Sol 6.1

  1. أَمجلسَ لهْوِي ليسَ لي منكَ مَجْلسُ

    لأَوْحشتَ لمَّا غاب لي عنك مؤْنِسُ

    O gathering of my revels, I have no seat with you.

    You grew desolate indeed when my companion vanished from you.

  2. وما كانَ ليلي فيكَ بالبدرِ مُقمِراً

    ولكنَّه من مُخجِل الشَّمسِ مُشمِسُ

    My night in you was not moonlit by the full moon,

    but sunlit by one who put the sun to shame.

  3. وكم قالَ بدرُ التَّم ما أَنَا نيِّرٌ

    لَديه وظبيُ الرَّمْلِ ما أَنا أَلْعسُ

    How often the full moon said, "I am not radiant

    beside him," and the sand-gazelle, "I am not dark-lipped."

  4. وبي مَلكُ الحسن الَّذي الجسم قصرُه

    وقَلْبي له في ذلك القصرِ مَجْلِسُ

    Within me is beauty's king, whose palace is the body,

    and my heart is his seat in that palace.

  5. وحبَّةُ قَلْبي والشَّغَافُ سريرُه

    وسرَّتُه تُخفى وتُحمى وتُحرَسُ

    The kernel of my heart and its membrane are his throne,

    and his navel is hidden, protected, and guarded.

  6. ويحجبُ طرفي أَنْ يَراهُ تكَبُّراً

    ولولاهُ ما أَجْلَسْته حيثُ يَجْلِس

    Arrogantly he bars my gaze from seeing him,

    yet but for my gaze, I would not have seated him where he sits.

  7. يصرِّفُ أَمْري جَورُه فَبأَمْرِه

    ترى الصَّبَّ يَفْنَى أَنَّها ليس تَنْعَسُ

    His tyranny governs my affairs; at his command

    you see the lover wasting away; she does not doze.

  8. وحلَّفَني أَن لا أَنامَ فَزَادَه

    تبرُّعُ طَرْفي أَنَّه ليس يَنْعَسُ

    He made me swear not to sleep; and beyond that,

    my eye freely pledged that it would not even doze.

  9. ويلْبَس ديباجَ الحريرِ مُصَوَّراً

    ومِنْ فَوْقِه ديباجُ خَدَّيه أَطْلسُ

    He wears figured silk brocade,

    and above it the brocade of his cheeks is smooth.

  10. ولي فيه إِمَّا ناطقٌ بِمَلامَتي

    فأَعْمَى وإِمَّا مُبْصِرٌ فَهْو أَخْرَسُ

    Concerning him, whoever speaks to blame me

    is blind, while whoever sees is mute.

  11. وجاريةٍ تُخفى الجوارِي بِحُسْنِها

    أَلَمْ تَعْلمُوا أَنَّ الجوارِيَ كُنَّسُ

    And a maiden whose beauty makes other maidens vanish—

    did you not know that the roving stars retreat into hiding?

  12. ويُصْبِحُ مثلي حليُها عاشقاً لها

    أَلسْتَ تَراه أَصْفراً يَتَوسْوسُ

    Her jewelry, like me, becomes her lover;

    do you not see it, yellow and whispering?

  13. لها الحُسْن لي فيها الجَوى لِعَواذِلي

    خِلاَفي لطرْفي دَمْعِيَ المتغَطْرِسُ

    Hers is beauty; mine, burning love for her; for my reproachers,

    my defiance; and for my eye, my imperious tears.

  14. ولم تِسْخ من دينارِ خدٍّ بِحَبَّةٍ

    من الخالِ مَعْ عِلْمٍ بِأَنَّيَ مُفْلِسُ

    She would not grant a grain from her cheek's dinar,

    a grain of its beauty spot, though she knows I am bankrupt.

  15. صِليني وهَذا الحسنُ باقٍ فَرُبَّما

    يُعزِّلُ بيتُ الوجهِ منه ويُكْنَسُ

    Grant me union while this beauty lasts, for perhaps

    the house of the face will be cleared of it and swept clean.

  16. ويا مَنْ تَظُنُّ الحسنَ يبقَى مُحبَّساً

    أَفيقي فليسَ الحُسْن مِمَّا يُحبَّس

    O you who think beauty can remain captive,

    awaken! Beauty is not something to imprison.

  17. ويا قلبُ لا تَأْسَفْ على فقدِ رَوْضَة

    سَيَذْوِي بها وَرْدٌ ويذبُل نَرجِسُ

    O heart, do not grieve for the loss of a garden

    where roses will fade and narcissi wither.

  18. ويا خَاطِري كلُّ التَّغَزُّل في الهوى

    نفيسٌ ولكن مدحُ يوسفَ أَنْفَسُ

    O my mind, all love-poetry on passion

    is precious, but praise of Yusuf is more precious.

  19. وماذَا يقولُ المدحُ فيه ومدحُه

    بآثارِه يُروَى ويُقْرا ويُدْرسُ

    What can praise say of him, when his praise

    is recounted, read, and studied through his deeds?

  20. إِذا قيل بيتٌ قد توشَّح باسْمه الـ

    ـعظيمِ فَذَاك الْبَيتُ بيْتُ مقدَّسُ

    When a verse is spoken, arrayed with his name, the

    great name—then that verse is a sacred house.

  21. ومن شادَ داراً للجهادِ فأَصْبَحتْ

    بها الرُّمْح يَبْنيَ والحُسَامُ يُهَنْدِسُ

    And he who built a house for holy warfare, so that

    the spear builds within it and the keen sword designs.

  22. ومَن هُو يَسْري في الْفَيافِي وإِنما

    إِلى النَّجْم يَسْري بَلْ علَيْه يُعرِّسُ

    And he who journeys by night through the deserts, yet truly

    journeys toward the star—nay, camps upon it.

  23. ويرسلُ عزماً للأَعَادِي مَبكِّراً

    فيأْتيه فَتْحٌ للأَعَادِي مُغَلِّسُ

    He sends resolve against his foes early,

    and victory over his foes reaches him in the predawn dark.

  24. لراحته تُحنى القِسيُّ وبعضُها

    هِلالٌ لَهُ فوقَ السَّماءِ مُقَوَّس

    Bows bend to his palm, and one of them

    is a crescent curved for him above the sky.

  25. يُرَى جَذِلاً في حَوْمَةِ الحرب ضَاحِكاً

    فلا القلبُ منخوبٌ ولا الوَجْهُ مُعْبِسُ

    He is seen joyous and laughing in the thick of battle,

    neither his heart fearful nor his face scowling.

  26. أَغَارَ عَبوسَ الوجْهِ فيها جوادُه

    ومِنْ عَجَبٍ أَنَّ الجوادَ يُعبِّس

    His steed charged into it with a scowling face,

    and how strange that a noble steed should scowl!

  27. تطير إِلَيْه طالباتٍ أَمَانَةُ

    ومعتذراتٍ منه أَيْدٍ وأَرْؤُسُ

    To him fly, seeking safekeeping,

    and begging pardon from him, hands and heads.

  28. وفي كفِّه ماضٍ مَضى وكَأَنَّه

    من الْبَرقِ يَجْني أَو مِنَ النَّارِ يَقْبِسُ

    In his palm a keen blade speeds forth, as though

    he plucks it from lightning or takes it as a brand from fire.

  29. وكم أَسْلموا مِن خوْفِه وهْو مُغمَد

    ولو أَبْصَروا نيرانَه لَتَمَجَّسُوا

    How many embraced Islam for fear of it while it was sheathed;

    had they seen its flames, they would have become Magians.

  30. له جَحْفَلٌ جرَّ القَنا فتعثَّرَت

    قَنَا الخَطِّ إِلاَّ أَنَّها ليسَ تَنْفَسُ

    He has a mighty host that trails its spears until they stumble—

    the lances of al-Khatt—though they do not breathe.

  31. وكلُّ حِصانٍ بالحديد ملثَّمٌ

    عليه كميٌّ بالحديد مُقَلْنَسُ

    Every horse is veiled in iron,

    bearing a warrior capped in iron.

  32. تزاحمت الأَبطالُ فيه فَخُرِّقَت

    ثيابٌ فيها الموتُ لا يَتَنَفَّسُ

    The champions crowd together in it, and there are torn

    garments in which death does not breathe.

  33. وأَظلمَ فيها النَّقعُ واشْتَكَت الظُّبَى

    فأَصبحَ فيها الموتُ لا يَتَنَفَّسُ

    The dust darkens within it, and the sword-edges complain,

    so death can no longer breathe there.

  34. ومن خوفه الشَّمسُ المنيرةُ في الضُّحى

    تموتُ وفي نَقْع الحوافِر تُرمَسُ

    For fear of him, the sun shining in the forenoon

    dies and is buried in the dust of hooves.

  35. غدا شَجَرُ المُرَّانِ يُحْمَل بَيْنَهم

    ولكنَّه بين الجَوانِح يُغْرَس

    The ash tree has come to be carried among them,

    yet it is planted between the ribs.

  36. تَرى بَيْضَهم بَعْدَ اللِّقاءِ كأَنَّها

    أَحَاطَ بهم مِنْ أَسْهُم القِسِّ قندسُ

    After the encounter, you see their helmets as though

    beaver fur, made of the priest's arrows, has encircled them.

  37. خيولُهُمُ أَمَّا على كُلِّ قَلْعَةٍ

    فَتَطْفُوا وأَمَّا في الدِّماءِ فَتُغْمَس

    Their horses, when upon any fortress,

    float; but when in blood, they are submerged.

  38. أَمَرتَهمُ أَنْ يُنذِروا قبلَ حربهم

    ولم تَرْضَ أَن الجَيْشَ في السِّر يَكْبِس

    You commanded them to give warning before their battle,

    and did not permit the army to spring an attack in secret.

  39. وأَغناكَ عن كَيْد الأَعادِي احتقارُها

    فمالَك فيهم مخْبِرٌ يَتجسَّسُ

    Your contempt for your foes spares you plotting against them,

    so you have no informer spying among them.

  40. لأَعدائِك الْوَيلُ الطَّويلُ أَمَا دَرَوْا

    بأَنَّكَ شَمْسٌ نُورُها لَيْس يُطمَس

    Long woe to your enemies! Do they not know

    that you are a sun whose light is never blotted out?

  41. وقد ضَلَّ من مَسَّ الشُّعاعَ بكَفِّه

    إِذا ظَنَّ أَنَّ الكَفَّ لِلشَّمْس تَلْمِسُ

    He has gone astray who touches a ray with his palm,

    if he thinks his hand is touching the sun.

  42. تشارِكُكَ الأَمْلاَكُ في الإِسم وَحْدَه

    ولم يَشركوا لمَّا زَكا لَكَ مَغْرِس

    Kings share with you the name alone,

    but had no share when your noble stock flourished.

  43. وتُلقي على رغم الأُنوف أَمورُها

    لِمَنْ هو أَرْعَى لِلأَنَامِ وأَسْوَسُ

    With their noses humbled, they yield their affairs

    to him who cares best for mankind and governs best.

  44. يَقُولون ما لاَ يَفْعلون أَما اسْتَحَوْا

    ومَنْ يَلْقَ ما يَلْقَونَه كَيْفَ يَنْبِسُ

    They say what they do not do—have they no shame?

    Whoever meets what they meet—how can he utter a word?

  45. وقَد كثَّروا الأَقْوالَ قَبلَ لِقَائِه

    فَما بَالُهم أَلْوانُهم تَتَورَّسُ

    They multiplied their boasts before meeting him;

    why, then, are their complexions turning yellow?

  46. لَعَمْري لهم جُندٌ وبُنْدٌ تُظِلُّهم

    وهَذَاك مهزومٌ وهَذَا مُكَنَّس

    By my life, they have an army and a banner shading them;

    that one is routed, and this one swept away.

  47. وقد مَارَسُوا مِن جَانِب الْحَرب أَخشَناً

    فخابوُا ولكِنْ جَانِبُ السِّلمِ أَمْلس

    They grappled with war's rougher side

    and failed; but peace's side is smooth.

  48. ولو أَنَّهم لانُوا لَلاَنَ وأَسمَحَت

    خَلاَئِقُه واللَّيْثُ قَد يَتَأَنَّسُ

    Had they softened, he would have softened, and grown generous

    in his nature; even a lion may grow tame.

  49. هو الدَّهْرُ ذُو الحاليْن بؤسٌ ونعمةٌ

    ولكنَّه في كُلِّ حَاليه يُلَبَسُ

    He is Time, with its two states: hardship and blessing,

    yet in both his states he is worn.

  50. ستَفْرِسُهم فرسانُك الأُسْدُ إِنَّهم

    بِسعدك تفرى للأُمورِ وتفرسُ

    Your lion-knights will tear them apart; indeed they,

    by your good fortune, are cut out for great deeds and rend their prey.

  51. وتملكُهم وكَرْهاً وأَرضِهم

    لأَنَّك أَقوى بِالمِرَاسِ وَأَمْرَسُ

    You will rule them and their land against their will,

    for you are stronger in combat and more seasoned.

  52. ويُخْلىَ بسيفٍ من يمينك ظالِمٌ

    ويُجْلَى بصبحٍ مِنْ جبينك حِنْدِسُ

    A tyrant is removed by a sword from your right hand,

    and deep darkness is dispelled by dawn from your brow.

  53. وإِنِّي لي البُشْرى وإِنَّ فَراستي

    تصحُّ لأَنِّي مؤمنٌ أَتَفرَّسُ

    Glad tidings are mine, and my intuition

    proves true, for I am a believer who discerns keenly.

  54. لك الملْكُ إِلاَّ أَنَّ ملككَ أَعْظَمُ

    لك العِزُّ إِلاَّ أَنَّ عِزَّك أَقْعَس

    Kingship is yours, yet your kingship is greater;

    glory is yours, yet your glory is more unassailable.

  55. لك المدحُ مِنِّي تنتشي السَّامِعون بِهْ

    كَأَنَّ مديحي في مَعالِيكَ أَكْؤُسُ

    You have praise from me that intoxicates its hearers,

    as though my praise of your lofty merits were goblets.

  56. كِلانَا بديعُ الصُّنع مَدْحِي مُطبَّق

    وجأْشُك في قهرِ الملوكِ مُجنَّسُ

    Both of us are wondrous craftsmen: my praise is wrought with antithesis,

    and your courage in subduing kings is wrought with wordplay.