Sol 6.1

  1. لقد علِمَ الأحياءُ دانٍ ونازِحٌ

    إذا نَشرتْ طيبَ الحديث المجامِعُ

    The clans have surely learned, both near and far,

    when assemblies spread the fragrance of good report,

  2. يقيناً وبُرهاناً نفى كلَّ ريبةٍ

    ودلَّتْ عليه ألسْنٌ ومَسامِعُ

    with certainty and proof that has banished every doubt,

    and tongues and ears have borne witness to it—

  3. بأنَّ صريح المجدِ حَظُّ مُحمَّدٍ

    وللناس ضيحٌ خامطُ الشَّوْب ناقع

    that the pure essence of glory is Muhammad's share,

    while others have watered milk, sour with admixture and stale;

  4. وأنَّ عماد الدولةِ الواحد الذي

    تُشير إليه بالفَخارِ الأصابِعُ

    and that 'Imad al-Dawla is the peerless one

    to whom fingers point in pride;

  5. وأنَّ النَّوارَ الشَّاردات من العُلى

    حَواها بأولى سعْيه وهو يافِعُ

    and that glory's shy, straying prizes

    he gathered with his earliest efforts, while still a youth;

  6. وأنَّ نَداهُ مُعْصراتٌ هَواطِلٌ

    وأنَّ حِماهُ مُرْهفاتٌ قواطِعُ

    and that his bounty is rain-laden clouds pouring down,

    and that his protection is keen-edged, cleaving swords.

  7. فتى الحيِّ أما جُوده فهو ساترٌ

    كتومٌ وأما نصْرهُ فهو ذائِعُ

    The clan's champion—his giving is discreet,

    and keeps its secrets, while his victory is widely known.

  8. يفُلُّ سطور الجيش سطرُ كتابهِ

    وترْهَبُهُ قبل النِّزالِ الوقائِعُ

    One line of his letter breaks the army's ranks,

    and battles dread him before the clash.

  9. إذا النِّقْس أمسى حالكاً في طروسه

    أتى النصر صبحاً وهو أبيض ناصع

    When the ink turns pitch-black at evening on his pages,

    victory arrives at dawn, bright and pure white.

  10. ونِعْمَ مبيتُ الطَّارقينَ عَشيَّةً

    إذا أخمدتْ نار اليَفاعِ الزَّعازع

    And fine is his lodging for night callers at dusk,

    when gales extinguish the fire on the high ground.

  11. هُنالك يُغني البِشرُ عن موقد القِرى

    وعن حالب الكوماء طاهٍ ومازِعُ

    There, a smiling welcome replaces the guest-fire's kindler,

    and a cook and meat-server replace the milker of the high-humped she-camel.

  12. تبيتُ مَعاديمُ الشتاءِ بأرضهِ

    فلا الخصب ممطولٌ ولا النَّكسُ كانع

    Winter's destitute spend the night in his land,

    so plenty is not held back, nor does the weakling cower.

  13. يُطافُ عليهم بالنَّعيم كأنهمْ

    نشاوى ملوك الريف والريف يانع

    Delights are carried round to them, as though they were

    drunken kings of the countryside, while the countryside is lush.

  14. إذا عضدُ الدين اطَّباهم نَوالهُ

    فلا الوعر مرهوبٌ ولا الذُّعرُ مانِع

    When 'Adud al-Din's bounty draws them,

    no rugged ground is feared, nor does terror bar their way.

  15. وتحت قميصَيْه إذا ما بلوْتَه

    وليٌّ لربِّ العرشِ خشيانُ خاشع

    And beneath his two tunics, when you test him,

    is a friend of the Lord of the Throne, fearful and humble.

  16. يجُلُّ عن الغِش الدخيل فدهرَه

    يُسالمُ سلْماً خالصاً أو يُماصِعُ

    He is above hidden deceit; thus all his life

    he makes an unalloyed peace, or crosses swords.

  17. إذا شهد النادي وشدَّ على العِدى

    فأبيضُ هِنْديٌّ وأوْرقُ فارِعُ

    When he joins the assembly and charges his enemies,

    he is a gleaming Indian blade and a towering gray camel.

  18. يُصرِّفهُ الطفلُ الوليدُ مودَّةً

    ويضعف عنه الجيش وهو مُماصع

    A newborn child can lead him through affection,

    yet an army is powerless against him when he crosses swords.

  19. فهُنيَ شهرُ الصَّوْم والدهر كلُّه

    به ما علا فوق الأراكَةِ ساجعُ

    So blessed be the fasting month, and all of time,

    through him, as long as a cooing bird rises above the arak tree.

  20. فثَم النَّدى المسكوب والغيث حابسٌ

    وثمَّ الحمى المرهوب والخطب رائع

    For there is bounty poured forth, though the rain holds back,

    and there is a formidable sanctuary, when calamity strikes terror.