بحمد الله أفتتح الخطابا — Azzouz Elmalazouzi

بِحَمدِ اللَهِ أَفتَتِحُ الخِطابا

وَأَبدأ في النِظام بِهِ الكِتابا

With praise of God I open the discourse,

and with it begin the book in verse.

لَعَلّ اللَّه يُبلِغني الأَماني

وَيَفتح بِالسُرور عَليَّ بابا

May God bring me to my hopes,

and open a door of joy for me,

وَيُرشِدُني إِلى نَقلٍ صَحيحٍ

وَيَرزُقني مِن القَول الصَوابا

and guide me to an accurate account,

and grant me soundness in speech.

هُوَ المَلِكُ الَّذي خَلَق البَرايا

وَصَوّرهم وَقَد كانوا تُرابا

He is the Sovereign who created all creatures,

and fashioned them when they had been dust.

إِلاهٌ وَاحِدٌ حَيٌّ مريدٌ

عَليمٌ قادرٌ بِالجود حابى

One God, living, possessing will,

all-knowing, powerful, bestowing generous favor.

يَرى أَثَر النّمَيلَة حينَ تَمشي

وَتقطَع في الدُجى الصمّ الصلابا

He sees the tiny ant's track as it walks

and crosses hard, solid rocks in darkness.

وَيَسمَعُها إِذا دَبّت عَلَيه

وَجُنحُ اللَيل قَد أَمسى غُرابا

He hears it when it creeps upon the rock,

while night's wing has become a raven.

تقدّس عَن صِفات الخَلق طرّاً

وَإِن يُعزى لَهُ الوَصف اِكتِسابا

He is exalted above all creatures' attributes,

even if an attribute is ascribed to Him as acquired.

يُحِيطُ بعلم ما تَحوِي عَلَيه

طِباقُ السَبع إِن دُعِيَ اِستجابا

His knowledge encompasses all that is contained

within the seven layers; when called upon, He answers.

وَيَعلمُ في الأَرضي السَبع علماً

يُحيطُ بِعَدّ حَصبَاها حِسابا

He knows what lies within the seven earths, with knowledge

encompassing the count of all their pebbles.

وَلم لا وَهوَ أَنشأنا اِمتِناناً

وَواعِدنا عَلى الحُسنى المَثابا

And why not, when He created us graciously

and promised us reward for goodness?

وَأَنشأ في السَماء لَنا بُرُوجاً

وَأَلبَسَها بِزينتها ثِيابا

He created constellations for us in heaven,

and clothed it in garments of adornment.

وَأَجرى الشَمسَ ثُمَّ البَدر فيها

وَسَخّرَ بِالرّياح لَنا سَحابا

He set the sun, then the full moon, moving within it,

and subjected clouds to the winds for us,

لِتَسقي بَلدةً مَيتاً بِغَيثٍ

هَمُولٍ بِالحَياة هَمى وَصابا

to water a dead land with rain,

pouring abundantly, raining and streaming with life.

وَأَجرى في بَسيطتها عُيُوناً

مدفّقةً وَأَوديةً عِذابا

He made springs flow across its expanse,

gushing forth, and valleys of sweet water.

وَأَرسَل في الوَرى مِنهُم رَسولاً

شَفيعاً مُصطَفى يَتلو الكِتابا

He sent among humanity a messenger from their own number,

a chosen intercessor, reciting the Book:

مُحمَّدٌ النَبيُّ المُجتَبى مِن

سُلالة هاشمٍ فَالأَصل طابا

Muhammad, the chosen Prophet, from

the lineage of Hashim—noble was the root.

وَقَد أَسرى بِهِ مَولاه لَيلاً

وَجبريلٌ لَهُ أَخَذَ الركابا

His Lord carried him by night,

and Gabriel held the stirrup for him.

دَنا مِن حَضرة العَليا تَدلّى

وَحازَ القُرب مِنهُ فَكانَ قابا

He drew near the exalted Presence and hung suspended,

and gained nearness to Him, within a bow's span.

عَلَيهِ صَلاة رَبّ العَرش تَترى

مَدى الأَيّام تورِثُنا الثَوابا

Upon him be the Lord of the Throne's blessings, following one another

throughout the days, bringing us reward,

وَما سَحّت بِماء المُزن سُحبٌ

فَحلّى الزَهرُ بِالزَهرِ الهِضابا

for as long as clouds pour down rainwater,

and blossoms adorn the hills with flowers.

هُوَ المَبعوث بشّرَنا بِبُشرى

مِن المَولى وَأَنذَرَنا العِقابا

He is the messenger who brought us glad tidings

from the Lord, and warned us of punishment.

وَحَرّضنا عَلى قَتل الأَعادي

نضيقُ بِهم تِلالاً أَو شِعابا

He urged us to kill the enemies,

making hills or ravines too narrow for them,

وَنَبذُلُ في جِهاد الكُفر نَفساً

وَمالاً قَد جَمَعناه اِكتِسابا

and to give our lives in warfare against unbelief,

and wealth that we had gathered through our earnings.

فصدّقه أَبو بكر عَتيقٌ

وَثانيه أَبو حفصٍ أَجابا

Abu Bakr, 'Atiq, believed him,

and second to him, Abu Hafs answered.

وَثالثهم أَبو عمرٍو وَوَفّى

أَبو حسنٍ طِعاناً أَو ضرابا

Their third was Abu 'Amr; and fulfilled his duty

Abu Hasan, with spear-thrusts or blows.

هُم الخُلَفاء أَربَعةٌ تَواصَوا

عَلى الإِسلام صَوناً وَاِحتِجابا

They are the four caliphs, who exhorted one another

to protect and shield Islam.

وَباقي العَشرَةِ المَرضِيّ عَنهُم

سموا وَعَلا ابنُ عَوفِهم الشِهابا

The remaining members of the favored ten

rose high, and their Ibn 'Awf surpassed the shooting star:

سَعيدٌ وَاِبن جرّاحٍ وَسَعد

زُبَير طَلحة كَرُموا صِحابا

Sa'id, Ibn Jarrah, and Sa'd,

Zubayr, Talha—noble companions were they.

هُم قَد بايَعوا المُختار حَقّاً

عَلى أَن لا يُضام وَلا يُصابا

They truly pledged allegiance to the Chosen One,

that he should neither be wronged nor harmed,

وَأَن تَفنى نُفوسُهُم اِحتِماءً

لِدين اللَه بُعداً وَاِقتِرابا

and that their lives should perish in defense

of God's religion, far away and near at hand.

وَهُم قَد جاهَدوا في اللَهِ حَقّاً

وَسلّوا في عداتهم الذّبابا

They truly strove in God's cause,

and unsheathed their sword-edges against their enemies.

عَلَيهم رَحمة الرَحمن تَملا

بِنور مِن قُبورهم الرحابا

Upon them be the Merciful One's mercy, filling

the open spaces with light from their graves.

فَقَد بانُوا وَبانَ منِ اِقتَفاهم

خَفى نورٌ بَدا مِنهُم وَغابا

They departed, and those who followed them departed;

a light that shone from them grew dim and vanished.

وَعادَ الدّين بَعدَهُم حَقيراً

وَمُنسحِقاً وَمُمتَهَناً مُصابا

After them, religion became despised,

crushed, dishonored, and afflicted.

وَصارَ بِغربِنا الأَقصى غَريباً

فَيا لِلدين يَغترب اِغتِرابا

In our Far Maghrib it became a stranger:

alas for religion, so estranged!

وَلَم يُعلَم جِهادٌ لِلأَعادي

بِها ذي الأَرض يُحتسبُ اِحتِسابا

No warfare against the enemies was known

in this land, undertaken in hope of divine reward,

إِلى أَن فتّح الرَحمنُ فيهِ

لِيَعقوب بنِ عَبد الحَقّ بابا

until the Merciful opened therein

a door for Ya'qub ibn 'Abd al-Haqq.

لِمَولانا أَمير العَدل مُلك

بِهِ اِنسَلَبت يَدُ الكُفر اِنسِلابا

For our lord, the prince of justice, a kingdom

through which unbelief's hand was stripped of power.

وَلَم نَرَ قَبلَهُ في العَصر مَلكاً

أَرانا في العِدا العَجب العُجابا

Before him, we had seen no king in our age

who showed us such astonishing wonders against the enemies.

فَهَنّأه الإِله السَعدَ فيهِ

وَنيّةَ صِدقِهِ بِرّاً أَثابا

May God bless his good fortune therein,

and reward his sincere intention with goodness.

دَعا لِلّه دَعوةَ مُطمئنٍّ

لِمَولاه دُعاءً مُستَجابا

He called upon God with a trusting invocation,

a prayer to his Lord that was answered.

فَلَبّى اللَهُ دَعوَته وَسنّى

لَهُ الحُسنى وَجَنّبه الصِعابا

God answered his invocation and made easy

the best outcome for him, sparing him hardships.

فَجازَ البَحر مُجتَهِداً مِراراً

يَقود إِلى العِدا الخَيل العِرابا

He crossed the sea repeatedly, striving earnestly,

leading purebred Arabian horses against the enemies.

فَأَلبَس ملكهم ذلّاً وَصارَت

بِهِ الأَملاك تَرتهب اِرتِهابا

He clothed their king in humiliation, and

the kings came to tremble before him.

أَبَعدَ جَواز أَرض البِرث فَخرٌ

تَزيد بِهِ مَنالاً وَاِعتِجابا

After crossing the land of al-Birth, is there any glory

through which you could gain more attainment or admiration?

هُوَ القُطب الَّذي دارَت عَلَيهِ

نُجوم السَعد لا تَخشى اِضطِرابا

He is the pole around which revolve

the stars of good fortune, fearing no disturbance.

بَنوه نُجومُهُ وَالبَدر فيهم

وَليّ العَهد مَن بِالفَضل حابى

His sons are his stars, and the full moon among them

is the heir apparent, who bestows favor through excellence:

أَبو يَعقوب مَولانا المُرجّى

لِدَفع الخطب إِن أَرسى وَنابا

Abu Ya'qub, our lord, in whom hope is placed

to repel disaster when it settles and strikes.

هُوَ المَلكُ الَّذي أَعطى وَأَقنى

وَصَيّر طَعم عَيشٍ مُستَطابا

He is the king who gives and enriches,

and makes the taste of life delightful.

وَأَبناء الإِمارة تَرتَجيهم

وَأَحفاد العُلا اِعتَصَبوا اِعتِصابا

You place hope in the sons of princely power,

and the grandsons of high rank have banded firmly together.

أُوفّي حَقّهم فَرداً فَفَرداً

كَما جَعَلوا الجِهاد لَهُم نِصابا

I shall fulfill their due, one by one,

as they have made holy warfare their established duty.

وأذكُر غَزوَ هَذا العام حَتّى

أذكّرُ كُلّ شَخصٍ ما أَصابا

I recount this year's campaign so that

I may remind every person what he achieved.

وَأَنشُر مِن فَخار مَرِينَ بُرداً

كَما اِحتَزَبوا لِدينهمُ اِحتِزابا

I spread a mantle woven from Marin's glory,

as they rallied together for their faith.

وَأَروي مَدحَهُم في الدَهر شعراً

أُدَوّنه وَأودِعُه الكِتابا

I recite their praise in poetry for all time,

recording it and placing it in the book,

لِيَبقى ذكرُهُم في الأَرض يُتلى

يَراه الركبُ زاداً وَاِحتِقابا

so their memory remains recited on earth,

the caravan taking it as provisions and baggage.

فَعزّهُمُ مَكينٌ في المَعالي

وَعزّ سِواهُمُ أَضحى سَرابا

Their glory is firmly established in exalted ranks,

while the glory of others has become a mirage.

سَأودِع غَزوَهُم في الروم نَصّاً

نِظاماً لا أَخاف بِهِ اِضطِرابا

I shall record their campaigns against the Rūm in writing,

in ordered verse whose coherence I do not fear.

وَأذكر مِن وَقائعهم أُموراً

يَصير بِهنّ طَعم الشرك صابا

I recount events from their battles

that turn the taste of polytheism into bitter sap.

فَهَل مِن سامع خَبَراً لُباباً

يَردّ عَليّ بِالصدق الجَوابا

Is there a listener to a choice report

who will answer me truthfully,

فَيُصغي سَمعَه نَحوي اِمتِناناً

يَقول إِذا أَصَبت لَقَد أَصابا

kindly turning his hearing toward me,

and saying, when I am right, 'Indeed, he is right'?

وَذَلِكَ أَنّ مَولانا أَناخَت

عَزائِمهُ بِطنجَةٍ الركابا

For our lord's mounts had been brought to rest

by his resolves at Tangier.

فَجازَ البَحر في صفر خَميساً

بِخامس شَهرِهِ قَصد الضرابا

He crossed the sea on a Thursday in Safar,

on its fifth day, intent on combat.

وَحَلّ طَريفاً المَولى بِجَمعٍ

كَسا شُمّ المَعاقِل وَالهِضابا

The lord arrived at Tarifa with a host

that covered lofty strongholds and hills.

وَفي غَدِ يَومِهِ ضُرِبَت لَدَيهِ

هُنالِكَ قُبّة تُنسي القِبابا

On the following day there was pitched before him

a pavilion that made other pavilions forgotten.

زَهَت حُسناً وَجَمّلَها سَناها

لَها اِختاروا مِن الحِبر الثِيابا

It shone with beauty, adorned by its radiance;

for it they chose fabrics of brocade.

وَلَم يُرَ مثلُها في الحُسن لَكن

قَد اِنتُخِبَت بِسبتَةٍ اِنتِخابا

Its equal in beauty had not been seen, but

it had been specially selected at Ceuta.

فَحَلَّ بِها كَأنّ الشَمس لاحَت

بِطَلعَتِهِ اِزدهاءً وَاِعتِجابا

He settled within it, as though the sun had appeared

at his arrival, in splendor and admiration.

فَيا لَكِ قبّةً يَحكي سَناها

سَنا الفلكِ المُحيطِ بِها اِنتِسابا

O pavilion, whose radiance resembles

the radiance of the encircling heavenly sphere, as though akin!

وَخَلّف عامِراً وَأَتى قَريباً

مِنَ اِركُش ثُمَّ رامَ بِهِ اِجتِلابا

He left 'Amir behind and came near

Arcos, then sought to gather spoil there.

وَرامَ نِكايَةَ الأَعداء فيهِ

فَأَوسَعُه اِحتِرافاً وَاِنتِهابا

He sought to injure the enemies there,

subjecting it to extensive ravaging and plunder.

وَمِنهُ أَتى شَرِيساً في جُموعٍ

وَوافته مَحَلّتُه إِيابا

From there he came to Jerez with hosts,

and his encamped army rejoined him on its return.

فَأَوسَعتِ الزرُوعَ بِها اِحتِصاداً

وَأَوسَعت الغُروس بِها اِحتِطابا

It subjected the crops there to thorough reaping,

and the plantings there to cutting for firewood.

أَذاقت مِن شَلُوقَةَ كُلّ ربع

وَرَوض مِن قَناطرها عَذابا

It made every quarter of Sanlúcar taste,

and every garden by its bridges, torment.

مَدِينتُها وَقَلعتها بُحَير

أَشاعوا في نَواحيها خَرابا

Its town and its fortress, Buhayr—

they spread devastation through their surroundings.

وَجَهّز لِلعِدا مَنصورَ جَيش

لِيَترك دارَهُم قَفراً يبابا

He equipped a victorious army against the enemies,

to leave their land desolate and waste.

عَلى أَشبيليةٍ أَجرى خُيُولا

فَأَوسَع مَن بِساحتها اِنتِهابا

He sent horses against Seville,

subjecting those within its precincts to extensive plunder.

سَبى مِنهُم وَغادر أَلفَ عِلجٍ

تطاير عَنهُم الطَيرُ الذُبابا

He took captives from them and left a thousand unbelieving warriors,

the birds scattering flies away from them.

وَآب مظفّراً وَأَبو عليٍّ

أَخوه أَتى وَقَد حَمَدوا الإِيابا

He returned victorious, and Abu 'Ali,

his brother, came; they praised the return.

وَجَهّز جَيشه عَمرٌو وَوافى

ذُرى قَرمُونَةٍ يَحكي الغرابا

'Amr mobilized his army and reached

the heights of Carmona, resembling a raven.

وَلَم يَترُك بِها أَحَداً سِوى مَن

بِها يَنكبّ في الأَرض اِنكِبابا

He left no one there except those

lying face-down upon the ground.

أَتى بِغَنائمٍ مَلَأَت عَديداً

بَسيطَ الأَرض بَل غَطّت شِعابا

He brought spoils whose great number filled

the earth's expanse—indeed, covered ravines.

وَجَيش أَبي مُعَرّف المَعلّى

عَلى اِشبِيليّةٍ حطّ القِبابا

The exalted army of Abu Mu'arrif

pitched its pavilions at Seville.

أَتى بِغَنيمة فيها سَبايا

وَأَوصَل مِن مَراكِبهم لُبابا

It brought booty containing captives,

and delivered the choicest of their mounts.

بِذاك اليَوم سارَ أَبو عليّ

إِلى بُرجٍ فَصيّره خَرابا

That day Abu 'Ali marched

to a tower and turned it into ruins.

وَغَزوةُ مَشقَرِيطٍ لَيسَ تَخفى

فَضائلها لَقَد حسنت مَآبا

The raid on Mashqarit is not hidden

in its merits; excellent was its outcome.

وَلا أَنسى البُروز عَلى شَرِيس

فَأَهلُ البُرج قَد ذاقوا العَذابا

Nor do I forget the sortie against Jerez:

the people of the tower tasted torment.

فَذاكَ اليَوم أَعظمُ يَوم حَرب

رَأَيناه إِذا ذَكَروا الضِرابا

That was the greatest day of battle

we had seen, whenever combat was recalled.

وَيَوم وُصول مَولانا المُرجى

أَبي يَعقوب أَشرَق وَاِستَطابا

The day of arrival of our hoped-for lord,

Abu Ya'qub, shone and grew pleasant.

هُناك بُروز أَهل الدين رَدَّت

مَحاسِنهُ عَلى الدَهر الشَبابا

There, the sortie of the people of the faith restored

youth to the age through its beauties.

وَلا أَنسى القَناطر حينَ دارَت

بِها الإِسلامُ توسعها اِنتِهابا

Nor do I forget al-Qanatir, when

Islam swept through it, plundering it thoroughly.

وَأَهلُ شَريسَ لَمّا أَن تَراءى

وَليّ العَهد قَد فَرِقوا اِرتِعابا

When the people of Jerez caught sight of

the heir apparent, they were seized with terror.

هُنالك خصّص المَولى بِجَيشٍ

أَبا يَعقوب مَولانا وَحابى

There the lord singled out with an army

our lord Abu Ya'qub, and favored him

بِأَربعةٍ مِن الآلاف خَيلاً

مُسوّمة مظفّرة عِرابا

with four thousand horses,

marked, victorious, purebred Arabians.

وَأَجرى الخَيل مِن كُلّ النَواحي

عَلى اِشبيلية شَرْفاً وَغابا

He sent the cavalry from every direction

against Seville's highlands and woods.

فَلَم يَترك بِتلكَ الأَرض خلقاً

أُسارى أَو سَبايا أَو سلابا

He left no people in that land

except as prisoners, captives, or plunder.

فَتِلكَ غَنيمة ما إِن سَمِعنا

بِهذا العام أَكثرها اِنجِلابا

That was booty—we had heard

of no greater haul this year.

وَبَعد أَتى أَبو زَيّان وافى

شَريساً بِالبُروز وَما اِستَرابا

Afterward Abu Zayyan came, arriving at

Jerez for a sortie, without misgiving.

بِهَذا اليَوم جَهّزه بِأَلفٍ

إِلى قرمُونة وافى الصَوابا

That day he equipped him with a thousand

for Carmona, and he pursued the right course.

وَجاءَ بِزَرعِها وَاِنحازَ عَنها

إِلى اِشبيلية وَلَها اِستِتابا

He brought its crops and withdrew from it

toward Seville, calling it to submit.

وَقَتّل أَهلها وَسبى وَوَلّى

حَميداً في سُرور من اِستَطابا

He slew its people, took captives, and departed,

praised, amid the joy of those well pleased.

وَمَولانا أَبو يَعقوب وافى

شَلُوقَة ثُمَّ حَرّقها ضرابا

Our lord Abu Ya'qub reached

Sanlúcar, then burned it in combat.

إِلى كَبتُور أَعمَلَ حَدّ عَزم

لَو اِنّ الهِندَ مُسّ بِهِ لذابا

Against Kabtur he applied the edge of a resolve

that would have melted India had it touched it.

أَحاطَ بربعها برّاً وَبَحراً

فَدمّرها وَصيّرها يبابا

He surrounded its quarters by land and sea,

destroyed it, and made it desolate.

وَخلّف أَرضَها غبراً وَأَضحَت

حَمامةُ حسن مَغناها غُرابا

He left its land dusty, and there became

a raven where the dove of its dwelling's beauty had been.

وَلَمّا دَوّخ المَولى النَصارى

وَأَلبَسَهُم مِن الذُلّ الثِيابا

When the lord had subdued the Christians

and clothed them in garments of humiliation,

وَلَم يَترُك بِأَرضهم طَعاماً

وَلا عَيشاً هَنيّاً مُستَطابا

leaving no food in their land,

nor any happy, pleasant life,

وَأَعوَزَه بِها عَلَف وَطالَت

بِها حَركاتُهُ قَصد الإيابا

and fodder failed him there, and prolonged were

his campaigns there, he intended to return.

وَقَد ظَهَرَت لِأُسطول الأَعادي

عَلاماتٌ تَزيدهم اِرتيابا

Signs had appeared to the enemies' fleet,

increasing their misgivings.

يؤمّ إِلى الجَزيرة رامَ مِنها

يِجدّد غَزوةً تدني الثَوابا

He headed toward al-Jazira, intending from there

to renew a campaign that brought divine reward nearer:

إِلى اِشبيليةٍ ليبيد مِنها

طغاة طالَما عَبدوا الصلابا

to Seville, to annihilate there

tyrants who had long worshipped crosses,

وَيَلزَمُها يقيم بِها شِتاء

يهدّمها وَيُبقيها خَرابا

and besiege it, remaining there through winter,

demolishing it and leaving it ruined.

فَلَما حَلّ ربعَ طَريفَ وَالى

إِلى أَجفانِهِ الغُرّ الكِتابا

When he reached the quarters of Tarifa, he sent successive

letters to his splendid ships,

فَيَأمُر أَن تُجَهّز لِلأَعادي

أَساطلُه فَأَسرَعَت الجَوابا

ordering that there be equipped against the enemies

his fleets, which hastened to respond.

فَجَهَّزَها وَوافَت بِاِحتِفالٍ

وَبَأسٍ مِنهُ رَأسُ الكُفر شابا

He equipped them, and they arrived in great array

and with might that turned unbelief's head gray.

هُنالك شَنجَةٌ وافى شريساً

بِلَيلٍ ثُمّ عايَن ما أَرابا

There Sancho reached Jerez

by night, then witnessed what caused misgiving.

فَوجّه مِنهُ أَرسال النَصارى

إِلى المَولى لِيُسعِفَه الطلابا

From there he sent Christian envoys

to the lord, that he might grant his requests.

يُطالبه بِعَقد الصُلح يُعطي

لَهُ ماذا أَراد وَما اِستَجابا

He asked him to conclude peace, offering

whatever he wished; yet he would not assent.

وَلَم يَقبل لَهُم قَولاً وَآبت

لَهُ الأرسال حائِرة خِيابا

He accepted no word from them, and returned

to Sancho the envoys, bewildered and disappointed.

وَلَم يَرددهم المَولى سِوى مِن

حَديثِ البَحر لا يَربو اِرتِيابا

Our lord turned them back only because of

the matter of the sea, lest doubt increase.

فَقَرّب جَيشَهُ المَنصور بَحراً

إِلى أُفرُوطَة الكُفر اِنسيابا

He brought his victorious army closer by sea,

gliding toward the fleet of unbelief.

فَلَما بَرّز الأُسطول فَرّت

جُيوش الكُفر في البَحر اِنسِرابا

When the fleet came forth, there fled

the forces of unbelief, slipping away across the sea.

وَما أَلوَت عَلى مُتعذّريها

وَلَو سُئِلَت لَما رَدَّت جَوابا

They did not wait for their stragglers,

and, had they been asked, would have given no reply.

فَجازَ إِلى الجَزيرة في سُرورٍ

يجدّد غَزوة تُبدي العِجابا

He crossed to al-Jazira in joy,

renewing a campaign that revealed wonders.

فَوافته بِها الأرسال تَبغي

بِعطفته مِن الصُلح اِقتِرابا

The envoys reached him there, seeking

through his kindness an approach to peace.

فَأَسعَفَهُم بِهِ جازاه رَبّي

عَلى آرائِهِ الحُسنى الصَوابا

He granted it to them; may my Lord reward him

for his excellent, sound judgments,

وَيَجعلُ فيهِ للإسلام طرّاً

مَصالحَها الَّتي تَرِدُ الطلابا

and make it, for Islam as a whole,

serve its interests and fulfill its demands.

وَذَلِكَ مِن أُمورٍ قَد حَكاها

لَنا المَولى وَأَحصاها حِسابا

These are among the matters he recounted

to us, our lord enumerating them in detail.

فَبادر شَنجةٌ في الصُلح حَتّى

تَقرّب مِن مَدينته اِقتِرابا

Sancho hastened toward peace until

he drew close to the lord's city.

وَجاءَ لِقَيله الأَعلى وَأَعطى

هَديّاتٍ لِمَولانا رِغابا

He came to his supreme sovereign and gave

precious gifts to our lord.

فَكانَ هُناكَ بَينَهُما أُمور

يُنسّيني السُرور بِها الخِطابا

There were matters between them

whose joy makes me forget my discourse.

وَأَسرع شَنجة للعقد حِرصاً

وَأَظهَر فيهِ لِلمَولى اِرتِغابا

Sancho hastened eagerly to conclude the pact,

showing the lord his keen desire for it.

فَتمّ الصُلح بَينَهُما لِعُذرٍ

مُبين واضحٍ وَالسرّ غابا

Peace was concluded between them for a reason

manifest and clear, while the secret remained hidden.

فَهَذي جُملة وَالشَرح عِندي

سَأودعه بِإِيضاح كِتابا

This is a summary; the explanation is with me,

and I shall set it clearly in a book.

هَنيئاً يا مَرِينُ لَقَد عَلَوتُم

بَني الأَملاك بَأساً وَاِنتِجابا

Congratulations, O Marin! You have surpassed

the sons of kings in valor and distinction.

وَفاخَرتُم بِمَولانا البَرايا

فَأَعطوكم قِياداً وَاِنغِلابا

Through our lord you vied in glory with mankind,

and they yielded you the reins and acknowledged defeat.

أَبعد الفُنش وَاِبن الفُنش يَبغي

رِضاكُم لا يَخاف بِهِ الغِيابا

What remains, after Alfonso and Alfonso's son seek

your favor, with no fear of absence therein?

فَحزبُ مرين حزبُ اللَهِ يَحمي

حِمى الإِسلام لا يَخشى عِقابا

Marin's host is God's host, guarding

Islam's sanctuary, fearing no punishment.

إِذا سلّوا السُيوف تَرى الأَعادي

وَقَد حَلّوا الربى مَدّت رِقابا

When they unsheathe their swords, you see the enemies,

already occupying the hills, stretching out their necks.

هُم أَشفارُ عَين الملك تَذري

عَن الملك القَتام أَو التُرابا

They are the lashes of the kingdom's eye, brushing

dust-clouds or soil away from the kingdom.

وَهُم مثل الأَنامل حَيث مَدَّت

يَد الأَمر الَّتي تُعطي الرِغابا

They are like fingertips when extended is

the hand of command that gives precious gifts.

مرينُ لَقَد مَدحتكم فوفّوا

لِمادحكم بِبُغيَتِهِ الثَوابا

Marin, I have praised you; pay in full

your praiser the reward he desires.

وَقَد وَرّختُ دَولتكم وَصارَت

حِلى يَحدو بِها الحادي الرِكابا

I have chronicled your dynasty, and it has become

ornaments with which the camel-driver urges on the mounts in song.

وَكُلّ مُنظّم شعراً سيفنى

وَيَبقى فيكُم مَدحي كِتابا

Every composer of poetry will perish,

but my praise of you will remain as a book.