سرب مها أم دمى محاريب — Sibt Ibn Altaawithy

سِربُ مَها أَم دُمى مَحاريبِ

أَم فَتَياتُ الحَيِّ الأَعاريبِ

A herd of oryx, or statues in shrines?

Or maidens of the Bedouin encampment?

هَيهاتَ أَينَ المَها إِذا اِتَّصَفَ ال

حُسنُ مِنَ الخُرَّدِ الرَعابيبِ

Far from it! How can oryx compare when the

beauty of tender, untouched maidens is described?

إِن شابَهَتها فَفي البَداوَةِ وَال

أَخلاقِ لا في الجَمالِ وَالطيبِ

If the oryx resemble them, it is in desert life and

disposition, not in beauty or fragrance.

هُنَّ اللَواتي وَإِن أَرَقنَ دَمي

يَعذُبُ في حُبِّهِنَّ تَعذيبي

They are the ones who, though they spill my blood,

make my torment sweet through love of them.

ما لِيَ وَالغانِياتِ أُخدَعُ مِن

هُنَّ بِوَصلٍ في الطَيفِ مَكذوبِ

What have I to do with beauties? I am deceived by

them, with a false union in dreams.

لا وَهَوىً غالِبٍ بِهِنَّ أُعا

نيهِ وَعَزمٍ فيهِنَّ مَغلوبِ

No—by the overpowering passion for them that I

endure, and by my resolve, overcome by them,

وَكَالأَساريعِ مِن بَنانِ يَدٍ

بِالدَمِ لا بِالحِنّاءِ مَخضوبِ

and by a hand's fingertips, like little worms,

dyed with blood, not with henna—

لَقَد حَمَلنَ الوِزرَ الثَقيلَ عَلى

لينِ قُدودٍ وَضُعفِ تَركيبِ

they have borne the heavy burden of guilt upon

supple figures and frail frames.

وَعاذِلٍ لا يُنيبُ عَن عَذَلٍ

يُهديهِ في الحُبِّ لي وَتَأنيبِ

And a reproacher who will not desist from the rebuke

and censure he brings me for love:

لَومُكَ لِلصَبِّ في مُعَذَّبِهِ

سَوطُ عَذابٍ عَلَيهِ مَصبوبِ

your blame of the lovelorn man in his torment

is a lash of anguish poured down upon him.

ياسَعدُ إِلمامَةً عَلى إِضَمٍ

فَالهَضبِ مِن راكِسٍ فَمَلحوبِ

O Sa'd, make a brief visit to Idam,

then the rocky heights of Rakis, then Malhub;

وَاِسأَل كَثيبَي رِمالٍ عَن رَشاءٍ

عَنّا بِسُمرِ الرِماحِ مَحجوبِ

and ask the two sand dunes about a fawn

screened from us by dusky spears.

وَاِعجَب لِجِسمٍ في جَنبِ كاظِمَةٍ

ثاوٍ وَقَلبٍ في الرَكبِ مَجنوبِ

And marvel at a body beside Kazima

staying there, and a heart led alongside the caravan.

ريمُ نَقاً لا يَريمُ ذا شَرَكٍ

مِن لَحظِهِ لِلأُسودِ مَنصوبِ

A sandhill gazelle, never without a snare

set by his glance for lions.

يَجولُ ماءُ الشَبابِ في ضَرَمٍ

مِن خَدِّهِ في القُلوبِ مَشبوبِ

The water of youth swirls within a blaze

kindled from his cheek in hearts.

لا تَطلُبوا عِندَهُ دَمي فَدَمٌ

أَراقَهُ الحِبُّ غَيرُ مَطلوبِ

Do not claim my blood from him: blood

spilled by the beloved is not to be avenged.

آهِ لِبَيضاءَ كَالنَهارِ بَدَت

غَريبَةً في أَحَمَّ غَربيبِ

Ah, for a white hair, appearing like daylight,

a stranger amid the deepest black!

وَفارِطٍ مِن صِبىً حَنَنتُ إِلى

أَيّامِهِ الغيدِ حَنَّةَ النَيبِ

And for bygone youth! I yearned for

its graceful days as aged she-camels yearn.

يا شَيبُ إِن تودِ بِالشَبابِ فَقَد

أَودَيتَ مِنهُ بِخَيرِ مَصحوبِ

O gray hair, if you carry youth away, then

you have carried off the finest companion with it.

أَغرَيتَ بِالصِدِّ مِن أُحِبُّ فَلا

غَروا إِذا كُنتَ غَيرَ مَحبوبِ

You urged the one I love to turn away, so no

wonder that you yourself are unloved.

هَب لي بَقايا شَبيبَتي وَاِرتَجِع

ما أَكسَبَتني أَيدي التَجاريبِ

Grant me what remains of my youth, and reclaim

what the hands of experience have brought me.

فَالشَيبُ لَو لَم يُعَدَّ مَنقَصَةً

ما زَهِدَ البيضُ في هَوى الشَيبِ

For if gray hair were not reckoned a defect,

fair women would not shun the love of gray-haired men.

يادَهرُ خُذني في غَيرِ مَسلَكِكَ ال

وَعرِ وَعِدني سِوى الأَكاذيبِ

O Time, lead me along a path other than your

rugged one, and promise me something other than lies.

في كُلِّ يَومٍ يَجِدُّ لي عَجَباً

صَرفُكَ وَالدَهرُ ذو أَعاجيبِ

Every day a new wonder is brought me

by your reversals—and Time abounds in marvels.

ما أَنا راضٍ عَمّا سَلَبتَ بِما

أَفَدتَ مِن حُنكَةٍ وَتَجريبِ

I am not content, in return for what you stole, with what

you bestowed of seasoned judgment and experience.

كَم أَتَلَقّى المَكروهَ مِنكَ أَما

تَغلَطُ لي مَرَّةً بِمَحبوبِ

How much misfortune I receive from you! Will you not

once err in my favor with something welcome?

قَد هَذَّبَتني أَيدي الخُطوبِ عَلى

شَماسِ عِطفَيَّ أَيَّ تَهذيبِ

The hands of calamity have schooled me, despite

my unruly flanks—what a schooling!

فَلَيتَها هَذَّبَت خَلائِقَها

وَآخَذَت نَفسَها بِتَأديبِ

Would that they had schooled their own natures

and held themselves to discipline,

أَو لُقِّنَت مُستَفيدَةً كَرَمَ ال

أَخلاقِ مِن يوسُفَ اِبنِ أَيّوبِ

or learned, to their benefit, nobility of

character from Yusuf son of Ayyub,

المَلِكُ العادِلُ الَّذي كَشَفَ ال

لَهُ بِهِ هَمَّ كُلِّ مَكروبِ

the just king, through whom

God has dispelled the sorrow of every afflicted soul;

حامي ثُغورِ الإِسلامِ بِالهِندُوا

نِيّاتِ وَالضُمَّرِ السَراحيبِ

guardian of Islam's frontiers with Indian

blades and lean, long-striding horses;

بِكُلِّ ماضي الغَرارِ مُنصَلِتٍ

وَكُلِّ سامي التَليلِ يَعبوبِ

with every drawn blade of piercing edge,

and every swift steed with towering neck;

رَبِّ المَذاكي الجِيادِ مُقرَبَةً

وَالنَصلُ عُريانُ غَيرُ مَقروبِ

master of mature, fine steeds kept close at hand,

and his blade bare, unsheathed;

خَوّاضِ مَوجِ الوَغى وَقَد أُخِذَت

أَبطالُها الحُمسُ بِالتَلابيبِ

plunger into the waves of battle, when

its fierce champions are seized by their collars;

تُنكِرُ أَغمادَها مَناصِلُهُ

في يَومِ حَلٍّ وَيَومِ تَأويبِ

his blades disown their scabbards,

on days in camp and days of marching.

تُسَلُّ في الحَربِ لِلمَفارِقِ وَال

هامِ وَفي السِلمِ لِلعَراقيبِ

They are drawn in war against scalps and

heads, and in peace against the hocks.

سُلطانِ أَرضِ اللَهِ الَّذي ضَمِنَت

رِماحُهُ نَصرَ كُلِّ مَحروبِ

sovereign of God's earth, whose

spears guarantee victory to every despoiled man.

مَدَّ عَلى الأَرضِ ظِلَّ مَعدِلَةٍ

تَجمَعُ بَينَ المَهاةِ وَالذيبِ

He spread over the earth a shade of justice

that unites the oryx and the wolf;

صَوبَ نَدىً يُرتَجى مَواطِرُهُ

وَحَدَّ بَأسٍ كَالمَوتِ مَرهوبِ

a shower of bounty whose downpours are hoped for,

and an edge of might, dreaded like death.

فَالناسُ ما بَينَ آمِلٍ جَذِلٍ

وَخائِفٍ مِن سُطاهُ مَرعوبِ

So people range between the hopeful and glad,

and the fearful, terrified of his might.

الطاهِرُ الخَيمِ وَالشَمائِلِ وَال

أَعراقِ وَالجَيبِ وَالجَلابيبِ

pure in nature and character and

lineage, in breast and robes;

نَجلُ أُسودِ الشَرى الضَراغِمِ وَال

نَجيبُ يُنمى إِلى المَناجيبِ

scion of al-Shara's mighty lions, and the

noble man traces his descent to noble forebears,

مِن كُلِّ طَلقِ الجَبينِ مُبتَسِمٍ

بِالتاجِ يَومَ السَلامِ مَعصوبِ

each open-browed and smiling,

bound with a crown on the day of greeting.

لَهُم حُلومٌ إِذا اِنتَدوا رَجَحوا

بِها عَلى الشُمَّخِ الشَناخيبِ

They have wisdom: when they assemble, they outweigh

with it the lofty, towering peaks.

وَأَوجُهٌ يَسجُدُ الجَمالُ لَها

هِيَ القَناديلُ في الهَحاريبِ

and faces before which beauty prostrates itself—

they are lamps within the sanctuaries.

يُخصِبُ وَجهُ الثَرى وَيَستَعِرُ ال

حَربُ لِبَشرٍ مِنهُم وَتَقطيبِ

The face of the earth grows fertile, and

war blazes at their smiles and frowns.

إِذا دَجا لَيلُ مَأزِقٍ رَفَعوا

لَهُ ذُبالاً عَلى الأَنابيبِ

When the night of a battle's crisis darkens, they raise

wicks upon spear-shafts to light it.

كَم سَلَبوا أَنفُسَ الفَوارِسِ في ال

رَوعِ وَعَفّوا عَنِ الأَساليبِ

How often they stripped horsemen of their lives in the

terror of battle, yet refrained from taking spoils;

وَاِرتَجَعوا بِالقَنا الذَوابِلِ مِن

حَقٍّ لِآلِ العَبّاسِ مَغضوبِ

and reclaimed with slender spears

a usurped right of the house of al-Abbas.

فَكَم جَميلٍ لَهُم وَصُنعِ يَدٍ

عَلى جِباهِ الأَنامِ مَكتوبِ

How many kindnesses of theirs, and deeds of their hands,

are inscribed upon the brows of mankind!

عَلِقتُ مُنهُم بِذِمَّةٍ حَبلُها

غَيرُ سَحيلٍ بِالغَدرِ مَقضوبِ

I have clung to their protection, whose cord

is neither loosely twisted nor cut by treachery.

يا مَلِكاً ذَلَّلَ المُلوكَ بِتَر

غَيبِ يَدٍ تارَةً وَتَرهيبِ

O king who subdued kings through

the lure of a giving hand at times, and intimidation:

رَأَبتَ شَعبَ الدُنيا وَكانَ ثَأَى ال

إِسلامِ لَولاكَ غَيرَ مَشعوبِ

You mended the world's rift; the breach of

Islam would, but for you, have remained unmended.

رَوَّيتَ آمالَنا العِطاشَ بِشُؤ

بوبِ عَطاءٍ في إِثرِ شُؤبوبِ

You quenched our thirsty hopes with

shower upon shower of giving.

وَكانَ يا يوسُفَ السَماحِ بِنا

إِلى عَطاياكَ شَوقُ يَعقوبِ

And, O Yusuf of generosity, there dwelt in us

Ya'qub's longing for your gifts.

حاشاكَ أَن تُرسِلَ الصِلاتِ عَلى

غَيرِ نِظامٍ وَغَيرِ تَرتيبِ

Far be it from you to send gifts

without system or order.

سَوَّيتَ بي في العَطاءِ مَن لا يُجا

رينِيَ في مَذهَبي وَأُسلوبي

You equated with me in bounty one who cannot

rival me in my manner and style.

وَغَيرُ بِدعٍ فَالسُحبُ ما بَرِحَت

يَقِلُّ مِنها حَظُّ الأَهاضيبِ

Nothing strange in that: clouds have always

given the high plateaus only a scant share.

وَالحِذقُ في ما عَلِمتُ مُكتَسَبٌ

وَإِنَّما الحَظُّ غَيرُ مَكسوبِ

Skill, so far as I know, is acquired,

but luck alone cannot be earned.

وَلي عَلَيهِم فَضيلَةُ السَبقِ في

مَدحِكَ فَاِعرِف سَبقي وَتَعقيبي

Over them I have the merit of being first in

your praise; recognize my lead and my renewed praise.

شَأَوتُهُم سابِقاً وَصَلّوا فَمَن

أَولى بِبِرٍّ مِنّي وَتَقريبِ

I outstripped them, coming first, while they came second; who, then,

deserves kindness and closeness more than I?

وَلَستُ مِمَّن يَأسى لِما فاتَ مِن

رِفدٍ سَريعِ النَفادِ مَوهوبِ

I am not one to grieve over a missed

gift of aid, bestowed but quick to run out.

لَكِنَّها خِطَّةٌ يُضامُ بِها

فَضلِيَ وَالضَيمُ شَرُّ مَركوبِ

But this is a policy that wrongs

my merit, and injustice is the worst mount.

شِعرِيَ رَبُّ الأَشعارِ قاطِبَةً

وَهَل يُسَوّى رَبٌّ بِمَربوبِ

My poetry is master of all poems together;

can a master be equated with his subject?

بِخاطِرٍ كَالشِهابِ مُتَّقِدٍ

وَمِقوَلٍ كَالحُسامِ مَدروبِ

with a mind blazing like a shooting star,

and a seasoned tongue like a sharp sword.

أَمسَت مُلوكُ الأَفاقِ تَخطُبُهُ

وَأَنتَ دونَ الأَنامِ مَخطوبي

The kings of all horizons now court it,

but you alone among mankind are my intended.

إِلى صَلاحِ الدينِ اِرتَمَت بِبِني ال

آمالِ كومُ البُزلِ المَصاعيبِ

Toward Salah al-Din surged, bearing the sons of

hope, high-humped, mature, unruly camels.

تَضرِبُ أَكبادُها إِلى مَشرَفٍ

رَحبٍ بِأَعلى الفُسطاطِ مَضروبِ

Their flanks are struck as they head toward a pavilion

spacious, pitched high above al-Fustat.

تَؤُمُّ بَحراً يَلقى مَوارِدُهُ ال

وَفدَ بِأَهلٍ مِنها وَتَرحيبِ

They seek a sea whose watering places greet the

visitors with welcome and hospitality.

تَرتَعُ مِن ظِلِّهِ وَنائِلِهِ ال

عُفاةُ في وارِفٍ وَمَسكوبِ

From his shade and bounty, the

petitioners graze amid spreading shelter and pouring gifts.

تَسيرُ مِن مَدحِهِ خَواطِرُنا

في واضِحٍ بِالثَناءِ مَلحوبِ

Our thoughts, in praising him, travel

a clear path, beaten smooth by praise.

تَكسوهُ حَمداً تَبقى مَلابِسُهُ

وَالحَمدُ كاسيهِ غَيرُ مَسلوبِ

They clothe him in praise whose garments endure,

and the praise that clothes him is never stripped away.

سَحابُ جودٍ شِمنا بَوارِقَهُ

فَاِنهَلَّ مُثعَنجِرَ الشَآبيبِ

A cloud of generosity: we watched its lightning,

and it poured in surging showers.

ذو هَيدَبٍ لِلوَلِيِّ مُنهَمِرٍ

وَبارِقٍ في العَدُوِّ أُلهوبِ

with rain-fringes pouring upon the friend,

and lightning blazing against the enemy.

لَبّى دُعائي مِنَ العِراقِ وَقَد

أُسمِعُهُ بِالصَعيدِ تَثويبي

He answered my call from Iraq, while

my repeated summons reached his ears in Upper Egypt.

فَقَرَّبَ النازِحَ البَعيدَ وَلَم

أُعمِل إِليهِ شَدّي وَتَقريبي

He brought the far-distant one close, though I did not

gallop or trot toward him.

يَقرَعُ بابي عَفواً نَداهُ وَلَم

أَقرَع إِلى بابِهِ ظَنابيبي

His bounty knocks unbidden at my door, though I have not

set my shins pounding toward his door.

فَلا عَدِمنا جَدواكَ مِن هَتِنٍ

مُجَلجِلٍ بِالنَوالِ أُسكوبِ

May we never lose your bounty, a steady rain,

thundering with gifts, pouring in torrents;

وَلا خَلا جودُكَ المُؤَمَّلُ مِن

وَفدِ ثَناءٍ إِلَيهِ مَجلوبِ

and may your hoped-for generosity never lack

a delegation of praise brought to it.