Sol 6

  1. ألذ الهوى ما طال فيه التجنب

    واحلاه ما فيه الأحبة تعتب

    The sweetest love is that in which avoidance lasts long.

    And sweetest is that in which lovers reproach one another.

  2. وما بعد دار من حبيب مذمما

    إذا لم يجد فيه مناه المؤنب

    A beloved’s distant home is not blameworthy

    if the reproachful lover finds his desire there.

  3. وما القلب ان سيم القلاق اطباعه

    بقلبي وان غال القلوب التقلب

    A heart whose nature is made to bear unrest

    is not like mine, though change ravages hearts.

  4. قضى الحظ الا ان اكون مبعدا

    والقى الذي لاقى المحب المعذب

    Fate decreed that I should be kept away

    and suffer what the tormented lover suffers.

  5. ليست الصبا بردا قشيبا بروقني

    فما بال قلبي من عذارى الشيب

    Youth is no fresh garment that delights me;

    why, then, does my heart shrink from the first signs of gray hair?

  6. أسالم من أحبته وهو واحد

    فيرجع اعداء لحربي بؤلب

    I make peace with one I love, though he is only one,

    and he returns with enemies mustered to fight me.

  7. وما انا ممن قلبه عند غيره

    فتبكي عليه الشامتون وتندب

    I am not one whose heart rests with another,

    while gloaters weep and lament over him.

  8. ويعى عن الأمر الذي فيه رشده

    ويجهد في عقبى الامور وينصب

    Nor one blind to the course in which his good lies,

    who strains and toils over the outcome of affairs.

  9. ولكن لي نفس الوقور وعفة ال

    قدير وقلبي في المهمات قلب

    Rather, I have the composure of the dignified and the chastity of the

    capable; in weighty matters my heart is resolute.

  10. لي النظرة الاولى الى قلب صاحبي

    تريني خفايا لا يراها المجرب

    My first glance into my companion’s heart

    shows me secrets an experienced person cannot see.

  11. واحتمل المكروه ممن يلمني

    ولم الوجد الود عمن ينكب

    I bear what is hateful from those who blame me,

    and I fault the affection of anyone who turns away.

  12. نصلت من الايام وهي قشيبة

    وعفت لذيذ العيش والعيش طيب

    I have worn thin through the days while they were still fresh,

    and spurned the pleasures of life while life was sweet.

  13. فما كل معسول اللمى يستفزني

    ولا كل مطلوب لدي محبب

    Not every honeyed mouth can stir me,

    nor is everything sought dear to me.

  14. ولا مسمعي روض بصوج بالهجا

    ولا بندى مدح ينير ويعشب

    My hearing is no garden for invective,

    nor a meadow that praise can make bloom.

  15. فيا ليت شعري كم أداري الذي قسا

    واكسوه ثوب المنو والعذر يسلب

    Would that I knew how long I must placate one who has hardened

    and clothe him in hopes while he strips away excuses.

  16. جدير لمثلي ان توطن بلدة

    ولم ير فيها من يجب ويصحب

    Someone like me deserves, on settling in a town

    and finding no one there to love or befriend,

  17. توطن متن البصيلات فإنها ال

    مآرب ان يوما تعطل مطلب

    to settle on the backs of the mounts, for they are the

    means of reaching one’s aims when a wish is thwarted.

  18. إذا أنا لم أدفع عن النفس ضيمها

    فلا انجاب عنها من دجا الضيم غيهب

    If I do not ward humiliation away from myself,

    no darkness of oppression will lift from me.

  19. ولا وطئت خد الفيافي ركائبي

    ولا سال حزن بالمطي وسبسب

    Nor will my mounts tread the face of the open wastes,

    or cross rugged ground and broad plains.

  20. وقائلة راشوا لهجوك اسهما

    فحتام فيهم بالمدائح تطنب

    A woman said: ‘They have feathered arrows for your satire;

    how long will you keep praising them at length?’

  21. رويدك لا يدرون ما انت صا

    نع فخل سبيل المدح فالهجو اقرب

    ‘Gently; they do not know what you are do

    ing. Leave praise aside, for satire lies nearer.’

  22. فقلت وعرف الحلم بعبق من فمي

    بعفة نفس للمكارم تنسب

    I replied, while the scent of forbearance rose from my mouth,

    with the restraint of a soul given to noble conduct:

  23. هبيني امر أيرضى المثالب خطة

    بأي لسان يا ابنة القوم اثلب

    ‘Suppose I were a man who accepted faultfinding as a course—

    with what tongue, daughter of my people, could I revile?

  24. وما لي لسان غيرما بمدائح الأ

    جل ابن شاهين يلذ ويعذب

    I have no tongue except one that, in praises of the

    illustrious son of Shahin, finds sweetness and fine expression.’

  25. فتى جاوز العلياء في الفضل يافعاً

    ومن دونها ضلد كهول وشيب

    A young man who surpassed the heights of excellence while still young,

    while mature men and gray-haired elders fell short of them.

  26. وقمصه المجد المؤثل حلة

    مدى الدهر اذيال المفاخر تسحب

    Inherited glory clothed him in a robe

    whose train of distinction trails through time.

  27. فقلد جيد الدهر منه فرائدا

    تعد اذا عد الفخار وتحسب

    He hung upon the neck of time rare jewels of his own,

    numbered and reckoned whenever honors are counted.

  28. همام له ان اشكل البحث قولة

    تخر لها الاسماع طوعاً وتطرب

    A noble man whose word, when a question grows difficult,

    makes listeners bow willingly and delight in it.

  29. يمزق شمل المشكلات لوقتها

    اذا شيم من فيه الحسام المذرب

    He tears difficult problems apart at once

    when the sharpened sword is glimpsed in his mouth.

  30. توقد حتى ليس يحفو ذكاؤه

    وكاد وحاشا فكره يتلهب

    His brilliance burns so that his wit never fails,

    and his thought almost blazes—though one must say, ‘God forbid.’

  31. وفاه باعجاز القريض كأنما

    له ملك يملى عليه فيكتب

    His mouth works wonders in verse, as though

    an angel dictated to him and he wrote.

  32. بربناسنا العرفان برق ابتسامه

    وبرق كثير في المعارف خلب

    In our company, the flash of his smile brings recognition;

    many a flash in matters of knowledge is deceptive.

  33. لك العذر يا من لج فيك ته فضله

    من تنجلى للعيهن عنقاء مغرب

    You may be excused, you who persist in wonder at his excellence,

    before which even the fabled western phoenix seems to appear.

  34. فتى وأبوه في المكارم والندى

    على حده والفرع للأصل يجذب

    He and his father stand together in generosity and noble deeds;

    the branch is drawn toward its root.

  35. فمن مثل شاهين ومن مثل أحمد

    إذا ما ادعى فخرا انزار وبعرب

    Who is like Shahin, and who is like Ahmad,

    when one claims honor and names his lineage?

  36. إذا السؤدد الوضاح في افق العلا

    له في سماء المجد شرق ومغرب

    Bright distinction shines on the horizon of eminence;

    his sky of glory has both east and west.

  37. أعبذك من قوم قذى العين شخصهم

    كأنهم جاؤوا ليرضوا ويغضبوا

    I seek your protection from people whose very sight irritates the eye,

    as though they came only to please and anger by turns.

  38. اذا ما اقتضاني للمذمة فعلهم

    نهاني عفافي والحجا والتأدب

    When their conduct calls on me to censure them,

    my chastity, judgment, and manners restrain me.

  39. عرفتك فيهم وامتدحتك دونهم

    وما غيرك المعنى والقول مسهب

    I recognized you among them and praised you alone;

    you alone are my subject, though my words run long.

  40. ولو قلته جهلا لنعماك كافراً

    عصتني القوافي والقريض المهذب

    Had I said this in ignorance, denying your favors,

    my rhymes and polished verse would have resisted me.

  41. لمن تكشف الاثمار فضل قناعها

    فيبدو له منها السناء المحجب

    To whom else do fruits lift the veil from their faces

    and reveal their hidden splendor?

  42. وهل لاخي الآداب غيرك قبلة

    فيفزع طوعا نحوه ويصوب

    Does a person of letters have a direction other than you

    to which he turns willingly and aims?

  43. وغيرك هل في حلبة الشعر سابق

    تقاد له غر القوافي وتجنب

    And who besides you leads in the race of poetry,

    with the finest rhymes led and brought to him?

  44. وما هي الا الزاهرات فلو بدت

    لقامت مقام الزهر والزهر غيب

    They are radiant blossoms: if they appeared,

    they would take the place of flowers while the flowers were absent.

  45. شهود على ما انكرته حق اسدي

    وللحاسدين الويل كم ذا تكذب

    They bear witness to the favor I have rendered, though it was denied;

    woe to the envious—how long will you keep lying?

  46. فلا زلت ممدوحا ولا زلت مادحا

    يجيد فنون السحر فيك فيغرب

    May you always be praised, and may I always praise you,

    working wonders of poetic art in your honor.

  47. ويهنيك عود المجد عود أتى الندى

    أبيك الذي للّه يأتي ويذهب

    May the return of glory bring you joy: the return of your generous

    father, who comes and goes for God’s sake.

  48. ويسعى على ام القرى سعي طائع

    وقل الذي في طاعة اللّه يرغب

    He makes the pilgrimage to the Mother of Cities in obedience,

    though few desire to obey God.

  49. ويرجع والغفران جند ركابه

    يحليه منه مخذم ومكعب

    He returns with forgiveness attending his mounts like an escort,

    adorned by it from head to foot.

  50. كذا كان قدما طالما جاور الوغى

    وشيعه جيش من النصر أغلب

    So it was of old: he often lived close to battle,

    and a mighty army of victory saw him on his way.

  51. بقيت وابقى اللّه مثواك عنده

    ومثواكما عند الاله مقرب

    May you endure, and may God preserve your dwelling with Him,

    and bring both your dwellings near to Him.

  52. وما برح الحساد صرعى وكلهم

    على مثل ما في قلبه يتقلب

    May the envious remain prostrate, each one

    tossing about with what lies in his heart.