طنب قبابك هذا العز والشرف — Ibn Alabar

طَنِّبْ قِبَابَكَ هَذَا العِزُّ والشَّرَفُ

واصْحَبْ شَبَابَكَ لا شَيْبٌ ولا خَرَفُ

Pitch your pavilions: here are glory and honor.

And keep company with your youth: no gray hair and no senility.

رَيْعَانُ مُلكٍ لِرَيْعَانِ الحَياةِ بهِ

إِقامةٌ ولِماضِي العُمْرِ مُنْصَرَفُ

The bloom of sovereignty gives the bloom of life

a dwelling, and bygone years a way to return.

وَطِيبُ عَصْرٍ جَنَاهُ الغَضُّ مُهْتَصَرا

كَمَا حَلا منْ ثُغُورِ الحُورِ مُرْتَشَفُ

And the sweetness of an age whose tender fruit is plucked

is like the sweetness sipped from the mouths of fair-eyed maidens.

رَقَّتْ وَراقَتْ حَوَاشِيهِ وَغُرّتُهُ

فَلَيْلهُ بالصَّباحِ الطلقِِ مُلْتَحِفُ

Its fringes and bright brow have grown delicate and lovely;

its night is wrapped in radiant morning.

أَمَا تَرَى دَوْلةَ الإقْبالِ مُفْبِلَةً

خَصْبٌ وَلا عَجَبٌ عَدْلٌ وَلا جَنَفُ

Do you not see the reign of prosperity approaching?

Abundance—no wonder; justice, without injustice.

وحَضْرَةُ السَّعْدِ فِي أبْهَى مَنَاظِرِها

رَاحَتْ بِخِدْمَتِها الأَقْدارُ تَزْدَلِفُ

And the court of good fortune, in its most splendid aspect—

the fates have come to draw near in its service.

تُزْهَى بِمَا أَخَذَتْ مِنْ زِينَةٍ صَلَفاً

وَما لِراعِدَةٍ فِي جَوِّها صَلَفُ

It proudly vaunts the adornment it has assumed,

and no thundercloud in its sky is scant of rain.

كأَنَّ يَحْيَى الرِّضَى آلَتْ إِيالَتُهُ

أنْ يَشْملَ الخلقَ مِنْها الرِّفْقُ واللُّطُفُ

It is as though the rule of Yahya al-Rida has sworn

that its gentleness and kindness shall embrace all creation.

مَلْكُ المُلوكِ الذِي دانَت بِطَاعَتِه

زُلفَى تَقَاصَر عَنْ إِدْرَاكِها الزُّلَفُ

The king of kings, to whose obedience they submitted,

seeking a closeness that other approaches cannot attain;

واسْتَشْرَفَتْ طُمَّحاً مِنْ لَثْمِ رَاحَتِهِ

إِلَى أَمَانِي فيها المَجْدُ والشَّرَفُ

and they lifted eager eyes, from kissing his palm,

toward hopes wherein lie glory and honor,

مُقِرَّةً بِمَعَالِيهِ التِي بَهَرَتْ

وَالحَقُّ أَبْلَجُ لِلأَلْبَابِ مُنْكَشِفُ

acknowledging his dazzling eminence—

and truth is bright, revealed to discerning minds.

إِمَامُ دينٍ وَدُنْيا قامَ دُونَهُما

والأَرْضُ تُنْقَصُ والأَطوادُ تُنْتَسَفُ

A leader of religion and worldly life, he stood in defense of both

while the earth was diminished and mountains uprooted.

وَشدَّ أَزْرَهُما طَلْقاً أَسِرَّتُهُ

والنَّاسُ قدْ وَهَنُوا طُرّاً وَقَدْ ضَعفُوا

He strengthened both, his brow serene,

while all the people had grown faint and weak.

في عَسْكرٍ لَجِبٍ مِنْ معْشَرٍ نُجُبٍ

قاماتُهُمْ كَعَوالِيهم بِها قَضَفُ

Amid a clamorous army of noble folk,

their figures slender as their spearshafts.

لا يَسْلُفونَ سِوَى مَجْدٍ إلَى كَرَمٍ

صِيداً كِراماً أَبُو حَفص لَهُمْ سَلَفُ

They advance only in glory joined to generosity,

regal and noble, with Abu Hafs as their forebear.

عِصابَةٌ تَطْلعُ الأَقْمَارُ إنْ طلَعوا

وَتَدْلَفُ الضَّارِياتُ الغُلْبُ إنْ دَلَفُوا

A band: moons rise when they rise,

and thick-necked predators advance when they advance.

تَدَارَكَ الأَمْرُ مِنْهُ والأُمورُ سُدىً

جَذْلانُ يَبْسَمُ والأَرْوَاحُ تُخْتَطَفُ

Order was recovered through him while affairs lay abandoned;

joyful, he smiles while souls are snatched away.

بِمَظْهَر العَالَمِ العُلْوِيِّ مُتَّصِلٌ

وَباتباعِ هُدى المَهْدِيِّ مُتَّصِفُ

Connected to the manifestation of the celestial realm,

and distinguished by following al-Mahdi's guidance.

لِلحَقِّ مُمْتَعِضٌ في اللَّهِ مُرْتَمِضٌ

بِاللَّهِ مُنْتَصِرٌ للَّهِ مُنْصَرِفُ

Indignant for truth, burning with indignation for God's sake,

victorious through God, devoted to God.

وَجْهُ الحَنيفية البَيْضاءِ مُؤْتَلِقٌ

بهِ وشَمْلُ النَّدَى والبَأْسُ مُؤْتَلِفُ

The face of the pure, upright faith shines

through him, and generosity and valor unite.

ما بَيْنَ سِيرَتِهِ الحُسْنَى وسَوْرَتِهِ

يُرْجَى وَيُخشَى التلافِي المَحْضُ والتَّلَفُ

Between his gracious conduct and his fierce assault,

complete deliverance is hoped for, and destruction feared.

مُبارَكٌ عَصْرُه المَيْمُونُ مُعْتَدِلٌ

وَعَن سِوى العَدْلِ والإحسانِ مُنْحَرِفُ

His auspicious age is blessed and balanced,

turning away from all but justice and beneficence.

مِنْ جَأشِهِ يَستَمِد الجَيْشُ مُحْتَفِلاً

ثَباتَهُ وَمُتُونُ السُّمرِ تَنْقَصِفُ

From his courage the assembled army draws

its steadfastness, while brown spearshafts shatter.

وَعَنْ سَعَادَتِهِ تَمْضِي السيوفُ إِذا

كَلَّتْ وتُدْرِكُ شأْوَ السَّابِقِ العُطُفُ

Through his good fortune, swords cut even when

they grow blunt, and wheeling steeds match the front-runner's pace.

يُمْنُ النَّقِيبَة في أُولَى مَنَاقِبهِ

يَرْمِي فَيُصمِي وَغاياتُ المُنَى هَدَفُ

A fortunate disposition is foremost among his virtues:

he shoots and strikes dead, with the utmost hopes his target.

حَتَّى الرِّياحُ إِذا هَبَّتْ بِأَسْعُدِهِ

هَبَّتْ سَوَاجِيَ لا هُوجٌ وَلا عُصُفُ

Even the winds, when they blow under his good fortune,

blow gently, neither unruly nor tempestuous.

مُحَمِّلاً وَقْدَها مِنْ عُرفِهِ بَرَداً

مَا لا تَزَالُ بِهِ الآصالُ تَعْتَرِفُ

He imbues their heat with coolness from his bounty,

which the late afternoons never cease to acknowledge.

قَد شادَ سُلْطانَهُ ما شاءَ مُخْتَرِعاً

وَالدهْرُ ثاوٍ علَى الإِسْعَادِ مُعْتَكِفُ

He has built up his sovereignty at will, creating anew,

while time abides, devoted to aiding him—

مَصانِعاً ضَلَّت الأَمْلاكُ صَنعَتها

لا القَصْدُ وافٍ بِها وَصْفاً وَلا السَّرَفُ

palaces whose making bewildered kings;

neither restraint nor exaggeration can describe them fully.

وَضاحة حَلت الأَنوارُ ساحَتَها

فأَوْضَعَتْ رِحْلَةً عَن أُفْقِها السدُفُ

Radiant, lights have settled in their courtyard,

and darkness has hastened away from their horizon.

كأَنَّ رَأْدَ الضُّحَى مِمَّا يُغَازِلُها

عَنِ الغَزَالَةِ هَيْمَانٌ بِها كَلِفُ

As though early forenoon, from all its courting of them,

were distracted from the sun, lovesick and enamored of them.

تَجَمَّعَتْ وَهيَ أَشْتَاتٌ مَحاسِنُها

هَذا الغَديرُ وهَذِي الرَّوضَةُ الأُنفُ

Their varied beauties have gathered together:

this pool, and this fresh, untouched garden.

حَيْثُ القُصُورُ عَلَيْها الحُسْنُ مُقْتَصِرُ

فَوقَ البُحَيرَةِ مِنْها البَحْرُ مُغْتَرِفُ

Where stand palaces upon which beauty is concentrated,

above the lake, from which the sea itself draws water.

وَحَيْثُ حَفَّتْ سُقَاةُ المُزْنِ أَكؤُسَها

لِلطَّيرِ تَشْدُو ولِلأَغصانِ تَنْعَطِفُ

And where the clouds' cupbearers have encircled its cups,

singing to the birds and bending toward the branches.

والزَّهْرُ مُنْشَقَّةٌ عنْهُ كَمَائِمُهُ

كالجَّوهَرِ انشَقَّ عَن شَفَّافِه الصدَفُ

The flowers' sheaths have split open around them,

like pearls whose translucent luster the shells have unveiled.

يُضاحِكُ النُّورَ فيها النَّوْرُ عنْ كَثَبِ

مَهْمَا بكَتْ لِلغَوادِي أَعْيُنٌ ذُرُفُ

The blossoms there smile at the light from close at hand

whenever the morning showers' tearful eyes have wept.

خُضْرٌ خَمَائِلُها زُرْقٌ جَدَاوِلُها

فالحُسْنُ مؤْتَلِفٌ فيها ومُخْتَلِفُ

Green are its thickets, blue its streams:

beauty there is both harmonious and varied.

دَوْحٌ وَظِلّ يِلَذُّ العَيشُ بَيْنَهُما

هَذا يَرِفُّ كَما تَهْوَى وَذا يَرِفُ

Great trees and shade, between which life is sweet:

this quivers as you wish, and that quivers too.

يَجْرِي النَّسيمُ عَلى أَرْجَائِها دَنِفاً

وَمِلؤُهُ أَرَجٌ يُشْفَى بهِ الدَّنِفُ

The breeze passes over its expanses, lovesick,

filled with fragrance that heals the sick.

حَاكَ الرَّبيعُ لَهَا منْ صَوْبِهِ حِبراً

كأَنَّها الحُلَلُ الأَفْوافُ والصحُفُ

Spring has woven patterned fabrics for it from its downpour,

as though they were striped robes and scrolls.

غَرِيرَةٌ مِنْ بَنَاتِ الرَّوْضِ نَاعِمَةٌ

يَثْنِي معَاطِفَها في السنْدُسِ التَّرفُ

A guileless, tender daughter of the gardens,

whose supple sides luxury bends in fine silk.

صَافَ الجَنَى الغَضُّ في أَدِوَاحِها وشَتَا

فَتَجْتَنِي اليَدُ ما شاءَتْ وتَقْتَطِفُ

Tender fruit summers and winters in its spreading trees,

so the hand gathers and plucks whatever it wishes.

بِكْرُ الحَدائِقِ والأَحْداقُ شَاهِدَةٌ

لا عانِسٌ جَهْمَةُ المَرأَى وَلا نَصَفُ

The maiden of gardens, as the eyes bear witness:

neither a grim-faced spinster nor a middle-aged woman.

تَنْدَى أَصَائِلُها صُفْراً غَلائِلُها

كأَنَّ ماءَ نُضارٍ فَوْقها يَكِفُ

Its late afternoons grow dewy, their gauzy robes yellow,

as though molten gold were dripping upon them.

في حَبْرَةٍ وأَمَانٍ مَنْ تَبَوَّأَها

كَجَنَّة الخُلْدِ لا رَوْعٌ وَلا أَسَفُ

In delight and safety lives whoever dwells there,

as in the garden of eternity: no terror and no sorrow.

تَظَلُّ مِنْ تحْتِها الأَنْهَارُ جارِيةً

يَرُوقُ مُنْعَرَجٌ مِنْها ومُنْعَطَفُ

Rivers continue flowing beneath it;

their meanders and bends delight the eye.

أَضْحَتْ إلَى غُرَفِ الرِّضوانِ دَاعِيةً

تِلكَ المحَاريبُ والأَبياتُ والغرفُ

They have come to summon one toward the chambers of divine favor—

those prayer niches, dwellings, and chambers.

تُلهِيكَ عَنْ زُخرفِ الدُّنيا زَخارِفُها

وَعَن أَغانِي الغَوانِي وُرقها الهُتُفُ

Its ornaments distract you from the world's ornament,

and its clamorous gray doves from the songs of beautiful women.

يا حبَّذَا المَجْلِسُ الوَضَّاحُ مَيسَمُه

كأَنَّهُ عَلَمٌ يَسْمُو بهِ شَغَفُ

O how lovely the hall, radiant in its aspect!

As though it were a mountain whose peak towers high.

يَجولُ ماجِلُه كالطِّرف من فَلَقٍ

فَمَا لهُ وَسطهُ ساجٍ وَلا طَرِفُ

Its basin surges like a noble steed out of daybreak;

neither its center nor its edge is still.

يَرْتاحُ لِلريحِ أَعْطَافاً إذَا نَسَمَتْ

كأَنَّهُ مُسْتَهَامٌ قَلْبُهُ يَجِفُ

Its flanks stir joyfully when the wind breathes,

as though it were a lovesick man whose heart trembles.

مِلْءَ الفَضَاءِ طَمُوحُ المَوْجِ مُزْبِدُهُ

يَعُبُّ مُنْفَرِدٌ منهُ وَمُرْتَدَفُ

Its high-reaching, foaming waves fill the open space;

each solitary wave and each following one roars.

يَمُدّهُ للفُراتِ العَذْبِ مُطَّرِدٌ

خُضْرُ البحارِ إِذا قيسَتْ بهِ نُطَفُ

A ceaseless current feeds it with sweet, fresh water;

the green seas, measured against it, are mere drops.

كَأَنَّ أَمْواجَهُ الأَبْطَالُ دَارِعَةً

كَرَّت تُلاقِي وَلا بِيضٌ وَلا جُحَفُ

As though its waves were mail-clad champions

charging to meet each other, without bright swords or shields.

وَحبَّذَا القُبَّةُ العَلْياءُ شَامِخَةً

بِأَنْفِهَا يَزْدَهِيها العِزُّ والأَنَفُ

And how lovely the lofty dome, standing tall!

With its nose held high, glory and proud dignity exalt it.

حفَّتْ بحَافَتِها الأَشْجارُ تَكْلَؤُها

كَما تَقُومُ علَى سَادَاتِها الوُصُفُ

Trees surround its edge, guarding it,

as servants attend their masters.

كأَنَّ مِنْ وَشْي صَنْعَاءَ بِها شيَةً

فَلِلْعُيونِ بِصُنْعٍ زَانَها شَغَفُ

As though a pattern of Sana'a's brocade lay upon it;

eyes are captivated by the workmanship that adorns it.

قَعِيدَةٌ للعُلَى قامَتْ علَى عَمَدٍ

مَصْفُوفَة حسْنُها يُزرِي بِمَنْ يَصِفُ

The consort of high glory, it stands on columns

set in rows, whose beauty shames anyone describing it.

كأَنَّهُنَّ العَذَارَى الغِيدُ نَاضِيَةً

شُفُوفُها عَنْ قُدُودٍ كُلُّها هَيَفُ

As though they were supple maidens, stripping

their gauzy veils from figures all slenderness.

مَطَالِعٌ لِلنُّجُومِ السَّعْدِ يَكْنفُها

قَصْرُ الإمَارَةِ نِعْمَ القَصْرُ والكَنَفُ

Rising-places for auspicious stars, surrounded by

the palace of rule—what a fine palace and shelter!

لَوْ تَهْتَدِي الشَّمْسُ أَنْ تَخْتَارَها فَلَكاً

لِسَيْرِها لمْ تكُنْ تَخْفَى وتَنْكَشِفُ

If the sun knew to choose it as an orbit

for its course, it would never vanish and reappear.

مَا خُلدُ بغْدَادَ أوْ زَهْراءُ أنْدَلُس

والمُلك مُقْتَبِلٌ فيها وَمُؤْتَنفُ

What are Baghdad's Khuld or the Zahra of al-Andalus,

even when sovereignty there was fresh and newly begun?

وَأيْنَ إيوانُ كسْرَى مِنْ سَرَارَتِها

وكَالأَكَاليلِ في هَامَاتِهِ الشّرَفُ

And where is Kisra's iwan beside its choicest part,

with battlements like diadems upon its summits?

تَحَدَّثُوا بُرْهةً عَنها ولو عَرَفوا

مَبَانِيَ المُرْتَضَى يَحْيَى لَمَا هَرَفُوا

They spoke of it for a while; had they known

the buildings of al-Murtada Yahya, they would not have babbled.

وهَذِهِ خَلَفَتْ تِلْكَ التِي سَلَفَتْ

ولَيْسَ مِنها وَلا مِنْ حُسْنِها خَلَفُ

This has succeeded those that came before,

but neither it nor its beauty has a successor.

بُشْرَايَ فُزْت بِها أُمْنِيَةً أَمَماً

لمَّا حَدَتْنِي إلَيْها نِيَّةٌ قُذُفُ

Good tidings for me! I gained it, a wish within reach,

when a far-reaching resolve spurred me toward it.

آوَتْنِيَ الحَضْرَةُ العُظْمَى وقَدْ كَلَفَتْ

بِيَ الخُطوب وآدَتْنِي لَها كُلَفُ

The supreme court sheltered me, beset as I was

by adversities and weighed down by their burdens.

وَأَوْسَعَتْنِي تَشْريفاً بِخدْمَتِهَا

فَخَيْرُها متْلَدٌ عِنْدِي ومُطَّرفُ

And it granted me abundant honor through service to it;

its bounty is mine, both long-held and newly acquired.

حَسْبِي مِنَ الفَخْرِ أَنِّي عِنْدَها وكَفَى

بمُثْبِتٍ لِيَ حيناً لَيْسَ ينْحَذِفُ

It is pride enough for me to be in its presence, enough

to secure for me a span that cannot be erased.

لي عَائِدٌ مِنْ عَطَايَاهَا ولِي صِلَةٌ

سَحَّتْ سَحَاباً فَلا مَحْلٌ وَلا شَظَفُ

I have recurring benefits from its gifts, and a grant

that poured like a cloud: no drought and no hardship.

فَرَوْضَةُ الأَمْنِ في أَفْنَانِها غَضَفٌ

ودِيمَةُ المَنِّ في أَثنائِها وَطَفُ

So security's garden is thick with foliage in its boughs,

and bounty's raincloud hangs heavy within its folds.

مَكارِمٌ عَاقَنِي عَنْ حَصْرِها حَصَرٌ

واقْتَادَنِي لَهَجٌ واعْتَادَنِي لَهَفُ

Bounties whose number speechlessness kept me from reckoning;

eager attachment drew me on, and yearning returned to me.

جَلَّت وَدَقَّ بَيانٌ أَنْ يُعَدِّدَها

والبَحْرُ لَيْسَ منَ الأَوْشَالِ يُنْتَزَفُ

They are immense, and speech too slight to enumerate them;

the sea cannot be drained by mere trickles.

أَيْنَ الإِجادَةُ إِلا أنْ يُجادَ بِها

مِنْ مُعْجَمَاتِ قَوَافٍ دونها تَقِفُ

Where is excellence, save what may be freely offered

from obscure rhymes that fall short of them?