كم ذا يذوب أسى وكم يتجلد — Alhbal

كَمْ ذَا يذوبُ أسىً وكَمْ يتجلَّدُ

أينَ المعينُ لَهُ وأينَ المسْعِدُ

How long he melts with grief, and how long he steels himself!

Where is his helper, and where is his comforter?

أَأُهَيْلَ وادِي المنْحَنَي وحياتِكُمْ

إنّي على ما تَعْهَدونَ وأعْهَدُ

O dear people of the winding valley, by your lives,

I remain as you have known me, and as I have known myself.

لا تُنكِروا كَلَفي بكمْ وصَبَابتي

هذا الضَّنَى ودموعُ عَيني تشهَدُ

Do not deny my infatuation with you and my yearning:

this wasting sickness and my eyes' tears bear witness.

ما خَانَ قَلْبي عَهْدَكم أبداً ولا

مُدّتْ لِسلْواني إلى صَبْرِي يَدُ

My heart has never betrayed your covenant, nor

has any hand reached toward my patience to bring me solace.

أأخُوتُكُمْ وأودُّ قوماً غيرَكُمْ

أنَّي وعَهْدكُم لديَّ مُؤكَّدْ

Would I betray you and love people other than you?

How could I, when your covenant remains assured with me?

يا هاجرينّ وليسَ لي ذَنبُ سِوى

دَمْعٍ يفيضُ ولَوْعَة تتجدَّدْ

O you who forsake me, I have no fault except

tears that overflow and anguish that renews itself.

ومُحمَلي الصبّ الكئيب صَبَابةٌ

بينَ الجوانح حَرُّها لاَ يَبْرَدُ

My burden, lovelorn and sorrowful, is a yearning

whose heat between my ribs never cools.

أَكذا يكونُ جزاءُ مَن حفظ الهوى

ورعَى عهودكَمُ يُهَانُ ويُبْعَدْ

Is this the reward of one who preserved love

and honored your covenants—to be humiliated and banished?

وبمُهْجتي الرشأ الّذي مِنْ خدِّه

في كلِّ قَلْبٍ جمرةُ تَتَوقَّدْ

I would ransom with my life's blood the fawn whose cheek

kindles a glowing ember in every heart.

الطّرفُ مِنْهُ مُهَنَّدٌ والخدّ مِنْهُ

مُورّدٌ والجِيدُ منهُ مُقلَّدُ

His glance is an Indian-forged sword, and his cheek

is rose-tinted, and his neck adorned with a necklace.

يُمسي ويُصبِحُ آمِناً في سِرْبِهِ

وأخافُ وهو القاتِلُ المتعَمَّدُ

He passes evening and morning secure among his people,

while I fear, though he is the deliberate killer.

يُسْبِي القلوبَ بِمقْلَةٍ سَحّارةٍ

هاروتُ فِتْنَتِها يحلّ ويعقدُ

He captures hearts with an enchanting eye;

the Harut of its enchantment unbinds and binds.

وبقامةٍ ألفّيةٍ فتّانة

من فوق أَرْدَافٍ تُقيمُ وتُقعِدُ

And with an alif-like, captivating stature

above hips that make one rise and sit.

سكِرتْ معاطفُهُ بكاسِ رُضابهِ

فَلَها اعْتِدالٌ تارةً وتأوّدُ

His supple frame grew drunk on the cup of his saliva,

so it stands straight at times, and at times sways.

فكأن ذِكرى أحمدٍ خطرت لَها

ولِذكِرهِ يَنْدَى الجمادُ الجلْمَدُ

It is as though remembrance of Ahmad crossed its mind;

at his remembrance even hard, lifeless stone grows moist.

يا مالكِ الملكِ العقيمِ ومن لَهُ

في كلّ أرضٍ أنْعُمٌ لا تُجحَدُ

O master of sovereignty that admits no kin, you whose

benefactions in every land cannot be denied,

مَهلاً فما فوقَ السّماكِ لِطالِبٍ

قصدٌ ولا فوق الثريَّا مقعَدُ

gently! No seeker has a destination above al-Simak,

nor a seat above the Pleiades.

أنفَقْتَ مالكَ في النَّدى مُسْتَخْلِفاً

ربّاً خزائنُ فَضْلِهِ لا تَنْفدُ

You spent your wealth in generosity, seeking replenishment from

a Lord whose treasuries of bounty never run out.

تالله ما تركَتْ لِقاكَ معاشِرٌ

إلاّ وفضلكَ فيهمُ يَتَردّدُ

By God, no company has left your presence

without your bounty circulating among them.

أو يمَّمَ الطلاّبُ يَمَّ مكارمٍ

إلاّ وأنت مُنَاهمُ والمقصدُ

Nor have seekers headed toward a sea of noble deeds

without you being their hope and destination.

عِلماً وحِلْماً باهراً وسَماحة

فَلْيَهْتَدوا وَلْيَقْتدوا وليجتدوا

In knowledge, dazzling forbearance, and generosity,

let them find guidance, follow your example, and seek your bounty.

سَجَعُوا بِذكْرِكَ في البلادِ وإنّما

طوّقْتَهُمْ بالمكْرماتِ فغَرَّدوا

They cooed your name throughout the lands; indeed,

you hung noble favors around their necks, and they sang.

وتَعَلّموا مِنكَ المديحَ فمِنكَ ما

تُعْطيهُم كرماً وأنتَ المُنْشِدُ

They learned praise from you: from you comes what

you give them generously, and you are the reciter.

ما سوحُكَ المحروسُ إلاّ جَنّةٌ

لو أنّ مَنْ يأتي إلَيْه يُخَلّدُ

Your guarded precinct is nothing but a paradise,

if only whoever came to it were made immortal.

ما زالَ سيفُكَ مندُ كان مجرّداً

في غير أفئدةِ العِدى لا يُغْمَدُ

Ever since your sword was drawn,

it has been sheathed nowhere but in enemies' hearts.

ماذا أقول وكلُّ قولٍ قاصِرٌ

والفضلُ أكثرُ فيك منه وأزيدُ

What can I say, when every utterance falls short,

and your excellence exceeds it and goes further?

الدَّهرُ من خَطّار رُمحِكَ خائفٌ

والموتُ من بَتَّارِ سَيفكَ يرْعدُ

Time fears the brandishing of your spear,

and death trembles before your cleaving sword.

كَمْ موقفٍ يُوهي الجليدَ وقفتَهُ

لِلْموت فيهِ توعّدُ

How many a stand that weakens the stouthearted you have taken!

There, death itself is threatened.

ما زال عنكَ النّصرُ فيه كأنَّما

في الكفِّ منك زِمامُهُ

Victory never left you there, as though

its reins lay in your palm.

حتّى تَردَّدَ من آراك

أأَنْتَ لِلْفَتْحِ المبينِ أم السّيوف

Until whoever beheld you wondered:

are you the means of manifest victory, or the swords?

وهْي الرّماحُ الزاعبيّة أم

هي الأقْدَار تَرْمي من أردْتَ

And are those the Za'abi spears, or

are they fates striking whomever you choose?

وهيَ السَّعادةُ إذ قَصَدْتَ إلى الوغَى

حَمَلَتْكَ أَمْ سَامي المقلّ

And was it good fortune, when you headed into battle,

that bore you, or the lofty-eyed one? [Uncertain reading.]

وهْيَ الجيوشُ أمِ المنايا قُدْتَها

لِلْحَرْب أم بحرّ خِضم

And were they armies, or deaths that you led

to war, or a vast sea?

هَيْهات لا يقْوي لما تأتي به

بشرّ ولكنَ الملائكَ

Impossible! What you accomplish cannot be matched

by a mortal, but by angels.

يا خيرَ من ركبَ الجيادَ ومَنْ لَهُ

في الكَونِ ألويةُ الْولاية

O best of those who rode fine horses, you whose

banners of authority stand throughout creation,

ذلَّلْتَ في الأَرضين كلَّ مُمَنّع

فجميعُ أملاكِ الورى

you subdued everything impregnable in the lands;

thus all the kings of humankind...

لَمْ يَبْقَ إلاّ مَكَّةُ فانهضْ لَهَا

فاللهُ جلّ بنَصرِه لك

Only Mecca remains: rise for her!

For God, exalted, with His aid to you...

جَرِّدْ لها أَسياف عَزْمِك إنّها

لِطلوعِ نَجْمكَ بالسَّعادة

Draw for her the swords of your resolve; she is...

for the fortunate rising of your star...

والدَّهرُ فيما تَبْتغيهِ طائِعٌ

والسّعدُ فيما تَنْتَحيه

Time is obedient in what you seek,

and fortune in what you pursue.

أيصدّكمْ عَنْها أُناسٌ ما لَهُمْ

قَدمٌ إلى العَلْيا تَسيرُ

Can people keep you from her, when they have no

foot that journeys toward the heights?

وَلأَنْتمُ دونَ الورى أولَى بِها

فَبها مقَرُّ بأبيكمُ

You, above all others, are worthier of her,

for there is a dwelling there with your father...

طَهِّرْ مِنَ التُركِ الطَّغام بقاعَها

فَلَطَالَ مَا عاثوا هُناك

Cleanse her lands of the Turkish rabble:

too long have they wreaked havoc there.

عوَدْ عداةُ اللهِ من إهْلاكِهِمْ

ما كانَ عوّدهم أبوك

Accustom God's enemies, by destroying them,

to what your father accustomed them to.

جرَدْ حُسَامكَ إنَّه في غمدِهِ

لِلْغيظِ منهمْ جَمْرَةُ

Draw your sword: within its sheath it is

an ember of rage against them.

جرَدْ حُسَامكَ إنَّه في غمدِهِ

لِلْغيظِ منهمْ إذا رآها

Draw your sword: within its sheath it is...

from rage against them, when it sees her...

وأَدِرْ عَليهمْ بالصَّوارم والقَنا

حرباً يشيبُ إذا رآها

And wage against them, with sharp swords and spears,

a war at whose sight one grows gray.

ومُرِ الزَّمانَ بهم فإنَّ لِصَرفِه

سَيفاً يُشتِّتُ شَمْلَهُمْ

Command time against them, for its vicissitudes have

a sword that scatters their assembly.

أينَ المفرّ لَهُمْ وسيفُكَ خَلْفَهُمْ

في كلّ أرضٍ أرغوروا أو أَنجدوا

Where can they flee, with your sword behind them

in every land, whether they descend to lowlands or ascend to highlands?

إن أشْهَروا جهلاً عليك سيوفَهمْ

فَلَسَوْفَ في الهامات مِنهم تُغْمَدُ

If they foolishly draw their swords against you,

those swords will surely be sheathed in their heads.

أو أَشْرعوا سُمْرَ الرِّماح فإنّها

لا بُدّ في لَبَّاتِهمْ تتفصَّدُ

Or if they level their brown spears, those spears

must run with blood in their throats.

أَوْ أوقَدوا نَارَ الحروبِ فإنّها

بدمائِهم عمَّا قريبٍ تَخْمَدُ

Or if they kindle the fire of wars, it

will soon be quenched with their blood.

ماذا عَسَى أنْ يُوقدوا مِنْ كَيدِهم

ناراً ورُبكَ مُطْفئٌ ما أوقَدوا

What fire can they possibly kindle through their scheming,

when your Lord extinguishes whatever they kindle?

لا تبتإسْ بِفِعَالهِمْ فَلَرُبَّما

يكفيكَ شأنَهمُ القضاء المرْصَدُ

Do not grieve over their deeds; perhaps

the decree lying in wait will spare you their trouble.

ما فِعلُهم ويدُ الإله عَليهمُ

ما فِعلُ سيفٍ لَيسَ تحمِلُه يَدُ

What can their deeds do, with God's hand upon them?

What can a sword do that no hand holds?

وهُمُ الكِلابُ العاويات وإنّما

ذاقوا حلاوةَ حِلمكمْ فاسْتَأسَدوا

They are howling dogs; they merely

tasted the sweetness of your forbearance and acted like lions.

اللهُ أسعدكم وأشقى جَمعَهُمْ

واللهُ يُشْقِي من يشاء ويُسْعِدُ

God favored you and afflicted their host;

God afflicts whom He wills and grants good fortune.

وأراد منك الله جلَّ جَلالُهُ

من نَصرِ هذا الدينِ ما تتعَوّدُ

God—exalted is His majesty—desired from you

your accustomed support of this religion.

ولَسوفَ تَقدحُ فيهمُ أسيافُكُمْ

شرراً لأيْسَرِه يذوبُ الجلمدُ

Your swords will surely strike sparks among them,

the least of which would melt hard stone.

ويُقالُ قومٌ قُتِّلوا مِنهمْ وقومٌ

أوثِقوا أسراً وقومٌ شُرِّدوا

And it will be said: some of them were slaughtered, while others

were bound as captives, and others scattered.

وإليكَها ملكَ البريّة مدحةً

كادتْ لها الشَّمسُ المنيرةُ تسجدُ

Receive it, king of humankind: a poem of praise

before which the shining sun almost prostrated itself.

مِن صادقٍ في ودّ آل محمّدٍ

يفنَى الزّمانُ وودّه يتجّدَّدُ

From one sincere in loving the family of Muhammad:

time perishes, while his love renews itself.

نظماً تودُّ الغانيات لَو أنّها

يوماً بدرّ عقودِه تتقَلْدُ

Verse that fair maidens wish they could

one day wear as necklaces the pearls of its strings.

يشكوك فَقْراً قد تحمَّلَ قلبُهُ

من أَجْلِهِ كُرَباً تقيمُ وتُقْعِدُ

He complains to you of poverty for which his heart has borne

distresses that make him rise and sit.

فَقراً أناخَ على العيَالِ بكلْكَلٍ

وسَطا فقلتُ لِسَيْفِهِ مَا يُولَدُ

Poverty that knelt upon his dependents with its chest

and assailed them; I said to its sword, 'What is born?' [Text unclear.]

أرسل عليه مِن نوالِكَ غارةٌ

شَعْوا تُفرقُ جيشَه وتُبدِّدُ

Send against it a raid from your bounty,

a sweeping onslaught that scatters and disperses its army.

وأفضْ عَليَّ بحار جُود منعماً

حتّى يموتَ بغَيظِهُ مَن يحسُدُ

And graciously pour seas of generosity upon me,

until whoever envies me dies of his rage.

لا زِلتَ مَرجوّاً لكلّ عظيمةٍ

تَبْني مَعالمَ لِلعُلَى وتشيّدُ

May you always be looked to for every great undertaking,

building and raising monuments to glory.

وعليكَ صلّى الله بَعد مُحمدٍ

ما دامَ ذكركَ في البريّة يُنْشَدُ

And may God bless you, after Muhammad,

as long as your name is sung among humankind,

والآل ما هبّتْ صَباً نجديّةٌ

وشدا بذكركَ مُغْورٌ أو مُنْجِدُ

and the Family, as long as a Najdi east wind blows

and a lowlander or highlander sings of you.

هَذَا العَقِيقُ فقِفْ بِنا يا حادِي

فبِهِ سُلِبْتُ حُشَاشتي ورُقادِي

This is al-Aqiq: stop here with us, camel-driver!

Here I was robbed of my life's remnant and my sleep.

واحْبِسْ بكاظمةٍ قلوصَكَ مُنْشداً

ما لِلدّموع تسيلُ سَيْلَ الوادي

And halt your young she-camel at Kazima, reciting:

'Why do tears flow like the valley's torrent?'

وأعِدْ أَحاديثَ الغُويْرِ لِمُغْرَمٍ

أضْحَى حليفَ صَبابةٍ وسهادِ

And repeat the tales of al-Ghuwayr to a lover

who has become the companion of yearning and sleeplessness.

وحذارَ مِنْ وادي النَّقا والسَّفحِ مِنْ

أضم فَثمَّ مصَارعُ الآسادِ

Beware the valley of al-Naqa and the slopes of

Idam: there lie the places where lions fall.

وأنا الفِداء لِبابليّ لَواحِظِ

يَسطو بِبيْضٍ مِنْ رثاهُ حِدادِ

I would ransom one whose glances are Babylonian,

who strikes with sharp white blades from his lament. [Text unclear.]

ظَبْيٌ مِنْ الأتراك غُصْنُ قوامِهِ

يُزْري بغصْنِ البَانةِ الميّادِ

A gazelle among the Turks, whose branch-like figure

puts the swaying branch of the ban-tree to shame.

فارقتُ قَلْبي عندما فَارقتُهُ

فكأنّما كانَا على مِيعادٍ

I parted with my heart when I parted with him,

as though the two had arranged a meeting.

كم ذا أكابِدُ من هواهُ على النّوى

حُرقاً ثُفّيتُ قلبَ كل جمادٍ

How long I endure, for love of him in separation,

burning pains that [unclear verb] the heart of every lifeless thing!

رشأٌ بُليتُ بهجْرِهِ وبِعَادِه

وبِرَائح بالعَذْلِ فيهِ وغادِي

A fawn whose abandonment and distance afflict me,

as do those who blame me for him morning and evening.

يا عاذلي خلِّ الملامةَ إنّني

أدْري بِغَيَي في الهوَى ورشادي

O my reproacher, leave off blame: I

know my error in love and my right course.

دَعْني وشأني أو فكُنْ لي مُسْعداً

إنّ الكثيبَ أحقُ بالإسْعادِ

Leave me to my affairs, or be my comforter:

the sand dune is more deserving of consolation.

حَسْبي صروفُ الدَّهْرِ تهضِمُ جانبي

وتحولُ ما بَيْني وبينَ مُرادي

Enough for me are time's vicissitudes, diminishing my standing

and coming between me and my desire.

كَمْ أَشْتكي جَوْرَ الزَّمانِ ولا أرى

لي مَنْ يعينُ على الزَّمانِ العادي

How often I complain of time's injustice, yet find

no one to help me against hostile time!

حتَّى دَعَاني السّعدُ لا تَخْضَعُ ولذْ

بِحِمَى الصِّفيّ ونادِ زَيَن النّادي

Until good fortune called to me: 'Do not submit; seek refuge

in al-Safi's sanctuary, and call upon the assembly's ornament:

السيّد العَلم الهمام المنتَقَى

حرم الطّريد وكعبة الْوفَّادِ

the lord, the beacon, the valiant chosen one,

a sanctuary for the fugitive and a Kaaba for visiting seekers,

الملك سَيف الدّينِ أَفضَل من نَضَا

سَيفاً على الأعداء يومَ جلادِ

King Sayf al-Din, the best of those who drew

a sword against enemies on a day of combat.

لَيْثُ مخالِيُهُ إذا حَضر الوَغَى

بيضٌ مهنّدَةٌ وسُمرُ صِعادِ

A lion whose companions, when he enters battle,

are bright Indian-forged swords and brown, straight spears.

كرمُ يودُ البحرُ لو يَحْكيهِ مَعْ

بأسٍ يُذيبُ البيضَ في الأغمادِ

A generosity that the sea wishes to imitate, together with

a valor that melts bright swords in their sheaths.

ملكٌ علا رُتبَ الفِخار بهمّةٍ

رفعتْهُ فوقَ الكَوْكَبِ الوقّادِ

A king who climbed the ranks of renown with an ambition

that raised him above the blazing star.

وَقَفَا مآثِرَ سالفينَ تقدّموا

من كلّ ذي شمَمٍ طويل نجادِ

And followed the exploits of predecessors who went before,

every proud man of a long sword-baldric.

وتقدَّم الأمْلاكُ طرّاُ في النّدى

سبْقاً وهل سبقٌ لِغَيرِ جَواد

He surpassed all kings in generosity,

racing ahead—and can any but a noble steed lead?

لَو كانَ في الزَّمَنِ القديم تشرّفَتْ

بِشريفِ خِدمتِهِ بنو عبّاد

Had he lived in ancient times,

Banu Abbad would have been honored by serving him.

للهِ كم مِننٍ أفاضَ على الوْرى

غَرّاء كالأطواقِ في الأجيادِ

By God, how many favors he poured upon humankind,

radiant as necklaces upon necks!

لَو قصَّر العافونَ عن طَلب النّدى

لأقَامَ فيهمْ للنّوال مُنادي

If petitioners fell short in seeking generosity,

he would appoint among them a herald of bounty.

يَسْتقبل الجُلى ببيْضِ صَوَارمٍ

كفلَتْ له بغناء كلِّ معادي

He meets great calamities with bright, cutting swords

that guarantee him sufficiency against every foe.

وبَسَالةٍ أغنتْهُ عَن حَمْلِ القنا

تُوهي القُوى وتفتّ في الأعضادِ

And with a valor that spares him carrying spears,

weakening strength and breaking the power of arms.

فلْتَفتخِرْ منه العُلَى بأغرّ رحْب

الكفِّ رحْب الصدرِ رحب النّادي

Let glory boast of him, a radiant man, open

of hand, broad of heart, spacious in assembly.

بغضنْفَرٍ شرِسٍ لَهُ من نصرِهِ

عينٌ على الأعداء بالمرْصادِ

Of a fierce lion who has, through his victory,

an eye lying in wait for enemies.

يقظان في طلب العُلَى لم تكتَحِلْ

من غير سُوءٍ عينُه برُقادِ

Wakeful in pursuit of glory, never has been kohled

his healthy eye with sleep.

تالله ما عمرٌو أخا بأسٍ ولا

كعب بن مَامة عنده بجوادِ

By God, Amr is no man of valor, nor

Ka'b ibn Mama generous, beside him.

من معشرٍ سبقوا الملوك إلى العُلى

سَبْقَ الجياد الضّمْر يوم طِرادِ

From a people who outstripped kings toward glory

as lean thoroughbreds race ahead on a day of pursuit.

وحَوَوا تراثَ المجدِ عن آبائهم

ووراثة الآباء للأولاد

They possessed the inheritance of glory from their fathers,

and fathers' inheritance belongs to their children.

وتبوأوا في المجدِ أشرفَ مَقعَدٍ

ورقوا مِن الجوزاء فوقَ مهادِ

They occupied the noblest seat in glory

and climbed beyond al-Jawza', above its resting place.

أَمُبلّغَ الأَملِ الطَّويل ووارثَ

المجدِ الأَثيل وملجأَ القُصَّادِ

O fulfiller of far-reaching hope, inheritor of

deep-rooted glory, and refuge of those who seek you!

أَمُجَرِّدَ الأسيافِ لم يُغْمَدْنَ في

شيءٍ سِوى الهاماتِ والأكبادِ

O drawer of swords that have never been sheathed in

anything but heads and livers!

لكَ في العزائم عن سيوفِ غنيةٌ

فذرِ السيوف تقرّ في الأغمادِ

Your firm resolves make swords unnecessary;

so leave the swords resting in their sheaths.

ماذا عَسى مَدْحي المقْصَّرُ قَائلٌ

وثناكَ بينَ غوائرٍ ونجادِ

What can my inadequate praise possibly say,

when praise of you fills lowlands and highlands?

ما زالَ ذِكْركَ حيثُ كنتُ مُصَاحبي

في كُلّ رابيةٍ عَلَوْتُ وَوَادي

Your remembrance has always accompanied me wherever I was,

on every hill I climbed and in every valley.

فافخَر على قومٍ مَضَوا ما إنْ لَهم

في الفخرِ غير تقدّم الميلادِ

So boast over those who have passed: they have nothing

to boast of but being born earlier.

واسمعْ شكيةَ ذي وَدادٍ صادقٍ

وأسيرِ فقرٍ ما لَهُ مِن فادي

And hear the complaint of one whose affection is sincere,

a captive of poverty with no one to ransom him.

عبد تخطّى نحوهُ صَرْفُ القَضَا

وَعَدَتْ عليهِ من الزّمانِ عوادي

A servant whom the turn of fate has reached,

and upon whom time's assaults have fallen.

طالَ البقاء وقد وَعَدْتَ ولم تَزلْ

مُعْطي الأماني صادقَ الميعادِ

My stay has lengthened; you promised, and have always been

a fulfiller of wishes, true to your word.

فَانْظُرْ إلى حالي وعَجَلْ أوبَتي

فَضْلاً وفكّ مِن الخُطوبِ قيادي

Look upon my condition and hasten my return,

as a favor, and free my reins from hardships.

أرسِلْ على أرضِ افْتقاري غَارةً

بسحائب المعروفِ والإمدادِ

Send a raid upon the land of my destitution

with clouds of beneficence and aid.

واللّبْثُ عندَكَ لم يَطلْ لِمَلاَلةٍ

أيَملّ عَذْبَ الماءِ قلبُ الصَّادي

My stay with you has not seemed long through weariness:

does a thirsty heart tire of sweet water?

لكِنْ إلى طَلبِ العُلومِ وكَسْبِها

طالَ اشتياقي واسْتَطَالَ سُهادِي

But for pursuing knowledge and acquiring it,

my yearning has lengthened, and my sleeplessness grown long.

أَيَطيبُ ليْ زَمني ولم أُجْرِي بهِ

في حَلْبةِ العِلم الشّريفِ جوادي

Can my days be pleasant when I have not run

my steed in the arena of noble learning?

مولاي قد وافيتُ بابَكَ وافِداً

وعلَى الكَريم كَرَامةُ الوفّادِ

My lord, I have arrived at your door as a visitor,

and honoring visitors is incumbent upon the generous.

ورَكبتُ مِنْ عَزْمي إليكَ مَطيِّةً

وجعلتُ ذكركَ في المفاوزِ زادي

I rode to you on a mount made of my resolve,

and made your remembrance my provisions in the deserts.

وتركتُ أَملاكَ البريّةِ عن يدٍ

إذا كنتَ قِبْلة مَقْصَدِي ومُرادي

I left the kings of humankind of my own will,

since you are the qibla of my purpose and desire.

وطويتُ نحوكَ كُلَّ أَغْبر قَاتِم

عن حَرِّ أَكبادٍ وضرٍّ بادي

Toward you I crossed every dusty, dark waste,

driven by burning hearts and manifest distress.

وقَصَدْتُ حَضْرتَكَ الشّريفة عندما

جَار الزّمان ولجَّ في إبْعادي

I sought your noble presence when

time wronged me and persisted in driving me away.

وافيتُها والنَّحسُ موهنُ ساعدي

فحلَلْتُها والسَّعْدُ من أعضادي

I reached it with misfortune weakening my arm;

I settled there with good fortune among my supporters.

وسلوتُ عن أهلي وأوطاني بها

إذ حيثُ كُنْتَ من البلادِ بلادي

There I found solace for my family and homelands,

for wherever you are among the lands is my homeland.

وَاسْتَأْمَنَتْ منّي صروفُ الدَّهْرِ إذْ

نَهَضَتْ جيوشَ نَداكَ في إِنجادي

Time's vicissitudes sought safe conduct from me when

the armies of your bounty rose to my rescue.

وأَنَلْتَني الحُسْنَى وكم مِنَنٍ بها

قَلّدتَ أعناقَ الورى وأيادي

You granted me the best—how many favors with which

you adorned humankind's necks and hands!

شكراً أَبا حَسَنٍ لِنُعماكَ التي

عَادَ الصَّديقُ بهنَّ مِن حُسَّادي

Thanks, Abu Hasan, for your blessings, through which

the friend became one of those who envy me.

عاداتُ فَضْلٍ منكَ لم تَخرجْ بها

عن عادةِ الآباء والأجدادِ

Habitual favors from you, in which you have not departed

from the custom of your fathers and forefathers.

وجميلُ رأيك فيَّ يا مَن لم تزلْ

أراؤه مقرونةً برشادِ

And for your kind regard for me, O you whose

judgments have always been joined with right guidance.

واسْتَجْلِهَا عذراء شابَ لِحُسْنِها

فَودُ الوَلِيدِ وبانَ نقصُ زِيادِ

And unveil her, a virgin whose beauty turned gray

al-Walid's temple hair, while Ziyad's shortcomings became clear.

واسْلم عليكَ سلامُ ربِّكَ دائماً

وصلاته بعدَ النَبيّ الهادي

And remain safe; your Lord's peace be upon you always,

and His blessings, after the guiding Prophet.