Saad’s Departure Leaves My Heart Unsettled
K’ab bin Zuhayr composed the following poem in honor of the Prophet:
When Saad departed, my heart is now unsettled,
Enamored by her, I remain ensnared.
And what of Saad at the break of dawn when they departed,
But a graceful gazelle, with kohl-dusted eyes.
She approaches like a slender young maiden,
With neither complaint of length nor of shortness.
Her smile unveils the illusions of despair,
As if it were a wellspring of intoxication.
Watered by fresh streams in a glistening basin,
That shines under the midday sun.
The winds disperse the haze around her,
From the direction of white sails swaying.
Poor thing, if only her promises were sincere,
What she promised, or if sound advice were heeded!
But she is a companion whose blood runs cold,
Filled with sorrow, passion, betrayal, and change.
And she does not remain in any state she finds herself,
Much like how a chameleon changes its attire.
And her grasp on the bond she claimed to cherish,
Is just as futile as trying to hold water with a sieve.
Her meetings were like the deceptive tales of ‘Urqoub,
And her promises are nothing but fabrications.
I hope and long for a day that would bring us together,
But there is no time in the world that assures such haste.
So do not let her deceptions and promises mislead you,
For wishes and dreams are merely illusions.
The Heart Awakes, Except from the Intoxication of Dreams
From the verses of Ahmad Shawqi, a pioneering modern poet:
The heart awakens, save from the intoxication of hopes,
In the presence of charming maidens, I am captivated.
Oh my heart, shall I restore your youthful days?
And is there anyone capable of achieving the impossible?
Yearning for that time and its beauty,
Are you not made of flesh and affection?
If you do not uphold a promise, nor respect a commitment,
And forget familiarity, then you are not my solace.
Do you remember when we indulged in love’s pleasures,
And drank from pure passion’s chalice?
While you are near, yet the beloved remains distant,
And you remain near, yet the beloved is far away?
In times when I did not spare any effort for love,
And you are in my heart during every challenge.
I have complained of absence after youth has departed,
So how do you see glasses differing from one another?
And still, I am in the bloom of youth, and yet,
Men age in Egypt well before their time.
And I dare not lie, for God has created me,
A product of grace, in an exquisite form.
I am loyal to beauty’s allure,
And I yield to beauty’s pull.
Separation Has Killed the Innocence of My Heart
From the poignant verses of Al-Jahiz speaking of estrangement and distance:
Separation has killed the innocence of my heart,
So my soul suffers in anguish.
The fracture of our bond has shattered my core, and I cannot
Enjoy the company of the beloved.
The weight of sorrow has shifted my existence,
As my master has severed the ties of our affection.
The torment of love in my heart endures,
If only I could fly with the wings of freedom.
My heart encounters sorrow with every glance,
As the tears from my eyes flow like a cascade of despair.
Separation blackens my visage with grief,
For my heart is ablaze in the flames of separation.
The Heart Speaks of Your Destruction
From the romantic verses of Ibn al-Farid:
My heart tells me that your fate is sealed;
My soul is devoted to you, whether you know it or not.
Did I not fulfill the rights of your love?
Have I not experienced my anguish, unlike anyone else?
What do I have besides my soul, willing to offer itself,
In love for one who desires nothing more than love?
If you accept it, you have granted me solace;
Oh, how disappointing it would be if you deny me assistance!
Oh you who prevent me from sweet slumber, and bestow upon me,
The cloak of illness and the longing that consumes me.
Show kindness to my shivering frame, for what’s left of me,
From this wearied body and stricken heart.
For the agony is persistent, while your companionship is withheld;
And patience is fleeting, while our meeting is delayed.
I am not immune to jealousy towards you, so do not waste,
My sleepless nights by inducing harsh thoughts.
Inquire of the night’s stars: have they visited my sleep,
And how can anyone visit those who do not recognize them?
There’s no wonder if my eyelids hide a veil of melancholy,
As my eyes weep and shed tears like pearls.
In moments of parting, from the pain of separation,
I witnessed the terror of the situation.
If there is no reunion waiting to greet you, then promise me,
Hope for me, even if you delay, but do not betray.
For hope from you no longer matters to me if loyalty is scarce,
It pleases me like a reunion with a compassionate beloved.
I long for the breezes of the evening,
And the face of one who brought forth fragrance into my life.
If the flames of my longing can be extinguished by her whispers,
I would gladly see them die out, yet hope they won’t fade.
Oh, friends of my heart, you are my hope, and to you,
Oh friends of my heart, I surrender my wishes.
Return to the loyalty you once showed,
For I swear I am the faithful friend you can count on.
By your lives, and again by your lives, I pledge
That without your presence in my life, I would not swear.
If my soul were in my hands and I surrendered it,
To the herald of your arrival, I would be unjust.
Do not think that in my love, I am insincere;
My passion for you comes naturally, without pretense.
I buried my love so deeply that it concealed itself,
To the extent that, by my life, I almost vanished.
If I had revealed it, you would have discovered,
That it was hidden deeper than the most delicate secret.
And I must say to those who meddle in love:
You risked yourself to troubles, thus take heed.
You are the victim of any desires you entertain,
So choose wisely whom to cherish in love.
Tell the accusers, you prolonged my reproach out of greed,
That blaming love puts me at a standstill.
Leave your reprimands, and taste the sweetness of love,
And if you love, then chastise me afterward.
My affection does not wane for those who say out loud,
Behold, if only love could unveil its veil!
And if another satisfied himself with mere imagination,
I am one who will never tire of his companionship.
Thus, I remain devoted to him, and in my trials,
With little recovery through him, do I find solace.
Adored he is, for I hold him dear,
And I swear, he is akin to holy scripture.
Should he command me: “Stand upon the burning sands,”
I would comply without hesitation.
Or if one seeks kindness upon my cheek, I would place it,
On the ground without hesitation, nor reluctance.
Do not deny my passion for what pleases you, even if
You do not respond to my longing.
Love prevailed, as I submitted my will to longing,
Where I broke my own will, defying the doubts.
For him I surrender my pride, and from him,
I gain strength in vulnerability, the might of the weak.
How many times have I been disregarded, while my heart
Has remained steadfast, standing through it all.
How mesmerizing is that which pleases you,
And how sweet is your embrace upon my lips.
If only they could hear Jacob speak of attractiveness,
Whose beauty made him forget all worldly marvels.
Or if Job, in his moment of serene sleep, should awaken,
He would surely be healed from all his afflictions.
All the beautiful moons, when they rise to greet,
Yearn for him, while every graceful contour is entranced.
If I claim to possess all love within me;
They would say, “Beauty is mine, all charm resides in.
If he were to share light, with the full moon’s glow,
At his height, his brilliance would never fade.
Since my praise for him is beyond imagination,
Time itself would cease to exist amid what goes unwritten.
I have poured all my love upon him,
Into his hands, I have entrusted my affairs.
For the eye yearns for the image of beauty,
As it longs for a sense of concealed meaning.
Hasten to my aid, and sing for me with your voice,
And let your melodies resonate within my heart.
For I wish to perceive the beauty of his essence,
In meanings that enchant me, and uplift my spirit.
Oh sister of Saad, from my beloved you have come to me,
With a message you have conveyed with charm.
I heard that which you have not, and I have seen what you have not,
And I recognized what others did not.
If, one day, he visits me, oh heart, break into pieces,
In your beloved’s presence, or shed those tears, oh eyes,
What is there for the forsaker, and the one I love beside me,
Should he be absent from my gaze, he resides forever in my heart.