أإن ظعن الخليط ضحى فبانا — Al Shaqroui

أَإِن ظعن الخليط ضحى فبانا

أبنت الوجدَ مكتتما فبانا

Was it because the companions departed at forenoon and were gone

that you revealed your hidden passion, and it showed?

فتذرى الدمع من أسف وتبدى

دفين الوجد اذ شدوا الظعانا

Then tears fell from sorrow, and there emerged

the buried passion as they fastened the traveling litters.

وقد هاج المتيم أن تنادوا

ورموا للنوى إبلا هِجانَا

The love-stricken man was stirred by their calling to one another

and sending noble white camels forth for the journey away.

وساروا بالمطى ضحى وعالوا

على الظعن السوالف أرجوانا

They rode off on the mounts at forenoon, and raised

crimson cloth over the litters moving ahead.

نأوك وقد نأوك ضحى بأحوى

كلفت به وقد شغف الجَنانا

They left you far behind, taking away at forenoon a dark-lipped one

with whom you were enamored, who had pierced the heart with love.

رنا ظبي فأقصد مَن رماه

بسهمى مقلتيه وماس بانا

A gazelle gazed, then slew the one he shot

with the twin arrows of his eyes, and swayed like a bān tree.

ويبسم حين يبسم ويبدى

بأشنيه المنصب أقحوانا

He smiles, and when he smiles, he reveals

cascading daisies in his mouth [reading uncertain].

كأن بنانه عنم لطيف

يشيربه وقد خضبت البنانا

His fingertips seem like delicate ʿanam shoots,

with which he gestures, the fingertips already dyed.

ينوء بردفه نوءا فيمشى

نزيفا مشى ذى خطو مدانى

He rises laboriously beneath his haunches, then walks

like a drunkard, with short, close-set steps.

تفيض لذكره عبرات طرفي

ولا أنفك أذكر يوم بانا

At the thought of him, tears stream from my eye,

and I never cease recalling the day he departed.

أقول لعاذلى وليس من لم

يُعَنَّى في البكاء كمن أعانا

I say to my reproachers: one who has not

suffered through weeping is not like one who lends aid.

ذرانى والبكاءَ فليس جفنا

أخى الذكرى لعبرته صوانا

Leave me to my weeping, you two: the eyelids

of memory's companion cannot guard his tears.

يراجعه تذكره تهمى

مدامع طرفه آنا فآنا

His memories revisit him, and there stream

tears from his eye, time after time.

ألم يان ارعواءك حين آنا

مشيبك والتحلم آن لآنا

Has the time not come for you to desist, now that

your hair has grayed? Self-restraint is due now.

تجنبت المعازف والملاهي

فلاعودا سمعته ولاكوانا

I have shunned musical instruments and amusements;

I have heard neither a lute nor a kawān.

تقول أمامُ مالك لم تزرنا

بعيشك هل علقت بمَن سوانا

Umām says: Why have you not visited us?

By your life, have you fallen for someone other than us?

فقلت ألم ترى شمطا بفودي

بدا والشيب إنَّ له لشانا

I said: Have you not seen the gray at my temples

that has appeared? Gray hair surely has its significance.

ذريني يا أمامُ فلست ممن

عن المجد المؤثل قد توانى

Leave me, Umām, for I am not one

who has slackened in seeking deep-rooted glory.

عزيز ما استعنت بغير ربي

ولكني اعين من استعانا

I am proud: I have sought help from none but my Lord,

yet I help whoever seeks aid.

وأكرم بالقرى والبشر ضيفي

وأمنع جار بيتي أن يهانا

I honor my guest with hospitality and a cheerful welcome,

and shield the neighbor of my house from humiliation.

وقد علمت بنو حسن غنائي

إذا حاولت ضربا أو طعانا

The Banū Ḥasan have learned my prowess

when I undertake striking or spear-thrusting.

فما أنا للعدو بمستكين

ولا ألفي لدى الهيجا جبانا

I do not cower before the enemy,

nor am I found a coward amid battle.

ولم أرهب سباب أخي قريض

يهيج الصلب لى لو كان نانا

Nor have I feared the insults of a fellow poet

who rouses the strong against me, even were he feeble.

سلى إن تجهلي الأنداء عنا

يُخبِّركِ الفقيرُ ومَن تغانى

If you do not know, ask the assemblies about us:

the poor man and those living in wealth will tell you

بأنا نستبيح حمى الأعادي

وأنا في الكريهة لا نعانى

that we overrun the protected lands of enemies,

and in grim battle we suffer no distress.

ونعطى المعتفيني الكوم عودا

وفي المشتاة ننحرها سمانا

We give those seeking our bounty mature, high-humped she-camels,

and in winter we slaughter them fat.

ونقرى الوفد في الألوى وندني

إليه أكؤسا تحكى الدهانا

We entertain the delegation in hardship, and bring

them cups whose contents resemble oil.

ونبحث يومنا عن كل فن

ونلفي ليلنا نتلو القرآنا

By day we inquire into every branch of learning,

and by night we are found reciting the Qur’an.

ونجمع في مساجدنا وكنا

نديم بها الاقامة والآذانا

We gather in our mosques, and we used to

keep the summons and the call to prayer continual there.

عرفنا بالصلاح فكل شيخ

شهير الفضل أروى من سَنَانا

We are known for righteousness, and every shaykh

renowned for excellence has drawn refreshment from our radiance.

ذريني يا أمامُ فإن سَترِى

جميل بالفضيحة لن يشانا

Leave me, Umām, for my veil of honor

is fair and shall never be marred by scandal.

فما كنت تعق أمامُ أمى

ولم يك بالعقوق أبي مهانا

I have never been undutiful to my mother, Umām,

nor has my father been demeaned by filial disrespect.

ولم أفضح بفاحشة تؤدى

إلى سجن أهان به زمانا

Nor have I been disgraced by an indecency that leads

to prison, there to be humiliated for a time.

ولم أعتض أنوءا من نهوض

ولم يعهد لذى لغة لسانا

Nor have I exchanged vigor for a burdened stagger,

nor has a tongue been known for a man of speech [sense unclear].

ولم افخر وقد علمت أناس

قبيحى ما استكن وما استبانا

Nor have I boasted with people knowing

my faults, those concealed and those revealed.

ألا فافخر فويسقُ ثم أخبر

لدى النادى فلانةً أو فلانا

Now boast, little reprobate, and then tell

some woman or some man there in the assembly.

فلو أخبرت من علموا لقالوا

لقد فخر الفويسق ثم مانا

For if you told those who know, they would say:

The little reprobate has boasted, and then lied.

أذلت بما هجوت أباك عِرضاً

أبى الله المدبر أن يصانا

By lampooning your father, you debased an honor

that God, who orders all things, refused to preserve.

فليتك لم تقل لأبيك أفٍّ

ولم تنهره في النادى عيانا

If only you had not said “Ugh!” to your father,

nor openly rebuked him in the assembly,

ولم يشهد عليك بذاك قاضى

قضاة القطر حسبك ذا هوانا

nor had a judge testified against you to that—

the chief of the country's judges. This is humiliation enough for you.

أيفتخر الفويسق بعد هذا

ويهجونا ببطل إذ فلانا

Does the little reprobate boast after this,

and lampoon us with falsehood? When so-and-so

هجانا من غوايته ومنا

لسان الحال أنشد إذ هجانا

lampooned us out of his perversity, from our side

the voice of our condition recited as he lampooned us:

إليكم يا خزاعةُ لا إلينا

عزا الناس الضراعة والهوانا

It is to you, Khuzāʿa, not to us,

that people ascribe abasement and humiliation.

فلو برأت نفوسكمُ علمتم

بأَن دواءَ دائكمُ لَدَانا

If your souls were healed, you would know

that the cure for your sickness lies with us.

فخذها يا فخورُ فسوف تُلفي

تقطع من مضاضتها أُنَانَا

Take this, braggart: soon you will find yourself

breaking into groans from its bitter sting.