سقاها الحيا من أربع وطلول — Sibt Ibn Altaawithy

سَقاها الحَيا مِن أَربُعٍ وَطُلولِ

حَكَت دَنَفي مِن بَعدِهِم وَنُحولي

May rain water those dwelling sites and ruins,

Mirroring my lovesickness and wasting since their departure.

ضَمِنتُ لَها أَجفانَ عَينٍ قَريحَةٍ

مِنَ الدَمعِ مِدرارِ الشُؤونِ هَمولِ

I pledged them the lids of an eye made sore

By tears, its tear ducts gushing, ever streaming.

لَئِن حالَ رَسمُ الدارِ عَمّا عَهِدتُهُ

فَعَهدُ الهَوى في القَلبِ غَيرُ مُحيلِ

Though the dwelling's traces have changed from what I knew,

Love's covenant in my heart remains unchanged.

خَليلَيَّ قَد هاجَ الغَرامَ وَشاقَني

سَنا بارِقٍ بِالأَجرَعَينِ كَليلِ

My two friends, what roused my passion and yearning

Was the gleam of faint lightning at al-Ajra‘ayn.

وَوَكَّلَ طَرفي بِالسُهادِ تَنَظُّري

قَضاءَ مَلِيٍّ بِالدُيونِ مَطولِ

My waiting has consigned my eyes to sleeplessness—

For payment from a wealthy debtor, forever stalling.

إِذا قُلتُ قَد أَنحَلتِ جِسمي صَبابَةً

تَقولُ وَهَل حُبٌّ بِغَيرِ نُحولِ

Whenever I say, ‘You have wasted my body with longing,’

She says, ‘Can there be love without wasting?’

وَإِن قُلتُ دَمعي بِالأَسى فيكِ شاهِدٌ

تَقولُ شُهودُ الدَمعِ غَيرُ عُدولِ

And if I say, ‘My tears bear witness to my grief over you,’

She says, ‘Tears are not trustworthy witnesses.’

فَلا تَعذُلاني إِن بَكَيتُ صَبابَةً

عَلى ناقِضٍ عَهدَ الوَفاءِ مَلولِ

So do not reproach me, you two, if I weep with longing

For a fickle breaker of fidelity's covenant.

فَأَبرَحُ ما يُمنى بِهِ الصَبُّ في الهَوى

مَلالُ حَبيبٍ أَو مَلامُ عَذولِ

For the sorest thing that befalls a lover in love

Is a beloved's boredom or a censurer's reproach.

وَدونَ الكَثيبِ الفَردِ بيضُ عَقائِلٍ

لَعِبنَ بِأَهواءٍ لَنا وَعُقولِ

On this side of the lone dune are fair noblewomen

Who have toyed with our passions and our minds.

غَداةَ التَقَت أَلحاظُنا وَقُلوبُنا

فَلَم تَخلُ إِلّا عَن دَمٍ وَقَتيلِ

The morning our glances and our hearts met,

They left behind nothing but blood and one slain.

أَلا حَبَّذا وادي الأَراكِ وَقَد وَشَت

بِرَيّاكَ ريحاً شَمأَلٍ وَقُبولِ

Ah, how lovely is Wadi al-Arak, now that

The north and east winds have told of your fragrance.

وَفي أَبرَدَيهِ كُلَّما اِعتَلَتِ الصَبا

شِفاءُ فُؤادٍ بِالغَرامِ عَليلِ

And in its two cool hours, whenever the east wind rises,

There is healing for a heart sick with love.

دَعَوتُ سُلُوّاً فيكَ غَيرَ مُساعِدٍ

وَحاوَلتُ صَبراً عَنكَ غَيرَ جَميلِ

I summoned forgetfulness of you, but it would not aid me,

And sought patience away from you, but found it ungraceful.

تَعَرَّفتُ أَسبابَ الهَوى وَحَمَلتُهُ

عَلى كاهِلٍ لِلنائِباتِ حَمولِ

I learned the ways of love and bore it

Upon a shoulder well able to carry calamities.

فَلَم أَحظَ مِن حُبِّ الغَواني بِطائِلِ

سِوى رَعيِ لَيلٍ بِالغَرامِ طَويلِ

Yet I gained nothing worthwhile from the love of beauties

Save keeping watch through a night made long by passion.

أَما تَسأَمُ الأَيّامُ ظُلمي فَتَنقَضي

حُقودٌ تَراءَت بَينَنا وَذُحولُ

Will the days not tire of wronging me, so that

The rancors and blood-feuds that arose between us may end?

تَلَقَّيتُ مِنها كُلَّ بُؤسٍ وَنِعمَةٍ

وَصاحَبتُ في الحالَينِ غَيرَ قَليلِ

From them I have received every misery and blessing,

And in both conditions I have kept company with many.

فَلَم يَرتَبِط حَبلي بِغَيرِ مُصارِمٍ

وَلا اِعتَلَقَت كَفّي بِغَيرِ بَخيلِ

Yet my cord has bound me only to a breaker of ties,

Nor has my hand clung to any but a miser.

أُضَمِّنُ شَكوايَ القَوافي تَعِلَّةً

وَقَد صُنتُها عَن صاحِبٍ وَخَليلِ

I lodge my complaint in rhymes to console myself,

Though I have kept it from companion and close friend.

مُقيماً وَجُردُ الخَيلِ تَرقُبُ نَهضَتي

فَشوسُ المَطايا يَقتَضينَ رَحيلي

I stay, while sleek horses await my setting out,

And proud-eyed mounts demand my departure.

وَلَيسَ اِحتِمالي لِلأَذى أَنَّ غايَةً

يُقَصِّرُ وَخدي دونَها وَذَميلي

My endurance of harm is not because some destination

Lies beyond the reach of my swift stride and trot.

إِلى كَم تُمَنّيني اللَيالي بِماجِدٍ

رَزينٍ وَقارِ الحِلِ غَيرِ عَجولِ

How long will the nights promise me a noble man,

Steady, dignified in repose, never hasty,

أَهُزُّ اِختِيالاً في ذُراهُ مَعاطِفي

وَأَسحَبُ تيهاً في ذَراهُ ذُيولي

In whose heights I may sway my shoulders proudly,

And in whose shelter trail my robes in pride?

لَقَد طالَ عَهدي بِالنَوالِ وَإِنَّني

لَصَبٌ إِلى تَقبيلِ كَفِّ مُنيلِ

It has been long since I knew bounty, and I

Indeed yearn to kiss a giver's hand.

وَإِنَّ نَدى يَحيى الوَزيرِ لَكافِلٌ

بِها لي وَعَونُ الدينِ خَيرُ كَفيلِ

And surely the bounty of Yahya the vizier guarantees

This for me; and ‘Awn al-Din is the best guarantor.

هُوَ المَرءُ لا يَنفَكُّ صَدرَ وِسادَةٍ

لِفَصلِ القَضايا أَو إِمامَ رَعيلِ

He is the man ever presiding on the cushion

To settle cases, or leading a troop.

جَوادٍ يَبيتُ الوَفدُ حَولَ فِنائِهِ

بِأَكرَمِ مَثوىً عِندَهُ وَمَقيلِ

A generous man: delegations sleep around his courtyard

In his most honored lodging and midday resting place.

إِذا قُلَّتِ البيضُ الرِقاقُ وَجَدتَهُ

أَخا عَزَماتٍ غَيرِ ذاتِ فُلولِ

When slender white blades are raised, you find him

A man of resolves that bear no notches.

وَتَعنو لَهُ الحَربُ العَوانُ لِطَولِ ما

تَحَطَّمَ فيها مِن قَناً وَنُصولِ

And seasoned war bows to him, after so much

Shattering of spears and blades within it.

أَشَمُّ هُبَيرِيُّ المَناسِبِ يَعتَزي

إِلى خَيرِ بَيتٍ في أَعَزِّ قَبيلِ

Proud, of Hubayri lineage, he traces his descent

To the best house in the mightiest tribe.

مِنَ القَومِ لا راجي نَداهُم بِخائِبٍ

وَلا الجارُ في أَبياتِهِم بِذَليلِ

Of a people: no seeker of their bounty is disappointed,

Nor is a neighbor abased within their tents.

إِذا اِستُصرِخوا شَنّوا فُضولَ دُروعِهِم

عَلى غُرَرٍ وَضّاحَةٍ وَحُجولِ

When called for aid, they let their trailing mail fall

Over bright-blazed, white-stockinged horses.

فَإِن رُفِعَت لِلحَربِ وَالجَدبِ رايَةٌ

رَمَوها بِأُسدٍ مِنهُمُ وَشُبولِ

And if a banner is raised for war and drought,

They send against it lions and cubs of their own.

ثِقالٌ عَلى الأَعداءِ لا يَستَخِفُّهُم

نَوازِلُ خَطبٍ لِلزَمانِ ثَقيلِ

Heavy upon their foes, they are not shaken

By the blows of time's grievous calamities.

تُراعُ صُدورُ الخَيلِ وَاللَيلِ مِنهُمُ

بِفِتيانِ صِدقٍ رُجَّحٍ وَكُهولِ

The breasts of steeds and of night are terrified by them—

True, sound-minded youths and men of years.

فَضَلتَ بِصَيتٍ سارَ في الأَرضِ ذِكرُهُ

وَمَجدٍ مُنيفٍ في السَماءِ أَثيلِ

You excel through renown whose fame has traveled the earth,

And deep-rooted glory towering in the sky,

وَرَأيٍ كَصَدرِ السَمهَريِّ مُثَقَّفٍ

وَعَزمٍ كَمَتنِ المَشرَفِيِّ صَقيلِ

And judgment like the forepart of a straightened Samhari spear,

And resolve like the flat of a polished Mashrafi sword.

تَخافُكَ أَطرافُ القَنا فَاِهتِزازُها

مِنَ الذُعرِ لا مِن دِقَّةٍ وَذُبولِ

The tips of spears fear you; their quivering

Comes from terror, not slenderness and suppleness.

وَمُعتَرَكٍ ضَنكِ المَجالِ وَمَوقِفٍ

زَليقٍ بِأَقدامِ الكُماةِ زَليلِ

And many a narrow battleground and fighting stand,

Slippery, where armored champions' feet slide,

صَليتَ لَظاهُ بارِدَ القَلبِ وادِعاً

كَأَنَّكَ مِنهُ في حِمىً وَمَقيلِ

You braved its blaze cool-hearted and serene,

As though, within it, you had refuge and a place of midday rest.

وَقَتكَ الرِفاقُ البيضُ لَفحَ أُوارِهِ

وَيارُبَّ ظِلٍّ لِلسُيوفِ ظَليلِ

The white companions shielded you from its scorching heat,

And oh, how many a sheltering shade swords cast!

وَأَجرَيتَها قُبَّ البُطونِ كَأَنَّها

تَدافُعُ سَيلٍ في قَرارِ مَسيلِ

And you sent them galloping, lean-bellied, as though they were

A torrent surging along the bed of its channel.

فَما اِعتَصَمَت مِنكَ الوُعولُ بِقُلَّةٍ

وَلا اِمتَنَعَت مِنكَ الأُسودُ بِغيلِ

No ibex found protection from you on a peak,

Nor any lion shelter from you in a thicket.

وَسُقتَ العِدى سَوقَ الرِعاءِ ظَوامِئا

لِوِردٍ مِنَ المَوتِ الزُؤامِ وَبيلِ

And you drove the foe as shepherds drive thirsty beasts

To a baleful watering place of swift death.

فَكُلُّ أَبِيٍّ في مَقادَةِ مُصحِبٍ

وَكُلُّ حَرونٍ في زِمامِ ذَلولِ

So every defiant man is led like a willing follower,

And every balking steed is reined like a docile mount.

فَلَم يَبقَ حَيٌّ مِنهُمُ غَيرُ موثَقٍ

وَلا مُطلَقُ الكَفَّينِ غَيرُ قَتيلِ

No living one among them remained unbound,

Nor were any hands unshackled except those of the slain.

فَمِن حُرِّ وَجهٍ بِالصَعيدِ مُعَفَّرٍ

وَطَرفٍ كَحيلٍ بِالتُرابِ كَحيلِ

There lay noble faces, dust-smeared upon the earth,

And kohl-dark eyes now kohled with dust.

دَعَوتُكَ في اللَأواءِ يا اِبنَ مُحَمَّدٍ

لِنَصرِيَ فَاِستَنجَدتُ غَيرَ خَذولِ

I called on you in hardship, O son of Muhammad,

To aid me; I sought help from one who does not forsake.

فَما أَوضَعَت إِلّا إِلَيكَ رَكائِبي

وَلا وُضِعَت إِلّا لَدَيكَ حُمولي

My riding camels sped toward none but you,

And my loads were set down nowhere but with you.

عَدَلتُ بِها عَن قائِلٍ غَيرِ فاعِلِ

إِلى رَبِّ جودٍ قائِلٍ وَفَعولِ

I turned them from one who speaks but does not act,

To a master of bounty, who both speaks and acts.

كَثيرٍ إِذا قَلَّ الحِباءُ حِباؤُهُ

وَفِيٍّ إِذا عَزَّ الوَفاءُ وَصولِ

Whose gifts are plentiful when gifts grow scarce,

Faithful when faithfulness is rare, ever sustaining ties.

إِلى بَحرِ جودٍ بِالمَواهِبِ مُزبِدٍ

وَصَوبِ حَياً بِالمَكرُماتِ هَطولِ

To a sea of generosity foaming with gifts,

And a downpour of life-giving rain showering noble deeds.

وَإِنِّيَ يا تاجَ المُلوكِ لَواثِقٌ

بِسَيبِ عَطاءٍ مِن نَداكَ جَزيلِ

And I, O Crown of Kings, am indeed confident

Of an abundant flow of gifts from your bounty.

وَها أَنا قَد حَمَّلتُ مَدحَكَ حاجَتي

وَحَسبُكَ فَاِنظُر مَن جَعَلتُ رَسولي

And here I have charged my praise of you with my plea;

Enough said: consider whom I have made my messenger.