Sol 6.1

  1. أَتَصرِمُ أَم تُواصِلُكَ النَجودُ

    وَلَيسَ لَها وَإِن وَصَلَتكَ جودُ

    Does Najud break with you, or keep her bond?

    Yet she has no generosity, even if she joins you.

  2. إِذا لايَنتَها مَطَلَت وَلانَت

    وَفيها حينَ تَنزُرُها صُلودُ

    When you treat her gently, she delays and softens,

    Yet when you press her, there is hardness in her.

  3. تُشيرُ إِلى الحَديثِ بِحُسنِ دَل

    عَن الفَحشاءِ مُعرِضَةٌ حَيودُ

    She beckons to conversation with graceful charm,

    Turning away from obscenity, averse to it.

  4. لَها وَجهٌ كَصَحنِ البَدرِ فَخمُ

    وَمُنسَجِرٌ عَلى المَتنَينِ سودُ

    She has a stately face like the full moon's disc,

    And black hair flowing down both sides of her back.

  5. وَعَينا برغُزٍ خَرقٍ غَريرٍ

    وَزانَ النَحرَ وَالَبّاتِ جِيدُ

    And the eyes of a timid, guileless wild-cow calf;

    A neck adorns her breast and throat.

  6. تَرى فَوقَ الرَهابِ لَها سُموطاً

    مَعَ الياقوت فَصَّلَهُ الفَريدُ

    Above her breastbone you see strings of jewels,

    With rubies, interspersed with choice pearls.

  7. وَأَعظُمُها مُبَتَّلَةٌ رِواءٌ

    وَذو عُكَنٍ وَإِن طَعِمَت خَضيدُ

    Her limbs are finely formed and full,

    And her folded belly, even after eating, stays slender.

  8. مِنَ العِينِ الجَوازىءِ لَيسَ يُخزي

    مَحاسِنَها الرِياطُ وَلا البُرودُ

    One of the wide-eyed does content with grazing; neither

    Fine wraps nor striped cloaks put her beauty to shame.

  9. وَقَد عَبِقَ العَبيرُ بِها وَمِسكٌ

    يُخالِطُهُ مِنَ الهِندِيِّ عودُ

    Perfume has clung to her, and musk,

    With Indian aloeswood mingling in it.

  10. وَتَبسِمُ عَن نَقِيِّ اللَونِ غُرٍّ

    لَهُ أُشُرٌ وَمَنهَلُهُ بَرودُ

    She smiles to reveal pure-colored, gleaming teeth,

    Finely serrated, with a cool spring to drink from.

  11. شِفاءٌ لِلعَميدِ فَلَم تُنِلهُ

    وَكانَ بِمِثلِهِ يُشفى العَميدُ

    A cure for the lovesick, yet she withheld it from him,

    And by its like the lovesick man could be cured.

  12. يَراحُ القَلبُ ما دامَت قَريباً

    وَذِكراها وَإِن شَحَطَت تَصيدُ

    The heart rejoices as long as she is near,

    And even far away, her memory ensnares it.

  13. فَأَضحَت بَعدَما وَصَلَت بِدارٍ

    شَطونٍ لا تُعادُ وَلا تَعودُ

    Now, after keeping our bond, she dwells in a home

    Far off; she is not visited, nor does she return.

  14. وَعَوصُ الدَهرِ بِالإِنسانِ جَمٌّ

    وَلا يُنجي مِنَ التَلَفِ الجُدودُ

    Time's troubles for mankind are many,

    And good fortune cannot save from destruction.

  15. إِذا ما المَرءُ غالَتهُ شَعوب

    فَما لِلشامِتِينِ بِهِ خُلودُ

    When Sha'ub, Death, carries a man away,

    Those who gloat over him have no immortality.

  16. وَكُلُّ مُنَعَّمٍ وَأَخي شَقاءٍ

    وَمُثرٍ وَالمُقِلُّ مَعاً يَبيدُ

    Every pampered man and every brother of hardship,

    The rich and the poor alike, will perish.

  17. إِذا ما لَيلَةٌ مَرَّت وَيَومٌ

    أَتى يَومٌ وَلَيلَتُهُ جَديدُ

    Whenever a night has passed, and a day,

    A new day comes, and with it its night.

  18. أَبارَ الأَوَّلينَ وَكُلَّ قَرنٍ

    وَعاداً مِثلَما بارَت ثَمودُ

    It has destroyed the ancients and every generation,

    And Ad, just as Thamud perished.

  19. وَلا يُنجي مِنَ الآجالِ أَرضٌ

    يُحَلُّ بِها وَلا القَصرُ المَشيدُ

    No land can save from appointed death,

    Though one dwells there, nor can the lofty palace.

  20. وَما لا بُدَّ مِنهُ سَوفَ يَأتي

    وَلكِنَّ الَّذي يَمضي بَعيدُ

    What cannot be escaped will surely come,

    But what has gone is far away.

  21. وَجَدتُ الناسَ شَتّى شِيمَتاهُم

    غَوِيٌّ وَالَّذي يُهدى رَشيدُ

    I found people divided between two natures:

    One astray, while the guided man is upright.

  22. مُريدُ الذَمّ مَذمومٌ بَخيلٌ

    وَمُعطي المال مُنتَجَبٌ حَميدُ

    The seeker of blame is blameworthy and miserly,

    But the giver of wealth is esteemed and praiseworthy.

  23. يُراحُ إِلى الثَناءِ لَهُ ثَناءٌ

    عَلى مَهَلٍ إِذا بَخِلّ الزَهيدُ

    He is drawn to praise, and praise is his,

    At ease, when the petty man withholds.

  24. وَخَيرُ الناسِ في الدُنيا صَنيعاً

    عَلى العِلّاتِ مِتلافٌ مُفيدُ

    The best of people in this world in deeds

    Spends lavishly and earns anew, despite misfortunes.

  25. وَلَستُ أَرى السَعادَةَ جَمعَ مالٍ

    وَلكِنَّ التَقِيَّ هُوَ السَعيدُ

    I do not see happiness in amassing wealth,

    Rather, the God-fearing man is the happy one.

  26. وَتَقوى اللَهِ خَيرُ الزادِ ذُخراً

    وَعِندَ اللَهِ لِلأَتقى مَزيدُ

    Reverence for God is the best provision to store,

    And with God there is more for the most devout.

  27. فَصاحِب كُلَّ أَروَعَ دَهثَمِيٍّ

    وَلا يَصحَبكَ ذو الغَلَقِ الحَديدُ

    So befriend every noble, gentle-natured man,

    And let no sharp-tempered, irascible man accompany you.

  28. يَرى ما نالَ غُنماً كُلَّ يَومٍ

    صَفاةٌ حينَ تَخبُرُهُ صَلودُ

    He counts whatever he obtains as gain each day,

    An unyielding rock when you put him to the test.

  29. وَشَرُّ مُصاحِبٍ خُلُقٌ قَسِيٌّ

    وَنِعمَ الصاحِبُ الخُلُقُ السَديدُ

    The worst companion is a cruel disposition,

    And an upright character is the finest companion.

  30. وَوَصلُ الأَقرَبينَ سَبيلُ حَقٍّ

    وَقَطعُ الرِحمِ مُطَّلَعٌ كَؤودُ

    Keeping ties with close kin is a rightful path,

    And severing kinship is a steep, arduous climb.

  31. إِذا ما الكَهلُ عوتِبَ زادَ شَرّاً

    وَيُعتِبُ بَعدَ صَبوَتِهِ الوَليدُ

    When the middle-aged man is reproached, he grows worse,

    But the lad makes amends after his youthful folly.

  32. يَغيضُ الأَكثَرونَ حَصى رِجالٍ

    وَيَثرى بَعدَ قِلَّتِهِ الوَحيدُ

    Those most numerous dwindle in their tally of men,

    And the solitary grows numerous after having few.

  33. وَيُعطى المَرءُ بَعدَ الضَعفِ أَيداً

    وَيَضعُفُ بَعدَ قُوَّتِهِ الشَديدُ

    A man is given strength after weakness,

    And the mighty grows weak after his strength.

  34. وَيَصرَعُ خَصمَهُ ذو الجَهلِ يَوماً

    وَيَبطُرُ عِندَ حُجَّتِهِ الجَليدُ

    One day the ignorant man throws down his opponent,

    And the steadfast man is confounded by his argument.

  35. وَلا يُنجي الجَبانَ حِذارُ مَوتٍ

    وَيَبلُغُ عُمرَهُ البَطَلُ النَجيدُ

    Fear of death does not save the coward,

    And the valiant hero reaches his allotted lifespan.

  36. وَطَلّابُ التِراتِ بِها طَلوبٌ

    ذَكِيٌّ لا يُحالِفُهُ الهُجودُ

    The seeker of blood vengeance pursues it relentlessly,

    Alert, with sleep no companion to him.

  37. وَشَرُّ مُطالِبِ الأَوتارِ نِكسٌ

    مِنَ الأَقوامِ جَثّامٌ لَبودُ

    The worst seeker of vengeance is a weakling,

    A crouching, sedentary man among the people.

  38. فَما بالي وبالُ بَني لَكاعٍ

    عَلَيَّ لَهُم إِذا شَبِعوا فَديدُ

    What have I to do with the sons of a vile woman?

    They bellow against me whenever they are full.

  39. إِذا ما غِبتُ عَنهُم أَوعَدوني

    وَأَيُّ الناسِ يَقتُلُهُ الوَعيدُ

    Whenever I am absent from them, they threaten me,

    But what man is killed by threats?

  40. مَتى ما يَسمَعوا رِزّي يَدينوا

    كَما دانَت لِسَيِّدِها اليَهودُ

    Whenever they hear my voice, they submit,

    As the Jews submitted to their master.

  41. كَأَنَّهُمُ وَقَد جَشَعوا وَذَلّوا

    مَخافَةَ أَن أُجَدِّعَهُم سُجودُ

    It is as though, panic-stricken and abased,

    They lie prostrate, afraid I will cut off their noses.

  42. بَهَرتُهُمُ وَأُفحِمَ ناطِقوهُم

    كَما بَهَرَ المُحَمَّلَةَ الصُعود

    I overwhelmed them, and their spokesmen were silenced,

    As a steep ascent exhausts a laden she-camel.

  43. تَقادوا مِن خُبَعثِنَةٍ هَموسٍ

    تُبَوِّلُ مِن مَخافَتِهِ الأُسود

    They drew back from a massive, soft-treading lion,

    Who makes lions urinate from fear of him.

  44. هَرِيتِ الشِدقِ يُقعِصُ كُلَّ قِرنٍ

    عَلى كَتفَيهِ مِن لِبَدٍ لَبودُ

    Wide-mouthed, he kills every rival outright;

    On his shoulders are masses of matted mane.

  45. دَقيقِ الخَصرِ رَحبِ الجَوفِ شَثنٍ

    كَأَنَّ أَخاً تَوالِيهِ عَمودُ

    Slender-waisted, broad-bellied, stout-limbed,

    As though his tail were a pillar.

  46. وَلَيسَ يَعيبُني إِن غِبتُ إِلا

    دَعِيٌّ أَو دَحيقٌ أَو حَسودُ

    None finds fault with me when I am absent, except

    A false kinsman, an outcast, or an envious man.

  47. نَفى عَنّي العَدُوَّ قُراسِياتٌ

    قُرومٌ مِن بَني شيبان صِيدُ

    Mighty stalwarts drove the enemy away from me,

    Proud chieftains from the sons of Shayban.

  48. فَمِنهُم حينَ تَنتَطِحُ النَواصي

    إِذا ذُكِرَ المآثِرُ وَالعَديدُ

    Among them, when forelocks clash,

    When glorious deeds and numbers are recounted,

  49. فَمَفروقٌ وَحارِثَةُ بنُ عَمروٍ

    هُما الفَرعان مَجدُهُما تَليدُ

    Are Mafruq and Haritha son of Amr,

    The two high branches; their glory is ancestral.

  50. وَسادَ الهانِئانِ بَني نِزارٍ

    وَمَن يَحلُل بِأَرضِهِما مَسودُ

    The two Hanis ruled the sons of Nizar,

    And whoever dwells in their land is under their rule.

  51. وَبِسطامَ تَغَمَّطَ وَالمُثَنّى

    بِهِ فُضَّت مِنَ الفُرسِ الجُنودُ

    And Bistam, whom you belittle, and al-Muthanna,

    Through whom the armies of Persia were scattered.

  52. وَعوفُ المَأثُراتِ وَكُلِّ عَهدٍ

    وَفِيٍّ حينَ تُنتَقَضُ العُهودُ

    And Awf of glorious deeds, who to every pledge

    Is faithful when covenants are broken.

  53. وَذو المانا أَبو حَربِ بنِ عوفٍ

    مَعاذَتُهُ تُفَكُّ بِها القُيودُ

    And Dhu al-Mana, Abu Harb son of Awf,

    Through whose protection fetters are undone.

  54. وَكانَ الحَوفَزانُ شهابَ حَربٍ

    رَئيسَ الناسِ مُتَّبَعاً يَقودُ

    Al-Hawfazan was a meteor of war,

    A leader of men, followed as he led.

  55. وَفَكّاكُ العُناةِ أَبو ثُبَيتٍ

    يَزيدٌ بَعدَهُ مِنّا يَزيدُ

    And the ransomer of captives, Abu Thubayt,

    Yazid—and after him, another Yazid from us.

  56. وَعُدَّ أَبا الوَجيهَةِ في نُجومٍ

    نُجومٍ جَمَّةٍ تِلكَ السُعودُ

    Count Abu al-Wajiha among the stars,

    The many stars—those auspicious ones.

  57. قبيصَةُ وَاِبنُ ذي الجَدَّينِ مِنهُم

    وَأَشرَسُ وَالمَجَبَّةُ وَالشَريد

    Qabisa and the son of Dhu al-Jaddayn are among them,

    And Ashras, al-Majabba, and al-Sharid,

  58. وَعَمرو وَالأَغَنُّ عَميدُ حَي

    وَكُلٌّ في أَرومَتِهِ عَميدُ

    And Amr, and al-Aghann, chief of a clan;

    Each is a chief within his lineage.

  59. وَسادَ اِبنُ القَريمِ وَكانَ قَرماً

    أَخا حَربٍ يُشَبُّ لَها الوَقودُ

    Ibn al-Qarim ruled, and was a mighty chief,

    A brother of war, for which the fuel is kindled.

  60. وَحَمّالُ المِئِينِ أَبو حُماسٍ

    أَنابَ بِها إِذا ضَلَعَ اللَهيدُ

    And the bearer of hundreds, Abu Humas,

    Took them upon himself when the crushed man faltered.

  61. وَجادَ اِبنُ الحُصَينِ وَكانَ بَحراً

    وَلِلهَزهازِ عِندَ الجَهدِ جودُ

    Ibn al-Husayn gave freely, and was an ocean,

    And al-Hazhaz gives freely in hardship.

  62. وَمَصقَلَةُ الَّذي أَجدى وَأَعطى

    لَهُ مِن مَدِّ عافيهِ وَرود

    And Masqala, who bestowed and gave,

    To whom comes a stream of those seeking his bounty.

  63. بِهِ عِتقٌ لِسامَةَ بَعدَ رِقٍّ

    إِذا اِبطَت عَن فِكاكِهِمُ الوُفودُ

    Through him Sama won freedom after bondage,

    When delegations were slow to ransom them.

  64. جُلودُهُمُ مِنَ العَثَراتِ مُلسٌ

    نَقِيّاتٌ إِذا دَنِسَ الجُلودُ

    Their skins are smooth, free of missteps,

    Clean when other skins are stained.

  65. أولئِكَ أُسرَتي سَأَذودُ عَنهُم

    إِذا ما خامَ عَنهُم مَن يَذودُ

    These are my kin; I shall defend them,

    When their defenders shrink away,

  66. بِغُرٍّ مِن قَوافٍ نافِذاتٍ

    جَوارِحَ في الصُدورِ لَها خُدودُ

    With brilliant, piercing rhymes,

    Wounding breasts and carving furrows in them.

  67. فَشِعري كُلُّهُ بَيتانِ بَيتٌ

    أُثَقِّفُهُ وَقافِيَةٌ شَرودُ

    All my poetry is two verses: a verse

    I polish, and a rhyme that roams afar.

  68. وَإِنّي حاكِمٌ في الشِعرِ حُكماً

    إِذا ذُكِرَ القَوافي وَالنَشيدُ

    I am indeed a judge, passing judgment on poetry,

    When rhymes and recitation are discussed.

  69. فَخَيرُ الشِعرِ أَكرَمُهُ رِجالاً

    وَشَرُّ الشِعرِ ما نَطَقَ العَبيدُ

    The best poetry is that of the noblest men,

    And the worst is what slaves utter.

  70. شُهودي الناسُ أَن قَد قُلتُ حَقّاً

    وَكانَ الحَقُّ يُوجِبُهُ الشُهودُ

    People are my witnesses that I have spoken truth,

    And truth is established by witnesses.