دعْ لباكٍ رسومَه وطلولَهْ

دعْ لباكٍ رسومَه وطلولَهْ

ولحادٍ ركابه وحُمولَهْ

ولحادٍ ركابه وحُمولَهْ

Leave the weeper his traces and ruined campsites,

Let the weepers weep as they please,

and the camel-driver his riding camels and laden beasts;

And the mounted continue their journey afoot,

ولغاوٍ سفاهَهُ وصِباهُ

ولغاوٍ سفاهَهُ وصِباهُ

وللاهٍ سماعهُ وشَمُولهْ

وللاهٍ سماعهُ وشَمُولهْ

and the wayward man his folly and youthful passion,

And the foolish persist in their folly,

and the pleasure-seeker his music and wine.

And the heedless continue heedless.

وإذا ما صمدْتَ للشعرِ يوماً

وإذا ما صمدْتَ للشعرِ يوماً

فتيمّمْ فصوله لا فضولهْ

فتيمّمْ فصوله لا فضولهْ

If ever you turn to poetry one day,

But if you devote yourself to poetry one day,

seek its choice passages, not its excesses.

Select its fruits, not the chaff.

إنما أحمدُ المحمَّدُ شخصٌ

إنما أحمدُ المحمَّدُ شخصٌ

من سماحٍ ونجدةٍ مجبولهْ

من سماحٍ ونجدةٍ مجبولهْ

Ahmad, the much-praised, is a man

Truly, Ahmad is a noble soul,

whose nature is molded of generosity and valor.

Generous and ever ready to help.

فارسُ المجدِ لم يزلْ غيرَ نُكرٍ

فارسُ المجدِ لم يزلْ غيرَ نُكرٍ

يركبُ المجدَ صعبهُ وذلولَهْ

يركبُ المجدَ صعبهُ وذلولَهْ

A knight of glory, never a stranger to it,

The horseman of glory was never obscure;

he rides its unruly steeds and its docile ones.

He rode glory’s steed both rough and smooth.

فلِسؤّالهِ إذا ما استماحو

فلِسؤّالهِ إذا ما استماحو

هُ عطاءً سُيوبُه المبذولهْ

هُ عطاءً سُيوبُه المبذولهْ

For his petitioners, whenever they ask

His gifts would flow if he was asked for help,

him for a gift, his bounties are freely offered;

And his sword was ready if enemies schemed.

ولأعدائهِ إذا ما أرادو

ولأعدائهِ إذا ما أرادو

هُ بكيدٍ سيوفُه المسلولهْ

هُ بكيدٍ سيوفُه المسلولهْ

and for his enemies, whenever they target

Glory has preoccupied his heart and hands,

him with guile, his swords are unsheathed.

While the rhymes are busy praising him.

شغَلَ المجدُ قلبه ويديه

شغَلَ المجدُ قلبه ويديه

والقوافي بمدحهِ مشغولهْ

والقوافي بمدحهِ مشغولهْ

Glory has occupied his heart and hands,

Motives both facilitated and complicated him,

and rhymes are occupied with praising him.

Mingled with defect but also great virtues.

سهَّلَتْهُ ووعَّرتْهُ سجايا

سهَّلَتْهُ ووعَّرتْهُ سجايا

خالطتْها وعورةٌ وسُهولهْ

خالطتْها وعورةٌ وسُهولهْ

Dispositions have made him easy and hard of approach,

We never found them blameworthy,

with ruggedness and ease mingled in them.

Though often obscure and neglected.

لم نجدها مذمومةً قطُّ في النا

لم نجدها مذمومةً قطُّ في النا

سِ ولكن محمودةٌ معذولهْ

سِ ولكن محمودةٌ معذولهْ

We have never found them blameworthy among

He continued as a stranger, led astray

people, but praised, though reproached.

When nobles acted foolishly.

لم يزلْ غُرّةً يتيهُ بها الده

لم يزلْ غُرّةً يتيهُ بها الده

رُ إذا ما الكرام كانوا حُجولهْ

رُ إذا ما الكرام كانوا حُجولهْ

He has ever been a forehead-blaze in which Time glories,

O noble Sir, whose hands never refrain

when the noble are its white fetlocks.

From aiding us, but remain outstretched.

أيها السيدُ الذي ليس تنفكْ

أيها السيدُ الذي ليس تنفكْ

كُ أياديه عندنا موصولهْ

كُ أياديه عندنا موصولهْ

O lord whose favors never cease

Known to us, though obscure and unknown to him,

to reach us in an unbroken stream,

Blessings shine from him, clearly etched.

فهي معروفةٌ لدينا وإن كا

فهي معروفةٌ لدينا وإن كا

نتْ لديه مجحودةً مجهولهْ

نتْ لديه مجحودةً مجهولهْ

they are well known to us, even if

God and the angels have borne witness—

to him they are unacknowledged and unknown.

An accepted and confirmed testimony—

نِعَمٌ في الوجوه يَقرؤُها النا

نِعَمٌ في الوجوه يَقرؤُها النا

سُ جميعاً منقوطةً مشكولهْ

سُ جميعاً منقوطةً مشكولهْ

Blessings on faces, read by

That you are the ruler endowed with wisdom,

all people, fully dotted and vowel-marked.

Who was granted authority and leadership.

شهدَ الله والملائكة الأب

شهدَ الله والملائكة الأب

رارُ طُرّاً شهادةً مقبولهْ

رارُ طُرّاً شهادةً مقبولهْ

God and the righteous angels have borne witness,

Your views have captured the essence of truth.

all of them, with accepted testimony:

What great schemes have been born from them!

أنك الحاكم الذي أوتي الحك

أنك الحاكم الذي أوتي الحك

مُ به حكمه فأُعطِيَ سُولهْ

مُ به حكمه فأُعطِيَ سُولهْ

that you are the judge through whom judgment

Baghdad has worn the crown of your pride,

received its arbiter and was granted its wish.

And the clothes of your splendor, polished and refined.

وأصابتْ آراؤه مَفْصِلَ الحَقْ

وأصابتْ آراؤه مَفْصِلَ الحَقْ

قِ فكم خُطّةٍ به مفصولهْ

قِ فكم خُطّةٍ به مفصولهْ

His opinions strike the very joint of truth;

May God make your rule enduring,

how many an affair is settled by him!

So every calamity after it will fade away.

لبستْ تاجَ فخرِها بك بغدا

لبستْ تاجَ فخرِها بك بغدا

دُ وأثوابَ زينِها المصقولهْ

دُ وأثوابَ زينِها المصقولهْ

Through you Baghdad has donned the crown of her pride

The subjects are safeguarded by its protection,

and the polished robes of her adornment.

And the grazing lands are open and flowing with bounty.

ثبَّتَ اللَّهُ دولةً لك أضْحت

ثبَّتَ اللَّهُ دولةً لك أضْحت

كلُّ بلوى بَعدلها معدولهْ

كلُّ بلوى بَعدلها معدولهْ

May God make firm your reign, under which

The blood there will remain protected,

every affliction is turned aside by its justice.

And the livelihood of its people assured.

فالرعايا محميَّة في حماها

فالرعايا محميَّة في حماها

والمراعي مطلولةٌ مَوْبولهْ

والمراعي مطلولةٌ مَوْبولهْ

The subjects are protected within its sanctuary,

Please forgive me for prolonging overly,

and the pastures are dew-moistened and rain-drenched.

Yet praise cannot do justice to your glory.

ما تزالُ الدماءُ مضمونةً في

ما تزالُ الدماءُ مضمونةً في

ها وأرزاقُ أهلِها مكفولهْ

ها وأرزاقُ أهلِها مكفولهْ

Blood remains safeguarded within

My spirit finds peace every day

it, and its people's livelihoods are assured.

In the dwelling whose comfort I cherish.

عاقني أن أطيلَ أنك تستغ

عاقني أن أطيلَ أنك تستغ

رقُ عرضَ الثناء مجداً وطولهْ

رقُ عرضَ الثناء مجداً وطولهْ

What keeps me from speaking at length is that you encompass

There God has granted me well-being,

all praise, in breadth and length, with your glory,

And undone the knots of affliction that bind me,

وارتياعي في كلّ يومٍ من الإز

وارتياعي في كلّ يومٍ من الإز

عاجِ عن منزلٍ أُحِبُّ نزولهْ

عاجِ عن منزلٍ أُحِبُّ نزولهْ

and my daily dread of eviction

After exertion which has tested me sorely,

from a dwelling where I love to stay.

Though its burdens cannot compare.

فيه عافاني الإلهُ من الشك

فيه عافاني الإلهُ من الشك

وِ وفكَّ البلاء عنّي كُبُولهْ

وِ وفكَّ البلاء عنّي كُبُولهْ

There God delivered me from suffering,

And illness which has wasted my soul,

and affliction unfastened its shackles from me,

Spread in my body its ache and frailty.

بعدَ جهدٍ حملتُ منه ضروباً

بعدَ جهدٍ حملتُ منه ضروباً

ليس أثقالهنّ بالمحمولهْ

ليس أثقالهنّ بالمحمولهْ

after hardship of which I bore many kinds,

Oh, would that my soul had been taken

whose burdens could not be borne,

Before it by death or its envoy!

ومُصابٍ بشقةِ الروحِ مني

ومُصابٍ بشقةِ الروحِ مني

ضمَّنَ الجسم سُقْمَه ونحولهْ

ضمَّنَ الجسم سُقْمَه ونحولهْ

and the loss of half my soul,

My lord, my aid, my companion and vizier—

which lodged sickness and wasting in my body:

Fate has tested me harshly since I lost him.

بأخي بل بوالدي بل بنفسي

بأخي بل بوالدي بل بنفسي

ليتَ نفسي من قبله مثكولهْ

ليتَ نفسي من قبله مثكولهْ

my brother—no, my father—no, my very self.

He left me naught but a heart rending in two,

Would that my soul had been mourned before him!

As death marched forth with its steed and soldiers.

رابني صائني ظهيري وزيري

رابني صائني ظهيري وزيري

غالني الدهر فيه لُقِّيَ غولهْ

غالني الدهر فيه لُقِّيَ غولهْ

My protector, my support, my helper has left me distraught;

To you I bring my laments, for sorrows

Time struck me through him—may it meet its own destroyer!

That harass my mind, though reasonable.

لم أرِثه سوى شجاةٍ أرتْني

لم أرِثه سوى شجاةٍ أرتْني

عسكرَ الموت رَجْله وخيولهْ

عسكرَ الموت رَجْله وخيولهْ

I inherited from him only a choking grief that showed me

Some of them: a party of yours have pained

death's army, its infantry and its horses.

My heart, and it aches from their arrows.

وإليك الشكاةُ منها ومن أش

وإليك الشكاةُ منها ومن أش

ياءَ تبتزُّ ذا الحجى معقولَهْ

ياءَ تبتزُّ ذا الحجى معقولَهْ

To you I bring my complaint of it, and of

Sleep brings me no comfort, only sorrow,

things that rob the discerning of their reason.

My regrets therein beyond consolation.

بعضُها أن عَزمةً منك أقْذَتْ

بعضُها أن عَزمةً منك أقْذَتْ

مُقلتي فهي بالقذى مكحولهْ

مُقلتي فهي بالقذى مكحولهْ

One is a resolve of yours that has put grit in

Daily you send fears to startle me,

my eye, which is kohled with that grit.

Approaching where I had thought myself secure.

لا تذوقُ المنامَ إلا غِراراً

لا تذوقُ المنامَ إلا غِراراً

حسرتي فيه غيرُ ما معسولهْ

حسرتي فيه غيرُ ما معسولهْ

It tastes sleep only in snatches;

By God I seek refuge, by rights owed me,

my anguish in it is not sweetened at all.

By your kindness which I hope you’ll uphold.

كلَّ يومٍ تزورني منك رَوعا

كلَّ يومٍ تزورني منك رَوعا

تٌ على مَأْمنِ الحشا مدلولهْ

تٌ على مَأْمنِ الحشا مدلولهْ

Every day, terrors from you visit me,

Do not return me to the darkness of grief

guided to my heart's sanctuary.

And the morals of those vile and disgraceful.

أنا باللَّهِ عائذٌ وبحِقْوي

أنا باللَّهِ عائذٌ وبحِقْوي

كَ وآلاءِ كفَّك المسئولهْ

كَ وآلاءِ كفَّك المسئولهْ

I seek refuge in God, and at your flanks,

Especially in your inviolable month,

and in the bounties of your hand, to which we appeal.

Forbidden by God from all wrong and evil.

لا تردَّنَّني إلى ظُلَمِ الكر

لا تردَّنَّني إلى ظُلَمِ الكر

خِ وأخلاقِ أهلهِ المرذولهْ

خِ وأخلاقِ أهلهِ المرذولهْ

Do not send me back to the darkness of Karkh

It befits the guardian of his subjects

and the despicable ways of its people,

That no defect taints what he rules.

سيَّما في حريمِ شهرك ذي الحر

سيَّما في حريمِ شهرك ذي الحر

مةِ غيرِ المذالةِ المخذولهْ

مةِ غيرِ المذالةِ المخذولهْ

especially within the sanctuary of your month, whose

By my life, you are he, whose virtues

sanctity is neither debased nor forsaken.

Were never concealed or withheld.

حَرَمُ اللَّهِ حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ ذو العر

حَرَمُ اللَّهِ حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ ذو العر

شِ على الظلمِ والعداءِ دخُولَهْ

شِ على الظلمِ والعداءِ دخُولَهْ

It is God's sanctuary: God, Lord of the Throne, has forbidden

If they seek blood, it is not freely spilled,

injustice and enmity to enter it.

And gifts flow freely from their open hands.

وحقيقٌ بِرعيهِ من غدا في

وحقيقٌ بِرعيهِ من غدا في

هِ وما فيه خلةٌ مفضولهْ

هِ وما فيه خلةٌ مفضولهْ

Worthy to uphold it is one who dwells within

You will find in them no ungracious requests,

it, with no inferior trait in him.

Nor appointment accepted and then refused.

ولعمري لأنتَ ذاك وما أن

ولعمري لأنتَ ذاك وما أن

شر عنك المحاسنَ المنحولهْ

شر عنك المحاسنَ المنحولهْ

And by my life, you are that man; I do not

Do not oppose the hopes that sustain my life,

spread falsely attributed virtues about you.

Lest tomorrow you unleash your floods.

لم تزلْ من فعالكَ البدأةُ الحر

لم تزلْ من فعالكَ البدأةُ الحر

رةُ بُشْرى بعودةٍ مأمولهْ

رةُ بُشْرى بعودةٍ مأمولهْ

Your noble first act has always been

While the soul hopes your rule will grant it

good tidings of a hoped-for renewal.

A home prosperous and bustling with people,

فاحتَسِبْ فيه تركَ إزعاجِ مثلي

فاحتَسِبْ فيه تركَ إزعاجِ مثلي

بعضَ أعمالِ بِرِّك المعمولهْ

بعضَ أعمالِ بِرِّك المعمولهْ

So count, within it, sparing one like me eviction

And anticipates your fulfillment of promises,

among the charitable deeds you perform.

Long-awaited prizes you will liberate.

يا ابنَ أنصارِ دولةِ الحقِ بالنِّيْ

يا ابنَ أنصارِ دولةِ الحقِ بالنِّيْ

يَة ذاتِ الصفَاءِ لا المدخولهْ

يَة ذاتِ الصفَاءِ لا المدخولهْ

O son of those who uphold the reign of truth, with

When the messenger came with your decree

an intention pure, not tainted,

Resembling death itself or its deliverer,

والذي برّزوا سماحاً وبأساً

والذي برّزوا سماحاً وبأساً

فأحاديثُ مجدهِم منقولهْ

فأحاديثُ مجدهِم منقولهْ

and of those who excelled in generosity and valor:

Expelling it forcefully from a place

the tales of their glory are handed down.

Where contentment flourished in my dwelling,

لا تُطلُّ الدماءُ إن طلبوها

لا تُطلُّ الدماءُ إن طلبوها

وعطايا أكُفّهم مطلولهْ

وعطايا أكُفّهم مطلولهْ

Blood goes not unavenged when they demand it,

Alas my soul! What hope remains for one who sought you?

and the gifts of their palms fall like gentle rain.

Can it be you have slain it with your sword?

ليسَ فيهم مطالبُ الناسِ بالشك

ليسَ فيهم مطالبُ الناسِ بالشك

رِ ولا فيهمُ المُسمَّى قبولهْ

رِ ولا فيهمُ المُسمَّى قبولهْ

None of them demands people's thanks,

God forbid! It sees in you the rising

nor is any among them known for taking.

Of its star, not the setting sun.

لا تكن عارضاً رجوتُ حياهُ

لا تكن عارضاً رجوتُ حياهُ

فغدا مُرسِلاً عليّ سيولهْ

فغدا مُرسِلاً عليّ سيولهْ

Do not be a rain-cloud whose rain I hoped for,

It is not the way of the hoped-for prince

only for it to unleash its torrents upon me.

To oppress one hoping he would assist him.

بينما النفسُ في بهائِك ترجو

بينما النفسُ في بهائِك ترجو

ملكَ دارٍ معمورةٍ مأهولهْ

ملكَ دارٍ معمورةٍ مأهولهْ

While my soul, in your splendor, was hoping

If your right hand does not protect me,

to own a house, flourishing and inhabited,

I will surely be devoured, no doubt.

وتُراعى آمالها منك إنجا

وتُراعى آمالها منك إنجا

زَ مواعيدَ للمنى ممطولهْ

زَ مواعيدَ للمنى ممطولهْ

and its hopes looked to you for fulfillment

So let the hand of the prince connect me

of promises long deferred to its desires,

With ties that will protect me from those knots.

إذ أتاني الرسولُ منك بأمرٍ

إذ أتاني الرسولُ منك بأمرٍ

يشبهُ الموتَ نفسَه أو رسولهْ

يشبهُ الموتَ نفسَه أو رسولهْ

your messenger came to me with an order

How often have you, by your help, enabled it

resembling death itself, or its messenger:

To escape the claws of fate bared against it!

وهْو إزعاجُها بأعنفِ عُنفٍ

وهْو إزعاجُها بأعنفِ عُنفٍ

عن محلٍّ قد استطابتْ حلولهْ

عن محلٍّ قد استطابتْ حلولهْ

driving it away with the harshest violence

How often has your effort brought about

from a dwelling it had found pleasant to inhabit.

What my soul aspired to attain!

ويحَ نفسي وما لراجيك ويحٌ

ويحَ نفسي وما لراجيك ويحٌ

أتُراها بسيفها مقتولهْ

أتُراها بسيفها مقتولهْ

Alas for my soul! Yet no woe befalls one who hopes in you.

Can it be that it is slain by its own sword?

حاشَ للَّه إنها لتريني

حاشَ للَّه إنها لتريني

بك إشراقَ نجمِها لا أفولهْ

بك إشراقَ نجمِها لا أفولهْ

God forbid! It surely shows me,

through you, its star's rising, not its setting.

ليسَ من عادةِ الأميرِ المُرَجَّى

ليسَ من عادةِ الأميرِ المُرَجَّى

أن يغولَ امرءاً رجا أن يعولهْ

أن يغولَ امرءاً رجا أن يعولهْ

It is not the custom of the prince in whom we hope

to destroy a man who hoped he would support him.

أنا إنْ لم تذدْ يميناك عني

أنا إنْ لم تذدْ يميناك عني

غيرُ شكٍّ فريسةٌ مأكولهْ

غيرُ شكٍّ فريسةٌ مأكولهْ

If your two right hands do not fend harm off me,

I am, without doubt, a prey to be devoured.

فليصلْ كفي الأميرُ بحبلٍ

فليصلْ كفي الأميرُ بحبلٍ

عاصمٍ من حباله المجدولهْ

عاصمٍ من حباله المجدولهْ

Let the prince join my hand to a cord,

a protective cord among his braided cords.

كم وكم قدّرت بدفعك عنها

كم وكم قدّرت بدفعك عنها

ردَّ أظفارِ دهرِها مفْلولهْ

ردَّ أظفارِ دهرِها مفْلولهْ

How often, how often, I expected, through your defense of it,

the claws of its Time to be driven back, blunted!

كم وكم قدرت بسعيك فيما

كم وكم قدرت بسعيك فيما

ترتجيهِ من الأمور حصُولهْ

ترتجيهِ من الأمور حصُولهْ

How often, how often, I counted on your efforts in the things

it hopes for, to bring about their fulfillment!