Poem: The Beloved Has Departed
- By Warda Al-Yazji:
The beloved has departed, and my patience has worn thin,
When will he return to his original home?
The land that darkened in his absence
Is longing for his presence before the end.
The beloved left at dusk,
As night wrapped itself in garments over the fields.
My patience has diminished in sorrow for his distance,
While my body mourns the pain of separation.
O absent one, my heart follows in his wake,
My yearning remains within me, steadfast like a mountain.
Though you’ve vanished from the eyes, migrating far away,
Your beautiful presence still lingers in my heart.
O moon, you left us today, journeying afar,
Yet the moon does not leave for an entire month in its setting.
Even if we are denied the reunion,
There is no ban on the written letters that ease our pain.
Poem: Separation from the Beloved
- By Saqr Al-Nasafi:
O heart, lamenting the separation from the beloved,
A longing arises, echoing amidst the marketplace.
Voices mingle with their captivating tones,
As they wander in the bustling market with their charms.
Their children run amidst the decorations,
And they sell fragments of love, week after week.
O elderly ladies, may the young not see you,
With their blindness, confusion, and folly befalling them.
Some days, they lose themselves in their distractions,
Focusing only on beauty and vanity.
Today, along the path of love, they bear no excuse,
For after beauty fades, they will curse their days.
And when they grew older, they brought forth weeping,
May God restore to them what remains of life.
Seeking Shelter from the Beloved’s Absence
- By Al-Buhturi:
I seek refuge in the moon from the absence of my beloved,
From the torment that follows him and the weeping despair.
From the heartbreak that blinds the eyes,
When the heart is consumed and devoted entirely.
To return the one close to home while feeling the ache,
For not everyone near their homes is truly close.
And like Abu Al-Najm, noble in his deeds,
He grieves for the longing or accommodates the stranger.
Separation and Those Left Behind
- By Al-Mutanabbi:
Separation, and the one I have left is blameless,
While the mother, I have directed towards the better path.
And the abode of pleasures does not please me,
If I am not honored and respected there.
A noble soul remains kind-hearted,
Despite being constantly targeted by injustice.
I departed, leaving many in tears,
Both in the eyes of the youthful and the ancient.
And the keeper of the precious pearl cannot change it,
More anguished than the guardian of the steadfast sword.
If what I feel is from a concealed lover,
I would be justifiably forgiving, but not from a false pretender.
He misfires and withdraws from confrontation,
Love that truncates the bow and arrows in hand.
When a person’s actions dishonor them,
Their assumptions align with the very wrongs they commit.
And they wrong their beloved with the words of their enemies,
And they enter a dark night of doubt.
I befriend a person’s spirit before their form,
Recognizing them by their actions and speech.
And I overlook my friend, knowing well that,
Whenever I bestow patience, regret will follow in its wake.
And even if the person offers me their generosity disdainfully,
I repay with the generosity of a smiling soul.
I long for all gallant youths;
Each brave in heart, like the noble steeds of the realm.
Underneath them, the camels tread the wasteland,
Blending with the horses from the valiant Thursdays ahead.
Yet, there lies no chivalry in his sword and spear;
But it exists within his hand, his thrust, and his mouth.
And not every lover of beauty acts rightly,
Nor is every admirable act carried on by the same hands.
In the name of my lord, I cherish them dearly,
For they are the swift steeds guided by the proud darkness.
Ensnared by a glory that often obscures its creator,
To a character vast and a personality pure.
If politics prevent you,
Then stand with me, and you shall learn.
It becomes difficult for those who gaze upon him,
To adhere to their justifiable excuse.
And who is like Kafour when horses are deterred,
When few dare to command them to advance?
Firmly, the dust rises, and the battle draws close,
To the magician’s face hidden behind the veil.
O father of musk, I hope for your victory over the enemies,
And I seek honor that colors the white with blood.
On a day that enrages the envious,
I shall lodge anguish in a place of pleasure.
And I sought only those who wander through life,
Not confined to the clouds that darken the sun.
Had you not been in Egypt, I would not have journeyed towards you,
With a heart affixed in longing and complete yearning.
Nor did my horses bark like the dogs of tribes,
As if they bore the burdens of war in the night.
And no one follows our traces but the silent parting,
Thus, only the soft hoof prints impress the ground.
We tread the wilderness until it met the banks,
From the Nile till shaded by the low cliff’s margin.
And I have tasted the sweetness in its offerings,
Although I acted against my own better judgment.
For this reason, I convey my thanks without hesitation,
To those who involved me despite the odds.
I have chosen you above others, so choose wisely for them
Words that echo truth, for I have decided accordingly.
So, the kindest face among mankind is that of a benefactor,
And the most dedicated hand among them is that of a giver.
And the nobility of spirit surpasses all valor,
And one who strives after noble endeavors embodies the greatest worth.
Who seeks the world without aiming for
The joy of a beloved or revenge on a sinner?
The mare above the thigh, one that rides the world,
Leaves her mark in every neck and wrist.
Even if engulfed in flames, she is not blemished,
And if I could count how much of my life I’ve devoted,
Two-thirds await your arrival, so understand this.
But what passes swiftly from life is indeed fleeting;
So bless me with a fortune akin to that of the fortunate singer.
I rest assured in what you deem beloved to me,
And I am directed towards you with the submission of a surrendering soul.
And one like me is the middle ground of heart,
He spoke of me, while I remained silent.
Poem: Leaving the Beloved without Regret
- By Ibn Sanā al-Malik:
I left the beloved of my heart not in weariness,
But for a transgression that necessitated separation.
One who desired a partner in our affection,
And my heart’s faith forbade me from partnership.
And I, in the aftermath of my joy,
He will remain, and the fragrance of musk lives on.
My beloved was the string of my affection,
How I long for the void left behind by this bond!