Sunday, September 29, 2013

بشار بن برد: قَدْ لاَمنِي فِي خَلِيلَتِي عُمَرُ Bashar ibn Burd, I was rebuked




قَدْ لاَمنِي فِي خَلِيلَتِي عُمَرُ                 وَاللَّوْمُ فِي غَيْرِ كُنْهِهِ قَدَرُ
قال أفق قلتُ لا فقال بلى
             قد شاع في الناس عنكم الخبر
فَقلْتُ إِنْ شَاعَ مَا اعْتِذَارِيَ مِـ
          ـمَّا لَيْسَ لِي فِيهِ عِنْدَهُمْ عُذُرُ
لا أكتم الناس حب قاتلتي
               لاَ لاَ وَلاَ أكْرَهُ الَّذِي ذَكَرُوا
لُومَا فَلاَ لَوْمَ بَعْدَهَا أبَداً 
                 صاحبكم والجليل محتضرُ
قم قم إليهم فقل لهم قد أبى               وقال لا لا أفيقُ فانتحروا
مَاذَا عَسَى أنْ يَقُولَ قَائِلُهُم              وذا هوى ً ساق حينهُ القدرُ
يا قَوْمِ مَا لِي وَمَا لَهُم أبَداً              يَنْظُرُ في عَيْبِ غَيْرِه الْبَطِرُ
يَا عَجَباً لِلْخِلاَفِ يَا عَجَباً           بفي الذي لام في الهوى الحجر
ما لام في ذي مودة ٍ أحدٌ                  يُؤْمِنُ باللّهِ قمْ فَقَدْ كَفَرُوا
حسبي وحسبُ التي كلفت بها          مني ومنها الحديث والنظرُ
أوْ قُبْلَة ٌ فِي خِلاَلِ ذَاكَ وَلاَ                 بَأسَ إِذَا لَمْ تُحللِ الأُزُرُ
أوْ لَمْسُ ما تَحْتَ مرْطِهَا بِيَدِي          والباب قد حال دونه الستر
والساق براقة ٌ خلاخلها              والصوت عالٍ فقد علا البهر
واسترخت الكف للغزال           وقالـت اله عني والدمع منحدرُ
اذْهَبْ فَمَا أنْتَ كالَّذِي ذَكرُوا               أنْتَ وَرَبِّي مُعَارِكٌ أشِرُ
وغابت اليوم عنك حاضنتي            فاللَّهُ لِي الْيَوْمَ مِنْكَ مُنْتَصِرُ
يا رب خذ لي فقد ترى ضعفي        من فاسق الكف ما له شكر
أهوى إلى معضدي فرضضهُ             ذو قوة ٍ ما يطاق مقتدر
يلصقُ بي لحنة ً له خشنت                  ذَاتَ سوَادٍ كَأنَّهَا الإِبَرُ
حَتَّى اقْتَهَرْنِي وَإِخْوَتِي غَيَبٌ         وَيْلِي عَلَيْهِمْ لَوْ أنَّهُمْ حَضَرُوا
أقسمُ بالله ما نجوت بها                 إذهب فأنت المسور الظفرُ
كيف بأمي إذا رأت شفتي            وكيف إن شاع منك ذا الخبرُ
أم كيف لا كيف لي بحاضنتي           يا حِبُّ لَوْ كَانَ ينْفَعُ الْحَذَرُ
قلتُ لها عند ذاك يا سكني                لا بأس إني مجربٌ حذرُ
قولي لهم بقة ٌ لها ظفرُ                 إن كان في البق ما له ظفرُ




Omar rebuked me for my girl friend and the rebuke was decided upon with others of his ilk.

He said, "Get up!", I said, "No.", then he said, "Yes, but of course, the report about you is already popularized among the people."

So I said, "If it´s popularized, why should I apologize? I had nothing to do with it. They have  
an - no alibi.

I don´t hide from the people a love for my executioner. No, no, I don´t hate the one they mention.

Never rebuking her, while your buddy and Beauty are dying!

Get up, turn on them, and tell them ´desist already´!" But he said, "No, if I don´t come too, then they have already hanged themselves!"

"What should their advocate claim? Predestination urged on the passion!

Oh people, what is wrong with us, the discontented always finding fault in the other?

How strange? On the contrary, how odd? In the mouth of this one censure for forbidden pleasure.

No one believing in God rebukes this friendship, rise up, but already they disbelieve!

My esteem and the extent to which I fell in love with her, is a private matter, the conversation and the contemplation,

or a kiss during which, but never mind if you will not absolve the weakness*,

or petting what´s under her dress with my palm, the guard at his post,

the thigh intentionally flashed, her ankle bracelets and voice elevated, the belabored breathing.

I relaxed the hand for the spinner, and she said, "make passionate love to me" tears flowing down.

"Get out of here, for you are not as they say, you, by god, are an arrogant prick!"

"She was absent from you the entire day, bitch! Because God was victorious over you on that day on my behalf.

Oh lord, lead me, for you know my weakness. What thanks is there for a fornicating fingerer?

I grab my backer so he´s gratified. Such potency, he´s not able to bear up under this talented power.

On account of it a pun has stuck to me "Roughy", such a defamation as if I were the Bed of Nails.

Even if I subdue myself and fraternize secretly undercover, it would overpower them, if they were present.

I swear by God she didn´t even attempt to save herself!" "Get out of here, for you the fingernail is clipped!**

How will it be for my mother when sees my lip? And how will it be if this news about you is popularized?

Or how, no, how for me? Come, into my arms, oh love, if it is to be, caution needs to be exercised."

I said to her at that moment, "Honey, it´s alright, I´m experienced, and cautious.

Tell them, it´s from a bedbug, but the Bedbug no longer has a nail."

___________________________________________________________________

translated into English with comments by Mark Frederick Westergreen

Background Information: A long fingernail was a sign of a powerful and successful man. To have someone else clip your nail was to be put in your proper place and humiliated by one of a higher rank (v. Lane)

* the term is also its own antonym, and means "strength"
** could also be rendered as: "the victor is vanquished, or hedge in"

References: Line 10 of this poem references the Qur’an 63.3, from the Sura "the Hypocrites".

I have to plug both ArabicAlmanac & Adab