أثرها وهي تنتعل الظلالا — Alabywrdy

أثِرْها وهْيَ تَنتَعِلُ الظِّلالا

وإنْ ناجَتْ مَناسِمُها الكَلالا

Urge her on while she wears the shadows as sandals,

even if her padded feet commune with weariness.

فليسَ بمُنحَنى العَلَمَيْنِ وِرْدٌ

يُرَوّي الرَّكْبَ والإبِلَ النِّهالا

For at the bend of al-ʿAlamayn there is no watering place

to slake the riders and the thirsty camels.

وهَبْها فارَقَتْهُ فأيُّ وادٍ

تُصادِفُ في مَذانِبهِ بِلالا

And suppose she leaves it: in what valley

will she find moisture in its lower reaches?

كأنّكَ حينَ تُزْجرُها وتُرخِي

أزِمَّتَها تَروعُ بها رِئالا

It is as though, when you goad her and loosen

her reins, you startle ostrich chicks with her.

فكَم تُدمي أخِشَّتَها بِسَيرٍ

يُحَكِّمُ في غَوارِبِها الرِّحالا

How often you bloody her nose-pins with a march

that gives the saddles dominion over her withers!

وتُسري في ضَميرِ اللَّيلِ سِرّاً

وتَخْطِرُ في جَواشِنهِ خَيالا

And you travel secretly through the heart of night,

and flit like a phantom through its breastplates.

وتَفْري الأرضَ أحياناً يَميناً

على لَغَبٍ وآوِنَةً شِمالا

And you cleave the earth, sometimes to the right,

despite weariness, and sometimes to the left.

فتُوطِئُها وإنْ حَفِيَتْ جِبالاً

وتُغْشيها وقد رَزَحَتْ رِمالا

You make her tread mountains even when her feet are sore,

and drive her into sands when she has collapsed with exhaustion,

بآمالٍ تُلَقِّحُهُنَّ عُجْبا

بِهِنَّ وهُنَّ يُسرِرْنَ الحِيالا

with hopes you impregnate out of admiration

for them, though they conceal their barrenness.

ولَو خَبِرَ البَرِيّةَ مَنْ رَجاهُمْ

لَشَد على مَطِيَّتِه العِقالا

If one who hoped in them truly knew mankind,

he would fasten the hobble on his mount.

إذا لم يَسْتَفِدْ مِنهمْ نَوالاً

فَلِمْ يُزجي على ظَلَعٍ جِمالا

If he gains no bounty from them,

why drive camels onward despite their lameness?

طلائِحَ كالقِسيِّ فإنْ تَرامتْ

على عَجَلٍ به حَكَتِ النِّبالا

Worn out like bows—yet if they dart forth

with him in haste, they resemble arrows.

وأينَ أغَرُّ إنْ يَفزَعْ كَريمٌ

إليهِ يَجِدْهُ لِلْعافي ثِمالا

And where is a radiant lord—if a nobleman turns

to him, he finds him a refuge for the supplicant?

إذا التفَتَتْ عُلاهُ إِلى القوافي

وفَدْنَ على مَكارِمهِ عِجالا

When his eminence turns toward rhymes,

they hasten as envoys to his noble deeds.

مَتى تُرِدِ الثّراءَ فلسْتَ منّي

وخِدْني غَيرُ مَنْ سألَ الرِّجالا

If wealth is what you seek, you are not of my kind;

my companion is not one who begs from men.

فلا تَصْحَبْ مِنَ اللُّؤَماءِ وغْداً

يكونُ على عَشيرتِهِ عِيالا

Do not befriend a wretch among the base

who lives as a burden on his clan.

وشايِعْنِي فإنّي لسْتُ أُبْدي

لِمَن يَنوي مُخالَصَتي مَلالا

And stand by me, for I do not show

weariness to anyone seeking sincere friendship with me.

ومَنْ أعْلَقْتُهُ أهْدابَ وعْدٍ

بِما يَهْواهُ لَم يَخَفِ المِطالا

And whomever I attach to a promise's fringes

for what he desires will not fear delay.

أنا ابنُ الأكرَمينَ أباً وأمّاً

وهُمْ خَيْرُ الوَرى عمّاً وخالا

I am the son of the noblest, through father and mother,

and they are the best of mankind as uncles on either side:

أشَدُّهُمُ إذا اجتَلَدوا قِتالاً

وأوثَقُهُمْ إذا عَقَدوا حِبالا

the fiercest in battle when they clash,

and the most steadfast when they knot their cords,

وأرجَحُهُمْ إذا قَدَروا حُلُوماً

وأصْدَقُهُمْ إذا افتَخَروا مَقالا

the weightiest in forbearance when they have power,

and the most truthful in speech when they boast,

وأصْلَبُهُمْ لدى الغَمَراتِ عُوداً

إذا الخَفِراتُ خَلَّيْنَ الحِجالا

the stoutest of timber amid dangers,

when modest women abandon their curtained chambers.

غَنُوا في جاهِليَّتِهمْ لَقاحاً

ونارُ الحَربِ تَشْتَعِلُ اشتِعالا

They lived free of overlords in their pre-Islamic age,

while the fire of war blazed fiercely,

ويُسمَعُ للكُماةِ بها ألِيلٌ

إذا خَضَبَتْ ترائِبُهُمْ إلالا

and the armored warriors' groaning could be heard within it

when their upper chests stained the spearheads.

وإنْ دُعِيَتْ نَزالِ مَشَوا سِراعاً

إِلى الأقْرانِ وابْتَدَرَوْا النِّزالا

And when the cry 'To combat!' was raised, they marched swiftly

toward matched opponents, racing to the fray.

يكَبُّونَ العِشارَ لمُعْتَفيهِمْ

ويَرْوونَ الأسِنَّةَ والنِّصالا

They slaughter ten-month-pregnant she-camels for their supplicants,

and slake their spearpoints and blades.

ويَثْنونَ المُغيرَةَ عن هواها

إذا الوادي بِظَعْنِ الحَيِّ سالا

They turn the raiding cavalry from its desire

when the valley streams with the clan on the move.

ويَحتَقِبونَ أعماراً قِصاراً

ويعتقِلونَ أرماحاً طِوالا

They carry short lives as baggage,

and couch long spears,

على أثباجِ مُقرَبَةٍ تمطَّتْ

بِهمْ ورِعالُها تَنْضوا الرِّعالا

upon the backs of prized horses that stretch forth

with them, their squadrons outstripping other squadrons.

فجَرُّوا السُّمْرَ راجِفَةً صُدوراً

وقادوا الجُرْدَ راعِفةً نِعالا

So they trailed brown spears, their points trembling,

and led sleek horses with bleeding hooves,

بأيْدٍ يُسْتَشَفُّ الجودُ فيها

تُفيدُ مَحامِداً وتُفيتُ مالا

with hands in which generosity shines through,

that gain praise and let wealth go.

وأوجُهُهُمْ إذا بَرِقَتْ تجلَّتْ

عَليها هَيْبةٌ حَضَنَتْ جَمالا

And when their faces flash, there appears

upon them an awe that cradles beauty.

وإنْ أشرَقْنَ فاكْتَحَلَتْ عُيونٌ

بها لمْ تَرْضَ بالقَمَرِ اكْتِحالا

And if they shine, and eyes are anointed

with them, those eyes will not accept the moon as kohl.

وقدْ مُلِئَتْ أسِرَّتُها حَياءً

وأُلْبِسَتِ المَهابَةَ والجَلالا

The lines of their faces are filled with modesty,

and clothed in awe and majesty.

وفي الإسلامِ ساسوا النّاسَ حتّى

هُدوا للحَقِّ فاجْتَنَبوا الضَّلالا

And in Islam they governed the people until

they were guided to truth and shunned error.

وهُمْ فتَحوا البِلادَ بِباتِراتٍ

كأنَّ على أغِرَّتِها ثِمالا

They conquered the lands with cleaving swords,

as though poison lay upon their gleaming fronts.

ولولاهُمْ لَما دَرَّتْ بِفَيءٍ

ولا أرْغى بها العَرَبُ الفِصالا

But for them, the lands would not have flowed with tribute,

nor would the Arabs have made weanling camels bellow there.

وقَدْ عَلِمَ القبائِلُ أنَّ قَومِي

أعزُّهُمُ وأكرَمُهُمْ فَعالا

The tribes know that my people

are their mightiest and noblest in deeds,

وأصْرَحُهُمْ إذا انْتَسَبوا أصُولاً

وأعظَمُهُمْ إذا وَهَبوا سِجالا

the purest in ancestry when they trace their descent,

and the most lavish in bucketfuls when they give.

مَضَوا وأزالَ مُلْكَهُمُ اللّيالي

وأيَّةُ دَولَةٍ أمِنَتْ زَوالا

They passed away, and the nights swept away their kingdom;

what dynasty has ever been secure against passing away?

وقَد كانوا إذا رَكِبوا خِفافاً

وفي النَّادي إذا جَلَسوا ثِقالا

When they rode, they were light and swift,

but weighty when they sat in the assembly.

ولَمْ يَسْلُبْهُمُ سَفَهٌ حُباهُمْ

وكيفَ تُزعْزِعُ الرِّيحُ الجِبالا

No folly stripped them of their knee-binding wraps;

and how could wind shake mountains?

وفيمَنْ خَلَّفوا أسْآرَ حَرْبٍ

كأُسْدِ الغابِ تقتحِمُ المَصالا

Among those they left behind are survivors of war,

like forest lions plunging into the fray.

يُراميهِمْ أراذِلُ كُلِّ حَيٍّ

وهُمْ نَفَرٌ يُجيدونَ النِّضالا

The vilest of every clan trade arrows with them,

yet they are a band skilled in archery.

ويَدْنو شأوُ حاسدِهِمْ ويَنْأى

عليهِ مَناطُ مَجدِهمُ مَنالا

Their envier's range is short, while far away

from his grasp lies the pinnacle of their glory.

وها أنا مِنهُمُ والعِرْقُ زاكٍ

أشُدُّ لمَنْ يَكيدُهُمُ القِبالا

And here I am, one of them, of pure stock;

I tighten the sandal-strap for whoever plots against them.

نَماني مِنْ أمَيَّةَ كُلُّ قَرْمٍ

تَرُدُّ البُزْلَ هَدْرَتُهُ إفالا

Every noble sire of Umayya gave me lineage,

whose roar reduces mature camels to calves.

أُشَيِّدُ ما بَناهُ أبي وجَدّي

وأحْمي العِرْضَ خِيفَةَ أن يُذالا

I raise up what my father and grandfather built,

and guard my honor for fear it be debased,

بِعارِفةٍ أريشُ بِها كَريماً

إذا طَلبَ الغِنى كرِهَ السُّؤالا

with bounty by which I give a nobleman wings,

who, when seeking wealth, disdains to beg;

وكابي اللّونِ يغْمُرُهُ نَجيعٌ

فَيَصْدَأُ أو أُجِدَّ لهُ صِقالا

and with a dull-hued blade engulfed in gore,

which rusts—or I renew its polish;

وكُلّ مَفاضَةٍ تَحْكي غَديراً

يُعانِقُ وهْوَ مُرتَعِدٌ شَمالا

and every ample coat of mail resembling a pool

that, trembling, embraces a north wind.

وقَدْ أهْدى الدَّبى حَدَقاً صِغارا

لها فتحوَّلَتْ حَلَقاً دِخالا

Young locusts have bestowed tiny eyes

upon it, which turned into closely interlinked rings;

وأسْمَرَ في نُحولِ الصَّبِّ لَدْنٍ

كقَدِّ الحِبِّ لِيناً واعْتِدالا

and a brown spear, thin as a lovesick man, supple

as the beloved's figure in softness and proportion.

تَبِينُ لهُ مَقاتِلُ لمْ تُصِبْها

بَسالَةُ أعْزَلٍ شَهِدَ القِتالا

To it, vital points stand clear, untouched

by the valor of an unarmed man who witnessed combat.

وكيفَ يَضِلُّ في الظَّلْماءِ سَارٍ

ويَحمِلُ فوْقَ قِمَّتِهِ ذُبالا

How could a night traveler go astray in darkness

while carrying lamp-wicks above his crown?

فإنْ أفْخَرْ بِآبائِي فإنّي

أراهُمْ أشْرَفَ الثَّقَلَيْنِ آلا

So if I boast of my forefathers, I

consider them the noblest house among mankind and jinn.

وفِيَّ فَضائِلٌ يُغْنينَ عَنْهُمْ

بِها أوْطَأتُ أخمَصِيَ الهِلالا

And I possess virtues that spare me reliance on them;

through these I have made my foot's arch tread the crescent.

تَريعُ شَوارِدُ الكَلِمِ البَواقي

إليَّ فَلا اجْتِلابَ ولا انتِحالا

The strays among enduring words return

to me, without borrowing or plagiarism.

فإنْ أمْدَحْ إماماً أو هُماماً

فَلا جاهاً أرومُ ولا نَوالا

If I praise an imam or a valiant lord,

I seek neither influence nor bounty.

وأنْظِمُ حينَ أفخَرُ رائِعاتٍ

تَكونُ لكُلِّ ذي حَسَبٍ مِثالا

And when I boast, I compose marvelous verses

that serve as a model for everyone of noble ancestry.

وأعْبَثُ بالنَّسيبِ ولَسْتُ أغْشى ال

حَرامَ فيَقْطُرُ السِّحْرَ الحَلالا

And I play with love poetry, without approaching the

forbidden; thus it drips lawful enchantment.

إذا وسِعَ التُّقى كَرَمي فأهْوِنْ

بِخَوْدٍ ضاقَ قُلْباها مَجالا

If piety has room for my nobility, how little I esteem

a maiden whose two bracelets are cramped for space!

ومَنْ عَلِقَ العَفافُ بِبُرْدَتَيْهِ

رَأى هُجْرانَ غانِيَةٍ وِصالا

Whoever has chastity clinging to his two mantles

sees parting from a beauty as union.

فلَمْ أسَلِ المَعاصِمَ عنْ سِوارٍ

ولا عَنْ حَجْلها القَصَبَ الخِدالا

So I have not asked wrists about a bracelet,

nor plump shins about their anklets.

ولَولا نَوْشَةُ الأيَّامِ منِّي

لَما نَعِمَ اللِّئامُ لَدَيَّ بالا

Were it not for the days' assault upon me,

the base would never have rested easy in my presence.

ولكنّي مُنِيتُ بِدَهْرِ سَوْءٍ

هوَ الدَّاءُ الذي يُدْعَى عُضالا

But I have been afflicted with an evil age,

the disease that is called incurable:

يُقَدِّمُ مَنْ يَنالُ النَّقْصُ مِنْهُ

ويَحرِمُ كُلَّ مَنْ رُزِقَ الكَمالا

it advances those whom deficiency diminishes,

and deprives everyone endowed with perfection.