سلا عنا المنازل لم بلينا — Sharif Al Murtaza

سلا عنّا المنازلَ لِمْ بَلينا

ولا سَقَمٌ بهنّ ولا هَوِينا

Ask the dwellings for us why they have crumbled,

though no sickness touched them, nor did they love.

ولمّا أنْ رأينا الدّارَ وَحْشاً

من الآناسِ أمْطَرْنا الجفونا

And when we saw the abode desolate

of people, we made our eyelids rain.

وقفنا نأخذُ العبراتِ منّا

ونُجريهنّ ما شاؤوا وشينا

We stood, drawing tears from ourselves,

and letting them flow as long as they wished and we wished.

وقال الفارغون من الغواني

وداءِ الحبِّ إنَّ بنا جُنونا

Those free of lovely women said,

and of love's sickness, that we were mad.

كأنّ عيونَنا فَنَنٌ مَطِيرٌ

تُسَيِّلُهُ نُعاماهُ فُنونا

As though our eyes were a rain-soaked bough

whose south wind makes it stream in many ways.

ومِن قِبَلِ الهوادِج يومَ بانوا

رُمِينا بالمحاسنِ إذْ رُمِينا

From the curtained litters, on the day they departed,

we were struck with beauties when we were struck.

أخذْنَ قلوبَنا وعجبن منّا

ونحن بلا قلوبٍ لِمْ بَقينا

They took our hearts and wondered at us:

why did we live on, though we had no hearts?

فيا للَّهِ أحداقُ الغواني

أمرنَ بأن عَشقنَ فما عُصِينا

Oh God, the eyes of lovely women!

They commanded through their love, and were not disobeyed.

مَررْن بنا ونحن بغيرِ بَلْوى

فما جاوَزْنَنا حتّى بُلينا

They passed us while we were free of affliction,

but did not pass beyond us before we were afflicted.

وما زال الهَوى حتّى رَضِينا

بهنّ على الصُّدودِ فما رضينا

Love persisted until we were content

with them despite their shunning; yet they were not content.

ولمّا أنْ مَطَلْن وَدِدْتُ أنّي

فدَيْتُ ردىً نفوسَ الماطلينا

When they delayed, I wished that I

could offer the delayers' souls as ransom to death.

ومِن سَفَهٍ وقوفُك في المغاني

تَساءَلُ عن فريقٍ فارقونا

It is folly to stand among the former abodes,

asking about a company that parted from us.

سُقينا بعد بينِهِمُ دموعاً

وكَفْنَ فما وقَفْن وما رَوِينا

After their parting we were given tears to drink;

they streamed and never stopped, yet did not quench our thirst.

فليت الحبَّ أشْعَرَ مَنْ عزيزٌ

عَليهِ أَنْ يبين بأنْ يبينا

Would that love had warned the one who finds it hard

to part, that he would have to part.

ولم نَرَ من خلال السِّجْفِ إلّا

عيوناً في الوصاوِصِ أوْ جبينا

Through the curtain we saw nothing

but eyes in veil-openings, or a forehead.

ودِدْتُ وما ودِدْتُ لغير جُرمٍ

وهنّ القالياتُ وما قُلينا

I loved, but was not loved, though guiltless;

they were the haters, yet were never hated.

ولمّا أنْ مشَيْن أرَيْن صُبحاً

دِعاصَ الخَبْتِ يَهزُزْن الغصونا

When they walked, they revealed a dawn—

lowland sand-mounds swaying boughs.

وهان على عيونٍ وادعاتٍ

هجوعاً أنْ نَبِيتَ مُؤَرَّقينا

To eyes at peace it was a light matter,

as they slept, that we should pass the night awake.

وشَنْباءٍ المضاحك من نِزارٍ

فقدتُ لحسنِ بهجتها القَرِينا

And a sweet-mouthed woman of Nizar—

I found no equal to her lovely radiance—

من اللّائي اِدّرَعْنَ الحسنَ سَهْماً

يُصِبنَ به صَميمَ الدّارعينا

one of those who don beauty as an arrow,

striking with it the very hearts of armored men.

وَلَولا أنّها سألتْ فؤادي

فجُدتُ به لكنتُ به ضَنينا

Had she not asked for my heart,

so that I gave it freely, I would have guarded it jealously.

رَمَتْنِي بالخِيانةِ في ودادي

وكنتُ على مودّتها أمينا

She accused me of betrayal in my love,

though I was faithful to her affection.

دَعِينا أنْ نزوركِ أُمَّ عَمْروٍ

وإلّا بِالزِّيارةِ واعِدِينا

Let us visit you, Umm Amr,

or at least promise us a visit.

وقد أورثتِنِي سَقَماً فإنْ لم

تُداويه الغداةَ فعلّلينا

You have bequeathed me sickness; if you do not

cure it this morning, then soothe us with promises.

فكمْ ليلٍ لبستُ به وشاحاً

ذوائبَ من هضيمٍ أو قُرونا

How many a night I wore as a sash

a slender-waisted woman's tresses or braids.

عَفَفتُ وَقد قدرتُ وليس شيءٌ

بأجمَلَ من عفافِ القادرينا

I remained chaste when I had the power; nothing

is finer than the chastity of those who can.

وزَوْرٍ زارني واللّيلُ داجٍ

وقد ملأ الكرى منّا العيونا

A visitor visited me while the night was dark,

and slumber had filled our eyes.

يُريني أنّه ثانٍ وِسادِي

مُضاجِعُهُ وزُورٌ ما يُرينا

He shows me that my pillow is being folded

by his bedmate—yet false is what he shows us.

نعمتُ بباطلٍ ويودّ قلبي

وداداً لو يكون لنا يقينا

I delighted in illusion, while my heart longed

for love—if only it could be certain for us.

فيا شَعَراتِ رأسٍ كنّ سُوداً

وحُلْنَ بما جناه الدَّهرُ جُونا

O hairs of a head that once were black,

now turned white by what time has wrought!

مَشيبُكِ بالسِّنين ومِن همومٍ

وليْتَكِ قد تُرِكْتِ مع السِّنينا

Your graying comes from years and from cares;

would that you had been left to the years alone.

كرهتُ الأربعين وقد تدانتْ

فمنْ ذا لِي بردِّ الأربعينا

I hated forty as it drew near;

who now can bring forty back to me?

ولاحَ بمفرَقِي قَبَسٌ منيرٌ

يَدُلُّ على مقاتِليَ المَنونا

A shining flame appeared at my hair's parting,

guiding Death to my vulnerable places.

وإنّي إنْ فخرتُ على البرايا

فخرتُ بمن يبذُّ الفاخرينا

If I boast above mankind,

I boast of those who outstrip all boasters:

بآباءٍ وأجدادٍ كِرامٍ

كما كانوا على كلِّ البنينا

of noble fathers and grandfathers,

as they stood above all sons.

ألَسْنا أشجَعَ الثَّقَلَيْنِ طُرّاً

وأوْفاهْم وأجوَدَهمْ يمينا

Are we not the bravest of all humankind and jinn,

the most faithful, and the most generous of hand,

وأطعَمَهُمْ وأقراهمْ ضُيوفاً

وأعطاهمْ إذا وهبوا الثّمينا

the most lavish in feeding, the most hospitable to guests,

the most giving when they bestow precious things?

وأركبَهمْ لمُعضلةٍ قَموصٍ

تَشامَسُ عن ركوبِ الرَّاكبينا

And the best at riding a bucking difficulty

that shies away from riders mounting it?

وأنضَرَهُمْ وأطهرَهمْ ذُيولاً

وأمضاهمْ وأقضاهمْ ديونا

The most radiant, the purest of hems,

the most resolute, the best at paying debts?

وإنّا إنْ شهدنا الحربَ يوماً

فَرَيْنا بالسّيوفِ وما فُرِينا

Whenever we witnessed battle,

we cleaved with swords and were not cleft.

وَإنْ أبصَرْتَنا نحمِي حريماً

رأيتَ الأُسدَ يحمين العرينا

If you saw us defending a sanctuary,

you saw lions defending their den.

فإنْ طُلِبَ النّدى كُنّا بحوراً

وإنْ حُذِر الرّدى كنّا حُصونا

If generosity was sought, we were seas;

if death was feared, we were fortresses.

نقود إلى الكريهةِ كلَّ يومٍ

خيولاً ما ونِينَ ولا وَجِينا

Each day we lead into battle

horses that never flagged or grew footsore,

وكلَّ مُغمِّسٍ في الرَّوْع يَقْرِي

صفائحَه التّرائبَ والشُّؤونا

and every battle-steeped warrior who serves

his blades a feast of breastbones and skull-sutures.

يُطاعنُ بالرّماحِ فلا يُبالي

سليماً عاد منها أمْ طعينا

He trades spear-thrusts, heedless

whether he returns unhurt or stabbed.

فإنْ عدّوا خَوَرْنَقَهُمْ عَدَدْنا

لنا البيتَ المحرَّمَ والحَجُونا

If they count their Khawarnaq, we count

as ours the Sacred House and al-Hajun,

وزَمْزَمَ مَوْرِداً تُثْنِي عليه

إذا وردتْ شفاهُ الواردينا

and Zamzam, a watering-place praised

by the lips of those who come to drink,

وجَمْعاً تَلْتجِي زُمَراً إليه

لَوَاغبُ يضطربْن بلاغِبينا

and Jam', to which in bands seek refuge

weary mounts, swaying with weary riders.

يُخَلْن ضُحىً وبحرُ الآلِ يجري

سفائِنَ يتَّبعن بنا سَفينا

At forenoon, while the sea of mirage flows, they seem

ships following ships, bearing us,

وخَيْفَ مِنىً تفاهَقَ وادياهُ

بهاماتِ الرّجالِ مُلَبَّدينا

and the Khayf of Mina, whose two valleys overflowed

with the heads of men with matted hair.

فلستَ ترى بها إلّا عَقِيراً

من الكُومِ الذُّرا أوْ عاقرينا

There you see only slaughtered beasts

from high-humped camels, or men slaughtering them.

وإنْ فخروا بطِخْفَةَ أوْ كلابٍ

فخرنا باللّيالي الغُرِّ فينا

If they boast of Tikhfa or Kilab,

we boast of the glorious nights among us:

بِخَيْبَرَ أوْ ببدرٍ أو حُنينٍ

وأُحْدٍ والمنايا يرتمينا

at Khaybar, or Badr, or Hunayn,

and Uhud, while deaths hurtled about.

دَفَعْنا عَن رَسولِ اللَّهِ طَعناً

وضرباً بالصّوارمِ مَن لقينا

We drove away from God's Messenger, with thrusts

and blows of sharp swords, those we met.

وقَيْناه وَمن يهوى هواهُ

بأَسيافِ الجلادِ وما وُقينا

We shielded him and whoever loved what he loved,

with swords of combat, while we went unshielded,

بأبصارٍ تُذَرُّ من السَّوافي

وتُكحَلُ بالرّياحِ إذا قُذِينا

with eyes dusted by windblown sands

and lined by winds whenever grit assailed us,

وأجسادٍ عُرِين من المخازي

ومن كرمٍ وخيرٍ ما عُرينا

and bodies bared of shame—

never were we bared of nobility or goodness.

فلا أرماحُنا يعرفن رَكْزاً

ولا الأسيافُ يعرفن الجُفونا

Our spears know no planting in the ground,

nor do our swords know scabbards.

وكنّا في اللّقاءِ وفي عطاءٍ

يُضَنّ به نُجيبُ إذا دُعِينا

In battle, and in giving

what men begrudge, we answered when called.

وَكَم طافتْ بدَوحَتنا عيونٌ

فلم تَرَ في جوانبها هَجِينا

How many eyes circled our great tree,

yet saw no one base-born among its branches.

أَلَم تَرَ هَذه الأيّامَ عُوجاً

موارِقَ من أكفِّ اللّابسينا

Have you not seen these days crooked,

slipping from the hands of those who wear them?

وَقَد كنّ الصّحاحَ بغير داءٍ

فها هنّ الصَّحائحُ قد دُوِينا

They once were sound, without disease;

behold, these sound ones now have sickened.

أقلّبُ في الورى قلبي وطَرفي

فَأَعجبُ من ضَلالِ الحائرينا

I turn my heart and gaze among mankind,

and marvel at the delusion of the bewildered:

عيونٌ عاشياتُ من هُداها

وقِدماً ما كَلَلْنَ ولا عَشِينا

eyes dimmed to their own guidance,

though long ago they neither tired nor grew dim;

وآراءٌ مضلَّلة النّواحي

لُوِين عن الإصابةِ أوْ زُوينا

and opinions misguided in their course,

twisted from the mark, or turned aside.

وإنّي لو شكوتُ إلى جَنينٍ

أشَبْتُ بحَرِّ شكوايَ الجنينا

If I complained to an unborn child,

the heat of my complaint would turn it gray.

وصمّاءٍ بَثَثْتُ لها التّشكِّي

أُهوِّنُها وتأبى أن تَهونا

And a deaf calamity to which I poured out complaint—

I belittle it, but it refuses to be slight.

رأتْ عندي السُّرورَ ولو بغيري

ألَمَّتْ ظلَّ مكتئباً حزينا

It found joy with me; had it befallen another,

he would have remained dejected and sad.

وَظنّوا أنّها تغنِي اِصطِباري

وشرُّ القومِ أكذبُهمْ ظُنونا

They thought it would render my endurance futile;

the worst of men are the falsest in conjecture.

وقالوا إنّها خُطَطٌ صعابٌ

فقلت نعم ولكنْ قد خُطينا

They said, "These are difficult courses."

I said, "Yes, but they have been traversed."

وَلَمّا لم تَنَلْ منّي مَراماً

أحالَتْ شامِتيها حاسدينا

When it failed to gain its aim against me,

it turned those gloating over it into enviers.

وكم غُرّ الرّجالُ فجرّبوني

فلم أكُ في تجاربهمْ غبينا

How often men were deceived and put me to the test,

yet in their trials I was no dupe.

وَقَد لَمسوا بأيديهمْ صَفاتي

فما وجدوا على الأيّامِ لِينا

They felt my rock with their own hands,

but found no softness through the days.

جزَى الزَّوراءَ عن مَلَلٍ فإِنّي

رَأيتُ بها الأذمّةَ ما رُعينا

May al-Zawra' be requited for its weariness, for I

saw pledges there left unhonored.

فلا تُنحى ولا تُحدى ركابي

إليها بالرّجال متى حُدينا

Let my mounts neither be steered nor urged by song

toward it, bearing men, whenever we are driven on.

فإنّ محاسناً حُدِّثتُ عنها

وكنّ بها زماناً قد فَنينا

For beauties of which I had been told,

which once were there, have now perished.

وَليسَ لَها لأرْوى غيرُ رسمٍ

وأطلالٍ لنعماءٍ بَلينا

It has nothing of Arwa but a trace,

and worn-out ruins of prosperity.

فإِنْ تنزعْ نزعتَ لباسَ عزٍّ

وإنْ تلبسْ لبستَ هناكُ هونا

If you take off a garment, you take off a robe of honor;

if you put one on, there you put on humiliation.

وإنْ تنظرُ نظرتَ إلى خطوبٍ

ترقّصُ عن قلوب الشّامتينا

If you look, you look upon calamities

that set the hearts of gloaters dancing.

فعدِّ قرارَ عَقْوَتِها سليماً

طليقاً كنتَ فيها أم رهينا

So leave its courtyard's dwelling-place unharmed,

whether you were free there or held in pledge.

وقرّبْ للنّجاءِ قَطَاةَ نَهْدٍ

وإلّا فالعُذافِرةَ الأمونا

Bring near for escape Nahd's sandgrouse,

or else the powerful, sure-footed she-camel.

فَلا بَقِيتْ كما نَحنُ اللّيالي

وأُبدلنا من الرّيبِ اليقينا

May the nights not last with us in this condition,

and may we be given certainty in place of doubt.

وَأَطْلِعها نُجوماً غارباتٍ

كُشِطْنَ بما نراه أو مُحينا

Make them rise as setting stars,

stripped away by what we see, or erased;

وذَعذِعها جهالاتٍ تلاقتْ

وضَعْضِعها ضلالاتٍ بُنينا

scatter them as follies that have gathered,

and shatter them as errors built up.