شرعت دون الشرع سمر الرماح — أبو المعالي الطالوي

شرعتَ دون الشَرعِ سُمرَ الرِماح

وَصُنتَ مَعناه بِبيضِ الصِفاح

You leveled the tawny spears in defense of the Law,

and guarded its meaning with gleaming sword-blades.

وَسُقت لِلعَلياء مَهرَ التُقى

فَنِلتَها عَذراءَ صُغرَ الوِشاح

And brought glory the bridal dower of piety,

so you won her, a slender-waisted virgin.

وَطالَما ذَلَّلت أَفراسَها

وَهيَ عَلى مَن يَمتَطيها جِماح

And how often you have tamed her steeds,

though they are unruly for whoever mounts them.

يا أَيُّها المَولى الَّذي حُكمُهُ

حُكمُ سُلَيمانَ نَبيّ الرِياح

O lord, whose judgment

is that of Solomon, prophet of the winds.

سُدتَ قُضاة العَصرِ بَل فُقتَهُم

عِلماً وَحِلماً وَنَدىً وَاِستِماح

You led the judges of the age—indeed, surpassed them

in knowledge, forbearance, generosity, and seeking bounty.

فَما إياسٌ بِذكيٍّ إِذا

عُدَّت قَضاياكَ وَرَبِّ النَجاح

For Iyas is not clever when

your judgments are recounted—by the Lord of success!

وَلا شُرَيحٌ بِالقَضا عارِفاً

لَدَيكَ يا اِبنَ الأَكرَمينَ الصِباح

Nor is Shurayh versed in judgment

beside you, O son of the noblest, fair-faced men.

نالَ فَخاراً مَنصِباً نِلتَهُ

بِعزِّ نَفسٍ وَعُلا وَاِرتِياح

The office you attained has gained glory,

with dignity of soul, eminence, and gladness.

وَلّاكه السُلطانُ أَعني بِهِ

مُرادٌ ظلُّ اللَهِ رَبُّ السَماح

The sultan appointed you to it—by him I mean

Murad, God's shadow, lord of bounty,

مِن بَعدِ ما كانَ لَه طالِباً

خَمسونَ كُلٌّ نَحوَهُ قَد أَلاح

after it had been sought by

fifty, each having signaled his desire for it.

راكَ مِن بَينِهِم صالِحاً

لَهُ فَوَلّاك بِنَصّ صُراح

He saw you, among them, as fit

for it, and appointed you by an explicit decree.

فَرحت مَحسوداً بِعِرضِ اِمرئٍ

عارٍ مِن العارِ وَمن لَحيِ لاح

So you went forth envied, with the honor of a man

free of disgrace and any faultfinder's reproach.

تَسحَبُ بِالرومِ ذُيولَ المَراح

وَتَزدري الأَقران شاكي السِلاح

In Rum you trail the hems of exultation,

and, fully armed, hold your peers in scorn.

يا صَفد العَلياء بُشراك قَد

حَلَّ مَغانيكَ الرِحابَ الفِساح

O exalted Safad, glad tidings to you! There has

settled in your broad, spacious dwellings,

بَعدَ صَلاح الدين شَيخ الوَرى

صالِحُ مَولى رَبِّ جُودٍ مُباح

after Salah al-Din, elder of mankind,

Salih, a lord, master of freely given bounty.

وَمُنذُ أَصفاكَ دِياراً لَهُ

وَلاح في ربعك مِنهُ فَلاح

And since he singled you out as his abode,

and prosperity from him shone in your precincts,

قُلتُ لِمَن يَسأل تاريخَهُ

وَلّيتَ دَمَ صالح دارَ الصَلاح

I said to whoever asks its date:

You were appointed—live on, Salih—to the abode of righteousness.