Sol 6.1

  1. تحدَّى الموتَ واختزلَ الزمانا

    فتى لوّى من الزمنِ العِنانا

    He defied death and compressed time—

    A youth who wrested the reins from time.

  2. فتى خَبَط الدُنى والناس طُرّا

    وآلى أن يكونَهما، فكانا ...

    A youth who struck through worlds and people, all,

    And vowed to be them both—and so became.

  3. أرابَ الجنَّ اِنسٌ عبقريٌّ

    بوادي " عبقرَ " افترَشَ الجِنانا

    A human genius disquieted the jinn;

    In the valley of 'Abqar he made gardens his bed.

  4. تطوف الحورُ زِدْنَ بما تَغَنَّى

    وهن الفاتنات به افتتانا

    The houris circle, their enchantment deepened by his song,

    They, the enchantresses, themselves enchanted by him.

  5. ضَفَرنَ جَدائلا إكليلَ غارٍ

    ومن طرر حَبَكْنَ الصَّولجانا

    They braided tresses into a laurel crown,

    And wove a scepter from their fringes.

  6. ومن غُرَر له ناوَحْنَ عُودا

    وطارحْنَ الولائدَ والقِيانا

    With gems of his verse they answered a lute,

    And exchanged songs with maidens and singing girls.

  7. ومما عَتَّقت من ألف عام

    صَفَفنَ له المشاربَ والدِّنانا

    From wine they had aged a thousand years,

    They arrayed his drinking vessels and wine jars.

  8. وذَوَّبْنَ اللُّغى، وكفَينَ منها

    بأصداءِ العصور التُّرجُمانا

    They melted languages together, making needless,

    Through the echoes of the ages, an interpreter.

  9. ونصَّبْنَ الإلَه على سَرير

    من الزهراتِ زِينَ بها وزانا

    They enthroned the god upon a couch

    Of blossoms that adorned him, and he adorned.

  10. وراح الخُلْدُ يخفُقُ بالقوافي

    عَماليقا وأغيدة لِدانا

    Eternity began to throb with rhymes—

    Giants and graceful, supple beauties.

  11. وملءُ رحابِه نَغمٌ طليقٌ

    تخطَّى البعدَ واخترَقَ الأوانا

    Its expanses filled with untrammeled melody

    That crossed distance and pierced time.

  12. دماً صاغ الحروفَ مُجَنَّحاتٍ

    رِهافاً، مشرئبّاتٍ، حِسانا

    He fashioned letters into blood—winged,

    Fine-edged, straining upward, beautiful.

  13. يرِدْنَ حياضه ينبوعَ فكرٍ

    ويحُضنَّ اليراعةَ والبَنانا

    They visit his pools, a fountainhead of thought,

    And embrace the reed pen and the fingertips.

  14. وطار بِهنَّ في شَرقٍ وغَرْبٍ

    كأنَّ لهُنَّ في قَصبٍ رهانا

    He flew with them through East and West,

    As though they raced to win the victor's reed.

  15. فُوَيقَ الشمس كُنَّ له مدارا

    وتحتَ الشمس كُنَّ له مكانا

    Just above the sun they were his orbit;

    Beneath the sun they were his dwelling place.

  16. وآبَ كما اشتَهَى يشتَطُّ آنا

    فيعصِفُ قاصِفا ويرِقُّ آنا

    He returned as he pleased, at times impetuous,

    Storming thunderously, at times growing tender.

  17. وفي حاليه يَسحَرُنا هَواهُ

    فننسى عَبْرَ غَمْرتِه هَوانا

    In both his moods his passion enchants us,

    And in its flood we forget our own desires.

  18. فتى دوَّى مع الفَلَكِ المُدَوِّي

    فقال كلاهما: إنّا كلانا

    A youth who resounded with the resounding heavens,

    And each declared: 'We are both in one.'

  19. فيا ابنَ الرافدَينِ، ونِعمَ فخرٌ

    بأنَّ فتى بني الدنيا فتانا

    O son of the Two Rivers, what splendid pride

    That the young hero of all the world is ours!

  20. حبتك النفسُ أعظمَ ما تحلّت

    به نفسٌ مع المحنِ امتحانا

    The soul bestowed on you the greatest adornment

    A soul can wear when tested by afflictions.

  21. وذُقتَ الطعمَ من نَكَبات دهرٍ

    يمُدّ لكل مائدةٍ خِوانا

    You tasted the savor of the calamities of an age

    That lays out a board for every table.

  22. وجهَّلَك المخافةَ فَرْطُ عِلمٍ

    بكُنْهِ حياةِ مَن طلبَ الأمانا

    Your vast knowledge made you ignorant of fear—

    Knowledge of the true life of those who seek safety.

  23. وأعطتكَ الرُّجولةُ خَصْلَتَيْها

    معَ النُوَبِ: التمرُّس والمرَانا

    Manhood gave you its two qualities

    Amid calamities: seasoned experience and practice.

  24. فكنتَ إذا انْبَرى لك عُنفُوانٌ

    من الغَمَرات أفظَعَ عُنفوانا

    Whenever a fury rose against you

    From the ordeals, you were more fearsome in your fury.

  25. وكنت كفاءَ معَمعةٍ طحونٍ

    لأنك كنتَ وحدَكَ معمعانا

    You were a match for a grinding battle,

    For you alone were a battle yourself.

  26. أسلت الروح في كَلِمٍ مَواتٍ

    فجلّى غامضٌ منها وبانا

    You poured the soul into lifeless words,

    And what was obscure in them shone forth clearly.

  27. وطاوعَكَ العَصيُّ من المعاني

    وكم غاوٍ ألحَّ به فخانا

    Recalcitrant meanings yielded to you;

    Many a deluded seeker pressed them, and they failed him.

  28. فكم من لفظةٍ عفٍّ حَصَانٍ

    سَحَرْتَ بلطفها العفَّ الحَصَانا

    How many a chaste, inviolate word—

    With its delicacy you enchanted chaste, guarded women!

  29. وأخرى برزةٍ تجلو البلايا

    عقدت بها مع البلوى قِرانا

    And another, boldly unveiled, revealing calamities—

    Through it you bound yourself in marriage to affliction.

  30. وسِرُّ الخلق ذِهنٌ عبقريٌّ

    أتى حَجَراً ففجَّره بَيانا

    The secret of creation is a mind of genius

    That approached a stone and burst it into eloquence.

  31. ولم أرَ في الحَذاقةِ من شبيهٍ

    كحِذقِ المستعينِ بما استعانا

    I have never seen in mastery a match

    For the skill of one who makes such use of his means.

  32. جران " العَوْدِ " لا يُخْشى شذاه

    ويخشى العَودُ إنْ ألقى الجرانا

    The old camel's throat gives no cause to fear its harm;

    Yet the old camel is feared when it lays that throat down.

  33. ويا ابن الكوفةِ الحمراء وشّى

    بها سِمْطَ اللالئ والجُمانا

    O son of red Kufa, who embroidered

    There a necklace of pearls and silver beads,

  34. وعاطى رملَها من أصغريه

    عيونَ الشعرِ تبرقُ والحنانا

    And offered its sands, from his heart and tongue,

    Gleaming gems of verse and tenderness,

  35. وأبقى فوقَها دمَهُ ليسقي

    هناك " بشعب بوّانٍ " حِصانا

    And left his blood upon them to water

    There, in Shi'b Bawwan, a stallion.

  36. فقد كرهَ الطعانَ وكان أدرى

    بأنك وهو مذبوحٌ طِعانا

    For he had hated spear-thrusts, and knew well

    That you and he alike were slaughtered by spear-thrusts.

  37. ويا ذا الدولةِ الكبرى تعالتْ

    وقد سحق البِلى دولا كيانا

    O lord of the mighty realm, rising high

    While decay ground kingdoms out of existence!

  38. بحسبك أن تهزّ الكونَ فيها

    فتستدعي جَنانك واللسانا

    It is enough that within it you shake the universe,

    Summoning your heart and tongue;

  39. وأن تُطري الشجاعة في شُجاع

    فتُعجِبُ حين يُعجبك الجَبانا

    And that you extol courage in a brave man,

    And, when he delights you, enchant even the coward;

  40. وأن تَعلو بدانٍ لا يُعلَّى

    وأن تهوي بعالٍ لا يُدانى

    That you raise the lowly who cannot be raised,

    And cast down the lofty whom none can approach.

  41. فماذا تبتغي ؟ أعلوَّ شأن

    فمن ذا كان أرفعَ منك شانا ؟

    What, then, do you seek? A loftier standing?

    Who ever stood higher than you?

  42. أم الدنيا الغَرورَ وقد تهاوَتْ

    على قَدَمَيك ذُلاًّ وامتهانا ؟

    Or the deceitful world, when it has collapsed

    At your feet in abasement and contempt?

  43. تملَّقَكَ " ابنُ عَبّادٍ " وأرخَى

    لك العِرْنينَ منه والعِرانا

    Ibn 'Abbad flattered you and lowered

    His proud nose and its nose-rein before you.

  44. وماجت أرضُه ذهباً وصاحت

    معاقلُه: هلمَّ إلى حمانا

    His land surged with gold, and there cried out

    His strongholds: 'Come into our protection,

  45. ونَوِّلنا نداكَ نَعِشْ عليه

    فأن جَدَاكَ باقٍ لا جَدانا

    And grant us your bounty, that we may live on it;

    For your bounty endures, not ours.'

  46. ومَنّاك " ابن صفرة " لو توافي

    بما يجبي العراقُ له ضمانا

    Ibn Sufra promised you, if you would come,

    The revenues Iraq collected for him, as a pledge.

  47. وكان أرقّ من زُبْدٍ لِيانا

    وكنتَ أشدَّ من وَتِدٍ حِرانا

    He was softer than foam in yielding,

    And you more stubborn than a stake in resistance,

  48. على ضَنَكٍ وتأبى أن تُراضى

    بما لم تهوَه أو أن تُعانا

    Amid hardship, yet refusing to be appeased

    By what you did not love, or to be given aid.

  49. وتعلمُ أن نفسَكَ لن توقّى

    عليك، وأن حرفَكَ لن يصانا

    You knew your life would not be protected

    For you, nor would your words be safeguarded.

  50. ولكن فليكن نَسَبٌ قريبٌ

    يشد المستدين بما استدانا

    Yet let there be a bond of close kinship

    Binding the borrower to what he has borrowed.

  51. ولما استيأسوا من مستميت

    فلا أرضا أراح ولا ضِعانا

    When they despaired of a man who courted death,

    Who gave neither land nor travelers rest,

  52. ولا أبقى على صَعَداتِ رمحٍ

    ولا أعفَى من الفَرَس اللُّبانا

    Nor spared the straight shafts of a lance,

    Nor exempted the horse's breast,

  53. أثاروا خلف رحلك عاوياتٍ

    ضِباعا تستفزُّ الدّيدَبانا

    They stirred behind your saddle howling creatures—

    Hyenas that rouse the watchman.

  54. أراعنَ يطمعون بمشمَخرٍ

    يدقّ برأسِه القممَ الرِّعانا

    Fools, aspiring to a towering height

    Whose head batters the jutting mountain peaks!

  55. فكنت الحتفَ يدركُهُمْ عبيدا

    وأربابا إذا أستوفَى وحانا

    You were the doom that overtook them, slaves

    And masters, when its full appointed hour came.

  56. ورُدَّ لنحرِهم كيدٌ أحلّوا

    به الرِّئبالَ والقِطَطَ السِّمانا

    A plot recoiled upon their throats, through which they made

    The lion and the fat cats lawful prey.

  57. تَمَنَّ أبا المحسّد تَغْلُ فينا

    مطامحُنا وتَستَشْرِ مُنانا

    Wish, Abu al-Muhassad, and let

    Our ambitions seethe and our longings grow fierce.

  58. " وضوِّ " لنا، فقد تِهنا ضَياعا

    وخُبَّ بنا فقد شَلَّتْ خُطانا

    Shine for us, for we have wandered utterly lost;

    Hurry us onward, for our steps are paralyzed.

  59. وأدْرِكْنا، فقد طالت علينا

    مقاييس قَصُرْنَ على سِوانا

    Rescue us, for they have grown too tall for us—

    Measures that fell short of others.

  60. وقد غُصْنا فلا الأعماق منّا

    ولا نَسَمٌ يهُبّ على ذُرانا

    We have sunk, yet the depths are not ours,

    Nor does a breath of wind blow across our summits.

  61. وقد شَمخَت ملاحبنا علينا

    وقد أكَلَتْ اباطحُنا رُبانا

    Our broad roads have towered above us,

    And our flat valleys have devoured our hills.

  62. ابا الفَتكاتِ تَنْزِلُها دِراكا

    فتُدركُ فتكةٌ بِكرٌ عوانا

    O father of strokes, delivering them in succession,

    Till a virgin stroke overtakes one already tried!

  63. تهزُّ بها من استَغْوى شعوبا

    ومن أغفى بها ومن استكانا

    With them you shake those who led nations astray,

    Those who slumbered among them, and those who submitted.

  64. وتُبْدِل من أرانبها ملوكا

    وأصناما تسبب " الثُعْلُبانا "

    You make kings of their rabbits,

    And idols that revile 'the fox.'

  65. مضت حِقبٌ وهُنّ كما تراها

    فقاقيعٌ، ونحن كما ترانا

    Ages have passed, and they remain as you see them:

    Bubbles—and we remain as you see us.

  66. تمزقنا دويلاتٍ تلاقت

    بها الرايات ضَمّاً واحتضانا

    We have splintered into petty states,

    Where flags meet, joining and embracing.

  67. تُرَقَّعُ راية منها بأخرى

    وتستبقي أصائلُها الهجانا

    One flag is patched with another,

    Their purebreds keeping the mongrels alive.

  68. وتكذب حين تصطفقُ اعتناقا

    وتصدق حين تفترقُ اضطغانا

    They lie when they flutter in embrace,

    And speak truth when they part in rancor.

  69. وتفخر أنها ازدادت عداداً

    وتعلمُ أنها ازدادت هَوانا

    They boast that they have grown in number,

    And know that they have grown in abasement.

  70. إماراتٌ يُمار بها هوانا

    ومَشيخةٌ تُجدِّدُ من صبانا

    Emirates through which humiliation is supplied,

    And a sheikhdom renewing our childhood.

  71. تُطيلُ العِمَّةُ العَذَباتِ منها

    ويعتصِرُ العِقالُ الطَّيْلَسانا

    Among them, turbans lengthen their trailing ends,

    While the head-cord wrings the mantle.

  72. وكم سخريةٍ ألقتْ ظلالا

    على ما جلَّ من خطبٍ فهانا

    How much mockery has cast its shadows

    Over a mighty calamity, making it small!

  73. حلفتُ أبا المحسّد بالمثنّى

    من الجبروتِ والغضبِ المُعانَى

    I swear, Abu al-Muhassad, by the pair—

    Your might and the anger you endured;

  74. وبالسَّلَعِ النوافرِ في عروق

    كأن بكل واحدةٍ سِنانا

    By the knots bulging in veins,

    As though each held a spearhead;

  75. وبالوجه الذي صبغ الرزايا

    ببسمة ساخر فقسا ولانا

    By the face that colored calamities

    With a mocker's smile, growing hard and tender:

  76. بأنك موقدُ الجمراتِ فينا

    وإن كُسيت على رَغمٍ دُخانا

    You are the kindler of embers within us,

    Though, against their will, they are clothed in smoke;

  77. وأن تراثنا ما أنت فيه

    وأشبارا حللتَ بها ثرانا

    Our heritage is what holds you,

    And the handspans of our soil where you have lain;

  78. وأنك سوف تبعث من جديد

    تنفِّضُ ما تلبَّدَ من كَرانا

    You will rise again,

    Shaking off the thick accumulation of our sleep.

  79. تخشِّنُ ناعما أخوى فلانا

    وتُنهِضُ قُعدُدا مَلَّ الزمانا

    You will harden some pampered, hollow fellow,

    And rouse a stay-at-home grown weary of time.

  80. وتُذكرُنا بما قد كان منا

    وما سيكونُ لو دارتْ رحَانا

    You will remind us of what once came from us,

    And what will come, if our mill turns;

  81. ولو طِحنا بمُزدَرعٍ وَبِيءٍ

    كما تنفي المغربلةُ الزُوانا

    If we sweep away a pestilential planting,

    As the sieve casts out darnel;

  82. ولو ثُرْنا على النكسَات منا

    ولو شدَّ التوحّدُ من عُرانا

    If we revolt against the reverses within us,

    If unity draws our bonds tight.

  83. وأنّا ما تعاضلتِ الليالي

    وما طبع الصراع على شبانا

    However intractable the nights become,

    And however struggle blunts our edges,

  84. لموعودون فجرا أرحبيا

    نشق به الغياهب من دُجانا

    We are surely promised a boundless dawn

    With which to cleave the black depths of our night.

  85. وأنّا أمة خلقت لتبقى

    وأنت دليل بقياها عيانا

    We are a nation created to endure,

    And you are the visible proof of its survival.