أظنّ البدرَ نازعك الكمالا

أظنّ البدرَ نازعك الكمالا

فباتَ يُريهِ إخمصَك الهِلالا

فباتَ يُريهِ إخمصَك الهِلالا

I think the full moon contested perfection with you.

I think the full moon envied your perfection

So your foot's arch spent the night showing it a crescent.

So it showed you its crescent, incomplete

وقد تركتْ ذوابلَك الليالي

وقد تركتْ ذوابلَك الليالي

تدورُ على أسنّتها ذُبالا

تدورُ على أسنّتها ذُبالا

Your slender spears have left the nights

And your dark nights have gone around

revolving upon their points like lamp-wicks.

Babbling only sweet nothings

وليس الغيثُ إلا ما أراهُ

وليس الغيثُ إلا ما أراهُ

بكفّكَ سحّ وَبْلاً أو وَبالا

بكفّكَ سحّ وَبْلاً أو وَبالا

And rain is nothing but what I see

Rain is just what I see

in your palm, pouring a downpour or calamity.

In your palm, clear or unclear

لك الحسنُ البليغُ لسانَ فعلٍ

لك الحسنُ البليغُ لسانَ فعلٍ

إذا طلبَ المقالَ به استقالا

إذا طلبَ المقالَ به استقالا

Yours is eloquent beauty, a tongue of action;

Yours is the eloquent, graceful tongue

when it seeks speech through that tongue, it begs to be excused.

When called upon to speak, ready and able

وأين السيفُ من فتكاتِ عزْمٍ

وأين السيفُ من فتكاتِ عزْمٍ

نَهوضٍ لا كُلولَ ولا كَلالا

نَهوضٍ لا كُلولَ ولا كَلالا

And what is the sword beside the onslaughts of resolve,

Where is the sword compared to your resolute valor?

ever rising, with neither blunting nor fatigue?

Rising with no fatigue or languor

بأبيضَ خاطبٍ نثر الأعادي

بأبيضَ خاطبٍ نثر الأعادي

وأرؤسَهُم يَميناً أو شِمالا

وأرؤسَهُم يَميناً أو شِمالا

With a white blade, an orator that scattered the foes

With a white-bladed sword that scattered the enemies

and their heads to right or left,

And their heads, to the right or left, did fall

الى سُمْرٍ أشاعِرُهُ أُديرَتْ

الى سُمْرٍ أشاعِرُهُ أُديرَتْ

فنظمت الرجالَ لكَ ارتجالا

فنظمت الرجالَ لكَ ارتجالا

toward brown spears—his poets—they were turned,

Until it disciplined men into lines of verse

and these strung men into verse for you, impromptu.

Improvised for you on the spot

ومثلُكَ في انفرادِك بالمَعالي

ومثلُكَ في انفرادِك بالمَعالي

تعالى أن نُصيبَ له مِثالا

تعالى أن نُصيبَ له مِثالا

And one like you, alone in lofty virtues,

And none like you in your peerless nobility

stands too high for us to find his equal.

Deserves to be given a parallel

غمامٌ أطلعَ الآراءَ شمساً

غمامٌ أطلعَ الآراءَ شمساً

وشمسٌ مدّتِ الأيدي ظلالا

وشمسٌ مدّتِ الأيدي ظلالا

A cloud that brought forth counsels as a sun,

A cloud that makes opinions shine like suns

and a sun that stretched hands out as shadows.

And a sun that extends hands like shade

ومثلُك ملء عينِ الدهرِ حُسْناً

ومثلُك ملء عينِ الدهرِ حُسْناً

وملء قلوبِ أهليهِ جَلالا

وملء قلوبِ أهليهِ جَلالا

One like you fills the eye of time with beauty,

And none like you fills the age’s eye with beauty

and the hearts of its people with majesty.

And hearts of kinsmen with awe

له عزْمٌ كنائلِه شباباً

له عزْمٌ كنائلِه شباباً

الى حِلْمٍ كحِنْكَتِهِ اكْتِهالا

الى حِلْمٍ كحِنْكَتِهِ اكْتِهالا

He has resolve as youthful as his bounty,

Whose will is like its downpour, ever youthful

joined to forbearance as mature as his seasoned wisdom.

Until, like its drizzle, it gains maturity

تقلدتِ الخلافةُ منه عَضْباً

تقلدتِ الخلافةُ منه عَضْباً

كَفاها في الجلادِ به الجِدالا

كَفاها في الجلادِ به الجِدالا

The caliphate girded on from him a keen blade,

Authority which you've grasped to tame

whose use in battle spared it disputation.

It sufficed, with you, to have to fight over it

تُجرِّدُه فيكْسوها جَميلاً

تُجرِّدُه فيكْسوها جَميلاً

وتُغمِدُه فيكسوها جَمالا

وتُغمِدُه فيكسوها جَمالا

It unsheathes him, and he clothes it in goodness;

Bare it and clothe it beautifully

and it sheathes him, and he clothes it in beauty.

Sheathe it and adorn it with grace

إذا ما همّ يعرفْ نُكولاً

إذا ما همّ يعرفْ نُكولاً

ولمْ يُنكِرْ أعاديه نَكالا

ولمْ يُنكِرْ أعاديه نَكالا

When he resolves, he knows retreat [as written].

When it neared misdeed and aberration

And his foes did not deny the punishment.

And ignored the crimes of enemies

بخيلٍ كلّما اندفعَتْ قِسيّاً

بخيلٍ كلّما اندفعَتْ قِسيّاً

تفوّقَ من فوارسِها نِبالا

تفوّقَ من فوارسِها نِبالا

With horses that, whenever they surged forward as bows,

With a miser, whenever difficulties pressed cruelly

he shot their riders as arrows.

Your horsemen surpassed its arrows

تَرى البيضَ القصارَ مطابقاتٍ

تَرى البيضَ القصارَ مطابقاتٍ

على أرجائها السمرُ الطوالا

على أرجائها السمرُ الطوالا

You see the short, white blades matched

You see the short whites harmonious formations

along their flanks with the long, brown spears.

Upon its reaches, the tall browns

وكفُّ النصرِ قد كتبتْ سجِلاً

وكفُّ النصرِ قد كتبتْ سجِلاً

بأنّ الحربَ ما خُلقَتْ سِجالا

بأنّ الحربَ ما خُلقَتْ سِجالا

And victory's hand has written a decree

And the hand of victory inscribed a register

that war was not made for alternating fortunes.

That war was not created for altercation

ومعذورٌ قريعُك إذ تولّى

ومعذورٌ قريعُك إذ تولّى

بجيشٍ من قِراعِك قد تَوالى

بجيشٍ من قِراعِك قد تَوالى

Your rival is excused when he turns away

And your critic is excused for taking

with an army retreating from your blows, rank after rank.

An army of your shells that came in succession

بعثتَ به إليه مسوَّماتٍ

بعثتَ به إليه مسوَّماتٍ

خفاقاً تحمِلُ النُوَبَ الثِقالا

خفاقاً تحمِلُ النُوَبَ الثِقالا

You sent against him, with it, marked steeds,

You sent it poisoned weapons

light-footed, bearing heavy calamities.

To bear the heavy debts

نفَوْتَ العاصفات لها بِطاءً

نفَوْتَ العاصفات لها بِطاءً

إذا ما العاصفاتُ جرَتْ عِجالا

إذا ما العاصفاتُ جرَتْ عِجالا

You dismissed the storm winds as slow beside them,

You avoided gales for them, slowly

even when those winds raced swiftly.

While gales sped fast

ولم يترُكْ أبو الفتحِ المُعلّى

ولم يترُكْ أبو الفتحِ المُعلّى

لبابٍ يتقيه به انقِفالا

لبابٍ يتقيه به انقِفالا

Nor did exalted Abu al-Fath leave

And Abu Al-Fateh the Sublime left no door

a door that could be closed to ward him off.

For him behind which to cower

وظنّ النيلُ وهو أخوكَ نيلاً

وظنّ النيلُ وهو أخوكَ نيلاً

عليهِ مَعقِلاً فغَدا عِقالا

عليهِ مَعقِلاً فغَدا عِقالا

He thought the Nile, your brother in bounty,

The Nile, your brother, thought it

a stronghold against him, but it became a fetter.

A refuge, but it became a trap

ولما قرّ لم يعهَدْ نُزولاً

ولما قرّ لم يعهَدْ نُزولاً

ولما فرّ لم يحْمِدْ نِزالا

ولما فرّ لم يحْمِدْ نِزالا

And when he stayed, he knew no lodging;

When it approached, it never expected descent

and when he fled, he did not praise the combat.

When it fled, it never praised its halt

ولم يكُ يا شُجاعُ فتًى جباناً

ولم يكُ يا شُجاعُ فتًى جباناً

ولكنّ القتالَ كفى القِتالا

ولكنّ القتالَ كفى القِتالا

He was no cowardly youth, O Shujaʿ,

And O gallant one, no coward was the warrior

but the fighting made further fighting needless.

Rather, fighting, enough, was the fighting

فإنْ تَنب الجيادُ الجردُ عنهُ

فإنْ تَنب الجيادُ الجردُ عنهُ

فإنّ الليثَ يحتقِرُ النِمالا

فإنّ الليثَ يحتقِرُ النِمالا

If the sleek thoroughbreds turn aside from him,

If the steeds refrain from it

the lion, after all, disdains ants.

Then the lion scorns ostriches

وإن طلت لقومك مُسرعات

وإن طلت لقومك مُسرعات

فذاك لأنهم ركِبوا الضَلالا

فذاك لأنهم ركِبوا الضَلالا

And if swift steeds appeared before your people,

If you ask for volunteers for your people

that was because they had ridden into error.

It is because they rode misguidance

رعيتَ رعيّةَ ظنو احتماءً

رعيتَ رعيّةَ ظنو احتماءً

غداةَ رأوا من الحِلْمِ احتِمالا

غداةَ رأوا من الحِلْمِ احتِمالا

You tended subjects who imagined themselves protected

You shepherded a flock who thought taking cover

on the morning they saw tolerance in your forbearance.

Tomorrow, after seeing your forbearance

ومثلُك مَنْ رأى لهمُ اعتداءً

ومثلُك مَنْ رأى لهمُ اعتداءً

فقابلَهُ برحمَتِه اعتِدالا

فقابلَهُ برحمَتِه اعتِدالا

One like you saw transgression on their part

And none like you who saw their transgression

and met it, with his mercy, in moderation.

Met it with temperate, measured justice

ولولا رأفةٌ لا نلكَ فيهمْ

ولولا رأفةٌ لا نلكَ فيهمْ

أعادَ صخورَ ثغرِهم رِمالا

أعادَ صخورَ ثغرِهم رِمالا

Were it not for mercy [text unclear] toward them,

Had it not been for your kindness, you would have returned

he would have turned their frontier's rocks to sand.

Their rocky strongholds to sands

ولم تعدِلْ قبائلُه على ما

ولم تعدِلْ قبائلُه على ما

تبيّن من شجاعتِهم قِتالا

تبيّن من شجاعتِهم قِتالا

His tribes did not choose, despite

Nor did its tribes, despite their proven courage in combat

their evident courage, to fight.

Deviate from what was made clear

وسوف يكون شعرُ العبدِ نصراً

وسوف يكون شعرُ العبدِ نصراً

لنصرٍ عاجلٍ يأتيك فَالا

لنصرٍ عاجلٍ يأتيك فَالا

And this servant's verse shall lend support

Soon your servant's verse will be a victory song

to swift victory, bringing you a good omen.

For a imminent, redeeming victory

فداكَ معاشرٌ سمِعوا سُؤالاً

فداكَ معاشرٌ سمِعوا سُؤالاً

لقاصِدِهمْ فما عرَفوا سوى لا

لقاصِدِهمْ فما عرَفوا سوى لا

May those companies be your ransom, who heard a plea

Those who heard the questioner's call

from one seeking them, and knew nothing but 'No.'

And knew no answer but 'nay'

صرفتُ إليكَ آمالي اعتزاءً

صرفتُ إليكَ آمالي اعتزاءً

كما صرّفْتَهم عني اعتِزالا

كما صرّفْتَهم عني اعتِزالا

I turned my hopes toward you in affiliation,

Your servant turned to you his hopes

as you turned them away from me in withdrawal.

As you turned them away from me, distanced

وقلت لمن توثقها عُراةُ

وقلت لمن توثقها عُراةُ

وقد خانوا انفِصاماً وانفِصالا

وقد خانوا انفِصاماً وانفِصالا

And I said to one whose hopes the naked bind [text unclear],

And I said, to those whose pledge was barren

though they had proved false through rupture and separation:

They betrayed, split and separated

وقفتَ مسائلاً طَلَلاً مَحيلاً

وقفتَ مسائلاً طَلَلاً مَحيلاً

ورحتَ مطالباً أملاً مُحالا

ورحتَ مطالباً أملاً مُحالا

'You stood questioning a barren ruin,

You asked about a remote, vanished ruin

and went away demanding an impossible hope.'

And went seeking an impossible dream

ليَهْنكَ بل ليَهْنِ الناسَ عيدٌ

ليَهْنكَ بل ليَهْنِ الناسَ عيدٌ

رأوا فيه جبينَك والهِلالا

رأوا فيه جبينَك والهِلالا

May a festival gladden you—rather, gladden the people!

Let a feast gladden you - or rather, people -

They saw in it your brow and the crescent.

When they saw your brow and the new crescent

رأوْا فيه جبينَك والهِلالا

رأوْا فيه جبينَك والهِلالا

فحازَ النقصَ إذ حُزْتَ الكَمالا

فحازَ النقصَ إذ حُزْتَ الكَمالا

They saw in it your brow and the crescent.

They saw your brow and the new crescent

So it claimed imperfection, while you claimed perfection.

So the incomplete won when you gained perfection

وربّ مشبّهِ بكَ بدرَ تَمٍّ

وربّ مشبّهِ بكَ بدرَ تَمٍّ

تلألأ إذ سفرت لهُ تلالا

تلألأ إذ سفرت لهُ تلالا

Many a man has likened a moon at its full to you;

And like you, many likened to a full moon

it glittered when you unveiled yourself to it, radiant.

Shining when hills were illuminated for it

رأى منكَ الخليفةُ ما رآه

رأى منكَ الخليفةُ ما رآه

فأبْشِرْ إذ أنالَكَ ما أنالا

فأبْشِرْ إذ أنالَكَ ما أنالا

The caliph saw in you what he saw;

The Caliph saw in you what he saw

so rejoice, for he bestowed on you what he bestowed.

So congratulations, when he gave you what he gave

ورحتَ موشّحاً حُلَلاً فقُلْنا

ورحتَ موشّحاً حُلَلاً فقُلْنا

حلالاً قد خُصِصْتَ به حَلالا

حلالاً قد خُصِصْتَ به حَلالا

You went forth draped in robes, and we said:

You walked adorned in pure robes, so we said

'Lawfully have you indeed been singled out for it—lawfully!'

"How pure!” – when you were graced with the pure

وأمرُ المُلْكِ آلَ إليك طوعاً

وأمرُ المُلْكِ آلَ إليك طوعاً

أقسمَ لا يفارقُه وآلى

أقسمَ لا يفارقُه وآلى

The command of the realm passed willingly to you;

And authority came to you willingly

it swore not to leave him, and vowed it.

He swore it would never leave you and fulfilled

فدُمْ كالسُحْبِ إن بعُدَتْ مَنالاً

فدُمْ كالسُحْبِ إن بعُدَتْ مَنالاً

فقد قرُبَتْ لمُسْتَسْقٍ نَوالا

فقد قرُبَتْ لمُسْتَسْقٍ نَوالا

So endure like clouds: though distant in reach,

So blood, like clouds, if distant from the watering place

they are near in bounty to one who seeks rain.

Was brought near to the seeker of water