لِلَّهِ ما تَصنَعُ الأَجيادُ وَالمُقَلُ

لِلَّهِ ما تَصنَعُ الأَجيادُ وَالمُقَلُ

وَالأُقحُوانُ الشَتيتُ الواضِحُ الرِتلُ

وَالأُقحُوانُ الشَتيتُ الواضِحُ الرِتلُ

By God, what necks and eyes can do,

To God belongs all that the gallant steeds accomplish,

Good God, what havoc is wrought by slender necks and eyes,

and the scattered daisies, bright and evenly set!

And the lances on the day of battle, bright and erect.

And by teeth like chamomile flowers, distinct, bright, and well-aligned.

تَرَنَّحَ الشَربُ وَاِغتالَت حُلومَهُمُ

تَرَنَّحَ الشَربُ وَاِغتالَت حُلومَهُمُ

شَمسٌ تَرَجَّلُ فيهِم ثُمَّ تَرتَحِلُ

شَمسٌ تَرَجَّلُ فيهِم ثُمَّ تَرتَحِلُ

The drinkers swayed, and their wits were stolen away

They quenched their thirst then slew their enemies,

The drinkers swayed as their wits were ravished and undone

by a sun that alights among them, then departs.

A sun that descended upon them and then moved on.

By a sun that alights among them, then journeys on.

لا تَستَريحُ إِلى المِلوى تُمارِسُهُ

لا تَستَريحُ إِلى المِلوى تُمارِسُهُ

وَلا تَبيتُ عَلى الأَوتارِ تَتَّكِلُ

وَلا تَبيتُ عَلى الأَوتارِ تَتَّكِلُ

She finds no rest in plying the tuning peg,

It does not rest at the pasturage it exercises

It rests not in the strainer to be pressed,

nor spends the night relying on strings.

Nor spend the night on the lute strings it plucks.

Nor does it spend the night relying on the jar's sealed cords.

فيها فَراغٌ مِنَ السُلوانِ يَشغَلُها

فيها فَراغٌ مِنَ السُلوانِ يَشغَلُها

عَنّي وَفِيَّ بِها عَن غَيرِها شُغُلُ

عَنّي وَفِيَّ بِها عَن غَيرِها شُغُلُ

She has leisure born of forgetfulness that distracts her

In it is a void from the chalice that occupies it

She is void of any solace, occupied entirely away

from me, while my absorption in her keeps me from all others.

Distracting it from me while I, because of it, am distracted from all else.

From me, while I am occupied with her to the exclusion of all else.

إِذا تَلَبَّثتُ عَنها ساقَ بي كَلَفٌ

إِذا تَلَبَّثتُ عَنها ساقَ بي كَلَفٌ

بَرحٌ وَأَوجَفَني وَجدٌ بِها عَجِلُ

بَرحٌ وَأَوجَفَني وَجدٌ بِها عَجِلُ

When I linger away from her, I am driven by a passion

When I become inattentive of it, rigor escorts me

If I tarry away from her, a deep infatuation drives me back,

that torments me, and urgent longing for her spurs me on.

As well as sadness, and in it my fervor is quick.

A harsh torment, and a hasty passion spurs me on.

يا عَلوَ إِنَّ اِعتِلالَ القَلبِ لَيسَ لَهُ

يا عَلوَ إِنَّ اِعتِلالَ القَلبِ لَيسَ لَهُ

آسٍ يُداويهِ إِلّا خُلَّةً تَصِلُ

آسٍ يُداويهِ إِلّا خُلَّةً تَصِلُ

O ʿAlw, the heart's sickness has no

O most high, verily the sickness of the heart has no remedy

O 'Alwa, indeed this sickness of the heart has no

healer to cure it but a beloved who grants union.

That can cure it, except the beloved who unites with it.

Physician to cure it, save for a lover who grants union.

هَل أَنتِ إِلّا قَضيبُ البانِ تَعطِفُهُ

هَل أَنتِ إِلّا قَضيبُ البانِ تَعطِفُهُ

مَرضى الرِياحِ وَتَعدوهُ فَيَعتَدِلُ

مَرضى الرِياحِ وَتَعدوهُ فَيَعتَدِلُ

Are you anything but a ban-tree bough, bent

Are you not but the crooked rib, which passion bends straight?

Are you anything but a willow branch bent by

by languid breezes that pass beyond it, so it straightens?

Or the gazelle in the preserve, which amorousness courts?

The gentle breezes, which pass, leaving it to straighten again?

أَوِ الغَزالَةُ في دَجنٍ يُغازِلُها

أَوِ الغَزالَةُ في دَجنٍ يُغازِلُها

أَو ظَبيَةُ البانِ في أَجفانِها كَحَلُ

أَو ظَبيَةُ البانِ في أَجفانِها كَحَلُ

Or the sun amid cloud-darkness that courts her,

Or the doe of the thicket with kohl on its eyes?

Or a gazelle in the shadows, flirted with by the light,

or a doe of the ban trees, with kohl on her eyelids?

How dare I wail in the land of Iraq, having left behind in Damascus

Or a doe of the Moringa grove, with natural kohl upon her eyelids?

كَيفَ التَصَرُّعُ في أَرضِ العِراقِ وَقَد

كَيفَ التَصَرُّعُ في أَرضِ العِراقِ وَقَد

خَلَّفتُ بِالشامِ مَن قَلبي بِهِ خَبِلُ

خَلَّفتُ بِالشامِ مَن قَلبي بِهِ خَبِلُ

How can I fall lovesick in the land of Iraq, when

She, who captures my heart, causing it to languish!

How can I feign gaiety in the land of Iraq, when I have

I left in al-Sham one for whom my heart is crazed?

But how can laudation and retirement be seemly for me

Left behind in Syria the one for whom my heart is crazed?

بَل كَيفَ يَحسُنُ بي التَقريظُ وَالعَزَلُ

بَل كَيفَ يَحسُنُ بي التَقريظُ وَالعَزَلُ

وَشَيبُ رَأسي عَلى الفَودَينِ مُشتَعِلُ

وَشَيبُ رَأسي عَلى الفَودَينِ مُشتَعِلُ

Rather, how can panegyric and love verse befit me,

While the gray hairs blaze on my temples?

Nay, how does composing praise and love poetry suit me,

while gray hair blazes at both my temples?

There remains only the moan of the strings, which I hear

When the gray hair upon my temples is blazing white?

لَم يَبقَ إِلّا حَنينُ الزيرِ أَسمَعُهُ

لَم يَبقَ إِلّا حَنينُ الزيرِ أَسمَعُهُ

وَالكَأسُ يُصبِحُنيها الشارِبُ الثَمِلُ

وَالكَأسُ يُصبِحُنيها الشارِبُ الثَمِلُ

Nothing remains but the treble string's lament, which I hear,

And the drinking companion makes the brimming cup morn me at dawn.

Nothing remains for me but the moaning of the lute string to hear,

and the cup a drunken drinker offers me at dawn.

Hasten us to the meadows and sweet basil at daybreak!

And the cup which the drunken reveler pours for me at dawn.

عاجِل بِنا الرَحَ وَالرَيحانَ مُبتَكِراً

عاجِل بِنا الرَحَ وَالرَيحانَ مُبتَكِراً

فَلَيسَ يَحسُنُ إِلّا فيهِما العَجَلُ

فَلَيسَ يَحسُنُ إِلّا فيهِما العَجَلُ

Hasten to us with wine and sweet basil at dawn,

For nothing becomes save rushing headlong therein.

Hasten the wine and the sweet basil to us in the early morn,

for haste is fitting only in these two.

And drink to the fortune of al-Mu'tazz—verily for it

For in these two things, nothing becomes them so well as haste.

وَاِشرَب عَلى دَولَةِ المُعتَزِّ إِنَّ لَها

وَاِشرَب عَلى دَولَةِ المُعتَزِّ إِنَّ لَها

حَظّاً مِنَ الحُسنِ لَم تَسعَد بِهِ الدُوَلُ

حَظّاً مِنَ الحُسنِ لَم تَسعَد بِهِ الدُوَلُ

And drink to al-Muʿtazz's reign, for it has

Is a share in beauty for which kingdoms did not prove auspicious.

And drink to the reign of Al-Mu'tazz, for truly it possesses

a share of beauty with which no other reigns were blessed.

A caliph who inherits the cloud rains when it pours down;

A fortune of beauty with which no other dynasty was ever blessed.

خَليفَةٌ يَخلُفُ الأَنواءَ نائِلُهُ

خَليفَةٌ يَخلُفُ الأَنواءَ نائِلُهُ

إِذا تَهَلَّلَ قُلتَ العارِضُ الهَطِلُ

إِذا تَهَلَّلَ قُلتَ العارِضُ الهَطِلُ

A caliph whose bounty takes the place of rain-bringing stars;

Were you to see him adorned, you would say, “the showers descend.”

A Caliph whose generosity succeeds the rain-bringing stars;

when he beams, you say, 'A cloud pouring rain!'

When the majesty of kingship appears, inundating him,

When he beams, you would say: 'Here is the pouring raincloud.'

إِذا بَدا وَجَلالُ المُلكِ يَغمُرُهُ

إِذا بَدا وَجَلالُ المُلكِ يَغمُرُهُ

حَسِبتَهُ البَدرَ وَفّى حُسنَهُ الكَمَلُ

حَسِبتَهُ البَدرَ وَفّى حُسنَهُ الكَمَلُ

When he appears, enveloped in the majesty of kingship,

You would reckon him the full moon, perfect in beauty.

When he appears, flooded by the majesty of kingship,

you take him for the full moon, its beauty brought to perfection.

His kin are an intermediary to God when they take a fourth,

You would deem him the full moon, its beauty brought to perfection.

رِباعُهُ في جِوارِ اللَهِ واسِطَةٌ

رِباعُهُ في جِوارِ اللَهِ واسِطَةٌ

وَحَبلُهُ بِرَسولِ اللَهِ مُتَّصِلُ

وَحَبلُهُ بِرَسولِ اللَهِ مُتَّصِلُ

His dwellings stand at the center of God's precinct,

And his ties are connected to the Messenger of God.

His dwelling places stand central in the neighborhood of God,

and his cord is joined to the Messenger of God.

The Quraysh yielded the plain of Bat'ha to him and turned

And his lineage is unbroken, connected to the Messenger of God.

خَلَّت قُرَيشٌ لَهُ البَطحاءَ وَاِنصَرَفَت

خَلَّت قُرَيشٌ لَهُ البَطحاءَ وَاِنصَرَفَت

لَهُ عَنِ السَهلِ حَتّى حازَها الجَبَلُ

لَهُ عَنِ السَهلِ حَتّى حازَها الجَبَلُ

Quraysh yielded al-Batḥaʾ to him and withdrew

The lowland over to him until the mountain brought him possession.

The tribe of Quraysh ceded the valley to him and stepped aside,

from the plain for his sake, until the mountain enclosed them.

And they preferred him, though their own merits are not enhanced

Leaving him the plain until he claimed the mountain too.

وَفَضَّلوهُ وَلا تَزكو فَضائِلُهُم

وَفَضَّلوهُ وَلا تَزكو فَضائِلُهُم

إِلّا بِتَفضيلِ أَقوامٍ بِهِم فَضَلوا

إِلّا بِتَفضيلِ أَقوامٍ بِهِم فَضَلوا

They preferred him, and their own virtues do not flourish

Save by preferring a people by whom they themselves were preferred.

They honored him, and their own virtues do not flourish

except by preferring those through whom they attained distinction.

O You to whom belong the first and last of the sublime,

Except by honoring those through whom they gained their grace.

يا مَن لَهُ أَوَّلُ العَليا وَآخِرُها

يا مَن لَهُ أَوَّلُ العَليا وَآخِرُها

وَمَن بِجودِ يَدَيهِ يُضرَبُ المَثَلُ

وَمَن بِجودِ يَدَيهِ يُضرَبُ المَثَلُ

O you who possess glory's beginning and end,

And by whose open hands the example is struck!

O you to whom belongs the beginning of glory and its end,

and whose two hands' generosity is proverbial:

You saved us from the disgrace of the borrower when

And you whose generosity has become a proverb for all.

أَنقَذتَنا مِن خَبالِ المُستَعارِ وَقَد

أَنقَذتَنا مِن خَبالِ المُستَعارِ وَقَد

أَوبا البِلادَ عَلَينا رَأيُهُ الخَطِلُ

أَوبا البِلادَ عَلَينا رَأيُهُ الخَطِلُ

You saved us from the borrowed one's madness, when

His erring opinion had brought perdition to the lands.

You saved us from the madness of 'The Borrowed One,' when

his foolish judgment had made the land pestilent for us.

He is the star-crossed one whose rule

His foolish judgment had made the lands a plague upon us.

هُوَ المَشومُ الَّذي كانَت وِلايَتُهُ

هُوَ المَشومُ الَّذي كانَت وِلايَتُهُ

بَلوى تَهالَكَ فيها الناسُ إِذ خُذِلوا

بَلوى تَهالَكَ فيها الناسُ إِذ خُذِلوا

He is the ill-omened one whose rule was

Was an ordeal wherein people perished when they were forsaken.

He is the ill-omened one whose reign was nothing but

an ordeal in which the people perished when they were abandoned.

You deposed him, though he is despised for his unimportance,

A tribulation where men perished, forsaken and lost.

عَزَلتَهُ وَهوَ مَذمومٌ عَلى صُغُرٍ

عَزَلتَهُ وَهوَ مَذمومٌ عَلى صُغُرٍ

وَلَم يَكَد لِلَجاجِ الغِيِّ يَنعَزِلُ

وَلَم يَكَد لِلَجاجِ الغِيِّ يَنعَزِلُ

You deposed him, condemned and abased,

And the violent injustice of al-Hajjaj had barely ended.

You deposed him, blameworthy and abased,

and, stubborn in error, he would scarcely stand down.

He was like the ignorant calf,

Though in his stubborn error, he would scarce step down.

وَكانَ كَالعِجلِ غُرَّ الجاهِلونَ بِهِ

وَكانَ كَالعِجلِ غُرَّ الجاهِلونَ بِهِ

وَكُنتَ موسى هَدى القَومَ الأُلى جَهِلوا

وَكُنتَ موسى هَدى القَومَ الأُلى جَهِلوا

He was like the calf: the ignorant were deceived by him,

While you were Moses who guided the stray people who were ignorant.

He was like the Golden Calf; the ignorant were deceived by him,

and you were Moses, who guided the people who were ignorant.

He was like the discarded corpse, and you came just as

And you were Moses, guiding the people who had gone astray.

وَكانَ كَالجَسَدِ المُلقى فَجِئتَ كَما

وَكانَ كَالجَسَدِ المُلقى فَجِئتَ كَما

جاءَ سُلَيمانَ يَتلو قَولَكَ العَمَلُ

جاءَ سُلَيمانَ يَتلو قَولَكَ العَمَلُ

He was like the cast-down body; you came as

Action followed the recitation of your words, O Solomon!

He was like the lifeless body cast upon the throne, so you came

Solomon came, with action following your word.

So religion in every horizon laughs delighted,

As Solomon came, your action following swiftly on your word.

فَالدينُ في كُلِّ أُفقٍ ضاحِكٌ بَهِجٌ

فَالدينُ في كُلِّ أُفقٍ ضاحِكٌ بَهِجٌ

وَالكُفرُ في كُلِّ أَرضٍ خائِفٌ وَجِلُ

وَالكُفرُ في كُلِّ أَرضٍ خائِفٌ وَجِلُ

So faith smiles joyfully on every horizon,

While unbelief in every land cowers in fear.

Now the Faith is laughing and joyous on every horizon,

and unbelief is afraid and trembling in every land.

As for the loyalists—God’s troops—He charged them

And disbelief in every land is fearful and trembling.

أَمّا المَوالي فَجُندُ اللَهِ حَمَّلَهُم

أَمّا المَوالي فَجُندُ اللَهِ حَمَّلَهُم

أَن يَنصُروكَ فَقَد قاموا بِما اِحتَمَلوا

أَن يَنصُروكَ فَقَد قاموا بِما اِحتَمَلوا

As for the retainers, they are God's army; He charged them

To support you; thus they carried out what they took on.

As for the Mawali, they are the army of God, charged by Him

to support you, and they have fulfilled what they undertook.

Their remaining alive is safekeeping for the world and their might

To grant you victory, and they have fulfilled what they bore.

بَقاؤُهُم عِصمَةُ الدُنيا وَعِزُّهُمُ

بَقاؤُهُم عِصمَةُ الدُنيا وَعِزُّهُمُ

سِترٌ عَلى بَيدَةِ الإِسلامِ مُنسَدِلُ

سِترٌ عَلى بَيدَةِ الإِسلامِ مُنسَدِلُ

Their survival is the world's safeguard, and their might

Is a screen over nascent Islam, ever draping.

Their survival is the safeguard of the world, and their might

is a veil draped over Islam's heartland.

They turned aside disgrace and repented before God

Is a protective veil draped over the very core of Islam.

رَدّوا المُعارَ وَتابوا مِن خَطيئَتِهِم

رَدّوا المُعارَ وَتابوا مِن خَطيئَتِهِم

فيهِ إِلى اللَهِ وَالإِثمِ الَّذي فَعَلوا

فيهِ إِلى اللَهِ وَالإِثمِ الَّذي فَعَلوا

They sent back the loaned one and repented of their sin

Of their sin therein and the wrong that they did.

They returned 'The Borrowed One' and repented of their error

concerning him, turning to God, and of the evil they had done.

A lapse which was neither unprecedented nor wondrous—

Regarding him to God, turning back from the sin they committed.

خَطيأَةٌ لَم تَكُن بِدعاً وَلا عَجَباً

خَطيأَةٌ لَم تَكُن بِدعاً وَلا عَجَباً

قَد أَخطَأَت أَنبِياءُ اللَهِ وَالرُسُلُ

قَد أَخطَأَت أَنبِياءُ اللَهِ وَالرُسُلُ

A sin that was neither unprecedented nor surprising:

Prophets of God and messengers have erred.

An error that was neither unprecedented nor strange;

God's prophets and messengers have indeed erred.

Who would take the perilous risk which they undertook yesterday

For truly, even the Prophets and Messengers of God have erred.

مَن يَركَبُ الخَطَرَ الصَعبَ الَّذي رَكِبوا

مَن يَركَبُ الخَطَرَ الصَعبَ الَّذي رَكِبوا

بِالأَمسِ أَو يَبذُلُ النَصرَ الَّذي بَذَلوا

بِالأَمسِ أَو يَبذُلُ النَصرَ الَّذي بَذَلوا

Who would brave the daunting danger they braved

Or sacrifice the aid which they sacrificed?

Who else rides the terrible danger that they rode yesterday,

yesterday, or offer the support they offered?

With ample wealth and lives they struggled for you

Or offers up the victory that they have offered?

قَد جاهَدوا عَنكَ بِالأَموالِ وافِرَةً

قَد جاهَدوا عَنكَ بِالأَموالِ وافِرَةً

وَبِالنُفوسِ وَنارُ الحَربِ تَشتَعِلُ

وَبِالنُفوسِ وَنارُ الحَربِ تَشتَعِلُ

They fought on your behalf with abundant wealth,

While the fires of war blaze.

They strove for you with abundant wealth,

and with their lives, while war's fire blazed.

They plunged into the fray—no swerving or holding back—

And with their very souls, while the fires of war blazed high.

تَوَرَّدوا النَقعَ لا حَيدٌ وَلا كَشَفٌ

تَوَرَّدوا النَقعَ لا حَيدٌ وَلا كَشَفٌ

وَباشَروا المَوتَ لا مَيلٌ وَلا عُزُلُ

وَباشَروا المَوتَ لا مَيلٌ وَلا عُزُلُ

They plunged into the battle-dust, neither shirkers nor unshielded,

And rushed into death—no bending or withdrawing.

They plunged into the dust of battle, neither swerving nor fleeing,

and faced death, neither wavering nor unarmed.

They take up the heels of calamities if they ride,

And faced death head-on, neither wavering nor defenseless.

يُواتِرونَ تِباعَ الكَرِّ إِن رَكِبوا

يُواتِرونَ تِباعَ الكَرِّ إِن رَكِبوا

وَيَصدُقونَ دِراكَ الطَعنِ إِن نَزِلوا

وَيَصدُقونَ دِراكَ الطَعنِ إِن نَزِلوا

They keep their charges coming, one after another, when mounted,

And their lance points verify death if they descend.

They launch attack after attack when they ride forth,

and press home successive spear-thrusts when they dismount.

None like their elder in wisdom and experience,

And strike true with successive thrusts when they dismount.

ما مِثلُ شَيخِهِمِ حَزماً وَتَجرِبَةً

ما مِثلُ شَيخِهِمِ حَزماً وَتَجرِبَةً

وَلا كَبَأسِ فَتاهُم حينَ يَعتَمِلُ

وَلا كَبَأسِ فَتاهُم حينَ يَعتَمِلُ

None equals their elder in sound judgment and experience,

Nor like their youths’ cups when they come to a head.

There is none like their elder in resolve and experience,

nor their young man's valor when he goes into action.

Three noble ones—if consulted, they advise sincerely;

Nor any match for the might of their youth when he strives.

ثَلاثَةٌ جِلَّةٌ إِن شُوِّروا نَصَحوا

ثَلاثَةٌ جِلَّةٌ إِن شُوِّروا نَصَحوا

أَوِ اِستُعينوا كَفَوا أَو سُلِّطوا عَدَلوا

أَوِ اِستُعينوا كَفَوا أَو سُلِّطوا عَدَلوا

Three eminent men: if consulted, they advise sincerely;

If aided, they suffice; if given authority, they judge justly.

Three majestic figures: if consulted, they give true counsel,

if asked for help, they suffice; if given power, they act justly.

So entrust to them what dawn brings, adorned,

If asked for aid, they suffice; if given power, they rule justly.

فَاِسلَم لَهُم ما دَعَت صُبحاً مُطَوَّقَةٌ

فَاِسلَم لَهُم ما دَعَت صُبحاً مُطَوَّقَةٌ

وَليَسلَموا لَكَ ما حَنَّت ضُحىً إِبِلُ

وَليَسلَموا لَكَ ما حَنَّت ضُحىً إِبِلُ

So remain safe for them as long as a collared dove calls at dawn,

And let them entrust to you what the mid-morn sends, swift.

So may you remain safe for them, as long as the ring-necked dove calls at dawn,

and may they remain safe for you as long as camels moan at midmorning.

And may they remain safe for you, as long as camels yearn in the morning light.