لمن رسم دار هم أن يتغيرا — Jarir

لِمَن رَسمُ دارٍ هَمَّ أَن يَتَغَيَّرا

تَراوَحَهُ الأَرواحُ وَالقَطرُ أَعصُرا

Whose dwelling's trace is this, about to fade,

visited in turn by winds and rain for ages?

وَكُنّا عَهِدنا الدارَ وَالدارُ مَرَّةً

هِيَ الدارُ إِذ حَلَّت بِها أُمُّ يَعمُرا

We once knew the dwelling, when the dwelling

was truly home, when Umm Ya'mar lived there.

ذَكَرتُ بِها عَهداً عَلى الهَجرِ وَالبِلى

وَلا بُدَّ لِلمَشغوفِ أَن يَتَذَكَّرا

There I recalled former days, despite estrangement and decay,

for the love-stricken cannot help remembering.

أَجِنَّ الهَوى ما أَنسَ لا أَنسَ مَوقِفاً

عَشِيَّةَ جَرعاءِ الصَريفِ وَمَنظَرا

Conceal your love! Whatever I forget, I shall not forget a tryst,

on the evening at the sandy rise of al-Sarif, nor that sight.

تَباعَدَ هاذا الوَصلُ إِذ حَلَّ أَهلُها

بِقَوٍّ وَحَلَّت بَطنَ عِرقٍ فَعَرعَرا

This union grew distant when her people settled

at Qaww, while she settled in the valley of 'Irq, then 'Ar'ar.

لَيالِيَ تَسبي القَلبَ مِن غَيرِ ريبَةٍ

إِذا سَفَرَت عَن واضِحِ اللَونِ أَزهَرا

In nights when she captivated the heart without suspicion,

whenever she unveiled a fair complexion, radiant.

أَتى دونَ هاذا الهَمِّ هَمٌّ فَأَسهَرا

أُراعي نُجوماً تالِياتٍ وَغُوَّرا

Another care came before this care and kept me awake,

as I watched stars following one another and stars setting.

أَقولُ لَها مِن لَيلَةٍ لَيسَ طولُها

كَطولِ اللَيالي لَيتَ صُبحَكِ نَوَّرا

I say to it—what a night, whose length

is unlike other nights!—would that your dawn would shine.

أَخافُ عَلى نَفسِ اِبنِ أَحوَزَ إِذ شَفى

وَأَبلى بَلاءً ذا حُجولٍ مُشَهَّرا

I fear for Ibn Ahwaz's life, since he brought healing—

and performed a deed with white-marked fetlocks, renowned,

شَديداً مِنَ الأَثآرِ خَولَةَ بَعدَما

دَعَت وَيلَها وَاِستَعجَلَت أَن تَخَمَّرا

mighty in vengeance—to Khawla, after

she cried her woe and hastened to veil herself.

أَلا رُبَّ سامي الطَرفِ مِن آلِ مازِنٍ

إِذا شَمَّرَت عَن ساقِها الحَربُ شَمَّرا

Indeed, many a man of lofty gaze from the house of Mazin,

when war bared its shank, girded himself for it.

أَتَنسَونَ شَدّاتِ اِبنِ أَحوَزَ إِنَّها

جَلَت كُلَّ وَجهٍ مِن مَعَدٍّ فَأَسفَرا

Do you forget Ibn Ahwaz's charges? They

cleared every face of Ma'add and made it shine.

وَأَدرَكَ ثَأرَ المِسمَعَينِ بِسَيفِهِ

وَأُغضِبَ في شَأنِ الخِيارِ فَنَكَّرا

He won vengeance for the two Misma's with his sword,

and, angered over al-Khiyar, wreaked havoc.

جَعَلتَ بِقَبرٍ لِلخِيارِ وَمالِكٍ

وَقَبرِ عَدِيٍّ في المَقابِرِ أَقبُرا

Beside a grave for al-Khiyar and Malik, you set,

and beside 'Adi's grave, more graves among the tombs.

وَغَرَّقتَ حيتانَ المُزونِ وَقَد لَقوا

تَميماً وَعِزّاً ذا مَناكِبَ مِدسَرا

You drowned the whales of al-Muzun, though they had encountered

Tamim and a broad-shouldered might that thrusts all before it.

وَأَطفَأتَ نيرانَ النِفاقِ وَأَهلِهِ

وَقَد حاوَلوا في فِتنَةٍ أَن تُسَعَّرا

You extinguished the fires of hypocrisy and its people,

though they had sought to kindle them in rebellion.

فَلَم تُبقِ مِنهُم رايَةً يَرفَعونَها

وَلَم تُبقِ مِن آلِ المُهَلَّبِ عَسكَرا

You left them no banner they could raise,

and left no army of the house of al-Muhallab.

فَإِنَّ لِأَنصارِ الخَليفَةِ ناصِراً

عَزيزاً إِذا طاغٍ طَغى وَتَجَبَّرا

For the caliph's supporters have a champion,

mighty whenever a tyrant transgresses and grows arrogant.

فَذو العَرشِ أَعطانا عَلى الكُرهِ وَالرِضى

إِمامَ الهُدى ذا الحِكمَةِ المُتَخَيَّرا

The Lord of the Throne has given us, willing or unwilling,

the chosen leader of guidance, possessed of wisdom.

فَأَضحَت رَواسي المُلكِ في مُستَقَرِّها

لِمُنتَجَبٍ مِن آلِ مَروانَ أَزهَرا

Thus the foundations of kingship settled firmly in place

for a radiant, chosen man of Marwan's house.

وَإِنَّ الَّذي أَعطى الخِلافَةَ أَهلَها

بَنى لِيَ في قَيسٍ وَخِندِفَ مَفخَرا

And He who gave the caliphate to its rightful people

built me a source of pride in Qays and Khindif:

مَنابِرَ مُلكٍ كُلُّها مُضَرِيَّةٌ

يُصَلِّ عَلَينا مَن أَعَرناهُ مِنبَرا

royal pulpits, all belonging to Mudar.

Let whoever borrowed a pulpit from us invoke blessings upon us.

أَنا اِبنُ الثَرى أَدعو قُضاعَةَ ناصِري

وَآلَ نِزارٍ ما أَعَزَّ وَأَكثَرا

I am the son of the soil; I summon Quda'a as my champion,

and Nizar's house—how mighty and how numerous!

عَديداً مَعَدِّيّاً لَهُ ثَروَةُ الحَصى

وَعِزّاً قُضاعِيّاً وَعِزّاً تَنَزَّرا

A Ma'addite host as abundant as pebbles,

and Quda'ite might, and might claiming Nizar.

نِزارٌ إِلى كَلبٍ وَكَلبٌ إِلَيهِمُ

أَحَقُّ وَأَدنى مِن صُداءٍ وَحِميَرا

Nizar to Kalb, and Kalb to them,

have stronger claims and nearer kinship than Suda' and Himyar.

وَأَيُّ مَعَدِّيٍّ يَخافُ وَقَد رَأى

جِبالَ مَعَدٍّ وَالعَديدَ المُجَمهَرا

What Ma'addite need fear, having seen

Ma'add's mountains and its massed multitudes?

وَأَبناءُ إِسحَقَ اللُيوثُ إِذا اِرتَدَوا

مَحامِلَ مَوتٍ لابِسينَ السَنَوَّرا

And Isaac's sons are lions when they don

the sword-belts of death, clad in armor.

فَيوماً سَرابيلُ الحَديدِ عَليهِمُ

وَيَوماً تَرى خَزّاً وَعَصباً مُنَيَّرا

One day shirts of iron cover them,

another, you see silk and double-woven striped cloth.

إِذا اِفتَخَروا عَدّوا الصَبَهبَذَ مِنهُمُ

وَكِسرى وَآلَ الهُرمُزانِ وَقَيصَرا

When they boast, they count the Ispahbadh among them,

and Kisra, the house of al-Hurmuzan, and Caesar.

تَرى مِنهُمُ مُستَبصِرينَ عَلى الهُدى

وَذا التاجِ يُضحي مَرزُباناً مُسَوَّرا

Among them you see men clear-sighted in guidance,

and a crowned man appearing as a bracelet-adorned marzban,

أَغَرَّ شَبيهاً بِالفَنيقِ إِذا اِرتَدى

عَلى القُبطِرِيِّ الفارِسِيِّ المُزَرَّرا

radiant, like a noble stallion-camel, when he cloaks himself

over buttoned Persian qubturi fabric.

وَكانَ كِتابٌ فيهِمُ وَنُبُوَّةٌ

وَكانوا بِإِصطَخرَ المُلوكَ وَتُستَرا

Among them were scripture and prophethood,

and they were kings in Istakhr and Tustar.

لَقَد جاهَدَ الوَضّاحُ بِالحَقِّ مُعلِماً

فَأَورَثَ مَجداً باقِياً أَهلَ بَربَرا

Al-Waddah fought for truth, bearing his battle-mark,

and bequeathed enduring glory to the people of Barbar.

أَبونا أَبو إِسحاقَ يَجمَعُ بَينَنا

أَبٌ كانَ مَهدِيّاً نَبِيّاً مُطَهَّرا

Our father, Isaac's father, joins us together—

a father rightly guided, a prophet purified.

وَمِنّا سُلَيمانُ النَبِيُّ الَّذي دَعا

فَأُعطِيَ بُنياناً وَمُلكاً مُسَخَّرا

Among us is Solomon, the prophet who prayed,

and was granted buildings and a dominion made obedient.

وَموسى وَعيسى وَالَّذي خَرَّ ساجِداً

فَأَنبَتَ زَرعاً دَمعُ عَينَيهِ أَخضَرا

And Moses and Jesus, and he who fell prostrate,

whose tears made green crops grow.

وَيَعقوبُ مِنّا زادَهُ اللَهُ حِكمَةً

وَكانَ اِبنُ يَعقوبٍ أَميناً مُصَوَّرا

And Jacob is of us; God increased his wisdom,

and Jacob's son was trustworthy, well-formed.

فَيَجمَعُنا وَالغُرَّ أَبناءَ سارَةٍ

أَبٌ لا نُبالي بَعدَهُ مَن تَعَذَّرا

A father unites us with the illustrious sons of Sarah,

beyond whom we care not who holds aloof.

أَبونا خَليلُ اللَهِ وَاللَهُ رَبُّنا

رَضينا بِما أَعطى الإِلاهُ وَقَدَّرا

Our father is God's friend, and God is our Lord;

we are content with what God has given and ordained.

بَنى قِبلَةَ اللَهِ الَّتي يُهتَدى بِها

فَأَورَثَنا عِزّاً وَمُلكاً مُعَمَّرا

He built God's qibla, by which people find their way,

and bequeathed us might and long-enduring kingship.

لَشَتّانَ مَن يَحمي مَعَدّاً مِنَ العِدى

وَمَن يَسكُنُ الماخورَ في مَن تَمَخَّرا

How far apart are he who guards Ma'add against enemies

and he who dwells in the brothel among those who frequent it!

فَبُؤ بِالمَخازي يا فَرَزدَقُ لَم يَبِت

أَديمُكَ إِلّا واهِياً غَيرَ أَوفَرا

So take shame upon yourself, Farazdaq; never has

your hide passed a night but flimsy, never intact.

فَإِنَّكَ لَو ضُمِّنتَ مِن مازِنٍ دَماً

لَما كانَ لِاِبنِ القَينِ أَن يَتَخَيَّرا

For if you were held liable for a Mazinite's blood,

the smith's son would have no choice.

فَلا تَأمَنُ الأَعداءُ أَسيافَ مازِنٍ

وَلَكِنَّ رَأيَ اِبنَي قُفَيرَةَ قَصَّرا

Enemies are never safe from Mazin's swords,

but the judgment of Qufayra's two sons fell short.

فَأَخزَيتَ يا اِبنَ القَينِ آلَ مُجاشِعٍ

فَأَصبَحَ ما تَحمي مُباحاً مُدَعثَرا

You have disgraced, smith's son, the house of Mujashi',

and what you protect lies exposed and ravaged.

فَما كانَ جيرانُ الزُبَيرِ مُجاشِعٌ

بِأَلأَمَ مِن جيرانِ وَهبٍ وَأَغدَرا

Mujashi', al-Zubayr's protectors, were not

baser or more treacherous than Wahb's protectors.

وَقالَت قُرَيشٌ لِلحَوارِيِّ جارِكُم

أَرَغوانَ تَدعو لِلجِوارِ وَضَوطَرا

Quraysh said to the disciple, your protected guest:

'Do you summon a bellowing fool and a dolt for protection?'

تَراغَيتُمُ يَومَ الزُبَيرِ كَأَنَّكُم

ضِباعُ مَغاراتٍ يُبادِرنَ أَجعُرا

You bellowed at one another on al-Zubayr's day, as though you were

cave-dwelling hyenas racing toward a male.

وَجِعثِنُ كانَت خَزيَةً في مُجاشِعٍ

كَما كانَ غَدرٌ بِالحَوارِيِّ مُنكَرا

Ji'thin was a disgrace among Mujashi',

as betrayal of the disciple was an outrage.

فَإِنَّ عِقالاً وَالحُتاتَ كِلاهُما

تَرَدّى بِثَوبَي غادِرٍ وَتَأَزَّرا

For 'Iqal and al-Hutat, both of them,

cloaked and girded themselves in a traitor's two garments.

أَلَم تَحبِسوا وَهباً تَمَنَّونَهُ المُنى

وَكانَ أَخا هَمٍّ طَريداً مُسَيَّرا

Did you not detain Wahb, feeding him hopes,

when he was burdened with care, an outcast driven away?

فَلَو أَنَّ وَهباً كانَ حَلَّ رِجالُهُ

بِحَجرٍ لَلاقى ناصِرينَ وَعُنصُرا

Had Wahb's men settled

at Hajr, he would have found defenders and kin.

وَلَو حَلَّ فينا عايَنَ القَومُ دونَهُ

عَوابِسَ يَعلِكنَ الشَكيمَ وَضُمَّرا

Had he settled among us, his foes would have seen before him

grim horses champing their bits, and lean steeds.

إِذاً لَسَمِعتَ الخَيلَ وَالخَيلُ تَدَّعي

رِياحاً وَتَدعو العاصِمينَ وَجَعفَرا

Then you would have heard the horsemen calling out

for Riyah, and summoning the 'Asims and Ja'far:

فَوارِسَ لا يَدعونَ يالَ مُجاشِعٍ

إِذا كانَ ما تُذري السَنابِكُ عِثيَرا

horsemen who never cry, 'O men of Mujashi'!'

when what the hooves scatter is dust.

وَلَو ضافَ أَحياءً بِحَزنِ مُلَيحَةٍ

لَلاقى جِواراً صافِياً غَيرَ أَكدَرا

Had he sought hospitality among clans on Mulayha's rugged uplands,

he would have found protection clear and untroubled.

هُمُ ضَرَبوا هامَ المُلوكِ وَعَجَّلوا

بِوِردٍ غَداةَ الحَوفَزانِ فَبَكَّرا

They struck the heads of kings and hastened

their coming to water on al-Hawfazan's morning, arriving early.

وَقَد جَرَّبَ الهِرماسُ وَقعَ سُيوفِنا

وَصَدَّعنَ عَن رَأسِ اِبنِ كَبشَةَ مِغفَرا

Al-Hirmas has felt the blows of our swords,

which split a helmet off Ibn Kabsha's head.

وَقَد جَعَلَت يَوماً بِطِخفَةَ خَيلُنا

لِئالِ أَبي قابوسَ يَوماً مُذَكَّرا

At Tikhfa our horses once made

for Abu Qabus's house a day to remember.

فَنورِدُ يَومَ الرَوعِ خَيلاً مُغيرَةً

وَتورِدُ ناباً تَحمِلُ الكيرَ صَوأَرا

On the day of terror we bring raiding horses to the fray,

while you bring a massive old she-camel bearing the bellows.

سُبِقتَ بِأَيّامِ الفِضالِ وَلَم تَجِد

لِقَومِكَ إِلّا عَقرَ نابِكَ مَفخَرا

You were outdone in days of excellence and could find

no glory for your people but hamstringing your old she-camel.

لَقيتَ القُرومَ الخاطِراتِ فَلَم يَكُن

نَكيرُكَ إِلّا أَن تَشولَ وَتَيعَرا

You met proud stallion-camels strutting, and had

no response but to lift your tail and bleat.

وَلاقَيتَ خَيراً مِن أَبيكَ فَوارِساً

وَأَكرَمَ أَيّاماً سُحَيماً وَجَحدَرا

You faced horsemen better than your father,

with nobler battle-days: Suhaym and Jahdar.

هُمُ تَرَكوا قَيساً وَعَمرواً كِلاهُما

يَمُجُّ نَجيعاً مِن دَمِ الجَوفِ أَحمَرا

They left Qays and 'Amr, both,

spewing red blood from deep within.

وَسارَ لِبَكرٍ نُخبَةٌ مِن مُجاشِعٍ

فَلَمّا رَأى شَيبانَ وَالخَيلَ كَفَّرا

An elite band of Mujashi' marched against Bakr,

but when it saw Shayban and the horses, it bowed in submission.

وَفي أَيِّ يَومٍ لَم تُساقوا غَنيمَةً

وَجارُكُمُ فَقعٌ يُحالِفُ قَرقَرا

On what day were you not driven off as booty,

while your protected guest was a truffle allied with a bare plain?

لَقَد كُنتُ يا اِبنَ القَينِ ذا خِبرَةٍ بِكُم

وَعَوفٌ أَبو قَيسٍ بِكُم كانَ أَخبَرا

I knew you well, smith's son,

and 'Awf, Abu Qays, knew you better still.

فَلا تَتَّقونَ الشَرَّ حَتّى يُصيبَكُم

وَلا تَعرِفونَ الأَمرَ إِلّا تَدَبُّرا

You do not guard against evil until it strikes you,

nor understand a matter except in hindsight.

وَعَوفٌ يَعافُ الضَيمَ في آلِ مالِكٍ

وَكُنتُم بَني جَوخى عَلى المَوتِ أَصبَرا

'Awf scorns humiliation among Malik's house,

and you, sons of Jawkha, were more enduring of death.

تَرَكتُم مَزاداً عِندَ عَوفٍ رَهينَةً

فَأَطعَمَهُ عَوفٌ ضِباعاً وَأَنسُرا

You left Mazad with 'Awf as a hostage,

and 'Awf fed him to hyenas and vultures.

أَشاعَت قُرَيشٌ لِلفَرَزدَقِ خَزيَةً

وَتِلكَ الوُفودُ النازِلونَ المُوَقَّرا

Quraysh spread news of Farazdaq's disgrace,

as did those delegations lodged at al-Muwaqqar,

عَشِيَّةَ لاقى القِردُ قِردُ مُجاشِعٍ

هِزَبراً أَبا شِبلَينِ في الغيلِ قَسوَرا

on the evening the ape, Mujashi''s ape, encountered

a mighty lion, father of two cubs, fierce in the thicket,

مِنَ المُحمِياتِ الغيلِ غيلِ خَفِيَّةٍ

تَرى تَحتَ لَحيَيهِ الفَريسَ المُعَفَّرا

from the guarded thickets, the thickets of Khafiyya,

beneath whose jaws you see dust-stained prey.

جَزى اللَهُ لَيلى في جُبَيرٍ مَلامَةً

وَقَبَّحَ قَيناً بِالفَرَزدَقِ أَعوَرا

May God repay Layla with blame concerning Jubayr,

and disgrace a one-eyed smith through Farazdaq.

إِذا ذَكَرَت لَيلى جُبَيراً تَعَصَّرَت

وَلَيسَ بِشافٍ دائَها أَن تَعَصَّرا

When Layla remembers Jubayr, she writhes,

but writhing cannot cure her ailment.

أَلا قَبَحَ اللَهُ الفَرَزدَقَ كُلَّما

أَهَلَّ مُصَلٍّ لِلصَلاةِ وَكَبَّرا

May God disgrace Farazdaq whenever

a worshipper raises his voice to prayer and magnifies God.

فَلا يَقرَبَنَّ المَروَتَينِ وَلا الصَفا

وَلا مَسجِدَ اللَهِ الحَرامَ المُطَهَّرا

Let him never approach the two Marwas, nor al-Safa,

nor God's sacred, purified mosque.

فَإِنَّكَ لَو تُعطي الفَرَزدَقَ دِرهَماً

عَلى دينِ نَصرانِيَّةٍ لَتَنَصَّرا

For if you gave Farazdaq a dirham

to adopt Christianity, he would turn Christian.

يُبَيِّنُ في وَجهِ الفَرَزدَقِ لُؤمُهُ

وَأَلأَمُ مَنسوبٍ قَفاً حينَ أَدبَرا

Farazdaq's baseness shows plainly in his face:

the basest pedigreed man, even from behind when he turns away.

لَحى اللَهُ ماءً مِن عُروقٍ خَبيثَةٍ

سَقَت سابِياءً جاءَ فيها مُخَمَّرا

May God curse the fluid from foul veins

that watered the birth-sac in which he came wrapped.

فَهَل لَكُمُ في حَنثَرٍ آلَ حَنثَرٍ

وَلَمّا تُصِب تِلكَ الصَواعِقُ حَنثَرا

And what of Hanthar for you, O house of Hanthar,

when those thunderbolts have not yet struck Hanthar?

فَإِنَّ رَبيعاً وَالمُشَيَّعَ فَاِعلَما

عَلى مَوطِنٍ لَم يَدرِيا كَيفَ قَدَّرا

For Rabi' and al-Mushayya'—know this, you two—

are on a field they did not know how to assess.

أَلا رُبَّ أَعشى ظالِمٍ مُتَخَمِّطٍ

جَعَلتُ لِعَينَيهِ جِلاءً فَأَبصَرا

Many a dim-sighted, unjust, raging man

I have given a polish for his eyes, so they could see.

أَلَم أَكُ ناراً يَتَّقي الناسُ شَرَّها

وَسَمّاً لِأَعداءِ العَشيرَةِ مُمقِرا

Have I not been a fire whose harm people dread,

and bitter poison for the tribe's enemies?

أَلَم أَكُ زادَ المُرمِلينَ وَوالِجاً

إِذا دَفَعَ البابُ الغَريبَ المُعَوَّرا

Have I not been provision for the destitute, and one who enters

when the door turns away the unprotected stranger?

نُعَدُّ لِأَيّامٍ نُعِدُّ لِمِثلِها

فَوارِسَ قَيسٍ دارِعينَ وَحُسَّرا

We are counted on for days for whose like we prepare

the horsemen of Qays, armored and unarmored.

أَتَنسَونَ يَومَي رَحرَحانَ كِلَيهِما

وَقَد أَشرَعَ القَومُ الوَشيجَ المُؤَمَّرا

Do you forget both days of Rahrahan,

when the warriors leveled their iron-tipped spear-shafts?

وَما كُنتَ يا اِبنَ القَينِ تَلقى جِيادَهُم

وُقوفاً وَلا مُستَنكَراً أَن تُعَقَّرا

You never met their noble horses, smith's son,

standing firm; nor would your being hamstrung be strange.

تَرَكتَ بِوادي رَحرَحانَ نِساءَكُم

وَيَومَ الصَفا لاقَيتُمُ الشَعبَ أَوعَرا

You left your women in the valley of Rahrahan,

and on al-Safa's day you found the mountain pass rugged.

سَمِعتُم بَني مَجدٍ دَعَوا يالَ عامِرٍ

فَكُنتُم نَعاماً بِالحَزيزِ مُنَفَّرا

You heard the sons of Majd cry, 'O men of 'Amir!'

and you were ostriches, startled on the stony ground.

وَأَسلَمتُمُ لِاِبنَي أُسَيدَةَ حاجِباً

وَلاقى لَقيطٌ حَتفَهُ فَتَقَطَّرا

You surrendered Hajib to Usayda's two sons,

and Laqit met his death and tumbled down.

وَأَسلَمَتِ القَلحاءُ لِلقَومِ مَعبَداً

يُجاذِبُ مَخموساً مِنَ القِدِّ أَسمَرا

Al-Qalha' surrendered Ma'bad to the enemy,

tugging at a brown, five-stranded leather thong.