لا خير في مستعجلات الملاوم — Jarir

لا خَيرَ في مُستَعجِلاتِ المَلاوِمِ

وَلا في خَليلٍ وَصلُهُ غَيرُ دائِمِ

There is no good in women quick to heap up reproaches,

nor in a friend whose bond does not last.

وَلا خَيرَ في مالٍ عَلَيهِ أَلِيَّةٌ

وَلا في يَمينٍ غَيرِ ذاتِ مَخارِمِ

There is no good in wealth bound by an oath,

nor in an oath without a way to fulfill it.

تَرَكتُ الصِبا مِن خَشيَةٍ أَن يَهيجَني

بِتوضِحَ رَسمُ المَنزِلِ المُتَقادِمِ

I left youthful pleasures, fearing that

at Tawdih the trace of an ancient dwelling would stir me.

وَقالَ صِحابي ما لَهُ قُلتُ حاجَةٌ

تَهيجُ صُدوعَ القَلبِ بَينَ الحَيازِمِ

My companions asked, “What is wrong with him?” I said, “A need

that stirs the heart’s fissures within my ribs.”

تَقولُ لَنا سَلمى مَنِ القَومِ إِذ رَأَت

وُجوهاً كِراماً لُوِّحَت بِالسَمائِمِ

Salma asked us, “Who are these people?” when she saw

noble faces scorched by the hot winds.

لَقَد لُمتِنا يا أُمَّ غَيلانَ في السُرى

وَنِمتِ وَما لَيلُ المَطِيِّ بِنائِمِ

You reproached us, Mother of Ghaylan, for traveling by night,

then slept; the night of the riding beasts does not sleep.

وَأَرفَعُ صَدرَ العَنسِ وَهيَ شِمِلَّةٌ

إِذا ما السُرى مالَت بِلَوثِ العَمائِمِ

I lift the she-camel’s chest, though she is lean and swift,

when night travel makes turbaned heads droop.

بِأَغبَرَ خَفّاقٍ كَأَنَّ قَتامَهُ

دُخانَ الغَضا يَعلو فُروجَ المَخارِمِ

Through a gray, swirling cloud whose dust seems

like smoke of ghada wood rising over gaps in the passes,

إِذا العُفرُ لاذَت بِالكِناسِ وَهَجَّجَت

عُيونُ المَهارى مِن أَجيجِ السَمائِمِ

when the pale wild creatures take refuge in their lairs and

the eyes of the riding camels flare from the burning hot winds.

وَإِنَّ سَوادَ اللَيلِ لا يَستَفِزُّني

وَلا الجاعِلاتُ العاجَ فَوقَ المَعاصِمِ

The darkness of night does not unsettle me,

nor do women who wear ivory above their wrists.

ظَلِلنا بِمُستَنِّ الحَرورِ كَأَنَّنا

لَدى فَرَسٍ مُستَقبِلِ الريحِ صائِمِ

We spent the day in a blast of hot wind, as though we were

beside a horse facing the wind, standing still.

أَغَرَّ مِنَ البُلقِ العِتاقِ يَشُفُّهُ

أَذى البَقِّ إِلّا ما اِحتَمى بِالقَوائِمِ

A white-blazed horse of noble piebald stock, tormented by

gnats, except where its legs shield it.

وَظَلَّت قَراقيرُ الفَلاةِ مُناخَةً

بِأَكوارِها مَعكوسَةً بِالخَزائِمِ

The desert’s long-necked camels remained kneeling,

their saddles on them, held back by their nose ropes.

أَنَخنَ لِتَغويرٍ وَقَد وَقَدَ الحَصى

وَذابَ لُعابُ الشَمسِ فَوقَ الجَماجِمِ

They knelt for a midday rest as the pebbles burned,

and the sun’s spittle melted over our skulls.

وَمَنقوشَةٍ نَقشَ الدَنانيرِ عولِيَت

عَلى عَجَلٍ فَوقَ العِتاقِ العَياهِمِ

And an engraved piece, patterned like dinars, was raised

in haste above the noble, powerful mounts.

بَنَت لِيَ يَربوعٌ عَلى الشَرَفِ العُلى

دَعائِمَ زادَت فَوقَ ذَرعِ الدَعائِمِ

Yarbu built for me upon the highest eminence

pillars rising beyond the measure of other pillars.

فَمَن يَستَجِرنا لا يَخَف بَعدَ عَقدِنا

وَمَن لا يُصالِحنا يَبِت غَيرَ نائِمِ

Whoever seeks our protection need not fear after our pledge;

whoever will not make peace with us will spend the night awake.

بَني القَينِ إِنّا لَن يَفوتَ عَدُوُّنا

بِوِترٍ وَلا نُعطيهِمُ بِالخَزائِمِ

Sons of the smith, our enemy will not escape us

with blood unavenged, nor will we yield to them by the nose rope.

وَإِنّي مِنَ القَومِ الَّذينَ تَعُدُّهُم

تَميمٌ حُماةَ المَأزِقِ المُتَلاحِمِ

I am among the people whom Tamim counts

as defenders of the crowded battlefield.

تَرى الصَيدَ حَولِيَ مِن عُبَيدٍ وَجَعفَرٍ

بُناةً لِعادِيٍّ رَفيعِ الدَعائِمِ

You see the chiefs around me from Ubayd and Jafar,

builders of an ancient glory on lofty pillars.

تَشَمَّسُ يَربوعٌ وَرائِيَ بِالقَنا

وَتُلقى جِبالي عُرضَةً لِلمُراجِمِ

Yarbu stands proud behind me with spears,

while my mountains stand exposed to those who hurl stones.

إِذا خَطَرَت حَولي رِياحٌ تَضَمَّنَت

بِفَوزِ المَعالي وَالثَأى المُتَفاقِمِ

When winds stir around me, they carry

the triumph of high honors and mounting vengeance.

وَإِن حَلَّ بَيتي في رَقاشٍ وَجَدتَني

إِلى تُدرَءٍ مِن حَومِ عِزٍّ قُماقِمِ

Even if my household settles in Raqash, you will find me

approaching a mighty sphere of towering honor.

رَأَيتُ قُرومي مِن قُرَيبَةَ أَوطَأوا

حِماكَ وَخَيلي تَدَّعي يالَ عاصِمِ

I saw my foremost men from Qurayba trample

your protected ground, while my cavalry cried, “O clan of Asim!”

وَإِنَّ لِيَربوعٍ مِنَ العِزِّ باذِخاً

بَعيدَ السَواقي خِندَفِيَّ المَخارِمِ

Yarbu possesses a towering honor,

far reaching in its branches, Khindifi in its heights.

أَخَذنا يَزيدَ وَاِبنَ كَبشَةَ عَنوَةً

وَما لَم تَنالوا مِن لُهانا العَظائِمِ

We seized Yazid and Ibn Kabsha by force,

while you gained none of our great men.

وَنَحنُ اِعتَصَبنا الحَضرَمِيَّ بنَ عامِرٍ

وَمَروانُ مِن أَنفالِنا في المَقاسِمِ

We took al-Hadrami ibn Amir for ourselves,

and Marwan was among the spoils allotted to us.

وَنَحنُ تَدارَكنا بَحيراً وَرَهطَهُ

وَنَحنُ مَنَعنا السَبيَ يَومَ الأَراقِمِ

We came to the aid of Buhayr and his people,

and we prevented captivity on the day of al-Araqim.

وَنَحنُ صَدَعنا هامَةَ اِبنِ خُوَيلِدٍ

عَلى حَيثُ تَستَسقيهِ أُمُّ الجَواثِمِ

We split the head of Ibn Khuwaylid

where the mother of al-Jawathim would seek water from him.

وَنَحنُ تَدارَكنا المَجَبَّةَ بَعدَما

تَجاهَدَ جَريُ المُقرَباتِ الصَلادِمِ

We reached al-Majabba in time after

the racing of the sturdy, close-bred horses had strained them.

وَنَحنُ ضَرَبنا هامَةَ اِبنِ مُحَرِّقٍ

كَذالِكَ نَعصى بِالسُيوفِ الصَوارِمِ

We struck the head of Ibn Muharriq;

thus we defy others with sharp swords.

وَنَحنُ ضَرَبنا جارَ بَيبَةَ فَاِنتَهى

إِلى خَسفِ مَحكومٍ لَهُ الضَيمُ راغِمِ

We struck Bayba’s neighbor, bringing him

to the abasement of one condemned to oppression, humbled.

فَأَصبَحتَ لا توفي بِزَندٍ وَجارُكُم

يُقَسَّمُ بَينَ العافِياتِ الحَوائِمِ

Then you became unable to strike a spark, while your neighbor

is divided among the circling scavengers.

فَوارِسُ أَبلَوا في جُعادَةَ مُصدَقاً

وَأَبكَوا عُيوناً بِالدُموعِ السَواجِمِ

Horsemen proved their mettle against Juada

and made eyes weep streaming tears.

عَلَوتُ عَلَيكُم بِالفُروعِ وَتَستَقي

دِلائِيَ مِن حَومِ البِحارِ الخَضارِمِ

I rise above you through my lineage, while

my buckets draw from the deep, vast seas.

مَدَدنا رِشاءً لا يُمَدُّ لِرَيبَةٍ

وَلا غَدرَةٍ في السالِفِ المُتَقادِمِ

We stretched a rope that was never stretched for deceit

or treachery in the ancient past.

تَعالَوا نُحاكِمكُم وَفي الحَقِّ مَقنَعٌ

إِلى الغُرِّ مِن آلِ البِطاحِ الأَكارِمِ

Come, let us bring our dispute to judgment; truth is enough,

before the noble, illustrious people of the lowlands.

فَإِنَّ قُرَيشَ الحَقَّ لَن تَتبَعَ الهَوى

وَلَن يَقبَلوا في اللَهِ لَومَةَ لائِمِ

Quraysh will follow the truth, not desire,

and will not heed a critic’s reproach in God’s cause.

فَإِنّي لَراضٍ عَبدَ شَمسٍ وَما قَضَت

وَراضٍ بِحُكمِ الصيدِ مِن آلِ هاشِمِ

I accept the judgment of Abd Shams and what it decrees,

and the judgment of the noble chiefs of the house of Hashim.

وَراضٍ بَني تَيمِ بنِ مُرَّةَ إِنَّهُم

قُرومٌ تَسامى لِلعُلى وَالمَكارِمِ

I accept Banu Taym ibn Murra; they are

great leaders who have risen to high honor and noble deeds.

وَأَرضى المُغيرِيِّينَ في الحُكمِ إِنَّهُم

بُحورٌ وَأَخوالُ البُحورِ القَماقِمِ

I accept the Mughiris as judges; they are

seas of generosity, kin to the greatest seas.

وَراضٍ بِحُكمِ الحَيِّ بَكرِ بنِ وائِلٍ

إِذا كانَ في الذُهلَينِ أَو في اللَهازِمِ

I accept the judgment of Bakr ibn Wail,

whether from the two Duhl branches or al-Lahazim.

فَإِن شِئتَ كانَ اليَشكُرِيّونَ بَينَنا

بِحُكمِ كَريمٍ بِالفَريضَةِ عالِمِ

If you wish, the Yashkuris may judge between us

by the decision of a noble man versed in rightful allotment.

نُذَكِّرُهُم بِاللَهِ مَن يُنهِلُ القَنا

وَيَفرِجُ ضيقَ المَأزِقِ المُتَلاحِمِ

We call on them by God: who sets the spears to drink

and opens a way through the crush of battle?

وَمَن يَضرِبُ الجَبّارَ وَالخَيلُ تَرتَقي

أَعِنَّتُها في ساطِعِ النَقعِ قاتِمِ

Who strikes the tyrant as the horses rear

their bridles into a rising, dark cloud of dust?

وَمَن يُدرِكُ المُستَردَفاتِ عَشِيَّةً

إِذا وُلِّهَت عوذُ النِساءَ الرَوائِمِ

Who catches up with the women carried away behind the raiders at evening,

when the nursing mothers are distraught with grief?

أَرَدنا غَداةَ الغِبِّ أَلّا تَلومَنا

تَميمٌ وَحاذَرنا حَديثَ المَواسِمِ

On the morning after the raid, we wanted Tamim

to have no cause to blame us, and we feared the talk of the gatherings.

وَكُنتُم لَنا الأَتباعَ في كُلِّ مُعظَمٍ

وَريشُ الذُنابى تابِعٌ لِلقَوادِمِ

You followed us in every great affair,

as the tail feathers follow the wing feathers.

وَهَل يَستَوي أَبناءُ قَينِ مُجاشِعٍ

وَأَبناءُ سِرِّ الغانِياتِ العَواذِمِ

Are the sons of the smith of Mujashi equal

to the sons born secretly to scolding women?

وَما زادَني بُعدُ المَدى نَقضَ مِرَّةٍ

وَما رَقَّ عَظمي لِلضُروسِ العَواجِمِ

The long reach of my aim has not weakened my resolve,

nor have my bones softened before grinding trials.

تَراني إِذا ما الناسُ عَدّوا قَديمَهُم

وَفَضلَ المَساعي مُسفِراً غَيرَ واجِمِ

You see me when people count their ancient honors

and the merit of their deeds, radiant rather than downcast.

وَإِن عُدَّتِ الأَيّامُ أَخزَيتَ دارِماً

وَتُخزيكَ يا اِبنَ القَينِ أَيّامُ دارِمِ

If the days of battle are counted, you shame Darim,

but Darim’s days, son of the smith, shame you.

فَخَرتُ بِأَيّامِ الفَوارِسِ فَاِفخَروا

بِأَيّامِ قَينَيكُم جُبَيرٍ وَداسِمِ

I boast of the days of horsemen; boast yourselves

of the days of your two smiths, Jubayr and Dasim.

بِأَيّامِ قَومٍ ما لِقَومِكَ مِثلُها

بِها سَهَّلوا عَنّي خَبارَ الجَراثِمِ

I boast of days your people cannot match;

through them they cleared the rough, uneven ground before me.

أَقَينَ اِبنَ قَينٍ لا يَسُرُّ نِساءَنا

بِذي نَجَبٍ أَنّا اِدَّعَينا لِدارِمِ

O smith, son of a smith, our women take no pleasure

at Dhu Najab in our claim to belong to Darim.

وَفَينا كَما أَدَّت رَبيعَةُ خالِداً

إِلى قَومِهِ حَرباً وَإِن لَم يُسالِمِ

We kept faith, as Rabia delivered Khalid

to his people in wartime, though he made no peace.

هُوَ القَينُ وَاِبنُ القَينِ لا قَينَ مِثلُهُ

لِفَطحِ المَساحي أَو لِجَدلِ الأَداهِمِ

He is the smith and the smith’s son; no smith equals him

at flattening spades or twisting dark ropes.

وَفى مالِكٌ لِلجارِ لَمّا تَحَدَّبَت

عَلَيهِ الذُرى مِن وائِلٍ وَالغَلاصِمِ

Malik kept faith with his neighbor when

the high peaks of Wail and its great clans gathered against him.

أَلا إِنَّما كانَ الفَرَزدَقُ ثَعلَباً

ضَغا وَهوَ في أَشداقِ لَيثٍ ضُبارِمِ

Indeed, al-Farazdaq was only a fox

yelping in the jaws of a massive lion.

لَقَد وَلَدَت أُمُّ الفَرَزدَقِ فاسِقاً

وَجاءَت بِوَزوازٍ قَصيرِ القَوائِمِ

Al-Farazdaq’s mother bore a wanton man

and brought forth a squealing creature with short legs.

جَرَيتَ بِعِرقٍ مِن قُفَيرَةَ مُقرِفٍ

وَكَبوَةِ عِرقٍ في شَظىً غَيرِ سالِمِ

You inherited a tainted strain from Qufayra

and a stumbling strain in an unsound limb.

إِذا قيلَ مَن أُمُّ الفَرَزدَقِ بَيَّنَت

قُفَيرَةُ مِنهُ في القَفا وَاللَهازِمِ

When someone asks, “Who is al-Farazdaq’s mother?” she reveals

Qufayra in his nape and jawbones.

قُفَيرَةُ مِن قِنٍّ لِسَلمى بنِ جَندَلٍ

أَبوكَ اِبنُها وَاِبنُ الإِماءِ الخَوادِمِ

Qufayra descends from a bondservant of Salma ibn Jandal;

your father is her son, a son of servant women.

وَأَورَثَكَ القَينُ العَلاةَ وَمِرجَلاً

وَإِصلاحَ أَخراتِ الفُؤوسِ الكَرازِمِ

The smith bequeathed you an anvil and a cauldron,

and the repair of the backs of heavy axes.

وَأَورَثَنا آباؤُنا مَشرَفِيَّةً

تُميتُ بِأَيدينا فُروخَ الجَماجِمِ

Our fathers bequeathed us Mashrafi swords

that, in our hands, kill the young heads of men.

لَقَد جَنَحَت بِالسِلمِ خِربانُ مالِكٍ

وَتَعلَمُ يا اِبنَ القَينِ أَن لَم أُسالِمِ

Malik’s crows have inclined toward peace,

and you know, son of the smith, that I have made no peace.