أَعَنِ الأَهِلَّةِ في الدَّياجِرِ

أَعَنِ الأَهِلَّةِ في الدَّياجِرِ

سفَرَت لنا والبَينُ سَافِرْ

سفَرَت لنا والبَينُ سَافِرْ

Was it of crescents in the pitch-dark nights—

Was it crescent moons in the darkness

that shone unveiled to us, while separation stood revealed?

they unveiled to us, while parting stood unveiled?

أم عن محاجرِ رَبرَبٍ

أم عن محاجرِ رَبرَبٍ

كشَفَتْ لنا تلك المَعاجِر

كشَفَتْ لنا تلك المَعاجِر

Or of the eyes of a herd of wild does—

Or the eyes of a herd of gazelles

that those veils disclosed to us?

that those head-veils uncovered for us?

أَظِباءُ وَجْرَةَ أَقصَدَتْ

أَظِباءُ وَجْرَةَ أَقصَدَتْ

كَ بسِحرِ أجفانٍ فَواتِر

كَ بسِحرِ أجفانٍ فَواتِر

Were they gazelles of Wajra that struck—

Did the gazelles of Wajra strike

you down with the magic of languid eyelids?

you down with the magic of languid eyelids?

جنَتِ الهَوى وتنصَّلَت

جنَتِ الهَوى وتنصَّلَت

باللَّحظِ من تِلكَ الجَرائر

باللَّحظِ من تِلكَ الجَرائر

They committed love’s offense, then disowned it,

They kindled passion, then disclaimed

absolving themselves by a glance from those crimes.

those offenses with a glance.

حتَّى أخذْنَ من المنا

حتَّى أخذْنَ من المنا

طقِ للذي تحوي المآزر

طقِ للذي تحوي المآزر

Until they took from the girdles—

Until they took from the girdles

a pledge for what the waistcloths conceal.

for what the waist-wraps contain.

لأُخاطِرَنَّ وما المُنى

لأُخاطِرَنَّ وما المُنى

في الحُبِّ إلا للمُخاطر

في الحُبِّ إلا للمُخاطر

I shall surely hazard myself; for hopes—

I shall surely venture; hopes

in love belong only to the one who dares.

in love belong only to those who venture.

فَلأُوضِحَنَّ صَبابتي

فَلأُوضِحَنَّ صَبابتي

بالدَّمعِ في الدِّمَنِ الدَّواثِر

بالدَّمعِ في الدِّمَنِ الدَّواثِر

I shall surely make my passion plain—

And I shall surely make my longing plain

with tears upon the worn-away traces of encampments.

with tears amid the effaced traces of dwellings.

تاللهِ أغدُرُ بالهَوى

تاللهِ أغدُرُ بالهَوى

ما دمتُ مُسوَدَّ الغَدائِرْ

ما دمتُ مُسوَدَّ الغَدائِرْ

By God, shall I betray love—

By God, I shall not betray love

while my sidelocks remain black?

so long as my tresses remain black.

ولَكَم هصرتُ غُصونَ عَي

ولَكَم هصرتُ غُصونَ عَي

شٍ مُورِقِ الأفنانِ ناضِر

شٍ مُورِقِ الأفنانِ ناضِر

How often I have bent the branches of a life—

And how often I have bent the boughs of a life

leafy in its boughs, fresh and green;

fresh and flourishing, its branches in leaf.

ووجدتُ عَدْلَ الدَّهْرِ حُك

ووجدتُ عَدْلَ الدَّهْرِ حُك

مَ مُسفَّهٍ ووفاءَ غادِر

مَ مُسفَّهٍ ووفاءَ غادِر

and found the justice of Time to be the judgment—

And I found Time's justice the judgment

of a fool, and its fidelity the faithfulness of a traitor.

of one deemed foolish, and a traitor's fidelity.

وعلى الأميرِ أبي المظْفَ

وعلى الأميرِ أبي المظْفَ

رِ في النَّدى تُثْنَى الخَناصِر

رِ في النَّدى تُثْنَى الخَناصِر

Yet to the emir Abu al-Muzaffar—

And for the emir Abu al-Muzaffar

in munificence, all fingers bend in the reckoning.

little fingers bend in reckoning generosity.

وعليه تَزدَحِمُ العُلى

وعليه تَزدَحِمُ العُلى

دونَ البريَّةِ والمآثر

دونَ البريَّةِ والمآثر

Upon him the heights of glory press and throng—

And lofty honors throng about him,

apart from all mankind, as do noble deeds.

him alone among mankind, along with glorious deeds.

مَلِكٌ إلى أفعالِه

مَلِكٌ إلى أفعالِه

تُنمَى المَناقِبُ والمَفاخِر

تُنمَى المَناقِبُ والمَفاخِر

A king to whose actions—

A king to whose deeds

all virtues and glories trace their line.

merits and glories are traced.

كَثُرَتْ مواهبُه وقلْ

كَثُرَتْ مواهبُه وقلْ

لَتْ عند طالبِها المَعاذِر

لَتْ عند طالبِها المَعاذِر

His gifts have multiplied, while—

His gifts were plentiful, and few

before their seekers, excuses have grown few.

the excuses offered to anyone seeking them.

وتغايرَتْ فيه العُلى

وتغايرَتْ فيه العُلى

حتى حَسِبناها ضَرائِر

حتى حَسِبناها ضَرائِر

The heights of glory grew jealous over him,

And lofty honors vied jealously over him,

until we thought them rival wives.

until we thought them rival wives.

ذَخَرَ الثَّناءَ وفرَّقَتْ

ذَخَرَ الثَّناءَ وفرَّقَتْ

يُمناه مُجتمَعَ الذَّخائر

يُمناه مُجتمَعَ الذَّخائر

He hoarded praise, while his right hand scattered—

He stored up praise, and dispersed

the gathered stores of treasure.

with his right hand the gathered treasures.

وأقامَ يُعمِلُ في العَدوْ

وأقامَ يُعمِلُ في العَدوْ

وِ ظُبا العواسلِ والبَواتر

وِ ظُبا العواسلِ والبَواتر

He rose to ply against the foe—

And he kept wielding against the foe

the blades of supple spears and cleaving swords,

the points of swaying spears and cleaving swords.

متقَيِّلاً شرَفَ الأرا

متقَيِّلاً شرَفَ الأرا

قِمِ كابراً منهم فكابر

قِمِ كابراً منهم فكابر

inheriting the honor of the Arāqim—

Emulating the nobility of al-Araqim,

one great man after another.

one great forebear among them after another.

أقمارُ مَجْدٍ تَنجلي

أقمارُ مَجْدٍ تَنجلي

بضيائِها ظُلَمُ الدَّياجِر

بضيائِها ظُلَمُ الدَّياجِر

Moons of glory, whose radiance dispels—

Moons of glory that dispel

the darkness of the pitch-black nights;

with their radiance the gloom of dark nights.

وجبالُ أحلامٍ تَقِلْ

وجبالُ أحلامٍ تَقِلْ

لُهُمُ الأسِرَّةُ والمَنابِر

لُهُمُ الأسِرَّةُ والمَنابِر

mountains of forbearance, before whom—

And mountains of forbearance, borne

couches and pulpits seem slight;

by thrones and pulpits.

آسادُ كلِّ كريهةٍ

آسادُ كلِّ كريهةٍ

فتكَتْ بآسادٍ خَوادِر

فتكَتْ بآسادٍ خَوادِر

lions in every dire ordeal,

Lions in every dreadful battle,

who have torn into lurking lions,

who slew lions in their lairs.

تَدمى شَبا أظفارِها

تَدمى شَبا أظفارِها

والموتُ محمَرُّ الأَظافِر

والموتُ محمَرُّ الأَظافِر

the points of their talons dripping blood,

The tips of their claws grow bloody,

while death itself is red of claw.

and Death is red of claw.

وتَرى السَّوابغَ والقَنا

وتَرى السَّوابغَ والقَنا

مثلَ الغَلائلِ والمَخاصِر

مثلَ الغَلائلِ والمَخاصِر

You see full coats of mail and lances—

And they regard full coats of mail and spears

like fine tunics and waist-wraps.

as light tunics and walking sticks.

كم حاولوا قسْرَ العدو

كم حاولوا قسْرَ العدو

وِ بصولةِ الأُسْدِ القَساوِر

وِ بصولةِ الأُسْدِ القَساوِر

How often they sought to subdue the enemy—

How often they sought to subdue the foe

with the onslaught of fierce lions,

with the onslaught of mighty lions,

وكتائبٍ تُزجي الرَّدى

وكتائبٍ تُزجي الرَّدى

ما بينَ مُدَّرِعٍ وَحاسِر

ما بينَ مُدَّرِعٍ وَحاسِر

and battalions driving death onward,

and with battalions that send death forth

between armored men and bare ones.

among armored and unarmored men.

وتَرَكْنَ وَسْمَ أَهِلَّةٍ

وتَرَكْنَ وَسْمَ أَهِلَّةٍ

في الصَّخرِ من وَقْعِ الحَوافِر

في الصَّخرِ من وَقْعِ الحَوافِر

They left the marks of crescents—

And they left crescent-shaped marks

in the rock from the striking of hoofs.

in the rock from the impact of hooves.

فَبَكَرْنَ يَحجُبنَ الصبَّ

فَبَكَرْنَ يَحجُبنَ الصبَّ

حَ بقَسطَلٍ في الجوِّ ثائِر

حَ بقَسطَلٍ في الجوِّ ثائِر

At dawn they rode, veiling the morn—

Then they set out early, veiling the dawn

with a dust-cloud raging in the air.

with a dust-cloud rising in the air.

وغَدَوا وطيبُ ثَنائِهِمْ

وغَدَوا وطيبُ ثَنائِهِمْ

يُنْبيكَ عن طيبِ العَناصِر

يُنْبيكَ عن طيبِ العَناصِر

They returned, while the sweetness of their praise—

And they went forth, the sweetness of their praise

tells you the goodness of their stock.

telling you the purity of their stock.

يا ناصرَ الكَرمِ الذي

يا ناصرَ الكَرمِ الذي

لولاه كانَ بغَيرِ نَاصِر

لولاه كانَ بغَيرِ نَاصِر

O champion of generosity, which—

O champion of generosity—the one

without you would have no champion!

without whom it would have no champion.

مَنْ كانَ مِثلَكَ لم تَنَلْ

مَنْ كانَ مِثلَكَ لم تَنَلْ

معشارَ سُؤدُدِهِ العَشائِر

معشارَ سُؤدُدِهِ العَشائِر

Whoever is like you—the clans could not attain—

For one such as you, beyond reach

a tenth part of his eminence.

of the tribes lies a tenth of his eminence.

شِيَمٌ إذا ما شِمْتَها

شِيَمٌ إذا ما شِمْتَها

أغَنتْ عنِ الدِّيَمِ الهَوامِر

أغَنتْ عنِ الدِّيَمِ الهَوامِر

Qualities which, once you glimpse them,

Traits which, whenever you behold them,

spare you the need for streaming rainclouds;

dispense with the need for pouring rains.

مثلُ الأصائلِ في السَّما

مثلُ الأصائلِ في السَّما

حِ فإنْ أَبى عادَتْ هَواجِر

حِ فإنْ أَبى عادَتْ هَواجِر

in generosity they are like the late afternoons—

Like late afternoons in generosity;

and if it withholds, they return as blazing noons.

but if he refuses, they turn to scorching noons.

وشمائلٌ هُنَّ الشُّمو

وشمائلٌ هُنَّ الشُّمو

سُ لباطنٍ منها وظَاهِر

سُ لباطنٍ منها وظَاهِر

Traits that are suns—

And dispositions that are suns,

to his inward self and outward face;

inwardly and outwardly alike.

فكأنَّما هي رَوْضَةٌ

فكأنَّما هي رَوْضَةٌ

منظومَةٌ فيها الأَزاهِر

منظومَةٌ فيها الأَزاهِر

as though they were a meadow—

So they are like a garden

where blossoms have been strung in ordered rows.

in which the blossoms are arrayed.

يَهني المَكارِمَ أَنها

يَهني المَكارِمَ أَنها

أَمِنَتْ بِبُرئِكَ ما تُحاذِر

أَمِنَتْ بِبُرئِكَ ما تُحاذِر

Glad tidings to noble deeds: they now—

It gladdens noble virtues that

through your recovery, are safe from what they feared,

your recovery has made them safe from what they fear.

من بعدِ ما أنحَتْ علي

من بعدِ ما أنحَتْ علي

كَ نوائبٌ خُزْرُ النَّواظِر

كَ نوائبٌ خُزْرُ النَّواظِر

after calamities assailed—

After they had borne down upon

you, glaring with cross-eyed malice.

you—calamities with hostile, sidelong eyes.

فاهتزَّ جِسمُكَ مثلَما

فاهتزَّ جِسمُكَ مثلَما

يَهتَزُّ ماضي الحدِّ باتِر

يَهتَزُّ ماضي الحدِّ باتِر

Then your body quivered as—

Your body then quivered just as

a keen, sharp-edged sword quivers.

a keen-edged, cleaving sword quivers.

لا زالَ لُطفُ اللهِ يَدْ

لا زالَ لُطفُ اللهِ يَدْ

رَأُ عنكَ مكروهَ الدَّوائِر

رَأُ عنكَ مكروهَ الدَّوائِر

May God’s grace never cease—

May God's kindness never cease to ward

to ward from you the malice of reversals,

off from you the harm of fortune's reversals.

وسرَتْ إلى أعدائِكَ ال

وسرَتْ إلى أعدائِكَ ال

أَحْدَاثُ بالأَجَلِ المُسافِر

أَحْدَاثُ بالأَجَلِ المُسافِر

while events hasten toward your enemies—

And may there journey to your enemies

bearing the journeying term of death.

calamities, with death upon its journey.

لاحَظْتُ رَبعَكَ فاكتَحَلْ

لاحَظْتُ رَبعَكَ فاكتَحَلْ

تُ بمُخصِبِ الجَنَباتِ زَاهِر

تُ بمُخصِبِ الجَنَباتِ زَاهِر

I gazed upon your dwelling and lined my eyes—

I gazed upon your dwelling, taking as eye-kohl

with its fertile, blossoming precincts.

its fertile, blossoming surroundings.

وَوَرَدْتُ بحراً منك مح

وَوَرَدْتُ بحراً منك مح

مودَ المَواردِ والمَصادِر

مودَ المَواردِ والمَصادِر

I came to a sea from you, praised—

And I came to a sea in you,

at its watering-places and points of departure.

praiseworthy in its approaches and departures.

وتركْتُ مدحَكَ سائراً

وتركْتُ مدحَكَ سائراً

في الناسِ من بادٍ وحاضِر

في الناسِ من بادٍ وحاضِر

And I left your praise traveling—

And I left your praise traveling

among all people, nomad and settled.

among people, nomads and townsfolk alike.

فتحلَّ منه مُحَبَّر ال

فتحلَّ منه مُحَبَّر ال

أَبْرَاد مَنظومَ الجَواهِر

أَبْرَاد مَنظومَ الجَواهِر

With it, the embroidered robe was adorned—

So adorn yourself with it, in embroidered

with jewels strung in order.

cloaks, bedecked with strung jewels.

لم يُعْزَ دُرُّ عقودِه

لم يُعْزَ دُرُّ عقودِه

إلا إلى بحرِ الخَواطِر

إلا إلى بحرِ الخَواطِر

No pearl in its necklace proved beyond reach—

The pearls of its necklaces were ascribed

except from the sea of thought.

only to the sea of thoughts.