هَلِ النِداءُ الَّذي أَعلَنتُ مُستَمَعُ

هَلِ النِداءُ الَّذي أَعلَنتُ مُستَمَعُ

أَم في المِئاتِ الَّتي قَدَّمتُ مُنتَفَعُ

أَم في المِئاتِ الَّتي قَدَّمتُ مُنتَفَعُ

Is the call I proclaimed being heard?

Is it my call that the listener declared,

Or is there benefit in the hundreds I have offered?

Or is it from the hundreds I presented as benefitted?

إِنّي لَأَعجَبُ مِن حَظٍّ يُسَوِّفُ بي

إِنّي لَأَعجَبُ مِن حَظٍّ يُسَوِّفُ بي

كَاليَأسِ مِن نَيلِهِ أَن يَجذِبَ الطَمَعُ

كَاليَأسِ مِن نَيلِهِ أَن يَجذِبَ الطَمَعُ

I marvel indeed at a fortune that keeps putting me off,

I am amazed at luck that procrastinates towards me,

The pull of hope is like despair of attaining it.

Like despair from attaining it allures greed.

تَأبى السُكونَ إِلى تَعليلِ دَهرِيَ لي

تَأبى السُكونَ إِلى تَعليلِ دَهرِيَ لي

نَفسٌ إِذا خودِعَت لَم تُرضِها الخُدَعُ

نَفسٌ إِذا خودِعَت لَم تُرضِها الخُدَعُ

Refusing to rest content with my age's hollow assurances

Peace refuses to justify my fate,

Is a soul that, when deceived, is not appeased by tricks.

A soul once deceived is not appeased by deceit.

لَيسَ الرُكونُ إِلى الدُنيا دَليلَ حِجىً

لَيسَ الرُكونُ إِلى الدُنيا دَليلَ حِجىً

فَإِنَّها دُوَلٌ أَيّامُها مُتَعُ

فَإِنَّها دُوَلٌ أَيّامُها مُتَعُ

Trusting in this world is no sign of wisdom,

Sinking into the world is no proof of wisdom,

For it is turns of fortune, its days fleeting pleasures.

For its conditions are states whose days pass.

تَأتي الرَزايا نِظاماً مِن حَوادِثِها

تَأتي الرَزايا نِظاماً مِن حَوادِثِها

إِذِ الفَوائِدُ في أَثنائِها لُمَعُ

إِذِ الفَوائِدُ في أَثنائِها لُمَعُ

Its calamities come strung together among its happenings,

Misfortunes come systematically from their events,

While benefits amid them are mere flashes.

As opportunities are radiant amongst them.

أَهلُ النَباهَةِ أَمثالي لِدَهرِهِمُ

أَهلُ النَباهَةِ أَمثالي لِدَهرِهِمُ

بِقَصرِهِم دونَ غاياتِ المُنى وَلَعُ

بِقَصرِهِم دونَ غاياتِ المُنى وَلَعُ

For men of distinction such as I, their age

The wise like me for their time,

Has a passion for holding them short of their utmost hopes.

Are below the ultimate wishes and passion.

لَولا بَنو جَهوَرٍ ما أَشرَقَت هِمَمي

لَولا بَنو جَهوَرٍ ما أَشرَقَت هِمَمي

كَمِثلِ بيضِ اللَيالي دونَها الدُرَعُ

كَمِثلِ بيضِ اللَيالي دونَها الدُرَعُ

Were it not for the sons of Jahwar, my aspirations would not shine

Were it not for the children of valor my ambitions would not have shone,

Like the moon-white nights, surpassing the dark-fronted ones.

Like the whiteness of nights beneath the coat of mail.

هُمُ المُلوكُ مُلوكُ الأَرضِ دونَهُمُ

هُمُ المُلوكُ مُلوكُ الأَرضِ دونَهُمُ

غيدُ السَوالِفِ في أَجيادِها تَلَعُ

غيدُ السَوالِفِ في أَجيادِها تَلَعُ

They are the kings; the kings of earth beneath them are

They are the kings, kings of the earth beneath whom,

Supple-necked maidens, their throats long and graceful.

The weaves of narratives with their generosity vie.

مِنَ الوَرى إِن يَفوقوهُم فَلا عَجَبٌ

مِنَ الوَرى إِن يَفوقوهُم فَلا عَجَبٌ

كَذَلِكَ الشَهرُ مِن أَيّامِهِ الجُمَعُ

كَذَلِكَ الشَهرُ مِن أَيّامِهِ الجُمَعُ

If they surpass the rest of mankind, it is no wonder:

If anyone were to surpass them it's no wonder,

So, among the days of the month, are Fridays.

Like the month amongst its days is the total.

قَومٌ مَتى تَحتَفِل في وَصفِ سُؤدُدِهِم

قَومٌ مَتى تَحتَفِل في وَصفِ سُؤدُدِهِم

لا يَأخُذِ الوَصفُ إِلّا بَعضَ ما يَدَعُ

لا يَأخُذِ الوَصفُ إِلّا بَعضَ ما يَدَعُ

A people: however hard you strive to describe their nobility,

When describing their munificence if celebrations occur,

Description captures only part of what it leaves unsaid.

The description takes but some of what it leaves.

تَجَهَّمَ الدَهرُ فَاِنصاتَت لَهُم غُرَرٌ

تَجَهَّمَ الدَهرُ فَاِنصاتَت لَهُم غُرَرٌ

ماءُ الطَلاقَةِ في أَسرارِها دُفَعُ

ماءُ الطَلاقَةِ في أَسرارِها دُفَعُ

Time scowled; their radiant brows broke into smiles,

They frowned at fate, so secrets listened to them,

The water of cheerfulness gushing through their lines.

The water of eloquence in its mysteries gushed forth.

باهَت وُجوهُهُمُ الأَعراضَ مِن كَرَمٍ

باهَت وُجوهُهُمُ الأَعراضَ مِن كَرَمٍ

فَكُلَّما راقَ مَرأىً طابَ مُستَمَعُ

فَكُلَّما راقَ مَرأىً طابَ مُستَمَعُ

Their faces rivaled their reputations in nobility,

Their faces shone and modesty from nobleness,

And whenever the sight charmed, what was heard delighted.

So whenever a glance was cast it was beautiful if heard.

سَروٌ تَزاحَمُ في نَظمِ المَديحِ لَهُ

سَروٌ تَزاحَمُ في نَظمِ المَديحِ لَهُ

مَحاسِنُ الشِعرِ حَتّى بَينَها قُرَعُ

مَحاسِنُ الشِعرِ حَتّى بَينَها قُرَعُ

A noble company: in the weaving of praise for them,

Cypress trees vie in weaving eulogies for it,

The beauties of poetry crowd together until they clash.

Until the beauties of poetry amongst themselves clashed.

أَبو الوَليدِ قَدِ اِستَوفى مَناقِبَهُم

أَبو الوَليدِ قَدِ اِستَوفى مَناقِبَهُم

فَلِلتَفاريقِ مِنها فيهِ مُجتَمَعُ

فَلِلتَفاريقِ مِنها فيهِ مُجتَمَعُ

Abu al-Walid possesses all their virtues in full;

Abu Al-Waleed fully enumerated their merits,

What is scattered among them has its meeting place in him.

So the separations from those in him are collected.

هُوَ الكَريمُ الَّذي سَنَّ الكِرامُ لَهُ

هُوَ الكَريمُ الَّذي سَنَّ الكِرامُ لَهُ

زُهرَ المَساعي فَلَم تَستَهوِهِ البِدَعُ

زُهرَ المَساعي فَلَم تَستَهوِهِ البِدَعُ

He is the generous man for whom the noble set the pattern

He is the noble one whom nobleness legislated for,

Of radiant deeds; innovations never led him astray.

The flowers of effort so transgression did not allure him.

مِن عِترَةٍ أَوهَمَتهُ في تَعاقُبِها

مِن عِترَةٍ أَوهَمَتهُ في تَعاقُبِها

أَنَّ المَكارِمَ إيصاءً بِها شِرَعُ

أَنَّ المَكارِمَ إيصاءً بِها شِرَعُ

From a lineage that, through its succession, led him to believe

From a dynasty that deluded him in its succession,

That noble virtues, bequeathed from one to another, are binding laws.

That virtues were a legacy through it legislated.

مُهَذَّبٌ أَخلَصَتهُ أَوَّلِيَّتُهُ

مُهَذَّبٌ أَخلَصَتهُ أَوَّلِيَّتُهُ

كَالسَيفِ بالَغَ في إِخلاصِهِ الصَنَعُ

كَالسَيفِ بالَغَ في إِخلاصِهِ الصَنَعُ

Refined, purified by his ancestral origins,

Cultured whom his natural disposition purified,

Like a sword whose refining a skilled craftsman has perfected.

Like a sword complete in its creation the making.

إِنَّ السُيوفَ إِذا ما طابَ جَوهَرُها

إِنَّ السُيوفَ إِذا ما طابَ جَوهَرُها

في أَوَّلِ الطَبعِ لَم يَعلَق بِها طَبَعُ

في أَوَّلِ الطَبعِ لَم يَعلَق بِها طَبَعُ

For swords, when their metal is sound

Swords when their essence is good during the first imprint,

At the first forging, never acquire rust.

No imprint then adheres to them.

جَذلانُ يَستَضحِكُ الأَيّامَ عَن شِيَمٍ

جَذلانُ يَستَضحِكُ الأَيّامَ عَن شِيَمٍ

كَالرَوضِ تَضحَكُ مِنهُ في الرُبى قِطَعُ

كَالرَوضِ تَضحَكُ مِنهُ في الرُبى قِطَعُ

Joyful, he makes the days smile with his qualities,

Jadhlans laughs at days due to traits,

Like a meadow whose patches smile upon the hills.

Like a meadow laughs at them during watering from sections.

كَالبارِدِ العَذبِ لَذَّت مِن مَوارِدِهِ

كَالبارِدِ العَذبِ لَذَّت مِن مَوارِدِهِ

لِشارِبٍ غِبَّ تَبريحِ الصَدى جُرَعُ

لِشارِبٍ غِبَّ تَبريحِ الصَدى جُرَعُ

Like cool, sweet water, from whose sources come delicious

Cool and fresh its tastings appealed from its springs,

Draughts for a drinker after thirst's torment.

To a thirsty drinking it the reverberations of echo quenched.

قُل لِلوَزيرِ الَّذي تَأميلُهُ وَزَري

قُل لِلوَزيرِ الَّذي تَأميلُهُ وَزَري

إِن ضاقَ مُضطَرَبٌ أَو هالَ مُطَّلَعُ

إِن ضاقَ مُضطَرَبٌ أَو هالَ مُطَّلَعُ

Tell the minister, hope in whom is my refuge

Say to the minister whom my ministry hopes for,

When scope for action narrows or a prospect appalls:

If troubled shrinks or hesitates the rising.

أَصِخ لِهَمسِ عِتابٍ تَحتَهُ مِقَةٌ

أَصِخ لِهَمسِ عِتابٍ تَحتَهُ مِقَةٌ

وَكَلِّفِ النَفسَ مِنها فَوقَ ما تَسَعُ

وَكَلِّفِ النَفسَ مِنها فَوقَ ما تَسَعُ

Listen to a whispered reproach beneath which lies love,

Ignore the rebuke's whisper underneath which is irritation,

And burden your soul with more of it than it can contain.

And obligate the self beyond what it can endure.

ما لِلمَتابِ الَّذي أَحصَفتَ عُقدَتَهُ

ما لِلمَتابِ الَّذي أَحصَفتَ عُقدَتَهُ

قَد خامَرَ القَلبَ مِن تَضييعِهِ جَزَعُ

قَد خامَرَ القَلبَ مِن تَضييعِهِ جَزَعُ

What of the repentance whose knot you bound so firmly?

What of the twisting you knitted its knot,

Anxiety over its neglect has entered my heart.

Grief at losing it crept into the heart.

لي في المُوالاةِ أَتباعٌ يَسُرُّهُمُ

لي في المُوالاةِ أَتباعٌ يَسُرُّهُمُ

أَنّي لَهُم في الَّذي نُجزى بِهِ تَبَعُ

أَنّي لَهُم في الَّذي نُجزى بِهِ تَبَعُ

I have followers in allegiance who are pleased

For me in allegiance are followers made happy,

That, in the rewards we receive, I trail behind them.

That I for them in what we are rewarded am a follower.

أَلَستُ أَهلَ اِختِصاصٍ مِنكَ يُلبِسُني

أَلَستُ أَهلَ اِختِصاصٍ مِنكَ يُلبِسُني

جَمالَ سيماهُ أَم ما فِيَّ مُصطَنَعُ

جَمالَ سيماهُ أَم ما فِيَّ مُصطَنَعُ

Am I not worthy of a special favor from you that clothes me

Am I not worthy of exclusivity from you that adorns me,

In the beauty of its mark—or is there nothing in me worthy of favor?

Either the beauty of its mark or is it in me pretentious?

لَم أوتِ في الحالِ مِن سَعيي لَدَيكَ وَنىً

لَم أوتِ في الحالِ مِن سَعيي لَدَيكَ وَنىً

بَل بِالجُدودِ تَطيرُ الحالُ أَو تَقَعُ

بَل بِالجُدودِ تَطيرُ الحالُ أَو تَقَعُ

My plight did not arise from slackness in my striving before you;

I have not attained in my state from my efforts through you misery,

Rather, fortune makes one's condition soar or fall.

But in ancestry soars the state or settles.

لا تَستَجِز وَضعَ قَدَري بَعدَ رَفعِكَهُ

لا تَستَجِز وَضعَ قَدَري بَعدَ رَفعِكَهُ

فَاللَهُ لا يَرفَعُ القَدرَ الَّذي تَضَعُ

فَاللَهُ لا يَرفَعُ القَدرَ الَّذي تَضَعُ

Do not deem it right to lower my rank after raising it,

Do not demean the status of my position after you raised it,

For God will not raise the rank that you lower.

For God does not raise a position that you demean.

تَقَدَّمَت لَكَ نُعمى رادَها أَمَلي

تَقَدَّمَت لَكَ نُعمى رادَها أَمَلي

في جانِبٍ هُوَ لِلإِنسانِ مُنتَجَعُ

في جانِبٍ هُوَ لِلإِنسانِ مُنتَجَعُ

A bounty of yours came before, sought out by my hope,

Your favors advanced to me, my hopes returned it,

In a quarter where humankind seeks its pasture.

To a side that for man is a refuge.

ما زالَ يونِقُ شُكري في مَواقِعِها

ما زالَ يونِقُ شُكري في مَواقِعِها

كَالمُزنِ تونِقُ في آثارِهِ التُرَعُ

كَالمُزنِ تونِقُ في آثارِهِ التُرَعُ

My gratitude still delights where that bounty fell,

My gratitude continues to ripen in its positions,

As upland meadows delight in the rainclouds' wake.

Like the farm ripens in the traces of irrigation.

شُكرٌ يَروقُ وَيُرضي طيبُ طُعمَتِهِ

شُكرٌ يَروقُ وَيُرضي طيبُ طُعمَتِهِ

في طَيِّهِ نَفَحاتٌ بَينَها خِلَعُ

في طَيِّهِ نَفَحاتٌ بَينَها خِلَعُ

Thanks whose pleasant savor charms and satisfies,

Gratitude that satisfies, the goodness of its taste,

In its folds are fragrant wafts, and among them robes of honor.

Amongst its folds the wafts between them split open.

ظَنَّ العِدا إِذ أَغَبَّت أَنَّها اِنقَطَعَت

ظَنَّ العِدا إِذ أَغَبَّت أَنَّها اِنقَطَعَت

هَيهاتَ لَيسَ لِمَدِّ البَحرِ مُنقَطَعُ

هَيهاتَ لَيسَ لِمَدِّ البَحرِ مُنقَطَعُ

The foes thought, when your bounty came less often, that it had ceased;

The enemy thought when they were absent that they were cut off,

Far from it: the sea's flow has no end.

Alas, the sea's flow is not cut off.

لا بَأسَ بِالأَمرِ إِن ساءَت مَبادِءُهُ

لا بَأسَ بِالأَمرِ إِن ساءَت مَبادِءُهُ

نَفسَ الشَفيقِ إِذا ما سَرَّتِ الرُجَعُ

نَفسَ الشَفيقِ إِذا ما سَرَّتِ الرُجَعُ

There is no harm in a matter whose beginnings distress

No problem if the matter was bad in its beginnings,

The anxious soul, if its later turns bring delight.

The caring soul if it was pleased by the return.

إِنَّ الأُلى كُنتُ مِن قَبلِ اِفتِضاحِهِمِ

إِنَّ الأُلى كُنتُ مِن قَبلِ اِفتِضاحِهِمِ

مِثلَ الشَجا في لُهاهُم لَيسَ يُنتَزَعُ

مِثلَ الشَجا في لُهاهُم لَيسَ يُنتَزَعُ

Indeed, before those men's exposure, I was

The previous kin before their disgrace I was,

Like a bone in their throats that could not be dislodged.

Like gum resin in their jaws not extractible.

لَم أَحظَ إِذ هُم عِداً بادٍ نِفاقُهُمُ

لَم أَحظَ إِذ هُم عِداً بادٍ نِفاقُهُمُ

إِلّا كَما كُنتُ أَحظى إِذ هُمُ شِيَعُ

إِلّا كَما كُنتُ أَحظى إِذ هُمُ شِيَعُ

When they were foes, their hypocrisy plain, I fared no better

I did not notice when hostile enmity was decaying,

Than I had fared when they were partisans.

Except as I noticed when they were supporters.

ما غاظَهُم غَيرَ ما سَيَّرتُ مِن مِدَحٍ

ما غاظَهُم غَيرَ ما سَيَّرتُ مِن مِدَحٍ

في صائِكِ المِسكِ مِن أَنفاسِها فَنَعُ

في صائِكِ المِسكِ مِن أَنفاسِها فَنَعُ

Nothing angered them but the praises I sent abroad,

Nothing provoked them except what I circulated in praise,

Whose breath lends fragrance to the pungent scent of musk.

In your fragrant musk from its breath artistry.

كَم غُرَّةٍ لي تَلَقَتّها قُلوبُهُمُ

كَم غُرَّةٍ لي تَلَقَتّها قُلوبُهُمُ

كَما تَلَقّى شِهابَ الموقِدِ الشَمَعُ

كَما تَلَقّى شِهابَ الموقِدِ الشَمَعُ

How many a radiant verse of mine their hearts received,

How many grudges against me their hearts harbored,

As wax receives the fire-lighter's flame!

As the spark harbored the burning ember.

إِذا تَأَمَّلتَ حُبّي غِبَّ غَشِّهِمِ

إِذا تَأَمَّلتَ حُبّي غِبَّ غَشِّهِمِ

لَم يَخفَ مِن فَلَقِ الإِصباحِ مُنصَدِعُ

لَم يَخفَ مِن فَلَقِ الإِصباحِ مُنصَدِعُ

When you consider my love after their deceit,

If you contemplate my love the concealment of their deceit,

The cleft of breaking dawn will not remain concealed.

It did not escape the dawn's splitting as it cracked.

تِلكَ العَرانينُ لَم يَصلُح لَها شَمَمٌ

تِلكَ العَرانينُ لَم يَصلُح لَها شَمَمٌ

فَكانَ أَهوَنَ ما نيلَت بِهِ الجَدَعُ

فَكانَ أَهوَنَ ما نيلَت بِهِ الجَدَعُ

Those noses were unworthy of proud height;

Those bells were not suited for any scent,

So cropping them was the mildest punishment they suffered.

So the easiest thing it obtained with was barrenness.

أَودَعتَ نُعماكَ مِنهُم شَرَّ مُغتَرَسٍ

أَودَعتَ نُعماكَ مِنهُم شَرَّ مُغتَرَسٍ

لَن يَكرُمَ الغَرسُ حَتّى تُكرَمُ البُقَعُ

لَن يَكرُمَ الغَرسُ حَتّى تُكرَمُ البُقَعُ

You planted your bounty among them in the worst ground;

You made your favors from them the evilest of trees,

The planting will not prosper until its ground is enriched.

The tree will not give fruit until the land is fertilized.

لَقَد جَزَتهُم جَوازي الدَهرِ عَن مِنَنٍ

لَقَد جَزَتهُم جَوازي الدَهرِ عَن مِنَنٍ

عَفَت فَلَم يَثنِهِم عَن غَمطِها وَرَعُ

عَفَت فَلَم يَثنِهِم عَن غَمطِها وَرَعُ

Time's retributions have indeed repaid them for favors

The turns of fate compensated them for blessings,

That faded, with no scruple to restrain them from denying them.

It was chaste so no devotion from it discouraged them.

لا زالَ جَدُّكَ بِالأَعداءِ يَصرَعُهُم

لا زالَ جَدُّكَ بِالأَعداءِ يَصرَعُهُم

إِن كانَ بَينَ جُدودِ الناسِ مُصطَرَعُ

إِن كانَ بَينَ جُدودِ الناسِ مُصطَرَعُ

May your good fortune keep throwing your enemies down,

Your grandfather continues to fell them with enemies,

If among men's fortunes there is a wrestling ground.

If there was contention between people's ancestors.