خاطر بها إما ردى أو مراد — Mihyar Al Daylami

خاطرْ بها إمّا ردىً أو مُرادْ

ورِدْ لها أين وجدتَ المَرادْ

Risk it: either death or the desired end.

Bring it to water wherever you find pasture.

ولا تُماطلْها بجمّاتِها

معلِّلاً أَظماءَها بالثِّمادْ

Do not postpone its full draughts,

soothing its thirst with scant pools.

باعدْ عزيزاً بين أسفارها

فعزّةُ النجم السُّرى والبعادْ

In dignity, stretch its journeys far apart;

a star's glory lies in night travel and distance.

للّهِ رامٍ بلُبَانَاتِهِ

طولَ الليالي وعروضَ البلادْ

How admirable a seeker pursuing his desires

through long nights and across the breadths of lands.

يُقدِمُ إما مبلغاً نفسَه

معذرةً أو بالغاً ما أرادْ

He advances, either giving his soul

an excuse, or attaining what he desired.

يحفِزهُ الضيمُ فتنبو به

مضاجعُ الغيدِ ولينُ المِهادْ

Oppression spurs him, so they offer him no rest—

lovely women's beds and the softness of bedding.

إذا أحسَّ الهُونَ صاختْ به

نخوتُه أو طارَن أو قيلَ كادْ

When he senses abasement, it is heeded by

his proud spirit—or it takes flight, or is said nearly to do so.

يَعجُمُ منه الدهرُ إن رابهُ

جَلْدَ العصا صُلبَ حصاةِ الفؤادْ

Time, if it doubts him, tests in him

a tough staff, a heart-core hard as stone.

سمتْ به الهمّةُ حتى نجا

منفرداً من بين هذا السوادْ

Ambition raised him until he escaped

alone from among this crowd,

مولِّياً آخِرَ حاجاتهِ

خزائمَ العيس ولُجْمَ الجيادْ

entrusting the last of his needs

to the nose-rings of pale camels and the bridles of fine steeds.

أَقسمَ مهما اكتحلتْ عينُه

بمثلِهِ لا اكتحلتْ بالرقادْ

He swore: whenever his eye is anointed

with his like, may it never be anointed with sleep.

وبات مغمورَ العلا شاكراً

ميسورَه يقنَعُ بالإقتصادْ

And he spent the night, his glory obscure, thankful

for his easy means, content with moderation.

يرضَى من الحظّ بما جاءه

عفواً وما الحظّ سوى الاجتهادْ

He accepts whatever fortune brings him

unbidden—yet fortune is nothing but striving.

ينام للضيم على ظهره

مُراوَحَ الخدّ وثيرَ الوسادِ

He sleeps under humiliation, flat on his back,

turning from cheek to cheek on a soft pillow.

إن راعه من يومه رائعٌ

قال عُدُوّاً فَرسُ الذلّ عادْ

If a terror from his day frightens him,

he says, 'Gallop!'—the steed of abasement is running.

ما أكثرَ المُنحِي على مجده

لبُلغةٍ تُرجَى ورزقٍ يُفادْ

How many assail their own glory

for hoped-for sustenance and gain to be acquired,

ومؤثَر المالِ على عرضهِ

مجتهداً ينقُصُ من حيث زادْ

and prefer wealth to their honor,

striving, yet diminishing precisely where they gain!

عَدِّ عن الدنيا وأبنائها

وبعْ مودّاتهم بالبعادْ

Turn away from the world and its sons,

and sell their affection for distance.

ما هذه الدهماءُ إلا دَبىً

ينشُرهُ في الأرض حُبُّ الفسادْ

This rabble is nothing but young locusts,

scattered over the earth by love of corruption—

إلاَّ فتىً يأنف من عيشةٍ

لغيره فيها عليه اعتدادْ

except a young man who disdains a life

in which another can claim a favor over him,

ودولةٍ تخطُبُ راياتُها

باسم سواه في رءوس الصِّعادْ

and a realm whose banners proclaim

another's name atop tall spears.

مثل أبي القاسم غيران يس

تفيد من عزّته ما استفادْ

Like Abu al-Qasim, jealous of his honor, he gains

from his own might whatever he has gained.

يجود بالنفس كما جاد أو

يسود بالواجب من حيث سادْ

He gives his life as he has given, or

holds rightful sway wherever he has held sway.

هيهات قامت معجزاتُ العلا

فيه وبانت آية الإنفرادْ

Far beyond reach! The miracles of greatness stand

in him, and the sign of uniqueness is clear.

لا تلدُ الأرضُ له من أخٍ

أعقَمها من بعدِ طولِ الوِلادْ

Earth bears no brother to match him;

he made her barren after long childbearing.

شاد به اللّهُ بُنَى مجدِهِ

راسيةً واللّهُ ما شاء شادْ

Through him God raised the edifices of his glory,

firmly rooted; God builds whatever He wills.

بانَ من الناس فما عابه

شيءٌ سوى تشبيهه بالعبادْ

He stands apart from men; nothing mars him

save being likened to mortals.

أبلجُ في كلّ دُجَى فحمةٍ

عمياءَ لا يقدَحُ فيها اَلزنادْ

Radiant in every pitch-black darkness,

blind-dark, where no fire-steel strikes a spark.

يصيبُ بالأوّل من ظنِّه

فليس يُستثنَآ ولا يُستعادْ

His first judgment strikes the truth,

so it admits no exception and needs no repetition.

تهفو قُوَى الحلم وغضباتُه

تأوِي إلى مستحصِفاتٍ شِدادْ

The powers of forbearance falter, while his outbursts

retreat to firm and mighty defenses.

أرهفَ من آرائه ذُبَّلاً

ترودُ للطعن أمامَ الطرادْ

He sharpened slender spears from his judgments,

scouting for thrusts ahead of the charge.

وقاد للأَعداء رقَّاصةً

تعزِفُ لولا يدهُ أن تُقادْ

Against the enemies he led prancing steeds

that, but for his hand, would refuse to be led.

معرِّقاتٍ كان أُماتُها

ربائطاً ما بين أبياتِ عادْ

Deep-rooted in lineage, their dams were

tethered steeds among the tents of 'Ad.

يشكُمُها إن خلعتْ لُجمْهَا

ما جرَّ من فضلِ ناصي الأعادْ

He bridles them, if they cast off their bits,

with the spare enemy forelocks he has dragged away.

خضَّبها الطعنُ بماء الطُّلَى

فشُبْهبهُا في شَعَراتِ الوِرادْ

Thrusting dyed them with the fluid of throats,

so compare them with the coats of bay horses.

يحالفُ الصبرَ عليها فتىً

ما بدأَ الكرَّة إلا أعادْ

Upon them a young man makes a pact with endurance,

never beginning a charge without repeating it.

يبذُلُ في حفظ العلا مهجةً

تكبُرُ أن تَفديِهَا نفسُ فادْ

To preserve glory he offers a life's blood

too noble for any ransomer's life to redeem.

يَرَى طلابَ العزّ أو بَردَهُ

في حرّ ما يَشرَبُ يومَ الجِلادْ

He sees the pursuit of honor—or its cool relief—

in the heat of what he drinks on the day of combat.

شجاعةٌ سبَّبها جودُه

إن الفتى يشجعُ من حيث جادْ

A courage born of his generosity:

a young man's courage springs from what he gives.

يا راكبَ الدهماء لم يُحفِها

سَيْرٌ ولا حنَّتْ لتغريدِ حادْ

O rider of the black one, it has not been worn down

by travel, nor yearned for a camel-driver's song.

حدَّدها الطالي فما عابها

على بياضِ الجسم لُبْسُ الحِدادْ

The coater clothed it in mourning; it was not marred

by black mourning garb upon its white body.

لا تلتوي من ظمأ والثرى

مُكْدٍ وأكبادُ المطايا صَوادْ

It does not writhe from thirst, though the soil

yields no water and the mounts' livers are parched.

يَحفِزها من مثله سائقٌ

يَضِلُّ خِرّيتُ الفلا وهو هادْ

A driver of his own kind urges it onward;

the expert desert-guide loses his way, while he guides.

راكبُها وهو على ظهرها

موطَّأَ الجنبِ قليلُ السهادْ

Its rider, while upon its back,

has his side cushioned and little sleeplessness.

يَكرعُ في صافٍ قليلِ القذى

عدبٍ ورعَى أبداص بطنَ وادْ

He drinks deeply from clear water with little debris,

sweet, and grazed [unclear wording] on a valley floor.

بلّغ بلغتَ الخيرَ خيرَ امرىء

شُدَّتْ عليه حَبَوات البوادْ

Convey this—may you attain good—to the best of men

upon whom the desert folk's knee-wraps were bound.

قل للوزير اعترقَتْ بعدكم

عظمي نيوبُ الأزَماتِ الحِدادْ

Tell the minister: after you, they gnawed bare

my bone—the sharp fangs of adversity.

وارتجع البخلُ وأبناؤه

ما أَسارتْ عندِيَ كفُّ الجوادْ

Miserliness and its sons reclaimed

what the generous hand had left with me.

غاض الندَى بعدك يا بحرَهُ

وبانَ مذ بِنتَ بفضلِ السّدادْ

Generosity ebbed after you, O its sea,

and departed, since you departed, with the bounty of sound judgment.

واغبرّ جوٌّ كنتَ خضَّرتَهُ

فشَمطتْ فيه الرُّبَا والوِهادْ

A landscape you had made green grew dust-gray,

its hills and hollows turning gray-haired.

دِينٌ من العدل عفا رسمُه

شَرَعَتهُ للناس بعدَ ارتدادْ

A creed of justice whose traces had faded,

you ordained for the people after their turning away.

وسُنّةٌ في المجد قد قُوّضتْ

أقمتَ من أطنابها والعمادْ

A tradition of glory that had been dismantled,

you raised its tent-ropes and supporting pole.

ومهملٌ من كلمٍ نادرٍ

نفَّقَهُ مدحُك بعدَ الكسادْ

And neglected, rare speech—

praise of you gave it currency after stagnation.

عاد يُوَفَّى أجرَهُ كاملاً

عندك حيّاً قبلَ يومِ المَعادْ

It returned, receiving its reward in full

with you, alive before the Day of Return.

عَرَفْتَهُ والناسُ مِن حاسدٍ

أو جاهلٍ بالقولِ والإنتقادْ

You knew its worth; people were either envious

or ignorant of speech and criticism.

أوحشتَ بالبعد فلا أُوحِشتْ

منك مغاني الكرم المستفادْ

Your distance brought desolation; may they never be emptied

of you—the dwellings of generosity received from you.

وشُلَّ سَرْحُ الأمر من قبضة ال

راعي فأمسَى هَجمةً لا تذادْ

The grazing herd of affairs was driven from the grasp of the

shepherd, becoming a large herd no one drives back.

معطَّلَ المجلسِ والمنبرِ ال

مركوبِ عاري السرجِ رخوَ البِدادْ

Its council chamber and pulpit deserted, the

mount bare-saddled, its saddle-pads slack.

تعلَّقَ الممسكُ أطرافَه

منه برُسغَيْ قاطع لا يصادْ

The one grasping its ends has clung

to the two pasterns of a bolter that cannot be caught.

كأنما صاحَ غرابُ النوى

بدادِ فيه بعدَ جمعٍ بدادْ

As though the raven of separation cried

'Scatter!' within it, after union: 'Scatter!'

قد أسِفَ الرأسُ على تاجه

وأنكرَ العاتقُ فقْدَ النّجادْ

The head has grieved for its crown,

and the shoulder resents losing its sword-belt.

ووَجْهُ بغدادَ على حسنه

أسفعُ مكسوفٌ عليه اربدادْ

Baghdad's face, for all its beauty,

is dusky, eclipsed, covered in ashen gloom.

كانت حريماً بك ممنوعةَ ال

ظهر فعادت وهي دارُ الجهادْ

Through you she was a sanctuary, her

back protected; now she is a place of warfare.

في كلّ بيتٍ من أذىً عَوْلةٌ

تُبْدَا ومن خوفٍ أنينٌ يُعادْ

In every house a wail of hurt

is raised, and a groan of fear repeated.

وكيف لا يُنكَرُ عهدُ الحمى

يفوتُه العامُ بصوبِ العِهادْ

How could the sanctuary's old aspect not become unfamiliar

when the year passes without its showers of renewing rain?

يا مبدىء الإحسان فينا أعدْ

فالبدر إن مرّ مع الشهر عادْ

O you who began doing good among us, renew it:

the full moon, though it passes with the month, returns.

قم فأثْرِها عزمةً لم تنمْ

ضُعفاً ولم تنقُصْ لغير ازديادْ

Rise and rouse it—a resolve that has not slept

from weakness, nor diminished except to grow.

عاجلْ بها جَدْعَ أنوفٍ طغتْ

وأرؤسٍ قد أينعتْ للحَصادْ

Hasten with it to cut off noses grown arrogant

and heads already ripened for harvest.

يحسبها الأعداء قد أُخمِدتْ

وإنما جمرُك تحتَ الرَّمادْ

The enemies think it has been extinguished,

but your embers lie beneath the ashes.

لا تأخذِ الدهرَ بزلاَّتهِ

وسَعْهُ بالعفو وبالإعتمادْ

Do not hold Time to account for its slips;

embrace it with pardon and trust.

ولا تُكشِّفْ عن صدورٍ خبتْ

أضغانُها من قاتلٍ أو مُضادْ

Nor lay bare breasts in which have died down

the grudges of a killer or an adversary.

فكلّما تُبصره صالحاً

فإنما يصلحُ بعد الفسادْ

For whatever you see sound

becomes sound only after corruption.

أنا الذي ردّ زماني يدي

من بعد شدِّي بكم واعتضادْ

I am the one whose time turned back my hand

after I had strengthened myself through you and found support.

وطمِعتْ فيّ ذئابُ العدا

حتى حلا مضغٌ لها وازدرادْ

The wolves of enmity coveted me,

until chewing and swallowing me seemed sweet to them.

وفُتَّ في حالي وفي عيشتي

بطلبي ظِلَّكُمُ وافتقادْ

I was crushed in my circumstances and my livelihood

by seeking your shade and missing it.

لا نَسِيَ اللّهُ لكم والعلا

ما زدتُمُ في عُدّتي أو عَتادْ

May God and glory never forget, in your favor,

what you added to my resources or equipment,

ونعمة أثقلتُمُ كاهلي

بحملها وهي يدٌ من أَيادْ

and a favor with which you burdened my shoulders

by its weight—one helping hand among many.

كم ناخسٍ ظهري على شكركم

وحاسدٍ في مدحكم أو مُعادْ

How many prod my back for thanking you,

and envy or oppose me for praising you!

ومنكِرٍ حفظي لكم يرتمي

مَقاتلي من خطأٍ واعتمادْ

How many deny my loyalty to you, aiming at

my mortal spots, by error or deliberate intent!

وليس للخابطِ إلا العَشَا

مِنّي وللخارطِ إلا القَتادْ

The blundering striker finds in me only night-blindness,

and the branch-stripper only the thorny qatad shrub.

وناشطاتٍ أبداً نحوكم

من عُقَلِ الفِكر ليانِ المَقادْ

And lively ones, always bounding toward you,

from thought's tethers, gentle to the rein,

سوافر عن غُرَرٍ وُضَّح

ينصَعُ منهنّ سوادُ المِدادْ

unveil bright white blazes,

their black ink gleaming clear.

يَخلِطنَ فرضَ الحقّ في مدحكم

بخالص الحبِّ وصفوِ الودادْ

They mingle the duty owed in praising you

with pure love and clear affection,

حافظة فيكم عهودَ الندَى

حفظَ الرُّبَا عهدَ السواري الغوادْ

preserving with you the covenants of generosity

as hills keep faith with the rains of night and dawn.

وقلّما يرعى أياديكُمُ

في القرب مَنْ لم يَرْعَها في البعادْ

And rarely does one honor your favors

nearby who has not honored them at a distance.