لَقَد أَدنَت لَكَ البَلَدَ السَحيقا

لَقَد أَدنَت لَكَ البَلَدَ السَحيقا

فَهَل كانَت خُيولاً أَم بُروقا

فَهَل كانَت خُيولاً أَم بُروقا

They have indeed brought the far-off land near to you.

The distant land drew near for you,

Were they horses, then, or flashes of lightning?

Was it horses or lightening flashes?

وَهَل مَن قَلَّدَ الخَيلَ المَخالي

وَهَل مَن قَلَّدَ الخَيلَ المَخالي

كَمَن جَعَلَ الشَكيمَ لَها عَليقا

كَمَن جَعَلَ الشَكيمَ لَها عَليقا

And is one who hangs feedbags on horses

Is one who adorns horses with ornaments

like one who makes their bits their fodder?

Like one who makes the thorns their fodder?

سَرَت مُقوَرَّةً تَجلو الدَياجي

سَرَت مُقوَرَّةً تَجلو الدَياجي

بِأَروَعَ يُلبِسُ اللَيلَ الشُروقا

بِأَروَعَ يُلبِسُ اللَيلَ الشُروقا

Lean-flanked, they traveled by night, dispelling the darkness,

They marched slowly, the darkness dissolving,

with a gallant man who clothes the night in sunrise.

In the finest garb with which dawn clothes the daybreak;

أَثَرنَ عَجاجَةً خيلَت دُخاناً

أَثَرنَ عَجاجَةً خيلَت دُخاناً

وَخيلَ سَنا الحَديدِ بِها بُروقا

وَخيلَ سَنا الحَديدِ بِها بُروقا

They raised a dust cloud that was taken for smoke,

Their tracks left smoke behind like a simmering fire,

and the gleam of steel within it was taken for lightning.

And the horses’ teeth flashed with the sparks struck from steels;

وَبارَينَ الرِياحَ لِكَسبِ نَصرٍ

وَبارَينَ الرِياحَ لِكَسبِ نَصرٍ

رَجَعنَ حَوامِلاً مِنهُ وَسوقا

رَجَعنَ حَوامِلاً مِنهُ وَسوقا

They raced the winds to win a victory;

The winds competing to ensure victory,

they returned pregnant with it, fully laden.

Returned bearing booty back from there;

وَما لِمُمَلَّكٍ في العِزِّ حَقٌّ

وَما لِمُمَلَّكٍ في العِزِّ حَقٌّ

إِذا لَم يَستَرِدَّ كَذا الحُقوقا

إِذا لَم يَستَرِدَّ كَذا الحُقوقا

No crowned ruler has a claim to glory

No ruler has the right to dignity and power

unless he recovers his rights in such a fashion.

Unless he recovers what rights have been lost;

لَأَسرَعتَ اِنصِلاتاً وَاِعتِزاماً

لَأَسرَعتَ اِنصِلاتاً وَاِعتِزاماً

وَفَخرُ السَيفِ أَن يُلفى دَلوقا

وَفَخرُ السَيفِ أَن يُلفى دَلوقا

Indeed, you rushed forth swiftly, with firm resolve;

You hastened resolutely and purposefully,

and a sword's pride is to be found leaping from its sheath.

And the pride of the sword is to be wrapped in its scabbard;

نُصِرتَ وَكُنتَ أَوفى الناسِ رِبحاً

نُصِرتَ وَكُنتَ أَوفى الناسِ رِبحاً

أَوانَ تُقيمُ لِلهَيجاءِ سوقا

أَوانَ تُقيمُ لِلهَيجاءِ سوقا

You were granted victory, gaining the richest profit of all,

You were victorious and gained more than others,

when you set up a marketplace for battle.

Is it not time to establish a market for the plunder?

وَلاقَت طَيِّئٌ ضَرباً دِراكاً

وَلاقَت طَيِّئٌ ضَرباً دِراكاً

أَطارَ طُلىً وَأَذرِعَةً وَسوقا

أَطارَ طُلىً وَأَذرِعَةً وَسوقا

Tayy met with blows in swift succession

The clan of Tayyi’ suffered a terrible onslaught

that sent necks, arms, and shins flying.

Their robes and forearms were taken as booty;

رَمَيتَهُمُ بِعَزمٍ لَو تَحَدّى

رَمَيتَهُمُ بِعَزمٍ لَو تَحَدّى

حَديدَ السُدِّ جاوَزَهُ مُروقا

حَديدَ السُدِّ جاوَزَهُ مُروقا

You struck them with a resolve that, had it challenged

You pelted them with a resolve that, had it rivaled

the barrier's iron, would have pierced straight through it;

The firmness of a dam, would have breached it;

وَعَزمٍ ناصِرِيٍّ بَثَّ فيهِم

وَعَزمٍ ناصِرِيٍّ بَثَّ فيهِم

فَيالِقَ غادَرَت هاماً فَليقا

فَيالِقَ غادَرَت هاماً فَليقا

and with a Nasiri resolve that unleashed among them

And a resolute, triumphant spirit that cast upon them

legions that left heads cleft apart.

Agonizing separation, so they met with misery;

وَظَنّوا العَزمَ ضَحضاحاً بَكِيّاً

وَظَنّوا العَزمَ ضَحضاحاً بَكِيّاً

فَكانَ لِحَينِهِم بَحراً عَميقا

فَكانَ لِحَينِهِم بَحراً عَميقا

They thought that resolve a shallow, scanty pool;

They thought your resolve a tearful weakling

but, to their doom, it proved a deep sea.

Yet for them, when the time came, it was a deep sea;

وَقَد زَأَرَت أُسودُهُمُ فَلَمّا

وَقَد زَأَرَت أُسودُهُمُ فَلَمّا

دَنَوتَ غَدا زَئيرُهُمُ شَهيقا

دَنَوتَ غَدا زَئيرُهُمُ شَهيقا

Their lions had roared, but when

Their lions roared, but when you approached

you drew near, their roaring turned to gasping.

Their roaring turned at once into wheezing;

وَوَلَّوا عَن حَريمِهِمُ فِراراً

وَوَلَّوا عَن حَريمِهِمُ فِراراً

فَكُنتَ بِصَونِ مَن تَرَكوا حَقيقا

فَكُنتَ بِصَونِ مَن تَرَكوا حَقيقا

They fled, abandoning their womenfolk;

They fled from their homes in terror

so you proved worthy of safeguarding those they left behind.

While you protected those whom they abandoned;

وَلَولا أَن كَفَفتَ الجَيشَ عَنهُ

وَلَولا أَن كَفَفتَ الجَيشَ عَنهُ

لَسيقَ مَعَ السَوامِ غَداةَ سيقا

لَسيقَ مَعَ السَوامِ غَداةَ سيقا

Had you not held the army back from them,

Had you not reined in your army from them

they would have been driven away with the herds that morning.

They would have been led off with the captives in the morning;

فَأَلحَقتَ المَتالي بِالعَذارى

فَأَلحَقتَ المَتالي بِالعَذارى

وَكَثَّرتَ الأُطَيفالَ الرَقيقا

وَكَثَّرتَ الأُطَيفالَ الرَقيقا

You joined mothers with young to the maidens,

So you restored the infants to the mothers

and multiplied the tender little children.

And multiplied the precious little ones;

وَلَو لَم تَقفُ رَأياً حَيدَرِيّاً

وَلَو لَم تَقفُ رَأياً حَيدَرِيّاً

لَما أَوصَلتَهُم إِلّا العَقيقا

لَما أَوصَلتَهُم إِلّا العَقيقا

Had you not followed a Haydari judgment,

Had you not wisely resolved to show clemency

you would have brought them only to al-'Aqiq.

You would have left them naught but carnage;

وَقَد وَرَدَت رِماحُ الخَطِّ مِنهُم

وَقَد وَرَدَت رِماحُ الخَطِّ مِنهُم

مَوارِدَ لَم تَدَع بِالقَومِ موقا

مَوارِدَ لَم تَدَع بِالقَومِ موقا

The spears of al-Khatt had reached, within them,

Their spear-thrusts were repelled to places that left

watering places that left the people no folly.

No refuge for them, so that the people were undone;

قَناً تَمضي مُصَمِّمَةً فَتَقضي

قَناً تَمضي مُصَمِّمَةً فَتَقضي

لِسَكرانِ الغَوايَةِ أَن يُفيقا

لِسَكرانِ الغَوايَةِ أَن يُفيقا

Spears that drive straight through, then decree

Like spears that pierce with purpose so as to determine

that one drunk on error must sober up.

The fate of the intoxicated gone astray to awaken;

وَقَد صَدَرَت تَمايَلُ كَالنَشاوى

وَقَد صَدَرَت تَمايَلُ كَالنَشاوى

فَهَل سُقِيَت نَجيعاً أَو رَحيقا

فَهَل سُقِيَت نَجيعاً أَو رَحيقا

They returned from watering, swaying like drunkards:

As if swaying drunkenly, though they were taken down,

had they been given blood to drink, or pure wine?

Were they given to drink until sated, or a narcotic?

أَتَيتَهُمُ بِما كَرِهوا نَهاراً

أَتَيتَهُمُ بِما كَرِهوا نَهاراً

إِباءً أَن تُوافِيَهُم طُروقا

إِباءً أَن تُوافِيَهُم طُروقا

You brought them what they hated in daylight,

You attacked by day with what they hated,

disdaining to come upon them by night.

Disdaining to meet them by night with raids;

لَئِن وَجَدوا الثَباتَ لَهُم عَدُوّاً

لَئِن وَجَدوا الثَباتَ لَهُم عَدُوّاً

لَقَد وَجَدوا الفِرارَ لَهُم صَديقا

لَقَد وَجَدوا الفِرارَ لَهُم صَديقا

If they found standing firm an enemy,

If holding fast seemed an enemy,

they surely found flight a friend.

They found fleeing a true friend;

لَقَد ذَكَروا عَلى جَرَشٍ طِعاناً

لَقَد ذَكَروا عَلى جَرَشٍ طِعاناً

بِلوبِيَةٍ بَلَوكَ بِهِ خَليقا

بِلوبِيَةٍ بَلَوكَ بِهِ خَليقا

At Jarash they recalled spear-thrusts

They mentioned you at Jerash with rancor—

at Lubiyah, where they found you equal to such fighting.

An affliction that tested you—yet you pardoned graciously;

وَما سَبَقوا الحِمامَ هُناكَ إِلّا

وَما سَبَقوا الحِمامَ هُناكَ إِلّا

كَما سَبَقَ الحَمامُ السَوذَنيقا

كَما سَبَقَ الحَمامُ السَوذَنيقا

There they outstripped death only

Their pigeons took off faster than those doves only

as doves outstrip the falcon.

As faster than a pigeon is the arrowhead;

وَلَو ثَبَتوا فُواقاً لِلمَواضي

وَلَو ثَبَتوا فُواقاً لِلمَواضي

وَلَم يَتَيَقَّنوا الخَبَرَ الصَدوقا

وَلَم يَتَيَقَّنوا الخَبَرَ الصَدوقا

Had they stood a moment against the keen blades,

Had they remained for a time in the pastures

and not been certain of the truthful report,

Or ascertained the trusted news of what transpired,

جَعَلتَ حَصى بِلادِهِمُ عَقيقاً

جَعَلتَ حَصى بِلادِهِمُ عَقيقاً

بِما سَفَكَت وَتُربَتُها خَلوقا

بِما سَفَكَت وَتُربَتُها خَلوقا

you would have turned their land's pebbles to carnelian

You would have made the pebbles of their lands carnelian

with the blood the blades shed, and its soil to saffron perfume.

With what was shed there, and the soil a true killing;

وَهَل في أَرضِهِم إِلّا فَريقٌ

وَهَل في أَرضِهِم إِلّا فَريقٌ

يُحَدِّثُ بِالَّذي لاقى فَريقا

يُحَدِّثُ بِالَّذي لاقى فَريقا

Is there anyone in their land but one band

Is there any in their lands left but a group

telling another what it suffered?

That tells of what befell their other group?

أَتَيتَ لِتَقتَضي حَقّاً مُبيناً

أَتَيتَ لِتَقتَضي حَقّاً مُبيناً

هُناكَ فَكانَ باطِلُهُم زَهوقا

هُناكَ فَكانَ باطِلُهُم زَهوقا

You came to claim a clear right

You came to exact a clear right,

there, and their falsehood proved destined to vanish.

So their falsehood there perished, declined;

أَبَت لَكَ أَن تُسامَ الخَسفَ نَفسٌ

أَبَت لَكَ أَن تُسامَ الخَسفَ نَفسٌ

إِلى غَيرِ الفَضائِلِ لَن تَتوقا

إِلى غَيرِ الفَضائِلِ لَن تَتوقا

A soul refused to let you be subjected to abasement,

A protector refused to be found lacking, wanting,

a soul that will never yearn for anything but virtues;

Anything but vengeance and conquest when they insisted on vice;

وَمَحمِيَةٌ أَبَت إِلّا اِنتِقاماً

وَمَحمِيَةٌ أَبَت إِلّا اِنتِقاماً

وَقَهراً إِذ أَبَوا إِلّا فُسوقا

وَقَهراً إِذ أَبَوا إِلّا فُسوقا

and protective honor demanded nothing but vengeance

If after this they take another path,

and subjugation, since they insisted on nothing but wickedness.

Then they have come to know the way to ruin;

وَإِن قَطَعوا طَريقاً بَعدَ هَذا

وَإِن قَطَعوا طَريقاً بَعدَ هَذا

فَقَد عَرَفوا إِلى الحَتفِ الطَريقا

فَقَد عَرَفوا إِلى الحَتفِ الطَريقا

And if they block a road after this,

And if they persist in villainy—but how could that be?—

they have learned the road to death.

Then their blood has come to know mortification;

وَإِن لَزِموا المُروقَ وَذا مُحالٌ

وَإِن لَزِموا المُروقَ وَذا مُحالٌ

فَقَد عَرَفَت دِماؤُهُمُ المُريقا

فَقَد عَرَفَت دِماؤُهُمُ المُريقا

And if they persist in rebellion—though that is inconceivable—

You refused anything but the harvest of glory,

their blood has learned who spills it.

While others gained spoils and flocks;

أَبَيتَ سِوى صَريحِ العِزِّ غُنماً

أَبَيتَ سِوى صَريحِ العِزِّ غُنماً

وَغَيرُكَ غانِمٌ غَنَماً وَنوقا

وَغَيرُكَ غانِمٌ غَنَماً وَنوقا

You would accept no spoil but unalloyed glory,

Upon them you loosed calamities that left

while others win sheep and she-camels.

Each one's heart quivering and pounding;

شَنَنتَ عَلَيهِمُ شَعواءَ أَبقَت

شَنَنتَ عَلَيهِمُ شَعواءَ أَبقَت

لِكُلٍّ مِنهُمُ قَلباً خَفوقا

لِكُلٍّ مِنهُمُ قَلباً خَفوقا

You unleashed upon them a fierce raid that left

The shepherd of beasts will forget the howl, not the bleating,

each one of them with a fluttering heart.

Yet the shepherd of sheep will forget the bleat, not the howl;

سَتُنسي راعِيَ النَعَمِ الحُداءَ ال

سَتُنسي راعِيَ النَعَمِ الحُداءَ ال

حَنينَ وَراعِيَ الشاءِ النَعيقا

حَنينَ وَراعِيَ الشاءِ النَعيقا

It will make the camel-herdsman forget his driving-song—

If you left their patience captive,

the plaintive one—and the shepherd his calls.

Then you left their terror free;

وَإِن غادَرتَ صَبرَهُمُ أَسيراً

وَإِن غادَرتَ صَبرَهُمُ أَسيراً

فَقَد غادَرتَ رُعبَهُمُ طَليقا

فَقَد غادَرتَ رُعبَهُمُ طَليقا

Though you left their fortitude captive,

You vie with them whenever they take to the open country,

you left their terror roaming free.

So what chance have they if they take a narrow pass?

تُزاحِمُهُم إِذا سَلَكوا فَضاءً

تُزاحِمُهُم إِذا سَلَكوا فَضاءً

فَكَيفَ بِهِم إِذا سَلَكوا مَضيقا

فَكَيفَ بِهِم إِذا سَلَكوا مَضيقا

You press upon them when they travel through open country;

And if God's land shrinks from the space their corpses require,

how will they fare, then, in a narrow pass?

Your pardoning them would never shrink;

وَإِن ضاقَت بِلادُ اللَهِ جَمعاً

وَإِن ضاقَت بِلادُ اللَهِ جَمعاً

بِفَلِّهِمِ فَعَفوُكَ لَن يَضيقا

بِفَلِّهِمِ فَعَفوُكَ لَن يَضيقا

Even if all God's lands grow too cramped

Indeed, if you denied fate something,

for their routed remnant, your pardon will never be cramped.

It would find itself prohibited, constrained;

وَإِنَّكَ لَو مَنَعتَ الدَهرَ شَيئاً

وَإِنَّكَ لَو مَنَعتَ الدَهرَ شَيئاً

لَأَضحى عَن تَناوُلِهِ مَعوقا

لَأَضحى عَن تَناوُلِهِ مَعوقا

And if you denied Time anything,

Whenever a high goal eluded your grasp,

it would be hindered from laying hold of it.

You eternally strove to outpace it;

وَكُنتَ إِذا عُلىً بَعُدَت مَنالاً

وَكُنتَ إِذا عُلىً بَعُدَت مَنالاً

إِلى غاياتِها أَبَداً سَبوقا

إِلى غاياتِها أَبَداً سَبوقا

Whenever lofty honors were hard to reach,

I see the name of king shared in common,

you were always first to reach their utmost heights.

Yet none but you suits its meaning;

أَرى اِسمَ المَلكِ مُشتَرَكاً مُشاعاً

أَرى اِسمَ المَلكِ مُشتَرَكاً مُشاعاً

وَمَعناهُ بِغَيرِكَ لَن يَليقا

وَمَعناهُ بِغَيرِكَ لَن يَليقا

I see the title of king shared and held in common,

How often you surpassed in pursuing great deeds

but its true meaning will suit no one but you.

A path where you found no companion;

وَكَم جاوَزتَ في طَلَبِ المَعالي

وَكَم جاوَزتَ في طَلَبِ المَعالي

طَريقاً ما وَجَدتَ بِهِ رَفيقا

طَريقاً ما وَجَدتَ بِهِ رَفيقا

How often, in pursuit of high honors, you have traversed

So one whose breast expands with vaster breadth

a road on which you found no companion!

As the days constrict the breast of fate!

فَياذا الصَدرِ يَزدادُ اِتِّساعاً

فَياذا الصَدرِ يَزدادُ اِتِّساعاً

إِذا ما اِزدادَ صَدرُ الدَهرِ ضيقا

إِذا ما اِزدادَ صَدرُ الدَهرِ ضيقا

O you whose breast grows ever wider

Your law killed souls of a people—

whenever Time's breast grows more constricted,

When did they begrudge it?—they were thankless, rebellious;

وَقَتكَ مِنَ الرَدى أَرواحُ قَومٍ

وَقَتكَ مِنَ الرَدى أَرواحُ قَومٍ

مَتى بَخِلوا بِها بَخِلوا عُقوقا

مَتى بَخِلوا بِها بَخِلوا عُقوقا

may the souls of a people shield you from death—

You made bettering their situation a daily concern,

whenever they begrudge them, they do so in disloyalty.

Your pardon for the wrongdoers a constant practice;

تَخِذتَ صَلاحَ حالِهِمُ صَبوحاً

تَخِذتَ صَلاحَ حالِهِمُ صَبوحاً

وَصَفحَكَ عَن مُسيئِهِمُ غَبوقا

وَصَفحَكَ عَن مُسيئِهِمُ غَبوقا

You have made their well-being your morning draught,

Indeed, were time itself to suffer what you endure,

and your pardon of their wrongdoer your evening drink.

It could not have been patient or borne it;

فَلَو مُنِيَ الزَمانُ بِما تُعاني

فَلَو مُنِيَ الزَمانُ بِما تُعاني

لَما كانَ الزَمانُ لَهُ مُطيقا

لَما كانَ الزَمانُ لَهُ مُطيقا

If Time were afflicted with what you endure,

May God perpetuate days of bliss

Time would not have the strength to bear it.

In the shade of which life is comfortable and elegant;

أَدامَ اللَهُ أَيّاماً جَنينا

أَدامَ اللَهُ أَيّاماً جَنينا

بِضافي ظِلِّها العَيشَ الأَنيقا

بِضافي ظِلِّها العَيشَ الأَنيقا

May God prolong the days in which we have gathered

And may God increase the worth of my father ‘Ali,

a delightful life beneath their ample shade.

Though enemies spurn him contemptuously;

وَزادَ اللَهُ قَدرَ أَبي عَلِيٍّ

وَزادَ اللَهُ قَدرَ أَبي عَلِيٍّ

وَإِن رَغِمَت أَعاديهِ بُسوقا

وَإِن رَغِمَت أَعاديهِ بُسوقا

And may God raise Abu Ali's rank

For malice aims only for mischief,

ever higher, though his enemies chafe in humiliation.

Nor does hatred intend but to ruin;

فَما أَمَّ العِدى إِلّا مُشيحاً

فَما أَمَّ العِدى إِلّا مُشيحاً

وَلا قَصَدَ الوَغى إِلّا مَشوقا

وَلا قَصَدَ الوَغى إِلّا مَشوقا

For he has never advanced against his enemies but resolutely,

So may he remain a brother, precious,

nor headed for battle except with longing.

And you for him a devoted, kindly father;

فَدامَ أَخاً شَقيقاً لِلمَعالي

فَدامَ أَخاً شَقيقاً لِلمَعالي

وَدُمتَ لَها أَباً بَرّاً شَفيقا

وَدُمتَ لَها أَباً بَرّاً شَفيقا

May he remain a full brother to lofty honors,

I saw you as a cultivated palm tree, with branches spreading,

and may you remain their loving, tender father.

A beautiful growth, roots sound and thriving;

رَأَيتُكَ دَوحَةً طالَت فُروعاً

رَأَيتُكَ دَوحَةً طالَت فُروعاً

وَطابَت مَنبِتاً وَزَكَت عُروقا

وَطابَت مَنبِتاً وَزَكَت عُروقا

I saw you as a great tree, tall in its branches,

So praise is detained for you, since truly

fine in its growing-place and pure in its roots.

I found you well-versed, deeply rooted in it;

فَحَبسٌ ذا الثَناءُ عَلَيكَ إِنّي

فَحَبسٌ ذا الثَناءُ عَلَيكَ إِنّي

وَجَدتُكَ في مَحَبَّتِهِ عَريقا

وَجَدتُكَ في مَحَبَّتِهِ عَريقا

So this praise is reserved for you; I

The envious were enraged to their souls’ torment,

have found you deeply rooted in love of it.

So ceaseless agony visited those warped minds;

لَقَد شَجِيَت بِكَ الحُسّادُ غَيظاً

لَقَد شَجِيَت بِكَ الحُسّادُ غَيظاً

فَلا بَرِحَ الشَجى تِلكَ الحُلوقا

فَلا بَرِحَ الشَجى تِلكَ الحُلوقا

The envious have indeed choked with rage because of you;

Your lands were not deprived of support

may that choking never leave those throats!

That ordained you should triumph and surpass;

وَلا عَرِيَت رُبوعُكَ مِن مَساعٍ

وَلا عَرِيَت رُبوعُكَ مِن مَساعٍ

قَضَت لَكَ أَن تَفوزَ وَأَن تَفوقا

قَضَت لَكَ أَن تَفوزَ وَأَن تَفوقا

And may your abodes never be bereft of endeavors

that decree that you shall triumph and excel.