أزاحت ظلام الليل عن مطلع الفجر

وقامت تدير الشمس في كوكب درى

She swept the night's darkness away from dawn's rising place.

And rose to pass the sun around in a radiant star.

وهزت على دعص النقا غصن بانة

ترنح في أوراق سندسه الخضر

She shook, upon a dune of fine sand, a bān-tree branch,

swaying amid the green leaves of its silk.

وحيت بكاسات الحميا وثغرها

فلم نخل من شكر لديها ومن سكر

She greeted us with cups of wine and with her mouth,

so we lacked neither gratitude before her nor drunkenness.

ومالت بها خمر الصبا مثلما انثنت

نسيم الصبا بالاملد الناعم النضر

The wine of youth made her sway, just as

the east wind bends the supple, tender, flourishing bough.

وقد لاعبت منها الشمول شمائلاً

كما لعبت ريح الشمائل بالزهر

Wine had toyed with her graces,

as the north wind toys with flowers.

منعمة لم يبد للشمس وجهها

ولم يدنها فقر إلى شاسع قفر

Pampered, her face had never been exposed to the sun,

nor had poverty brought her to a distant wilderness.

من الترك لم تترك لصب محجة

إلى الصبر أو نهجا لعذل إلى العذر

A Turk, she left a lovesick lover no path

to patience, nor any route for reproach to find an excuse.

وبيضاء سوداء اللحاظ غريرة

من الغيدر با الردف ظامئة الخصر

And a fair woman, dark-eyed and innocent,

among the graceful women, full-hipped and thirsty-waisted.

ممنعة لا تجتني ورد خدها

يد اللحظ الا بين شوك القنا السمر

Well guarded, the rose of her cheek cannot be plucked

by the gaze's hand, save amid thorns of dusky spears.

من الروم مثل الريم جيدا ولفتة

ولحظا ومثل الغصن والشمس والبدر

A Roman, gazelle-like in neck and turning glance,

and in her gaze, and like the branch, the sun, and the full moon.

سريت لها في جنح ليل أزورها

وللنجم في افاقه لحظ مزور

I journeyed to visit her under night's wing,

while the star cast an averted gaze across its horizons.

على ضوء مسنون الغرارين صارم

اذا سل في الظلماء أغنىعن الفجر

By the light of a keen sword, honed on both edges,

which, drawn in darkness, made dawn unnecessary.

يروقك من مرا مجدول فضة

بصفحته موج الردى للعدا يجري

Its appearance delights you like braided silver;

across its blade, waves of death flow toward the foes.

يصمم ان لاقى الضريبة حده

ولو صدم الصلد الاصم من الصخر

Its edge cuts clean through the target it meets,

even if it strikes hard, unyielding rock.

شددت به كفى ونبهت عزمة

أحدّ وأمضى منه في الخير والشر

I tightened my hand around it and roused a resolve

sharper and more decisive than it in good and evil.

فاكرم به من صاحب ذي حمية

وأبيض ميمون النقيبة ذي أزر

How noble a companion it is, fiercely protective,

a bright blade, fortunate in nature, endowed with strength.

تواخيه من صنع الفرنج قصيرة

بعيدة مرمى الناردانية الأمر

A short weapon of Frankish make is its companion,

far-reaching in fire, close at hand in use.

يسابق رجع الطرف لمع شرارها

ويشبه لمح البرق في عدد القطر

The gleam of its sparks outruns the return of a glance,

and resembles lightning's flash, as countless as raindrops.

تشب غداة الروع ناراً من الردى

وترمي بجمر في قلوب العدا حُمر

On the morning of terror it kindles a fire of death

and hurls red embers into the enemies' hearts.

مجربة بالماء والنار في الوغى

وفي السلم طوع القصد مأمونة الغدر

Tested by water and fire in battle,

in peace it obeys one's purpose, safe from treachery.

فوافيت ذات الخدر والنوم في الدجى

على أعين الواشين منسدل الستر

So I reached the secluded lady, while sleep in the darkness

lay like a lowered curtain over the slanderers' eyes.

فقامت وقد مال الكرى بقوامها

كما مال بالنشوان صرف من الخمر

She rose, though slumber had bent her figure,

as pure wine bends a drunken man.

وماست تزجى ردفها في مورد

من اللاذ قدوشته بالدر والتبر

She swayed, moving her hips in a rose-colored garment

of silk she had embroidered with pearls and gold.

وتمسح عن أجفانها النوم سُحرة

فيرفض عنها كل فن من السحر

And she wiped sleep from her eyelids at dawn,

and every art of enchantment spilled forth from her.

وبتنا كما شاء الهوى في صيانة

وعفة ثوب لم يزرّ على ورر

We passed the night as love wished, in guarded honor

and chastity, our garment buttoned over no foulness.

تجاذبنا أيدي العفاف عن الخنا

اذا ما دعا داعي التصابي إلى أمر

The hands of continence drew us away from lewdness

whenever the call of youthful dalliance summoned us to anything.

نداول من شكوى الصبابة والجوى

وذكر النوى ولقرب والوصل والهجر

We exchanged complaints of ardent love and inward pain,

and talk of separation, nearness, union, and estrangement:

أحاديث أشهى للنفوس من المنى

وعود الشباب الغض من سالف العمر

conversations sweeter to the soul than wishes

or the return of tender youth from years gone by,

وألطف من مر النسيم إذا سرت

على الروض ريا الذيل عاطرة النشر

and gentler than the passing breeze when it moves

over the garden, fragrant of train and perfumed of breath.

أحاديث في الأذواق يحلو مليحها

كأمداح اسمعيل في مسمعي مصر

Conversations whose beauty is sweet to every taste,

like praises of Isma'il in the ears of Egypt.

عزيز بأمر اللَه قد عز أمره

وذلت لعالي قدره نوب الدهر

Mighty by God's command, his authority has grown mighty,

and time's calamities have bowed to his lofty rank.

فسيح مجال الصيت سار سناؤه

مسير الصبا ما بين بحر إلى بر

Far-reaching in fame, his radiance has traveled

as the east wind travels between sea and land.

أنام الرعايا في ظلال أمانه

بيقظة عين القلب والطرف والفكر

He let his subjects sleep in the shade of his protection,

through the wakefulness of his heart's eye, his gaze, and his thought.

وعاملهم بالعدل والفضل حكمه

بحكمة شهم بالسياسة ذي خُبر

His rule dealt with them in justice and bounty,

with the wisdom of a noble man versed in statecraft:

فانصاف مظلوم وإرغام ظالم

وإغناء ذي فقر وجبر لذي كسر

justice for the oppressed and humiliation for the oppressor,

enrichment for the poor and restoration for the broken.

وأوسعهم بذلا وفضلا ببعضه

تملكهم ما بين عبر إلى حر

He lavished gifts and bounty upon them, some of which

won them all over, from slave to free.

وكم نعمة غراء قلدهم بها

فطوّقهم طوق الحمامة بالشكر

How many splendid blessings he hung about their necks,

encircling them with gratitude like a dove's collar.

تجول الأماني حوما حول بابه

كما حلقت طير صواد على نهر

Wishes circle, hovering around his door,

as thirsty birds circle above a river.

فتغدو خماصا طاويات وتنثني

وهنّ بطان من نوال ومن بر

They set out hungry, with bellies empty, and return

full from his gifts and goodness.

ربيع ندى روض المعالي به ازدهى

وأينع في أفنانه ثمر الفخر

A springtime of generosity: through him the garden of high deeds blossomed,

and on its branches the fruit of glory ripened.

أطلّ على مصر فأغنى بجوده

مغانيها عن منة السحب الغرّ

He shone upon Egypt, and with his generosity freed

its dwellings from indebtedness to the bright clouds.

له رهبة في كل قلب ورغبة

ومازال شلآن الدهر للنفع والضرّ

Every heart holds awe of him and longing for him,

and he remains [unclear word] of time, for benefit and harm.

وحزم كما شاء السداد مؤيد

تريه خفا يا الغيب من دون ما ستر

And firmness, upheld as sound judgment wills,

reveals to him the unseen secrets behind every veil.

إذا التبست أعقاب أمر على النهى

جلا سرها المكنون في صورة الجهر

When the outcomes of a matter confuse the intellect,

he brings its hidden secret plainly into the open.

فيا ابن الذين استوطنوا ذروة العلى

وحلوا محل البدر في شرف القدر

O son of those who dwelt upon the summit of eminence

and took the full moon's place in nobility of rank,

جزاك إله العرش عن مصر مثل ما

جزاها بأيديك الحسان عن الصبر

may the God of the Throne reward you on Egypt's behalf as

He rewarded her, through your beneficent hands, for patience.

جذبت بضبع الملك من بعدما هوى

وخرّ مكبا لليدين وللنحر

You seized kingship by the upper arm after it had fallen

and collapsed face down upon its hands and breast,

على حين أضحى للشباب مودّعاً

وأمسى بأهوال المشيب على ذُعر

at a time when it had bidden farewell to youth

and grown fearful of the terrors of gray age.

فأصبح مخضلّ الشبيبة مشرقا

محياه طلق الوجه مبتسم الثغر

Then it became dewy with youth, radiant

in countenance, open-faced and smiling.

حميت حماه بالمدافع والظُّبا

وبالمال والتدبير والعسكر المجر

You defended its sanctuary with cannon and sword-edges,

with wealth, planning, and a vast army.

وأخجلت غرّ السحب نيلا فغيثها

دموع على تقصيرها في الندى تجرى

You shamed the bright clouds with your bounty; their rain

flows as tears for their shortcomings in generosity.

تجهم وجه السحب بشرى بجودها

وجودك من آياته رونق البشر

The clouds' frowning face heralds their bounty,

but radiant cheer is among the signs of yours.

فقيصر عن إدراك شأوك قاصر

وكسرى اسمه أضحى بعدلك في كسر

Caesar falls short of reaching your lofty goal,

and Kisra's very name is broken by your justice.

وقد حزت حق الملك في مصر عن أب

أبيّ وجدّ سيد ما جدحر

You inherited the right to rule Egypt from a father

unbowed, and a grandfather, lordly, noble, and freeborn.

ومهدت مدّ اللَه عمرك ارثه

لأبنائك الطهر الجحاجحة الغرّ

And—may God prolong your life—you secured its inheritance

for your pure sons, those illustrious, radiant chiefs.

وقبلك كم مدّت لما نلت شأوه

يد ثم ردّت غير ظافرة الظُّفر

Before you, how often, toward the height you attained, was stretched

a hand, then drawn back without a victorious grasp.

وما كل من يسمو لأمر ببالغ

مداه ولا كل الجوارح كالنسر

Not everyone who aspires to something can reach

its limit, nor is every bird of prey an eagle.

نهضت بتوفيق العليّ ولم يزل

يعينك عون اللَه في حيثما تسري

You rose with the Most High's favor, and still

God's aid supports you wherever you go.

فأدركت ما أعيا سواك بهمة

تريك محل اليسر من موضع العسر

Through resolve you attained what defeated others,

a resolve showing you ease where difficulty lay.

وأوليت عهد الملك عهدة ماجد

أغرّ لبيب غير غرّ ولا غُمر

You entrusted the succession to a noble man's care,

illustrious and discerning, neither naive nor inexperienced.

له عقل سنّ الأربعين وحزمه

ولم يتجاوز سنه سابع العشر

His are the understanding and resolve of forty years,

though his age has not yet passed seventeen.

حرىّ بما توليه مضطلع بما

توليه رحب الباع متسع الصدر

Worthy of what you entrust to him, capable of what

you place in his charge, far-reaching and broad-hearted.

محمد رأى جدّه مثل جده

وإقدامه إقدام آبائه الطهر

Muhammad: his earnest judgment matches his grandfather's,

and his boldness is that of his pure forefathers.

فهنأك الرحمن ملكاً رعيته

وراعيته بالرأي والنائل الغَمر

May the Merciful gladden you in the kingdom you tended

and watched over with judgment and abundant gifts.

ودام لك التوفيق خير موازر

وخيز وزير صائب النهى والأمر

May success remain your best supporter,

and your best minister, sound in mind and command.

وهنئت عود اشرف الملك عيده

بما شاء من بشرى وما رام من بشر

May you rejoice as the noblest sovereign's festival returns,

with the glad tidings he wished and the joy he sought.

ولا زلت بحراً للمكارم زاخرا

معاليك في مدّ وشانيك في جزر

May you ever remain a sea overflowing with noble deeds,

your eminence at flood, your hater at ebb.

بذكرك يختال القريض وتنثني

قوافيه في كبر على سائر الشعر

At your mention poetry struts, and its rhymes turn

proudly above all other verse.

تأرّجت الأرجاء منه كأنما

تنفس فيه المدح عن نفحة العطر

The surroundings grew fragrant with it, as though

praise breathed within it a waft of perfume.

فدونكها مولاي حلة مدحة

مطرّزة الاعطاف بالحمد والشكر

Take it, my lord, a robe of praise,

its folds embroidered with homage and thanks:

صناعة عبد صادق في ولائه

يرى أن كفران الصنيع من الكفر

the work of a servant sincere in his loyalty,

who sees ingratitude for kindness as a form of unbelief.

سهىت عليها داجي الليل ناظماً

دراريه فيها ولم أرض بالدر

Through the dark night I stayed awake over it, stringing

its bright stars within it, not content with pearls.

ترقت حلاها عن سواك وراقها

علاك فلم تجنح لزيد ولا عمرو

Its ornaments rose beyond anyone but you, and it delighted in

your eminence, so it inclined neither to Zayd nor to Amr.

مهذبة ماشين بالهذر لفظها

ولا شيب معناها بعيب ولا عذر

Refined, its wording unmarred by idle chatter,

its meaning tainted by neither fault nor excuse.

خدمت بها علياك مدحاً وانما

نظمت النجوم الزهر عقداً على البدر

With it I served your high station in praise; indeed,

I merely strung the bright stars as a necklace upon the full moon.

فعش ما تثنى في الربى فرع بانة

وغنى على أفنانها ساجع القرى

So live as long as a bān-tree branch bends on the hills,

and the villages' cooing bird sings upon its boughs.