سل الخطي والبيض الصقالا — Butrus Karama

سل الخطيّ والبيض الصقالا

فهنّ عن الرجال كشفن حالا

Ask the spears of al-Khatt and the polished white blades;

for they have revealed the mettle of men.

وسل يوم النزال عداة حربٍ

بوادي التيم تشتعل اشتعالا

And on the day of combat, ask the foes in a war

blazing fiercely in Wadi al-Taym.

ويوماً أقبلت رايات قيسٍ

يقدنَ الخيل تعترك الحبالا

And on a day when the banners of Qays advanced,

leading horses that grapple with the ropes,

بفتيانٍ يرون الموت عزّاً

وشيبٍ طالما اقتحموا النزالا

with young warriors who regard death as glory,

and gray-haired veterans who have often plunged into combat.

ونصر اللَه صاحبها يميناً

وآي العز قارنها شمالا

And God's victory accompanied them on their right,

and signs of glory attended them on their left.

نحوط بها الكماة على عتاقٍ

مضمرةٍ يسابقن الخيالا

With them we guard the armored warriors on noble steeds,

lean and conditioned, outracing imagination.

لديهم من سراة الشوف أسدٌ

إلا فاكرم بهم أسداً رجالا

Among them are lions from the chieftains of the Shuf;

indeed, how noble they are—lions among men!

إذا كروا تخالهم بزاةً

وإن ثبتوا حسبتهم جبالا

When they charge, you think them falcons;

and when they stand firm, you take them for mountains.

قد اعتادت رماحهم انتصاراً

وقد ألفت عداتهم انخذالا

Their spears have grown accustomed to victory,

and their foes have grown accustomed to defeat.

فلو حملت كتائبهم والقوا

عزائمهم على أحدٍ لزالا

Were their battalions to charge and they to cast

their resolve upon Uhud, it would give way.

كرام سادهم شهم بشيرٌ

فلم يزل اسمه للنصر فالا

Noble men whose chief is the gallant Bashir;

so his name has ever been an omen of victory.

شهابيٌّ اشد الناس باساً

وأقداماً وأحسنهم خلالا

A Shihabi, strongest of men in valor

and daring, and finest of them in character.

يلاقي الحرب مبتسماً إذا ما

بكت مقل الرماح دماً سجالا

He meets war smiling, even as

the eyes of spears weep blood in torrents.

ويعترك الخطوب إذا توالت

بحزمٍ يستخف به الثقالا

And he grapples with calamities when they come in succession,

with a firmness that makes heavy burdens seem light.

كميٌ كم له عند المعالي

مواقع ذكرهن قد استطالا

An armored champion—how many, at the heights of honor,

are his exploits, whose renown has spread far!

إذا مالت خواطره لامرٍ

بعون اللَه ادركه ونالا

When his thoughts incline toward a purpose,

with God's help he reaches it and wins it.

قد اكتسبت سيوف الهند منه

مضاءً والمثقفة اعتدالا

The swords of India have acquired from him

keenness, and the straightened lances their straightness.

أقام بسفح راشيا خميساً

تخاف الدهر سطوته منالا

At the foot of Rashaya he stationed an army

whose striking reach is feared for all time.

فاضرم في ذراها نار حربٍ

تصب على العداة بها النكالا

So he kindled on its heights a fire of war,

pouring punishment upon the foes there.

ولاقاهم وهل يخشى لقاهم

فتىً ألقى على اللَه اتكالا

And he faced them—could meeting them daunt

a young man who placed his trust in God?

فغروا واستظلوا في حماها

وظنوا الثلج يمنعهم قتالا

So they were deluded and sheltered in its refuge,

and thought the snow would shield them from battle.

فسورهم بفرسان المنايا

وطوقهم مثقفةً طوالا

So he walled them in with death's horsemen,

and encircled them with long, straightened lances.

فخافوا سيفه وبه استجاروا

وقد طرحوا السنة والنصالا

So they feared his sword and sought its protection,

having cast down their spearheads and blades.

فاطلقهم لوجه اللَه مناً

وذلهم يزيدهم خبالا

So he graciously released them for God's sake,

while their humiliation increased their bewilderment.

فولوا والمنايا شاهداتٌ

اسنتها تريد بهم تبالا

So they fled, while death stood witness,

its spearheads seeking to bring them ruin.

وأصبح نائلاً أجراً ونصراً

وحمداً طائلاً ما الدهر طالا

And he came away with reward and victory,

and abundant praise as long as time endures,

ومرفوع المقام لدى وزير

مهيبٍ يملأ الدنيا جلالا

and was raised in rank before a minister,

awe-inspiring, who fills the world with majesty.

همامٌ أعظم الوزراء قدراً

وأشرفهم وأوسعهم نوالا

A magnanimous man, greatest of ministers in stature,

the noblest of them, and most lavish in giving.

تفيض يمينه عدلاً وبذلاً

ويهمي جفن صارمه وبالا

His right hand overflows with justice and generosity,

and the sheath of his keen sword rains calamity.

يفل برأيه خد المواضي

ويفرط عزمه الحلق المذالا

With his judgment he chips the cheek of keen blades,

and his resolve unlinks the rings of trailing mail.

فلو طلبت اسنته عدواً

ولو فوق السماك هوى ومالا

Were his spearheads to seek an enemy,

even above al-Simak, he would fall and topple.

ومن شاء افتخاراً أو سمواً

بغير علائه ظن المحالا

And whoever seeks proud distinction or exaltation

apart from his eminence imagines the impossible.

فعبداللَه يسمو كل حرٍ

ويعلو كل ذي همم فعالا

For Abdullah surpasses every noble man,

and outdoes every man of lofty ambition in deeds.

لقد جازى الأمير بكل خيرٍ

جزاه اللَه اقبالاً تعالى

He has indeed rewarded the emir with every good thing;

may God—exalted is He—reward him with good fortune.

واتحفه بأنعامٍ شريفٍ

يشرف قدره السامي كمالا

And he presented him with a noble gift

that adds consummate honor to his lofty rank.

فقلده المهابة سيف نصر

والبسه من العز الجمالا

So a sword of victory invested him with awe,

and clothed him in the beauty of glory.

تهنَّ يا أميراً ضاء مجداً

وافنى باكتساب الحمد مالا

Rejoice, O emir, radiant in glory,

and who has exhausted wealth in earning praise,

بأنعامٍ واقبال ونصرٍ

وسعدٍ لن يزوال ولن يزالا

in favor, good fortune, and victory,

and happiness that will never fade or cease.

وخذ عذرا أتتك على هناءٍ

بغيرك قط لم ترم اتصالا

And accept a maiden who has come to congratulate you,

who has never sought union with anyone but you:

فتاة مدائحٍ ترجو قبولاً

إذا ما افتر مبسمها وقالا

a maiden of praises, hoping for acceptance

when her smiling mouth parts and speaks.

ودم ما اهتز عسال وضاءَت

مهندةٌ وجال فتىً وصالا

And live on as long as a supple spear quivers and there gleams

an Indian blade, and a young warrior wheels and charges.