أفي كل يوم للخطوب أصالي — Abn Almqrb Alaaona

أَفي كُلِّ يَومٍ لِلخُطوبِ أصالي

أَلا ما لِأَحداثِ الزَمانِ وَما لي

Must I face calamities every day?

Ah, what do time's upheavals want with me?

يُفَجِّعنَني في كُلِّ يَومٍ يَمُرُّ بي

بِأَنفَسٍ مالٍ أَو بِأَشرَفِ آلِ

Each day that passes me, they bereave me

of the most precious wealth or the noblest kin.

أَرى الشَرَّ قُدّاماً وَخلفاً وَأَتَّقي

نِبالَ الأَذى عَن يَمنَةٍ وَشِمالِ

I see evil before and behind me, and fend off

harm's arrows from right and left.

إِذا قُلتُ جَلّى بَعضُ هَمّي أَتَت لَهُ

نَوائِبُ أَمضى مِن حُدودِ نِصالِ

Whenever I say, 'Some of my grief has lifted,' there come against it

calamities sharper than the edges of blades.

كَأَنَّ الرَزايا وَالمَنايا تَحالَفا

عَلى عَكسِ آمالي وَبَثِّ مَآلي

It is as though disasters and deaths had allied

to thwart my hopes and scatter my fortunes.

لَحى اللَهُ هَذا الدَهرَ كَم يَستَفِزُّني

لِخَوضِ بِحارٍ أَو لِشَقِّ جِبالِ

May God curse this age! How often it goads me

to plunge into seas or cleave mountains!

يُكَلِّفُني جَريَ الجَوادِ وَقَد لَوى

شِكالاً عَلى ساقَيَّ خَلفَ شِكالِ

It demands that I run like a steed, though it has wound

fetter after fetter around both my legs.

وَقَد مَصَّ مُخَّ العَظمِ حَتّى إِزارهُ

وَبَدَّلَهُ مِن نِيِّهِ بِهُزالِ

It has sucked the marrow from the bone, down to its covering,

and exchanged its fullness for emaciation.

وَهَل يَقطَعُ الشّكلَ الجَوادُ عَلى الوَنى

وَلَو جالَ في الآرِيِّ كُلَّ مَجالِ

Can a weary steed break its fetters,

even if it circles its tether in every possible way?

أَقولُ وَقَد فَكَّرتُ في أَمرِ خِلَّتي

وَأَمري وَحالِ الأَرذَلينَ وَحالي

I say, having pondered the matter of my need

and my affairs, the state of the vilest men and my own:

أَلا لَيتَني قَد كُنتُ خِدناً مُخادِناً

لِخَيطِ نَعامٍ في الفَلا وَرِئالِ

Ah, if only I had been a companion, keeping company

with a flock of ostriches and their chicks in the wilderness,

وَلَم أَكُ عارَفتُ اللِئامَ وَلَم أَنُط

حِبالَ خَسيسٍ مِنهُمُ بِحِبالي

and had never befriended the ignoble, nor tied

a base man's cords to my own.

فَلَم أَرَ مِنهُم غَيرَ خِبٍّ يَمُدُّ لي

لِسانَ مُحِبٍّ مِن طَوِيَّةِ قالِ

For I found among them only a knave, offering me

a lover's tongue from a hater's heart.

لَهُ شِيمَةُ السَنَّورِ في لُطفِ خدعِهِ

وَلَكِنَّهُ في اللَمسِ حَيَّةُ ضالِ

His gentle deceit has the nature of a cat,

but to the touch he is a wild-lote serpent.

إِذا جِئتُ فَدّاني وَأَبدى بَشاشَةً

وَلاحَظَني مِنهُ بِعَينِ جَلالِ

When I come, he calls himself my ransom and shows delight,

and regards me with a look of reverence.

وَإِن غِبتُ أَدنى ساعَةٍ مِن لحاظِهِ

تَمَحَّلَ في غَيبي بِكُلِّ مِحالِ

But if I leave his sight for the briefest hour,

he schemes in my absence with every trick.

إِلى اللَهِ أَشكُو مَنجَمي في مَعاشِرٍ

هُمُ شَرُّ ماضٍ في الزَمانِ وَتالِ

To God I complain of my lot among folk

who are the worst of all who have passed through time or will follow.

صَحِبتُهُمُ مُستَصفِياً فَوَجَدتُهُم

أَليمَ عَذابٍ في أَشَدِّ نِكالِ

I kept their company, seeking sincerity, but found them

a painful torment, the harshest chastisement.

إِذا قُلتُ حَلَّ الدَهرُ غِلَّ صُدُورِهِم

أَبَت سُوءُ أَخلاقٍ وَقُبحُ خِصالِ

Whenever I say time has loosened their breasts' rancor,

their evil manners and ugly traits refuse.

ولا ذَنبَ لي إِلّا حِجىً وَبَراعَةٌ

وَمَجدٌ وَبَيتٌ في رَبيَعَةَ عالِ

My only crimes are intellect and excellence,

glory, and a house of lofty standing in Rabi'ah;

وَمَيلي إِلى أَهلِ التَواضُعِ وَالعُلى

بِوُدّي وَبُغضي الأَسفَلَ المُتَعالي

my leaning toward people of humility and eminence

with affection, and my hatred of the base man who acts exalted;

وَمَعرِفَتي آباءَهُم وَجُدُودَهُم

وَرَفضي لِقيلٍ في الأَنامِ وَقالِ

my knowledge of their fathers and grandfathers,

and my rejection of people's idle 'it was said' and 'he said';

لِعِلمي بِيَومٍ ما بِهِ ذُو نَدامَةٍ

يُرَدُّ وَلا ذُو عَثرَةٍ بِمُقالِ

for I know of a day on which no remorseful man

is sent back, nor anyone who stumbles pardoned;

وَلا السَيِّدُ الجَبّارُ فيهِ بِسَيِّدٍ

مُطاعٍ وَلا عالي الرَعاعِ بِعالِ

nor will the domineering lord there be a lord

obeyed, nor the rabble's exalted one exalted.

بِهِ الحُكمُ لِلّهِ الَّذي لا قَضاؤُهُ

بِحَيفٍ وَلا سُلطانُهُ بِمُزالِ

On that day judgment belongs to God, whose decree

is never unjust, nor His sovereignty removable.

أُداريهمُ حَتّى كَأَنّي لَدَيهمُ

أَسيرُ طِعانٍ أَو أَسيرُ سُؤالِ

I humor them until, among them, I seem

a captive of spear-fighting or a captive of begging.

وَلَو شِئتُ قَد كُنتُ المُدارى لِأَنَّني

أَصُولُ بِأَيدٍ في الأَنامٍ طِوالِ

Yet had I wished, I would be the one humored, for I

wield might with hands that reach far among men.

إِذا شِئتُ لَبّى دَعوَتي كُلُّ ماجِدٍ

يُعَدُّ لِيَومَي نائِلٍ وَنِزالِ

If I wished, every noble man would answer my call,

ready for both bounty's day and battle's day:

جِبالٌ إِذا طاشَت حُلومُ بَني الوَغى

رَواسٍ وَلَكِن في شُخوصِ رِجالِ

mountains, when the warriors' judgments waver,

firmly rooted, but in the forms of men,

عَلى كُلِّ مَحبُوكِ القَرى شَنجِ النَسا

تَجِيءُ رِعالاً مِن وَراءِ رِعالِ

mounted on every firm-backed steed with taut thigh-sinews,

coming in squadrons behind squadrons,

نِتاجُ اِبنِ حَلّابٍ وَقَيدٍ وَلاحِقٍ

وَغُلِّ المَذاكي كامِلٍ وَعُقالِ

offspring of Ibn Hallab, Qayd, and Lahiq,

and Kamil, the fetter of seasoned steeds, and 'Uqal.

بِها كم وَطِئنا مِن رِقابِ قَبيلَةٍ

وَحَيٍّ عَلى مَرِّ الزَمانِ حِلالِ

On them, how many tribes' necks have we trodden,

and encamped clans', throughout the passage of time!

وَذُو الحُمقِ لَو نادى أَراهُ نِداؤُهُ

بَناتِ اِبنِ آوى في شُخوصِ سَعالي

But let the fool call: his summons would show him

female jackals in the forms of she-ghouls,

تَجِيءُ بِآلاتٍ لَها مُستَعِدَّةً

لِحَصدِ غِلالٍ لا لِضَربِ قِلالِ

coming with their tools, equipped

to reap crops, not to strike heads,

عَلى كُلِّ مَرقُومِ الذِراعَينِ يَنتَمي

لِأَلأَمِ عَمٍّ في الكِدادِ وَخالِ

riding every beast marked on both forelegs, tracing its descent

to the basest paternal and maternal uncles among drudges.

تَشاحَجُ فيها آتُنٌ مُوجدِيَّةٌ

يَنُسنَ بِآذانٍ لَهُنَّ طِوالِ

Among them, Mujdiyyah she-asses bray at one another,

twitching their long ears.

لَنا كَدحُهُم في حَيثُ كانُوا وَكَدحُها

حَلالٌ مِن الباري وَغَيرُ حَلالِ

Their toil, wherever they are, and the asses' toil are ours—

lawful by the Creator's decree, and unlawful.

عَدِمتُ زَمانَ السُوءِ أَمّا بُزاتُهُ

فَعُطلٌ وَأَمّا بُومُهُ فَحوالِ

May I be rid of this evil age! Its falcons

are unadorned, while its owls are bejeweled.

أَراهُ وَلُوعاً بِالكِرامِ يَلُسُّها

كَلَسِّ الكَلا مِن يَمنَةٍ وَشِمالِ

I see it obsessed with the noble, nibbling them

as herbage is nibbled from right and left,

كَأَنَّ لَهُ ثَأراً عَلى كُلِّ ماجِدٍ

جَمالٍ لِأَهلِ الأَرضِ وَاِبنِ جَمالِ

as though it had a blood-claim against every noble man,

an ornament to earth's people and an ornament's son.

فَقُل لِبَني الأَوباشِ مَهلاً فَإِنَّها

لَيالٍ وَتَأتي بَعدَهُنَّ لَيالِ

Tell the sons of the rabble: 'Wait, for these are only

nights, and other nights will follow them.'

فَإِن رَقَدَت عَينُ الزَمانِ هُنَيئَةً

فَكَم يقظَةٍ مِنهُ أَتَت بِزَوالِ

If time's eye has slept a little,

how many an awakening has brought downfall!

فَلَولا أُفُولُ الشَمسِ لَم يَبنِ السُها

وَلَولا الدُجى ما لاحَ ضَوءُ ذُبالِ

Had the sun not set, Suha would not appear,

and without darkness no wick's light would show.

فَلا تَطمَعِ الأَوباشُ فينا فَإِنَّنا

رَحاها وَما الأَوباشُ غَيرُ ثُفالِ

Let the rabble not covet us, for we are

their millstone, and the rabble only its catch-cloth.

فَإِنَّ هُتَيماً لَو حَوَت مالَ هاشِمٍ

هُتَيمٌ فَلا يَغرُركَ طَيفُ خَيالِ

Even if Hutaym possessed Hashim's wealth,

Hutaym would remain Hutaym: let no phantom delude you.

سَتَرجِعُ فيما عُوِّدت مِن حَميرِها

وَمِن خَرقِ أَشنانٍ وَخَصفِ نِعالِ

It will return to its accustomed donkeys,

to tearing saltwort and stitching sandals.

فَصَبراً قَليلاً سَوفَ تَجني غِراسَها

ثَمارَ بَلايا أَينَعَت وَوَبالِ

Be patient a little: it will reap its plantings,

ripe fruits of affliction and ruin.

وَإِلّا فَلا عَزَّت مُلُوكُ بَني أَبي

وَلا خَطَرَ الفِعلُ الجَميلُ بِبالي

Otherwise, may the kings descended from my father never be mighty,

and may noble deeds never cross my mind!

فَكُلٌّ لَهُ مِمّا قَضى اللَهُ عادَةٌ

سَتُدرِكُهُ لَو نالَ كُلَّ مَنالِ

Each has a habit ordained for him by God

that will catch up with him though he gain every attainment.

فَسَوفَ تَرونَ الشَمسَ قَد غالَ نُورُها

نُجُوماً مُسَمّاةً وَبَدرِ كَمالِ

Soon you will see the sun, whose light has eclipsed

named stars and the moon in its fullness.

فَكَيفَ بِها مَخسُولَةً لَو تَساقَطَت

لَما عَدَلَت في الفَقدِ عُودَ خِلالِ

What, then, of paltry stars which, if they fell,

would not equal a toothpick in their loss?

وَمَن عَوَّدَ اللَهُ الجَميلَ فَإِنَّهُ

سَيَبقى بِجِدٍّ في العَشيرةِ عالِ

Whoever God has accustomed to goodness

will remain truly exalted among his clan.

عَلى ذاكَ مِنّي شاهِدٌ غَيرُ غائِبٍ

يُبَيِّنُ لِلأَقوامِ صِدقَ مَقالي

For this I have a witness, present and not absent,

who shows the peoples the truth of my words.

وَآلُ بَني جَروانَ لَمّا رَمَتهُمُ

بِداءٍ عَلى غَيرِ الكِرامِ عُضالِ

And the house of Banu Jarwan, when they were stricken

with a disease incurable to any but the noble,

أَرادَت عِداهُم نَيلَ ما كانَ مِن عُلىً

لَهُم يا لَقَومي مِن عَمىً وَضَلالِ

their foes sought to gain the eminence that had been

theirs—O my people, what blindness and delusion!

وَأَطمَعَهُم قَتلُ الرَئيسِ وَما جَرى

مِن اِخراجِ آلٍ وَاِستِباحَةِ مالِ

The chief's killing emboldened them, and what followed:

the expulsion of a family and the plundering of wealth.

فَما رَبِحُوا غَيرَ العَناءِ وَإِن غَدَت

عُقُولُهُم تُدعى عُقُولَ سِخالِ

But they gained nothing save hardship, though

their minds came to be called the minds of kids.

وَهَل عَمَلٌ أَغنى عَن المالِ أَو شَفى

حَرارَةَ ظَمآنٍ تَرَيّعُ آلِ

Has any deed made wealth unnecessary, or has

a shimmering mirage cooled a thirsty man's burning?

فَلم يَمضِ إِلّا الحَولُ ثُمَّ رَأَيتُهُم

عَلى رَغمِ شانِيهِم بِأَنعَمِ بالِ

Only a year had passed when I saw them

in the happiest state, despite those who hated them.

يَلُوذُ مُعادِيهم بِهم وَهو خاضِعٌ

كَما تَخضَعُ الجُربُ العِجافُ لِطالِ

Their foe seeks refuge with them, humbled,

as lean, mangy camels submit to the tar-dauber.

فَلَو أَنَّهُم شاؤُوا لأَضحَت مَنازِلٌ

تَمُرُّ بِها الأَيّامُ وَهيَ خَوالِ

Had they wished, dwellings would have become

places where days pass while they stand deserted.

وَلَكِنَّ حُسنَ العَفوِ مِنهُم سَجِيَّةٌ

إِذا ما عَفا وَالٍ وَعاقَبَ والِ

But gracious pardon is an inborn trait in them,

when one ruler pardons and another punishes.

وَمِن حَقِّ بَيتٍ مِنهُ يُعزى اِبنُ عَبدَلٍ

دَوامُ عُلُوٍّ في أَتَمِّ كَمالِ

A house to which Ibn 'Abdal traces his lineage deserves

lasting eminence in the fullest perfection.

وَمَن يَلقَ إِبراهيمَ يلقَ اِبنَ تارَحٍ

أَخي العَزمِ في نسكٍ وَعَزمِ خِلالِ

Whoever meets Ibrahim meets the son of Tarah,

a man of resolve in devotion and firmness of character;

وَيَلقَ اِبنَ يَعقُوبَ المُكَرَّمَ يُوسُفاً

نَبِيَّ الهُدى في عِفَّةٍ وَجَمالِ

and meets Ya'qub's honored son, Yusuf,

the prophet of guidance, in chastity and beauty.

فَتىً حَلَّ مِن عَليا لُكَيزٍ وَعامِرٍ

بِأَعلى مَحَلٍّ مِن ذُرىً وَقِلالِ

A youth who has settled, from the heights of Lukayz and 'Amir,

in the loftiest station among peaks and summits.

فَيا بِأَبي أَخلاقُهُ الغُرُّ إِنَّها

لَأَعذَبُ مِن صافي الثِّغابِ زلالِ

Ah, I would ransom his radiant virtues with my father: they

are sweeter than the clear, limpid water of rock-pools.

أَخٌ وَاِبنُ عَمٍّ حينَ أَدعُو وَوالِدٌ

شَقيقٌ وَخِلٌّ لا يَخُونُ وَكالي

A brother and cousin when I call, and a father,

tender-hearted, a friend who never betrays, and a protector.

كَفى ساكِنَ البَحرَينَ كُلَّ عَظيمَةٍ

وَناءَ بِأعباءٍ تكِدنَ ثِقالِ

He spared the inhabitant of Bahrain every great calamity,

and bore heavy burdens that nearly overwhelmed him.

فَلولاهُ لا زالَ الرَفيعَ عِمادُهُ

لَصال عَلَيها الدَهرُ كُلَّ مصالِ

Had it not been for him—may his pillar ever remain lofty—

time would have assailed it with every assault.

فَدامَ لَهُ طُولُ البَقاءِ مُعَظَّماً

لِعَقرِ مَتالٍ أَو لِمَنعِ نَوالِ

May he long remain alive and revered,

for slaughtering camels with calves or withholding bounty.

وَلا زالَ يَعلُو في السَعادَةِ جَدُّهُ

وَيَنمى بَلا نَقصٍ بِماءِ هِلالِ

May his good fortune ever rise in happiness,

and grow undiminished, with the crescent moon's water.