Sol 6.1

  1. أَلَمَّ وَلَيلي بِالكَواكِبِ أَشيب

    خَيالٌ عَلى بُعدِ المَدى يَتأوَّبُ

    There came, while my night was grey-haired with stars,

    a phantom returning despite the great distance.

  2. أَلَم وَفي جفني وَجفن منصلي

    غَراران ذا نوم وَذاك مشطَّبُ

    It came while in my eyelid and my sword's sheath

    lay two slivers: this one sleep, that one a grooved blade.

  3. أَعاصي الهَوى في حال نَومي وَيقظَتي

    فَسَيّان عِندي وَصلها وَالتَجنُّبِ

    I defy passion in both sleep and waking,

    so union with her and avoidance are alike to me.

  4. لَحا اللَهَ قَلبي مالَه الدَهرَ عاكِفاً

    عَلَيها ومن شأنِ القلوبِ التَقلُّبِ

    God curse my heart! Why is it forever devoted

    to her, when hearts by nature turn and change?

  5. ثوى برهة في ثاية الحيِّ وانبروا

    فَوَلَّوا بِهِ في جانِب الظَعنِ يَجنُبُ

    It dwelt awhile in the clan's encampment; then they set out,

    taking it off beside the caravan, led at their side.

  6. لَها مقلة في رؤيةِ العَينِ مُقلَةٌ

    وَإِن جَرِّبت فَهي الحُسامُ المُجَرَّبُ

    She has an eye that to the eye seems merely an eye;

    but tested, it is a tried-and-proven sword.

  7. وَأَسودها في القَلبِ أَسود سالِخٍ

    وَأَبيضها في الجسم أَبيَضُ مقضَبُ

    Its black is a sloughing black serpent within the heart,

    and its white, within the body, a keen, gleaming blade.

  8. وَما سُقمُ جفنيها بِضائِرِ طرفها

    إِذا صَحَّ غرب السَيف فالجفن يَعطُبُ

    The languor of her eyelids does not harm her gaze:

    when the sword's edge is sound, the sheath is damaged.

  9. وَتصمي قلوب العاشِقين إِذا رَمَت

    فَلَيسَ لَها سَهمٌ إِذا مَرَّ يَكذب

    She kills lovers' hearts outright when she shoots,

    for no arrow of hers, once flying, ever misses.

  10. وَيرشقها الرامي بِلحظَةِ طرفِهِ

    وَيحسب أَنَّ السهمَ يَنمي فَيُنكَبُ

    An archer shoots at her with a glance of his eye,

    thinking his arrow will kill out of sight, only to be struck down.

  11. فَيرجَع عَنها ناكِصاً غَيرُ صائِبٍ

    وَهَيهاتَ أَن يُردى الجَبانُ المُهَيَّبُ

    He retreats from her, turning back without a hit;

    how unlikely that the timid yet dreaded one be slain!

  12. وَلَم أَنسها تصفرُّ من غربة النَوى

    كَما اصفرَّ وجه الشَمس ساعَة تغربُ

    I have not forgotten her, paling from the estrangement of parting,

    as the sun's face turns yellow at the hour it sets.

  13. فَقَد شفَّ مِن تَحتِ البَراقِعِ وجهها

    كَما شَفَّ مِن تَحتِ الجَهامَةِ كَوكَبُ

    Her face shone through beneath the veils,

    as a star shines through a rainless cloud.

  14. يبين وَيخفي في السَرابِ كَأَنَّها

    سَنا دُرَّة في البَحرِ تَطفو وَتَرسُبُ

    It appears and disappears in the mirage, as though she were

    the gleam of a pearl in the sea, rising and sinking.

  15. وَوَلَّت وَقَد حف الحسانَ بِها كَما

    أَخاط بِسَفعاء المَلاطِمِ ربرَبُ

    She turned away, the beauties gathered round her, as

    a herd of wild cattle surrounds a dusky-cheeked one.

  16. فَلَمّا أَتوا رَوضاً يَرُفُّ تَبَسَمَّت

    أَقاحيه فيهِ استَبشَروا ثُمَّ طَّنُبوا

    When they reached a lush meadow, where smiled

    its daisies, they rejoiced there, then pitched their tents.

  17. وَضاحكن نَّوار الأَقاحي فَقالَ لي

    خليليَّ أَي الأَقحوانين أَعجَبُ

    They smiled back at the daisies' blossoms; then to me spoke

    my two companions: 'Which of the two daisies is more wondrous?'

  18. فَقُلتُ لَهُ لا فَرق عِندي وَإِنَّما

    ثغور الغَواني في المَذاقَة أَعذَبُ

    I told him, 'To me there is no difference, save that

    the mouths of beautiful women are sweeter to taste.'

  19. أَلَم ترني أَصبَحتُ مِمَّن يَروقُهُ

    سِنانٌ خَضيب لا بِنان مُخَضَّبُ

    Have you not seen that I have become one who delights in

    a blood-dyed spearhead, not henna-dyed fingers?

  20. يُساعِدني في الرَوع أَبيَض صارِمٍ

    وَفي ثغر المَوماة وَجناء ذَعلبُ

    A gleaming, keen-edged sword aids me in terror,

    and at the desert's mouth, a sturdy, swift she-camel.

  21. أَظَلُّ بِأَجواز الفَلاة كَأَنَّني

    عَلَيها عِقاب وَهيَ تَحتيَ مرقب

    I pass the day in the desert's midst, as though

    I were an eagle upon her, and she a watchtower beneath me.

  22. وَتشكل أَغفال الطَريقِ بحمرَةٍ

    مِنَ الدَمِ في أَخفافها حينَ تَنقُبُ

    She marks the unmarked roadways with the red

    of blood in her footpads as they wear through.

  23. وَإِنّي وَإِن أَصبَحتُ بِالشامِ ثاوِياً

    أَحِنُّ إِلى أَرضُ الحِجازِ وَأَطرَبُ

    And I, though I have come to dwell in Syria,

    yearn for the land of the Hijaz and thrill with longing.

  24. إِذا شَبَّ نار الوَجدِ ما بَينَ أَضلُعي

    فَأنّي بِسلوان القَريضِ أَشبِبُ

    When what lies between my ribs kindles longing's fire,

    I seek solace by singing of love in verse.

  25. محبَّبة نَحوي تِهامَةَ مِثلَما

    إِلى هبة اللَهِ العَلاء مُحبِبُ

    Tihama is dear to me, just as

    lofty glory is dear to Hibat Allah.

  26. ديار يَطيب العَيش فيها وَإِنَّهُ

    لَدى ابن عَليِّ إِن تَأملَت أَطيَبُ

    Lands where life is sweet; yet it is

    sweeter with Ibn Ali, if you reflect.

  27. حُسام لَهُ مِن حيث ما شيم مضربُ

    غَمام لَهُ من حيث ماشيم صَيِّبُ

    A sword with a striking edge wherever it is drawn;

    a cloud with pouring rain wherever it is watched.

  28. لَقَد أَنجبتُ أَباؤُهُ إِذ أَتَت بِهِ

    وَكَم مِن نَجيبٍ سَيِّد لَيسَ يُنجِبُ

    His forefathers truly bore nobly when they brought him forth;

    how many a noble lord begets no noble offspring!

  29. الأئِمَّةُ في الجودِ لا تعدَلَّنه

    عَلى طَبعِهِ فَالطَبعُ أَولى وَأَغلَبُ

    The leaders in generosity cannot equal him

    in his nature; nature is worthier and stronger.

  30. لَهُ غِرَّة لِلبشر فيها تَرَقرُق

    ترحب بِالعافين قَبلَ يرحِّبُ

    He has a radiant brow where gladness shimmers,

    welcoming seekers of bounty before he welcomes them.

  31. وَلَم يَستَفِد بِالمَدحِ ما لَيسَ عِندَهُ

    وَهَل يَنفَعُ التَجميل من هو أَشهَبُ

    Praise has not given him what he does not possess;

    can adornment improve one already gleaming white?

  32. بَل المَدحُ يَنبو عَنهُ حَتّى كَأَنَّهُ

    وَحاشاه يُهجى بِالمَديح وَيُثلَبُ

    Rather, praise falls short of him, until it seems that he—

    far be it from him!—is lampooned and defamed by praise.

  33. يَنوطُ نَجادي رَأيه وَحُسامِهِ

    بصدر كَمِثلِ البَرِّ بَل هوَ أَرحَبُ

    He hangs the two baldrics of his judgement and his sword

    upon a breast as vast as the land—indeed, vaster still.

  34. فَيفري بِسَيفِ البأسِ وَهوَ مُجَرَّدٌ

    وَيفري بِسَيفِ الرأيِ وَهوَ مُغَيَّبُ

    He cleaves with the sword of valor when it is drawn,

    and cleaves with the sword of judgement while it is hidden.

  35. وَيرهِبُ حالي عَبسَهُ وابتسامُهُ

    إِذا ابتَسَم الصِمصام فَهوَ مُقَطِّبُ

    He inspires fear both frowning and smiling:

    when the keen sword smiles, it is scowling.

  36. يَرُدُّ أَديم الأَرضِ أَشقَر مِن دَمٍ

    إِذا لَفَّهُ بِالخَيلِ أَشقَر مُغرَبُ

    He turns the earth's skin chestnut-red with blood,

    when a white-lashed chestnut sweeps him into the cavalry.

  37. أَغَرَّ كَأَنَّ الوَجهَ مِنهُ مُفضَّضٌ

    وَما قارب الأرساغِ وَالكُلُّ مذهَبُ

    Blaze-faced, as though its face were silver-plated,

    and the parts near its pasterns too, while the whole is gilded.

  38. يَعومُ بِهِ في غمَرةِ الحَربِ سابِحٌ

    يُقَرِّبُ بُعدَ الهم حينَ يقربُ

    A swimming steed bears him through war's deep flood,

    bringing distant ambitions near as it canters.

  39. وَيصدق في الهامات إِيماض سَيفِهِ

    عَلى أَنَّ إِيماض الصَوارِم خُلَّبُ

    His sword's flashing proves true upon their heads,

    though the flashing of keen blades is rainless lightning.

  40. كَأَنَّ سِنان الرُمح سِلكٌ بِكَفِّهِ

    وَجمع أَعاديهِ الجُما المثقَّبُ

    The spearhead is like a thread in his hand,

    and his enemies' host like pierced pearls.

  41. وَيَكشف غَمّاءَ الخطوبِ بِنَفسِهِ

    لَدى النَقعِ وَالهَيجاء بالهامِ تحصُبِ

    He himself clears the darkness of calamities,

    amid the dust, while battle showers down heads.

  42. فَتَنظُرُهُ كالنَجم في حَومَةِ الوَغى

    وَقَسطلها مِن شِدة الرَكضِ غيهبُ

    You see him like a star in the thick of battle,

    its dust, from furious galloping, a pitch-black night.

  43. وَتَشكره أَقلامه ساعَة الرِضى

    وَتشكره أَرماحِهِ حينَ يغضبُ

    His pens thank him in the hour of contentment,

    and his spears thank him when he grows angry.

  44. لَهُ قَلمٌ فيهِ المَنِيَّةُ وَالمُنى

    وَمِنهُ العَطايا وَالرَزايا تشعُبُ

    He has a pen that holds both death and wishes;

    from it branch forth gifts and calamities.

  45. إِذا كانَ في يُمناهُ نابَ عَن الظُبى

    وَهَل يَنثَني في أصبع اللَيثِ مِخلَبُ

    When it is in his right hand, it takes the place of sword-edges;

    can a claw bend on a lion's finger?

  46. تريك المَعالي أَنَّ وفدك مُحسِنٌ

    إِلَيكَ وَما تَحوي يَمينك مُذنبُ

    Lofty virtues show you that your visitors are benefactors

    to you, while what your right hand holds is a wrongdoer.

  47. فَكَم طَيبٍ تُغني وَعَلياء تَقتَني

    ومكرمة تؤوي وَمال تُغرِّبُ

    How many good men you enrich, how much high honor you acquire,

    what noble deeds you shelter, what wealth you banish!

  48. أَبا قاسم قلدتني مِنكَ أَنعُماً

    أُقصِّرُ عَن شُكري لَها حينَ أَطنَبُ

    Abu Qasim, you have hung your favors about my neck,

    for which my thanks fall short even when I speak at length,

  49. وَلَو كانَ لي في كُلِّ مَنبَتِ شَعرَةٍ

    لِسانٌ فَصيحٌ عَن مَديحك يُعرَبُ

    even if I had, at the root of every hair,

    an eloquent tongue to voice your praise.

  50. فَعِش عمرَ هَذا فيكَ فَأَنَّهُ

    سَيَبقى إِلى يَوم المَعادِ وَيكتب

    Live as long as this verse about you, for it

    will endure until the Day of Resurrection and be written down.