معلقة الحارث بن حلزة اليشكري

معلقة الحارث بن حلزة اليشكري

الترجمة: محمود عباس مسعود

The Mu'allaqa of Al-Harith Ibn Hiliza

Translated by: Mahmoud Abbas Masoud

ترجمة تفسيرية – An Interpretive Translation

آذَنَتنَـا بِبَينهـا أَسـمَــاءُ
رُبَّ ثَـاوٍ يَمَـلُّ مِنهُ الثَّـواءُ

Asmaa has appraised me of her intention of departing our camp;
A place may grow weary of its dwellers,
But I always appreciated Asmaa's presence and never wanted her to go. 1

بَعـدَ عَهـدٍ لَنا بِبُرقَةِ شَمَّـاءَ
فَأَدنَـى دِيَـارِهـا الخَلْصَـاءُ

She has decided to leave, after we had exchanged vows of loyalty
In Barqa Shamma and Khalsaa, closest to her abode. 2

فَالـمحيّاةُ فَالصّفاجُ فَأعْنَـاقُ
فِتَـاقٍ فَعـاذِبٌ فَالوَفــاءُ

And in Muhayya, Saffaj, Anaqu Fitaq
Atheb, and Wafaa. 3

فَـريَاضُ القَطَـا فَأوْدِيَةُ الشُــربُبِ
فَالشُعبَتَـانِ فَالأَبْـلاءُ

And in the Sand Grouse Meadows (Riad Al-Qata),
Shuraib Valleys, Shu'battan, and Ablaa. 4

لا أَرَى مَن عَهِدتُ فِيهَا فَأبْكِي
اليَـومَ دَلهاً وَمَا يُحَيِّرُ البُكَـاءُ

Now, I no longer see in these places the familiar face of the dearly beloved
So I distractedly weep, notwithstanding the futility of weeping. 5

وبِعَينَيـكَ أَوقَدَت هِندٌ النَّـارَ
أَخِيـراً تُلـوِي بِهَا العَلْيَـاءُ

On an elevated spot, at night, Hind lit a fire
That I may take one last look of Asmaa before her departure.6

فَتَنَـوَّرتُ نَارَهَـا مِن بَعِيـدٍ
بِخَزَازى هَيهَاتَ مِنكَ الصَّلاءُ

I intently looked at the fire, in Khazara, from faraway
O how I wished I was near it to bask in its warmth,
Yet the fire was beyond my reach. 7

أَوقَدتها بَينَ العَقِيقِ فَشَخصَينِ
بِعُـودٍ كَمَا يَلُـوحُ الضِيـاءُ

She kindled it with a fragrant stick, between Al-Aqiq and Shakhsain,
Appearing as light, aglow in the dark. 8

غَيرَ أَنِّي قَد أَستَعِينُ عَلَى الهَـمِّ
إِذَا خَـفَّ بِالثَّـوِيِّ النَجَـاءُ

I, however, may be able to overcome my unease
Even when the dearly beloved is spirited away from me. 9

بِـزَفُـوفٍ كَأَنَّهـا هِقَلـةٌ
أُمُّ رِئَـالٍ دَوِيَّـةٌ سَقْفَــاءُ

This I accomplish by mounting a she camel,
Swift as an ostrich with her brood, eagerly dashing to evade harm. 10

آنَسَت نَبأَةً وأَفْزَعَها القَنَّـاصُ
عَصـراً وَقَـد دَنَا الإِمْسَـاءُ

Frightened by the hunter's sound,
She hastily fled, at eventide. 11

فَتَـرَى خَلْفَها مِنَ الرَّجعِ وَالــوَقْـعِ
مَنِيناً كَـأَنَّهُ إِهْبَـاءُ

Likewise, my she camel pounds the ground with her hooves
Leaving behind a fine trail of dust. 12

وَطِـرَاقاً مِن خَلفِهِنَّ طِـرَاقٌ
سَاقِطَاتٌ أَلوَتْ بِهَا الصَحـرَاءُ

The imprints of her hooves are seen one after another
Scattered over the sand, by ceaseless desert travel made thin. 13

أَتَلَهَّـى بِهَا الهَوَاجِرَ إِذ كُـلُّ
ابـنَ هَـمٍّ بَلِيَّـةٌ عَميَــاءُ

Undeterred by the scorching heat, I amuse myself and press on,
While others filled with bewilderment, unsure what path to take.14

وأَتَانَا مِنَ الحَـوَادِثِ والأَنبَـاءِ
خَطـبٌ نُعنَـى بِـهِ وَنُسَـاءُ

Grave calamities and distressing news beset us
Causing us anxiety, inflicting injury.15

إِنَّ إِخـوَانَنا الأَرَاقِمَ يَغلُـونَ
عَلَينَـا فِـي قَيلِهِـم إِخْفَـاءُ

For our brethren, the Araqims, have been harshly judging us
Ever insidiously insinuating, with intent to hurt.16

يَخلِطُونَ البَرِيءَ مِنَّا بِذِي الــذَنبِ
وَلا يَنفَعُ الخَلِيَّ الخِلاءُ

They indiscriminately mix our innocent with the guilty
Making it impossible for the faultless to vindicate themselves.17

زَعَمُوا أَنَّ كُلَّ مَن ضَرَبَ العِيرَ
مُـوَالٍ لَنَـا وَأَنَـا الــوَلاءُ

They allege that whoever smote their chief
Is an ally of ours—one of our own.18

أَجـمَعُوا أَمرَهُم عِشاءً فَلَمَّـا
أَصبَحُوا أَصبَحَت لَهُم ضَوْضَـاءُ

They made up their mind in the evening
And created much agitation and disturbance in the morning.19

مِن مُنَـادٍ وَمِن مُجِيـبٍ وَمِـن
تَصهَالِ خَيلٍ خِلالَ ذَاكَ رُغَـاءُ

A jumbled assortment of sounds: loud, earnest urgings, eager responses, neighing of horses, interspersed with groans and growls of camels.20

أَيُّهَـا النَاطِـقُ المُرَقِّـشُ عَنَّـا
عِنـدَ عَمـروٍ وَهَل لِذَاكَ بَقَـاءُ

O malicious, slanderous informant
You seek to sever the bond we have with King Amr
Your efforts are in vain,
Your treacherous attempts will not succeed.21

لا تَخَلنَـا عَلَى غِـرَاتِك إِنّــا
قَبلُ مَا قَد وَشَـى بِنَا الأَعْــدَاءُ

Do not imagine us obsequious
Enemies betrayed us before, but we never exhibited servile compliance.22

فَبَقَينَـا عَلَـى الشَنــــاءَةِ
تَنمِينَـا حُصُونٌ وَعِزَّةٌ قَعسَــاءُ

Yet, in spite of people's hate, we preserved our status,
Raised high our castles, and maintained our inviolable dignity.23

قَبلَ مَا اليَـومِ بَيَّضَت بِعُيــونِ
النَّـاسِ فِيهَـا تَغَيُّـظٌ وَإِبَــاءُ

Our taintless honor has blinded the eyes of our ill-wishers
Their intense dislike and envy made them boil with rage.24

فَكَـأَنَّ المَنونَ تَردِي بِنَا أَرعَــنَ
جَـوناً يَنجَـابُ عَنهُ العَمــاءُ

When the Fates strike us with dire distress
We stand unshaken like a solid mountain
Which the clouds encircle, yet powerless to hide the peak.25

مُكفَهِراً عَلَى الحَوَادِثِ لا تَرتُـوهُ
للدَهـرِ مُؤَيِّـدٌ صَمَّـــاءُ

Gray and grave misfortunes ever leave it undisturbed
Likewise, we are never dismayed, nor in the face of trouble lose heart.26

أَيَّمَـا خُطَّـةٍ أَرَدتُـم فَأَدوهَـا
إِلَينَـا تُشفَـى بِهَـا الأَمــلاءُ

Proceed if you will with your plans and designs
And weave intrigues that make our adversary contented.27

إِن نَبَشتُـم مَا بَيـنَ مِلحَـةَ فَالــصَاقِبِ
فِيهِ الأَموَاتُ وَالأَحَيَـاءُ

If you dig up between Milha and Al-Saqib
You will discover, huddled together, living and dead.28

أَو نَقَشتُـم فَالنَّقـشُ يَجشَمُــهُ
النَّـاسُ وَفِيهِ الإِسقَامُ وَالإِبــرَاءُ

And if you probe into the causes of what has happened
You will ferret out the truth, and clearly distinguish the innocent from the perpetrators.29

أَو سَكَتُّم عَنَّا فَكُنَّا كَمَن أَغمَـضَ
عَينـاً فِـي جَفنِهَـا الأَقــذَاءُ

And if you choose to quietly leave us alone
We will likewise, albeit unwillingly, leave you alone, as if blinking when dirt is in the eye lodged. 30

أَو مَنَعتُم مَا تُسأَلُونَ فَمَن
حُــدِّثتُمُـوهُ لَـهُ عَلَينَـا العَـــلاءُ

But if you refuse to abide by the truce you asked for,
We will ever remain superior, defying defeat?31

هَل عَلِمتُم أَيَّامَ يُنتَهَبُ النَّــاسُ
غِـوَاراً لِكُـلِّ حَـيٍّ عُــواءُ

Did you known that when people are raided and plundered
Sounds of mournful, plaintive howls are heard in every quarter?32

إِذ رَفَعنَا الجِمَـالَ مِن سَعَفِ الــبَحرَينِ
سَيراً حَتَّى نَهَاهَا الحِسَاءُ

We goaded our camels, swiftly traversing the distance between Al-Bahrain and Al-Hisaa.33

ثُمَّ مِلنَـا عَلَى تَمِيمٍ فَأَحرَمنَــا
وَفِينَـا بَنَـاتُ قَـومٍ إِمَـــاءُ

We raided the Tamim tribe, then temporarily suspended our activities in observance of the sacred month
While holding captive the enemy's daughters.34

لا يُقِيـمُ العَزيزُ بِالبَلَدِ السَهــلِ
وَلا يَنفَـعُ الـذَّلِيـلَ النِجَــاءُ

The noble abide not in lowland
And moving with great speed avails not the defeated.35

لَيـسَ يُنجِي الذِي يُوَائِل مِنَّــا
رَأْسُ طَـوْدٍ وَحَـرَّةٌ رَجــلاءُ

Those running away from us
Will not be able to evade us, hiding in mountain peaks
Or seeking shelter in rough terrain.36

كَتَكَـالِيفِ قَومِنَا إِذَا غَزَا المَنـذِرُ
هَلِ نَحـنُ لابنِ هِنـدٍ رِعَــاءُ

Did you experience the same hardships our people endured
When Al-Munthir raided his enemies?
And are we herdsmen for Hind's son (King Amr)?37

مَا أَصَابُوا مِن تَغلَبِي فَمَطَلــولٌ
عَلَيـهِ إِذَا أُصِيـبَ العَفَـــاءُ

Whatever members of the Taghlib Tribe they seize
They deem fallen, of life deprived
As if already under the sand lain.38

إِذَ أَحَـلَّ العَلاةَ قُبَّةَ مَيسُــونَ
فَأَدنَـى دِيَارِهَـا العَوصَــاءُ

This transpired when Maysoun's tent was brought down (by the king)
In the not too faraway land of Awsaa.39

فَتَـأَوَّت لَـهُ قَرَاضِبَـةٌ مِــن
كُـلِّ حَـيٍّ كَأَنَّهُـم أَلقَــاءُ

Fierce robbers from every tribe gathered there
Resembling vultures in their daring and superior strength.40

فَهَداهُم بِالأَسـوَدَينِ وأَمـرُ اللهِ
بَالِـغٌ تَشقَـى بِهِ الأَشقِيَــاءُ

He led the army with sufficient provision of dates and water
Mighty, however, is God's decree
Exacting retribution on mischievous rogues.41

إِذ تَمَنَّونَهُم غُـرُوراً فَسَاقَتهُـم
إِلَيكُـم أُمنِيَّـةٌ أَشــــرَاءُ

You conceitedly desired to engage them in battle
But your arrogance caused you to fall into their hands instead.42

لَم يَغُـرّوكُم غُرُوراً وَلَكــن
رَفـَعَ الآلُ شَخصَهُم وَالضَحَـاءُ

They did not surprise you with their onslaught
For the mirage and mid-morning glare brought them into your view.43


أَيُّهـا النَاطِـقُ المُبَلِّـغُ عَنَّــا
عِنـدَ عَمروٍ وَهَل لِذَكَ انتِهَـاءُ

O malicious, slanderous one
You seek to sever the ties that bind us to King Amr
Will you ever desist from your infamous act?.44

مَن لَنَـا عِنـدَهُ مِـنَ الخَيـرِ
آيَاتٌ ثَلاثٌ فِي كُلِّهِـنَّ القَضَـاءُ

Three of his boons have been graciously granted us
Favoring us thereby above all others.45

آيَةٌ شَارِقُ الشّقِيقَةِ إِذَا جَـاءَت
مَعَـدٌّ لِكُـلِّ حَـيٍّ لِـوَاءُ

One is the Shariq Shaqiqa boon
When the tribe of Maad came with banners unfurled.46

مَلِكٌ مُقسِطٌ وأَفضَلُ مَن يَمشِـي
وَمِـن دُونَ مَا لَـدَيـهِ الثَّنَـاءُ

A just and equitable king he is,
The best ever to walk, worthy of commendation and praise.47

مَلِكٌ أَضلَـعَ البَرِيَّةِ لا يُوجَــدُ
فِيهَـا لِمَـا لَدَيـهِ كِفَـــاءُ

A unique king he is in this world,
And the boons he confers are surely unmatched.48

حَولَ قَيسٍ مُستَلئِمِينَ بِكَبـشٍ
قَـرَظِـيٍ كَـأَنَّـهُ عَبـلاءُ

They came surrounding the Chief Qays
Taking for their shield a mighty Qardh Kinght, hill-like unmoved, firmly fixed.49

وَصَتِيتٍ مِنَ العَواتِكِ لا تَنهَـاهُ
إِلاَّ مُبيَضَّــةٌ رَعــــلاء

Came also a band of dazzlingly beautiful women
Protected by fully armed battalion, with white shields ablaze.50

فَرَدَدنَاهُمُ بِطَعنٍ كَمَا يَخـرُجُ
مِـن خُـربَةِ الـمَزَادِ المَـاءُ

We stood up to them and forcibly pushed them back
Like water, gushing out of holes in a skin sack.51

وَحَمَلنَاهُمُ عَلَى حَزمِ ثَهـلانِ
شِـلالاً وَدُمِّـيَ الأَنسَــاءُ

On rugged terrain we chased them in hot pursuit, toward the Thahlan hill
With legs blood-stained, exhausted, spent.52

وَجَبَهنَـاهُمُ بِطَعنٍ كَمَا تُنهَـزُ
فِي جَـمَّةِ الطَـوِيِّ الـدِلاءُ

We deterred them with strikes from our spears
A spectacle akin to the movement of buckets in a well, stone- lined.53

وَفَعَلنَـا بِهِـم كَمَا عَلِـمَ اللهُ
ومَـا أَن للحَائِنِيـنَ دِمَــاءُ

We dealt with them, only God knows how,
The blood of those doomed to destruction is not avenged.54

ثُمَّ حُجـراً أَعنَي ابنَ أُمِّ قَطَـامٍ
وَلَـهُ فـَارِسِيَّـةٌ خَضــرَاءُ

We also fought Hujr the son of Qutam
Distinguished by his green Persian armor.55

أَسَـدٌ فِي اللِقَاءِ وَردٌ هَمُـوسٌ
وَرَبِيـعٌ إِن شَمَّـرَت غَبــرَاءُ

Brave as a lion in battle, walking firm, with confidence
Regarded as refreshing spring showers on parched land.56

وَفَكَكنَا غُلَّ امرِيِء القَيسِ عَنـهُ
بَعـدَ مَا طَالَ حَبسُـهُ والعَنَـاءُ

We also broke Imrul Qays' fetters and released him
After his long imprisonment and suffering.57

وَمَعَ الجَـونِ جَونِ آلِ بَنِي الأَوسِ
عَتُـودٌ كَـأَنَّهـا دَفـــوَاءُ

Also present, Bani Aws' battalion, mightily tough and rough,
As an immovably rooted hill.58

مَا جَزِعنَا تَحتَ العَجَاجَةِ إِذ وَلُّوا
شِـلالاً وَإِذ تَلَظَّـى الصِــلاءُ

We were never alarmed, nor grew despondent beneath the heavy cover of dust
And stood our ground in the thick of battle.59

وَأَقَـدنَاهُ رَبَّ غَسَّـانَ بِالمُنـذِرِ
كَـرهاً إِذ لا تُكَـالُ الدِمَــاءُ

And we conferred upon him the Munthir kingdom of Ghassan
When it was beyond people's power to exact revenge.60

وأَتَينَـاهُمُ بِتِسعَـةِ أَمـــلاكٍ
كِـرَامٍ أَسـلابُهُـم أَغــلاءُ

And we brought before them nine noble kings,
That we captured, along with their costly possession we seized.61

وَوَلَـدنَا عَمـرو بنِ أُمِّ أنَـاسٍ
مِن قَـرِيبٍ لَمَّـا أَتَانَا الحِبَـاءُ

And we gave our own Um Anas, Amr's mother, in marriage to his father
When he sought us out, with dowry for his bride.62

مِثلُهَـا تُخرِجُ النَصِيحةَ للقَـومِ
فَـلاةٌ مِـن دُونِهَـا أَفــلاءُ

Such kinship alone is fit to bestow wise counsel on people
Who, by blood ties, intimately linked.63

فَاتْرُكُوا الطَيخَ والتَعَاشِي وَإِمّـا
تَتَعَاشَـوا فَفِـي التَعَاشِي الـدَّاءُ

So, let go of haughtiness, false pride, and pretensions
Lest you be irrecoverably diseased.64

وَاذكُرُوا حِلفَ ذِي المَجَازِ وَمَـا
قُـدِّمَ فِيهِ العُهُـودُ وَالكُفَـلاءُ

And do recall the Thul-Majaz pact
Sealed with oaths and by guarantors vouched.65

حَذَرَ الجَورِ وَالتَعدِّي وَهَل يَنقُضُ
مَـا فِـي المَهَـارِقِ الأَهـوَاءُ

We vowed abiding loyalty and repudiated enmity,
Must solemn oaths be so capriciously renounced?66

وَاعلَمُـوا أَنَّنَـا وَإِيَّاكُم فِي مَـا
إِشتَرَطنَـا يَومَ إِختَلَفنَـا سَـوَاءُ

Know that you and we are equally responsible
For upholding our alliance oath, even if we must dispute and differ.67

عَنَنـاً بَاطِلاً وَظُلماً كَمَا تُعتَـرُ
عَن حَجـرَةِ الرَبِيـضِ الظَّبَـاءُ

You have wrongly and falsely attributed to us the wrong committed by others
Wishing thereby to make a scapegoat of us.68

أَعَلَينَـا جُنَـاحُ كِندَةَ أَن يَغنَـمَ
غَـازِيهُـمُ وَمِنَّـا الجَـــزَاءُ

If the Kinda tribe raided and plundered you
Must we be the ones to pay the penalty thereof?69

أَم عَلَينَـا جَرَّى إيَادٍ كَمَا نِيـطَ
بِـجَـوزِ المُحمَّـلِ الأَعبَــاءُ

Or must we pay for Iyad's wrongdoing?
A heavy burden indeed you are placing upon us!70

لَيـسَ منَّا المُضَـرَّبُونَ وَلا قَيــسٌ
وَلا جَـندَلٌ وَلا الحَــــذَّاءُ

Those mischievous ones are not of us,
Neither of Qays, Jandal, nor Al-Hathaa.71

أَم جَـنَايَا بَنِي عَتِيـقٍ فَـإِنَّـا
مِنكُـم إِن غَـدَرتُـم بُــرَآءُ

Or must we be held responsible for transgressions committed by Banu Aqiq's?
Know for certain that if you renounce the oath, our ties of affinity will be forever cut.72

وَثَمَانُـونَ مِن تَمِيـمٍ بِأَيدِيهِـم
رِمَـاحٌ صُـدُورُهُـنَّ القَضَـاءُ

Eighty strong of
the Tamim tribe attacked you,
With death-dealing spears, in their hands held.73

تَرَكُـوهُـم مُلَحَّبِيـنَ فَآبُـوا
بِنَهـابٍ يَصَـمُّ مِنهَا الحُــدَاءُ

They left you scattered, ere they returned to their camps,
With plundered camels, Spurred by drivers, singing loud.74

أَم عَلَينَـا جَـرَّى حَنِيفَةَ أَمَّــا
جَمَّعَـت مِن مُحَـارِبٍ غَبـرَاءُ

Or must we pay for Banu Hanifa's unjust acts
And the offences of all warriors in this world?75

أَم عَلَينَا جَـرَّى قُضَاعَةَ أَم لَيـسَ
عَلَينَـا فِـي مَا جَـنَوا أَنــدَاءُ

Or are we to pay for the wrongs committed by Qudhaa?
Indeed we are not responsible for violations perpetrated by them.76

ثُمَّ جَاؤوا يَستَرجِعُونَ فَلَم تَرجِـع
لَهُـم شَـامَـةٌ وَلا زَهـــرَاءُ

Afterward, they came and tried to reclaim the plundered animals
But were unable to retrieve even a single white or freckled ewe.77

لَم يُخَـلَّوا بَنِـي رِزَاحٍ بِبَرقَـاءِ
نِطَـاعٍ لَهُـم عَلَيهُـم دُعَــاءُ

They profusely heaped curses
Upon Banu Rizah in Barqa Nitaa.78

ثُمَّ فَـاؤوا مِنهُم بِقَاصِمَةِ الظَّهـرِ
وَلا يَبـرُدُ الغَلِيـلَ المَــــاءُ

Only to return broken-hearted, empty-handed,
Their thirst for rescuing their seized property unquenched.79

ثُمَّ خَيلٌ مِن بَعدِ ذَاكَ مَعَ الغَـلاَّقِ
لا رَأَفَــةٌ وَلا إِبقَـــــاءُ

Then you were attacked by the mighty steeds of Ghallaq
Mercilessly ravaging, with devastation grand.80

وَهُوَ الرَّبُّ وَالشَّهِيـدُ عَلَى يَـومِ
الحَيـارَينِ وَالبَـلاءُ بَــــلاءُ

God witnessed the memorable day of A-Hayarain
Great was the tribulation, the agony profound.81