شرف الملوك عدت معاليك المدى — Abn Hius

شَرَفَ المُلوكِ عَدَت مَعاليكَ المَدى

فَبَقيتَ مَحروساً عَلى رُغمِ العِدا

O honor of kings, your lofty deeds have surpassed all bounds.

May you endure, protected despite your foes.

عَجَباً لِكَفِّكَ كَيفَ تُمطِرُهُم رَدىً

يَومَ الكَريهَةِ وَهيَ مِن سُحُبِ النَدى

How wondrous your hand, raining death upon them

on the day of battle, though it is one of bounty's clouds!

رُم ما تَشاءُ يَهُن عَلَيكَ عَسيرُهُ

وَاِبغِ البَعيدَ فَإِنَّهُ لَن يَبعُدا

Seek what you wish; its hardships will grow easy for you.

Pursue the distant, for it will not remain far.

وَليَهنَكَ الظَفَرُ الَّذي بِحُلولِهِ

رَدَّ الضَلالَ الحَقُّ وَاِنتَصَرَ الهُدى

May victory gladden you, for with its arrival

truth drove back error, and guidance triumphed.

وَطَريدَةٍ لِلدَهرِ أَنتَ رَدَدتَها

قَسراً فَكُنتَ السَيفَ يَقطَعُ مُغمَدا

And a quarry of Time you wrested back

by force: you were a sword that cuts while sheathed.

عَجَزَ الأَنامُ وذُدتَ عَنها قاهِراً

زَمَناً سَطا في عَصرِ غَيرِكَ وَاِعتَدا

Others were powerless; in triumph you drove away from her

an age that had ravaged and transgressed in another's reign.

فَتحٌ تَقَدَّمَ كُلَّ فَتحٍ قَبلَهُ

لِيَكونَ في الآفاقِ مِثلَكَ مُفرَدا

A conquest that outstripped every conquest before it,

to stand unique on all horizons, like you.

وَأَقامَ لِلدينِ الحَنيفِ عِمادَهُ

فَأَقامَ عُبّادَ المَسيحِ وَأَقعَدا

It raised the pillar of the upright faith,

and made Christ's worshippers stand up and sit down.

وَلَوِ اِنتَحاهُ سِواكَ لاقى دونَهُ

باباً بِحَدِّ المَشرَفِيَّةِ موصَدا

Had anyone but you attempted it, he would have met before it

a gate barred by the edges of Mashrafi swords.

وَعَصائِباً كانوا أُسودَ خَفِيَّةٍ

فَأَحَلتَهُم مِثلَ النَعامِ مُشَرَّدا

And bands who had been lions of Khafiyya—

you turned them into ostriches scattered in flight.

عَلِموا بِأَنَّ نُفوسَهُم مَأسورَةٌ

في حِصنِهِم وَبِغَيرِهِ لا تُفتَدا

They knew their lives were held captive

within their fortress, and only that fortress could ransom them.

زَهَّدتَهُم فيهِ وَحُقَّ لِراغِبٍ

وَجَدَ الحِمامَ مُزَهِّداً أَن يَزهَدا

You made them shun it; one who desired it has every right,

finding death a deterrent, to turn away.

خافوا المُقامَ بِمَنبِحٍ فَتَيَمَّموا

غَيثاً يُرَوّي في المُحولِ وَيُجتَدا

They feared remaining at Manbih and headed toward

a rain that quenches thirst in drought and is sought for bounty,

وَغَمامَةً سَحَّت هُناكَ صَواعِقاً

حَتّى إِذا وَصَلوكَ سَحَّت عَسجَدا

a cloud that there had poured down thunderbolts,

until, when they reached you, it poured down gold.

وَجَرَيتَ في سَنَنِ الوَفاءِ فَلَو جَرى

يَبغي مَحَجَّتَكَ السَمَوءَلُ ما اِهتَدى

You raced along fidelity's way; even racing

to seek your path, al-Samaw'al would not have found it.

وَعَضَدتَ بِاِسمِكَ أَهلَ دينِكَ قاهِراً

أَنصارَ عيسى مُذ نَصَرتَ مُحَمَّدا

By your name you strengthened your faith's people, subduing

the supporters of Jesus when you championed Muhammad.

وَلَقَد تَرَكتَ الرومَ مِمّا نالَهُم

مُتَعَوِّضينَ مِنَ المَعاقِلِ بِالكُدا

You left the Byzantines, after all that befell them,

taking rocky knolls in place of fortresses.

خَنَعوا فَما اِمتَنَعوا فَكَيفَ بِهِم إِذا

زُرتَ الخَليجَ بِكُلِّ أَسمَرَ أَملَدا

They submitted and could not resist; how will they fare when

you visit the gulf with every supple, dusky spear?

فَاِقرَع بِها أَبراجَ قُسطَنطينَةٍ

فَالمُنتَهى تَبَعٌ لِهَذا المُبتَدا

Then batter Constantinople's towers with them:

the ending follows from this beginning.

وَاِعلَم بِأَنكَ ما تَمُرُّ بِبيعَةٍ

في أَرضِهِم إِلّا وَصارَت مَسجِدا

Know that you will pass no church

in their land without its becoming a mosque.

في كُلِّ أَروَعَ لا يُراعُ إِذا الوَغى

شُبَّت وَلا يُعدى عَلَيهِ إِذا عَدا

With every awe-inspiring warrior, unafraid when war

is kindled, and unassailed when he charges;

وَحَليفِ عِزٍّ لا يَلَذُّ لَهُ الكَرى

إِن لَم يَبِت لِذِراعِهِ مُتَوَسِّدا

and every ally of glory, to whom sleep brings no pleasure

unless he spends the night with his arm for a pillow.

يَنفي الظُلامَةَ بِالحَديدِ مُذَلَّقاً

أَبَداً وَيَجتابُ الحَديدَ مُسَرَّدا

He repels injustice with sharpened steel

always, and dons steel woven into mail.

وَإِذا عَزَمتَ عَلى قِراعِ مُخالِفٍ

فَاِسلُل عَلَيهِ مِن سُيوفِكَ أَحمَدا

When you resolve to clash with an opponent,

draw against him, from among your swords, Ahmad:

سَيفٌ تَخَيَّرَهُ أَبوكَ فَراقَهُ

في حالَتَيهِ مُغمَداً وَمُجَرَّدا

a sword your father chose, which pleased him

in both its states, sheathed and drawn.

عَضُدٌ إِذا عُدِمَ المُعاضِدُ ناصِحٌ

إِذ يُستَشارُ مُظَفَّرٌ إِن أَمجَدا

A supporting arm when supporters fail, a faithful counselor

when consulted, victorious when he seeks glory.

بِمَضاءِ عَزمِكَ أَدرَكَ العِزَّ الَّذي

لا يُدَّعى وَبِيُمنِ جَدِّكَ أُيِّدا

Through your resolute will he attained the glory that

none could claim; through your auspicious fortune he was strengthened.

وَكَفاهُ عِلمُكَ أَنَّهُ الرَجُلُ الَّذي

فاتَ الكُفاةَ تَشَدُّداً وَتَسَدُّدا

It sufficed him that you knew he was the man who

surpassed all able men in firmness and sound judgment.

إِنَّ الخِلافَةَ مُذ دَعَتكَ حُسامَها

وَرَدَت بِحَدِّكَ مَنهَلاً لَن يورَدا

Since the caliphate named you its keen sword,

it has reached, by your edge, a watering place none else will reach.

فَليَشكُرَنَّكَ مَن تَعِبتَ مُشَمِّراً

كَي يَستَريحَ وَمَن سَهِرتَ لِيَرقُدا

Let him surely thank you, for whom you labored, girded for work,

so he might rest, and him for whom you kept vigil so he might sleep.

يُبدي دُجىً تُحييهِ مِنكَ تَعَجُّباً

وَتَبيتُ أَنجُمُهُ لِسَعيِكَ حُسَّدا

The night-darkness you enliven shows its wonder at you,

and its stars spend the night envying your striving.

وَلَوَ اِنَّ أَيّامَ الزَمانِ نَواطِقٌ

شَهِدَت بِفَضلِكَ قَبلَ أَن تُستَشهَدا

Were the days of time able to speak,

they would testify to your excellence before being called as witnesses.

دانَت لَكَ الدُنيا وَأَذعَنَ أَهلُها

فَعَنا القَريبُ لِما أَخافَ الأَبعَدا

The world submitted to you, and its people yielded;

the near bowed to what frightened the far.

لِمَ لا يُطيعُكَ مَن رَآكَ لِنَفعِهِ

مُتَعَمِّداً وَلِجُرمِهِ مُتَغَمِّدا

Why should one not obey you, who sees you, for his benefit,

acting deliberately, and overlooking his offense?

فَإِذا شَكا فَقراً بَذَلتَ لَهُ الغِنى

وَإِذا جَنى خَطَأً صَفَحتَ تَعَمُّدا

When he complains of poverty, you lavish wealth upon him;

when he commits a fault, you pardon deliberately.

إِنَّ المُلوكَ تَأَخَّروا عَن غايَةٍ

أَدلَجتَ تَطلُبُها وَباتوا هُجَّدا

The kings lagged behind a goal

you set out by night to seek, while they slept on.

تَرَكوا لَكَ العَلياءَ عَجزاً لا رِضىً

وَنَسوا السِيادَةَ مُذ مَنَعتَ السُؤدُدا

They left the heights to you from weakness, not consent,

and forgot sovereignty once you withheld preeminence.

ما زِلتَ تَرعاهُ بِعَينَي أَجدَلٍ

وَسِواكَ يَرمُقُهُ بِعَينَي أَرمَدا

You have ever guarded it with a falcon's eyes,

while others watch it with bleary eyes.

لَم يَثنِ عَزمَكَ أَن وَجَدتَ طَريقُهُ

مُستَبعَداً وَمُحِبَّهُ مُستَعبَدا

Your resolve did not waver when you found its road

far beyond reach, and its lover enslaved.

وَمَتى يُشاطِرُكَ السُمُوَّ مُشاطِرٌ

وَالجودُ وَالإِقدَمُ مِنكَ تَوَلَّدا

When could any rival share your loftiness,

when generosity and daring were born from you?

فَأَفَدتَ حَتّى لا مُنىً وَأَبَدتَ حَت

تى لا عِدىً وَجَرَيتَ حَتّى لا مَدى

You gave until no wishes remained, and slew until

no foes remained; you raced until no limit remained.

بَلَغَت رَعاياكَ الرِضى وَكُفوا بِكَ ال

عَدوى وَأَصلَحَ دَهرُهُم ما أَفسَدا

Your subjects attained contentment, and through you were spared

aggression; their age repaired what it had ruined.

وَحَمَيتَ ما مَلَكوا فَما بالي أَرى

ما حُزتَهُ في المَكرُماتِ مُبَدَّدا

You guarded all they owned; why, then, do I see

what you amassed dispersed in noble deeds?

مالٌ نَداكَ عَدُوُّهُ لا يَحتَمي

مُلكٌ سُطاكَ عِقالُهُ لَن يَشرُدا

Wealth, with your generosity as its foe, has no refuge;

a kingdom, with your might as its tether, will never stray.

وَلَطالَما وَجَدَت يَدَيكَ عِطاشُهُم

أَنُدى مِنَ الدِيَمِ الغِزارِ وَأَجوَدا

How often their thirsty ones have found your hands

richer in moisture than abundant, steady rains, and more generous!

لَو أَنَّهُم جَحَدوكَ ما أَولَيتَهُم

لِأَبى لِعُرفِكَ عَرفُهُ أَن يُجحَدا

Were they to deny the gifts you bestowed upon them,

the fragrance of your kindness would forbid its denial.

أَنتَ اِبتَدَعتَ بِهَذِهِ الشِيَمِ العُلى

فَمَنِ اِهتَدى في سُبلِها فَبِكَ اِقتَدا

With these traits you invented the heights of honor;

whoever finds the way along their paths follows your example.

مَلِكٌ إِذا بَتَلَ المُلوكُ هِباتِهِم

كانَت مَواهِبُهُ بَوادِىءَ عُوَّدا

A king who, when other kings cut off their gifts,

makes his gifts first offerings and renewed offerings alike.

وَهِيَ المَآثِرُ لَن يَنالَ بَعيدَها

مَن لَم يَطِب كَأَبي المُظَفَّرِ مَولِدا

These are glorious deeds whose farthest heights none will attain

without a birth as noble as Abu al-Muzaffar's.

وَإِذا المُنى أَمَّت نَداهُ عَوانِساً

عوناً أَعادَتها عَذارى نُهَّدا

When wishes seek his bounty as aging maidens,

middle-aged, it returns them as virgins with budding breasts.

أَغناهُ أَن يَعِدَ اِبتِدارُ نَوالِهِ

وَكَفاهُ صادِقُ عَزمِهِ أَن يوعِدا

His swift bestowal spares him the need to promise;

his earnest resolve spares him the need to threaten.

ما أَدرَكَت أَشياخُهُ وَهُمُ الأُلى

شَرُفوا وَعَزّوا ما حَواهُ أَمرَدا

His elders never attained, though they were those

of honor and might, what he gained while still beardless.

يَزدادُ قَدرُكَ في النُفوسِ جَلالَةً

أَبَداً إِذا ما الفِكرُ فيكَ تَرَدَّدا

Your stature in people's souls grows in majesty,

ever, whenever thought dwells upon you.

رَوَّيتَ بِالجَدوى رُسوماً أَثمَرَت

هَذا الثَناءَ وَكَم سَدىً يَمضي سُدا

You watered ruins with bounty, and they bore

this praise; how much dew passes away in vain!

وَأَرَيتَني طُرُقاتِهِ فَوَجَدتَني

أُرضيكَ ناظِمَ قِطعَةٍ وَمُقَصِّدا

You showed me its pathways, and found me

pleasing you with short poems and full odes.

لِمَ لا أُبالِغُ في مَديحِكَ مُطنِباً

وَإِذا غَلَوتُ أَمِنتُ أَن أَتَزَيَّدا

Why should I not go far in praising you at length,

when, even at my most extravagant, I need not fear adding falsehood?

وَرِياضُ شُكري في ذَراكَ أَنيقَةٌ

عُنِيَ الغَمامُ بِها فَلَن تَشكو الصَدا

The gardens of my gratitude are lovely in your shelter;

the clouds tend them, and they will never complain of thirst.

لا راعَتِ الأَيّامُ ديناً أَمنُهُ

مِمّا تَخَوَّفَ أَن تَعيشَ مُخَلَّدا

May the days never frighten a faith whose safety

from what it feared lies in your living forever.

وَعَدَتكَ أَحداثُ الزَمانِ إِذا عَدتَ

وَفَدَتكَ أَرواحُ الأَنامِ مِنَ الرَدا

May time's calamities pass you by when they assail,

and may all mortals' souls ransom you from death.