Sol 6.1

  1. ألا مَن لقلبٍ بالحياةِ يُعَذَّبُ

    وجسم بأسيافِ السّقام يُضَرَّبُ

    Ah, who will aid a heart tormented by life,

    and a body battered by the swords of illness?

  2. وخطبٍ على خطبٍ لقِيتُ لو أنّهُ

    أصابَ شَماماً كانَ في التُّربِ يُحْسَبُ

    And calamity upon calamity I met—had it

    struck Shamam, it would have been reckoned among the dust.

  3. لِيَنْدَمَ من باعَ المذلّةَ عِرضَهُ

    فَما العيشُ عندي بالمذلّةِ طَيِّبُ

    Let him regret who sold his honor to humiliation,

    for life with humiliation is not sweet to me.

  4. إلى كم تُرى في العِزِّ أدأبُ جاهِداً

    لدَهري ودَهري في امتهانيَ يَدْأَبُ

    How long, I wonder, shall I strive hard for honor,

    for my time, while my time strives to abase me?

  5. ولمّا أقُدْ يوماً أغَرَّ مُحَجَّلاً

    تَجِدُّ به الخَيلُ العِتاقُ وتلعبُ

    Nor have I yet led a day, white-blazed and white-stockinged,

    in which the thoroughbred horses strive and play.

  6. فَيا لهفَ نفسي بعدَ ذلكَ لهفةً

    على قمرِ بينَ الجوانحِ يُحْجَبُ

    Alas for my soul after that—what yearning

    for a moon hidden between my ribs!

  7. يلومونَ في دمعٍ تصبّبَ أثْرَهُ

    وقَلّ له منّي دَمٌ يتَصبّبُ

    They blame me for tears that poured forth in his wake,

    yet even blood streaming from me would be little for him.

  8. سَقى اللهُ وصلاً لم تُدنّسْهُ هَجْرَةٌ

    ولم يَبتذِلها في حِماهُ المؤنَّبُ

    May God water a union no estrangement defiled,

    nor did the reproached one debase it within its sanctuary.

  9. ويومَ وقفنا للتّفرقِ وَقفةً

    غَدا السِّحرُ من ألحاظِنا يتعجّبُ

    And the day we stood awhile to part,

    magic itself began to marvel at our glances.

  10. أرَيْنا ظَنونَ الحيّ بَردَ قُلوبنا

    وأحشاؤنا من حَرِّها تتلهَّبُ

    We showed the tribe's doubter the coolness of our hearts,

    while our innards blazed with their heat.

  11. غَداةَ اختلطنا بالشّوامتِ منهم

    ولم ندرِ مَنْ مِنّا إلى الحُبِّ أقْرَبُ

    That morning we mingled with the gloaters among them,

    not knowing which of us was nearer to love.

  12. أذَلكَ أمْ يومٌ تركنا عَذولَهُ

    يُعَنِّفُ فينا عَذلَهُ ويؤنِّبُ

    Was it that, or the day we left its reprover

    intensifying his censure of us and rebuking us?

  13. توافت به أنفاسُنا ودموعُنا

    فلم يدرِ منّا من يلومُ ويعْتِبُ

    Our breaths and tears came together that day,

    so the one who blamed and reproached could not tell us apart.

  14. ومُستركبٍ جيشَ الظنونِ لفقدِهِ

    له أينَما يمّمتُ أفعى وعَقْرَبُ

    And one who mounts an army of suspicions because of his loss—

    wherever I turn, he has a viper and a scorpion.

  15. شددتُ قوى حِلمي بجهلٍ جَهلتُه

    عليه وبعضُ الشّرِّ للخيرِ أجلَبُ

    I tightened the strands of my forbearance with a rashness I practiced

    against him; some evil brings about good more readily.

  16. خليليّ لي من عَزمتي دونَ إخوتي

    أخٌ هو أحفى بي ودون أبي أبُ

    My two friends, my resolve gives me, in place of my brothers,

    a brother more caring for me, and, in place of my father, a father.

  17. تعلمتُ حتى لم أدَعْ متَعلّماً

    وجربتُ حتى لم أجدْ ما يُجْرَّبُ

    I learned until I left nothing to be learned,

    and tested until I found nothing left to test.

  18. وأدّبني دهرٌ تكُرُّ صُروفُهُ

    عليّ وصَرفُ الدّهرِ نِعمَ المؤدِّبُ

    And time schooled me, its vicissitudes recurring

    upon me; time's reversals are an excellent tutor.

  19. ونحنُ بنو الدُنْيا نروحُ بِهامِها

    وتغْدو على هاماتِنا تتقلّبُ

    We, the world's children, go at evening upon its heads,

    and at dawn it tumbles upon our heads.

  20. تُقَسِّمُ فينا قِسْمَةً عَجْرَفِيّةً

    وكلٌّ إليها بالمطامع أشْعَبُ

    It makes a high-handed division among us,

    and everyone, in coveting it, is an Ash'ab.

  21. فجُهّالُنا فيها على الخيلِ تركبُ

    وألبابُنا فيها تُجَرُّ وتُسْحَبُ

    So our fools ride horses in it,

    while our minds are dragged and hauled through it.

  22. تعرضتُ للأحزانِ حتى ألفتُها

    وحتى كأنّ الحزنَ شيءٌ مُحَبَّبُ

    I exposed myself to sorrows until I grew used to them,

    until sorrow seemed a thing beloved.

  23. كأنّ اللّيالي لم تفوضْ أمورَها

    إليّ وفيها عن سِوايَ تَنكَّبُ

    As though the nights had not entrusted their affairs

    to me, turning aside from anyone else in those affairs.

  24. وإني لأخْشى أنْ أموتَ ولا أرى

    ببالَ أوداجَ الأعاجمِ تُشْخَبُ

    And I indeed fear dying without seeing,

    at Bal, the jugulars of the non-Arabs gushing.

  25. أشُنُّ عليهم غارةً تَرِدُ الرّدى

    وتَسرجُ أمرَ اللهِ فيهم وتَركَبُ

    I launch against them a raid that plunges into death,

    and saddles God's decree among them and rides it.

  26. ويضمَنُ لي دَهري بلوغَ مطالِبي

    متى كانَ لي يا دهْرُ عندكَ مَطْلَبُ

    And my time guarantees me the attainment of my desires:

    when, O time, have I ever had a wish answered by you?

  27. بأيِّ رفيعٍ من حظوظكِ أرتَضي

    وفي أيِّ جَمٍّ من عَطائِكِ أرغَبُ

    With what lofty share of your fortunes shall I be content,

    and what abundance of your gifts should I desire?

  28. تعجبتُ من أشياءَ فيكَ تَريبني

    وأعجبُ منها أنّني فيكَ أعجبُ

    I marveled at things in you that make me doubt,

    and stranger than they is that I marvel at you.

  29. ألِكْني إلى آل المهلّبِ إنهم

    لأَرفَعُ من زهرِ النّجومِ وأثقَبُ

    Carry my message to the house of al-Muhallab; they

    are indeed higher than the bright stars, and more radiant.

  30. إذا سَلبوا الأموالَ مَنْ شَنّ غارةً

    أغارَ عليها المُجتدونَ ليسلبُوا

    When they strip the wealth from one who launches a raid,

    the seekers of bounty raid it in turn to plunder it.

  31. فلازالتِ الأملاكُ تطلُب رِفدَهم

    فتُدنى وتُعطى فوقَ ما تتطلَّبُ

    So may kings never cease seeking their bounty,

    being brought near and given more than they ask.

  32. ولا برِحَتْ حمرُ المَنايا وسودُها

    إلى بأسِهم يومَ الوَغى تتحزَّبُ

    And may the red deaths and their black ones never cease

    rallying to their might on the day of battle.

  33. فما استمطروا للجودِ ألاّ تدفقوا

    ولا استصرخوا للطعن ألا تلببوا

    They were never entreated to rain generosity without pouring forth,

    nor summoned to spear-thrusting without girding themselves.

  34. إليكَ أمينَ اللهِ في الأرضِ شمّرَتْ

    عزيمةُ صُبحٍ بالدُّجى تتَجَلْبَبُ

    To you, God's trustee on earth, presses onward

    the resolve of a dawn clothing itself in darkness.

  35. يَرى حَظَّهُ مُتأخّراً وهو أوّلُ

    وآمالَهُ مَغلوبةً وهو أغْلَبُ

    He sees his fortune lagging, though he is foremost,

    and his hopes defeated, though he is mightiest.

  36. وأنتَ شَبابٌ للذي شابَ مُقْبِلٌ

    إليه وجَدٌّ للذي خابَ مُنْجِبُ

    And you are youth for one grown gray, coming

    to him, and fruitful fortune for one who has failed.

  37. تقودُ أبياتِ الأمورِ كأنّها

    إليكَ أسارَى في الأزمَة تُجنبُ

    You lead recalcitrant affairs as though they were

    captives in reins, led alongside to you.

  38. وتفتحُ أقفالَ الغُيوبِ بصارمٍ

    من الرأيِ يخشى الغيبُ منه ويَرْهَبُ

    You open the locks of unseen things with a sharp blade

    of judgment, which the unseen fears and dreads.

  39. وتطعنُ في صدرِ الكتائبِ مُعْلِماً

    كأنّكَ في صدرِ الدّواوينِ تكتُبُ

    You thrust into the breast of battalions, wearing your battle-mark,

    as though you were writing at the head of the registers.

  40. كفى وزراءَ الملكِ في الناسِ مَفخَراً

    بأنّكَ منهم حينَ تُعزى وتُنسَبُ

    The king's ministers have pride enough among men

    in your being of their number when affiliation and lineage are traced,

  41. كَما قد كَفى الأبطالَ بأساً ونجدَة

    بأنْ قيلَ منهم في الهياجِ المُهَلَّبُ

    just as the heroes had might and valor enough

    in al-Muhallab being named among them amid battle.

  42. ويوماكَ يومٌ للعُفاةِ مذَلَّلٌ

    ويومٌ على الأعداءِ منكَ عَصَبْصَبُ

    And your two days are a day made yielding to seekers of bounty,

    and a fiercely harsh day you bring upon enemies.

  43. إذا حوّمَتْ فوقَ الرماحِ نُسورُهُ

    أطارَ إليها الضّربُ ما تترقّبُ

    When its vultures circle above the spears,

    the striking sends flying to them what they await.

  44. فداؤُكَ أهلي والجهادُ منابرٌ

    وأبطالُها بالمَشرفيّةِ تُخْطَبُ

    May my family be your ransom! Warfare is pulpits,

    and its champions are preached to with Mashrafi swords.

  45. وقد شمرتْ عن ساقِها الحربُ ذيلَها

    وقرَّ لها الحامي وكَلَّ المُؤنِّبُ

    War has tucked up its skirt, baring its shin,

    and its defender stands firm while the reprover grows weary.

  46. أذُمُّ زياداً في رَكاكَةِ رأيِهِ

    وفي قولِهِ أيُّ الرجالِ المُهَذّبُ

    I blame Ziyad for the weakness of his judgment,

    and for his saying, "Which man is flawless?"

  47. وهل يحسن التهذيب منك خلائِقاً

    أرق من الماءِ الزلالِ وأعذَبُ

    Could refinement improve your qualities,

    more delicate than clear water, and sweeter?

  48. تكلم والنّعمانُ شَمْسُ سمائِهِ

    وكلُّ مليكٍ عندَ نعمانَ كَوكَبُ

    He spoke when al-Nu'man was the sun of his sky,

    and every king beside Nu'man was a star.

  49. ولو أبصرتْ عيناهُ شَخْصَكَ مَرّةً

    لأبصرَ منه شَمْسَهُ وهي غَيْهَبُ

    Had his eyes once beheld your person,

    he would have seen his own sun, beside you, as deep darkness.

  50. إذا ذُكِرَتْ أيامُكَ الغُرُّ أظْلَمَتْ

    تَميمٌ وقيسٌ والرّبابُ وتَغْلِبُ

    When your radiant days are recalled, darkness falls on

    Tamim, Qays, al-Rabab, and Taghlib.

  51. وخاسَ لها عدنانُ في الأرضِ قاعداً

    وقام لها فوقَ السمواتِ يَعْرُبُ

    For those days Adnan sank, seated upon the earth,

    and for them Ya'rub rose above the heavens.

  52. أتيتكَ والأملاكُ تَطلُبُ فَخْرَها

    بمدحي ومدحي نحوَ فخرِكَ يَهْرُبُ

    I came to you while kings were seeking their glory

    through my praise, and my praise fled toward your glory.

  53. لقد صرّحوا بالمالِ لي وهو هاكَ ذا

    وقد عَرضوا بالقولِ لي وهو مَرْحَبُ

    They openly offered me money: "Take this,"

    and offered hints to me in words: "Welcome."

  54. ولستُ أرى كسبَ الدراهِمِ نافِعي

    إذا لم لكنْ لي في المكارِمِ مكْسَبُ

    And I do not see earning dirhams as benefiting me

    if I gain nothing in noble deeds.

  55. ولي همّةٌ لا تطلُبُ المالَ للغني

    ولكنّها منك المودّةَ تطلُبُ

    And I have an ambition that seeks money not for riches,

    but seeks affection from you.

  56. فمُرْني بأمرٍ يترُكُ الجوَّ شاحباً

    وسمرُ العَوالي بالدِّماءِ تَخَضَّبُ

    So command me a deed that leaves the air pale,

    while the brown shafts of lofty spears are dyed with blood.

  57. فلو خالفَ المقدادُ أمركَ لم يكنْ

    له أبَدَ الأيامِ في النّاسِ مذهَبُ

    For if al-Miqdad opposed your command,

    he would have no way to go among men for all time.

  58. وكن لي في المأمولِ منكَ مُجَرِّباً

    لتعلمَ ما آتي وما أتجنَّبُ

    And put me to the test in what I hope from you,

    to learn what I undertake and what I avoid.

  59. فإنْ كانَ قولي دونَ قدركَ قَدرُهُ

    فما أنا فيه بامتداحِكَ مُذْنِبُ

    And if my words' worth is beneath your worth,

    I am not at fault for praising you with them.

  60. إذا كانتِ الأشياءُ دونَكَ كلُّها

    فغَيْرُ مَلومٍ أنْ يقَصّرَ مُسْهَبُ

    If all things fall short of you,

    one speaking at length is not blamed for falling short.