أما الزمان فقد ألزمته الجددا — Abn Hius

أَمّا الزَمانُ فَقَد أَلزَمتَهُ الجَدَدا

وَالمَكرُماتُ فَقَد أَنشَأتَها جُدُدا

As for time, you have obliged it to become new.

And noble deeds, you have created them anew.

فَعاوَدَ الخَوفُ أَمناً وَالمُباحُ حِمىً

وَالجَدبُ في الأَرضِ خِصباً وَالضَلالُ هُدا

So fear became safety again, and open ground became sanctuary;

Barren earth became fertile, and error became guidance.

وِزارَةٌ لَوَتِ الأَعناقَ خاضِعَةً

لِعِزِّها وَعَهِدنا لَيَّها صَيَدا

A ministry made necks bend in submission

to its might, though we had known those necks to be proud.

فارَقتَها لا كَغَيثٍ صَدَّ عَن بَلَدٍ

يَشكو الظُما بَل كَروحٍ فارَقَت جَسَدا

You left it not like rain withdrawing from a land

that complains of thirst, but like a soul departing a body.

وَعُدتَ وَالنَومُ قَد أَلوَت بِهِ فِتَنٌ

لِأَجلِها ذُمَّ عَيشٌ طالَما حُمِدا

You returned when turmoil had driven sleep away,

turmoil for which a life once praised had come to be blamed.

فَقُمتَ في كَفِّ كَفِّ الخَطبِ حينَ سَطا

وَنُبتَ في صَرفِ صَرفِ الدَهرِ حينَ عَدا

You stood against calamity's grip when it struck,

and took its place against the turns of time when they attacked.

وَهَل نَذُمُّ زَماناً ما أَساءَ بِنا

إِلّا لِيُحسِنَ في إِنجازِ ما وَعَدا

Why should we blame a time that wronged us

only to do well in fulfilling what it promised?

يُثني عَلَيهِ وَإِن أَضحى يُعَنِّفُهُ

مَن لَيسَ يَعرِفُ مَعناهُ الَّذي قَصَدا

Even one who rebukes it praises it,

unaware of the purpose it intended.

فَكَم لَهُ عِندَنا مِن مِنَّةٍ عَظُمَت

وَنِعمَةٍ لا يُؤَدّى شُكرُها أَبَدا

How many great favors it has bestowed on us,

and blessings whose thanks can never be fully paid!

خُطوبُهُ لَكَ بِالإِعجابِ خاطِبَةٌ

وَجَورُهُ لَكَ بِالإِعجَازِ قَد شَهِدا

Its calamities address you in admiration,

and its injustice has testified to your extraordinary power.

إِنَّ الإِمامَ حَمى المُلكَ الأَعَزَّ بِمَن

لا تَستَطيعُ اللَيالي حَلَّ ما عَقَدا

The imam protected the mighty realm through one

whose bonds the passing nights cannot undo.

تَصَفَّحَ الناسَ ثُمَّ اِختارَ أَحسَنَهُم

فيهِ وَفي بَيتِهِ رَأياً وَمُعتَقَدا

He examined the people, then chose the best of them

in judgment and belief, both in himself and in his household.

أَعَدَّ لِلبَعثِ ذُخراً مِن وَلائِهِمُ

يَبقى إِذا كُلُّ ذُخرٍ صالِحٍ نَفِدا

He laid up their loyalty as provision for the Resurrection,

lasting when every other worthy store is exhausted.

وَلَم تَزَل في اِجتِياحِ الإِفكِ مُنصَلِتاً

وَفي جِهادِ عُداةِ الدينِ مُجتَهِدا

You have never ceased to be unsheathed against falsehood

and diligent in struggling against the enemies of the faith.

مُعَظَّماً قَبلَ تَعظيمِ الإِمامِ لَهُ

وَالسَيفُ يُخشى وَيُرجى سُلَّ أَو غُمِدا

You were honored before the imam honored you;

a sword is feared and hoped for whether drawn or sheathed.

مَتى تَزُرهُ لِعِلمٍ وَاِكتِسابِ غِنىً

فاضَ النَدِيُّ بَياناً وَالبَنانُ نَدا

Whenever you visit him seeking knowledge and wealth,

the gathering overflows with eloquence and the fingertips with gifts.

يُبِخِّلُ الدِيمَةَ الوَطفاءَ مُختَصِراً

وَيَسبِقُ الحَرجَفَ النَكباءَ مُتَّئِدا

He makes even a thick, abundant rain seem miserly with a brief gift,

and outstrips the bitter, wayward wind while walking calmly.

وَماجِدٌ لِسِوى العَلياءِ ما خُلِقَت

أَخلاقُهُ وَلِغَيرِ الفَضلِ ما وُلِدا

A noble man whose character was made only for eminence,

and who was born for nothing other than virtue.

رَمى الحَوادِثَ عَن بُعدٍ فَأَقصَدَها

بِعَزمِهِ وَسَأَلناهُ فَما اِقتَصَدا

From afar he struck at calamities and hit them squarely

with his resolve; when we asked of him, he gave without stint.

وَهَل يُقارَعُ يَوماً رَبُّ مَملَكَةٍ

عَلى المَكينِ الحَفيظِ الأَوحَدِ اِعتَمَدا

Could a ruler ever contend with one who relied

on this steadfast, vigilant, unrivaled man?

وَكَيفَ يَعدوكَ وَالأَيّامُ عادِيَةٌ

مَن رامَ مِثلَكَ في الدُنيا فَما وَجَدا

How could one overtake you while the days race on,

when whoever sought your equal in the world found none?

إِنَّ السَعادَةَ عَمَّت مُذ خُصِصتَ بِها

فَاِسلَم عَلى رَغمِ حُسّادٍ وَكَبتِ عِدا

Good fortune spread to all once you were singled out for it;

so live safely, despite the envious and to the frustration of foes.

أَخفَوا ضِباباً كُداها في صُدورِهِمُ

وَهُم ضِبابٌ لَها فَرطُ الخُضوعِ كُدا

They hid behind the hills of mist within their breasts,

though they themselves are mists, with excessive submission for hills.

فَلا تَرُعهُم وَكُن مِنهُم عَلى ثِقَةٍ

أَنَّ الحِمامَ إِلَيهِم يَسبِقُ الكَمَدا

Do not fear them; be assured concerning them

that death will reach them before grief does.

وَجِلَّةُ القَومِ قاتِلهُم بِسَعيِهِمُ

فيما تُحِبُّ وَلا تَستَصغِرِ النَقَدا

The leaders of the people are brought down by their own efforts

to do what pleases you; do not dismiss small criticism.

فَلَن يَعُزَّ عَمودُ البَيتِ صاحِبَهُ

وَرُبَّما عَزَّهُ أَن يَقلَعَ الوَتدا

A house's central post may not resist its owner,

yet pulling out a peg may prove hard for him.

وَذا مَقالٌ غَنيٌّ عَن هِدايَتِهِ

مَن مُذ تَنَبَّهَ لِلعَلياءِ ما رَقَدا

This is counsel needing no guidance for one

who, since waking to high aims, has never slept.

إِنّي بِذا النُصحِ لَمّا عَنَّ في خَلَدي

كَالخُلدِ دَلَّ عَلى حيسِ الفَلا الأَسَدا

In offering this advice when it came to mind, I am

like a mole showing a lion where to find the desert's sweet dates.

رُقتَ الإِمامَةَ في قَولٍ وَفي عَمَلٍ

فَبُلِّغَت بِكَ هَذا المُرتَقَى الصُعُدا

In speech and deed you rose to the imamate,

and through you it reached this lofty height.

فَاِشكُر خَليلَ أَميرِ المُؤمِنينَ لِمَن

أَعطاكَ مَنزِلَةً لَم يُعطِها أَحَدا

Thank the confidant of the Commander of the Faithful for the one

who gave you a rank he had granted to no one.

وَاِحكُم عَلى كُلِّ مَن رامَ العِنادَ لَهُ

بِحُكمِ جَدِّكِ في النُعمانِ إِذ عَنَدا

Judge everyone who seeks to defy him

as your grandfather judged al-Nuʿmān when he rebelled.

كَذَّبتَ بِالعَدلِ إِذ أَصبَحتَ باسِطَهُ

مَن قالَ كِسرى أَنو شِروانُ قَد فُقِدا

By spreading justice, you proved false the claim

that Kisrā Anūshirwān was lost to the world.

وَأَورَدَتكَ سَجاياكَ الَّتي شَرُفَت

مِنَ النَباهَةِ بَحراً قَطُّ ما وُرِدا

Your noble qualities brought you

to a sea of distinction never before approached.

آزَرتَ أَربابَ هَذا الأَمرِ آوِنَةً

عِزّاً لِمَن ذَلَّ نَهّاضاً لِمَن قَعَدا

At times you supported the holders of this office,

giving strength to the humbled and lifting those who had fallen.

هَل كُنتَ في القَومِ إِلّا بانِياً شَرَفاً

وَمُصلِحاً فاسِداً أَو موضِحاً رَشَدا

Among the people, were you ever anything but a builder of honor,

a reformer of what was corrupt, or a guide to the right path?

تُبّاعُ رَأيِكَ ما أَهمَلتَهُ اِطَّرَحوا

فيهِ الكَلامَ وَما مَثَّلتَهُ اِعتُمِدا

Followers of your judgment discarded what you left aside;

discussion of it ceased, while what you proposed was adopted.

ضافَرتَ أَربَعَةً مِنهُم سَلَكتَ بِهِم

طَرائِقاً ضَلَّ عَنها مَن تَرَكتَ سُدا

You joined forces with four of them and led them

along paths from which those you left alone went astray.

وَما أَتى مِنكَ فِعلٌ أَو أَمَرتَ بِهِ

يَستَصحِبُ اللَومَ أَو يَستَلحِقُ الفَنَدا

No deed you did, nor anything you commanded,

carried blame or invited foolish reproach.

أَبوكَ تاجٌ بِهِ تَزهو الكَتابَةُ إِن

باهَت وَجَدُّكَ ذو التاجِ الَّذي عُقِدا

Your father is a crown in which the scribal art takes pride

when it boasts; your grandfather wore the crown that was bound.

الباعِثُ الخَيلَ لا تُثنى أَعِنَّتُها

إِذا النَجيعُ عَلَيها خالَطَ النَجدا

He sent forth horses whose reins could not be turned back

when the blood upon them mingled with the uplands.

تَردي بِأُسدٍ إِذا ما حورِبَت غَنِيَت

بِصِدقِ إِقدامِها أَن تَطلُبَ المَدَدا

They gallop bearing lions who, when battle comes,

need no reinforcements, so true is their charge.

إِن قاتَلوا أَلزَموا الأَعداءَ طاعَتَهُم

قَهراً وَإِن قَتَلوا لَم يُلزِموا قَوَدا

If they fight, they force their enemies into obedience;

and if they kill, they are not held to blood recompense.

مَآثِرٌ عُدِمَت أَشباهُها وَعُلىً

حَوَيتَ مُطَّرَفاً مِنها وَمُتَّلَدا

These are deeds without equal, and lofty honors

you possess, both newly won and inherited.

فِداءُ هَذي المَساعي كُلُّ مُنتَحِلٍ

عَن حَوضِها ذيدَ أَوعَن رَوضِها طُرِدا

Let every pretender be sacrificed for these endeavors,

driven from their pool or expelled from their garden.

يَظُنُّ ظَنَّ أُناسٍ أَنَّهُم نَظَروا

إِلى السُهى بِعُيونٍ تَشتَكي الرَمدا

He imagines, as some people do, that they have gazed

at the faint star Suhā with eyes afflicted by inflammation.

وَكَيفَ يَرجو مُرَجٍّ نَيلَ غايَتِها

وَما جَعَلتَ لَها هَدّاً وَلا أَمَدا

How can any hopeful rival expect to reach their summit

when you have set them neither limit nor end?

عَمَمتَ بِالجودِ حَتّى لَم تَدَع أَمَلاً

وَبِالتَجاوُزِ حَتّى ما بَسَطتَ يَدا

Your generosity has reached everyone, leaving no hope unmet,

and so has your forbearance, until no hand is stretched out to beg.

ما حِدتَ عَن آيَةٍ في العَفوِ مُنزَلَةٍ

وَلا نَبَذتَ حَديثاً فيهِ قَد وَردا

You have not turned from a revealed verse on pardon,

nor cast aside a report handed down about it.

إِنّي لَأَعجَبُ مِن مُثرٍ مُؤَمِّلُهُ

مُكدٍ وَأَعجَبُ مِنهُ قادُرٌ حَقَدا

I marvel at a rich man whose hopeful petitioner

goes empty-handed, and still more at a powerful man who bears a grudge.

ضَلّا وَلَو هُديا سَدَّ المَفاقِرَ ذا

وَأَجمَلَ الصَفحَ ذا أَو قَوَّمَ الأَوَدا

Both have gone astray: with guidance, one would relieve need,

and the other would pardon gracefully or set wrongs right.

فَكَم غَمَرتَ أَكُفَّ الطالِبينَ لُهىً

مَلَأتَ أَلفاً فَأَلفاً لايَداً فَيَدا

How often you have filled the hands of petitioners with gifts,

filling a thousand, then a thousand more, hand after hand.

كَفاكَ عَزمُكَ إِرسالَ الوَعيدِ لَهُ

طَليعَةً وَوَحيُّ الجودِ أَن تَعِدا

Your resolve alone spared you sending a threat ahead

as a vanguard, and generosity's prompting spared you a promise.

فَلَيسَ يَلقاكَ مَأمورٌ بِمَعصِيَةٍ

إِلّا نَدىً طالَما أَخفَيتَهُ فَبَدا

No one ordered to disobey you encounters you

without meeting generosity long hidden, now made visible.

بَدَّدتَ وَفرَكَ في فَرضٍ وَنافِلَةٍ

وَسُنَّةٍ فَجَمَعتَ السُؤدُدَ البَدَدا

You dispersed your wealth in duties, voluntary gifts,

and customary good works, gathering scattered honor together.

وَالمالُ كَالرُمحِ لا يُرجى لِصائِنِهِ

ثَناءُ جاعِلِهِ في أُسرَةٍ قِصَدا

Wealth is like a spear: its keeper cannot hope for the praise

given to one who directs it straight among his kin.

لِلَّهِ جَدُّكَ ما أَعلى وَحَدُّكَ ما

أَمضى وَجِدُّكَ ما وَطّى وَما مَهَدا

How lofty, by God, is your noble lineage; how keen your edge;

how much your earnest effort has prepared and made ready!

مَناقِبٌ عَجرُ مَن رامَ اللَحاقَ بِها

كَعَجزِ مَن رامَ أَن يُحصي لَها عَدَدا

Your virtues leave one who seeks to match them as powerless

as one who tries to count them all.

يَسومُها مُعوِزٌ مِمّا يُنالُ بِهِ

وَشَأنُ مَينِ الفَتى تَقريبُ ما بَعُدا

One lacking the means to attain them still lays claim to them;

a liar's way is to bring faraway things close in words.

كَقائِلٍ بِلِسانٍ لَم يَحُطهُ فَمٌ

وَصائِلٍ بِذِراعٍ زايَلَت عَضُدا

He is like one speaking with a tongue no mouth surrounds,

or striking with an arm severed from its upper arm;

أَو عاشِقٍ وَصَلَ المَعشوقُ هَجرَتَهُ

مُستَيقِظاً وَهوَ وَصّالٌ إِذا هَجَدا

or like a lover whom the beloved visits only in his dreams

while he is awake, though he enjoys union when asleep.

فَليَخلُ ذو الأَمَلِ الطَمّاحِ مِن تَعَبٍ

يُضيعُهُ وَليُخَلِّ الحاسِدُ الحَسَدا

Let the person of soaring hopes spare himself effort

that he will waste, and let the envious person put envy aside.

إِنّي وَجَدتُ لِطَرفِ العَينِ مِنكَ عُلىً

سَمالَها وَلِطِرفِ المَدحِ مُطَّرَدا

In you I found heights to which the eye's glance aspired,

and for the steed of praise, a wide course to run.

فَحازَ نَيلاً لِراويهِ وَقائِلِهِ

وَحافِظيهِ وَمَن غَنّى بِهِ وَشَدا

Thus praise won gifts for its reciter and its author,

its memorizers, and whoever sang or chanted it.

إِلى المَواطِنِ سَيّارٌ وَإِن بَعُدَت

وَفي الحَيازِمِ مَعقولٌ وَإِن شَرَدا

It travels to distant places however far away,

and stays bound in people's hearts even as it roams.

بَقَيتَ ما دامَتِ الأَعيادُ عائِدَةً

وَطالَ عُمرُكَ كي تَستَنفِدَ الأَبَدا

May you remain as long as festivals return,

and may your life be long enough to exhaust eternity.