Sol 6

  1. القَلم لما بَدا يَرسم قَصيد

    فُوق طَلحية يزاجي للمداد

    When the pen began to draw a poem,

    Upon a writing sheet, with ink flowing,

  2. قُلت هَيا قال لي ماذا تُريد

    قُلت ودي بُيوت مِن عندك جَواد

    I said, “Come.” It said to me, “What do you want?”

    I said, “I want verses from you, generous one.”

  3. قال لي ابشر بهم خُذهم نَضيد

    قُلت هاها غب من ثديو وَجاد

    It said, “Gladly; take them, neatly arranged.”

    I said, “Ha! Draw deeply from its rich breast.”

  4. وَاشتغل في قافها يرعد رَعيد

    هاج بحر الفَن في غرة جَماد

    And it set to work on the rhyme, rumbling like thunder.

    The sea of art surged at the beginning of Jumada.

  5. وَارزم الدَلال ينضد به جَديد

    بُيوت للي يفهموا ند وَزباد

    And the rolling voice arranged fresh verses with grace,

    Verses for those who understand perfume and fine fragrance.

  6. صحت أَنا من واهِجي يا قَلب حيد

    بصوت عالي يَسمع الصم الجماد

    I cried out in my anguish, “Heart, turn away!”

    In a loud voice that the deaf and the stones could hear.

  7. وَافهم المَضمون مني وَاستفيد

    شُوف كيف الترك خَلونا بداد

    Understand what I mean and take heed:

    See how the Turks have scattered us.

  8. يَشتتوا الإِنسان راد أَو ما يُريد

    بَين نشحين الطَوائف وَالبداد

    They scatter people, whether they wish it or not,

    Among the factions’ quarrels and dispersal.

  9. ما عَلى ما صابَني ظَني مَزيد

    جوز وَاترك وَالبس ثِياب الحداد

    After what has happened to me, I expect still more.

    Pass on, leave it, and put on mourning clothes.

  10. قال هُو يا وَليفي لا تَزيد

    تا اوعظك بمثال قالوهم جداد

    He said, “My companion, say no more,

    So I may counsel you with sayings of old.

  11. لا تَكون من الملا رجلا وَغيد

    اترك المَحذور عَنكَ غاد غاد

    Do not be a feeble man among the people.

    Leave what you fear behind; go on, go on.

  12. الدَهر ما لو خوي وَلا وَديد

    وَاللَيالي قَط ما الهم وَداد

    Time has no brother and no loving friend,

    And the nights have never shown them affection.

  13. الدَهر عن صاحبك خلك بَعيد

    وَاللَيالي شُوف منظرهم سَواد

    Keep your distance from time, my friend,

    And look at the darkness of the nights.

  14. الدَهر ياما خرب قبلك رَبيد

    وَاللَيالي مُلوك ادعوها رَماد

    Time has ruined many before you,

    And the nights have turned kings to ashes.

  15. الدَهر لا عض في نابا حَديد

    بسحن العَظم الصَحيح مَع الزرد

    When time bites with an iron fang,

    It grinds sound bone along with mail.

  16. الدَهر ياما سَقى مر الصَديد

    وَكَم جناس طُيور فَخ الترك صاد

    Time has so often served the bitter drink of torment,

    And the Turks’ snare has caught many kinds of birds.

  17. كَم وَكَم مثلك عَلى جسر الحَديد

    فات يُدوي مِن زَمانو ما اِستَفاد

    How many like you, upon the iron bridge,

    Have passed on crying out, gaining nothing from their days?

  18. هَذي دُنيا شَرَها دايم مَديد

    إِلا نبيا في وقاتهم ذاقوا النكاد

    This world’s evil stretches on and on;

    Even prophets tasted hardship in their times.

  19. البَعض ذبحوا وَالبَع راحوا بَديد

    وَالبَعض غلوا شدانا بالقياد

    Some were slaughtered, and some went into exile,

    And others were bound and led away.

  20. ما تخلد بهِ أَحد غَير المَجيد

    خالق السَبعة رَواسي وَالشداد

    No one endures in it except the Glorious One,

    Creator of the seven firm heights and the mighty heavens.

  21. اتعظ وَاصبر عَلى حُكم الوَحيد

    هيك ربك في شَتات الكُل راد

    Take heed and endure the decree of the One;

    Thus your Lord has willed the scattering of all.”

  22. قُلت لهُ يا قَلب ان رَأيك سَديد

    صج ربك ان أَمر يَقضي المراد

    I said to him, “Heart, your judgment is sound;

    Truly, when your Lord commands, His will is done.”

  23. قال لي ما شُفت جاء مع البَريد

    طرس يَفرَح خاطرك من يوزغاد

    He said to me, “Have you not seen what came by post?

    A letter from Yozgat to gladden your heart:

  24. ان أَبو فندي الشَفاوي المَجيد

    كت يم الشام زيزوم الطراد

    The illustrious Abu Fandi al-Shafawi

    Was heading toward Damascus, a leader in the charge.”

  25. قُلت هذا صج هالعلم وَأكيد

    من بَعد غيره من شُيوخ البِلاد

    I said, “This news is true and certain;

    Among the country’s other sheikhs, he stands apart.

  26. خاضها لَو بحرها قاعو بَعيد

    دارك عَلى نَفسه عَسى أَنو استفاد

    He ventured in, though its sea had a distant bottom;

    He risked himself—may he have gained from it.”

  27. قُلت أَنا مَقبول لَو ما يَستفيد

    قلط المَجهود في حَق العِباد

    I said, “I approve, even if he gains nothing:

    He has spent his effort for the people’s sake.

  28. أَطيب من اللي وَجوههم مثل الجَليد

    مسفعة وَالخال عمدة للولاد

    He is better than those whose faces are like ice,

    Darkened faces, though an uncle is a pillar for the young.

  29. والَّذي ما ينتخي وَدو معيد

    وَأَكثر الشيخان بالدُنيا عداد

    And the man who never answers a call for help wants more,

    Though the world already has so many sheikhs.

  30. إِن فكنا يسوا ملك عبد الحَميد

    عِند دوار الاسم بين النداد

    One of ours could equal King Abdul Hamid

    When names are weighed among rivals.

  31. دَع أَهل حوران يرعوا في حَصيد

    اللَيث أَبو فندي عَلى الشيخان زاد

    Let the people of Hauran graze amid the harvest;

    The lion Abu Fandi has surpassed the sheikhs.

  32. بعر ذا من فوق علميا شَديد

    حط كُور الميس يا حر الهداد

    Bring that powerful mount up from above;

    Set on the saddle of mays wood, O free falcon of the open land.

  33. مرصع العمدان بالدر النَضيد

    وَالبريسم كلل جناب الشداد

    Its posts are set with ordered pearls,

    And silk crowns the sides of the saddle.

  34. وميركة يلمع هدبها وَالسَريد

    مطورة بِالريض من ربد الهناد

    Its ornament gleams at the fringe and the straps,

    Adorned with fine work from the skilled hands of India.

  35. وَالخَرج مرقوم بعهونا يَميد

    وَريش هيج نعام صافي بِالسَواد

    The saddlebag sways with patterns worked upon it,

    And a plume of ostrich feathers shines black.

  36. تحزم بحدبا مخضرة الحَديد

    وَسيف هنديا صَقيل مِن الحداد

    Gird yourself with a curved, greenish iron weapon,

    And a polished Indian sword from the smith.

  37. ومارتينه بزرها يَرمي بَعيد

    حَشوَها مِن كَعبها مثل الجَراد

    And a Martini rifle whose shot reaches far,

    Its cartridges packed from the breech like locusts.

  38. قم وَخُذ بِالمزهية ايش تريد

    تَرى مَعاناكم يا ولد عَنا يابعاد

    Rise and take whatever you want from the splendid gear;

    We have need of you, young man, though the distance is great.

  39. الصُبح مِن سيناب لا باح الجَديد

    سير مِن عندي عَلى طُرق الرَشاد

    At dawn, leave Sinab when the new light appears;

    Set out from here on the right road.

  40. لا تَجي عالباب مَقفول بحَديد

    اِجمح عَلَيها الصُور غدوه عَالبراد

    Do not come to a gate locked with iron;

    Urge your mount over the wall early in the cool morning.

  41. الدَرب عابيواط عَنها لا تَحيد

    وَانحرن صمصون قبليها صماد

    The road goes by Aبيواط; do not stray from it.

    Head straight toward Samsun, southward.

  42. وَسهجو سيواس لو نَوك يبيد

    وَانقرا وَشاهرقرا وَهك البلاد

    Pass Sivas, even if weariness wears you down,

    And Ankara and Şarkışla, and those lands.

  43. وَقَيسرية واذنا حزت المَريد

    عاحلب دربا فضا بَين النَفاد

    Then Kayseri and Adana, when you reach your aim;

    To Aleppo the road opens across the wide stretches.

  44. وَعا حماه وَحمص وَالفَيحا وَميد

    ريح وارد المنهل الصافي براد

    Then to Hama and Homs, and to the spacious city;

    Rest at a clear, cool watering place.

  45. الصُبح مِن جلق عَلى مَد المَديد

    سير غَدوة وَاقضب الغربي طراد

    At dawn, leave Damascus for the long distance;

    Travel early and take the western course.

  46. الدَرب عالكسوة عَلى الصَبي عَديد

    عَالغَدر عَالسَيد النابي قداد

    The road goes through al-Kiswah and onward,

    Past the low ground toward al-Sayyid.

  47. عازرع خُذ بِاليَسار وَلا تَحيد

    وَيمموا قَبلي مَشرق بِالصَماد

    At Izra, turn left and do not stray;

    Then aim south and east, straight ahead.

  48. اليا وردت المزرعة حزت المَريد

    غَير وَلغا مالك بحوران عاد

    When you reach al-Mazra‘a, you have reached your aim;

    Change course: you have no more road through Hauran.

  49. نوخو في ربعة الشيخ العَتيد

    أَبو فندي سَيد مِن ركب الجَواد

    Halt in the strong sheikh’s encampment:

    Abu Fandi, a lord among those who ride fine horses,

  50. عَنتر الفُرسان في يَوم شَديد

    زبن غيده مثل غُزلان الحَماد

    An Antar among horsemen on a hard day,

    A refuge for women like the gazelles of the stony plain.

  51. مُطلق الكَفين لَو فان البَليد

    حاتمي الخَلق من طبعو الجَواد

    His hands are open even when his means run low;

    His generous nature is like Hatim’s.

  52. صاحب الشوفات وَالرَأي السَديد

    كاسب النوماس شو فاتو بعاد

    A man of foresight and sound judgment,

    He has won honor however far it reaches.

  53. حيد ملجا لِلَّذي حملو ضَهيد

    كَهف للمنضام من خاص الجَواد

    A refuge for the one bearing a heavy burden,

    A shelter for the wronged among the noble.

  54. حر هيلع لا هبد يَفري الضَديد

    زير من روس المَناصب وَالعماد

    A fearless free man who cleaves his foe when he strikes,

    A champion among the heads of rank and standing.

  55. أَبو فندي دوم كساب الحَميد

    كاسي العريان بهدوما جداد

    Abu Fandi always earns praise;

    He clothes the naked in new garments.

  56. مشبع المعتام صباب الجَميد

    فَوق حيل وَرز للضيفان زاد

    He feeds the needy and pours out rich food;

    Beyond that, he has provisions for guests.

  57. خَلفة المَرحوم المحمد عَضيد

    مِن ظَنا عساف مِن قَوم محاد

    A worthy descendant of the late Muhammad,

    Of Assaf’s offspring, from the people of Mahad.

  58. شوق غضروفا حجلها وَالبَريد

    مثل برقا لا لمع تحت الرَعاد

    The longing for a graceful one, her anklets and swift gait,

    Is like lightning flashing beneath the thunder.

  59. الأَسارى كلهم صاروا عبيد

    لجنابو رق من دُون العباد

    The captives all became servants,

    Bound to his presence apart from other people.

  60. هذا كُلو صج وَالمَولى شَهيد

    مِن عقب هذي المَصايب وَالبعاد

    All this is true, and the Lord is witness,

    After these calamities and this long separation.

  61. قَبل عندي المير وَخلفو سَعيد

    يَشتروا المَجلوب من سوق المَزاد

    Once, the emir and his successor Sa‘id were with me,

    Buying those brought to the auction market.

  62. أَهل الوظايف وَالرتب نسيوا الحَفيد

    حيف أَنهم من ضنا ذوك الجياد

    Those with offices and ranks forgot their descendant;

    What a shame, since they descend from those fine men.

  63. اللي شرانا صار عالأُمثال سيد

    ريت عمرو من عِندي رَبي مِداد

    The one who bought us became a lord in the proverbs;

    May my Lord prolong his life for my sake.

  64. قال المثل من قبل من حكم الوَليد

    مشتراة الحر بالحسنى سَداد

    An old proverb, from the wisdom of the forebears, says:

    Winning a free man through kindness is the right way.

  65. وَحنا حسانيك نزورك كُل عيد

    مثل ما يزوروا المَنادر بِالعياد

    We are grateful to you and visit you every feast,

    As people visit gathering places on feast days.

  66. اختم كلامي بالنبي الهادي الرَشيد

    المُصطَفى خَير البَرايا وَالعباد

    I end my words with the rightly guiding Prophet,

    The Chosen One, best of all creatures and people.

  67. يَفرج لمن جوات قلبو من لهيد

    من حوال الترك وَالقُوم الضداد

    May he relieve the burning in the heart

    Caused by the Turks and the hostile people.