لا تجز في الذي بلغت الأنام — Abn Hius

لا تَجُز في الَّذي بَلَغتَ الأَنامُ

فَهوَ حَقٌّ قَضَتكَهُ الأَيّامُ

Do not recompense mankind for what you have attained;

it is a right the days have paid you.

وَقَليلٌ لِما حَوَيتَ مِنَ السُؤ

دُدِ هَذا الإِجلالُ وَالإِعظامُ

And small, beside the nobility you possess,

are this reverence and exaltation.

أَخَذَ المَجدَ مُحدَثٌ عَن قَديمٍ

وَمَعاليكَ كُلُّها إِلهامُ

A later man inherits glory from an earlier one,

but all your lofty achievements spring from inspiration.

وَلَقَد شاعَ مِن تَمَلُّكِكَ الأَم

رِ حَديثٌ بِنا إِلَيهِ أُوامُ

Of your taking command there has spread

a tale for which we thirst.

سَبَقَ البُردَ طيبُهُ فَهوَ مَقرو

ءٌ وَما فُضَّ عَن كِتابٍ خِتامُ

Its fragrance outstripped the couriers: it was read

before any letter's seal had been broken.

وَرَأى الناسُ مِن زَمانِكَ في اليَق

ظَةِ مالا تُريهُمُ الأَحلامُ

In your age, people have seen while awake

what dreams do not show them.

جَلَّ عَن سائِرِ العُصورِ فَقَد قي

لَ مَنامٌ فَدامَ هَذا المَنامُ

It towers above all other ages; it has been called

a dream—may this dream endure.

أَمِنوا مُذ قَضى عَلى الدَهرِ خِرقٌ

كُلُّ أَحكامِهِ لَهُ إِحكامُ

They have been safe since a masterful man ruled over Time,

whose every judgment displays his mastery.

ذُدتَهُ وَهوَ عانِسٌ عَن هَواهُ

فَأَتاهُ بَعدَ المَشيبِ الفِطامُ

You drove it from its desires, though already aged;

so weaning came to it after its hair had grayed.

فَإِذا أَقسَموا بِما أَنتَ مولي

هِ فَفَرضٌ أَن تَصدُقَ الأَقسامُ

When they swear by what you bestow,

their oaths must needs prove true:

مِن أَيادٍ هَمَت عَلى العارِضِ الهَط

طالِ لَولا عُمومُها وَالدَوامُ

by favors showering like a torrential cloud,

save that they reach everyone and never cease;

وَدِفاعٍ عَنهُم يَراهُ لَكَ اللَ

هُ وَيُثني بِهِ عَلَيكَ الإِمامُ

and by your defense of them, which God credits to you,

and for which the Imam commends you.

تَبِعَت رَأيَكَ الوُلاةُ فَعَفَّت

وَتَأَسَّت بِعَدلِكَ الحُكّامُ

Governors followed your counsel and acted uprightly,

and judges emulated your justice.

ثُمَّ أَنعَمتَ صافِحاً عَن ذُنوبٍ

ما اِستُخِفَّت بِمِثلِها الأَحلامُ

Then you bestowed favors, pardoning offenses

whose like had never so provoked forbearance.

فَمَتى يُضمِرُ الحَسودُ لِمَعرو

فِكَ جَحداً وَعَرفُهُ نَمّامُ

How could the envious harbor, against your kindness,

denial, when its fragrance tells tales?

هَل لِصُبحٍ بَعدَ الوُضوحِ اِستِتارٌ

أَو لِشَمسٍ بَعدَ الطُلوعِ اِكتِتامُ

Can dawn be hidden after growing bright,

or the sun be concealed after rising?

كَم قَريبٍ لَدَيكَ سَكَّنَهُ فَض

لُكَ إِذ طَوَّحَت بِهِ الأَوهامُ

How many a close associate your bounty has reassured

when fears had tossed him far astray!

لَم يُحِلكَ السُلطانُ عَن رَأيِكَ الأَو

وَلِ فيهِ بَل ضوعِفَ الإِكرامُ

Power did not change your former opinion

of him; rather, his honors were doubled,

أَنَفاً أَن تَقولَ ما قالَهُ الأَب

رَشُ إِذ سامَهُ السُجودَ هِشامُ

disdaining to say what al-Abrash said

when Hisham demanded his prostration.

هِمَمٌ لَم تَزَل لِهامِ المَعالي

مُقَلاً غَيرَ أَنَّها لا تَنامُ

Aspirations forever serving the heads of high achievement

as eyes, except that they never sleep,

وَلَقَد أَوطَأَتكَ ذِروَةَ مَجدٍ

لا تُسامى وَرُتبَةً لا تُسامُ

have set your feet upon a summit of glory

that none can rival, and a rank beyond all bidding.

أَنفَضَ المُنفِقونَ مِن كاذِبِ الظَن

نِ عَلَيها فَاِنفَضَّ ذاكَ الزِحامُ

The spenders were impoverished by false hopes

of it, and so that throng dispersed.

وَهوَ فيما كَفاكَ قَولُ حَسودٍ

نالَها وَالأَنامُ عَنها نِيامُ

Among what vindicates you is an envious man's saying:

“He gained it while mankind slept unaware of it.”

مُذ حَماها بِسَعيِهِ الكامِلُ الأَو

حَدُ شَطَّ المَرمى وَعَزَّ المَرامُ

Since the perfect, peerless man guarded it through his striving,

the target has grown distant, the goal hard to reach.

فَإِذا قامَ طامِعٌ يَبتَغيها

فَسَواءٌ قُعودُهُ وَالقِيامُ

If an aspirant rises to seek it,

sitting and standing are alike for him.

أَنتَ أَعلَيتَها فَأَكدى مُرَجّي

ها وَأَغلَيتَها فَما تُستامُ

You raised it high, so its hopeful seeker failed,

and made it so dear that none can bid for it,

بِالنَدى حينَ أَوعَزَ الجودُ وَالإِق

دامِ في حَيثُ زَلَّتِ الأَقدامُ

through bounty when generosity grew scarce, and courage

where feet lost their footing.

وَثَباتٌ تُقَصِّرُ الأَسدُ عَنها

وَثَباتٌ لا يَدَّعيهِ شَمامُ

Leaps that lions cannot equal,

and steadfastness that Shamam cannot claim,

لَكَ في كُلِّ مَأزِقٍ حَفِظَ الإِق

دامُ فيهِ ما ضَيَّعَ الأَقوامُ

are yours in every crisis, where boldness preserved

what other men squandered.

وَمَقامٌ لِلهامِ فيهِ اِنحِطاطٌ

عَن طُلاها وَلِلوَشيجِ اِنحِطامُ

And a stand where heads topple

from their necks, and spear-shafts shatter,

إِذ تَنادَت يا آلَ قُرَّةَ آسا

دٌ وَنَدَّت كَأَنَّها آرامُ

when lions cried, “O clan of Qurra!”

and fled as though they were white antelopes,

حينَ طارَت بِها سَوابِقُ كَالفُت

خِ وَلَو لَم تَطِر لَطارَ الهامُ

when swift steeds bore them flying like eagles;

had they not flown, heads would have flown.

أَنتَ كَلَّفتَها اِدِّراعَ الدَياجي

حَيثُ لَم يَحمِ مِن سُطاكَ اللامُ

You forced them to wear the dark nights as armor,

when no armor guarded them from your onslaught,

بانِياً بِالمَضاءِ وَالرَأيِ عِزّاً

ما بَناهُ بِسَيفِهِ بِسطامُ

building through resolve and judgment a glory

that Bistam never built with his sword.

وَأَرى هَذِهِ السَكينَةَ في القُد

رَةِ مِمّا أَفادَ ذاكَ العُرامُ

I see this serenity amid power

as one of the gains of that fierceness.

وَإِذا ما السُيوفُ لَم تَشهَدِ الرَو

عَ فَسِيّانِ صارِمٌ وَكَهامُ

When swords have not witnessed battle's terror,

a keen blade and a blunt one are alike.

طالَما أُنضِيَت جِيادُكَ حيناً

إِذ عِداكَ الأَغراضُ وَهيَ سِهامُ

How often, for a time, your fine steeds were exhausted,

when your foes were targets and they were arrows!

ثُمَّ حَطَّت عَنها السُروجُ وَمِن عَز

مِكَ خَيلٌ ما حُلَّ عَنها حِزامُ

Then their saddles were removed; yet your resolve has

horses whose girths were never loosed.

أَزَماتٌ أَلوَت بِها عَزَماتٌ

شَأنُها الإِقتِسارُ وَالإِقتِحامُ

Crises were swept away by resolutions

whose way is conquest and headlong assault,

بالِغاتٌ مِن كُلِّ باغٍ وَطاغٍ

فَوقَ ما يَبلُغُ الخَميسُ اللُهامُ

reaching every rebel and tyrant

far beyond the reach of a vast, devouring army.

أَخفَقَ المُترَفُ الجَنوحُ إِلى الخَف

ضِ وَفازَ المُخاطِرُ المِقدامُ

The pampered man inclined to ease has failed,

while the bold risk-taker has prevailed.

وَحَمى حَوزَةَ الوِزارَةِ قَسراً

مَن لَدَيهِ الإِرغامُ وَالإِنعامُ

The domain of the vizierate was defended by force

by one commanding both compulsion and favor.

فَالعَوادي مَوصولَةٌ كَالأَيادي

وَالرَزايا مِثلُ العَطايا جِسامُ

His assaults are continuous, like his benefactions,

and his calamities, like his gifts, are immense.

وَعَسيرٌ عَلى العِدى هَدمُ عِزٍّ

شَيَّدَتهُ السُيوفُ وَالأَقلامُ

Hard is it for foes to demolish a glory

that swords and pens have built.

وَبَنو المَغرِبِيِّ أَهلُ المَعالي

قَعَدوا عَن طِلابِها أَو قاموا

The sons of al-Maghribi are masters of lofty deeds,

whether they sit back from seeking them or rise.

سُحُبٌ لِلنَدى مَواطِرُها التِب

رُ وَلَكِن بُروقُها الإِبتِسامُ

Clouds of bounty, whose rain is gold,

but whose lightning is their smile.

لَم أُسَوِّغكُمُ شَهادَةَ زورٍ

مُذ خُلِقتُم لَم يُعرَفِ الإِعدامُ

I have not offered you false testimony:

since you were created, destitution has been unknown.

طَلَبَ الناسُ شَأوَكُم وَبَعيدٌ

أَن تَساوى الوِهادُ وَالأَعلامُ

People have sought your level, but far-fetched it is

that lowlands should equal mountain peaks.

وَعُرِفتُم بَينَ الوَرى بِأَسامٍ

لِأَسامي الكِرامِ فيها اِدِّغامُ

You are known among mankind by names

in which the names of noble men are merged,

وَقُلوبٍ قَضى لَها العِزُّ وَالنَخ

وَةُ أَلّا تَحُلَّها أَوغامُ

and by hearts for which honor and noble pride decree

that no grudges shall dwell within them.

وَلَأَنتُم في كُلِّ عَصرٍ شُموسٌ

لا يُغَطّي أَنوارَها الإِظلامُ

You indeed are suns in every age,

whose lights no darkness veils.

طُلتُمُ ذا الأَنامَ بِالطَولِ لا يُد

فَعُ وَالعِزَّةِ الَّتي لا تُرامُ

You surpass these mortals through undeniable eminence

and through might that cannot be assailed,

مِثلَما طالَتِ الحَضيضَ الثُرَيّا

لا كَما يَفرَعُ الأَظَلَّ السَنامُ

as the Pleiades tower above the lowlands,

not as a hump rises above a camel's sole.

جادَني مِن غَمامِ جاهِكَ نَوءٌ

طَلَبي بَعدَهُ لُهاكَ اِغتِنامُ

A rainburst from the clouds of your prestige showered me;

to seek your gifts afterward would be grasping.

كَرَمٌ كَفَّ عَن مَطامِعَ شَتّى

شابَ فيها الرَجاءُ وَهوَ غُلامُ

A generosity that turned me from many ambitions,

where hope had gone gray while still a boy,

وَمُلوكٍ سَحابُها لَم يَرِق قَط

طُ كَريقِ الحُبابِ وَهوَ جَهامُ

and from kings whose clouds have never shed

so much as bubble-froth: they are rainless.

فَبِيُسرايَ حَيثُ ما كُنتُ مِن رَأ

يِكَ تُرسٌ وَفي يَميني حُسامُ

Wherever I am, your counsel puts in my left hand

a shield, and in my right a keen sword.

وَبِرَغمي تَخَلُّفي عَن حُضوري

كُلَّما ضَمَّ مادِحيكَ مَقامُ

It is against my will that I stay away

whenever a gathering brings your panegyrists together.

غَيرَ أَنّي جارٍ عَلى سُنَّةٍ لي

سَنَّها الإِنقِباضُ وَالإِحتِشامُ

Yet I follow a practice of my own,

laid down by reserve and modesty.

وَمَتى ما دُعيتُ لَبَّت سِراعاً

مُقرَباتٌ عَليقُها الإِلجامُ

Whenever I am summoned, swift to answer are

favored steeds whose fodder is the bridle,

وَقِلاصٌ أَوفى مَشارِبِها العِش

رُ وَأَدنى مَسيرِها الإِجدامُ

and young she-camels whose fullest watering

comes every ten days, and whose slowest pace is swift striding.

فَهيَ في حَملِ باهِظِ العِبءِ أَنعا

مٌ وَفي طَيِّها الفَلاةَ نَعامُ

In carrying a crushing burden they are livestock,

but in folding up the desert they are ostriches,

حامِلاتٌ حُلىً مِنَ المَدحِ ما حَل

لى هُماماً بِمِثلِها هَمّامُ

carrying jewels of praise whose like

Hammam never set upon a noble lord.

كُلُّ غَرّاءَ لِلمُصيخِ إِلَيها

نَشوَةٌ ما تَقَدَّمَتها مُدامُ

Every radiant ode gives its listener

an intoxication that no wine preceded.

مِن قَوافٍ لِلمَأثُراتِ قَوافٍ

عادَتاها الإِنجادُ وَالإِتهامُ

Rhymes that follow noble deeds,

whose two habits are travel to Najd and Tihama,

عَلِقاتٍ بِكُلِّ سَمعٍ وَقَلبٍ

فَلَها بَعدَ أَن تَسيرَ مُقامُ

clinging to every ear and heart,

so that after traveling they abide.

غايَةُ السُؤلِ أَن تَعيشَ لِمُلكٍ

بِكَ زالَت عَن أَهلِهِ الآلامُ

My utmost wish is that you live for a kingdom

whose people you have freed from pain,

وَجَنابٍ مُمَنَّعٍ يُنصَفُ المَظ

لومُ فيهِ وَيُنصَرُ المُستَضامُ

and an impregnable domain where the wronged

receive justice and the oppressed receive support:

حَرَمٌ لِلمُنى إِلَيهِ نُزوعٌ

وَلِأَبنائِها عَلَيهِ اِزدِحامُ

a sanctuary toward which hopes yearn,

and around which their children crowd.

لا طَوَت ظِلَّكَ الظَليلَ اللَيالي

ما تَوالى فِطرٌ وَكَرَّ صِيامُ

May the nights never fold away your sheltering shade,

as long as fast-breaking returns and fasting comes round.

فَضَلَت هَذِهِ المَساعي عَنِ القَو

لِ وَضَلَّت في وَصفِها الأَوهامُ

These achievements have surpassed speech,

and imagination goes astray in describing them.