سقاك سار من الوسمي هتان — Sibt Ibn Altaawithy

سَقاكِ سارٍ مِنَ الوَسمِيِّ هَتّانُ

وَلا رَقَت لِلغَوادي فيكِ أَجفانُ

May a night-roaming cloud of autumn pour its rain upon you,

and may the morning rainclouds' eyelids never dry over you.

يا دارَ لَهوي وَأَطرابي وَمَلعَبِ أَت

رابي وَلِلَّهوِ وَالأَطرابِ أَوطانُ

O home of my pleasures and raptures, and playground of my

peers—pleasure and rapture have their homelands.

أَعائِدٌ لي ماضٍ مِن جَديدِ هَوىً

أَبلَيتُهُ وَشَبابٌ فيكِ فَينانُ

Will my past return to me, with love once fresh,

which I wore out, and youth luxuriant within you?

إِذِ الرَقيبُ لَنا عَينٌ مُساعِدَةٌ

وَالكاشِحونَ لَنا في الحُبِّ أَعوانُ

When the watcher was a helpful eye for us,

and our foes were allies to us in love;

وَإِذ جَميلَةُ توليني الجَميلَ وَعِندَ

الغانِياتِ وَراءَ الحُسنِ إِحسانُ

and when Jamila bestowed kindness on me, and among

fair women there was kindness beyond beauty.

وَلي إِلى البانِ مِن رَملِ الحِمى طَرَبٌ

فَاليَومَ لا الرَملُ يُصبيني وَلا البانُ

I thrilled to the ban trees in the sanctuary's sands;

today neither sand nor ban trees kindle my desire.

وَما عَسا يُدرِكُ المُشتاقُ مِن وَطَرٍ

إِذا بَكى الرَبعَ وَالأَحبابُ قَد بانوا

What desire can the longing lover hope to attain

by weeping over the dwelling when the beloved have departed?

كانوا مَعاني المَغاني وَالمَنازِلُ أَم

واتٌ إِذا لَم يَكُن فيهِنِّ سُكّانُ

They were the meaning of those abodes; dwellings are

dead when no inhabitants live in them.

لِلَّهِ كَم قَمَرَت لُبّي بِجَوِّكِ أَق

مارٌ وَكَم غازَلَتني فيكَ غِزلانُ

By God, how often in your air my heart was won by

moons, and how many gazelles courted me in you!

وَلَيلَةٍ باتَ يَجلو الراحَ مِن يَدِهِ

فيها أَغَنُّ خَفيفُ الروحِ جَذلانُ

And many a night he spent displaying wine from his hand,

a sweet-voiced youth, lighthearted and merry.

خالٍ مِنَ الهَمِّ في خِلخالِهِ حَرَجٌ

فَقَلبُهُ فارِغٌ وَالقَلبُ مَلآنُ

Free of care, his anklet fitting tight;

his heart is empty, but his bracelet full.

يُذكي الجَوى بارِدٌ مِن ثَغرِهِ شَبِمٌ

وَيوقِظُ الوَجدَ طَرفٌ مِنهُ وَسنانُ

Cool, icy moisture from his mouth kindles passion,

and his drowsy glance awakens yearning.

إِن يُمسِ رَيّانَ مِن ماءِ الشَبابِ فَلي

قَلبٌ إِلى ريقِهِ المَعسولِ ظَمآنُ

If he brims with the water of youth, I have

a heart thirsting for his honeyed saliva.

بَينَ السُيوفِ وَعَينَيهِ مُشارَكَةٌ

مِن أَجلِها قيلَ لِلأَغمادِ أَجفانُ

Swords and his two eyes share a kinship,

for which scabbards are called 'eyelids.'

فَكَيفَ أَصحو غَراماً أَو أُفيقُ هَوىً

وَقَدُّهُ ثَمِلُ الأَعطافِ نَشوانُ

How can I sober from passion or recover from love,

when his figure is tipsy in its curves, intoxicated?

أَفديهِ مِن غَدِرٍ بِالعَهدِ غادَرَني

صُدودُهُ وَدُموعي فيهِ غُدرانُ

I would ransom him, faithless to his pledge, who left me—

through his rejection—with tears for him in pools.

في خَدِّهِ وَثَناياهُ وَمُقلَتِهِ

وَفي عِذارَيهِ لِلمَعشوقِ بُستانُ

In his cheek, his front teeth, and his eye,

and in his two sideburns, the beloved has a garden:

شَقائِقٌ وَأَقاحٍ نَبتُهُ خَضِلٌ

وَنَرجِسٌ عَبِقٌ غَضٌّ وَرَيحانُ

anemones and daisies, its growth dew-fresh,

and fragrant, tender narcissus and basil.

ما زالَ يَمزُجُ كَأسي مِن مَراشِفِهِ

بِقَهوَةٍ أَنا مِنها الدَهرُ سَكرانُ

He never ceased blending my cup from his lips

with a wine on which I am forever drunk.

وَاللَيلُ تَرمُقُني شَزراً كَواكِبُهُ

كَأَنَّهُ مِن دُنُوّي مِنهُ غَيرانُ

And night's stars watched me askance,

as though night envied my nearness to him,

حَتّى تَوالَت تَؤُمُّ الغَربَ جانِحَةً

مِنها إِلَيهِ زَرافاتٌ وَأُحدانُ

until they streamed in succession, inclining toward the west,

some in groups, some singly, making their way to it.

كَأَنَّها نَقَدٌ بِالدَوِّ نَفَّرَها

لَمّا بَدا ذَنبُ السِرحانِ سِرحانُ

As though they were small sheep in the desert, scattered

by a wolf when the Wolf's Tail of dawn appeared;

أَو فَلُّ جَيشٍ عَلى الأَعقابِ مُنهَزِمٍ

مالَت بِأَيديهِمُ لِلطَعنِ خِرصانُ

or remnants of an army, routed back upon its heels,

lances slanting in their hands for the thrust.

فَقامَ يَسحَبُ بُرداً ضَوَّعَت عَبَقاً

وَجهَ الثَرى مِنهُ أَذيالٌ وَأَردانُ

Then he rose, trailing a cloak; fragrance wafted

over the earth's face from its skirts and sleeves.

شَوطٌ مِنَ العُمرِ أَنضَيتُ الشَبيبَةَ في

مَيدانِهِ فَرَحاً وَالعُمرُ مَيدانُ

A lap of life: I wore my youth out within

its course in joy—for life is a racecourse.

أَيّامَ شَرخُ شَبابي وَرَوضَةٌ أُنُفٌ

ما ريعَ مِنهُ بِوَخطِ الشَيبِ رَيعانُ

Days when my youthful prime was a fresh, untouched meadow,

its first bloom unstartled by the flecks of gray.

تَقِرُّ بي عَينُ نَدماني فَها أَنا قَد

أَمسَيتُ ما لي غَيرَ الهَمِّ نَدمانُ

My drinking companion's eye delighted in me; now behold, I have

come to have no drinking companion but care.

فَلَيتَ شِعري أَراضٍ مَن كَلِفتُ بِهِ

أَم مُعرِضٌ هُوَ عَنّي اليَومَ غَضبانُ

Would that I knew: is the one I am enamored of pleased,

or does he turn away from me today in anger,

مِن بَعدِ ما صِرتُ في حُبّي لَهُ مَثَلاً

فَسِرُّ وَجدي بِهِ في الناسِ إِعلانُ

after I became a proverb for my love of him?

The secret of my yearning for him is public among people.

وَسارَ مِن غَزَلي فيهِ وَمَدحِ أَمي

رِ المُؤمِنينَ أَبي العَبّاسِ ديوانُ

And my love verse to him and praise of the Commander

of the Faithful, Abu al-Abbas, have circulated in a volume—

الناصِرِ الدينَ وَالحامي حِماهُ وَمَن

دانَت لَهُ الثَقَلانُ الإِنسُ وَالجانُ

defender of religion, guardian of its sanctuary, the one

whom both races obey: humankind and jinn.

فَلِلرَعِيَّةِ عَينٌ مِنهُ كَالِئَةٌ

وَلِلخِلافَةِ عَزمٌ مِنهُ يَقظانُ

For his subjects he has a watchful eye,

and for the caliphate a vigilant resolve.

خَليفَةٌ طاعَةُ الرَحمَنِ طاعَتُهُ

حَقّاً وَعِصيانُهُ لِلَّهِ عِصيانُ

A caliph: obedience to him is obedience to the Merciful,

in truth, and rebellion against him is rebellion against God.

إِذا تَمَسَّكتَ في الدُنيا بِطاعَتِهِ

فَما لِسَعيِكَ عِندَ اللَهِ كُفرانُ

If in this world you hold fast to obedience to him,

your striving will not go unacknowledged by God.

تَسخو بِكُلِّ نَفيسٍ نَفسُهُ وَيَرى

أَنَّ النَفائِسَ لِلعَلياءِ أَثمانُ

His soul freely gives every precious thing, and he sees

that precious things are the price of eminence.

رَبُّ الجِيادِ مِنَ النَقع المُثارِ لَها

بَراقِعٌ وَمِنَ الخِطّيِّ أَرسانُ

Lord of steeds, for whom the dust they raise

makes veils, and lances make their reins.

تَحذو قَوائِمَها التِبرَ النُضارَ فَمِن

نِعالِها لِلمُلوكِ الصيدِ تيجانُ

Their hooves wear pure gold as shoes; and from

their horseshoes come the crowns of proud kings.

عِقبانُ خَيلٍ مِنَ الراياتِ تَحمِلُ عِق

باناً وَتَتبَعُها في الجَوِّ عِقبانُ

Eagles among horses, they carry on their banners

eagles, and eagles follow them through the sky.

تُردي الأَعادي عَلَيها حينَ تَبعَثُها

قُبّاً كَما اِنبَعَثَت تَشتَدُّ ذُؤبانُ

Mounted on them, you lay enemies low when you unleash them,

lean-flanked, as wolves spring forth at speed.

فَاِعجَب لِمَيمونَةِ الأَعرافِ ميسَمُها

نَصرٌ وَفيها لِمَن عاداهُ خِذلانُ

Marvel at those of auspicious manes: their brand is

victory, and in them his enemies find defeat.

لا يُغمِدُ السَيفَ إِلّا في الكَمِيِّ وَلا

يَستَصحِبُ النَصلَ إِلّا وَهوَ عُريانُ

He sheathes his sword only in an armored warrior, and

keeps a blade with him only when it is bare.

يُذكي الأَسِنَّةَ في لَيلِ العَجاجِ كَما

يُذكى لِباغٍ في القِرى اللَيلِ نيرانُ

He kindles spearheads in the night of battle-dust, as

fires are kindled at night for one seeking hospitality.

تَعشو السِباعُ إِلَيها حينَ يَرفَعُها

ظامي الحَشا وَخَميصُ البَطنِ طَيّانُ

Wild beasts are drawn to their light when he raises them,

thirst-parched within, hollow-bellied and famished.

تَستَطعِمُ البيضَ في كَفّيهِ مُحدِقَةً

بِهِ كَما أَحدَقَت بِالبَيتِ ضيفانُ

They beg food from the white blades in his hands, encircling

him as guests encircle a house,

عَلى خُوانٍ مِنَ القَتلى كَأَنَّهُمُ

عَلى التَبايُنِ مِن حَولَيهِ إِخوانُ

at a table of the slain, as though they were,

despite their differences, brothers about him.

فَيالَهُ مِن مُضيفٍ طالَما عُقِرَت

عَلى مَقاريهِ أَبطالٌ وَأَقرانُ

What a host he is! How often have been slaughtered

at his feasts heroes and worthy foes.

مُؤَيَّدُ العَزمِ مَنصورُ الكَتائِبِ أَم

لاكُ السَماءِ لَهُ في الأَرضِ أَعوانُ

His resolve is strengthened, his battalions victorious; the angels

of heaven are his helpers upon earth.

نَمَتهُ مِن غالِبٍ غُلبٌ غَطارِفَةٌ

بيضُ المَآثِرِ وَالأَحسابِ غُرّانُ

Mighty noble lords of Ghalib brought him forth,

bright in deeds and lineage, illustrious,

أَئِمَّةٌ فَوقَ أَعوادِ المَنابِرِ أَح

بارٌ وَفي صَهَواتِ الخَيلِ فُرسانُ

imams upon the planks of pulpits, men of

learning, and knights upon the backs of horses.

صَومُ الهَواجِرِ هَجيراهُمُ وَلَهُم

إِذا سَجا اللَيلُ تَسبيحٌ وَقُرآنُ

Fasting in midday heat is their habit; and theirs,

when night grows still, are glorification and Qur'an recitation.

حازوا تُراثَ رَسولِ اللَهِ وَاِتَّصَلَت

لَهُم بِدَوحَتِهِ الغَنّاءِ عيدانُ

They gained the legacy of God's Messenger, and their

branches are joined to his luxuriant tree.

حَلَفتُ بِالعيسِ أَمثالِ القِسِيِّ عَلى

أَكوارِها كَقِسِيِّ النَبعِ رُكبانُ

I swore by pale camels, bow-like, upon

whose saddles ride men bent like bows of nabʿ-wood;

كَأَنَّها وَالمَوامي يَرتَمينَ بِها

نَواجِياً تَخبِطُ الظَلماءَ ظِلمانُ

as though, as the wastelands hurled them onward,

they were swift ostriches beating through the darkness.

مِن كُلِّ مُجفَرَةِ الجَنبَينِ تامِكَةٍ

كَأَنَّ ما ضَمَّ مِنها الرَحلُ بُنيانُ

Each is broad-flanked and high-humped,

what her saddle clasps like a mighty building.

أَذابَها لِلسُرى طَوعَ الأَزِمَّةِ إِع

مادٌ وَأَنحَلَها لِلسَيرِ إِدمانُ

Obedient to the reins, night travel melted them through

exhaustion, and ceaseless journeying made them lean,

حَتّى لَعادَت وَفي أَنساعِها ضُمُراً

مِنها نُسوعٌ وَفي الأَقرانِ أَقرانُ

until they grew so lean that within their girth-straps they were

straps themselves, and cords among the tethering cords.

تُهوي بِكُلِّ مُنيبِ القَلبِ تَحفِرُهُ

تَقِيَّةٌ مِلءُ جَنبَيهِ وَإِيمانُ

They sped with every penitent-hearted man, hollowed out by

pious fear and faith filling his breast.

شُعثاً يَميلونَ مِن سُكرِ اللُغوبِ كَما

تَمايَلَت في ذُرى الأَحقافِ أَغصانُ

Disheveled, they sway, drunk with exhaustion, as

branches sway on the crests of sand dunes.

يَرجونَ مَكَّةَ وَالبَيتَ المُحَجَّبَ أَن

يَبدو لَهُم مِنهُ أَستارٌ وَأَركانُ

They hope to see Mecca and the veiled House,

its curtains and its corners coming into view.

أَمّوا جَواداً إِذا حَلّوا بِهِ وَسِعَت

ذُنوبَهُم رَحمَةٌ مِنهُ وَرِضوانُ

They seek a Generous One: when they alight with Him,

His mercy and good pleasure encompass their sins.

وَالمُشعَراتِ الهَدايا في أَزِمَّتِها

مِنَ الغَوارِبِ أَنقاءٌ وَكُثبانُ

And by the marked sacrificial beasts, held in their reins,

their withers like ridges of sand and dunes,

يَقتادُها في حِبالِ الذُلِّ خاضِعَةً

أَعناقُها أَنَّها لِلَّهِ قُربانُ

led in the ropes of submission, their necks

bowed by the knowledge that they are offerings to God,

صوراً إِلى الشَعَراتِ البيضِ قَد خُضِبَت

مَشافِرٌ بِالدَمِ القاني وَأَدقانُ

with necks turned toward the white hairs; already

their lips and chins were dyed with crimson blood:

لَولا وَلاءُ بَني العَباسِ ما ثَقُلَت

لِمُفلِسٍ مُخسِرٍ في الحَشرِ ميزانُ

were it not for loyalty to the sons of al-Abbas, no scales

would weigh heavy for a bankrupt loser at the Resurrection.

أَنتُم وَقَد بَيَّنَ الفُرقانُ فَضلَكُمُ

بَينَ الهُدى وَضَلالِ البَغيِ فُرقانُ

You—whose excellence the Criterion has made clear—

are a criterion between guidance and rebellious error.

يا ناشِرَ العَدلِ في الدُنيا وَمُنشِرَهُ

وَمَن بِهِ تَفخَرُ الدُنيا وَتَزدانُ

O spreader of justice in the world, and its reviver,

you in whom the world takes pride and adorns itself,

وَموسِعَ الدَهرِ وَالأَيّامُ إِن سَفِهَت

حِلماً يَخِفُّ لَهُ قُدسٌ وَثَهلانُ

who lavishes on Time, when its days act foolishly,

a forbearance beside which Quds and Thahlan weigh light,

لَم يَبقَ لِلجَورِ سُلطانٌ عَلى أَحَدٍ

أَنّى وَأَنتَ لِأَهلِ الأَرضِ سُلطانُ

oppression has no power left over anyone—

how could it, when you are sovereign of earth's people?

قالوا القِرانُ وَطوفانُ الهَواءِ لَهُ

بِالشَرِّ عَن كَثَبٍ في الأَرضِ طُغيانُ

They said, 'The conjunction and the deluge of air

will soon run rampant with evil across the earth.'

أَما لَهُم فيهِ بُرهانٌ وَطائِرُكَ المَيم

ونُ فيهِ لِدَفعِ الشَرِّ بُرهانُ

Have they no proof of it? Your auspicious omen

is proof that evil will be averted.

وَكَيفَ تَسطو اللَيالي أَو يَكونُ لَها

في عَصرِ مِثلِكَ إِرهاقٌ وَعُدوانُ

How can the nights assault, or how can they inflict,

in the age of one like you, oppression and aggression,

وَأَنتَ في كُلِّ عُلوِيٍّ لَهُ أَثَرٌ

مُؤَثَّرٌ وَعَلى الطوفانِ طوفانُ

when on every heavenly body that exerts influence you

exert your own, and over the deluge are a deluge?

سَعادَةٌ لَو أَحاطَ الخازِمِيُّ بِها

لَعادَ فيما اِدَّعاهُ وَهوَ خَزيانُ

Such good fortune: had al-Khazimi comprehended it,

he would have retracted his claim in shame.

فَاِسعَد بِها دَولَةً غَرّاءَ ما اِدَّرَعَت

بِمِثلِها حَميَرٌ قِدَماً وَساسانُ

Rejoice in it—a radiant reign in whose like

neither Himyar of old nor Sasan ever clothed themselves.

وَاِسلَم تَدومُ لَكَ النُعمى فَإِنَّكَ ما

سَلِمتَ في جَذَلٍ فَالدَهرُ جَذلانُ

Remain safe, may bliss endure for you; for as long as you

are safe in joy, Time itself is joyful.

لا زِلتَ بَدرَ السَماءِ يَستَضِئُ بِهِ

وَيَهتَدي مُظلِمٌ مِنّا وَحَيرانُ

May you ever be the full moon of heaven, by whose light

those among us in darkness and bewilderment are guided.

وَلا سَعى لَكَ صَرفُ الدَهرِ في حُرُمٍ

وَلا رَأى وَجهُ مَن يَرجوكَ حِرمانُ

May Time's vicissitudes never assail what you hold sacred,

and may no face that hopes in you ever see deprivation.