قل لمن ألبس الجمال جمالا — Abn Rumi

قُلْ لمنْ ألبسَ الجمالَ جمالا

بالمعاني وهيبةً وجلالا

Say to the one who clothed beauty in beauty,

through virtues, awe, and majesty:

أيُّها البدرُ لا تزل في كمالِ ال

أمرِ بدراً وفي النَّماءِ هِلالا

O full moon, remain, in the perfection of

your state, a full moon, and in growth a crescent.

كيف كانتْ عُقْبى اقتصادكِ كانت

صحَّةً مستفادةً واندِمالا

What was the outcome of your moderation? It was

newly gained health and healing,

واعتدالاً مِنَ المزاجِ كما أُو

تيتَ في الخُلْقِ والخلاق اعتدالا

and balance of temperament, just as you were

given balance in character and disposition.

فعلَ اللَّهُ ذاك أنك ما زل

تَ المرضَّى ما ارتضى فعَّالا

God did that because you have always

been pleasing to Him, ever doing what He approves.

يا عليّ المكانِ لا يتعالى

كوضيعٍ مكانُهُ يتعالى

O you of lofty station, who never exalts himself

like a lowly man whose station rises!

شكرَ اللَّهُ بَذْلَكَ القُربَ للنا

سِ وإغناءَ فضلكَ السؤَّالا

May God reward your offering nearness to

people, and your bounty's enriching petitioners.

ما تزالُ القريبَ من كلّ عافٍ

يشتكي خلةً ويشكو هزالا

You are ever close to every seeker

complaining of need and wasting away.

ولعمري لئنْ قربْتَ لقاءً

ونوالاً لقد بعُدتَ منالا

By my life, though you are near in meeting

and giving, you stand far beyond attainment.

ولقد أوجبتْ عليك يدٌ لل

لَهِ حقٌّ أنْ تُحسنَ الأعمالا

A favor from God has indeed laid upon you

a duty: to make your deeds good,

شُكرَ أنْ فضَّلتْك مرأىً ورأياً

ومحلاًّ حتى فضلتَ الرجالا

in gratitude for its favoring you in appearance and judgment,

and in station, until you surpassed other men.

جعل اللَّهُ طينَة الناسِ صلصا

لاً وأجراكَ سائحاً سلسالا

God made mankind's clay dry, ringing

clay, but made you a flowing, limpid stream.

وبحقّي أقولُ فيك بأني

لم أجدْ موعدَ المُنى فيك آلا

By my right, I say of you that

I never found the promise of hopes in you a mirage.

لمْ تزلْ مانحي سؤالاً وطوراً

مانحي عِشرةً أراها نوالا

You have always granted my requests, and at times

granted me companionship I regard as bounty:

عِشرةً تملأُ القلوبَ نسيماً

ونعيماً ونخوة واختيالا

companionship that fills hearts with gentle breezes,

with bliss, proud spirit, and proud bearing;

ونوالاً يُنيلُني كلَّ سؤلٍ

ويقيني الخضوعَ والتسآلا

and bounty that grants me every desire

and spares me abasement and begging.

فمتى ما أردتُ كنتَ جنوباً

ومتى ما أردتُ كنتَ شمالا

Whenever I wish, you are a south wind,

and whenever I wish, you are a north wind.

وتمامُ اليد استماعُكَ فضلاً

من كلامي لا يُعجبُ العُذَّالا

The completion of your kindness is your hearing more

of my words, which displease the reproachers.

إنما الحسنُ نسخةٌ فيكَ خُطَّتْ

بيدِ اللَّهِ فامتثلها امتثالا

Beauty is but a pattern inscribed in you

by God's hand; follow it faithfully.

وامتثالُ الجميلِ ما في حُلاه

نسخُهُ من جمالهِ الإجمالا

For the beautiful man to follow his own graces

is to draw from his beauty beautiful conduct.

لك نفسٌ وطينةٌ لا تُذمَّا

نِ فشبِّه بجوهرَيْكَ الفعالا

You have a soul and a nature that deserve no

blame; make your deeds resemble your two essences.

شاكراً إنْ غدوتَ مُعطىً قَبُولاً

واقتبالاً مقابِلاً إقبالا

Be thankful if you are granted acceptance

and welcome, returning goodwill with goodwill.

ولما قلتُ هذه مستزيداً

صلةً مستجدةً بل وِصالا

And when I spoke these words, asking for more—

a fresh gift, or rather, lasting fellowship—

واعتذاري من امتياحِيكَ ذنبٌ

فأقِل عثرتي عمرتَ مُقالا

my apology for drawing upon your bounty is a sin;

forgive my stumble; may you live long, forgiven.

قد لعمري أتَيْتُ جرماً عظيماً

باعتذاري وقد أسأت المقالا

By my life, I have indeed committed a grave offense

by apologizing, and spoken ill.

واعتذاري من اعتذاري بوجهٍ

أنت أعديتَهُ الحياءَ الزُّلالا

I apologize for my apology with a face

you have infected with limpid modesty.

فغدا يكثرُ امتياحكَ في اليو

مِ وأمسى يبُلُّني إخضالا

So it draws ever more from you throughout the

day, and by evening drenches me through.

عهدُ كفّي بفضل كفيكَ عهدٌ

يمنعُ السائل الملحَّ السؤالا

My hand's acquaintance with your two hands' bounty is such

that it keeps even an insistent petitioner from asking.

غيرَ أني أرى الجوائزَ وبْلاً

وأرى الرزقَ ديمةً وظلالا

Yet I see gifts as a downpour,

and a stipend as steady rain and shade.

فاترٌ دائمٌ وجَمٌّ مُخلٌّ

وأخو الحزمِ يكرهُ الإخلالا

A gentle flow endures; abundance comes with gaps,

and the prudent man dislikes interruptions.

واجتماعُ الرّفدينَ فهْو محالٌ

عند قومٍ ولن تراهُ محالا

Combining the two forms of aid is impossible

to some people—but you will not find it impossible.

وقليلٌ يدومُ أرْجى وأحجى

بمقلٍّ ينفِّلُ الأنفالا

A little that lasts is more hopeful, and more fitting

for a man of scant means who hands out gifts.

أنا عبدٌ عدوتُ طوري وأصبح

تُ كأني لا أعرفُ الإقلالا

I am a servant who has overstepped his bounds, and become

as though I knew nothing of poverty.

وأدلَّتْ خليقتي وبناني

حين صادفتْ حاملاً إدلالا

My nature and my fingers have grown bold

when they found someone who would bear their boldness.

كلّما جُدتَ لي تبعتُك في الجو

دِ فبذَّرتُ يمنةً وشمالا

Whenever you gave to me, I followed you in generous

giving, and squandered to right and left.

ليس إلا لأنّ نفسي تُريني

كلَّ شيءٍ بجود كفيْك مالا

Only because my soul makes me see

everything, through your hands' generosity, as wealth.

وكذا أنتم لكم كلَّ يوم

مستنيلٌ إذا أُنيلَ أنالا

So it is with you: every day you have

a seeker who, once given to, gives in turn.

تمنحونَ اللُّهَى وتَغْذُوننا الجو

دَ فينثالُ بالعطايا انثيالا

You give lavish gifts and nourish us with

generosity, which cascades into gifts.

فارتَهنْ خِدمتي بإجراءِ جارٍ

أرتضيهِ كفايةً واتصالا

Then secure my service by assigning a regular allowance

that satisfies me in sufficiency and continuity.

والذي أرتضيه جزءٌ صغيرٌ

ولك السؤددُ العظيمُ احتمالا

What would satisfy me is a small portion,

and yours is the great honor of bearing its burden.

فأزِح عِلَّتي فإن كفافي

يمنعُ العذرَ مَنْ أرادَ اعتلالا

Remove my excuse: sufficient means for me

deny an excuse to anyone seeking a pretext.

إن مقدارهُ متى تزِنُوهُ

تجدوه من ألفِكُمْ مثقالا

Whenever you weigh its amount,

you will find it a single mithqal out of your thousand.

قلَّ مقدارُ ما سألتُ من الرز

قِ وإنْ هَوَّلَ احتكامي وهالا

Small is the amount I asked for as a

stipend, even if my setting terms made it seem huge and alarming.

ومتى شِئْتَ أنْ تزيدَ فماذا

يمنعُ الغيثَ أن يَسُحَّ السّجالا

And whenever you wish to increase it, what

prevents rain from pouring down in torrents,

أو يردُّ الفراتَ أو يردعُ السَّي

لَ إذا وافقَ المسيلَ فسالا

or holds back the Euphrates, or restrains the flood

once it finds its channel and flows?

ليس في وسع قُوَّتي منعي المف

ضالَ في دولةِ الغِنى الإفضالا

It is not within my strength to keep the lavish

giver from generosity amid the sway of wealth.

يا حياً سحَّ مُزنُه الوابلُ الهط

طالُ أَرْدِفْهُ دِيمةً مِهطالا

O rain whose clouds have poured a heavy, ceaseless

downpour, follow it with steady, abundant rain.

يا غياثي إذا استرثتُ غِياثي

وثمالي إذا فقدتُ الثمالا

O my succor when I find my succor spent,

and my refuge when I have lost all refuge!

إن ذاك الكمالَ فيك غريمٌ

يتقاضاك في الأيادي الكمالا

That perfection within you is a creditor

demanding perfection from you in favors.

والعطايا مجدِّداتٌ لكفي

كَ فجدّدْ لغرسِ كفَّيكَ حالا

Gifts bring new life to your two

hands; renew, then, the condition of what your hands have planted.

آلَ وهبٍ هنِّيتُمُ هبة اللَّ

هِ فما زلتُمُ لها أشكالا

House of Wahb, may the gift of

God bring you joy; you have always been its fitting peers.

لكمُ هيبةٌ تشرّدُ بالأسْ

دِ وعدلٌ يستنزلُ الأوعالا

Yours is an awe that drives off

lions, and justice that brings ibex down.

قلتُ إذ رُدَّتِ الأمورُ إليكُم

نزل الملكُ دارَهُ المحلالا

When affairs were entrusted to you, I said:

'Kingship has settled in its hospitable home.'

كانتِ الأرضُ ظُلمةً وحروراً

أوسعا الناس فتنةً وضلالا

The earth had been darkness and scorching heat,

which filled people with turmoil and error.

فاخترعتم من الذكاءِ شُموساً

وابتدعتُم من السماح ظلالا

So from intelligence you fashioned suns,

and from generosity devised shade.

قد نظرنا بأعينٍ صافياتٍ

صادقاتٍ إذا مُخيلٌ أخالا

We have looked with clear eyes,

trustworthy when a cloud showed its promise of rain.

فوجدنا فُضولكم صفواتٍ

ووجدْنا فضول قومٍ فضالا

We found your bounties pure essences,

and other people's bounties mere leftovers.

كم رجاءٍ فيكم أثار جمالاً

وعطاءٍ منكم أناخَ جِمالا

How many a hope in you has set camels moving,

and a gift from you brought camels to kneel!

لا برحتُم مؤمَّلينَ مُنيلي

ن نَوالاً يحقّقُ الآمالا

May you always be hoped in, bestowing

bounty that makes hopes come true.

يرتجي فضلكمْ مرجٍّ ويتلو

علُّكُم بالفواضِلِ الإنهالا

A hopeful seeker awaits your bounty, and following

your first draught comes a second draught of favors.

فتشدُّونَ لابنِ بؤسَى رِحالاً

وتحطُّونَ لابن نُعمَى رحالا

You tighten saddles for the son of misery,

and unload saddles for the son of prosperity.

إنْ تكونوا علوْتُمُ وعلا النا

سُ فلستم وغيركمْ أمثالا

Though you have risen high and other

people have risen, you and the others are not equals.

سادةُ الناسِ كالجبالِ وأنتُمْ

كالنجوم التي تفوقُ الجِبالا

The lords of men are like mountains, while you

are like stars that rise above the mountains.

يمَّمتْ ربْعكم حُداةٌ خِفافٌ

من رياحٍ تُزْجي سحاباً ثِقالا

Nimble drivers have made for your dwelling—

winds urging on heavy clouds.

مَنْ يخَفْ من زوالِ نُعمى عليه

آل وهبٍ فلن تخافوا زوالا

Whoever fears losing a blessing bestowed upon him—

House of Wahb, you need never fear its loss.

عشقتْ نعمةُ الإله أخاكُم

وفتاهُ فما تريدُ الزَّيالا

God's blessing has fallen in love with your brother

and his son, and has no wish to part.

في أبي القاسم المحبَّب والقا

سم ما يمنعُ المَلُولَ الملالا

In beloved Abu al-Qasim and al-Qasim

is what keeps even the easily bored from boredom.

لم نجد عاشقاً إذا عَدَل المع

شوقُ في حُكمِهِ يريدُ انتقالا

We have never found a lover, when the beloved

is just in his dealings, wishing to move elsewhere.

إنْ رأت نِعمةٌ نظيرَ أخيكم

وابنَه فلْتبدّلِ الأبدالا

If a blessing sees the equal of your brother

and his son, then let it choose replacements.

لستُ ألحَى أليَّةً حاسديكُمْ

غيرَ أني أقولُ طِلقاً حلالا

I do not rebuke your enviers, I swear;

I merely say, freely and lawfully:

جُعِلتْ تلكم الخدودُ نعالاً

لكُمُ الدهر إن صلُحنَ نِعالا

May those cheeks be made sandals

for you forever—if they are fit to be sandals!

ليَ منكم مواليَ اللَّه مولىً

مثلُهُ إن حكاه مثلٌ يُوالى

Among you, O loyal friends of God, I have a patron,

whose equal, if an equal resembled him, would deserve allegiance.

ما وجدناهُ للرَّغائبِ مُحتا

لا وإن كان للعُلا محتالا

We never found him scheming for coveted

things, though he does contrive to reach the heights.

قاسمٌ قاسمُ العطايا الصفايا

زادهُ اللَّه بالعلا استقلالا

Qasim, the distributor of gifts and choice offerings—

may God raise him still higher in glory.

سائلي عن أبي الحسين بدا الصب

حُ فأغنى أن تستضيء الذُّبالا

You who ask me about Abu al-Husayn: dawn has

broken, making lamplight needless.

ذاكَ شخصٌ مهيَّأٌ لاختيالٍ

وهْو يختالُ أن يُرى مختالا

That is a man made for proud bearing,

and he takes pride in being seen as proud.

ذو عقودٍ أبَيْنَ إلا انعقاداً

وحقودٍ أبيْنَ إلا انحلالا

A man of bonds that admit only binding,

and grudges that admit only dissolving.

فترى عِرضَهُ عليه مصُوناً

وترى ماله عليه مُذالا

You see his honor kept safe in his care,

and his wealth freely spent in his care.

ولما المرءُ صائناً بكريمٍ

أو يُرى المرء صائناً بدَّالا

A man who hoards is not generous,

nor can a man be seen both hoarding and freely giving.

تمَّ ذاك الجمالُ والحسنُ فيه

بخلالٍ لم تشكُ منها اختلالا

That beauty and loveliness were perfected in him

by qualities in which you found no flaw.

عيبُ تلك الخِلالِ أن لم يملَّحْ

نَ بعيبٍ يكون فيهنَّ خالا

The flaw in those qualities is that they were not adorned

with a fault to serve as a beauty spot.

مالها عُوذَةٌ سوايَ فإنّي

أردعُ العينَ أنْ تُصيبَ الجمالا

They have no protective charm but me, for I

ward off the evil eye lest it strike that beauty.

هاكَها والهاً إليك عروباً

تتثنَّى رشاقةً ودلالا

Take her, yearning for you, ardently loving,

swaying with grace and coquetry.

لم أقُلْ هاكها لشيءٍ سوى العا

دة والشّعْرُ يركبُ الأهوالا

I said 'Take her' for no reason but

custom; poetry rides through terrors.

منطقٌ يطرحُ الكُنى ويسَمّي

منْ يُكنَّى ولا يُبالي مُبالا

A mode of speech that discards bynames and names outright

those addressed by bynames, caring not a whit.

جاهليٌّ كما علمتَ ولكِنْ

لا تراه يعاملُ الجُهَّالا

Pre-Islamic, as you know, yet

you never see it dealing with fools.

واعتدادي عليك بالمدح شيءٌ

جعلَ العقل دونَهُ لي عِقالا

My claiming credit with you for praise is something

from which reason has held me back with a tether.

ليس للمدحِ في معانيكَ إلا

أنه زادَ نُورَهُنَّ اشتعالا

Praise can do nothing for your virtues except

make their light burn brighter.

أنت كالسيفِ ماؤُهُ منه والشع

رُ يدا صيقل تُجيدُ الصّقالا

You are like a sword whose luster is its own, while poetry

is a polisher's two hands, skilled at polishing.

والذي يكتسى بك الشعرُ أسْنى

مِن سناهُ عليك لا إشكالا

What poetry gains by being clothed in you is more radiant

than the radiance it sheds upon you—without doubt.

وابْسُط العُذرَ في اختصارِ وليٍّ

لم يخف من إطالةٍ إملالا

Extend your pardon for the brevity of a loyal friend

who did not fear that length would cause weariness.

لا ولا خال أنَّ حقك يقضى

بيسير وذاك ما لنْ يخالا

No, nor did he think your due could be paid

with a little: that will never be thought.

حاشى لله أن إخالك تستث

قلُ مما يزينك الأثقالا

God forbid that I should think you weighed

down by the weight of what adorns you.

بل متى لم تكن تحبُّ وتهوى

من أماديح مادحيكَ الطوالا

Rather, when have you not loved and desired

the longest praises of those who praise you?

أم متى لم أرَ الكثيرَ قليلاً

لك بالحقّ نيةً وانتحالا

Or when have I not deemed much too little

for you in truth, in thought and avowal?

غيرَ أنّي إذا بلغتُ مُرادي

لم أزِدْ فيه بعد ذاكَ قِبالا

But once I have attained my aim,

I add not even a sandal-strap to it afterward.

فأردتُ اقتصاص حالي فلمْ أُلْ

قِ إلى غيرهِ من القول بالا

I meant to recount my situation, and gave

no thought to any other words.

لو قصدتُ المديحَ في هذه الخط

بةِ ماطلْتُكَ الجراءَ مطالا

Had I intended praise in this

address, I would have drawn out our race at great length,

قائلاً كلَّما فعلتَ وأفعا

لُك لا شكّ تغمُرُ الأقوالا

speaking whenever you acted—and your

deeds undoubtedly overwhelm words.

غيرَ أني أقولُ حتى يرى اللّ

هُ مضاهاةَ قوليَ الأفعالا

Yet I keep speaking until

God sees my words matching your deeds.

ثم إني أقولُ من بعدِ هذا

إنك الواحدُ العزيزُ مِثالا

Then, after this, I say:

you are the one whose like is rare.

ومقالي بطول قدْري ولو قُلْ

تُ مقالي بطول قدْرِك طالا

My speech is measured by my stature; had I

spoken at the measure of your stature, it would have been long.