أشذا نعمان أهدته النعامى — Ibn Masum

أَشذا نعمان أَهدتُه النُعامى

أَم سرَت تحملُ عن نُعمٍ سَلاما

Is it Nu‘man's fragrance that the south wind brought,

or did it travel by night, bearing greetings from Nu‘m?

كلَّما أَهدت إلينا نفحةً

خلتُها فضَّت عن المسكِ ختاما

Whenever it brought us a fragrant waft,

I thought it had broken the seal upon musk.

أَرِجَ الرَوضُ بريّا طيبها

وروى عن طيبها نشرُ الخُزامى

The meadow grew fragrant with its sweet scent,

and lavender's perfume told of its fragrance.

وَسرت بالهِند منها نسمةٌ

فشممنا شيحَ نجدٍ والبَشاما

And a breeze from it passed by night through India,

so we breathed Najd's wormwood and balsam.

يا رَعى اللَه ربوعاً بالحِمى

وَسَقاها صوبَ دَمعي فالغماما

May God preserve the dwellings in the Hima,

and water them with my tears' downpour, then with rainclouds;

وَكَسا أَعطافَ هاتيك الرُبى

حُللاً طرَّزَها الغيثُ اِنسجاما

and clothe the flanks of those hills

in robes embroidered by the freely streaming rain.

كَم بها من غادَةٍ إِن أَسفَرَت

في الدُجى أَوفت على البدر تَماما

How many a graceful maiden there, who, if she unveils

in the darkness, surpasses the full moon in perfection!

وإذا ما أَشرَقَت رأدَ الضُحى

سَفَرت عن طلعة الشَمسِ لِثاما

And when she shines in the early forenoon,

she lifts a veil from the sun's face.

هزَّت السمرَ عليها غيرةً

غلمةُ الحيِّ إذا هزَّت قَواما

The dark spears are brandished in jealous guarding of her

by the clan's youths whenever she sways her form;

واِنتضَت دونَ حِماها قُضُباً

مُرهَفاتٍ ترشحُ الموتَ الزؤاما

and before her sanctuary they unsheathe swords,

keen-edged, dripping with swift, dreadful death.

ما نُبالي لو أَمِنّا طرفَها

أَسناناً أَقبَلونا أَم حُساما

We care not, if we are safe from her glance,

whether they face us with a spearhead or a sword.

وَعَذولٍ رامَ نُصحي في الهَوى

كلَّما خاطَبَني قُلتُ سَلاما

And many a reproacher sought to counsel me in love;

whenever he addressed me, I said, 'Peace.'

أَتُراه لا رأى ذاك البها

كانَ أَعمى أَم تراهُ يَتَعامى

Do you suppose—may he never see that beauty!—

he was blind, or do you think he feigns blindness?

يا نزولَ المُنحنى من أَضلُعي

وَحُلولاً من غَضا قَلب مَقاما

O you dwelling in the curve of my ribs,

and making my heart's ghada trees your abode!

إِن أَكن شِبتُ غَراماً بعدَكم

فالهَوى العُذريُّ ما زالَ غُلاما

If I have grown gray with passion since your departure,

chaste love still remains a youth.

بنتُمُ عن ظِلِّ باناتِ اللِوى

وَشرَعتم برُبى نجدٍ خياما

You left the shade of al-Liwa's ban trees,

and pitched tents on Najd's hills.

كلَّ يوم نيَّةٌ تنأى بكم

وَهواكم حيثما حلَّ أَقاما

Each day a destination draws you farther away,

while love for you remains wherever it settles.

كَم إِلى كَم أَتَقاضى وصلَكم

وإلامَ الهَجرُ لا كان إلى ما

How long, how long must I demand reunion with you?

And how long this estrangement—may it never be!—how long?

أَفَحَقّاً لا تَمَلّون الجَفا

وَعذولي فيكم ملَّ المَلاما

Is it then really true that you never tire of coldness,

while my reproacher has tired of reproaching me for you?

وَجَميع الدَهر صدٌّ وَقلىً

يَنقضي الدَهرُ ولم أَقضِ مَراما

And all of time is rejection and loathing;

time passes, yet I have not attained my desire.

ما مَرامي بغرامي بكم

وَعَذابي في الهَوى كانَ غَراما

What is my aim in my passion for you,

when my torment in love has been unremitting suffering?

يا ندامايَ وأَسرارُ الهوى

لَم يُطق كتمانَها إلّا النَدامى

O my boon companions—and love's secrets

none but boon companions could bear to conceal—

أَعلمتُم أَنَّ جيرانَ اللِوى

خفروا العَهدَ ولَم يَرعَوا ذِماما

did you know that the neighbors of al-Liwa

broke their pledge and honored no covenant?

سَفَكوا بالخَيف عن عمد دمي

واِستحلّوا بمنىً منّي حَراما

They deliberately shed my blood at al-Khayf,

and at Mina deemed lawful what was inviolable in me.

زعموا أَيّامَ جمعٍ جمعت

بهمُ شَملي وِلاءً ولِماما

They claimed the days of Jam‘ brought

me together with them in successive, fleeting meetings.

لا وَمَن سارت إليه ذُلُلاً

في بُراهُنَّ يُبارين النَعاما

No, by Him toward whom they traveled, docile,

their nose-rings in place, racing the ostriches!

لَم تكن إلّا ثَلاثاً واِنبرَت

بهمُ بُدنُ المَطايا تَتَرامى

They were but three days, and off went

the stout riding-camels bearing them, racing onward.

وأَحالوني عَلى آثارِهم

ما شَفوا داءً ولا بَلّوا أواما

And they directed me to the traces they left;

they healed no sickness, nor quenched any thirst.

يا حُداة الظعنِ هل من وقفةٍ

برُبى طيبةَ تَشفي المُستَهاما

O drivers of the departing caravan, is there a halt

on Tayba's hills that heals the lovesick?

وَقفَةٌ لا أَشتَكي من بعدِها

لوعةَ البَين ولا أَشكو الهُياما

A halt after which I would not complain

of separation's anguish, nor lament love's delirium.

هي أَقصى أَملي لا رامةٌ

وَمُنى قَلبيَ لا دارُ أماما

It is my utmost hope, not Rama,

and my heart's desire, not Umama's abode.

أنخ العيسَ بها واِقرأ على

من به طابَت صَلاةً وَسَلاما

Make the pale camels kneel there, and recite for

him through whom it became fair: blessings and peace.

واِلثِم الأَرضَ لديه خاضِعاً

واِستلم أَعتابَه العُليا اِستِلاما

And kiss the ground before him, humbly,

and touch his lofty thresholds in reverent homage.

إنَّها حضرةُ قدسٍ لم تزل

حولَها الأملاكُ أَفواجاً قياما

It is a holy presence; ceaselessly

the angels stand around it in throngs.

واِدعُ إِن ناجيتَه مبتهلاً

واِخفضِ الصوتَ خشوعاً واِحتراما

And pray, if you commune with him, imploringly,

and lower your voice in humility and respect.

واِعتصِم منه بحبلٍ إِنَّه ال

عُروةُ الوُثقى لمن رامَ اِعتصاما

And hold fast to a cord from him, for he is the

firmest handhold for whoever seeks protection.

خيرةُ اللَه الَّذي أَرسلَه

بالهُدى للدين والدنيا قِواما

God's chosen one, whom He sent

with guidance, a mainstay of religion and worldly life.

ملأ العالمَ نوراً وَسَناً

وَجَلا عن غُرَّة الحقِّ ظلاما

He filled the world with light and radiance,

and cleared darkness from truth's bright brow.

وَرقى هامَ المَعالي صاعداً

واِمتَطى من كاهِل المجد سَناما

And he rose, ascending the summits of eminence,

and mounted a hump upon glory's withers.

خصَّه اللَهُ بأسمى رُتبةٍ

جلَّ أَدنى قَدرِها عن أَن يُسامى

God singled him out for the loftiest rank;

even its lowest degree is too exalted to be matched.

وَلَقَد أَسرى به في لَيلةٍ

كان فيها للنبيّين إِماما

And indeed He bore him by night, on a night

when he was the prophets' imam.

لَيلَةٌ ودَّ سَنى الصبحُ لها

أَنَّه في فمها كان اِبتساما

A night for which the morning's radiance wished

that it might have been a smile upon her lips.

فاقَت الأَفلاكَ فخراً عندما

وطِئت أَقدامُهُ منهنَّ هاما

She surpassed the celestial spheres in glory when

his feet trod upon their crowns.

أَحرزَ السهمَ المُعَلّى إِذ دَنا

قابَ قَوسين ولم يُقرع سِهاما

He secured the highest winning arrow when he drew near,

within two bow-lengths, without drawing lots with arrows.

بدأ اللَه به الخلقَ كَما

ختم اللَهُ به الرُسلَ الكراما

God began creation with him, just as

God sealed the noble messengers with him.

حاز أَصنافَ المَعالي قدرُه

وحَوى الآخرَ منها والقُدامى

His rank encompassed every form of eminence,

and held the newest of them and the ancient ones.

وأَتانا بكلامٍ معجِزٍ

أَفحمَ المنطيقَ إِن رام كلاما

And he brought us inimitable speech,

which silenced the eloquent speaker if he tried to speak.

فُضِّلت آياتُه إِذ نُسِّقَت

نَسَقاً يهزأ بالدُرِّ نِظاما

Its verses were made superior when arranged

in a sequence that mocks pearls strung together.

وَسمت حجَّتُه إِذ وَسَمت

كلَّ خَصمٍ رامَ للحقِّ خِصاما

And his proof rose high when it branded

every adversary who sought to dispute the truth;

فاِنثَنى عنها مقرّاً أَنَّ في

أَنفهِ الرغمَ وفي فيه الرغاما

so he turned away from it, admitting that in

his nose was humiliation, and in his mouth, dust.

يا لَها أَحكامَ حقٍّ أحكمت

لا يرى عِقدُ لآليها اِنفصاما

Oh, what decrees of truth, made firm!

No break is seen in their necklace of pearls.

وَلَكم من مُعجزٍ أَظهرَه

لَم يَدَع للحقِّ في الخلق اِكتتاما

And how many miracles he displayed,

which left truth unconcealed among creation!

يا رَسولَ اللَه يا أَكرمَ مَن

أَغدقت سحبُ أَياديه الأناما

O Messenger of God, O most generous of those

whose clouds of bounty have showered humankind!

يا منيلَ المُرتجي مِن جوده

نِعماً غُرّاً وآمالاً وِساما

O giver who, from his bounty, grants the hopeful

radiant blessings and fair hopes,

جُد لراجيكَ بما أَمَّله

وأَنِلهُ ما لَه أَمَّ وَراما

give generously to him who hopes in you what he hoped for,

and grant him what he sought and desired.

واِنتقِذني من يد البَين الَّذي

شفَّ جِسمي وَبَرى منّي العِظاما

And rescue me from the hand of separation, which

has wasted my body and worn away my bones.

وَبأَرضِ الهند طالَت غيبتي

إنَّها ساءَت مقرّاً وَمُقاما

And my absence has grown long in the land of India;

it has proved a wretched dwelling and abode.

فَمَتى أَرحَلُ عنها قاصداً

رَبعكَ المأنوسَ والبيتَ الحَراما

When, then, shall I leave it, bound for

your welcoming abode and the Sacred House?

أَولني يا خيرَ من أَولى يَداً

منك قُرباً يُبرئ الداء العَقاما

Bestow on me, O best of those who grant a favor,

a nearness to you that heals incurable disease.

وأَقِلني عَثَراتٍ لم أَزَل

ساعياً في كسبِها خَمسينَ عاما

And forgive me the lapses I have never ceased

striving to commit for fifty years.

ثمّ كُن لي من ذُنوبي شافعاً

يوم يَقضي اللَه عفواً واِنتقاما

Then be my intercessor for my sins

on the day God decrees forgiveness and retribution.

وَصَلاةُ اللَه تترى دائماً

وتَغَشّاك مدى الدَهرِ دَواما

And may God's blessings flow ever in succession,

and envelop you continually throughout time,

وتعمُّ الآلَ والصَحبَ الألى

بِعُلاهم نهضَ الحقُّ وقاما

and embrace the Family and the Companions, those

through whose eminence truth rose and stood firm.