طرقت على خطر السرى المركوب — Mihyar Al Daylami

طَرقتْ على خطرَ السُّرى المركوبِ

والليلُ بين شَبيبةٍ ومَشيبِ

She came by night, braving the peril of night travel,

while night stood between youth and gray age.

وعلى الرحائل ساجدون دَحَأ بهم

سُكْرانِ سُكْرُ هوىً وسُكْرُ لُغوبِ

Upon the saddles men bowed, pressed down

by two intoxications: love and weariness.

دعَموا الخدودَ بأذرعٍ مضعوفةٍ

وتواقعوا لمناكبٍ وجُنوبِ

They propped their cheeks on folded arms

and slumped upon shoulders and sides.

وتعلَّلوا طرَباً إلى أوطانهم

بحنين كلِّ مندَّب مجلوبِ

They soothed their longing for their homelands

with the yearning cry of every scarred beast brought from afar.

فكأنَّ صَحْبي نافحتهم قَرقفٌ

أو فزَّ بينهُمُ عِيابُ الطِّيبِ

My companions seemed breathed upon by strong wine,

or as if perfume-caskets had burst among them.

فعجبتُ للزَّورِ القريبِ دنا به

قَدرٌ وليس مَزارهُ بقريبِ

I marveled at the nearby visitor, brought close

by fate, though its dwelling was not near.

يَسرِي وحيداً بالعراق وأهلهُ

ما بين قُنَّةِ لَعلَعٍ وعَسيبِ

It travels alone by night through Iraq, while its people dwell

between the summit of Laʿlaʿ and ʿAsib.

وأبي سَلامةَ إنما جَلبَ الكرى

منها عدوّاً في ثيابِ حبيبِ

By Salama's father, sleep has only brought

from her an enemy in a beloved's clothes.

لو حُكِّمتْ يقظَى لما زارت بلا

عِدَةٍ ولا وصلتْ بغيرِ رقيبِ

Had she her choice when awake, she would not visit without

an appointment, nor grant union without a chaperone.

يا أخت فِهرٍ والمحبة بيننا

نسبٌ وإن ناداكِ غيرُ نسيبِ

O sister of Fihr, love between us

is kinship, though no kinsman calls to you.

لولاك لم أشِمِ الخِلابَ ولا صبتْ

نفسي لأحلامِ الكرى المكذوبِ

But for you, I would not watch false lightning, nor would

my soul yearn for the lying dreams of sleep.

ولكان لي مندوحةٌ بالحَزْنِ في

أخويك من رشأٍ له وقضيبِ

I would have an escape in the rugged uplands, in

your two brothers there: a gazelle-fawn and a bough.

ناهضتُ حبَّك والنحولُ يخونني

وكتمتُ سرّك والدموعُ تَشِي بي

I grappled with your love while wasting betrayed me,

and hid your secret while tears told tales against me.

وحَملتُ حتى قيلَ مات إباؤه

وجزعتُ حتى قيلَ غير لبيبِ

I endured until they said, 'His pride is dead,'

and despaired until they said, 'He has no sense.'

فإذا وذلك ليس عندكِ نافعاً

لما مِللتِ وقلَّ منك نصيبي

And behold, all that avails me nothing with you,

since you grew weary and my share of you diminished.

تتجرّمين الذنب تجزيني به

والشيبُ والإقلالُ كلُّ ذنوبي

You impute a sin to me and punish me for it,

though gray hair and poverty are all my sins.

ثِنتان لو خُيِّرتُ في كلتيهما

عُمَر الربا مالي وعَمْر مَشيبي

Two things—if I could choose concerning both:

[Unclear wording: the hills' lifetimes for my wealth, and the span of my gray hair.]

ولقد حَبستُ عن اللئامِ مَطامعي

وأطلتُ في دار الهوان مَغيبي

I have withheld my hopes from the base

and long remained withdrawn in humiliation's house.

وعزفتُ والأرزاقُ مطمحُ ناظري

أَنِفاً من المتمنَّنِ الموهوبِ

I turned away, though livelihood drew my gaze,

disdaining gifts held over me as favors.

مالي أذلُّ وسيف نصري في فمي

والصونُ بين مآزري وجيوبي

Why should I abase myself, the sword of my victory in my mouth,

and chastity within my waist-wraps and breast-folds?

وعليّ دون الحاسدين ونَبلِهم

دِرعان من فني ومن تجريبي

Against the envious and their arrows I wear

two coats of mail: my art and my experience.

وحمايةُ الأحرارِ تحفظُ جانبي

والفضلُ يمنع سارحي وعزيبي

The protection of freeborn men guards my flank,

and excellence protects my grazing and far-straying herds.

وإذا فزعتُ لجأتُ من أَسدٍ إلى

أسدٍ تأشَّبَ في القنا المخضوبِ

When afraid, I seek refuge from one lion with

another, in a thicket of blood-dyed spears.

ونزلتُ في غُرفِ العلا متظلّلاً

بالعزّ تحت رواقها المضروبِ

I lodged in the chambers of high honor, sheltered

by glory beneath its pitched pavilion.

وعلِقتُ منها ذمَّةً ومودّةً

أن فات حمّادٌ بحبلِ شبيبِ

I secured its protection and affection,

Hammad lost to me, through Shabib's bond:

الماجد ابن الماجدين وربما

تجدُ النجيبَ وليس بابن نجيبِ

the noble son of noble men—though sometimes

you find a noble man who is no noble's son.

وابن القِرى وابن الصوارم والقنا

والخيلُ تَخلِط أرجلاً بسبيبِ

Son of hospitality, son of sharp swords and spears,

while horses mingle legs with streaming hair;

والواهبي ما لا يُجاد بمثلِه

والسالبي ما ليس بالمسلوبِ

and of givers whose gifts have no equal,

and takers of what cannot be taken;

والراكبين إلى ذوي حاجاتِهم

ظَهراً من الأخطار غير رَكوبِ

and riders toward those who can fulfill their needs,

astride perils no one dares to ride.

جادوا فقال المالُ سُحْبُ مَواهبٍ

وسَطوْا فقال الموتُ أُسدُ حروبِ

They gave; wealth said, 'Rainclouds of gifts!'

They struck; death said, 'Lions of war!'

وتتابعوا في المجد ينتظمونه

والرمحُ أُنبوبٌ على أنبوبِ

They succeeded one another, linking their glory,

as a spear is section joined to section.

كانوا الأسنةَ في مَعَدٍّ كلِّها

والناسُ بين مَعاقِدٍ وكُعوبِ

They were the spearheads of all Maʿadd,

while other men were joints and nodes.

إن فوخروا شهِدت لهم أيّامهم

فيها بكلِّ معلَّم مكتوبِ

If challenged to boast, their days bore witness for them,

with every marked distinction inscribed within them.

يتوارثون مَارماً مُضَريَّةً

إرثَ النّبوةِ في بني يعقوبِ

They inherit noble deeds of Mudar,

as prophethood passed among the sons of Jacob.

دَرَجوا عليها آخذين بحكمها

لم يُفسدوا حسناتها بعيوبِ

They followed those virtues, abiding by their rule,

never spoiling their beauties with faults.

وجرى أبو الحملاتِ يطلبُ شأوَهم

أكرِمْ به من لاحقٍ وطلوبِ

Abu al-Hamalat raced to reach their farthest mark—

how noble an overtaker and tireless pursuer!

قالوا الهمامُ فأفرجَتْ أبطالُهم

لك عن طريق الضيغمِ المرهوبِ

They said, 'The dauntless one!' Their champions cleared

for you the path of the dreaded lion.

لقبٌ يصدّق فيك معناه اسمَه

ومن الرجالِ مُمَّوةُ التلقيبِ

A title whose meaning in you confirms its name,

while some men are merely gilded with titles.

لك يا شبيبُ صباحَها ورواحَها

عَقُر الكماةِ بها وعَقرُ النيبِ

Yours, O Shabib, at its morning and evening,

are the felling of warriors there and the slaughter of old she-camels.

وعلى سلاحك أو سماحك أُركِزتْ

راياتُها بِفنائها المطلوبِ

Upon your weapons or your bounty were planted

its banners in its sought-out courtyard.

أصبحتَ غرَّةَ مجدها فبياضهُ

مستخرَجٌ من لونك الغِربيبِ

You became the white blaze of its glory; that whiteness

is drawn from your raven-black complexion.

وعلامةُ العربيّ دُهمةُ وجهه

ومن الوجوه البِيض غيرُ حسيب

The mark of the Arab is the darkness of his face;

among white faces are those of no noble lineage.

والبدرُ أشرفُ طالِعٍ في أفقه

وبياضُه المرموقُ فوق شُحوبِ

The full moon is the noblest light rising on its horizon,

its admired whiteness resting upon pallor.

للّه بيتُك أمنُهُ وجِفانُهُ

والحق بين مَخافةٍ وجُدوبِ

How wondrous, by God, your house, its safety and its bowls,

while truth lies between fear and drought!

ومَكرَّماتُ النسلِ تُهوِن في القِرى

بالمصطفى منها وبالمجنوبِ

Your noble-bred camels you hold cheap for hospitality,

both the choicest among them and those set aside.

وإذا الوَوقدُ خَبَا جعلتَ لحومَها

حطباً لنارِ الطارق المجلوبِ

When the fire dies down, you make their flesh

fuel for the fire of the night-guest drawn to you.

من كلِّ مُشرِفةٍ تحدّث هامةً

ورديفةٍ عن صخرةٍ وعسيبِ

From every towering she-camel, speaking through her head

and hindquarters of a boulder and a palm-stalk.

الكُور في وضح الصباحِ لظهرِها

والسيفُ في الظلماءِ للعُرقوبِ

The camel-saddle is for her back in bright morning;

the sword, for her hock in the dark.

حُدّثتُ والخبرُ الجليُّ مصدَّقٌ

عن سيبك المتدفِّقِ المسكوبِ

I have been told—and clear reports are believed—

of your bounty, streaming and poured forth,

وشمائلٍ لك في الندَى مطبوعةٍ

كالتبر ليس صفاؤه بمشوبِ

and traits of generosity innate in you,

like raw gold, its purity untainted.

وبما عَرفتَ فضائلي ووصفْتَها

ورغِبتَ في ودّي وفي تقريبي

And because you recognized my merits and described them,

and desired my affection and to draw me near,

فاستاق منك غريبَ أشعاري إلى

متوحِّدٍ في المكرماتِ غريبِ

what came from you drove my rare poems toward

one unique in noble deeds, unmatched.

فبعثتُها لك فاتحاً ما بيننا

بابَ الوصال ونُهزةَ الترغيبِ

I sent them to you, opening between us

the door of fellowship and an occasion for encouragement:

من كلِّ ساريةٍ بذكرك صيتُها

في الأرض بين فدافدٍ وسُهوبِ

each a night-traveling ode, its fame bearing your name

across the earth, through wastelands and plains.

تزدادُ صبراً في الزمان وقوّةً

أبداً على الإدلاج والتأويبِ

It grows in endurance and strength with time,

ever more fit for night journeys and daytime travel.

وهي التي شَجَتِ الملوكَ وخودِعوا

منها عن المنفوس والمرغوب

It is this that stirred kings, who were beguiled

by it out of what they prized and craved.

فاستقربوها مغَرمِينَ بها وما

تزدادُ غير تمنُّعٍ ونُكوبِ

They drew it close, enamored of it, yet it

grew only more aloof and turned away.

وتفرّدتْ في ذا الزمانِ بمعجزٍ

لم تُؤتَ من ردٍّ ومن تكذيبِ

It stands alone in this age with a marvel,

untouched by rejection or denial.

فاعرف لها حقَّ الزيارة بغتةً

وتلقَّها بالأهلِ والترحيبِ

Acknowledge its due for this unexpected visit,

and receive it with welcome and warmth.

وأكرِمْ عليها تجتلبْ أخواتِها

إن الصلاةَ تتمُّ بالتعقيبِ

Be generous to it, and you will draw its sisters:

prayer is completed by the devotions that follow.

طلبتك تأملُ أن تنالَ بك الغنى

فلئن وَفيْتَ لها فغيرُ عجيبِ

It sought you, hoping to gain wealth through you;

if you keep faith with it, that is no wonder.