يا نسمة لأحاديث الحمى شرحت — Safi Al Din Al Hilli

يا نَسمَةً لِأَحاديثِ الحِمى شَرَحَت

كَم مِن صُدورٍ لِأَربابِ الهَوى شَرَحَت

O breeze that unfolded the tales of the sanctuary,

How many bosoms of love's devotees you eased!

بِلَيلَةِ البُردِ يُهدى لِلقُلوبِ بِها

بَردٌ فَكَم أَنعَشَت صَبّاً بِما نَفَحَت

Dew-damp of mantle, through you the hearts are given

Coolness—how many a lovesick soul you revived with your breath!

وَبارِقٍ كَسَقيطِ الزَندِ مُقتَدَحاً

لَهُ يَدٌ لِزِنادِ الشَوقِ قَد قَدَحَت

And a lightning flash, struck like falling sparks from a fire-stick,

With a hand that struck sparks from the fire-sticks of longing.

بَدا فَذَكَّرَني أَرضَ الصَراةِ وَقَد

تَكَلَّلَت بِالكَلا وَالشيحِ وَاِتَّشَحَت

It appeared and reminded me of the land of al-Sarat, which had

Crowned and girded itself with herbage and wormwood.

وَالريحُ نافِحَةٌ وَالسُحبُ سافِحَةٌ

وَالغُدرُ طافِحَةٌ وَالوُرقُ قَد صَدَحَت

The wind was wafting, the clouds pouring down,

The pools brimming, and the gray doves singing.

وَقَهوَةٍ كَوَميضِ البَرقِ صافِيَةٍ

كَأَنَّها مِن أَديمِ الشَمسِ قَد رَشَحَت

And a wine, clear as the flash of lightning,

As though it had seeped from the sun's skin.

عَذراءَ شَمطاءَ قَد خَفَّ النَشاطُ بِها

لَولا المِزاجُ إِلى نَدمانِها جَمَحَت

A gray-haired virgin, buoyed by lively spirits;

But for dilution, she would bolt toward her drinking companion.

رَقيقَةِ الجِرمِ يَستَخفي الزُجاجُ بِها

كَأَنَّها دونَ جِرمِ الكَأسِ قَد سَفَحَت

Fine of body, the glass is hidden within her,

As though she had been poured without the body of the cup.

تُبدي عَنِ الماءِ صَبراً كُلَّما تُرِكَت

غَضبى وَتُزبِدُ مِن غيظِ إِذا اِصطَلَحَت

She bears separation from water whenever she is left

Angry, yet foams with rage when reconciled with it.

باكَرتُها وَعُيونُ الشُهبِ قَد غَمِضَت

خَوفَ الصَباحِ وَعَينُ الشَمسِ قَد فُتِحَت

I sought her at dawn, while the eyes of the stars had closed

For fear of morning, and the eye of the sun had opened.

وَبَشَّرَت بِوَفاةِ اللَيلِ ساجِعَةٌ

كَأَنَّها في غَديرِ الصُبحِ قَد سَبَحَت

And a cooing dove heralded the death of night,

As though she had swum in the pool of dawn.

مَخضوبَةُ الكَفِّ لا تَنفَكُّ نائِجَةً

كَأَنَّ أَفراخَها في كَفِّها ذُبِحَت

With a dyed palm, she never ceases to lament,

As though her chicks had been slaughtered in her hand.

وَظَبيَةٍ مِن ظِباءِ التُركِ كانِسَةٍ

لَكِنَّها في رِياضِ القَلبِ قَد سَرَحَت

And a gazelle among the gazelles of the Turks, hiding in her covert,

Yet she had roamed through the gardens of the heart.

إِن جالَ ماءُ الحَيا في خَدِّها خَجِلَت

وَإِن تَرَدَّدَ في أَجفانِها اِتَّقَحَت

If the water of modesty coursed through her cheek, she blushed;

And if it moved to and fro in her eyelids, she grew brazen.

قَسَت عَلى صَبِّها قَلباً وَوَجنَتُها

لَو مَرَّ تَقبيلُها في الوَهمِ لِاِنجَرَحَت

She was hard of heart toward her lover, yet her cheek

Would be wounded if kissing it merely passed through the mind.

سَأَلتُها قُبلَةً وَالوَقتُ مُنفَسِحٌ

لَنا فَما رَخَّصَت فيها وَلا فَسَحَت

I asked her for a kiss, while time lay ample

Before us, but she neither permitted it nor gave leave.

وَخِلتُ أَعطافَها بِالعَطفِ تَمنَحُني

فَما نَحَت ذَلِكَ المَنحى وَلا مَنَحَت

And I thought her graceful sides would grant me tenderness;

Yet she neither inclined that way nor bestowed it.

كَم قَد عَصَيتُ اللَواحي في إِطاعَتِها

وَإِن أَلَحَّت عَلى عَذلي بِها وَلَحَت

How often I disobeyed the reproachers in obeying her,

Even though they persisted in blaming me for her and reproached me!

مَن لَيسَ يَخشى أُسودَ الغابِ إِن زَأَرَت

فَكَيفَ يَخشى كِلابَ الحَيِّ إِن نَبَحَت

Whoever does not fear the forest's lions when they roar,

How could he fear the quarter's dogs when they bark?

ما إِن أَخافُ مِنَ الأَيامِ فادِحَةً

إِذا يَدُ الدَهرِ في أَبنائِهِ فَدَحَت

I fear no crushing calamity from the days,

When Time's hand lays heavy burdens upon its children.

وَكَيفَ تُفسِدُ أَيدي الدَهرِ حالَ فَتىً

أُمورُهُ بِالمَليكِ الصالِحِ اِنصَلَحَت

And how could the hands of Time ruin the state of a youth

Whose affairs have been set right through King al-Salih?

الباسِمِ الثَغرِ وَالأَيّامُ عابِسَةٌ

وَالأَبلَجِ الوَجهِ وَالأَبطالُ قَد كَلَحَت

Smiling of mouth while the days are frowning,

And radiant of face while the champions scowl;

وَالشائِعِ الذِكرِ بِالمَعروفِ في زَمَنٍ

لَو كابَدَتهُ رِياحُ المِسكِ ما نَفَحَت

And whose renown for kindness spreads in an age

That, had musk's breezes endured it, they would yield no fragrance.

أَعَزُّ أَظهَرَ مِن راياتِ عَزمَتِهِ

آياتِ جودٍ لِآياتِ الكِرامِ مَحَت

Most mighty, he displayed from the banners of his resolve

Signs of bounty that effaced those of the generous.

أَخفى المُلوكَ تَجَلّيهِ لِأَنَّهُمُ

شُهبٌ إِذا بَزَغَت شَمسُ الضُحى نَزَحَت

His radiance eclipsed the kings, for they are

Stars that depart when the forenoon sun rises.

تَلوي يَداهُ صِفاحَ الهِندِ عَن غَضَبٍ

حَتّى إِذا ظَفِرَت عَن قُدرَةٍ صَفَحَت

His hands bend Indian blades in anger,

Until, once victorious, they pardon from a position of strength.

ما إِن تَزالُ مَقاليتاً خَزائِنُهُ

لِأَنَّها بِوَليدِ المالِ ما فَرِحَت

His treasuries remain mothers bereft of offspring,

For they have never rejoiced in money's newborn child.

لَولا فَنا المالِ لَم تُحمَد مَكارِمُهُ

وَالراحُ لَولا فَناءُ العَقلِ ما مُدِحَت

But for money's depletion, his noble deeds would not be praised,

And wine, but for reason's destruction, would not be lauded.

أَثنى عَلَيهِ بَنو الآمالِ حينَ غَدا

يُعطي القَرائِحَ مِنهُم فَوقَ ما اِقتَرَحَت

The sons of hope praised him when he came to

Give their creative minds more than they requested.

قالوا وَرَدنا نَداهُ قُلتُ عادَتُهُ

قالوا وَجادَت يَداهُ قُلتُ ما بَرِحَت

They said, 'We came to his bounty.' I said, 'His custom.'

They said, 'And his hands gave freely.' I said, 'They never ceased.'

لَو أَنَّ نَيلَ نُجومِ الأُفقِ حاجَتُكُم

أَو بَدرَها وَاِفتَتَحتُم بِاِسمِهِ نَجَحَت

If reaching the stars of the horizon were your wish,

Or its full moon—and you began in his name—your wish would succeed.

يا قائِدَ الخَيلِ تَنزو في أَعِنَّتِها

تَلوي الشَكائِمَ غَيظاً كُلَّما مَرَحَت

O leader of horses that leap against their reins,

Twisting their bits in rage whenever they gambol,

حَمرَ الأَديمِ صَقيلاتٍ مَلابِسُها

كَأَنَّها في دَمِ الأَبطالِ قَد سَبَحَت

Red of hide, their trappings gleaming,

As though they had swum in warriors' blood.

تَغدو غَضابى إِذا اِسوَدَّ العَجاجُ لَها

حَتّى إِذا شاهَدَت ضُحكَ الظُبى فَرَحَت

They go forth enraged when the dust darkens around them,

Until they see the laughter of sword-edges and rejoice.

يَحمِلنَ أُسداً إِلى الهَيجاءِ باسِمَةً

ثُغورُها وَوُجوهُ المَوتِ قَد كَلَحَت

They bear lions into battle, with smiles

On their mouths, while the faces of death scowl.

لا يَستَشيرونَ في الهَيجا سِوى قُضُبٍ

إِذا اِستُشيرَ بِها في مَعرَكٍ نَصَحَت

In battle they consult nothing but swords,

Which, when consulted on the battlefield, give true counsel.

خَفّوا إِلى الحَربِ أَقداماً وَلَو وُزِنَت

حُلومُهُم بِرَواسي أَرضِهِم رَجَحَت

They hastened light-footed to war; yet, if weighed,

Their judgment would outweigh their land's steadfast mountains.

غَضَّ الزَمانُ عُيونَ السَوءِ عَن مَلِكٍ

كُلُّ العُيونِ إِلى مَعروفِهِ طَمَحَت

Time averted the eyes of evil from a king

Toward whose kindness all eyes aspire.

مِن فِتيَةٍ بِحُمَيّا الشُكرِ قَد سَكِرَت

لِفَرطِ ما اِغتَبَقَت بِالمَدحِ وَاِصطَبَحَت

Among youths intoxicated by gratitude's fervor,

From drinking praise so profusely at dusk and dawn.

تَلقى العُفاةَ مِنَ المَعروفِ دارِعَةً

أَعراضُها بِنِصالِ الذَمِّ ما جُرِحَت

They meet petitioners armored in kindness;

Their honor remains unwounded by the blades of censure.

يُملي عَلَينا المَعاني حُسنُ أَنعُمِهِ

كَأَنَّما عَلَّمَتنا ما بِهِ مُدِحَت

The beauty of his favors dictates meanings to us,

As though they taught us the very words used to praise them.

يا مَن بِهِ خُتِمَت آيُ السَماحِ لَنا

كَما بِآياتِهِ مِن قَبلِهِ فُتِحَت

O you through whom the verses of generosity were completed for us,

As, before him, they had been opened through his signs.

لَولاكَ ما زالَ لَيلُ الخَطبِ مُعتَكِراً

عَلى الوَرى وَضُحى الإِنصافِ ما وَضَحَت

But for you, the night of calamity would have remained murky

Over mankind, and the forenoon of justice would not have shone.

تَتَبشِرُ الشَمسُ لَمّا لَقَبوكَ بِها

وَما دَرَت أَنَّها في ذَلِكَ اِفتَضَحَت

The sun rejoices when they give you her name,

Not knowing that in this she has been put to shame.

لَو أَنَّها جَمَعَت أَوصافَكَ اِتَّفَقَت

عَلى عِبادَتِها الأَديانُ وَاِصطَلَحَت

Had she gathered your qualities, there would be agreement

Among the faiths to worship her, and they would be reconciled.

وَلَيلِ نَقعٍ حَكَت شُهبُ الرِماحِ بِهِ

نُجومَ أُفقٍ إِلى جُنحِ الدُجى جَنَحَت

And a night of battle-dust, in which the stars of spears resembled

Stars on the horizon, leaning toward the wing of darkness.

قَدَحتَ فيهِ مِنَ الآراءِ نارَ وَغىً

فَأَحرَقَت فِئَةً في المُلكِ قَد قَدَحَت

Within it, from your counsels, you struck a fire of battle,

And it burned a faction that had impugned the kingship.

تَدَرَّعَت لِلوَغى حَتّى حَسَرتَ لَها

مُبارِزاً قَهقَرَت مِن بَعدِ ما جَمَحَت

They donned armor for battle, until you bared yourself before them

As a duelist; they retreated after running wild.

أَرخى الحِذارُ عَلى الأَرماحِ أَيديهِم

فَكُلَّما حاوَلوا طَعناً بِها سَبَحَت

Fear slackened their hands upon the spears,

So whenever they tried to thrust with them, the spears swam.

يا باذِلَ الخَيلِ عَفواً بَعدَ عِزَّتِها

وَما جَنَت في الوَغى ذَنباً وَلا اِجتَرَحَت

O you who freely bestow horses once so highly prized,

Though they had committed no sin in battle, nor any offense.

عِندي أَياديكَ لا تَخفى صَنائِعُها

هَل تَستُرُ الشَمسَ كَفٌّ بَعدَما وَضَحَت

Your favors rest with me; their good deeds cannot be hidden.

Can a palm conceal the sun once it has shone?

وَدَّعتُكُم وَثَنائي لا يُوَدِّعُكُم

وَسِرتُ لا بَعُدَت داري وَلا نَزَحَت

I bade you farewell, but my praise does not bid you farewell;

And I set forth—may my dwelling never grow distant or remote!

أَشدو بِمَدحِكُمُ حُبّاً وَبي مِحَنٌ

لَو أَنَّ أَيسَرَها بِالوُرقِ ما صَدَحَت

I sing your praise in love, while trials beset me;

Had the gray doves borne the least of them, they would not have sung.

ما إِن أَفوهُ بِشَرحٍ في المَقالِ لَها

لَكِنَّها بِلِسانِ الحالِ قَد شَرَحَت

I utter no explanation of them in my speech,

Yet they have explained themselves in the language of circumstance.

لا أَذمُمُ الدَهرَ في أَمرٍ رُميتُ بِهِ

وَلا أَقولُ حَصاةُ الحَظِّ ما رَشَحَت

I do not blame Time for a plight thrust upon me,

Nor say, 'The pebble of fortune has shed no moisture.'

وَكَيفَ أَنسُبُ فَرطَ البُخلِ في زَمَنٍ

أَكُفُّهُ بِبَقا أَمثالِكُم سَمَحَت

And how could I ascribe excessive stinginess to an age

Whose hands have given freely because men like you remain?

لَئِن نَأَت عَنكُمُ يَوماً جَوانِحُنا

فَإِنَّ أَرواحَنا في رَبعِكُم جَنَحَت

Even if our ribs should one day draw far from you,

Yet our souls have settled in your abode.

وَكُلَّ يَومٍ مَقالي عِندَ ذِكرِكُمُ

يا ساكِني السَفحِ كَم عَينٍ بِكُم سَفَحَت

And every day, whenever you are mentioned, I say:

O dwellers of the slope, how many an eye has shed tears for you!