Sol 6.1

  1. لَو باتَ مَن يُلحي عَلَيكَ مُسَهَّداً

    ما لامَني فيكِ الغَداةَ وَفَنَّدا

    If whoever reproaches me over you spent the night sleepless,

    he would not blame me for you at dawn or call me foolish.

  2. وَجَوىً بِقَلبي لَو غَدَت بُرَحاؤُهُ

    بِالنَجمِ في أُفقِ السَماءِ لَما اِهتَدى

    There is burning grief in my heart: if its agony fell

    upon a star on heaven's horizon, it would lose its way.

  3. وَرَكائِبٌ شَطَّت بِكُم لَو حُمِّلَت

    وَجدي لَما مَدَّت لِرَحّالٍ يَدا

    The mounts that carried you far away, if burdened

    with my yearning, would not stretch a foreleg for a traveler.

  4. وَمُغَرِّدٍ بِالبانِ لَو عَرَفَ الهَوى

    لَم يُمس في غَذَبِ الغُصونِ مُغَرِّدا

    And many a singer in the moringa trees, if it knew love,

    would not spend the evening singing among the branches' tender shoots.

  5. لِلَّهِ مِن أَعلى المُحَصَّبِ مَنزِلٌ

    ذَهَبَت بَشاشَةُ إِنسِهِ فَتَأَبَّدا

    How wondrous a dwelling high in al-Muhassab!

    Its cheerful companionship has vanished, leaving it desolate.

  6. فيهِ تَعَلَّمتُ الهَوى وَبِجَوِّهِ

    عَلَّقتُها بيضَ التَرائِبِ خُرَّدا

    There I learned love, and beneath its sky

    I loved bashful maidens with white upper breasts.

  7. مَن لي بِأَن أُمسي لِبارِدِ ظِلِّهِ

    مُتَفَيِّئاً وَلِتُربِهِ مُتَوَسِّدا

    Who will let me spend an evening beneath its cool shade,

    sheltering there, with its earth for a pillow?

  8. لَيتَ الرَكائِبَ لَم تَشُدَّ لِرَحلَةٍ

    يَوماً وَلَم تَملَأ مَسامُعَها الحِدا

    Would that the mounts had never been harnessed for departure

    on any day, nor their ears filled with camel-drivers' songs.

  9. غَري الوُشاةُ بِعَيشِنا فَتَكَدَّرَت

    أَوقاتُهُ وَبِشَملِنا فَتَبَدَّدا

    The slanderers fastened upon our life, troubling

    its hours, and upon our union, scattering it.

  10. وَأَمّا وَحُبِّ المالِكِيَّةِ إِنَّهُ

    حُبٌّ إِذا خَلِقَ الزَمانُ تَجَدَّدا

    Yet, by my love for al-Malikiyya, it is

    a love renewed whenever time grows old.

  11. ما مِلتُ عَنكِ وَلا غَدا قَلبي بِغَي

    رِكِ مُستَهاماً مُكَمَّدا

    I have not turned from you, nor has my heart, for anyone

    but you, become love-crazed and grief-stricken.

  12. وَأَنا العَذولُ لِعاشِقيكِ عَلى الهَوى

    إِن ذُقتُ غَمضاً أَو عَرَفتُ تَجَلُّدا

    May I be one who blames your lovers for their love,

    if I taste a wink of sleep or know self-restraint.

  13. يا صاحِبيَّ تَحَمَّلا لي حاجَةً

    وَتَجَمَّلا إِن أَنتُما لَم تُسعِدا

    My two friends, undertake an errand for me,

    and at least be gracious if you will not help.

  14. إِن جُزتُما مُتَعَرِّضينِ لِرامَةٍ

    فَسَلا بِها ذاكَ الغَزالُ الأَغيَدا

    If you pass, making your way toward Rama,

    ask there that graceful gazelle

  15. لِمَ عافَ وِردَ الماءِ قَد ظَمِأَت لَهُ

    شَفَتاهُ وَاِتَّخَذَ المَدامِعَ مَورِداً

    why he shunned the watering-place, though thirst for it had parched

    his lips, and took tear ducts as his drinking-place;

  16. وَعَلامَ وَهوَ يَرودُ بَينَ جَوانِحي

    جَعَلَ الفُؤادَ كَناسُهُ وَتَشَدَّدا

    and why, while roaming between my ribs,

    he made my heart his covert and grew unyielding.

  17. يا ماطِلي وَهُوَ المَلِيُّ بِدينِهِ

    ما آنَ أَن تَقضي فَتُنجِزَ مَوعِدا

    O you who delay paying me, though able to discharge your debt,

    is it not time to pay and fulfill a promise?

  18. نامَت جُفونُكَ عَن جُفونِ مُتَيَّمٍ

    حَكَمَ السُهادُ عَلى كَراها فَاِعتَدا

    Your eyelids sleep, heedless of a love-enslaved one's eyelids,

    over whose slumber sleeplessness rules, transgressing all bounds.

  19. وَلَرُبَّ مَعسولِ الدَلالِ مُهَفهَفٍ

    لَعِبَ الصِبى بِقَوامِهِ فَتَأَوَّدا

    And many a slender one, honey-sweet in coyness,

    whose figure youth had toyed with till it swayed:

  20. قابَلتُ فَيضَ الدَمعِ لَيلَةَ زُرتُهُ

    بِمُوَرَّدٍ مِن خَدِّهِ فَتَوَرَّدا

    I brought the flood of tears, the night I visited him,

    against the rose of his cheek, and the flood turned rose-red.

  21. وَسَقَيتُهُ حَمراءَ تُشبِهُ ريقَهُ

    طَعماً وَتَحكي وَجنَتَيهِ تَوَقُّدا

    I gave him red wine resembling his saliva

    in flavor, and matching his cheeks in fiery glow.

  22. رَقَّت عَلى أَنّي غَنيتُ بِنَهلَةٍ

    مِن ريقِهِ كانَت أَرَقَّ وَأَبرَدا

    Delicate it was, though I was content with a draught

    of his saliva, which was more delicate and cooler.

  23. وَلَقَد حَلَبتُ الدَهرَ شَطرَيهِ وَقَلَّبتُ

    الرِجالَ بِهِ ثُناءَ وَمَوحَدا

    I have milked both halves of time and examined

    the men within it, in pairs and one by one.

  24. وَبَلَوتُهُم طُراً فَلَم تَظفَر يَدي

    بِمُحَمَّدٍ حَتّى لَقيتُ مُحَمَّدا

    I tested them all, yet my hand never found

    a Muhammad until I encountered Muhammad—

  25. القائِدَ الجُردَ العِتاقَ شَوارِداً

    تَطَأُ الفَوارِسَ وَالوَشيجَ مُقَصَّدا

    who leads sleek thoroughbreds, ranging headlong,

    trampling horsemen and splintered spear-shafts.

  26. عِقبانُ دَوٍّ أوطِئَت صَهَواتُها

    عِقبانَ حَقٍ لا يَروعُهُمُ الرَدى

    Eagles of the desert, their backs mounted by

    true eagles whom death cannot terrify.

  27. راحَت قَوادِمُها الرِماحُ وَريشُها

    حَلَقُ الدُروعِ مُضاعَفاً وَمُسَرَّدا

    Their primary feathers are lances, and their plumage

    rings of armor, doubled and linked in rows.

  28. مِن كُلِّ ضَرّابِ الفَوارِسِ مِحرَبٍ

    يَجِدُ الدِماءَ مِنَ المَلابِسِ مِجسَدا

    Each rider a seasoned warrior, a striker of horsemen,

    who finds blood a scarlet tunic among his clothes.

  29. ياطالِبَ المَعروفِ طَوراً مُتهِماً

    يُنضي رَكائِبَهُ وَطَوراً مُنجِدا

    O seeker of bounty, sometimes traveling to Tihama,

    wearing out his mounts, and sometimes heading to Najd,

  30. عَرِّج بِزَوراءِ العِراقِ تَجِد بِها

    مِن جودِ مَجدِ الدينِ بَحراً مُزبِدا

    turn aside to Iraq's al-Zawra; there you will find

    in Majd al-Din's generosity a foaming sea.

  31. يُعطي وَيوسِعُكَ العَطاءَ وَلا كَما

    يُعطي سِواهُ مُقَلِّلاً وَمُصَرَّدا

    He gives, lavishing gifts upon you—not as

    others give, in little, meager portions.

  32. سَبطُ الخَلائِقِ وَالبَنانِ إِذا غَدا

    كَفُّ البَخيلِ عَنِ النَوالِ مُجَعَّدا

    Gentle in disposition and open-fingered, when

    the miser's palm is clenched against giving.

  33. أَحيا مَواتَ المَكرُماتِ وَقَد غَدَت

    دِرساً مَعالِمُها وَسَنَّ لَنا الهُدا

    He revived the dead virtues, whose

    landmarks had been effaced, and established guidance for us.

  34. مَلِكٌ إِذا لَم تَبتَدِئهُ عُفاتُهُ

    يَوماً بِمَسأَلَةٍ تَبَرَّعَ وَاِبتَدا

    A king who, if his petitioners do not approach him first

    one day with a request, gives freely and takes the lead.

  35. مُتَناصِرُ المَعروفِ ما أَسدى يَداً

    في مَعشَرٍ إِلّا وَأَتبَعَها يَدا

    His kindnesses reinforce one another: never does he grant a favor

    among a people without following it with another.

  36. ماضي العَزيمَةِ لا يَبيتُ مُفَكِراً

    في الأَمرِ يَفجَعُهُ وَلا مُتَرَدِّداً

    Unwavering in resolve, he does not spend the night brooding

    over a matter that distresses him, nor hesitating.

  37. فَضلٌ وَإِفضالٌ وَطَوراً تَجتَدي

    أَفعالُهُ الحُسنى وَطَوراً تُجتَدى

    Excellence and beneficence: at times seeking gifts

    are his noble deeds; at times they are sought for gifts.

  38. شادَت يَداهُ ما اِبتَنَت آباؤُهُ

    وَكَفاكَ مِنهُ بانِياً وَمُشَيَّدا

    His hands raised high what his fathers built:

    enough for you are such a builder and such a lofty edifice.

  39. بَيتٌ عَلَت أَركانُهُ وَسَما بِهِ

    مَجداً عَلى قُلَلِ النُجومِ مُوَطَّدا

    A house whose pillars soared, which he raised

    to glory, firmly founded above the peaks of the stars.

  40. يَتلوهُ وَضّاحُ الجَبينِ بِرَأيِهِ

    عِندَ الحَوادِثِ يُستَنارُ وَيُهتَدى

    Following him comes one of radiant brow, whose judgment

    provides light and guidance when calamities occur.

  41. صِنوا أَبٍ نَشَئا عَلى مِنهاجِهِ

    فَزَكَت فُروعُهُما وَطابا مَولِداً

    Two sons of one father, reared upon his path:

    their branches flourished, and noble was their birth.

  42. فَرَسا رِهانٍ رُكِّضا في حَلبَةٍ

    فَتَجاوَزا أَمَدَ العَلاءِ وَأَبَعَدا

    Two racehorses spurred within one course,

    they passed the farthest reach of eminence and sped beyond.

  43. حازا تُراثَ المُلكِ مِن كِسرى أَنو

    شِروانَ فَاِتَّحَدا بِهِ وَتَفَرَّدا

    They won the heritage of kingship from Kisra Anu-

    shirwan, united in it and unrivaled.

  44. آلَ المُظَفَّرِ أَنتُمُ الكُرَماءُ في الد

    دُنيا وَخَيرُ مَنِ اِحتَبى وَمَنِ اِرتَدى

    House of al-Muzaffar, you are the noble ones in this

    world, the finest of those who sit with knees bound or don a cloak.

  45. قَومٌ إِذا قَحِطَ الزَمانُ وَجَدتَّهُم

    فيهِ مَلاذاً لِلعُفاةِ وَمَقصَدا

    A people whom, when time is barren, you will find

    a refuge and destination for seekers of gifts.

  46. وَرِثوا السِيادَةَ كابِراً عَن كابِرٍ

    كَهلاً وَمُقتَبِلَ الشَبابِ وَأَمرَدا

    They inherited lordship, great forefather after great forefather,

    in maturity, in early youth, and beardless.

  47. يَتَتابَعونَ إِلى المَكارِمِ سَيِّداً

    مِنهُم يَرِفُّ إِلى العَلاءِ فَسَيِّدا

    They follow one another toward noble deeds, one lord

    among them winging toward eminence, then another.

  48. مُتَشابِهي الأَعطافِ لا مِن فِتيَةٍ

    مِنهُم رَأَيتَ مُعَظَّماً وَمُمَجَّدا

    Alike in bearing—not mere youths:

    among them you see men honored and glorified.

  49. بيضَ الأَيادي وَالوُجوهِ إِذا غَدا

    وَجهُ الزَمانِ مِنَ الحَوادِثِ أَسوَدا

    White of hand and face, when

    the face of time grows black with calamities.

  50. نَكِرَت سُيوفُهُمُ الغُمودَ فَما تَرى

    لَهُمُ عَلى ما كانَ سَيفاً مُغمَدا

    Their swords disown their scabbards, so you never see

    a sheathed sword of theirs, whatever the circumstances.

  51. فَنِصالُهُم بِأَكُفِّهِم مَشحوذَةُ

    الشَفَراتِ إِمّا لِلنَدى أَو لِلعِدى

    Their blades in their hands have sharpened

    edges, whether for bounty or for foes.

  52. بِهِم أَصولُ عَلى الخُطوبِ إِذا طَغَت

    وَبِهِم أُذيلُ مِنَ الزَمانِ إِذا عَدا

    With them I assail calamities when they overrun their bounds;

    with them I gain redress from time when it turns hostile.

  53. بِكَ أَصبَحَت أَيّامُنا مُبيَضَّةً

    فينا وَعادَ لي الزَمانُ كَما بَدا

    Through you our days have grown bright

    among us, and time has returned for me as it began.

  54. سَلَّ الخَليفَةُ مِن مُضائِكَ صارِماً

    عَضباً إِذا نَبَتِ السُيوفُ مُهَنَّدا

    The caliph drew from your resolve a cutting sword,

    an Indian blade, sharp when other swords fail to bite.

  55. فَنَهَضتَ نَهضَةَ حازِمٍ مُتَيَقِّظٍ

    راضَ الأُمورَ مُدَرَّباً وَمُعَوَّدا

    You arose with the vigor of a resolute, vigilant man

    who has mastered affairs, trained and seasoned.

  56. ثَبَتَت لِبَأسِكَ في القُلوبِ مَهابَةٌ

    تَرَكَت مَخافَتُها مَغيبَكَ مَشهَدا

    A dread of your might has settled in hearts,

    its fear making your absence like your presence.

  57. فَإِذا ذُكِرتَ لَدى المُلوكِ بِمَحفَلٍ

    خَضَعَت رِقابُهُم لِعِزِّكَ سُجَّدا

    When you are mentioned among kings in an assembly,

    their necks bow prostrate before your might.

  58. جاراكَ قَومٌ في العَلاءِ فَقَصَّرَت

    بِهِمُ مَآثِرُهُم وَقَد حُزتَ المَدى

    Some competed with you in eminence, but fell short,

    their glorious deeds failing them, while you reached the goal.

  59. حَسَدوكَ حينَ رَأَوكَ أَمنَعَ جانِباً

    وَأَعَزَّ سُلطاناً وَأَكرَمَ مَحتِدا

    They envied you when they saw your side more impregnable,

    your authority mightier, and your lineage nobler;

  60. وَأَجَلَّهُم قَدراً وَأَسمَحَهُم يَداً

    وَأَعَمَّهُم فَضلاً وَأوسَعَهُم نَدا

    you were greatest in rank and most open-handed,

    most encompassing in excellence and most abundant in bounty.

  61. فَتَراجَعوا خُزرَ العُيونِ تَوَدُّهُم

    أَلوانُهُم جَعَلوا تُرابَكَ إِثمِدا

    They drew back, eyes askance, betrayed

    by their complexions [reading uncertain], and made your dust their kohl.

  62. حَسبُ المُعادي أَن تَكونَ عَدُوَّهُ

    وَكَفى حَسُدَكَ ضَلَّةً أَن يَحسُدا

    It is enough for an adversary that you should be his enemy;

    enough error for your enviers that they envy you.

  63. مَولايَ دونَكَ فَاِستَمِع لي فيكُم

    مَدحا كَما نُظِمَ الجُمانُ مُنَضَّدا

    My lord, receive this, and hear from me, in your praise,

    a panegyric like pearls strung in ordered rows.

  64. أَمسى حَبيساً في بُيوتِكُم فَما

    يَغشى لِغَيرِ بَني المُظَفَّرِ مَعهَدا

    It has become captive within your houses, and never

    visits any dwelling but that of the sons of al-Muzaffar.

  65. بِكَ صُنتُ وَجهي أَن يُذالَ وَمائَهُ

    مِن أَن يُراقَ حَياؤُهُ فَيُبَدَّدا

    Through you I kept my face from abasement, and its dignity

    from being poured away, its modesty scattered.

  66. وَغَنيتُ أَن أُمسي وَآمالي بِأَبوابِ

    اللِئامِ مُدَفَّعاً وَمُرَدَّدا

    I was spared an evening with my hopes at the doors

    of the base, thrust back and repeatedly turned away,

  67. مِن بَعدِ ما عَرَقَ الزَمانُ بِنابِهِ

    عَظمي وَأَرهَفَتِ الخُطوبُ لي المُدى

    after time had gnawed with its fang

    my bone, and calamities had sharpened their knives for me.

  68. فَتَمَلَّ عيداً بِالسَعادَةِ عائِداً

    وَاِفنِ الدُهورَ مُضَحِيّاً وَمُعَيِّدا

    Enjoy a feast returning with happiness,

    and outlast the ages, offering sacrifices and celebrating feasts.

  69. وَاَفى يَقودُ لَكَ العِدى هَدياً فَما

    يَرجو لِمَجدِكَ يا أَبا الفَرَجِ الفِدا

    It has arrived, leading your foes to you as offerings, and seeks

    no ransom from your glory, O Abu al-Faraj.

  70. لا زِلتَ في ثَوبِ السَعادَةِ رافِلاً

    تَنضو وَتَلبَسُ مُبلِياً وَمُجَدِّدا

    May you never cease trailing the robe of happiness,

    taking it off and putting it on, wearing it out and renewing it.

  71. لَو كانَ يُعبَدُ في الوَرى لِسَماحَةٍ

    بَشرٌ لَكُنتَ أَحَقَّهُم أَن تُعبَدا

    If, among mankind, generosity could win worship

    for a mortal, you would be worthiest of being worshipped.

  72. أَو كانَ يَخلُدُ ماجِد في قَومِهِ

    وافي الذِمامِ إِذا لَعِشتَ مُخَلَّدا

    Or if a noble man among his people could live forever,

    faithful to his obligations, then you would live eternally.