زمان الهوى ما أنت لي بزمان — Alsharif Alradi

زَمانَ الهَوى ما أَنتَ لي بِزَمانِ

وَلا لَكَ مِن قَلبي أَعَزُّ مَكانِ

O season of love, you are no season for me,

nor have you my heart's dearest place.

أَبَعدَ القِبابِ اللاءِ زُلنَ عَنِ الحِمى

أُراعي الهَوى في أَربُعٍ وَمَغانِ

After those domed tents have left the protected grounds,

am I to tend love among dwelling sites and haunts?

وَسَيري أَمامَ الحَيِّ وَاللَيلُ حابِسٌ

عَلى الظَعنِ مِن جُدلٍ لَنا وَمَثاني

And my journey ahead of the tribe, while night held

the departing caravan in our twisted cords and doubled strands;

وَمُلتَبِسٍ بِالرَكبِ بادَرتُ خَلفَهُ

أُلَوِّحُ بِالأَردانِ وَهُوَ يَراني

and one mingled with the caravan, behind whom I hurried,

waving my sleeves while he watched me;

وَآخَرُ هَزَّتني إِلَيهِ اِرتِياحَةٌ

وَمِن دونِهِ ذو صَفصَفٍ وَرِعانِ

and another toward whom a surge of longing stirred me,

with a land of level plains and mountain spurs between us.

تَحَمَّلتُ سَهماً أَوَّلاً مِن فِراقِهِ

فَلَمّا رَآني لا أَخورُ رَماني

I bore a first arrow from his parting;

then, seeing me not falter, he shot me again.

أَقولُ لَهُ وَالدَمعُ يَأخُذُ ناظِري

بِأَبيَضَ مِن ماءِ الشُؤونِ وَقاني

I tell him, while tears overwhelm my eyes

with pale tear-water and crimson tears:

أَتَرضى عَنِ الدُنيا وَمَولاكَ ساخِطٌ

وَتَمضي طَليقاً وَاِبنُ عَمِّكَ عاني

Are you content with the world while your devoted friend is angry,

and do you go free while your cousin is captive?

وَفي ذَلِكَ الوادي الَّذي أَنبَتَ الهَوى

جَنابانِ مِن نُوّارِهِ أَرِجانِ

And in that valley which made love bloom

lie two banks fragrant with its blossoms,

وَماءٌ تَشيهِ الريحُ كُلَّ عَشِيَّةٍ

كَما رَقَمَ البُردَ الصَبيغَ يَماني

and water that the wind embroiders each evening,

as a Yemeni patterns a dyed mantle.

مَرَرتُ بِغِزلانٍ عَلى جَنَباتِهِ

فَأَطلَقنَ دَمعي وَاِختَبَلنَ جَناني

I passed gazelles along its sides,

and they set my tears flowing and drove my heart mad.

وَعاجَلَني يَومُ الرَفيقَينِ في الهَوى

عَشِيَّةَ ما لي بِالفِراقِ يَدانِ

The day of the two companions in love overtook me,

one evening when I had no strength against parting.

يَقولانِ أَحياناً بِقَلبِكَ نَشوَةٌ

وَما عَلِما أَنَّ الغَرامَ سَقاني

They sometimes say, 'There is intoxication in your heart,'

not knowing that passion had given me drink.

وَكَم غادَرَ البَينُ المُفَرِّقُ مِن فَتىً

يُمَسِّحُ قَلباً دائِمَ الخَفَقانِ

How many a youth has sundering separation left

stroking a heart forever beating,

وَمُنتَزِعٍ مِن بَينِ جَنبَيهِ زَفرَةً

تُخَلّي دُموعَ العَينِ في الهَمَلانِ

and many a man wrenching a sigh from between his ribs

that lets the eye's tears stream unchecked!

وَما الحُبَّ إِلّا فُرقَةٌ بَعدَ أُلفَةٍ

وَإِلّا حِذارٌ بَعدَ طولِ أَمانِ

Love is nothing but separation after intimacy,

and fear after long security.

هُوَ الشُغُلُ اِستَولى عَلى كُلُّ مُهجَةٍ

وَأَلقى ذِراعَيهِ بِكُلِّ جَنانِ

It is the preoccupation that has seized every soul

and thrown its arms about every heart.

سَلَوتُ الهَوى وَالشَوقُ إِلّا ذُؤابَةٌ

تُراجِعُ قَلبي مِن نَوىً وَتَداني

I have forgotten love and longing, save for one trailing strand

that returns to my heart through distance and closeness.

وَصِرتُ أَرى أَنَّ الشُجونَ عَلاقَةٌ

تَليقُ بِقَلبِ العاجِزِ المُتَواني

I came to see sorrows as an attachment

suited to the heart of the feeble and indolent.

فَها أَنا ذا لا أُمتِعُ العَينَ بِالكَرى

وَتَأمُلُ قَودَ النَومِ بَعدَ حِرانِ

Yet here I am, granting my eye no delight in slumber,

while it hopes to lead sleep on after its balking.

تَقَلَّصُ عَن مَسِّ النُعاسِ جُفونُها

كَما قُلِّصَت لِلبارِدِ الشَفَتانِ

Its lids shrink from the touch of drowsiness,

as lips draw back from a cold draught.

تُجَمجِمُ لِلأَطماعِ في كُلِّ لَيلَةٍ

وَتُقلِعُ عَن قَلبي بِغَيرِ بَيانِ

It murmurs to its hopes each night,

and leaves my heart without a clear word.

غَرِضتُ مِنَ العَلياءِ وَهيَ تَطولُ بي

كَما غَرِضَ المَقصوصُ بِالطَيَرانِ

I have wearied of glory as its pursuit drags on for me,

as a clipped-wing bird tires of flying.

وَلَو شِئتُ جَلّى بي إِلى غايَةِ العُلى

جَوادي وَلَكِنّي أَرُدُّ عِناني

Had I wished, I would have raced to glory's highest goal

on my steed; but I pull back my reins.

وَمَولىً دَعا غَيري إِلى ما يُريدُهُ

وَلَو أَنَّني مِمَّن يُجيبُ دَعاني

And a patron called someone other than me to what he wanted;

had I been one to answer, he would have called me.

وَحاوَلَ أَمراً يَعصِبُ الريقُ دونَه

بِناجِدِ مَزؤودِ الفُؤادِ جَبانِ

And he attempted a feat before which saliva clings dry

in the mouth of a warrior, terror-stricken at heart and cowardly.

يُناثِعُنِ الشَحناءَ أَنّى لَقيتُهُ

وَلَو أَنَّني يَوماً حَذِرتُ رَقاني

He spews rancor at me wherever I meet him;

had I ever feared him, he would have charmed me.

وَعَوراءَ لَم أُنصِت إِلَيها وَلَم أُرِد

جَواباً لَها وَالقَولُ لَيسَ بِوانِ

And an ugly remark I did not heed, nor seek

an answer to it, though my speech was not feeble.

وَلَكِنَّني أَغضَيتُ عَنها كَأَنَّما

أَقولُ بِسَمعي أَو أَعي بِلِساني

Yet I overlooked it, as though

I spoke with my ears or understood with my tongue.

أَرى السَرحَ أَولى بي مِنَ الكورِ في الوَغى

وَما ناقَتي إِلّا فِداءُ حِصاني

I find the horse-saddle fitter for me than the camel-saddle in battle,

and my she-camel is but a ransom for my stallion.

وَلَمّا تَعاطَينا النِزالَ اِنبَرى لَنا

مَلَبٌّ عَلى أَعوادِهِ بِلُبانِ

When we took up combat, there came forward against us

one clinging to his saddle's wooden frame with his breast.

فَسَدَّدَ رُمحاً لَم يَكُن بِمُثَقَّفٍ

وَجَرَّدَ عَضباً لَم يَكُن بِيَماني

He leveled a spear that had not been straightened,

and drew a keen blade that was not Yemeni.

حَذارِ بَني العَنقاءِ مِن مُتَطاوِلٍ

إِلى الحَربِ لا يَخشى جِنايَةَ جانِ

Beware, sons of al-Anqa, of one reaching boldly

for war, fearing no aggressor's offense,

وَداهِيَةٍ تُصمي القُلوبَ كَأَنَّما

تَمَطَّرُ عَن قَوسٍ مِنَ الشَرَيانِ

and of a calamity that strikes hearts dead, as though

it flies from a bow of sharyan wood.

فَهَذا وَعيدٌ سَطوَتي مِن وَرائِهِ

وَعُنوانُ ناري أَن يَبينَ دُخاني

This is a threat, with my assault behind it;

the sign of my fire is that my smoke appears.

فَلا يَحسَبِ الأَعداءُ كَيدي غَنيمَةً

وَلا أَنَّني في الشَرِّ غَيرُ مُعانِ

Let my enemies not reckon my guile an easy prize,

nor think me unaided in doing harm.

فَإِنّي بِحَمدِ اللَهِ أَقوى عَلى الأَذى

وَأَنمى عَلى البَغضاءِ وَالشَنَآنِ

For, praise be to God, I grow stronger under injury,

and thrive on hatred and rancor.

وَأَبيَضَ مِن عَليا مَعَدٍّ كَأَنَّما

تَلاقى عَلى عِرنينِهِ القَمَرانِ

And a radiant man of Ma'add's noblest stock, as though

the sun and moon had met upon the bridge of his nose:

إِذا رُمتُ طَعناً بِالقَريضِ حَمَيتُهُ

وَإِن رُمتُ طَعناً بِالرِماحِ حَماني

when I seek to strike with verse, I defend him;

when I seek to strike with spears, he defends me.

يَجودُ إِذا ضَنَّ الجَبانُ بِنَفسِهِ

وَيَمضي إِذا مازَلَّتِ القَدَمانِ

He gives freely when the coward hoards his life,

and advances when both feet falter.

بَصيرٌ بِتَصريفِ الأَعِنَّةِ إِن سَرى

لِيَومِ نِزالٍ أَو لِبَومِ رِهانِ

Skilled in handling reins when he journeys by night,

for a day of combat or a day of racing.

تَرامى بِهِ الأَيّامُ وَهوَ مُصَمِّمٌ

كَما يَرتَمي بِالماتِحِ الرَجَوانِ

The days fling him about, yet he stays resolute,

as a well's two sides toss its water-drawer.

إِذا ما اِحتَبى يَومَ الخِصامِ كَأَنَّما

يُحَدِّثُنا عَن يَذبُلٍ وَأَبانِ

When he sits with knees clasped on a day of dispute, it is as though

he tells us of Yadhbul and Aban.

أَبا أَحمَدٍ أَنتَ الشُجاعُ وَإِنَّما

تَجُرُّ العَوالي عُرضَةً لِطِعانِ

Abu Ahmad, you are the brave one; you only

trail the long spears, exposed to spear-thrusts.

وَلَمّا غَوى الغاوُونَ فيكَ وَفُرِّجَت

ضُلوعٌ عَلى الغِلِّ القَديمِ حَواني

When the misguided went astray concerning you, and were opened

ribs enfolding an ancient rancor,

نَجَوتَ عَنِ الغُمّاءِ وَهيَ قَريبَةٌ

نَجاءَ الثُرَيّا مِن يَدِ الدَبَرانِ

you escaped the dire peril, though it was near,

as the Pleiades escape from Aldebaran's hand.

وَغَيرُكَ غَضَّ الذُلُّ مِن نَجَواتِهِ

وَطامَنَ لِلأَيّامِ شَخصَ مُهانِ

Another's heights were brought low by humiliation,

and a disgraced figure was bowed low before time.

وَحالَ الأَذى بَينَ المُرادِ وَبَينَهُ

كَما حيلَ بَينَ العيرِ وَالنَزَوانِ

Harm stood between him and his desire,

as an ass is kept from mounting.

وَكانَ كَفَحلِ البَيتِ يَطمَحُ رَأسَه

فَأَلقى عَلى حُكمِ الرَدى بِجِرانِ

He was like the household's breeding camel, raising his head,

then laid his neck down beneath death's decree.

وَآخَرُ راخى مِن قُواكَ بِبِدعَةٍ

سَتَشرُدُ في الدُنيا بِغَيرِ عِنانِ

Another slackened the strands of your strength with an innovation

that will run wild through the world without a rein.

فَأَشهَدُ أَن ما عَرَّقَت فيهِ هاشِمٌ

وَلا عُلَّ يَوماً مِن لَبانِ حَصانِ

So I testify that Hashim took no root in him,

nor was he ever suckled with a chaste woman's milk.

إِذا المَرءُ لَم يَحفَظ ذِماماً لِقَومِهِ

فَأَحجِ بِهِ أَن لا يَفي بِضَمانِ

If a man does not honor his obligations toward his people,

how likely he is not to keep a pledge!

وَنازَعَكَ العَلياءَ مِن آلِ غالِبٍ

شُعوبٌ وَمِن أَدٍّ وَمِن غَطَفانِ

And for glory you were challenged, from the house of Ghalib,

by tribes, and others from Add and Ghatafan:

فَوارِسُ يَلقَونَ الرَدى بِنُفوسِهِم

سِراعاً وَلا يَدعَونَ يالَ فُلانِ

horsemen who meet death with their own lives,

swiftly, without calling, 'Help, so-and-so!'

وَلَو شِئتَ لَمّا طالَعَتكَ رِماحُهُم

وَأَطرافُها عوجٌ إِلَيكَ دَواني

Had you wished, when their spears loomed before you,

with their points bent toward you and drawing near,

هَرَقتَ دِماءً ما لَها الدَهرَ طالِبٌ

كَما هَرَقَت خَرقاءُ قَعبَ لِبانِ

you would have shed blood with no avenger for all time,

as a clumsy woman spills a wooden bowl of milk.

وَحَيٍّ بَثَثتَ الخَيلَ بَينَ بُيوتِهِم

وَكانوا عَلى أَمنٍ مِنَ الحَدَثانِ

And a tribe among whose dwellings you scattered cavalry,

while they were safe from time's calamities:

أَقَمتَهُمُ مِن رَوعَةٍ عَن شِوائِهِم

يَمُشّونَ بِالأَعرافِ كُلَّ بَنانِ

you drove them from their roast in sudden terror,

wiping every fingertip on the manes.

أَأُغضي عَلى ضَيمٍ وَعِزُّكَ ناصِري

وَباعي طَويلٌ مِن وَراءِ سِناني

Shall I submit to oppression while your might supports me,

and my reach is long behind my spearhead?

إِذا فَعَداني الضَيفُ في كُلِّ لَيلَةٍ

وَكُبَّت بِأَعجازِ البُيوتِ جِفاني

Then let the guest pass me by every night,

and let my bowls be overturned behind the houses!

وَما اِرتاعَ مَطلوبٌ يَكونُ وَراءَهُ

بِأَغلَبَ مِن آلِ النَبِيِّ هِجانِ

No hunted man fears when he has behind him

a mighty, noble-born lion of the Prophet's house.

لَكَ الخَيرُ لا أَرضى بِغَيرِكَ حاكِماً

عَلَيَّ وَلا أُعطي القِيادَ زَماني

Blessings be yours: I accept no judge but you

over me, nor hand my times the reins.

وَإِن أَطلُبِ الضَخمَ اللَغاديدِ غايَتي

فَرُبَّ جَمادٍ عُدَّ في الحَيَوانِ

And if I seek my ends from a heavy-jowled man,

many an inanimate thing is counted among living beings.