قسما لقد نسج الحيا — بديع الزمان الهمذاني

قسماً لقد نسج الحيا

خِلعَ الربى فأجاد نسجا

I swear: the rain has indeed woven

robes of honor for the hills, weaving them masterfully.

وشجاك لحن العند

ليب ونغمة القُمريّ أشجى

And the nightingale's song has moved you to sorrow,

and the turtledove's note is more plaintive still.

فكأنما قبس الر

بيع بمنكبِ العلمين سرجا

So it is as though spring has kindled

lamps on the shoulder of the two peaks.

وإذا المروج مرجت في

أطرافهن الطرفَ مرجا

And when, amid the meadows,

you let your gaze roam freely along their edges,

شبهت أنوار الربيـ

ـع كواكباً والروضَ برجا

you liken spring's blossoms

to stars, and the garden to a constellation.

وترى الغصون كأنما

اطلعن للمرجانِ درجا

And you see the branches as though

they had brought forth a jewel-box for coral.

حتى إذا بكت السحا

ب وثجت الأمطار ثجَا

Until, when the clouds wept

and the rains poured in torrents,

قضت الربى بين السحا

ب بنورها دخْلاً وخرجا

the hills settled accounts amid the clouds,

with their blossoms as income and outlay.

فاملأ كؤوسك يا غلا

م ولا تعرها الماء شجا

So fill your cups, O boy,

and add no water to dilute them.

فإذا انتهت كأسي إلـ

ـيَّ مزجتها بالدمع مزجا

Then, when my cup comes to

me, I mingle it with tears.

بأبي الذي نظم الجما

ل لوجهه سبجاً وثلجاً

My father be his ransom—the one for whom Beauty strung

jet and snow to adorn his face.

وجه كجيش الروم قد

لاقى من الصدغين زنجا

A face like the army of the Romans, which has

met the Zanj of the two sidelocks.

ومدلل كحل الدلا

لُ جفونه مرضا وغنجا

And a pampered youth: Coyness has painted

his eyelids with the kohl of languor and coquettish charm.

رضي الجمال بأن تصـ

ـح جفونه والغنج لجّا

Beauty was content that

his eyelids should be sound, but Coquetry would not relent.

لو لم يرد صيد القلو

ب لما حنى القوس الأزجا

Had he not wished to hunt hearts,

he would not have bent that long, slender bow.