وليلة جمع لم أبت ناسيا لكم — Bakr Bin Al Nattah

وَلَيلَة جَمعٍ لَم أَبِت ناسِياً لَكُم

وَحينَ أَفاضَ الناسُ مِن عَرَفاتِ

And on the night at Jamʿ, I did not sleep forgetful of you,

nor when the people streamed down from ʿArafat.

وَلَم تُنسِنيكَ البيضُ بِالخيفِ مِن مِنىً

وَقَد رُمنَ ارسالاً إِلى الجَمَراتِ

The fair women at al-Khayf in Mina did not make me forget you,

though they sought to proceed in groups to the Jamarat.

فَطَوَّفنَ بِالبَيتِ العَتيقِ لَيالِيا

وَزُرنَ فِناءَ البَيتِ وَالعَرَصاتِ

They circumambulated the Ancient House for nights,

and visited the House's precinct and open courtyards.

كَأَنَّ الدُمى أُشرِبنَ دِرعا أَوانِس

بدونَ لَنا في القَزِّ وَالحَبَراتِ

Like figurines clothed in tunics, lovely maidens

appeared before us in silk and striped robes.

يَغيبُ الدُجى ما لَم يَغِبنَ وَيَختَفي

إِذا كُنَّ مِنهُ الدَهر مُختَفِياتِ

Darkness vanishes while they have not vanished, and hides

if they remain hidden from it throughout time.

جَمَعنَ جَمالاً في كَمال مُبَرِّز

وَسَددنَ سُلطاناً عَلى النَظَراتِ

They combined beauty with surpassing perfection,

and established dominion over glances.

فَزَوَّدَني شَوقاً إِلَيك وَحَسرَةً

عَلَيك إِلى ما بي مِنَ الحَسَراتِ

Thus it furnished me with longing for you and grief

over you, added to the griefs already within me.

ذَهَبت بِديباجِ الجَمالِ وَوَشيِهِ

وَصِرنَ بِما خَلَّفت مُحتَفِياتِ

You carried off beauty's brocade and its embroidery,

and they came to cherish what you left behind.

تَطاوَلَ لَيلي بِالحِجازِ وَلَم أَزَل

وَلَيلي قَصيرٌ آمِنُ الغَدَواتِ

My night in the Hijaz grew long, though I had always lived

with short nights, secure at daybreak.

فَيا حَبَّذا بَرُّ العِراقِ وَبَحرها

وَما يُجتَنى فيهِ مِنَ الثَمَراتِ

How dear are Iraq's land and its sea,

and the fruits gathered there!

كَفى حَزَناً ما تَحمِلُ الأَرضُ دونَها

لَنا مِن ذرى الأَجبالِ وَالفَلَواتِ

Sorrow enough is what the earth places between us and it:

mountain summits and wildernesses in our path.

أَبا مَريَم قيلوا بِعسفانَ ساعَةً

وَروحوا عَلى اسمِ اللَهِ وَالبَرَكاتِ

Abu Maryam, take your midday rest at ʿAsfan for an hour,

and set out in God's name and with blessings.

وَمُرّوا عَلى قَبرِ النَبِيِّ وَأَكثِروا

عَلَيهِ مِنَ التَسليمِ وَالصَلواتِ

Pass by the Prophet's grave, and offer abundantly

greetings and prayers upon him.

وَتِلقاء مجدٍ فَاِستَحِثّوا رِكابَكُم

وَلا تَغفلوا فَالحَبس في الغَفَلاتِ

And toward glory, urge your riding camels on;

do not grow heedless, for heedlessness brings delay.

إِذا الغَمَراتُ اِستَقبَلَتنا وَأَمعَنَت

فَفي خَوفِها المَنجى مِنَ الغَمَراتِ

When perils confront us and press onward,

in fearing them lies escape from those perils.

تَجاهَلَ عَبدُ اللَهِ وَالعِلمُ ظَنهُ

عَلى عالمٍ بِالمَرءِ ذي الجَهَلاتِ

ʿAbd Allah feigned ignorance, though knowledge was his supposition,

before one acquainted with the man of ignorant ways.

أَلَست الخَليعَ الجامِحَ الرَأس وَالَّذي

يَرُدُّ الصبا عوداً عَلى البَدَآتِ

Are you not the dissolute, headstrong one, who

brings youthful folly back again to its beginnings?

وَمازالَ لي إِلفاً وَأُنساً وَصاحِباً

أَخاً دونَ إِخواني وَأَهل ثِقاتي

And he remained my intimate, my solace, and my companion,

a brother above my brothers and my trusted kin.

تَناجَت بِما في قَلبِهِ عَصَبِيَّةٌ

يَمُرُّ لَها حر عَلى اللهَواتِ

Tribal passion whispered of what lay in his heart,

its heat passing over the throats.

نَديمُ مُلوكٍ يَحمِلونَ تَذَلُّلي

حَنيناً إِلى الفِتيانِ وَالفَتَياتِ

A boon-companion of kings, who take my humility

as yearning for young men and young women.

مَتى تَشتَمِل بَكرٌ عَلَيَّ بدارها

أَبت واثِقاً بِالجودِ والنجداتِ

Whenever Bakr enfolds me in its abode,

I sleep confident in generosity and heroic aid.

وَفي أسدٍ وَالنِّمر أَبناء قاسِطٍ

أَمانٌ مِنَ الأَيّامِ وَالغيَراتِ

And in Asad and al-Nimr, the sons of Qasit,

there is safety from the days and their changes.

وَإِنَّ ذَوي الإِقدامِ وَالصَبرِ وَالنُهى

لإخوانِنا ذُهلٌ عَلى اللزباتِ

Indeed, the men of boldness, patience, and understanding

are our brothers Dhuhl amid hardships.

وَإِن تَشتَمِل قَيسٌ عَلَيَّ وَتَغلِب

أَبِت واثِقاً بِالمالِ وَالثَرَواتِ

And if Qays and Taghlib enfold me,

I sleep confident in wealth and riches.

وَأَن أَدعُ عَبدَ القَيسِ أَدعُ قَبِيلَةً

مُلَبِّيَةً في الرَّوعِ بِالدَّعواتِ

And if I call upon ʿAbd al-Qays, I call upon a tribe

that answers appeals in times of terror.

وَإِن أَدعُ عَمراً أَلقَ كُلَّ كَتِيبَةٍ

مُحَرَّمَةٍ مَمنُوعَةِ الجَنَباتِ

And if I call upon ʿAmr, I encounter every battalion

inviolable, with its flanks defended.

وَكَم مِن مَقامٍ في ضَبيعَة مَعمَرٍ

يُضافُ إِلى الأَشرافِ وَالسَرَواتِ

How many an enduring station within Dubayʿa

is reckoned among the nobles and chieftains!

وَفي أَكلُب عِزّ تِلادٌ وَطارِفٌ

بعيد مِنَ التَقصيرِ وَالتَبراتِ

And in Aklub is honor, inherited and newly won,

far from shortcoming and ruin.

وَما الفَتكُ إِلا في رَبيعَةَ وَالغِنى

وَذَبّ عَنِ الأَحسابِ وَالحُرُماتِ

Prowess is found only in Rabiʿa, and wealth,

and defense of lineages and inviolable things.

وَقادَ زِمامَ الجاهِلِيَّةِ مِنهُمُ

مَناجيبُ سَباقون في الجلباتِ

And among them, the reins of the pre-Islamic age were led by

men of noble stock, foremost amid the battle-cries.

وَقادوا جُيوشاً أَولاً بَعدَ أَوَّل

أَقَرَّ لَها عادٍ بِكُثرِ أَداةِ

They led armies, one after another,

whose abundance of equipment even ʿAd acknowledged.

إذا زَفَّتِ الرِّيحُ الشتاءَ وَزَفَّها

وَلَفَّحَتِ الأَرواحَ بالشَّتَواتِ

When the wind ushers in winter, and winter ushers it on,

and lashes the spirits with winter's cold,

رَأَيتَ مَعَدّا واليَمانِينَ عُوَّذا

بِبَكرٍ مِنَ اللأواءِ وَاللزَبَاتِ

you see Maʿadd and the Yemenis seeking refuge

in Bakr from misery and hardships.

مَفاتيحُ أَبوابِ النَدى بِأَكُفِّنا

فَسُؤالُنا يَدعونَ بِالشَهَواتِ

The keys to generosity's gates are in our palms,

so our petitioners ask for what they desire.

إِذا هَلَكَ البَكرِيُّ كانَ تُراثُهُ

سنانٌ وَسَيفٌ قاضِبُ الشَفَراتِ

When a man of Bakr dies, his legacy is

a spear-point and a sword with cutting edges.

وَلَم يدعوا مِن مالِ كِسرى وَجُندِهِ

عَلَى الأَرضِ شَيئاً بَعدَ طولِ بَياتِ

They left nothing of the wealth of Chosroes and his troops

upon the earth after a long night assault.

إِذا لَم يُسَلِّطنا القَضاءُ عَلى العِدى

منوا وَاِبتلوا مِن خَوفِنا بِخفاتِ

When fate does not grant us power over our enemies,

they are stricken and tried with weakness from fear of us.

وَإِنَّ وَعيدَ الحَيِّ بَكرِ بنِ وائِلِ

إِلى المَوتِ يَرمي الروحَ بِالسَكَراتِ

Indeed, the threat of the clan Bakr ibn Waʾil

casts the soul toward death through its agonies.

وَمَن لَم تَكُن بَكرٌ لَهُ فَهوَ ضائِعٌ

إِذا الرَوعُ أَبدى أَسوق الخَفراتِ

Whoever does not have Bakr on his side is lost

when terror lays bare the shins of modest maidens.

إِذا عَدَّتِ الأَيّامُ بَكرَ بنَ وائِلِ

رَأَيت مَعَدّاً تَحتَها دَرَجاتِ

When the days reckon Bakr ibn Waʾil,

you see Maʿadd ranks beneath it.

وَكُلُّ قَتيلٍ مِن رَبيعَةَ يَنتَمي

إِلى حَسَبٍ صَعبِ المَناكِبِ عاتِ

And every slain man of Rabiʿa traces his descent

to a lineage hard of shoulder and defiant.

وَيَومَ خَزارٍ أَقطَعُوا خَيلَ تُبَّعٍ

وَسَاقُوا إِلَيهِ الشّرَّ في الفَرَطاتِ

On the day of Khazar, they cut down Tubbaʿ's cavalry,

and drove evil upon him in the foremost assaults.

لَهُم خُططٌ مِنها العِراقُ بِأَسرِها

تَوارَثَها الآباءُ خَيرَ رِثاتِ

They possess allotted lands, including all of Iraq,

which their fathers handed down as the finest inheritances.

وَأَوَّلُ ما اِختَطوا اليَمامَةَ وَاِحتَوَوا

قُصوراً وَأَنهاراً خِلالَ نَباتِ

The first land they laid out was al-Yamama, and they possessed

palaces and rivers amid vegetation.

وَعاجَت عَلى البَحرَينِ مِنهُم عِصابَةٌ

حَمَتها بِأَعلامٍ لَها وَسِماتِ

A band of them turned toward al-Bahrayn,

and defended it with their banners and distinguishing marks.

وَهُم مَنَعوا ما بَينَ حُلوانَ غَيرَةً

إِلى الدَربِ دَربَ الرومِ ذي الشُرُفاتِ

They jealously guarded the region from Hulwan

to the pass—the Romans' pass with its battlements.

وَأَما بَنو عيسى فَماه دِيارِهِم

إِلى ما حَوَت جَوٌّ مِنَ القَرَياتِ

As for the sons of ʿIsa, Mah is their dwelling-land,

extending to the villages contained in Jaww.

بَنَوا شَرَفاً فيها وَمَرَّت عَلَيهِمُ

هَنَاتٌ مِنَ الأَيَّامِ بَعدَ هَناتِ

They established honor there, and there passed over them

misfortunes from the days, one after another.

بَنو حرَّة أَدَّت أُسوداً ضَوارِياً

عَلى الحَربِ وَهابينَ لِلبَدَراتِ

Sons of a freeborn woman who bore fierce lions,

ready for war, lavish givers of purses of coin.

عَلى أَعظم بِالرايحانِ وَدايهِ

مُقَدَّسَة تَحتَ التُرابِ رُفاتِ

Over bones at al-Rayhan and [unclear],

hallowed remains beneath the dust,

قِفا وَاِسأَلاها إِن أَجابَت وَجَرِّبا

أَبا دُلَفٍ في شَأنِها الحَسَناتِ

halt, you two, and question them, if they answer, and test

Abu Dulaf for good deeds concerning them.

فَتىً ما أَقَلَّ السَيف وَالرُمح مُخرج

عداهُ مِنَ الدُنيا بِغَيرِ بَياتِ

A youth who, so long as he bears sword and spear, drives

his enemies from this world without a night assault.

هُوَ الفاضِلُ المَنصورُ وَالرايَةُ الَّتي

أَدارَت عَلى الأَعداءِ كَأسَ مَماتِ

He is the excellent, victorious one, and the banner that

passed the cup of death around among the enemies.

أَذاقَ الرَدى جَلوَيهِ في خَيلِ فارِسٍ

وَنَصراً فَصاروا أَعظُماً نَخِراتِ

He made Jalawayh taste death amid the cavalry of Fars,

and Nasr, and they became decayed bones.

وَما قُتِلَ النُّعمَانُ إِلا وَحَولَهُ

مِنَ القَومِ أُسدٌ تَطلُبُ النزواتِ

Al-Nuʿman was not killed without having around him

lions from the people seeking fierce leaps.

وَما اِعتَوَرَت فُرسانُ قَحطان قَبلَهُ

عَلى أَحَدٍ في السِرِّ وَالجَهَراتِ

Never before him had the horsemen of Qahtan taken turns attacking

anyone, in secret or openly.

لَقُوهُ وَفيهِم حِيلَةُ الكودِ فانطَوَوا

عَلَى قَتلِ أَحرارٍ لَهُم وَثِقَاتِ

They met him with a stratagem of hardship, then withdrew

with their freeborn and trusted men slain.

عَدَت خَيلُهُ حُمر النُحورِ وَخَيلُهُم

مُخَضَّبَةَ الأَكفالِ وَالرَبَلاتِ

His horses ran with reddened throats, while their horses

had dyed rumps and thighs.

وَصَبَّحَ صُبحاً عَسقَلان بِعَسكَر

بَكى مِنهُ أَهلُ الرومِ بِالعَبَراتِ

One morning he struck ʿAsqalan with an army

that made the Romans weep tears.

سَعى غَير وانٍ عَن عَقيلٍ وَما سَلا

وَلَم يَعدُ عَن حِرمان فَالسَلَواتِ

He strove tirelessly for ʿAqil, and did not forget,

nor turned aside from Hirman, then al-Salawat.

فَبَيَّتَهُم بِالنارِ حَتّى تَفَرَقوا

عَلى الحِصنِ بِالقَتلى أَشَدَّ بَياتِ

He attacked them by night with fire until they scattered

through the fortress among the slain—a most savage night assault.

وَجاسَ تُخومات البِلادِ مُصَمِّماً

عَلى أَهلِها بِالخَيلِ وَالغَزَواتِ

He ranged through the borders of the lands, resolved

against their inhabitants with cavalry and campaigns.

نَفى الكُرد عَن شَعبَي نَهاوَندَ بَعدَما

سَقى فَرض القُربان بِالرَفَقاتِ

He drove the Kurds from the two passes of Nahawand after

watering the sacrifice's allotted share with companies of men.

وَأَورَدَ ماءُ البِئرِ بِالبيضِ فَاِرتَوَت

وَعَلَّ رِماحاً مِن دَم نَهِلاتِ

He brought bright blades to the well's water, and they drank their fill,

and watered spears again with blood after their first draught.

وَلَم يُثنِهِ عَن شَهرَزورَ مَصيفُها

وَوردُ أجاجِ الشربِ غَير فُراتِ

Shahrazur's summer heat did not turn him away from it,

nor drinking bitter, briny water, not sweet.

وَمِن هَمَذانَ قارَعَتهُ كَتيبَةٌ

فَآبَت بِطَيرِ النَحسِ وَالنَكَباتِ

From Hamadhan, a battalion clashed with him,

then returned with birds of ill omen and calamities.

وَبِالحرشانِ اِستَنزَلَ القَوم وَحدهُ

يخرونَ لِلأَذقانِ وَالجَبَهاتِ

At al-Harshan, he alone brought the people down,

falling upon their chins and foreheads.

وَلَم يَنج مِنهُ طالِبٌ قَبلَ طالِبِ

وَقَد أَوسَعا في الطَعنِ هاكٍ وَهاتِ

Nor did Talib escape him before Talib,

though both had exchanged thrusts freely: 'Take!' and 'Give!'

فَقالَ أَسِيرٌ خالِعٌ بَعد طَاعِنٍ

سَآسُرُهُ والأَسرُ مِن فَعَلاتي

Then a captive rebel, once a spearman, said:

'I shall capture him; taking captives is among my deeds.'

بِدينِ أَميرِ المُؤمِنينَ وَرَأيُهُ

نُدينُ وَنَنفي الشَكَّ وَالشُبُهاتِ

The religion of the Commander of the Faithful and his judgment

we profess, rejecting doubt and suspicions.

فَكُلُّ قَبيلٍ مِن مَعَدٍّ وَغَيرها

يَرى قاسماً نوراً لَدى الظُلُماتِ

Every tribe of Maʿadd and the others

sees Qasim as a light amid darkness.

وَلَو لَم يَكُن مَوتٌ لَكانَ مَكانهُ

أَبو دُلَفٍ يَأتي عَلى النَسَماتِ

Were there no death, in its place would be

Abu Dulaf, making an end of living souls.

أَبا دُلَفٍ أوقعت عِشرينَ وَقعَةً

وَأَفنَيت أَهل الأَرضِ في السَنواتِ

Abu Dulaf, you fought twenty battles,

and destroyed the earth's inhabitants over the years.

تَرَكت طَريقَ المَوتِ بِالسَيفِ عامِراً

تحزقهُ القَتلى بِغَيرِ وفاةِ

With the sword, you left the road of death populated,

thronged by the slain, not those who died naturally.

صَبَرت لأَنَّ الصَبرَ مِنكَ سَجِيَّةٌ

عَلى غَدَراتِ الدَهرِ ذي الغَدَراتِ

You endured, for patience is an innate trait in you,

the betrayals of time, ever treacherous.

إِلى أَن رَفَعت السَيفَ وَالرُمحَ بَعدَما

سَمَوت فَنِلت النَجمَ بِالسَمَواتِ

Until you raised sword and spear, after

rising high and reaching the star in the heavens.

وَلَبَّيتَ هارونَ الخَليفَةَ إِذ دَعا

فَأَلفَيتهُ في اللَّهِ خَير مُواتِ

You answered Harun the caliph when he called,

and found him the best companion in God's cause.

فَأَمَّنتَ سِرباً خائِفاً وَرَدَدتَهُ

وَأَلَّفتَ عِجلاً بَعدَ طولِ شَتاتِ

You made a frightened flock secure and restored it,

and reunited ʿIjl after long dispersal.

أَعَدتَ اللَحا فَوقَ العَصا فَجَمَعتَها

وَقَد صَيَّروا عُجمَ العَصا عَبَراتِ

You restored the bark upon the staff and gathered it together,

though they had turned the staff's hard core into tears.

وَأَلبَستَ نُعماكَ الفَقيرَ وَغَيرَهُ

وَأَتبَعتَ بِرّاً واصِلاً بِصِلاتِ

You clothed the poor and others in your blessings,

and followed unbroken kindness with gifts.

فَعِزُّكَ مَقرونٌ بِعِلمٍ وَسُؤددٍ

وُجودُكَ مَقرونٌ بِصدقِ عِداتِ

Your might is joined to knowledge and lordship,

and your generosity is joined to promises kept.

وَما اِفتَقَدَت مِنكَ القَبائِلُ ساعَةً

جَواداً يبدّ الريحَ حِلفَ هِباتِ

Not for an hour did the tribes lack in you

a generous man who outpaces the wind, a sworn ally of giving.

وَما لَكَ في الدُنيا نَظيرٌ إِذا جَرَوا

وَطالَ مَدى الغاياتِ وَالغَلَواتِ

You have no equal in this world when they race

and the distance of the goals and arrow-flights grows long.

إِذا ظَلَّلَتنا مِنكَ بِالخَيرِ نِعمَةٌ

جَعَلتَ لَها أَمثالَها أَخَواتِ

When a blessing from you shelters us with goodness,

you give it matching blessings as sisters.

بَسَطتَ الغِنى وَالفَتكَ وَالخَيرَ وَالنَدى

بِشِدَّةِ إِقدامٍ وَحُسنِ أناةِ

You spread wealth, prowess, goodness, and generosity

with forceful daring and gracious deliberation.

أَبو دُلَفٍ أَفنى صِفاتي مَديحُهُ

وَإِنّي لَيَكفي الناسَ بَعضُ صِفاتي

Abu Dulaf's praise has exhausted my descriptions,

though some of my descriptions would suffice for other people.

وَأَروَعَ مَسبُوكٍ تردَّدَ في العُلا

وَفي الجَوهَرِ المَكنُونِ وَالصَّفَواتِ

And a magnificent, finely cast man, moving amid the heights,

and amid hidden jewels and choice essences.

بِهِ اِرتَدَّ مُلكٌ كادَ يودي وَأسبِغَت

عَلى آلِ عيسى أَفضَلُ النعَماتِ

Through him a kingdom nearly lost was restored, and lavishly bestowed

upon the house of ʿIsa were the finest blessings.

بَنى قاسِم مَجداً رَفيعاً بيوته

وَشادَ بُيوتَ المَجدِ بِالعَزَماتِ

Qasim built a glory whose houses stand high,

and raised the houses of glory through firm resolves.

وَأَشبَهَ عيسى في نَداهُ وَبَأسِه

وَفي حُبِّهِ الأَفضالَ وَالصَدَقاتِ

He resembled ʿIsa in his generosity and might,

and in his love of benefactions and charities.

وَأشبَهَ إِدريس الَّذي حَدُّ سَيفِهِ

تشبُّ بِهِ النيران في الفَلَواتِ

He resembled Idris, through whose sword's edge

fires are kindled in the wildernesses.

كَأَنَّ جِيادَ المَعقِلِيّينَ في الوَغى

جَهَنَّمُ ذات الغَيظِ وَالزَفَراتِ

As though the steeds of the Maʿqiliyyin in battle

were Hell itself, filled with rage and roaring breaths.

أَبوهُ عُمَيرٌ قادَ أَبناءَ وائِلٍ

إِلى العِزِّ وَالكَشّاف لِلكُرُباتِ

His father, ʿUmayr, led the sons of Waʾil

to glory—he who dispels distresses.

بَنو دُلَفٍ بِالفَضلِ أَولى لِأَنَّهُم

مَعادِنُ أَيقان بِما هُوَ آتِ

The sons of Dulaf are worthier of excellence, because they

are mines of certainty about what is coming.

كَأَنَّ غَمامَ العِزِّ حَشوُ أَكُفِّهِم

إِذا طَبقَ الآفاق بِالدِيماتِ

As though clouds of glory filled their palms

when they covered the horizons with steady rains.

إِذا زُرتَهُم في كُلِّ عامٍ تَباشَروا

وَلَم يغفَلوا الأَلطافَ وَالنَغَماتِ

Whenever you visit them each year, they rejoice together,

and do not neglect kindnesses and melodies.

فَكَم أَصلَحوا حالي وَأَسنَوا جَوائِزي

وَأَجرَوا عَلَيَّ البَذلَ وَالنَفَقاتِ

How often they improved my lot and increased my rewards,

and bestowed gifts and allowances upon me!

وَإِنّي عَلى ما في يَدي مِن حِبائِهِم

كَمَعنٍ وَمِثلي طَلحَةُ الطَلحاتِ

With the gifts of theirs now in my hand, I am

like Maʿn; Talha al-Talahat is my peer.

فَمُنيَةُ قَومي أَن أُخَلَّدَ فيهِم

وَمُنيَةُ أَعدائي نَفادُ حَياتي

My people's wish is that I live forever among them,

and my enemies' wish is the ending of my life.

أَنا الشاعِرُ المُملي عَلى أَلفِ كاتِبٍ

وَيَسبِق إِملائِي سَريعَ فُراتِ

I am the poet dictating to a thousand scribes,

and my dictation outstrips the swift Euphrates.

فَأُبدي وَلا أروي لِخَلقِ قَصيدَةٍ

وَأحسَبُ إِبليساً لِحُسنِ رواتي

I originate, rather than recite a poem belonging to another,

and reckon Iblis among my finest reciters [reading uncertain].