Sol 6.1

  1. هل من أعِقّةِ عالِجٍ يَبْرِينُ

    أمْ منهما بَقَرُ الحُدوجِ العِينُ

    Is Yabrin among the sand ravines of Alij,

    or are the wide-eyed wild cows of the litters from them both?

  2. ولِمَنْ لَيالٍ ما ذَمَمْنا عَهدَها

    مُذ كُنّ إلاّ أنهُنّ شُجون

    And whose are the nights whose company we never blamed,

    ever since they were, except that they are sorrows?

  3. المُشرِقاتُ كأنّهُنّ كَواكِبٌ

    والنّاعِماتُ كأنّهُنّ غُصُون

    The radiant ones, as though they were stars,

    and the tender ones, as though they were branches.

  4. بِيضٌ وما ضَحِكَ الصّباحُ وإنّها

    بالمِسكِ من طُرَرِ الحِسان لَجون

    White, though morning has not smiled, and they

    are mingled with musk from the fair women's forelocks.

  5. أدْمى لها المَرجانُ صَفحةَ خدّهِ

    وبكَى عليها اللؤلؤ المَكنون

    For her, coral bloodied the surface of its cheek,

    and the hidden pearl wept over her.

  6. أعْدى الحَمامَ تأوُّهي من بعدها

    فكأنّهُ فيما سَجَعْنَ رَنين

    My sighing after her spread to the doves,

    as though it rang in their cooing.

  7. بانوا سِراعاً للهَوادجِ زَفْرَةٌ

    ممّا رأينَ وللمَطِيّ حَنين

    They departed swiftly; the howdahs have a sigh

    for what they saw, and the riding camels a yearning.

  8. فكأنّما صَبَغوا الضُّحى بقِبابِهِمْ

    أو عصْفَرَتْ فيها الخدودَ جُفون

    As though they dyed the forenoon with their canopies,

    or eyelids safflower-dyed the cheeks within them.

  9. ماذا على حُلَلِ الشّقِيقِ لو انّهَا

    عن لابِسِيها في الخدودِ تَبين

    What would it cost the anemones' robes if they

    parted from their wearers upon those cheeks?

  10. لأعَطِّشَنّ الرّوْضَ بعدهُمُ ولا

    يُرْوِيهِ لي دَمْعٌ عليه هَتُون

    I shall leave the garden thirsty after them, and no

    streaming tears of mine upon it shall water it.

  11. أأُعِيرُ لَحظَ العَينِ بهجةَ منْظَرٍ

    وأخُونُهُم إنّي إذاً لَخَؤون

    Shall I lend my eye's glance the joy of a sight,

    and betray them? Then I would indeed be faithless.

  12. لا الجَوُّ جَوٌّ مُشرِقٌ ولو اكتسَى

    زهراً ولا الماءُ المَعينُ مَعين

    The valley is no radiant valley, though it clothe itself

    in flowers, nor is the flowing water truly flowing.

  13. لا يَبْعَدنّ إذِ العَبيرُ له ثَرى

    والبانُ أيْكٌ والشُّموسُ قَطين

    May it never perish—when perfume was its soil,

    the moringa trees a thicket, and suns its dwellers;

  14. أيّامَ فيهِ العَبقرِيُّ مُفَوَّفٌ

    والسّابِرِيُّ مُضاعَفٌ مَوضون

    in days when its Abqari cloth was striped,

    and its Sabiri fabric doubled and closely woven.

  15. والزّاعِبِيّةُ شُرَّعٌ والمَشْرَفي

    يَةُ لُمَّعٌ والمُقرَباتُ صُفون

    And the Zaʿibi spears were leveled, and the Mashrafi-

    -yya swords glittered, and the favored steeds stood poised.

  16. والعَهْدُ من لَمْياءَ إذ لا قومُهَا

    خُزْرٌ ولا الحَرْبُ الزَّبونُ زَبون

    And the pledge from Lamya, when her people were not

    scowling, nor ruthless war ruthless.

  17. عَهْدي بذاكَ الجَوّ وهو أسِنّةٌ

    وكِناسِ ذاكَ الخِشْفِ وهو عَرين

    I knew that valley when it was all spearheads,

    and that fawn's covert when it was a lion's den.

  18. هل يُدْنِينّي منه أجْرَدُ سابحٌ

    مَرِحٌ وجائلةُ النُّسوعِ أمُون

    Will a sleek, swimming-gaited steed bring me near it,

    spirited, and a sturdy she-camel with swaying girth-straps,

  19. ومُهَنّدٌ فيهِ الفِرنْدُ كأنّهُ

    ذِمْرٌ لَهُ خَلفَ الغِرار كَمين

    and an Indian-steel sword with watered markings, as though it were

    a champion with an ambush behind its edge?

  20. عَضْبُ المضارب مُقفِرٌ من أعينٍ

    لكنّهُ من أنْفُسٍ مَسْكُون

    Sharp at its cutting edges, empty of eyes,

    yet inhabited by souls.

  21. قد كان رَشْحُ حَديدِهِ أجْلى وما

    صاغَتْ مضاربَهُ الرّقاقَ قُيون

    Its steel's sweat was already brighter, and no

    smiths had fashioned its slender cutting edges.

  22. وكأنّما يَلْقَى الضريبَةَ دونَهُ

    بأسُ المُعِزِّ أو اسمه المخزون

    As though what meets the target ahead of it

    is al-Muʿizz's might, or his hidden name.

  23. هذا معدٌّ والخلائق كلها

    هذا المعز متوَّجاً والدّين

    This is Maʿadd, and all creation together;

    this is al-Muʿizz crowned, and the Faith.

  24. هذا ضميرُ النّشأةِ الأولى الّتي

    بَدَأ الإلهُ وغَيبُها المكنون

    This is the inner purpose of the first creation that

    God began, and its concealed mystery.

  25. من أجل هذا قُدّرَ المقدورُ في

    أمّ الكِتابِ وكُوّنَ التكوين

    For his sake the destined was decreed in

    the Mother of the Book, and creation was brought into being.

  26. وبذا تلقّى آدمٌ منْ رَبّهِ

    عَفْواً وفاءَ ليُونُسَ اليَقطين

    Through him Adam received from his Lord

    pardon, and the gourd gave Jonah shade.

  27. يا أرضُ كيفَ حملتِ ثِنْيَ نجادهِ

    والنصرُ أعظَمُ منكِ والتّمكين

    O earth, how did you bear the fold of his sword-belt,

    when victory and dominion are greater than you?

  28. حاشا لما حُمِّلتِ تَحمِل مثلَهُ

    أرضٌ ولكِنّ السماءَ تُعين

    Far be it that the like of what you were made to bear should be carried

    by any earth; but heaven lends its aid.

  29. لو يَلتَقي الطّوفانُ قبلُ وَجوُدُه

    لم يُنْجِ نُوحاً فُلْكُهُ المشْحون

    Had the Flood and his bounty met in former times,

    Noah's laden ark would not have saved him.

  30. لو أنّ هذا الدهرَ يبطُشُ بَطشَهُ

    لم يَعقُبِ الحركاتِ منْهُ سُكُون

    If this age struck with his force,

    no rest would follow its motions.

  31. الرّوضُ ما قدْ قِيلَ في أيّامِهِ

    لا أنّهُ وَردٌ ولا نِسْرين

    The garden is what has been said in his days,

    not roses or eglantine.

  32. والمسكُ ما لَثَمَ الثرى من ذكرهِ

    لا أنّ كلّ قرارةٍ دارين

    Musk is his renown that has kissed the dust,

    not that every hollow is Darin.

  33. مَلِكٌ كما حُدِّثتَ عنه رأفَةٌ

    فالخمرُ مَاءٌ والشراسَةُ لِين

    A king, as you have been told of him, all compassion:

    wine is water, and ferocity is gentleness.

  34. شِيَمٌ لوَ انّ اليّمّ أُعطِيَ رِفْقَها

    لم يَلْتَقِم ذا النُّونِ فيهِ النُّون

    Traits whose gentleness, if bestowed upon the sea,

    would have kept its fish from swallowing the Man of the Fish.

  35. تاللّهِ لا ظُلَلُ الغَمام مَعاقِلٌ

    تأبَى عليهِ ولا النجومُ حُصونُ

    By God, neither the cloud canopies are strongholds

    that defy him, nor the stars fortresses.

  36. ووراء حقّ ابن الرّسولِ ضَراغِمٌ

    أُسْدٌ وشهْباءُ السّلاح مَنونُ

    Behind the right of the Messenger's son stand mighty lions,

    lions, and a steel-grey armed host that is death.

  37. الطّالبانِ المشْرَفِيّةُ والقَنَا

    والمُدرِكانِ النّصْرُ والتّمكين

    The two pursuers are Mashrafiyya swords and lances;

    the two overtakers are victory and dominion.

  38. وصواهلٌ لا الهَضْبُ يومَ مَغارها

    هَضْبٌ ولا البِيدُ الحُزون حُزون

    And neighing steeds: on the day of their raid, the hills are no

    hills, nor are the rugged wastes rugged.

  39. حيثُ الحَمامُ وما لهُنّ قَوادِمٌ

    وعلى الرُّيود وما لهُنّ وُكون

    Where the doves are, though they have no flight feathers,

    and on the mountain ledges, though they have no nests.

  40. ولهنّ من ورَق اللجيَنِ تَوَجُّسٌ

    ولهنّ من مُقَلِ الظّباء شُفون

    And theirs, from leaves of silver, is keen alertness,

    and theirs, from gazelles' eyes, are sidelong glances.

  41. فكأنّها تحتَ النُّضارِ كواكِبٌ

    وكأنّها تحْتَ الحَديدِ دُجون

    So beneath the gold they seem stars,

    and beneath the iron they seem dark clouds.

  42. عُرِفَتْ بساعَةِ سَبْقِها لا أنّها

    عَلِقَتْ بها يومَ الرِّهانِ عُيون

    They were known by the moment of their victory, not because

    eyes caught them on the day of the race.

  43. وأجَلُّ عِلمِ البرْق فيها أنّها

    مَرّتْ بجانِحَتَيْهِ وهي ظُنونُ

    The utmost lightning knew of them was that they

    passed its two wings, themselves mere guesses.

  44. في الغيْثِ شبِهٌ من نَداكَ كأنّما

    مسَحَتْ على الأنواءِ منك يَمين

    In the rain there is a likeness of your bounty, as though

    your right hand had stroked the rain-bearing stars.

  45. أمّا الغِنى فهو الّذي أولَيْتَنَا

    فكأنّ جودَكَ بالخُلودِ رَهين

    As for wealth, it is what you bestowed upon us;

    your bounty seems pledged to eternity.

  46. تَطَأُ الجِيادُ بِنا البُدورَ كأنّها

    تحتَ السّنابكِ مَرمَرٌ مَسنون

    The steeds tread full moons beneath us, as though they

    were polished marble beneath their hooves.

  47. فالفَيْءُ لا مُتَنَقِّلٌ والحوضُ لا

    مُتَكَدِّرٌ والمَنُّ لا مَمنون

    Thus the shade does not shift, the pool is not

    muddied, and the bounty is never cut off.

  48. انْظُرْ إلى الدنْيا بإشفاقٍ فَقَدْ

    أرخَصْتَ هذا العِلْقَ وهو ثَمين

    Look upon the world with pity, for you have

    made this treasure cheap, though it is precious.

  49. لو يستطيعُ البَحْرُ لاستَعدَى على

    جَدْوَى يَدَيكَ وإنّهُ لَقَمِين

    If the sea could, it would seek redress against

    the bounty of your hands—and it would have good cause.

  50. أمْدِده أو فاصْفَحْ له عَنْ نَيْلِهِ

    فلقد تَخَوّفَ أن يُقالَ ضَنين

    Replenish it, or forgive the measure of its giving,

    for it has feared being called miserly.

  51. وَأْذَنْ له يُغْرِقْ أُمَيّةَ مُعْلِناً

    ما كلُّ مأذونٍ له مأذون

    And permit it to drown Umayya, declaring:

    not everyone granted leave is truly authorized.

  52. واعْذِرْ أُمَيّةَ أن تَغَصّ بريقها

    فالمُهْلُ ما سُقِيَتْهُ والغِسلين

    And excuse Umayya if it chokes on its spittle,

    for molten metal and pus are what it has been made to drink.

  53. ألقَتْ بأيدي الذُّلّ مُلقى عَمرِها

    بالثّوْبِ إذ فَغَرَتْ له صَفِّين

    It cast itself into abasement's hands, as its ʿAmr cast off

    his garment when Siffin gaped at him.

  54. قد قادَ أمرَهُمُ وقُلّدَ ثَغرَهُمْ

    منهم مَهينٌ لا يكادُ يُبين

    He has led their cause and been entrusted with their frontier—

    a contemptible man among them, who can scarcely speak clearly.

  55. لتُحكِّمنّكَ أو تزايلُ مِعْصَماً

    كَفُّ ويشخُبُ بالدماء وتَين

    It must surely make you its judge, or from a wrist will part

    a hand, and an aorta will gush with blood.

  56. أوَلم تَشُنّ بها وقائعَكَ الّتي

    جفَلَتْ وراءَ الهندِ منها الصّين

    Did you not launch against it those battles of yours

    from which China fled beyond India?

  57. هل غير أُخرى صَيلَمٌ إنّ الذي

    وقّاكَ تلك بأُختِها لَضَمين

    What remains but another crushing battle? He who

    protected you from that one is surely guarantor of its sister.

  58. بل لو سرَيْتَ إلى الخليجِ بعَزْمَةٍ

    سَرتِ الكواكبُ فيه وهي سَفين

    Rather, were you to march by night toward the gulf with resolve,

    the stars would travel in it as ships.

  59. لو لم تكُنْ حزْماً أناتُكَ لم يكنْ

    للنّار في حجَرِ الزّنادِ كُمون

    Were your patience not prudence, there would be no

    fire lying latent in the striking stone.

  60. قد جاءَ أمْرُ اللّهِ واقترَب المَدَى

    من كُلّ مُطَّلَعٍ وحانَ الحين

    God's command has come, and the end draws near

    from every prospect; the hour of doom is due.

  61. وَرَمَى إلى البَلَدِ الأمينِ بطَرْفِهِ

    ملِكٌ على سِرّ الإلهِ أمِين

    And toward the secure city he cast his gaze—

    a king entrusted with God's secret.

  62. لم يَدْرِ ما رَجْمُ الظّنونِ وإنّما

    دُفِعَ القضاء إليْهِ وهو يقين

    He never knew the casting of conjectures; rather,

    the decree was handed to him as certainty.

  63. كذبتْ رِجالٌ ما ادعتْ من حقّكم

    ومن المَقال كأهْلِهِ مأفون

    Men lied in the claims they made to your right;

    some speech, like its speakers, is foolish.

  64. أبَني لؤيٍّ أينَ فَضْلُ قديمِكم

    بل أينَ حِلْمٌ كالجِبالِ رَصين

    O sons of Luʾayy, where is your ancient excellence?

    Rather, where is forbearance firm as mountains?

  65. نازَعْتُمُ حَقّ الوصيّ ودونَهُ

    حَرَمٌ وحِجْرٌ مانِعٌ وحَجون

    You contested the appointed successor's right, though before him stood

    a sanctuary, a protecting Hijr, and Hajun.

  66. ناضَلتُموهُ على الخِلافةِ بالّتي

    رُدّتْ وفيكمُ حَدُّهَا المسنونُ

    You fought him over the caliphate with the weapon that

    was turned back, its sharpened edge against you.

  67. حرّفتُموها عن أبي السبطَينِ عنْ

    زَمَعٍ وليس من الهِجانِ هَجين

    You diverted it from the father of the two grandsons, out of

    panic; no mongrel is of pure stock.

  68. لو تَتّقُونَ اللّهَ لم يَطمَحْ لها

    طَرْفٌ ولم يَشْمَخْ لها عِرْنين

    Had you feared God, there would not have aspired to it

    an eye, nor would a nose have risen proudly for it.

  69. لكنّكُم كنتم كأهْلِ العِجلِ لم

    يُحْفَظْ لموسى فيهمُ هَرُون

    But you were like the people of the calf, who did not

    safeguard Aaron among them for Moses.

  70. لو تَسألونَ القَبرَ يومَ فَرِحْتُمُ

    لأجابَ أنّ محمّداً محزون

    Had you asked the tomb on the day you rejoiced,

    it would have answered that Muhammad was grieved.

  71. ماذا تُريدُ من الكِتابِ نَواصِبٌ

    ولهُ ظُهورٌ دونها وبُطون

    What do Ali's enemies seek from the Book,

    whose outward meanings lie beyond them, and whose inward meanings do too?

  72. هي بغْيَةٌ أضْلَلْتُموها فارْجِعوا

    في آلِ ياسِينٍ ثَوَتْ ياسِين

    It is the thing you seek, which you have lost; turn back:

    Ya-Sin dwells in the family of Ya-Sin.

  73. رُدّوا عليهِم حُكمَهُم فعليهمُ

    نَزَلَ البيَانُ وفيهمُ التّبيين

    Restore their rule to them, for upon them

    the clear message descended, and with them lies its explanation.

  74. البيتُ بيْتُ اللّهِ وهو مُعَظَّمٌ

    والنّورُ نورُ اللّهِ وهو مُبين

    The House is God's House, and it is revered;

    the light is God's light, and it is manifest.

  75. والسِّترُ سترُ الغيْبِ وهو مُحجَّبٌ

    والسِّرُّ سرُّ الوَحي وهو مَصون

    The veil is the veil of the unseen, and it is shrouded;

    the secret is revelation's secret, and it is guarded.

  76. النّورُ أنتَ وكلُّ نُورٍ ظُلْمَةٌ

    والفَوْقُ أنْتَ وكلُّ فَوقٍ دون

    You are the light, and every other light is darkness;

    you are the height, and every other height is beneath.

  77. لو كان رأيُكَ شايِعاً في أُمّةٍ

    عَلِموا بما سيَكونُ قبلَ يكونُ

    Were your judgment spread among a people,

    they would know what will be before it comes to be.

  78. أو كان بشُرك في شعاع الشمس لم

    يُكسَفْ لها عند الشُروقِ جَبِين

    Or were your cheer in the sun's rays, no

    brow of hers would be eclipsed at sunrise.

  79. أو كان سُخطُك عدوةً في السمّ لم

    يَحْمِلْهُ دونَ لَهاتِهِ التَّنّين

    Or were your wrath a contagion in venom, no

    dragon could bear it beneath its palate.

  80. لم تَسكُنِ الدّنيا فُواقَ بَكِيّةٍ

    إلاّ وأنْتَ لخوفِها تأمين

    The world has never rested for even a sob's brief pause

    without you being its security against fear.

  81. اللّهُ يقبَلُ نُسكَنا عنّا بما

    يُرْضِيكَ من هَدْيٍ وأنت معُين

    God accepts our rites from us through whatever

    sacrificial offering pleases you, and you lend your aid.

  82. فَرْضانِ من صوْمٍ وشُكرِ خليفةٍ

    هذا بهذا عندنا مَقْرونُ

    Two duties: fasting and gratitude to a caliph;

    this is joined to that among us.

  83. فارْزُق عبادَك منكَ فضْلَ شفاعةٍ

    واقرُبْ بهمْ زُلْفَى فأنتَ مَكين

    So grant your servants the favor of your intercession,

    and bring them nearer, for your station is secure.

  84. لك حَمدُنا لا أنّه لك مَفْخَرٌ

    ما قَدْرُكَ المنثور والموزون

    Yours is our praise—not that it brings you glory;

    what are prose and verse beside your worth?

  85. قد قالَ فيكَ اللّهُ ما أنا قائِلٌ

    فكأنّ كُلّ قَصِيدَةٍ تَضْمين

    God has already said of you what I am saying;

    thus every ode seems a quotation.

  86. اللّهُ يعلَمُ أنّ رأيَكَ في الوَرى

    مأمونُ حَزْمٍ عندَهُ وأمين

    God knows that your judgment among mankind

    is trusted for prudence in His sight, and trustworthy.

  87. ولأنتَ أفضَلُ من تُشيرُ بجاهِهِ

    تحتَ المِظَلّةِ بالسلام يمين

    And you are the noblest one whose rank is saluted

    beneath the parasol by a right hand in greeting.