Classical Arabic Literature: A Library of Arabic Literature Anthology

An Anonymous Muwashshaḥah from Spain

69 69 An Anonymous Muwashshaḥah from Spain ِ ‫�د‬ْ‫ن‬ �‫ه‬ � ‫ل‬� � ‫ا‬ َ ‫م‬ �‫ر‬‫ا‬‫و‬�‫ص‬� � ْ‫ن‬ �‫�ف�ا‬� ‫ج‬ � � ‫أ‬� � ‫ل‬ � � ‫ا‬ ‫ع‬ ‫د‬‫و‬�� ‫أ‬ � ‫ن‬ �‫م‬� ِ ّ ‫د‬��‫�خ‬ � ‫ل‬�� ‫ا‬ ‫ة‬ ��‫ح‬ � ‫ف‬ ��‫ص‬� � ‫ي‬ � � ‫�ف‬ � � ْ‫ن‬ �‫�ا‬‫ح‬ � ‫ي‬ �‫ر‬‫ل‬� � ‫ا‬ ‫ت‬ �‫ب‬ ��‫ن‬ �� ‫أ‬ �‫و‬�� ِ ‫�د‬ ْ ‫ه‬ � ُ ّ ‫��س‬‫ل‬� � ‫ا‬‫و‬�� ‫ع‬ �‫م‬�‫د‬��‫ل‬� � ‫ب�ا‬ �� ْ‫ن‬ �‫�ا‬‫�م‬ ْ ‫ي‬ �‫ه‬ � ‫ل‬�� ‫ا‬ ‫ى‬ � ‫ل‬��‫ع‬ � ‫ى‬ � ‫ض‬ �� � ‫�ق‬ � � ْ‫ن‬ �‫�ا‬‫�م‬ ‫ت‬ �‫ك‬ � � �‫ل‬��‫ل‬�� ‫و‬�� ‫ى‬ � ّ‫ن‬ �� ‫أ‬ � ْ ‫م‬ � ‫ت‬ �‫ك‬ � � �‫ي‬ � ‫�ا‬‫�م‬‫ب‬� ْ ‫م‬ � ‫�ج‬ � ْ ‫س‬���‫ي‬ � ‫ا‬ ‫�إ�ذ‬ ّ ‫م‬ � ‫ن‬ � ٍ ‫ع‬ �‫م‬�‫�د‬‫ب‬ �� ْ ‫م‬ �‫ر‬ ْ‫غ‬ � � ُ ‫م‬ ‫ل‬ �� ‫ا‬ ‫م‬ � ‫ئ‬ �‫�ا‬‫ه‬ � ‫ل‬��‫ل‬� � ِ‫�ج‬ � ْ ‫ع‬ � ُ ّ ‫د‬��‫ل‬� � ‫ب�ا‬ �� ّ ‫ي‬ � � ‫ل‬��‫ع‬ � ‫ي‬ � � ‫ط‬ �� �‫س�ا‬�� ٍ ‫ر‬‫ي‬ �‫ر‬ ‫غ‬ � � ‫ي‬ � � ‫ل‬�� ‫�ا‬‫ح‬ � ٍ ‫ل‬�‫�ط‬ �� �‫ا‬�‫ع‬ � ‫ي‬ � � ‫�ف‬ � � ِ ّ ‫ر‬‫��س‬‫ل‬� � ‫ا‬ ‫ن‬ �‫م‬� man ʾawdaʿa l-ʾajfān * ṣawārima l-hindī wa-ʾanbata r-rayḥan * fī ṣafḥati l-khaddī qaḍā ʿalā l-haymān * bid-damʿi was-suhdī ʾannā wa-lil-kitmān lil-hāʾimi l-mughram * bi-damʿin namm * ʾidhā yasjum * bimā yaktum mina s-sirrī * fī ʿāṭilin ḥālī * gharīrin sāṭī * ʿalayya bid-duʿjī234 Structure: abababa RRRR STUV cdcdcdc RRRR STUV efefefe RRRR STUV ghghghg RRRR STUV ijijiji RRRR STUV; meter (non-classical): XXSL LL (8 times) SLLL (4 times) XLSL LL SLLLL XXSL LL. This poem has been chosen partly because of the complex nature of its prosodic structure. Its kharjah is in vernacular Arabic. Dār al-ṭirāz (The House of Embroidery)235 is a work by the Egyptian poet Ibn Sanāʾ alMulk (d. 608/1211) in which he discusses the muwashshaḥ genre, especially its formal aspects, and illustrates it by incorporating a number of Andalusian examples, from among which this one is taken, followed by his own compositions . The editor thinks the poet may be Ibn al-Labbānah (d. 507/1113),236 because his poetry shows some parallels in diction and, like in the present poem, a certain Aḥmad is mentioned in his poetry. 70 70 70 70 Verse He who loads his eyes with cutting Indian swords and grows sweet basil on the surface of his cheeks237 condemns the one who loves him madly to tears and sleeplessness. How could he hide it, the witless lover? His tears reveal when they flow what he hides in his breast for a pretty one not in need of ornaments, inexperienced, yet overpowering me with his black eyes. How dear to me, this big-eyed boy, like a full moon on the fullest night, revealing pearls sweet to kiss, while his radiant cheek bleeds from mere fancy:238 how can I be excused, now that a speckled snake has crept over the brazilwood239 so that it can’t be kissed, and he has empowered with his magic, to kill heroes, with the Nabataeans, an army of Negroes.240 71 71 I prostrate myself before the fire like the Man of Mount Sinai.241 He’s like a full moon in the dark with his body like a reed, he’s like a rod of crystal set on a hillock of camphor.242 With the soul of an abandoned one243 I ransom him though he makes me an orphan In the sealed place of the teeth of his mouth, a string of pearls, is my wine and my fresh water; teeth in rows with fragrant gaps. Beauty inalienably is yours, Aḥmad, command is turned over to you, slender one, your slave madly in love with you, enslaved. Will you rebuke me, or will you pity me, stop the wasting away of a lover when he ails? Woe unto me! Imprisoned in my sea of fears with far-off shore I cling to waves. An Anonymous Muwashshaḥah from Spain 72 72 72 72 Verse A pretty girl appears, just like a rising moon, swaying with the weight of her breasts244 on a laurel branch, its leaves a mantle flowering with roses. At night she sings: Sweet love, make up your mind! Come on, attack! And kiss my mouth and come and press yourself against my breast and raise my anklets to my earrings.245 My husband is at work! ...