غنى الذي قلبو من الضيم والعنا — Shibli Al Atrash

غَنى الَّذي قلبو من الضيم وَالعَنا

كالتون مِن أَربَع قرانيه لاهبا

He sang whose heart, from oppression and hardship,

Is like a kiln blazing at all four corners.

عَلى الدَوام نار مسعرة يوقدونها

لا ما الحجر مِن فَوقِها يَصير ذاهبا

They continually kindle a fiercely burning fire,

Until the stone above it crumbles away,

لا ما الحجر مِن فَوقِها يَصير كَالهبا

وَيَغدي مثل ذر الدَقيق الذَواهبا

Until the stone above it becomes like dust,

And turns into scattered particles of flour.

رسم الحجر قَلبي عَلى نار مُهجَتي

كَما يَرسمون التون فَوقَ اللهايبا

Like stone, my heart rests upon my lifeblood's fire,

As they set the kiln above the flames.

التون يَنجص عِندما يشعل الحطب

وَجوفي معيي النار تشوي جَوانبا

The kiln produces lime when the wood burns,

Yet my innards resist the fire roasting their sides.

لَو النار تَقطَع بي دَعَتني ذفالها

وَلَو المَوت بِالمَنوى تَرى النَفس غايبا

If fire could finish me, it would leave me its cinders;

If death came by wishing, you would find my soul gone.

أَنا إِن قُلت بياروح رُوحي بِمُهجَتي

لَكن رُشدي مِن هَوى النَفس غايبا

If I say, 'O soul, depart with my lifeblood,'

Yet my judgment is lost in the soul's longing.

يا علتي وَأَكبَر همي وَبَلوَتي

قياحة بمعلق القَلب ناشِبا

O my ailment, my greatest worry and affliction:

A festering sore lodged at the heart's root.

وَلا ظنتي لقمان يبري كلومها

ولا كُل داء الطب يَقضي مواجبا

I do not think Luqman could heal its wounds;

Nor can medicine meet every illness's demands.

وَلا كُل داء الطب يَشفيه الدَوا

وَلا كُل هم الصَبر يَنهي مصايبا

Nor does a medicinal remedy cure every disease;

Nor does patience end every sorrow's calamities.

وَلا الدَهر يَصفى للغريرين بِالهَوا

وَلا صبح إِلا يَعقبو شَمس غايبا

Nor does time favor the guileless in love;

Nor is there a dawn without a setting sun to follow.

وَلا عين قَلقا قرح الدَمع جفنها

مثل عَين عبرة تارِكي الهَم جانِبا

Nor is an anxious eye, whose lid tears have ulcerated,

Like a tearful eye whose owner has laid grief aside.

وَلا بَنات العرس وَاللَهو وَالطَرَب

يَشدوا إِلى الثكل الحَريم النَوادِبا

Nor do the girls of weddings, revelry, and delight

Resemble the women wailing over bereavement.

وَلا قَلب فاضي البال وَالفكر بِالمَلا

مثل قَلب مجدول المَصايب محاضبا

Nor is a heart carefree in mind and thought among people

Like a heart twisted by calamities and beset by them.

وَلا نَقيع الصَبر وَالدفل يَستَوي

للعسل السلساح في فَم شارِبا

Nor is an infusion of bitter aloe and oleander equal

To smooth-flowing honey in a drinker's mouth.

وَلا المقعد المَجذوم إِذ ضيع العَصا

مثل الَّذي يَمشي عَلى الحيل سارِبا

Nor is a crippled leper who has lost his staff

Like one who strides freely on his strength.

وَلا قَطيع الحَج بِالشوب وَالعَطش

يَشبَه لِمَن مَحمول بِالتَخت راكِبا

Nor does a company of pilgrims in heat and thirst

Resemble someone riding, borne upon a litter.

وَلا يَستَوي الأَعمى الضَرير مِن البَصَر

لِمَن يَنظروا بِاللَيل سُود الدبادبة

Nor is the blind man, deprived of sight, equal

To those who see black crawling insects at night.

وَفي فَرق ما بَين الَّتي ماتَ اِبنَها

وَبين الَّتي لَها عَشيراً تجاذيه

There is a difference between the woman whose son has died

And the woman who shares affection with her companion.

هذيك تَهل الدَمع مِن واهج النيا

وَذَلِكَ تَضم الولف تَقضي مآربا

That one sheds tears from separation's burning heat;

The other embraces her beloved and fulfills her desires.

وَفي فَرق ما بين المشتت مثالنا

وَبَينَ الَّذي كُل يَوم يَنظُر حَبايبا

There is a difference between someone scattered abroad like us

And someone who sees his loved ones every day.

كَما الفَرق ما بَين السماكين وَالثَرى

وَأَبعَد وَلَو ما يَقطَع الدو طالِبا

Like the difference between the two Simak stars and the earth,

And farther still than a seeker can cross the wilderness.

إِذا قايسوا التَمثيل مثلي قياسهم

تشدا مثلهم حالَتي بِالغَرايبا

If they judge comparisons as I judge them,

My condition would match their strangest likenesses.

يا مَن خَبر يا مَن علم مثل بَلوَتي

بِالصَوت في بر الترك وَالعَرايبا

Who has heard, who has known an ordeal like mine,

Spoken of in the lands of Turks and Arabs?

الأَيّام تَرمي وَالدَهر شَط بَلوَتي

وَسَهم القَدر لا فارق القَوس صايبا

The days shoot at me, and time has prolonged my ordeal;

Fate's arrow strikes when it leaves the bow.

بلانا وَعادانا وَخان عودنا

وَلزم ببعدي حتم عَن غَير طايبا

It tried us, opposed us, and betrayed our return,

And insisted on my banishment, decreed against my will.

رَحَلنا عَلى غَير الرضا مِن نُفوسَنا

وَمَن لي برد الظعون الذَواهبا

We departed without our souls' consent;

Who can bring back the departing caravans for me?

وَزاد البَلا فينا وَشَطط مَزارنا

وَرُحنا مثل قَطع الغُيوم الشَناغبا

Our affliction increased, and our abode grew distant;

We departed like scattered, turbulent clouds.

رُحنا ذَهاب الملح عَن دُون ربعنا

أَسارى بديران المَعادي جَلايبا

We vanished like salt, far from our people,

Captives carried into our enemies' lands.

وَمِنا اِنتَحى لايم غرب الزَناتي

وَمِنا برودس شَمسهم بَعد غايبا

Some of us turned toward al-Zanati's west,

And some are in Rhodes, their sun still absent.

رُحنا ببر الترك حاير دَليلنا

أَسارى عِندَ غَج الَمحاكي قَضايبا

We went into the Turks' land, our guide bewildered,

Captives in the grip of men of coarse speech.

أَسارى قَضايب عِندَ قَوم تَعودوا

عَلى الفاينة مثل السِنين النَوابيا

Captives held fast by people accustomed

To wickedness, like years of calamity.

وَاللي يحل بِمنظرك مِن ذواتهم

سكير فاسق رايق الكاس شارِبا

Whoever of their notables appears before your eyes

Is a drunken libertine, at ease, drinking from the cup.

وَالأَكثرية وَحوش لا شفت زولهم

مثل الدبب لَو ما خزامه بشاربه

Most are beasts when you see their shapes,

Like bears, but for a nose-ring in the mustache.

وَشلي بهم اللَه يحسن خلاصنا

مِن بَين عوجين اللغا وَالطنايبا

What have I to do with them? May God deliver us well

From among those with crooked tongues and tent-ropes.

يا رَب يا خالق الأَرض وَالسَما

وَضابط نِظام الكُون بِالكَف قاضِبا

O Lord, O Creator of earth and sky,

Who govern the universe's order, holding it in Your palm;

يا خالق الشَمس المُضيئة بِنُورها

وَالبَدر وَالغر وَالنُجوم الكَواكِبا

O Creator of the sun that shines with its light,

And the full moon, the radiant ones, and the stars, the heavenly lights;

يا باسط الخَرسا وَيا رافع السَما

وَمَجري الغُيوم السحب فَوقَ الهَبايبا

O You who spread the mute earth and raise the sky,

Who drive the clouds, the cloud banks, above the winds;

يا عالِماً بِالغَيب تَسمَع شَكيتي

وَتحسن خلاص اللي مِن الظُلم غايبا

O Knower of the unseen, You hear my complaint:

Grant good deliverance to those exiled through injustice.

بِجاه النَبي المَبعوث بِالرُشد وَالهُدى

خَير الوَرى مِن عجمها وَالعَرايبا

By the honor of the Prophet sent with righteousness and guidance,

The best of humanity, its non-Arabs and Arabs;

بِالأَنبياء الأَطهار جُملة جَميعهم

بِالفاتِحة الغَرا تَهون مَصايبا

By the pure prophets, all of them together;

By the radiant Fatiha, let calamities grow lighter.

وَتحسن خَلاص الكُل مِنا مِن البَلا

وَتلم شَمل الغايبين الذَواهبا

Grant all of us good deliverance from affliction,

And gather the company of the absent and departed.

وَتلم جَمع الشَمل يا جامع الوَرى

إِلى يَوم حَق وَكُل نَفس تحاسبه

Reunite the whole company, O Gatherer of creation,

For a day of truth, when You call every soul to account.

مِن بَعدما راودت نَفي عَلى الجَفا

وَعَلى شُرب كاس الهَجر عا غير طايبا

After I had grappled with my banishment into estrangement,

And with drinking separation's cup against my will,

شَديت إِني مِن فَوق حرة مضمرة

مثل الظَليم الَّذي جفل مِن مَعازبه

I saddled up upon a noble, slender she-camel,

Like a male ostrich startled from its haunts.

شَعلا شَراريه أَصيلاً مغربا

ما تنوجد عِندَ اللحاوين قاطِبا

White-tailed, Sharari-bred, purebred and rare,

Not found among the Lahawin at all;

حايل ثَلاث حوال ما شَقَها الضَنا

مَن ساس هجنا تَقطع الدو هارِبة

Unbred for three years, never torn by bearing young,

From our riding-camels' stock, crossing the wilderness at speed.

وَشديت كور الميس مِن فَوق ظَهرِها

شغل القَصيم اللي ربح فيهِ جالبا

I fastened a hackberry-wood saddle upon her back,

Workmanship from al-Qasim that profited its importer.

مَنسوف عادلاً مِن الخَز غالي

عَلى التيتليه هزبر البر راكبه

Costly silk, spread and laid evenly,

Upon the antelope-like camel, a lion of the wilderness riding her.

وَالميركة مثل الوسادة مطورة

عَلى أَربع قراني الريش فَوق غاربا

The saddle-cushion is shaped like a pillow,

With feathers at four corners, above her withers.

وَخَرج العقيلي رقم مَحبوك للغوا

مِن شُغل زينات المَعاني لَصاحِبا

And an Uqayli saddlebag, its ornamental embroidery tightly woven,

From the handiwork of women of fine qualities, for its owner.

وَطَعام بر الترك شهد الخَلايا

زَهب تَرى لا بُد يبعد مَطالبا

And provisions from the Turks' land: honey from the hives.

Prepare—know that one must go far in quest.

وَتَحزم بحدبا عَريضة مخضرة

وَسَيفاً مهند ماضيات مضاربه

Gird yourself with a broad, green-tinted curved weapon,

And an Indian-steel sword with sharp striking edges;

وَفَرداً مسدس يَلفظ البزر عالعدا

وَفردين عِندَ الميركة مَع غَواربا

And a six-shot pistol that spits its seeds at the foe,

And two pistols beside the saddle-cushion, near her withers.

وَتفنكتك مِن معمل كروب طرزها

لا وَثر الدخان تَرمي الضَرايبا

Your rifle was fashioned by the Krupp factory;

It strikes its targets when smoke billows.

وَلم هداك اللَه يا طارش النَوى

عَهفهوفتا تقطع معاطش سباسبا

Prepare—may God guide you, O messenger of separation—

Upon a fleet she-camel that crosses waterless plains.

دركتكم لِلّه رَبي وَخالقي

بس أَنت جَدي في البَراري مَطالبا

I entrust your safekeeping to God, my Lord and Creator;

You alone are my pole-star in the wilderness, sought by me.

الصُبح مِن سيناب ثَور هجينتك

يا ريتها مَع صورها بنجم خاربا

At dawn, from Sinab, rouse your riding-camel;

Would that, in her vigor, she were a plunging star!

عبيواط عاصمسون يا رسل وَانتحي

وَانحر سهيل اليابدا كون راقبا

Toward Biwat, toward Samsun, O messenger, make your way,

And steer toward Suhayl; keep watch when it appears.

عسيواس يممها عساها مهدمة

عاقسطموني وريتها بَعد ذاهبا

Make for Sivas—may it lie in ruins!

Toward Kastamonu—would that it, too, were gone!

عَلى أَنقرة وَجيروم وَاحذر مِن البطا

عَلى قيسرية مر دربك بجانِبا

Toward Ankara and Jirum; beware of delay.

Toward Kayseri, let your route pass beside it.

عَلى أَدنا وَكيسوم وَارخي زمامها

هَفهوفتك يا منيتي نجم ثاقِبا

Toward Adana and Kaysum, and loosen her reins:

Your fleet camel, O my heart's desire, is a piercing star.

على ماردين وَديار بكر بحالها

وَتهشل حلب بِاللَيل وَالشَمس غايبا

Toward Mardin and all of Diyarbakir,

And venture to Aleppo by night, when the sun is gone.

حيد عَن الشهبا وَاقبل مَع الخَلا

ما غير حمص الصُبح عَنكَ مطانبا

Turn aside from al-Shahba and head through open country;

At dawn, none other than Homs will lie alongside you.

وَكته في المَدارج يا حيدر الخَلا

وَنوش العَصا وَارخي مشكم جواذِبا

Urge her along the paths, O lion of the wilderness;

Reach for the stick and loosen the restraining bit.

لا ظوهرت وَالشَمس شَرق خيالها

شوبش عَلى وسطه لقيت المغاربا

When you reach noon and the sun's shadow lies east,

Raise a cheer in its midst when you meet the westerners.

تَلفي عَلى الفَيحا دمشق المعطرة

حيي رياض الشام ما حلا عشايبا

You will reach al-Fayha, fragrant Damascus.

Greet Damascus's gardens—how lovely their greenery!

إِن جيت حبس الشام ملفاك منيتي

نوخ ذلولك وانسف الكور جانِبا

If you reach Damascus's prison, your destination, my wish,

Make your riding-camel kneel and cast the saddle aside.

سلم عَلى مضمون رُوحي أَبو حسن

خيي مِن الدُنيا عَلى أَربَع جَوانبا

Greet Abu Hasan, the treasure of my soul,

My brother in this world, in all its four quarters;

خيي مِن الدُنيا عَضيدي عَلى البَلا

يا مسندي قَلبي مِن الشَوق ذايبايا

My brother in this world, my support against affliction.

O my support, my heart melts with longing.

يا مسندي همك رماني وَضامني

وَهدم ركاني وَأَصبَح الرَأس شايبا

O my support, worry for you has struck and oppressed me,

Demolished my foundations, and turned my head gray.

يابو حسن مِن يَوم واسوا صفاتهم

وَزجوك بِالخونة بلا ذَنب حاق به

O Abu Hasan, from the day they aligned their ranks

And cast you among traitors, though no guilt had touched you,

عيي تهل الدَمع مِن واهج النَوا

عَلَيكُم وَنومه يا مُناه محاربه

My eye sheds tears from separation's burning heat

For you; sleep, O its heart's desire, is at war with it.

وَلا غَير هَمك يا وَزيني بمهجتي

وَلا غَير شُوفك نَفسنا حتم طالبا

Nothing but worry for you, O my precious one, fills my lifeblood;

Nothing but seeing you does our soul insistently seek.

وَلا ذَهاب المال وَالرزق وَالوَبر

ريتو فدا لك يا مريح التَعايبا

Not the loss of money, livelihood, and camel-hair wealth—

May it all be your ransom, O reliever of the weary.

المال ما يحرز شماتة مِن العدا

أَما الشَماتة فَقدكم وَابلاي بِهِ

Wealth is not worth the enemy's gloating;

True gloating is over losing you—my affliction lies there.

لقدك وَشوقي وَالأُمور الَّتي جَرَت

عَلَينا دَعَتني ناحل الجسم هاكبا

Your absence, my longing, and the things that befell

Us have left me wasted in body and bowed.

وَلا غير ضيمك هد حيلي وَقوتي

ولا غير زولك عين شبلي تراقبا

Nothing but your suffering has broken my strength and power;

Nothing but your figure does Shibli's eye watch for.

وَلا لي أَحد أَخشى عَلَيه مِن البَلا

غَيرك ببر الشام مالي قَرايبا

I have no one whose misfortune I fear

But you; in Syria's land I have no relatives.

عالدوم أخايلكم كَأني قبالكم

وَلَكن شَخصك يا منى الرُوح غايبا

I always picture you as though I stood before you,

Yet your person, O desire of my soul, is absent.

وَعَيني تَهل الدَمع مِن زُود حرقتي

وَنار الغَضى في ضامِري دُوم لاهبة

My eye pours tears from my mounting anguish,

And a fire of ghada-wood burns forever within me.

كَني قَريص الناب طرباً مبتراً

وَسم الجَفا في مُهجة الرُوح ساكِبا

I am like one bitten by a fang, agitated and broken,

With separation's poison pouring into my soul's lifeblood.

وَلالي دَوا يَشفي سقامي مِن البَلا

سِوى شوف زولك وَالتقادير حاجبا

I have no cure to heal my sickness from affliction

Except seeing your figure, and fate bars the way.

وَلا من خَليل يَشفي همي إِذا طفح

وَلا مِن شَفيع الناس ترجو مَواهبا

There is no friend to relieve my sorrow when it overflows,

Nor an intercessor whose favors people hope for,

سِوى اللَه يفرجها علينا مِن البَلا

وَإِن عادَ فينا اللَه ما من عجايبا

Except God, who can relieve us of this affliction.

If God turns toward us again, there is no wonder in it.

اللَه كَريم وراجينو يفكنا

وَما خاب عَبداً بالخفية يراقبا

God is generous; we hope in Him to free us.

No servant mindful of Him in secret is disappointed.

نذراً علي ان جمع الدَهر بَيننا

وَشفتك بِعَيني وَالرُبوع الذَواهبا

A vow is upon me, if time reunites us

And I see you with my own eyes, and our departed people:

لَأَزور أَنا حطين فيكم مخصص

وَاعمل وَليمة مع جَميع السَوايبا

I shall visit Hattin expressly for your sake,

And hold a feast with all the wanderers.

وَاطرب كَما طربوا السكارى بسكرهم

وَافرح كما فرح الحَبيب بجيايبا

I shall exult as drunkards exult in their drunkenness,

And rejoice as a lover rejoices at arrivals.

وَامدح زَماني بَعد كسران خاطِري

وَاصاحبو عقب الشَقا وَالحَرايبا

I shall praise my times after my spirit's breaking,

And befriend them after misery and conflict.

وَلا هوَ عَلى اللَه كثير يفرج همومنا

وَيفكنا من معضلات النَوايبا

It is not too much for God to relieve our sorrows

And free us from calamities' intractable difficulties.

من بعد ما خطينا نصلي عَلى النَبي

المُصطَفى اللي يقصدوه الركايبا

After what we have written, we bless the Prophet,

The Chosen One whom riding caravans seek.

يحسن خلاص الكل منا من البَلا

وَيفكنا من حرها وَاللهايبا

May He grant all of us good deliverance from affliction,

And free us from its heat and flames.