سلوا لي نجوم الليل فورا بلا إبطا — Mufti Fathallah

سَلوا لي نُجومَ اللّيلِ فَوراً بِلا إِبطا

أَمِنهُنَّ ذات الشّنفِ قَد أَخَذَت قرطا

Ask the stars of night for me at once, without delay:

Has the woman with the ear-pendant taken an earring from them?

وَهَل نَظَمت مِنهنَّ عقداً لِنَحرها

وَهَل أخَذَت مِنها لَهُ الدرّ وَالسّمطا

And has she strung from them a necklace for her throat?

And has she taken from them its pearls and jeweled strand?

وَلا غَرو أَنّ الشّمسَ تَأخذُ أَنجماً

فَتَجعَلُها قرطاً تَجرُّ بِهِ المِرطا

It is no wonder that the sun takes stars,

Then makes them an earring, trailing her mantle with it.

وَتَجعَل مِنها العقدَ حِليَة نَحرِها

وَتَجعَلُ فيهِ البدرَ دُرّتَه الوسطى

And makes their necklace the ornament of her throat,

And sets the full moon in it as its central pearl.

مَليكَة حُسنٍ بِالكَواكِبِ تُوِّجت

مِنَ الدّرِّ وَالياقوتِ وَاِتَّشَحت إِبطا

A queen of beauty, crowned with stars

Of pearl and ruby, wearing a sash beneath her arm.

رَداح أَراد الحُسن يَختَطّ بَيتهُ

فَصَوَّر مِنها الجِسمَ وَاِختَارَ وَاِختطّا

Full-hipped—Beauty wished to lay out its dwelling,

So it fashioned her body, made its choice, and drew its plan.

وَصَوَّر وَردَ الخدِّ نوناً بديعةً

وَنَقَّطَها بِالمسكِ مِن فَوقِها نقطا

And shaped the rose of her cheek into a wondrous nūn,

And dotted it with musk, placing dots above it.

وَصيَّرَ مِنها الصّدغَ واواً متمتماً

وَجَوَّدهُ حُسناً وَأَبدَعَهُ خطَّا

And fashioned her temple-lock into a stammering wāw,

And perfected its beauty and made it exquisite in script.

وَجَبهتُها كالشّمسِ مِنها وقايةً

لِأَعيُنِها حسناً حواجبَها خطّا

Her forehead is like the sun; as a shield against it,

It drew her eyebrows beautifully for her eyes.

بَديعَة حسنٍ فاقَتِ الشّمسَ في الضّحى

فَمَن قاسَها بِالشّمسِ زَلَّ وَقَد أَخطا

A marvel of beauty, she surpassed the sun at forenoon;

Whoever compared her to the sun slipped and erred.

تَشَعشَع ضَوء الحُسن فَوقَ جَبينِها

فَأَخفى ضِياء الشّمسِ حَيثُ لَهُ غطّى

The light of beauty radiated above her forehead,

And concealed the sun's radiance, veiling it.

وَحَوراء لَو قَد أَرسَلَتْ سحرَ لَحظِها

لَعادَ بِعَقلِ النّاسِ طرّاً وَما أَبطا

Dark-eyed—if she sent forth the magic of her glance,

It would carry off everyone's reason, without delay.

وَهاروت لَم تَنبع لِسِحرِ عُيونِهِ

وَذي عَينها لِلسّحرِ تنبطهُ نَبطا

Hārūt's eyes did not well up with magic,

Yet this woman's eye brings sorcery welling forth.

وَلَمياء مِن ماءِ الحَياةِ بِثَغرِها

إِذا ذقتَ ذقتَ الشّهدَ أَو ذقتَ اِسفنطا

And dark-lipped, with the water of life in her mouth—

If you taste it, you taste honey, or taste spiced wine.

رَأَيت بِخَدَّيها بِعيني سَوالِفا

عَرَفت بِها الدّيجورَ وَالشعرَ السبطا

I saw with my own eyes side-locks upon her cheeks,

Through which I recognized darkest night and sleek, straight hair.

مَهاةٌ كَغُصنِ البانِ بِالدلّ تَنثَني

عَلى قَدِّها الأَغصانُ تَغبِطُها غَبطا

An oryx, she bends coquettishly like a branch of the bān tree;

The branches deeply envy her for her stature.

تَصيدُ أُسودَ الغابِ وَهيَ غَزالَةٌ

فَتِلكَ مِنَ الآسادِ إِنْ لو سَطت أَسطى

She hunts the lions of the forest, though she is a gazelle;

Were she to attack, she would strike more fiercely than lions.

ثَقيلَة دعصِ الرِّدف مَهضومة الحَشا

وَرقةُ حَجمِ الخصرِ مِن حُسنِها المُعطى

Heavy with the sand-dune of her hips, slender of belly,

The slenderness of her waist is among her bestowed charms.

وَخِلخالُها الرنّانُ أَمّا سِوارُها

فَأخرس لَم يَنطِق بِحَرفٍ وَلَو كالطا

Her anklet rings; as for her bracelet,

It is mute, uttering not a letter, even one like ṭāʾ.

أَهيمُ بِها مَسلوبَ عَقلٍ مِنَ الجَوى

وَأولَع إِنْ يَدنو المَزارُ وَإنْ شطّا

I am mad with love for her, robbed of reason by anguish,

And am enthralled whether the meeting-place is near or far.

وَأَصبو إِلَيها بِالغرامِ صَبابَةً

وَفيها نَسيتُ الدّارَ وَالأَهلَ وَالرّهطا

And yearn toward her with passion and longing;

For her I have forgotten home, family, and clan.

وَمِنّيَ فيها القلب جارِحَة الهَوى

لَهُ أَخَذَت بِالكفِّ تَضغطهُ ضَغطا

And my heart, the organ of my love for her,

She has seized in her palm and squeezes hard.

أَقولُ لَها خَلّي عَذولي فَإِنَّه

وَإِن كانَ ذا لينٍ غَدا الحيَّةَ الرّقطا

I tell her: Leave my reproacher alone, for he,

Though once gentle, has become a speckled serpent.

يُعَنّفُني بِالعذلِ وَاللّومِ ناصِحاً

يُريدُ بِهِ جَهلاً لِوَجدي بها حبطا

He rebukes me with reproach and blame, offering counsel,

Seeking, in ignorance, thereby to ruin my passion for her.

وَإِنّي طَلَبت الوَصلَ مِنها بِنَظرة

فَقالَت بِشرطٍ إنْ قبلتَ به تُعطى

And I sought union from her with a glance.

She said: On a condition—if you accept it, it shall be granted.

فَقُلتُ لَها ما الشّرطُ أَومَت بِقتلتي

فَقلتُ لَها إِنّي اِمرُؤٌ قَبِلَ الشرطا

I asked her: What condition? She signaled my killing.

I told her: I am a man who accepts the condition.

فَقَتلِي بَعدَ الوَصلِ مِنك شَهادةٌ

يَجِلُّ على مَوتي بِأَيدي النّوى شَحطا

For my slaying after union with you is martyrdom,

Nobler than my dying far away at the hands of separation.

وَإِنّ المَعالي لِلأُمورِ حَميدة

وَلَم يَحمدوا مِنها وَضيعاً وَمُنحَطَّا

And noble pursuits are praiseworthy in all affairs;

Nor have they praised anything base or debased among them.

وَمِنها وَأَعلاها اِمتِداحُ أَخي العُلى

عَليّ الذّرى مَنْ عَن عُلاه السّهى اِنحطّا

Among them, the highest is praising the brother of eminence,

Lofty of summit, below whose height al-Suhā has fallen.

خَدين النّدى بَحر المَكارِمِ وَالسّخا

وَمخجلُ هَطّالِ السّحابِ إِذا أَنطى

A companion of bounty, a sea of noble virtues and generosity,

And one who shames the pouring clouds when he gives.

تَفيضُ بِسَحِّ البذلِ مِنهُ يمينهُ

وَما سَئِمَت في الدّهرِ بَذلاً ولا إِعطا

His right hand overflows with a downpour of giving,

And has never wearied throughout time of giving or granting.

أَبو المَجدِ نَجم العزِّ شَمس ذَوي العُلى

وَبَدر المَعالي لا اِرتِيابَ وَلا عَبطا

Father of glory, star of honor, sun of those of high station,

And full moon of noble heights—without doubt or groundless assertion.

تَسامَت بِهِ تَهتَزُّ تيهاً وَمفخراً

وَقَلَّدها بِالفخرِ في نَحرِها لطّا

Through him, noble eminence rose, swaying in pride and glory,

And he adorned her throat with a necklace of honor.

هوَ السيِّدُ الشّهم الّذي مَن لَهُ أَلتَجي

عَلا قَدرهُ في النّاسِ طرّاً وما حطّا

He is the gallant lord to whom I turn for refuge,

His rank has risen among all people and has not fallen.

لَهُ الهمَّةُ العَلياءُ وَهوَ همامُها

بِعَزمٍ كمَاضي السّيفِ لِلصّخرِ قَد قطّا

His is the highest aspiration, and he is its valiant champion,

With resolve like a keen sword that has cleft rock.

هُوَ الآمِرُ النّاهي فَحاذِرْ خِلافَهُ

مُخالفه مَولاهُ يُلبِسهُ سُخطا

He commands and forbids, so beware of opposing him:

His Lord clothes whoever opposes him in wrath.

يَميلُ إِلى عالي الأُمورِ بِجدّهِ

وَعَن دونِها وَاللَّهِ قَد حادَ وَاِشتَطّا

He earnestly inclines toward the highest affairs,

And, by God, has turned away and gone far from lesser things.

وَفِيٌّ وفاه كادَ يَسبقُ وَعدهُ

وَيَسبقُ مَرّ البرقِ لَو أَنّه أَبطا

Faithful, his fulfillment almost precedes his promise,

And outstrips lightning's passage, even if he delays.

ذَكِيٌّ قَوِيُّ الرّأيِ وَهوَ سَديدهُ

فَلَست تَرى في رَأيِهِ الضّعفَ وَالوبطا

Intelligent, strong in judgment, and sound in it,

You see no weakness or feebleness in his judgment.

فَصيح بَليغ إِن تَكَلَّم لافظاً

فَبادِرْ لأَخذِ الدّرِّ ثمَّ اِلتَقِط لَقطا

Articulate and eloquent, whenever he utters words,

Hasten to gather the pearls, then pick them up one by one.

تَرى حِكَماً تَحلو وَتَبدو بَليغةً

فَتَجَعلها الآذانُ مِن حُسنِها قرطا

You find maxims, sweet and eloquent,

So ears make earrings of them for their beauty.

خَدين الهُدى وَاِبنِ المَكارِمِ وَالتّقى

وَسِبط أَجلّ الرَّجلِ أَكرِمْ سبطا

A companion of guidance, a son of noble virtues and piety,

And grandson of the most illustrious man—what a noble grandson!

وَشَيخ ذَوي العِرفانِ بَحر مَعارِفٍ

فَلَست تَرى حَدّاً لَهُ لا ولا شطّا

Master of those with spiritual knowledge, a sea of insights,

You see no limit to him—no, nor any shore.

غَدا مَهبِطَ الأَسرارِ إِذ كانَ أَهلها

إِلَيهِ بِعلمِ اللَّهِ قَد هُبِطت هَبطا

He became the place where secrets descend, since he was worthy of them;

To him, with God's knowledge, they were sent down.

بِآبائِهِ الغُرّ الأَكارمِ يُستقى

إِذا أَمحَل البلدان وَاِشتَكَتِ القَحطا

Through his radiant, noble forefathers rain is sought,

When the lands grow barren and complain of drought.

حَفيد إِمامِ الأَولياءِ وَقُطبهمْ

عَليهم لَهُ الرّحمن سلطنةً أعطى

Grandson of the imam of saints and their Pole,

To whom the Merciful gave dominion over them.

هُوَ القطب عَبد القادر العارفُ الّذي

لَه وَهوَ في كيلان قَد عَنت الأقَطا

He is the Pole, ʿAbd al-Qādir, the knower,

To whom the Poles bowed while he was in Kīlān.

فَيا أَيّها المَولى إِلَيكَ خَريدة

بِمَدحك مِن فَخر بِه جَرّت المِرطا

O lord, here is a maiden for you,

Who trails her mantle in pride at praising you.

وَليدَة فِكرٍ فيهِ أَشهر حَمْلِها

قَدِ اِستكملت قَطعاً فَلم تَكن السقطا

A daughter of thought, in which the months of her gestation

Were surely completed; she was no miscarried child.

بَديعة قَدٍّ لا طَويل مُمعَّط

وَلَيسَ قَصيراً بَل هيَ الربعةُ الوُسطى

Graceful in stature, not tall and overlong,

Nor short, but of a middling, balanced height.

إِلَيكَ أَنتَ غرّاء بكراً نَظيمة

وموزونة بالقِسط أحسِنْ به قِسطا

For you yourself: a radiant virgin poem,

Metered in just measure—how fine a measure it is!

مُعَطّرة في مِسكِ مَدحِك ذي الشّذى

فَفي نَفحِها قَد فاقَتِ المسك والقُسطا

Perfumed in the fragrant musk of your praise,

Her fragrance surpasses musk and costus.

تَرومُ اِلتِثامَ الكفِّ راحتك الّتي

هِيَ الرّكن فيها بنصر القَبض وَالبسطا

She seeks to kiss the hand—your palm, which

Is her pillar; in it is the ring finger of grasp and release.

فَخُذ بِها بِلا أَمرٍ وَجد بِقبولها

وَلا بِدعَ أَن تحبى القبول وَأَن تنطى

So receive her—no command intended—and graciously accept her.

Nor is it strange that she be granted acceptance and gifts.

وَدُم في أَمانِ اللَّه ما قَلم وَشى

طروساً بِحُسنِ الوَشي ما قلم قُطّا

Remain in God's protection as long as a pen adorns

Sheets with fine tracery, as long as a pen is trimmed.

وَدُمتَ طَويل العُمرِ لا تعرف الرّدى

مَدى الدَّهرِ ما طيرٌ عَلى الأَرض قد حطّا

May you remain long-lived, knowing no death,

For all time, as long as a bird alights upon the earth,

وَما الفَتح مِن مَنظومِهِ قالَ مُنشداً

سَلوا لي نُجوم اللّيلِ فَوراً بلا إِبطا

And as long as al-Fath recites from his verse:

Ask the stars of night for me at once, without delay.