Sol 6.1

  1. زارتْ ونجْمُ الدُجَى يشْكو منَ الأرَقِ

    والزّهْرُ سابِحَةٌ في لُجّةِ الأفُقِ

    She came to visit while the star of darkness complained of sleeplessness,

    and the bright stars swam in the depths of the horizon.

  2. واللّيلُ منْ روْعةِ الإصْباحِ في دهَشٍ

    قدْ شابَ مفرِقُهُ منْ شِدّةِ الفَرَقِ

    And night, terrified by dawn, stood bewildered;

    its hair-parting had whitened from the intensity of fear.

  3. وأوْشَكَتْ أنْ تضِلَّ القَصْدَ زائِرَةٌ

    لوْلا أتَتْني في باقٍ منَ الرّمَقِ

    The visitor nearly lost her way,

    had she not reached me while a last breath of life remained.

  4. قالتْ تَناسَيْتَ عهْدَ الحُبِّ قُلْتُ لَها

    لا والذي خلَقَ الإنسانَ منْ علَقِ

    She said, “You have forgotten love’s covenant.” I said to her,

    “No—by Him who created humankind from clots of blood!

  5. ما كان قطُّ تَناسِي العهْدِ من شِيَمي

    ولا السُّلُوُّ عنِ الأحْبابِ منْ خُلُقي

    Never has forgetting the covenant been among my traits,

    nor forgetting beloved ones part of my nature.

  6. ولا ترحّلْتُ عنْ مَغْناكِ منْ ملَلٍ

    قد يُتْرَكُ الماءُ يوْماً خِيفَةَ الشّرقِ

    Nor did I depart from your dwelling out of weariness:

    water may sometimes be forsaken for fear of choking.

  7. كمْ ليلةٍ بتُّها والطّيْفُ يشهدُ لي

    لمْ تطْعَمِ النّوْمَ أجْفاني ولمْ تذُقِ

    How many a night I spent—your phantom bears me witness—

    when my eyelids neither tasted sleep nor savored it.

  8. أشكو الى النّجْمِ وهْناً ما أُكابِدُهُ

    حتّى شَكا النّجْمُ منْ وجْدي ومِنْ قَلَقي

    Late at night I complain to the star of what I endure,

    until the star itself complains of my passion and unrest.

  9. يا لائِميَّ أفِيقا منْ ملامِكُما

    فإنّني مذْ سُقِيتُ الحُبَّ لمْ أفِقِ

    O you two who blame me, awaken from your reproaches,

    for since I was given love to drink, I have not regained my senses.

  10. هلْ تذْكُرانِ لَيالِينا وقد نفَحَتْ

    ريحُ الصَّبا في رِياضِ للصَّبا عَبِقِ

    Do you both remember our nights, when there blew

    the east wind through gardens scented with youth?

  11. وإذْ نَعِمْنا برَغْمِ الدّهْرِ فيهِ وقدْ

    عضّ الأنامِلَ منْ غيْظٍ ومِنْ حنَقِ

    And when we lived in bliss there, despite Time, while it

    bit its fingertips in wrath and rage,

  12. بكُلِّ ساحِرَةِ الألْبابِ آيَتُها

    أنْ تُطْلِعَ الشّمْسَ في جُنْحٍ منَ الغسَقِ

    with every enchantress of hearts, whose marvel was

    to make the sun rise in the folds of dusk?

  13. تُنازِعُ الغُصْنَ لدْناً في تأوّدِهِ

    وتخْصِمُ الرّيمَ في الألحاظِ والعُنُقِ

    She rivals the supple branch in its swaying,

    and outdoes the gazelle in glances and neck.

  14. والرّوضُ يجْلو عِذارِيَهْ وقدْ لبِسَتْ

    عَقائِلُ الوُرْقِ دِيباجاً منَ الوَرَقِ

    And the garden unveils its maidens, while

    the noble gray doves have donned brocade of leaves.

  15. كأنّما الغُصْنُ فيه شارِبٌ ثمِلٌ

    بكأسِ مُصْطَبِحٍ في الأُنْسِ مغْتَبِقِ

    As though each branch within it were a drunken drinker,

    from the cup of one who drinks at dawn and, in fellowship, at dusk.

  16. فكلّما ارْتاحَ هزّ العِطْفَ منْ طرَبٍ

    وزادَ زَهْواً بمَنْثورٍ منَ الوَرَقِ

    Whenever it rejoices, it sways its flank in rapture,

    and grows more splendid with its scattered leaves.

  17. كأنّما الدّوْحُ والأغصانُ جائِلَةٌ

    قد جادَها كلُّ جهْمِ الغيْثِ مُندَفِقِ

    As though the great trees, their branches swaying,

    had been drenched by every dark, streaming raincloud.

  18. كأنّما الطّلُّ إذ طُلَّ الشّقيقُ به

    خدٌّ بصَفْحَتِهِ رشْحٌ منَ العَرَقِ

    As though the anemone, when sprinkled with dew, were

    a cheek with beads of sweat upon its surface.

  19. همّتْ ثُغورُ الأقاحي أنْ تُقَبّلهُ

    فلِلْبَنفْسَجِ وجْهُ الواجِمِ الحَنِقِ

    The mouths of the daisies yearned to kiss it,

    so the violet wore the face of one silent and angry.

  20. كأنّ أوْراقَهُ والرّيحُ تعطِفُها

    سَواعِدٌ رفَعَتْ خُضراً منَ الورَقِ

    As though its leaves, with the wind bending them,

    were forearms that had raised green leaves.

  21. كأنّما الآسُ آذانُ الجِيادِ وقدْ

    شعَرْنَ بالرّوْعِ في قَفْرٍ منَ الطُرُقِ

    As though the myrtle were the ears of fine horses that

    had sensed terror on a desolate stretch of road.

  22. كأنّما النّهْرُ في أثْنائِهِ أفُقٌ

    والوَرْدُ في الشّطِّ منْهُ حُمرةُ الشّفَقِ

    As though the river, in its windings, were a horizon,

    and the roses upon its bank the redness of twilight;

  23. أو سيْفُ يوسُفَ يوْم الرّوْع سالَ بهِ

    نَجيعُ أعْدائهِ المحمرُّ في الزُّرَقِ

    or Yusuf’s sword on the day of terror, along which flowed

    his enemies’ red blood upon the blue steel.

  24. إمامُ عدْلٍ يُحبُّ اللهُ سيرَتَهُ

    عفُّ العُيونِ كريمُ الخَلْقِ والخُلُقِ

    A just imam whose conduct God loves,

    chaste of gaze, noble in form and character.

  25. أقامَ للدّينِ قِسْطاساً فأمّنَهُ

    ما سامَهُ الجَوْرُ منْ بخْسٍ ومنْ رهَقِ

    He established a balance for the faith, securing it

    against the deprivation and oppression injustice had imposed on it.

  26. وعمّ بالرِّفْقِ هذا القُطْرَ فابْتَدَرَتْ

    تنْمي مآثِرَهُ جوّابَة الأفُقِ

    He spread kindness throughout this land; there hastened

    the horizon’s wanderer to spread his noble deeds.

  27. أقولُ للرّاكبِ المُزْجي مطِيّتَهُ

    يحُثّها السّيْرَ بيْنَ النّصِ والعنَقِ

    I say to the rider urging his mount onward,

    driving it between a swift pace and an easy trot:

  28. يا زاجرَ العيسِ أنْضاءً مُضَمّرَةً

    كأنّها أسْهمٌ يمرُقْنَ عنْ فوَقِ

    O driver of the pale camels, worn and lean,

    like arrows shooting from their nocks,

  29. أهِلّةٌ ما لَها عهْدٌ بمنزِلَةٍ

    منْ كلِّ منْخَسِفِ الجثْمانِ منْمَحِقِ

    crescents that know no resting station,

    each shrunken in body, wasted away:

  30. أرِحْ رِكابَك قد أوْرَدْتَ في نهَلٍ

    وقدْ ظفِرْتَ بحبْلِ اللهِ فاعْتلِقِ

    Rest your riding beasts: you have brought them to water,

    and you have gained God’s rope, so hold fast.

  31. حلَلْتَ بالمنزِلِ المَحْبُوِّ نائِلُهُ

    ببابِ ملْكٍ لبابِ البِرِّ مُسْتَبِقِ

    You have alighted at the dwelling whose bounty is freely bestowed,

    at the gate of a king who races to the gate of goodness.

  32. نمَتْهُ أمْلاكَ صِدْقٍ بلْ ملائِكَةً

    منْ كلِّ مُحْتَزِمٍ بالحَزْمِ منْتَطِقِ

    True kings begot him—rather, angels—

    each girded and belted with steadfast resolve.

  33. آثارُهُمْ في سَماءِ المُلْكِ لائِحَةً

    تَهْدي وذِكْرُهُمُ مسْكٌ لمُنْتَشِقِ

    Their deeds shine in the heavens of kingship,

    guiding, and their remembrance is musk to one who inhales it.

  34. وحلّ منْ محتِدِ الأنصارِ منْتَسِباً

    في معْشَرِ صُبرٍ عنْدَ الوَغى صُدُقِ

    And, descended from the stock of the Ansar, he dwells

    among a people steadfast and true in battle:

  35. حِزْبُ النّبيّ الأُلَى إنْ روْعةٌ دهَمَتْ

    مِلْءَ الفَضا لمْ تهِنْ ذَرْعاً ولم تضِقِ

    the Prophet’s company, who, if terror assails them,

    filling all space, neither weaken in resolve nor feel constrained.

  36. يا قائِدَ الخيْلِ ترْدِي في أعنّتِها

    هَزْلَى الأباطِن والأنْساءِ والصُّفُقِ

    O leader of horses galloping in their reins,

    lean in their bellies, haunch-sinews, and flanks,

  37. منْ كلِّ أحْمَرَ ورْديٍّ تُنازِعُهُ

    ظِباءُ وجْرَةَ في الألْوانِ والخِلَقِ

    among them every rose-red chestnut, rivaled

    by the gazelles of Wajra in color and form;

  38. وأشْهَبٍ في سَماءِ النّقْعِ مخْتَرِقٍ

    كأنّه قاذِفٌ يهْوي لمُسْتَرِقِ

    and a gray steed piercing the sky of dust,

    like a shooting star descending upon an eavesdropper;

  39. وأدْهَمِ اللوْنِ إنْ أبْداكَ غُرّتَهُ

    تخالُ زِنْجيّةً تفترُّ عن يَقَقِ

    and a black steed which, when it shows you its forehead blaze,

    seems a black woman smiling to reveal pure whiteness.

  40. كأنّه وهْوَ بالظَّلْماءِ مُشْتَمِلٌ

    خاضَتْ قَوائِمُهُ نهْراً منَ الفَلَقِ

    As though, while wrapped in darkness,

    its legs had waded through a river of daybreak;

  41. وأبْلَق شُغِفَتْ حُورُ العُيونِ بهِ

    كأنّما عطَفَتْها نسبَةُ الحدَقِ

    and a piebald whom dark-eyed beauties adore,

    as though kinship with their pupils had drawn them to it.

  42. تُشارِكُ اللّيْلَ في إحْكامِ صنْعَتِه

    واليوْمَ واتّفَقا فيهِ علَى البَلَقِ

    Night shares in perfecting its making,

    as does day; the two agreed upon its black and white.

  43. أنتَ الذي خاصَمَتْ فيك السّيوفُ الى

    أنْ خلّصَ الحقُّ رهْنَ المُلْكِ منْ غلَقِ

    You are the one over whom swords contended, until

    justice freed the pledge of kingship from forfeiture.

  44. وأنتَ أمّنْتَ حقاً ثغْرَ أنْدَلُسٍ

    وقلْبُ ساكِنِها يرتجُّ منْ خفَقِ

    And you truly secured the frontier of al-Andalus,

    while its dweller’s heart trembled with palpitations.

  45. قد عاوَدَتْ دولَةُ الإسلامِ جِدّتَها

    والكُفْرُ مُشتَمِلٌ بالواهِنِ الخَلِقِ

    The dominion of Islam has regained its freshness,

    while unbelief is wrapped in frail, threadbare cloth.

  46. فأفْلِقِ البيضَ واهْزُزْ كلَّ غالِبَةٍ

    فالدّينُ في مَرَحٍ والكُفْرُ في وهَقِ

    So cleave the helmets and brandish every conquering weapon:

    the faith rejoices, while unbelief is caught in a noose.

  47. حتى إذا الرّومُ رامَتْ فُرصَةً ونَزا

    يوماً مُنافِقُها الأشْقَى عنِ النّفَقِ

    Then, when the Rum seek an opening and there springs

    one day their most wretched hypocrite from his tunnel,

  48. فاهْزُز برُعْبِكَ قبلَ الجيْشِ ما جمَعوا

    واضْرِبْ بسَعْدِكَ قبل الصّارمِ الذَّلِقِ

    shake what they have gathered with dread of you before your army,

    and strike with your good fortune before your keen, cutting sword.

  49. واسْتقْبلِ الفتْحَ والنّصْرَ الذي نطَقَتْ

    آثارُه بصَحيحٍ غيرِ مُخْتَلَقِ

    And welcome conquest and the victory whose

    signs speak truth, not fabrication.

  50. وإنْ شكَتْ مرْهَفاتُ البيضِ منْ ظمَأٍ

    فسقِّها عَلَلاً صِرْفاً منَ العَلَقِ

    And if the keen white blades complain of thirst,

    give them repeated draughts of pure blood.

  51. وإنْ هُمُ جنَحوا للسِّلْمِ واعْتَلَقوا

    منْها بمُسْتَحْكَمِ الأسْبابِ والعُلَقِ

    And if they incline toward peace and cling

    to its firmly secured bonds and ties,

  52. اجْنَحْ لها بكتابِ اللهِ مُقْتدياً

    إذ ذاكَ واسْتَبْقِ فلاًّ منْ ظُباكَ بَقي

    incline toward it, following God’s Book,

    then, and spare what remains of your sword-edges.

  53. واهْنأ بقابِلِ أعْيادٍ مَواسِمُها

    منْظومةً ككُعوبِ الرُّمْحِ في نسَقِ

    And rejoice in festivals to come, their seasons

    strung in sequence like the joints of a spear,

  54. في ظلِّ ممْلَكة منْ دونِ ساحَتِها

    رِدْءٌ منَ اللهِ يحْمي حَوْزَها ويَقي

    in the shade of a kingdom, before whose courtyard

    stands aid from God, guarding and protecting its domain.

  55. موْلايَ دونَكَها عِقْداً فرائِدُهُ

    تُزْهى بمنتَظِمِ الإبْداعِ متّسقِ

    My lord, take it as a necklace whose precious gems

    glory in a harmonious arrangement of original artistry.

  56. يوَدُّها الدوْحُ في أغْصانِهِ زهَراً

    غضّاً وتحْسِدُها دارينُ في العبَقِ

    The great trees wish for it as blossoms upon their branches,

    fresh and tender; Darin envies its fragrance.

  57. تُزْري بطيبِ أواليها أواخرُها

    كذلِكَ السّبْقُ يبْدو آخِرَ الطّلقِ

    Its last verses eclipse the sweetness of its first;

    so victory appears at the end of the race.

  58. لو جِئْتُ في حلْبَةِ العُرْبِ التي سبقَتْ

    ما كُنْتُ في القوْمِ إلا حائِزَ السّبَقِ

    Had I entered the racecourse of the Arabs who came before,

    I would have been among them only as the winner of the prize.

  59. وإنْ تأخّرَ بي عنْ جيلِهمْ زمَني

    فربّما جاءَ معْنى الصّبْحِ في اللّحَقِ

    Even if my era has held me behind their generation,

    dawn’s essence may sometimes appear among latecomers.

  60. والعقْلُ كالبَحْرِ إن هالَتْكَ هيبتُهُ

    فالشّعْرُ يسْبُرُ منْهُ مُنْتَهى العُمُقِ

    And intellect is like the sea: if its majesty awes you,

    poetry plumbs its utmost depth.

  61. فإنْ وفّيْتُ بمعنى المدْحِ فهْوَ جَنى

    روْضٍ بإنعامِكَ السّحَّ الغَمامُ سُقي

    If I have fulfilled the meaning of praise, it is the fruit

    of a garden watered by your bounty’s pouring clouds.

  62. وإنْ عجَزْتُ فعَنْ عُذْرٍ وثقتُ بهِ

    مَنْ رامَ عدَّ الحَصى والقَطْرَ لم يُطِقِ

    And if I have fallen short, it is with an excuse I trust:

    whoever seeks to count pebbles and raindrops cannot do so.

  63. وإنْ وفَيْتُ ببَعْضِ القوْلِ رُبَّتَما

    يكْفي منَ العِقْدِ ما قدْ حفَّ بالعُنُقِ

    And if I have fulfilled only part of the telling, perhaps

    enough of a necklace is what encircles the neck.