ينم عليه الدمع وهو جحود — Abn Matouk

ينمُّ عليه الدّمعُ وهو جَحودُ

وينتحِلُ السُّلوانَ وهو وَدودُ

Tears betray him, though he is in denial.

And he feigns forgetfulness, though he is full of love.

ويذكُرُ ذُهلاً والهوى حيثُ عامرٌ

ومنزلَ حُزْوى والمُرادُ زَرودُ

He mentions Dhuhl, though his love lies where Amir is,

and Huzwa's dwelling, though Zarud is what he means.

ويُظهِرُ في لُبْنى الغرامَ مورّياً

ومنهُ إلى ليلى الضّميرُ يعودُ

He declares his passion for Lubna, using double meanings,

yet from this his hidden thought returns to Layla.

ويشتاقُ آرامَ العقيقِ وإنّهُ

لعمْرُكَ في أشباهِها لَعَميدُ

He longs for the gazelles of al-Aqiq, though he,

by your life, is lovesick over their likenesses.

ويصحو فتأتيهِ الصِّبا بروايةٍ

عنِ البانِ تسقيهِ الطُّلى فيَميدُ

He sobers, then the east wind brings him a tale

of the bān trees, serving him wine until he sways.

تحدّثُهُ عن أهلِه فتُميتُه

وتنفحُهُ في نشرِهِم فيعودُ

It tells him of his people and brings him to death,

then breathes their fragrance upon him, and he revives.

أروحُ ولي روحٌ تسيرُ مع الصَّبا

لها صدَرٌ نحو السّما وورودُ

I go forth at evening, with a soul that travels with the east wind;

it has departures and arrivals toward the sky.

وقلبٌ على كلِّ الخُطوبِ إذا دهَتْ

سوى الدّلِّ والبينِ المُشِتِّ جَليدُ

And a heart that, when any calamity strikes,

is steadfast, save against coyness and dispersing separation.

وعينٌ لوَ اِنّ المُزْنَ تحملُ ماءَها

لأمسى اِشتعالُ البرقِ وهو خمودُ

And an eye—if rain clouds bore its water,

the blaze of lightning would become quenched.

إذا شِمْتُ إيماضاً حدَتْ مُزنَ عَبرَتي

من الزّفراتِ الصّاعِداتِ رُعودُ

When I behold a flash, the clouds of my tears are driven onward

by thunderclaps from my rising sighs.

علامَ الجُفونُ السّودُ منكرةٌ دَمي

وفي الوجَناتِ البيضِ منهُ شُهودُ

Why do the black eyelids disown my blood,

when on the white cheeks are witnesses to it?

وما بالُ هاتيكَ الخُصورِ نحيفةً

أهُنّ لأبناءِ الكَمالِ جُدودُ

And why are those waists so slender?

Are they the fortunes of the sons of excellence?

وما بالُنا أحداقُنا في نُفوسِنا

بحُبِّ الظِّباءِ الباخِلاتِ تَجودُ

What ails us, that our eyes, with our very souls,

are generous through love of miserly gazelles?

نسمّي السّيولَ الحُمْرَ منها تجاهُلاً

دُموعاً ونَدري أنّهنّ كُبودُ

We feign ignorance and call the red torrents from them

tears, though we know them to be livers.

وإنّي من القومِ الّذين بنانُهم

وألسُنُهُم للسّائِلينَ تُفيدُ

I am of a people whose fingers

and tongues bring benefit to those who ask.

نَسودُ الأسودَ الضّارياتِ وإن غدا

لنا الظّبياتُ كالنِساتُ تَسودُ

We rule ravening lions, though it has come to pass

that gazelles, sheltering in coverts, rule us.

وتضرَعُنا بيضُ الظُّبا وهيَ أعينٌ

ونحطِمُها بالهامِ وهْي حَديدُ

Bright blades humble us when they are eyes,

and we shatter them against skulls when they are iron.

أمَا وبُدورٍ أشرقتْ وهي أوجُهٌ

وسودِ لَيالٍ طُلْنَ وهي جُعودُ

Indeed, by full moons that shine, though they are faces,

and black nights that lengthen, though they are curls,

وأغصانِ بانٍ تَنثَني في غلائِلٍ

وسُمرِ رِماحٍ فوقهُنّ بُرودُ

and bān branches bending in fine tunics,

and tawny spears with mantles draped above them,

وبيضِ نُحورٍ تحتمي في أساورٍ

وأجفانِ آرامٍ بهنّ أُسودُ

and white bosoms sheltered within bracelets,

and gazelles' eyelids holding lions within,

وأطواقِ تِبرٍ هنّ للعَينِ حِليةٌ

وللصبِّ في أسرِ الغَرامِ قُيودُ

and collars of gold, ornaments to the eye,

but fetters for the lover in passion's captivity:

لَفي القلبِ وجدٌ لو حَوى اليمُّ بعضَه

لأضحَتْ له الحيتانُ وهي وقودُ

there is passion in my heart—if the sea held some of it,

its fish would become fuel for it.

وفي الخدِّ ودْقٌ لو سَقى الرّوضَ أصبحتْ

أقاحيهِ بالأكمامِ وهْيَ وُرودُ

And on my cheek is rain—if it watered the garden,

its daisies, still in their calyxes, would become roses.

فكم في البُكا ينثُرنَ ياقوتَ أدمُعي

ثُغورٌ تُحاكي الدُرَّ وهو نَضيدُ

How often, in my weeping, they scatter the rubies of my tears—

mouths resembling pearls neatly strung!

ثغورٌ تُذيبُ القلبَ وهي جوامدٌ

وتُضرِمُ فيّ النارَ وهي بَرودُ

Mouths that melt the heart, though themselves solid,

and kindle fire within me, though themselves cool.

فحتّامَ لا نارُ الصّبابةِ تنطفي

ولا للدموعِ الجارياتِ جُمودُ

How long must passion's fire stay unquenched,

and flowing tears find no stillness?

لعمرُك قبل الشّيبِ لم أعرِفِ الدُمى

تسوقُ إليّ الحتفَ وهوَ صُدودُ

By your life, before gray hair I did not know that statue-like beauties

could drive death toward me in the guise of rejection.

ولم أدْرِ قبلَ الحبِّ أن يبعثَ القضا

إليّ المنايا الحُمرَ وهي خُدودُ

Before love, I did not know that fate would send

red deaths toward me in the guise of cheeks.

وما خِلْتُ أنّ اللّدْنَ والصّبْرُ لامتي

تُمكّنُ فيّ الطّعنَ وهيَ قُدودُ

Nor did I think supple shafts—with patience as my armor—

could let thrusts pierce me when they were graceful figures.

ولم أحسَبِ الرُمّانِ من ثمرِ القَنا

إِلى أن رأتْهُ العينُ وهو نُهودُ

Nor did I count pomegranates among the fruit of spears,

until my eye saw them in the form of breasts.

بروحي ظِباء نافراتٍ عيونُها

شِراكٌ بها صِيدَ الأسودِ تَصيدُ

My soul be ransom for skittish gazelles whose eyes

are snares with which they hunt the proudest lions.

لها لفَتاتٌ مُهلِكاتٌ كأنّها

لسَرْحِ الرّدى روضَ القُلوبِ تَرودُ

They have deadly turns of the head, as though they

scout the garden of hearts as pasture for death's herd.

كأنّ على أعناقِها ونُحورِها

تنظّم من مدْحِ الحُسينِ عُقودُ

As though upon their necks and upper chests

necklaces of praise for al-Husayn were being strung.

قريبٌ إلى المعروفِ تدعوه شيمةٌ

بها عُرِفَتْ آباؤهُ وجُدودُ

Near to kindness, a trait summons him to it,

by which his fathers and forefathers were known.

سَحابٌ به تُحمى النّفوسُ إذا هَمى

وينبُتُ في روضِ الحديدِ جُلودُ

A cloud by which souls are sheltered when it pours,

and skins sprout in the meadow of iron.

هُمامٌ إذا لاقى العِدا وهْوَ وحدَهُ

يَصيدُ أسودَ الجيشِ وهْوَ عديدُ

A valiant man who, when he meets the enemy alone,

hunts the army's lions, though the army is numerous.

من الطّعنِ يحمي العِرضَ عن جنّةِ النّدى

وللمالِ في سيفِ النّوالِ يُبيدُ

With generosity's shield he guards his honor from thrusts,

and with bounty's sword he lays wealth waste.

أخو كرَمٍ أمّا نوالُ بَنانِه

فدانٍ وأمّا مجدُه فبَعيدُ

A man of generosity: as for what his fingers bestow,

it is near at hand, while his glory is far beyond reach.

كأنّ بيوتَ المالِ منه لجودِه

عُيونُ محبٍّ والحُطامُ هُجودُ

His treasuries, through his generosity, are like

a lover's eyes, with riches as their slumber.

له شُثْنُ أظفارِ المَنايا صوارِمٌ

وأجنحةُ النّصرِ العزيز بُنودُ

His keen swords are the thick claws of death,

and his banners the wings of mighty victory.

إذا الجدولُ الهنديُّ يجري بكفّه

ففي الوِردِ منه كم يغصُّ وَريدُ

When the Indian stream flows in his palm,

how many a jugular chokes when drinking from it!

مقرُّ عواليهِ القلوبُ كأنّها

إذا هزّها نحو الصّدورِ حُقودُ

His lance-points lodge in hearts, as though they,

when he shakes them toward the breasts, were grudges.

تكهّلَ في علمِ العُلا وهْوَ يافعٌ

وجازَ بُلوغَ الحُلمِ وهوَ وليدُ

He grew mature in the knowledge of greatness while still a youth,

and passed the threshold of puberty while still a newborn.

وأفصحَ عن فصلِ الخِطابِ بمنطِقٍ

لديه لَبيدٌ ضارعٌ وبَليدُ

He gave clear voice to decisive judgment in speech;

before him, Labid is meek and dull.

له بصرٌ يرنو به عن بَصيرةٍ

يجوزُ حُدودَ الغيبِ وهو حَديدُ

He has sight with which he gazes through insight;

it crosses the limits of the unseen, and it is keen.

وليلٌ إذا اِستَجْلاهُ في ليلِ مارِقٍ

غَدا لِصباحِ النُّجْحِ وهوَ عَمودُ

And a night which, when he unveils it in a rebel's night,

becomes the pillar of success's dawn.

وعزْمٌ لوَ اِنّ البيضَ تحكيه ما نَبَتْ

لها عن صُدورِ الدّارِعينَ حُدودُ

And a resolve: had white swords matched it, never

would their edges have glanced off armored breasts.

وقُضْبٌ كأمثالِ النّجومِ تقدّرَتْ

بهنّ نُحوسٌ للورى وسُعودُ

And swords like stars, through which were decreed

ill fortunes and good fortunes for mankind.

كأنّ ضِياها للعِبادِ طوالِعٌ

ففيها شقيٌّ منهمُ وسعيدُ

Their radiance seems to be rising stars for mortals,

so through them some are wretched, and some blessed.

تشكّى الظّما منها الشِّفارُ وفي الدِّما

لها وهْيَ في نارِ القُيونِ وُرودُ

Their edges complain of thirst, though in blood

they drink even while in the smiths' fire.

وتهوى الطُّلا حتّى كأنّ أديمَها

لَها قِدَماً فيه اِكتسَبْنَ غُمودُ

They crave necks, as though the skin upon them

were sheaths they had acquired long ago.

سلِ الغيثَ عنهُ إن جهِلْتَ فإنّه

يُقرُّ له بالفضلِ وهْوَ حَسودُ

Ask the rain about him if you do not know him, for it

admits his superiority though it is envious.

وما الرّعدُ إلّا صوتُ زَجرٍ له على

تشبّهِه في جودِه ووَعيدُ

Thunder is only the sound of a rebuke to it for

imitating his generosity, and a threat.

وليسَ اِنحناءُ البيضِ إلّا لعِلمِها

به أنّه الأمضى فهنّ سُجودُ

The bending of white swords is only because they know

him to be keener, and so they bow in prostration.

إذا الدّهرُ أفنى نجلُهُ أنفُسَ الغِنى

أُفيضَ عليها من نَداهُ وُجودُ

When Time's offspring destroys the souls of wealth,

existence is poured upon them from his bounty.

دَنا فتدلّى للعطاءِ ونعلُه

له فوقَ إكليلِ النّجومِ صُعودُ

He drew near and bent down to give, while his sandal

has risen above the crown of the stars.

تسيرُ فتغدو الرُبْدُ وهي سوابقٌ

لديه وتُضحي الفُتْخَ وهْي جُنودُ

It travels, and the gray ostriches become swift racers

beside him, while the broad-winged eagles become armies.

قوادمُها للشّوسِ ترسِلُ نيلَه

وأحشاؤها للخائِنين لُحودُ

Their flight feathers send his bounty to fierce warriors,

and their bellies are tombs for traitors.

فيا اِبنَ عليٍّ وهيَ دعوةُ مخلصٍ

له عهدُ صِدْقٍ في وِلاكَ أكيدُ

O son of Ali—this is the call of a sincere man

whose true covenant of loyalty to you is firm—

لقد نفّذَ الرّحمنُ حُكمَك في الورى

فلِنْتَ لهم لفظاً وأنتَ شَديدُ

the Most Merciful has indeed made your rule prevail among mankind;

you were gentle with them in speech, though you are strong.

وكافأتَ بالإحسانِ من ساءَ فعلُه

إليكَ فحُزْتَ الفضلَ وهو حَميدُ

You repaid with kindness one whose conduct was evil

toward you, and so you gained praiseworthy excellence.

وعطّلْتَ بئرَ الظُلْمِ حتّى تهدّمتْ

فأصبحَ قصْرُ العدلِ وهْوَ مَشيدُ

You left oppression's well unused until it collapsed,

and justice's palace stood, firmly built.

أرَضْتَ خُطوبَ الدّهرِ وهي جوامِحٌ

وطاوعَكَ المِقدارُ وهو عَنيدُ

You tamed Time's calamities, though they were unruly,

and destiny obeyed you, though it was stubborn.

ليَهنِك عيدُ الفِطرِ يا بهجةَ الورى

ومُلكٌ قديمٌ عاد وهو جَديدُ

May Eid al-Fitr gladden you, O delight of mankind,

and an ancient sovereignty that has returned anew.

فما البصرةُ الفيحاءُ إلّا قلادةٌ

وأنت بها نحرٌ يَليقُ وحيدُ

Spacious Basra is nothing but a necklace,

and you alone are the neck fit to wear it.

بطيبِك طابَتْ أرضُها مُذْ حلَلْتَها

فسافرَ منها المِسْكُ وهو صَعيدُ

Your fragrance perfumed its soil when you settled there,

so musk traveled forth from it in the form of dust.

فلا زِلتَ محروسَ الجَنابِ مُمَلَّكاً

حليفاكَ فيها دولةٌ وخُلودُ

May you ever remain enthroned, your domain guarded,

with power and eternity as your two allies there.

تزورُك أملاكُ الورى وهي خُضَّعٌ

وتقصِدُكَ الأيّامُ وهيَ وُفودُ

The kings of mankind visit you in submission,

and the days seek you out as delegations.