ما أقل اعتبارنا بالزمان — Alsharif Alradi

ما أَقَلَّ اِعتِبارَنا بِالزَمانِ

وَأَشَدَّ اِغتِرارَنا بِالأَماني

How little heed we take of time,

and how deeply hopes deceive us!

وَقَفاتٌ عَلى غُرورٍ وَأَقدا

مٌ عَلى مَزلَقٍ مِنَ الحِدثانِ

Halts upon delusion, and feet

upon a slippery slope of time's calamities.

في حُروبٍ عَلى الرَدى وَكَأَن

نا اليَومَ في هُدنَةٍ مَعَ الأَزمانِ

At war with death, yet as though

today we had a truce with the ages.

وَكَفانا مُذَكِّراً بِالمَنايا

عِلمُنا أَنَّنا مِنَ الحَيوانِ

A sufficient reminder of death

is knowing that we are among the living.

كُلَّ يَومٍ زَريئَةٌ في فُلانٍ

وَوُقوعٌ مِنَ الرَدى بِفُلانِ

Every day, a calamity afflicts so-and-so,

and death descends upon so-and-so.

كَم تَراني أَضَلُّ نَفساً وَأَلهو

فَكَأَنّي وَثِقتُ بِالوَخَدانِ

How often you see me stray in soul and dally,

as though I trusted to swift strides!

قُل لِهَذي الهَوامِلِ اِستَوثَقي لِل

سَيرِ وَاِستَنشَزي عَنِ الأَعطانِ

Tell these straying she-camels: make ready for

the journey, and rise from the watering-rests.

وَاِستَقيمي قَد ضَمَّكِ اللَقَمُ النَه

جُ وَغَنّى وَراءَكِ الحادِيانِ

Keep straight: the broad, clear road has gathered you in,

and the two camel-drivers sing behind you.

كَم مَحيدٍ عَنِ الطَريقِ وَقَد صَر

رَحَ خَلجُ البُرى وَجَذبُ العِرانِ

How much swerving from the road, though plain

are the tugs of nose-rings and the pull of the nose-peg!

نَنثَني جازِعينَ مِن عَدوَةِ الدَه

رِ وَنَرتاعُ لِلمَنايا الدَواني

We recoil in anguish from time's assault,

and take fright at approaching deaths,

جَفلَةُ السِربِ في الظَلامِ وَقَد زُع

زِعَ رَوعاً مِن عَدوَةِ الذُؤبانِ

like a herd's panic-flight in darkness, shaken

with terror by the wolves' attack.

ثُمَّ نَنسى جُرحَ الحِمامِ وَإِن كا

نَ رَغيباً يا قُربَ ذا النَسيانِ

Then we forget death's wound, though it was

gaping—how swift this forgetting!

كُلَّ يَومٍ تَزايُلٌ مِن خَليطٍ

بِالرَدى أَو تَباعُدٌ مِن دانِ

Every day, a parting from a companion

through death, or distance from one near.

وَسَواءٌ مَضى بِنا القَدَرُ الجِد

دُ عَجولاً أَو ماطَلَ العَصرانِ

It is the same whether relentless fate carries us off

swiftly, or night and day delay.

يا لَقَومي لِهَذِهِ الصَيلَمِ الصَ

ماءِ عَنَّت وَالنازِلِ الأَروَنانِ

O my people, against this crushing, deaf calamity

that has appeared, this overwhelming visitation!

هَل مُجيرٌ بِذابِلٍ أَو حُسامٍ

أَو مُعينٌ بِساعِدٍ أَو بَنانِ

Is there a protector with slender spear or sword,

or a helper with forearm or fingers?

مَضرَبٌ مِن مَضارِبي فَلَّهُ الدَه

رُ وَغُصنٌ أُبينَ مِن أَغصاني

An edge among my blades, blunted by time,

and a branch severed from my branches.

نَسَبٌ ضارِبٌ إِلى هاشِمِ الجو

دِ وَفَرعٌ نامٍ إِلى عَدنانِ

A lineage reaching back to Hashim of bounty,

and a branch growing up to Adnan.

حُفرَةٌ أَطبَقَت عَلى واضِحِ الأَث

وابِ في المَجدِ طَيِّبِ الأَردانِ

A grave has closed over one bright of robes

in glory, pure of sleeves.

خُلُقٌ كَالرَبيعِ رَوَّضَهُ القَط

رُ وَصَدرٌ صافٍ مِنَ الأَضغانِ

A character like spring, made verdant by rain,

and a breast clear of rancor;

وَجِنانٌ ماضٍ عَلى رَوعَةِ الخَط

بِ وَنَفسٌ كَثيرَةُ النَزَوانِ

a heart steadfast despite calamity's terror,

and a soul ever leaping forth;

لا زِمٌ شُرعَةَ الوَفاءِ يَرى حِف

ظَ التَصافي ديناً مِنَ الأَديانِ

steadfast in loyalty's law, he held preserving

sincere affection a religion among religions.

شَيَّعوهُ بِالدَمعِ يَجري كَما شُي

يِعَ غُدواً بَواكِرُ الأَظعانِ

They saw him off with flowing tears, as one sees off

the first departing camel-litters at dawn.

كُلُّ عَينٍ قَريحَةٍ تَتَلَقّا

هُ بَوادٍ مِن دَمعِها مَلآنِ

Every wounded eye receives

him with a valley brimming with its tears.

قَد مَرَرنا عَلى الدِيارِ خُشوعاً

وَرَأَينا البِنى فَأَينَ الباني

We passed the dwellings, humbled,

and saw the buildings—but where is the builder?

وَجَهِلنا الرُسومَ ثُمَّ عَرَفنا

فَذَكَرنا الأَوطارَ بِالأَوطانِ

We failed to know the traces, then recognized them,

and at the homelands recalled our desires.

جَمَحَت زَفرَةٌ بِغَيرِ لِجامٍ

وَجَرَت دَمعَةٌ بِغَيرِ عِنانِ

A sigh bolted without a bridle,

and a tear ran without a rein.

فَاِلتِفاتاً إِلى القُرونِ الخَوالي

هَل تَرى اليَومَ غَيرَ قَرنٍ فَاني

Turn, then, to the bygone generations:

do you see today anything but a perishing generation?

أَينَ رَبُّ السَديرِ وَالحيرَةِ البَي

ضاءِ أَم أَينَ صاحِبُ الإيوانِ

Where is the lord of al-Sadir and white al-Hirah,

or where is the master of the Iwan?

وَالسُيوفُ الحِدادُ مِن آلِ بَدرٍ

وَالقَنا الصُمُّ مِن بَني الدَيّانِ

And the sharp swords of the house of Badr,

and the solid spears of Banu al-Dayyan?

طَرَدَتهُم وَقائِعُ الدَهرِ عَن لَع

لَعَ طَردَ السِفارِ عَن نَجرانِ

Time's onslaughts drove them from La'la',

as travelers are driven from Najran.

وَالمَواضي مِن آلِ جَفنَةَ أَرسى

طُنُباً مُلكُهُم عَلى الجَولانِ

And the keen blades of Jafnah's house, whose kingship planted

its tent-ropes firmly upon the Golan?

يَكرَعونَ العُقارَ مِن فَلَقِ الإِب

ريزِ كَرعَ الظِماءِ في الغُدرانِ

They quaffed wine from vessels of pure gold,

as the thirsty drink deep from pools.

مِن أُباةِ اللَعنِ الَّذينَ يُحَيّو

نَ بِها في مَعاقِدِ التِيجانِ

Among those who reject the curse, saluted

with those words where crowns are bound.

تَتَراءاهُمُ الوُفودُ بَعيداً

ضارِبينَ الصُدورَ بِالأَذقانِ

Delegations behold them from afar,

pressing their chins against their breasts,

في رِياضٍ مِنَ السَماحِ حَوالٍ

وَجِبالٍ مِنَ الحُلومِ رِزانِ

amid adorned gardens of generosity,

and steadfast mountains of forbearance.

وَهُمُ الماءُ لَذَّ لِلناهِلِ الظَم

آنِ بَرداً وَالنارُ لِلحَيرانِ

They are water, delicious to the thirsty drinker

in its coolness, and fire for the bewildered.

كُلُّ مُستَيقِظِ الجَنانِ إِذا أَظ

لَمَ لَيلُ النَواسَةِ المِبطانِ

Each wakeful of heart when dark

falls the night of the nodding glutton.

يَغتَدي في السَبابِ غَيرَ شُجاعٍ

وَيُرى في النِزالِ غَيرَ جَبانِ

He is no hero in trading insults,

yet in combat is seen no coward.

ما ثَنَت عَنهُمُ المَنونَ يَدٌ شَو

كاءُ أَطرافُها مِنَ المُرّانِ

No bristling hand kept death from them,

though its fingertips were of spear-wood.

عَطَفَ الدَهرُ فَرعَهُم فَرآهُ

بَعدَ بُعدِ الذَرى قَريبَ المَجاني

Time bent their branch and saw it,

after its lofty heights, within easy reach of harvest.

وَثَنَتهُم بَعدَ الجِماحِ المَنايا

في عِنانِ التَسليمِ وَالإِذعانِ

Death reined them in after their unruliness,

with the bridle of surrender and submission.

عُطِّلَت مِنهُمُ المَقاري وَباخَت

في حِماهُم مَواقِدُ النيرانِ

Bereft of them, the guest-bowls lie idle, and dimmed

in their protected lands are the hearth-fires.

لَيسَ يَبقى عَلى الزَمانِ جَريءٌ

في إِباءٍ وَعاجِزٌ في هَوانِ

No bold man survives time,

in proud defiance, nor a weakling in humiliation.

لا شُبوبٌ مِنَ الصُوارِ وَلا أَع

نَقُ يَرعى مَنابِتَ العُلجانِ

No full-grown bull of the wild herd, nor long-necked

grazer feeding where the 'uljan shrubs grow;

لا وَلا خاضِبٌ مِنَ الرُبدِ يَختا

لُ بِرَيطٍ أَحَمَّ غَيرِ يَمانِ

no, nor a red-legged gray ostrich, strutting

in a black robe not from Yemen.

يَرتَمي وُجهَةَ الرِئالِ إِذا آ

نَسَ لَونَ لإِظلامِ وَالإِدجانِ

He darts toward the ostrich chicks when he perceives

the hue of darkness and gathering gloom.

وَعُقابُ المَلاعِ تُلحِمُ فَرخَي

ها بِإِزليقَةٍ زَلولِ القِنانِ

Nor the eagle of the bare heights, feeding her two

chicks on a slippery crag with treacherous peaks:

نابِلاً في مَطامِحِ الجَوِّ هاتي

كَ وَذا في مَهابِطِ الغيطانِ

that one darting in the high reaches of the sky,

and this one in the low-lying hollows.

لَو لَوى عَنكَ رائِعَ الخَطبِ ذَبٌّ

أَو رَمَت دونَكَ الحِمامَ يَدانِ

If defense could turn dreadful calamity from you,

or two hands drive death away from you,

لَوَقتَكَ الرَدى نُفوسٌ عَزيزا

تٌ وَأَيدٍ مَليئَةٌ بِالطِعانِ

mighty souls would have shielded you from death,

and hands adept at spear-thrusting,

وَرِجالٌ إِذا دَعوا غُدوَةَ الرَو

عِ وَقَد خَفَّ جانِبُ الأَقرانِ

and men who, when they call at dawn of terror,

when their opponents' ranks have grown unsteady,

شَمَّروا يَطلُبونَ ناشِئَةَ الصَو

تِ خَناذيذَ كَالقَنيِّ اللَدانِ

gird themselves, seeking the rising cry,

champions like supple spears.

لا أَغَبَّ الرَبيعُ تُربَكَ مِن نو

رٍ هِجانٍ وَمَنظَرٍ إِضحِيانِ

May spring never stint your soil of blossoms,

pure white, and of a sunbright prospect.

وَحَدا البَرقُ كُلَّ يَومٍ إِلَيهِ

عَجِلَ القَطرِ بِالنَسيمِ الواني

And may lightning drive toward it every day

swift rain upon the languid breeze,

في جِبالٍ مِنَ الغَمامِ كَأَنَّ ال

لَيلَ يَرمي رِعانَها بِرِعانِ

in mountains of cloud, as though

night hurled peaks against their peaks,

هَزِجاتٌ مِنَ البُروقِ كَأَنَّ ال

بُلقَ فيها مَجرورَةُ الأَرسانِ

resounding with lightning, as though

piebald horses within them were led by their halters,

بَعدَما كُنَّ كَالشُفوفِ تَراهُن

نَ خَفِيّاتٍ نَقِيَّةَ الأَلوانِ

after being like gauzy veils—you saw them

faint, pure of color.

نَشءُ مُزنٍ كَأَنَّ في الأُفقِ مِنهُ

نَفَسَ القَينِ في الحُسامِ اليَماني

A rising rain-cloud, as though on the horizon it held

the smith's breath upon a Yemeni sword,

أَو كَماوِيَّةِ الصَناعِ عَلاها

صَدَأُ اللَونِ بَعدَ طولِ صِيانِ

or like a craftswoman's mirror, overlaid

with a rusty hue after long safekeeping.

لا حَمَت بَينَهُ الرِياحُ فَأَوفى

كَمَجَرِّ الأَنقاءِ وَالكُثبانِ

The winds knitted its masses together, and it towered

like an expanse of sand ridges and dunes.

تَمتَريهِ هَوجاءُ مِن قِبَلِ الغَو

رَين نَزعَ الدِلاءِ بِالأَشطانِ

A raging wind milks it from the two lowlands,

like buckets drawn up by their well-ropes.

تَحفِزُ القَطرَ كُلَّما جَلجَلَ الرا

عِدُ حَفزَ الحَنِيَّةِ المِرنانِ

It drives the rain whenever the thunderer

rumbles, with the thrust of a twanging bow.

كَعِيابِ الدُروعِ أَسمَعَ رَكضُ ال

خَيلِ فيها خَشاخِشَ الأَبدانِ

Like chests of mail, in which the galloping

horses make the breastplates clatter.

لَو تَراخَت تِلكَ الرِياحُ لَأَرسَل

تُ رِياحَ الزَفيرِ وَالإِرنانِ

If those winds slackened, I would send

winds of sighing and loud lament.

لَو وَنى ذَلِكَ الغَمامُ لَأَطلَق

تُ مَزادَ الدُموعِ مِن أَجفاني

If that cloud slackened, I would release

the waterskins of tears from my eyelids.

فَعَلَيكَ السَلامُ مِن خاشِعِ النا

ظِرِ مُستَسلِمٍ لِرَيبِ الزَمانِ

So peace be upon you from one with humbled

gaze, surrendered to time's vicissitudes,

يَنظُرُ الدَهرَ بَعدَ يَومِكَ وَالنا

سَ بِعَينٍ وَحشِيَّةِ الإِنسانِ

who looks upon time, after your day, and upon

people with an eye whose pupil has grown wild.

وَيَرى الأُنسَ لَستَ مِن حاضِريهِ

وَحشَةً وَالجَميعَ كَالوِحدانِ

He sees companionship, when you are not present,

as desolation, and company as solitude,

مُعطِياً لِلعِدا بِهِ الواهِنَ الضا

رِعَ بَعدَ الأَنصارِ وَالأَعوانِ

yielding himself to foes, weak and humbled through it,

after his supporters and helpers.

أَذكَرَتهُ أَيّامُ هَذا التَنائي

ما مَضى مِن أَيّامِ ذاكَ التَداني

The days of this separation have reminded him

of the bygone days of that nearness.

لَم يَكُن غَيرَ قَبسَةِ الفَرِقِ العَج

لانِ وَلّى وَنَهلَةِ الظَمآنِ

It was only a snatch of fire by a frightened, hurrying

man who fled, and a thirsty man's single draught.

أَصدِقائي أَقارِبي وَأَخِلّا

ئي قَبيلي وَإِخوَتي إِخواني

My friends, my kinsmen, and my intimates,

my clan, my brothers, my brethren!

فَاِمضِ لا غَرَّني الزَمانُ بِعَهدٍ

في خَليلٍ وَلا بِعَقدِ ضَمانِ

Go, then; may time not beguile me with a pledge

concerning a friend, or a bond of surety.

قَد تُخَلّى النَفسُ الحَبيبَةُ بِالرُغ

مِ وَقَد يُبعَدُ القَريبُ الداني

The cherished soul may be relinquished against

one's will, and the close and near be sent afar.

صُرِفَ الطَرفُ عَنكَ لا عَن تَقالٍ

وَأُقِلَّ اللِقاءُ لا عَن تَواني

The gaze was turned from you, not from aversion,

and meetings grew fewer, not through neglect.