نفرت نومك الظباء الأوانس — Ibn Farkoun

نفّرَتْ نوْمَكَ الظِّباءُ الأوانِسْ

ونأتْ وهْيَ في الضلوعِ كوانِسْ

The winsome gazelles have frightened off your sleep,

and gone far away, though they shelter within your ribs.

وانْثَنَتْ للوداعِ ثمّ تولّتْ

فغَدا القلْبُ بينَ راجٍ وآيِسْ

They turned to bid farewell, then departed,

leaving the heart between hope and despair.

أينَ ربْعُ الحِمى سَقى فيه عَهْداً

قد ألِفْناهُ كُل عهْدٍ باجِسْ

Where is the sanctuary's dwelling? May its days be watered—

days we knew so well—by every gushing shower.

معْهَدُ الأنْسِ للصّبا والتّصابي

باعِثُ الوجْدِ عندَهُ الفِكْرُ هاجِسْ

The haunt of companionship, of youth and youthful play,

arousing longing, where thought murmurs.

إذ تجلّتْ من الخُدورِ بدورٌ

فانجلَتْ فيه من دُجاها حَنادِسْ

When full moons emerged from curtained chambers,

the black depths of their gloom were dispelled there.

وانثَنى الظّبْيُ فيه غيْر مَروعٍ

يتْرك الصّبْرَ شارِداً وهْوَ آنِسْ

The gazelle turned there, unfrightened,

leaving patience to flee while it remained at ease.

مُجْتَلىً رائقٌ وطرْفٌ كَحيلٌ

وقَوامٌ لَدْنٌ وعِطْفٌ مائِسْ

An exquisite sight, a kohl-dark eye,

a supple figure, a swaying flank.

أوُجوهٌ أمِ البُدورُ تجلّتْ

وقُدودٌ أمِ الغُصونُ مَوائِسْ

Are these faces, or have full moons appeared?

And figures, or branches swaying?

وخُدودٌ يُجْنى بِها الورْدُ لَولا

أنْ علَيْها من العُيون حَوارِسْ

And cheeks where roses could be plucked, were it not

for watchful eyes guarding them.

وعُيونٌ تُصيبُ كُلَّ مُعنّىً

فكِلاها ما بينَ رامٍ ورامِسْ

And eyes that strike every tormented lover:

both are by turns an archer and a burier.

فعْلُها في القُلوبِ إن لَحَظَتْها

أينَ منهُ فعلُ الكميِّ الممارِسْ

Their work upon hearts, when they glance at them—

how could a seasoned armored warrior's deeds compare?

قد هدَتْ للغرامِ وهْيَ حَيارَى

وأتَتْ بالسُهادِ وهْيَ نواعِسْ

They guided others to passion, though themselves bewildered,

and brought sleeplessness, though themselves drowsy.

ولقد جدّدَتْ هَوايَ فتاةٌ

تركَتْ أربُعَ السُلوِّ دَوارِسْ

Indeed, a maiden renewed my love,

leaving the dwellings of forgetfulness in ruins.

فالذي قاسَني بقَيْسٍ وقد ها

مَ بِلَيْلاهُ مُخْطئٌ في المَقايِسْ

So whoever compared me with Qays, who had become

infatuated with his Layla, errs in his comparisons.

آهِ يا راكِبَ المطّيَّةِ يَبْغي

مغربَ الشّمسِ قِفْ بها واسْتانِسْ

Ah, rider of the mount, seeking

the sun's setting-place: halt her there and find companionship.

ولْتَسَلْ عن منازِلِ القومِ حلّوا

بينَ بحرٍ طامٍ وربْعٍ طامِسْ

And ask about the people's dwellings: they settled

between a surging sea and an effaced abode.

أصْبحوا والقِبابُ فيها صُدورٌ

وهُمُ كالظّنونِ فيها هَواجِسْ

They dwelt there, the domes as bosoms,

and they, like thoughts, were secret stirrings within.

فإذا ما الغَمامُ جادَ بماءٍ

خِلْتَ فيها الرّمالَ وهْيَ مَقابِسْ

And whenever the clouds lavished water,

you would think the sands there were sources of flame.

أفُقٌ تَبْسِمُ البوارِقُ فيه

لدُموعٍ من الغَمامِ بَواجِسْ

A horizon where flashes of lightning smile

at tears gushing from the clouds.

وكذا يوسُفٌ لدى الرّوْعِ يُلْفَى

باسِمَ الثّغْرِ والوجوهُ عَوابِسْ

So too Yusuf, amid terror, is found

with smiling lips, while faces frown.

جبلُ الفتحِ قد حلَلْنا لدَيْهِ

طَلَلاً موحِشاً بنا مُسْتانِسْ

Jabal al-Fath: we have alighted beside it,

a desolate ruin that finds companionship in us.

يعْذُبُ الورْدُ فيهِ وهْوَ عذابٌ

مُرْسَلٌ للغَليلِ في القلْبِ حابِسْ

The draught is sweet there, though it is torment,

unleashed, yet restraining the burning thirst in the heart.

بمجاني الفَتحِ التي قدْ أُتيحَتْ

لجوادِ المجالِ بدْرِ المجالِسْ

Amid the fruits of conquest that were granted

to the steed of the arena, the full moon of assemblies.

ملكُ العُدْوَتَيْنِ شرْقاً وغَرْباً

مَنْ يُضاهِيه في العُلَى أو يُنافِسْ

King of the two shores, east and west—

who equals him in eminence, or vies with him?

يوسُفٌ ناصِرُ الخلائِفِ حقّاً

مَنْ يُجاري خِلالَهُ أو يُجانِسْ

Yusuf, true champion of the caliphs:

who matches his virtues, or is of his kind?

يُنْجِزُ الوعْدَ والزّمانُ خَؤونٌ

ويوفّي الحُقوقَ والدّهْرُ باخِسْ

He fulfills his promise while time betrays,

and pays all dues while fate shortchanges.

إنْ طَغى معْتَدٍ وصوّحَ مرْعىً

أسدٌ عابسٌ وغيْثٌ باجِسْ

If an aggressor runs rampant and a pasture withers,

he is a scowling lion and a gushing rain.

صابَ غيثاً وصالَ ليْثاً وحيّا

صبْحَ هدْيٍ يجْلو الخُطوبَ الروامِسْ

He poured down as rain, charged as a lion, and greeted

a dawn of guidance that dispels engulfing calamities.

لعَواليهِ في المَعالي حَديثٌ

صحّ إسْنادُهُ لأيْدي الفَوارِسْ

His spearpoints have a tale among lofty deeds,

its chain of transmission authenticated by the horsemen's hands.

يتثنّى الخَطّيُّ منها فيجْلو

ظُلَمَ الرّوْعِ منهُ جِذوةُ قابِسْ

Their Khatt lance sways; then

a fire-seeker's ember from it dispels the darkness of terror.

وكذا سَيفُهُ نَحيلٌ ولكن

تتجافَى عنهُ الأسودُ العوابِسْ

His sword too is slender, yet

scowling lions recoil from it.

رقّ حتّى كأنّ منهُ بصدْرِ ال

غِمْدِ لوْ لمْ يَشِمْهُ سرٌّ هاجِسْ

It grew so fine that, within the breast of the

sheath, had he not drawn it, it would seem a whispered secret.

هو فجْرٌ يجْلو الدّياجي مُنيرٌ

ومُثيرٌ من العَجاجِ حَنادِسْ

It is a radiant dawn that clears the dark nights,

and raises pitch-black gloom from dust.

فيُريكَ الصّباحَ والليْلُ داجٍ

ويُعيدُ الظّلامَ واليوْمُ شامِسْ

It shows you morning while the night is dark,

and restores darkness while the day is sunny.

كم جُموعٍ للغادِرينَ تلاشَتْ

في مجالِ الأسودِ منهُمْ هَجارِسْ

How many hosts of traitors have vanished

in the lions' arena—among them were foxes.

قد أفاقُوا منْ غفْلةٍ كان فيها

ناظِرُ الدّهْرِ عنهُم مُتَناعِسْ

They awoke from a heedlessness in which

time's eye had feigned sleep, averted from them.

ما لهُمْ والكَرى لدى الأسَدِ الوَرْ

دِ الذي تتّقي سُطاهُ الكَرادِسْ

How could they sleep beside the tawny lion,

whose onslaught the battalions fear?

دانَ بالغَدْرِ منهُمُ كلُّ باغٍ

حيثُ أمْسى وهْوَ الشّقيُّ البائِسْ

Every rebel among them embraced treachery,

wherever he ended up, wretched and miserable.

جرّ ذيْلَ الغُرورِ والتّيهِ حتّى

خلعَ الدّهْرُ عنهُ تلك المَلابِسْ

He dragged the hem of delusion and arrogance until

time stripped those garments from him.

مَن غَدا المَكْرُ فيه طبْعاً يُنافي

شيَمَ المَكْرُماتِ كيفَ يُنافِسْ

One in whom deceit has become a nature opposing

the traits of nobility—how can he compete?

حالِك الرّأي تحت بيضٍ مَواضٍ

يَنثني وهْوَ بينَ دامٍ ودامِسْ

Dark of judgment, beneath keen white blades,

he turns back, now bleeding, now shrouded in gloom.

فهُدَى اللهِ قد تَحامَى حِماهُ

ومَدا الحتْفِ قرّبتْهُ المداعِسْ

He has shunned the sanctuary of God's guidance,

and thrusting spears have brought death's reach near.

يوسُفٌ ناصرُ الهُدى كَفَّ منهُ

كَفَّ ناهٍ عنِ المكارِمِ ناهِسْ

Yusuf, champion of guidance, restrained his

hand—the hand of a biter who forbids noble deeds.

يا إماماً بذكْرِه يتحلّى

ما عَلا من مَنابرٍ ومَدارِسْ

O imam, whose mention adorns

every lofty pulpit and school,

جبلُ الفتحِ قد أتَيتَ يُوالي

جُنْدُك السيْرَ نحوَهُ ويُوالِسْ

you have come to Jabal al-Fath, as

your army keeps marching toward it and hastens on.

وأحاطَتْ بهِ كتائِبُ تُنْمى

لعُلَى اليوسُفيِّ غُلْبٌ أشاوِسْ

Battalions have encircled it, belonging

to Yusuf's high estate: mighty, fierce warriors.

بذلَتْ في رِضى عُلاكَ نُفوساً

قد أبَتْ أن تذِلّ وهيَ نفائِسْ

They offered lives to please your highness,

lives that refused humiliation, precious treasures that they were.

وجَلَتْ أوجُهُ الحُروبِ علَيْهِ

أينَ منها حُروبُ جَلوى وداحِسْ

And the faces of wars were unveiled upon it:

what were the wars of Jalwa and Dahis beside them?

طالما كان في نعيمٍ مُقيمٍ

وعليْهِ من ظِلِّ أمْنِكَ حارِسْ

For long it had dwelt in enduring bliss,

with a guard upon it from the shade of your protection.

تألَفُ السُهْدَ كيْ تؤمّنَ منهُ

في رِضى اللهِ كلّ جَفْنٍ ناعِسْ

You befriend sleeplessness to shield from it,

for God's pleasure, every drowsy eyelid.

صارَ إرْثاً منَ الغنيّ لعَلْيا

ئِكَ ما شادَهُ عليٌّ وفارِسْ

It became an inheritance from al-Ghani for your high estate—

what Ali and Faris had built.

وقضى اللهُ أن تنكّرَ حِيناً

طوْعَ حادٍ في القومِ للمَكْرِ حادِسْ

God decreed that it should turn hostile for a time,

obeying a leader among the people, a deviser of deceit.

كُلُّ هذا لأن يُرى لكَ مِلْكاً

برقاقٍ فوارِثٍ وفَوارِسْ

All this, so it might be seen as your possession,

through slender, gut-rending blades and horsemen.

وتُوَقّي الخُطوبَ وهْيَ عوادٍ

وتُوَفّي الحُقوقَ وهْيَ بواخِسْ

You ward off calamities even as they assail,

and fulfill every due even as they shortchange.

هذه منحةٌ أعزُّ وأسْنى

كلُّ مَلْكٍ منها خِلافكَ آيسْ

This is a gift of greater glory and splendor;

every king but you despairs of it.

كُلُّ منْ أمَّها ورامَ سِباقاً

في مداهَا لقَصْدِه الدّهرُ عاكِسْ

All who sought it and aimed to race ahead

within its course had their purpose thwarted by time.

طالَما روّعَ الحوادِثَ قهْراً

ذو أناةٍ لِلَأْمَةِ الصّبْرِ لابِسْ

How often has he terrified calamities into submission—

a man of deliberation, clad in patience's armor.

ولكمْ بتَّ إذْ حلَلْتَ حِماهُ

كافياً من مُنافقٍ ومُنافِسْ

How often, when you entered its sanctuary, you spent the night

warding off hypocrite and rival,

بمُعاطٍ كاسَ الحُتوفِ عِداهُ

مُرْغِمٍ بالفتوحِ منهُمْ مَعاطِسْ

with one who offers his enemies the cup of death,

rubbing their noses in the dust through conquests,

وخميسٍ حفّوا بهِ حيثُ يُرْجَى

موْرِدُ الأمْنِ كالعِشارِ الخَوامِسْ

and an army they gathered around, hoping for

safety's watering-place, like pregnant camels awaiting fifth-day watering.

وتلقّوْكَ والعُيون تُوالي

نظَر الخوْفِ والرَّجا وتُخالِسْ

They met you, their eyes keeping up

glances of fear and hope, stealing looks.

ذنبهُمْ يوحِشُ النفوسَ ولكنْ

منكَ بالحِلْمِ والرّضَى تسْتانِسْ

Their sin estranges their souls, but

your forbearance and favor make them feel at ease.

فتجلّى صَباحُ عفْوِكَ يمْحو

من دُجَى الذّنْبِ كلّ ليْلٍ دامِسْ

Then the dawn of your pardon appeared, erasing

every pitch-dark night from the gloom of sin.

وهَمَى من نداكَ صوْبُ غمامٍ

أينَ منهُ نَدى الغُيوثِ الهواجِسْ

From your bounty poured a cloud's downpour;

what is the bounty of murmuring rains beside it?

وأخوكَ المعزُّ أينَ حُلاهُ

في العُلى منْ حُلا المُعزِّ بنِ بادِسْ

And your brother al-Mu'izz—where stand his graces

in glory beside the graces of al-Mu'izz ibn Badis?

جَدَّ للفتْحِ في رضاكَ فكَمْ جدْ

دَدَ للنّصْرِ منْ عُهودٍ دَوارِسْ

He strove for conquest to please you; how many

effaced covenants he renewed for victory!

فهنيئاً لكَ الحُلولُ بأفقٍ

في مَعاليهِ ما لهُ من مجانِسْ

So may your arrival be joyful, at a horizon

that has no equal in its heights of glory.

غرَسَ الجودُ منكَ دوْحةَ عزٍّ

وستَجْني ما جُودُ كفّكَ غارِسْ

Your generosity planted a mighty tree of honor,

and you will reap what the bounty of your palm has planted.