نظرات وزفرات: أبو فراس الحمداني ترجمة: محمود عباس مسعود Insights and Deep Sighs Abu Firas Al-Hamadani Translated by: Mahmoud Abbas Masoud أما لِجَميلٍ عِنْدكُنَّ ثَوابُ ولا لِمُسيءٍ عِنْدَكُنّ مَتَابُ Have you no appreciation, dear ladies, for a good deed? Have you no forgiveness for someone Who has wrongly behaved لقد ضلَّ من تحوي هواهُ خريدة ٌ وقد ذلَّ من تقضي عليه كعابُ Whosoever places his love in the hands Of a pretty damsel, has gone astray; Anyone who surrenders his will to young ladies Will surely be humiliated ولكنني والحمدُ للهِ حازمٌ أعِزُّ إذا ذلـّت لهنَّ رقابُ As for me, thanks God, I am firm and unyielding; I remain strong and maintain self-respect, Even when heads bow down to them, in utter surrender ولا تملكُ الحسناءُ قلبيَّ كلـَّهُ وإن شَمَلتـْـها رقة ٌ وشبابُ No beautiful woman can be in full possession of my heart, Even if exuding youth, breathing delicate charm وأجري فلا أعطي الهوى فضلَ مِقودي وأهفو ولا يخفى عليَّ صوابُ I run and flit, without allowing passion To dominate and lead me; I eagerly desire, yet I remain sober and serene إذا الخِلُّ لَمْ يَهْجُركَ إلا مَلالةً فَلَيْسَ لهُ ، إلا الفِرَاقَ ، عِتابُ Should a friend lose interest in you, and abandon you, You need not remonstrate with him; Bid him a permanent farewell instead إذا لم أجد من خُلَّةٍ ما أُرِيدُهُ فعندي لأُخْرى عَزْمَةٌ وَرِكابُ When my needs are not met in one place, I seek another, more accommodating وليس فِراقٌ ما استطعتُ فإن يَكُنْ فِراقٌ على حَالٍ فليس إيابُ I do my utmost not to part company and leave, Yet, when inevitable, I go my way and never return صَبورٌ ولو لم يبقَ مني بقيةٌ قَؤُولٌ وَلوْ أنَّ السيوفَ جَوابُ I am infinitely patient, to the very end I speak my mind, even when swords raised in my face وَقُورٌ وأحداثُ الزمانِ تَنوشني وَلِلموتِ حولي جِيئةٌ وَذَهَابُ Unperturbed when life’s problems Crowd in on me, And death struts roundabout وألحظُ أحوالَ الزمانِ بمقلةٍ بها الصدقُ صدقُ والكِذابُ كِذابُ I unerringly read life’s situations, With an eye that accurately discerns Between truth and falsehood بِمنْ يَثِقُ الإنسانُ فيما يَنُوبهُ ومِنْ أينَ لِلحُرِّ الكَريم صِحابُ Who shall one trust when disaster strikes? How can there be friends to a noble-hearted man وقدْ صَارَ هذا الناسُ إلا أقَلَّهُمْ ذِئابٌ على أجْسَادِهنَّ ثِيابُ People, save only a few, have all become human wolves; With bodies covered with clothes تَغَابيتُ عن قومٍ فَظَنوا غَباوةً بِمَفْرِقِ أغبانا حصًى وَتُرابُ! I intentionally pretend to be unaware Of what goes on around me; Others think I am ignorant! Let pebbles and dirt cover and smother The head of the more ignorant among us ولو عَرفوني بَعْضَ مَعرِفَتي بِهمْ إذاً عَلِموا أني شَهِدتُ وغابوا If they know me as I know them, They would realize that I am fully aware While they are absentminded وما كلّ فعّالٍ يُجازى بفعلهِ ولا كلّ قوالٍ لديّ يُجابُ Not every doer is rewarded for his actions; Nor every speaker, in my presence, deserves my answer ورُبَّ كلامٍ مرّ فوقَ مسامعي كما طنّ في لوح الهجير ذبابُ Many words fly by my ears, Like flies whizzing on a hot summer day تَمُرُّ الليالي لَيْسَ لِلنَّفعِ مَوْضِعٌ لَديَّ ولا لِلمُعْتَفِين جَنَابُ Nights roll, yet my fortune is no where to be found, No more do I see bounty seekers at my door ولا شُدَّ لي سَرْجٌ على مَتنِ سابحٍ ولا ضُرِبتْ لي بِالعراءِ قِبابُ No more a saddle for me, on back of a swift steed No more a pavilion pitched for me in open spaces ولكنني راضٍ على كلِّ حالةٍ ليُعْلَمَ أيَّ الحالتينِ سَرابُ Yet in any case, I am at ease with myself; Truth will finally be revealed, delusion exposed وما زِلتُ أرضى بالقليلِ محبةً لَدَيْهِ ، ومادون الكثير حِجابُ I continue to be satisfied with even a little portion Of love from him, knowing that the greater measure I desire lies hidden behind a veil كذاكَ الوِداد المحضُ لا يرتجى لهُ ثوابٌ ، ولا يُخشى عَليهِ عقابُ Pure love is freely given, With no hope of reward Nor fear of punishment وقدْ كُنتُ أخشى الهجرَ والشمْلُ جَامِعٌ وفي كُلِّ يَوْمٍ لُقْيَةٌ وخِطَابُ I used to fear separation even when we were together; When daily met, and intimately conversed فكيف وفيما بيننا مُلْكُ قَيْصَرٍ ولِلْبَحْرِ حولي زَخْرَةٌ وَعُبَابُ ؟ More so I now entertain apprehension, With Caesar’s land standing between us And the sea with its tumultuous waves roars about me أَمِنْ بَعْدِ بَذْلِ النفس فيما تُرِيدُهُ أثابُ بِمُرِّ العَتبِ حِينَ أُثابُ Must my reward, After sacrificing myself for your sake, Be severe chiding and bitter reprimand فليتك تحلو والحياةُ مريرةٌ وليتك ترضى والأنامُ غِضابُ I care not if life is full of bitterness, As long as I enjoy the sweetness of your affection; Nor do I care if everyone else is angry with me, So long as I revel in your pleasure وليتَ الذي بيني وبينك عَامرٌ وبيني وبين العالمين خَرابُ O how I wish we were on intimate terms, Even if my ties to the whole world Were irreparably severed and utterly spoiled إذا صحَّ مِنكَ الوِدُّ فالكُلُّ هَيّنٌ وكُلُّ الذي فوقَ التُّرابِ تُرابُ If I have your genuine affection, Nothing else whatsoever matters; Nor do I deem anything on the face of this earth valuable, When compared with your true love and friendship |