ لَهُم سيروا فَإِنّا لِقاءَها
تَوافي الحَجيجِ بَعدَ حَولٍ مُكَمَّلِ
I said, “Go your ways. Meeting her
Is like pilgrims converging after a year’s time.”
فَما ذِكرُهُ شَنباءَ وَالدارُ غَربَةٌ
عَنوجٌ وَإِن يُجمَع بِضُرٍّ وَيُنحَلِ
To mention Shunbāʾ while so far away
Is folly, even if we come together for awhile.
وَإِن تَنأَ تَحدُث لِلفُؤادِ زَمانَةٌ
وَإِن تَقتَرِب تَعدُ العَوادي وَتَشغَلِ
If you are distant, it makes the heart anxious
And if you draw near, there are obstacles upon obstacles.
وَإِن يَحضُرِ الواشي تُطِعهُ وَإِن يَقُل
بِها كاشِحٌ عِندي يُجَب ثُمَّ يُعزَلِ
If a gossip speaks of her I must answer but then dismiss him
And if a slanderer attacks I must ward him off then banish him.
وَإِن تَعدُ لا تَحفِل وَإِن تَدنُ لا تَصِل
وَإِن تَنأَ لا نَصبِر وَإِن تَدنُ أَجذَلِ
If you are absent I should not care and if you come near I should not join you
And if you distance I cannot be patient and if you approach I would be shackled.
وَإِن تَلتَمِس مِنّا المَوَدَّةَ نُعطِها
وَإِن تَلتَمِس مِمّا لَدَيها تَعَلَّلِ
If you seek affection from me I would grant it
But if you wanted what was already yours I would pretend not to notice.
فَقَد طالَ لَو تَبكي إِلى مُتَجَوَّدٍ
بُكاكَ إِلى شَنباءَ يا قَلبُ فَاِحتَلِ
Enough! If you were to weep my overflowing heart,
Weep for Shunbāʾ, O heart, and exert yourself!
أَفِق إِنَّما تَبكي إِلى مُتَمَنِّعٍ
مِنَ البُخلِ مَألوسِ الخَليقَةِ حوَّلِ
Awaken! You are weeping for one who refuses you
Out of miserliness, so change your nature!
فَقَد كادَ يَسلو القَلبُ عَنها وَمَن يَطُل
عَلَيهِ التَنائِي وَالتَباعُدُ يَذهَلِ
My heart had almost given up hope of her, and whoever
Is distanced and estranged for long becomes confused.
عَلى أَنَّهُ أَن يَلقَها بَعدَ غَيبَةٍ
يَعُد لَكَ داءٌ عائِدٌ غَيرُ مُرسَلِ
Yet to meet her again after an absence
Returns an illness not yet gone.
فَإِنَّكِ لَو تَدرينَ أَن رُبَّ فِتيَةٍ
عُجالى وَلَولا أَنتَ لَم أَتَعَجَّلِ
If only you knew how many lively youths,
I forbade from marrying but for you I hurried.
مَنَعتُهُمُ التَعريسَ حَتّى بَدا لَهُم
قَوارِبُ مَعروفٍ مِنَ الصُبحِ مُنجَلِ
I prevented them all till there appeared to them
Morning visitors of noble lineage at dawn unveiled.
يَنُصّونَ بِالمَوماةِ خَوصاً كَأَنَّها
شَرائِحُ يَنعٍ أَو سَراءٍ مُعَطَّلِ
They lean on staffs as if they are slices
Of sapling or uprooted trunks.
دِقاقاً بَراها السَيرُ مِنها مُنَعَّلُ ال
سَريحِ وَواقٍ مِن حَفىً لَم يُنَعَّلِ
So slender the travel made them shoeless
Without sandals or soles not yet strapped.
وَأَضحوا جَميعاً تَعرِفُ العَينُ فيهِمُ
كَرى النَومِ مُستَرخي العَمائِمِ مُيَّلِ
And they all became recognizable to the eye
Drowsy, turbans loosened and twisted.
عَلى هَدَمٍ جَعدِ الثَرى ذي مَسافَةٍ
مَخوفِ الرَدى عاري البَنائِقِ مُهمَلِ
Upon crumbling ruins with distances unsafe,
Exposed to attacks with no defenses readied.
تَرى جِيَفَ الحيتانِ فيهِ كَأَنَّها
حِيامٌ عَلى ماءٍ حَديثٍ مُنَهَّلِ
You see whale carcasses as if they are
Fish newly dead upon fresh flowing water.
إِرادَةَ أَن أَلقاكِ يا أَثلَ وَالهَوى
كَذَلِكَ حَمّالُ الفَتى كُلَّ مَحمَلِ
I wanted to meet you, O gentle one, and passion
Ever burdens the spirit of youth.
فَبَعضَ البِعادِ يا أَثيلَ فَإِنَّني
تَروكُ الهَوى عَنِ الهَوانِ بِمَعزِلِ
So distance yourself a little, my gentle one,
For I will abandon passion to preserve my honor.
أَبى لِيَ عِرضي أَن أُضامَ وَصارِمٌ
حُسامٌ وَعِزٌّ مِن حَديثٍ وَأَوَّلِ
My honor refused to be violated
And I wield a sharp sword and mighty recent glory.
مُقيمٌ بِإِذنِ اللَهِ لَيسَ بِبارِحِ
مَكانَ الثُرَيّا قاهِرٌ كُلَّ مَنزِلِ
Remaining by God’s leave not one to flee
A subduer of all places where I settle.
أَقَرَّت مَعَدٌّ أَنَّنا خَيرُها جَدّي
لِطالِبِ عُرفٍ أَو لِضَيفٍ مُحَمَّلِ
The tribes of Maʿadd acknowledged we are their best
For the seeker of glory or guest heavy laden.
مَقاويلُ بِالمَعروفِ خُرسٌ عَنِ الخَنا
قُضاةٌ بِفَصلِ الحَقِّ في كُلِّ مَحفِلِ
Silent about praising but eloquent against slander
Judges of equitable truth in every gathering.
أَخوهُم إِلى حِصنٍ مَنيعٍ وَجارُهُم
بِعَلياءِ عِزٍّ لَيسَ بِالمُتَذَلِّلِ
Their ally to an impregnable fortress and their neighbor
With lofty glorious pride not submissive or disgraced.
وَفينا إِذا ما حادِثُ الدَهرِ أَجحَفَت
نَوائِبُهُ وَالدَهرُ جَمُّ التَنَقُّلِ
And among us when the blows of fate deal harshly
As fortunes shift and time is ever changing.
لِذي الغُرمِ أَعوانٌ وَبِالحَقِّ قائِلٌ
وَلِلحَقِّ تَبّاعٌ وَلِلحَربِ مُصطَلِ
For the debtor there are helpers and for truth there is a champion
And for truth there are followers and for war there are ready warriors.
وَلِلخَيرِ كَسَّبٌ وَلِلمَجدِ رافِعٌ
وَلِلحَمدِ أَعوانُ وَلِلخَيلِ مُعتَلِ
For good there are ample deeds and for glory there is an uplifter
And for praise there are aides and for steeds there are racers.
نُبيحُ حُصونَ مَن نُعادي وَحِصنُنا
أَشَمُّ مَنيعٌ حَزنُهُ لَم يُسَهَّلِ
We storm the citadels of those we combat while our citadel
Is unassailable, its garrison never forced open.
نَقودُ ذَليلاً مَن نُعادي وَقَرمُنا
أَبيُّ القِيادِ مُصعَبٌ لَم يُذَلَّلِ
We subdue those we fight while our kin
Are unyielding leaders never subjugated.
نُفَلِّلُ أَنيابَ العَدوَّ وَنابُنا
حَديدٌ شَديدٌ رَوقُهُ لَم يُفَلَّلِ
We tear out the fangs of the enemy while our own fangs
Are hardened steel whose sharpness was never blunted.
أولَئِكَ آبائِي وَعِزّي وَمَعقِلي
إِلَيهِم أُثَيلَ فَاِسأَلي أَيُّ مَعقِلِ
They are my forefathers, my glory, and my stronghold
To them, O gentle one, I repair so ask which stronghold!
