أحد لسان الشكر جلب المنائح — Ibn Alabar

أَحَدّ لِسَانَ الشُّكْرِ جلْبُ المنائِح

فَلا غرْوَ أنْ غارَتْ عيون المَدَائِح

The bringing of gifts has sharpened gratitude's tongue.

No wonder, then, that praise's wellsprings have run dry.

وَمَا هُوَ إلا الجُودُ رَبَّ صَنِيعه

فَأَرْبَى عَلى شُمِّ الأماني الطّوائِح

It is generosity alone that nurtured its good work,

till it surpassed the loftiest, far-reaching hopes.

وَما هُو إلا المَجْدُ عبّ عُبابُه

فَأَزرَى بِتَيّار البِحَارِ الطَوافِح

It is glory alone whose swell has surged,

putting the currents of brimming seas to shame.

أفَانينُ آلاء وَشَتّى عَوارِفٍ

بواسِم أَثناء الخُطوب الكَوالِح

Varied blessings and manifold favors,

smiling amid grim-faced calamities.

أرَمّ لدَيْها هيْبةً كلُّ مادِح

وَأقْصرَ عَجزاً دُونَها كُلُّ مانِح

Before them every praiser fell silent in awe,

and every giver fell helplessly short of them.

تَروحُ وتَغْدُو بِالحَياةِ وَرَوْحها

فَقُلْ في غَوادٍ بِالحياةِ رَوائِح

They come at evening and dawn with life and its solace;

what can one say of such morning and evening bearers of life?

فَمِنْ بدرٍ ضعْفِ النجوم اللوائِح

ومِنْ خِلَع مِلْء العُيونِ اللّوامِح

Some are purses of coin, twice the gleaming stars in number,

and some robes of honor that fill glancing eyes.

صَرَفْتُ بِها وَهي الدّواني قُطوفُها

عَلائِقَ شَوْقٍ لِلدّيَارِ النّوازِح

With them, their fruits hanging near at hand, I turned aside

the bonds of longing for far-distant homelands.

وَرَاجَعت بالبُشْرى نُفُوساً عَهدَتها

مُخَاطَبَةً مِن عطفِها بِمفَاتِح

I revisited with glad tidings souls I had known

addressed with overtures of its kindness.

وقُلْتُ لأبنائي وَقَد نُبّئوا التي

ثَنَتْهُم ثناءً بينَ شادٍ وَمادِح

I told my sons, when they had heard the news

that turned them to praise, some singing, some extolling:

أسِرُّوا دُعاء للأميرِ وأعْلِنوا

وَلاءً عَلى نَهج من الشكر واضِح

Pray for the emir in secret, and proclaim

your loyalty upon a clear path of gratitude.

فَهَذا رِضاهُ المُجتَلى غَير غامِضٍ

وَهَذا نَداهُ المُجتَنى غَير نازِح

Here is his favor, openly beheld, not hidden;

here is his bounty, ready for gathering, not distant.

عَوائِدُ مَنْصورِ الإمامَة رَحْمَةٌ

فَغَيْثٌ لِظَمآنٍ وَغَوْثٌ لِطائِح

The customary gifts of the victorious imam are mercy:

rain for the thirsty, rescue for the fallen.

أبُوحُ لِذِكراها ازدِلافاً لَدَيْهِما

وَما أَنا في شَيءٍ سِواها بِبائِح

I speak in remembrance of them, seeking favor with them both,

and of nothing else do I speak openly.

وللّهِ فَوْزي مِن أمَانِيّ بالتِي

تَوشَّحَت فيها عزْم شَيحانَ شائِح

God be praised for the wish I gained among my hopes,

for which I girded myself with a bold man's zealous resolve.

أَوَيْتُ إِلى دارِ الإمارَةِ أجْتَلِي

مَطالِعَ نُور لِلهِدايَة لائِح

I sought refuge in the seat of the emirate, beholding

the dawnings of a light shining for guidance.

وثُبْتُ إِلى سُلْطانِها مُتَوَسِّلاً

إلَيها بِها لا أَمْتَري في المَناجِح

And I returned to its sovereign, seeking access

to that court through itself, with no doubt of success,

على ثِقَةٍ مِن عَطفِها وقَبولِها

نَصيحَةَ كافٍ أو كِفايَة ناصِح

trusting in its kindness and its acceptance

of a capable man's counsel, or a counselor's able service,

لأكْرَعَ مِن صفْوِ المَنَابِعِ فائِضٍ

وأرْتَعَ في نَضْرِ المَنابِتِ فائِح

that I might drink deeply from the springs' overflowing purity,

and graze in the fragrant verdure of the growing grounds.

فَصافَحتُ بالتَقبيلِ راحَةَ واهِبٍ

وَحَيّيْتُ بالتأميلِ صَفْحَة صافِح

So, with kisses, I clasped a giver's palm,

and with hope saluted a pardoner's face.

وَلاقَيتُ لِلأَعلاقِ أجْود مانِحٍ

يَميناً وَللأغْلاق أسْعدَ فاتِح

I met the most generous giver of precious gifts,

most bountiful in his right hand, and the most fortunate opener of locks.

وما راعَني إلا اكتِنافُ أمانِهِ

يُكافِحُ بَأساءَ الزَمانِ المُكافِح

Nothing startled me but his all-encompassing protection,

warding off the hardships of assailing time.

وَقد أَسْأَرت مِنِّي مُساوَرَةُ الرّدَى

حَريبَ حُروبٍ مُغْنِماتٍ لواقِح

Though death's onslaught had left of me

a man despoiled by pregnant, booty-yielding wars,

ألمَّت بِسيل للمَواطنِ جارفٍ

وعمّتْ بِوَيْل للبَواطنِ جَارِح

that swept upon the homelands in a scouring torrent,

and spread a woe that wounded every inward heart,

عَلَى حينَ دارَتْ بِالمَنايا كُؤُوسُها

فَمِنْ بَيْن مَصْبوح هُناكَ وصابِح

when their cups went round bearing death,

with some there served the dawn draught, and others serving.

يُحَدِّثُ مِنْ أحْداثِها بِغَرائِب

لَها نِسْبَةٌ مَعروفَةٌ في الصَّحائِح

He recounts strange tales of their calamities,

with a well-known place among authentic accounts.

صَغَا لِلمَعالي مِنهُ عائِلُ صِبْيَةٍ

حَشَايَاهُمُ طَيَّ الحَشا والجَوانِح

To his noble deeds inclined a provider for children,

whose bedding lay within the folds of his heart and ribs.

يُصابِرُ ضَراء النّوائبِ والنّوى

وتَطوي علَيها الكَشْحَ خِيفةَ كاشِح

He patiently endures the hardship of disasters and exile,

while they conceal it within, fearing a spiteful foe.

قَواريرُ لم يرْبَأ بِها البَحرُ سابِقاً

ولا ذادَ عَنها البَرُّ حَملَ الفوادِح

Glass vessels—the sea had not protected them before,

nor had the land kept crushing burdens from them.

تكادُ عليها النّفْسُ تذهبُ حسرَةً

إِذا لَمَحتْها العَينُ وَسطَ الضَحاضِح

The soul almost expires in grief for them

when the eye glimpses them amid the shallows.

جَلاها لأبْصارِ الأَعادي جَلاؤُها

ظَواعِنَ عَنْ تِلك الرُّبى والأباطِح

Their exile laid them bare to enemies' eyes,

women departing from those hills and broad streambeds.

فَلَوْ لَفَحَتْ أنْفاسُها زَهَراتِها

لَما نَسَمَتْ منها الرّياحُ بنافِح

Had their breaths scorched those lands' blossoms,

no wind would have wafted fragrance from them.

كأنَّ حَماماً هادِلاً في خُدورِها

ولا نُطْقَ إلا بالدُّموعِ السَوافِح

As though doves were cooing in their curtained chambers,

with no speech save through streaming tears.

وأشْرَقُ ما تَبدو عُيونا إذا بَدا

سنَا بارقٍ مِنْ جانِبِ الشّرقِ لامِح

Their eyes shine brightest when there appears

the gleam of lightning flashing from the east.

وَما عَبَرَت إِلا أخا عبراتِها

غَداة جِراحِ البينِ مِلء الجَوارِح

They looked on none but a brother in tears,

that morning, when separation's wounds filled every limb.

وإنَّ اغْتِرابَ المَرْءِ صُغْرٌ نَبا بِه

فَعَاسِر عَليها خُطّةً أو فَسامِح

A man's exile is humiliation that casts him aside;

so resist its terms, or else submit.

يحِنُّ جَناني رِقَّةً لأجِنّةٍ

ثَوَتْ في بُطونِ المُنْشَآتِ السَوابِح

My heart yearns tenderly for embryos

lodged in the bellies of lofty, swimming ships.

وتُطوى عَلى نارِ التلهبِ أَضْلُعي

وَحامِي الجَوى مِن حائِماتِ الجَوانِح

My ribs fold round a blazing fire

and searing grief from my hovering ribs.

مُتاحٌ مِن الأقْدارِ مَزَّقَ شَمْلها

بِكَسْحٍ مُغير أو إغارَة كاسِح

An event allotted by fate tore their company apart

with a ravaging sweep, or a sweeping raid;

وخَافٍ من الألْطافِ أبْرَزها إِلى

مَنَاحٍ تَلافَتْ صَدْعَهَا وَمنائِح

but a hidden act of kindness brought them forth to

destinations and gifts that mended their fracture.

بَرَدْنَ الصّدى لمّا ورَدن من النَّدى

علَى سَائِغ يُنْبُوعُهُ العدُّ سائِح

They cooled their thirst when they came to bounty,

to a sweet draught whose perennial spring runs free.

وَهَوَّنَتِ الجُلّى عَلَيها دَقائِقٌ

مِن اللحظِ أَعْيا بَعضُها كُلّ شارِح

Their great calamity was eased by subtleties

of regard, some beyond every interpreter.

أَلا حَبَّذا فُلْكٌ مَواخرُ زَاحَمَتْ

غَوارِبَ طامٍ لا يُنَهْنَهُ طامِح

Ah, how fine the water-cleaving ships that pressed against

the crests of a swollen sea, surging unchecked!

جرَتْ فوقَ موْجٍ كالجِبالِ تَناوَحَتْ

فكيفَ نَجتْ مِن نَوْحِها المُتَناوِح

They sailed over mountain-like waves that wailed to one another;

how did they escape their answering lament?

تَؤُمُّ إِماماً لم تَزل بِسُعودِهِ

تَسيرُ بِنا سَيْرَ النّواجي النّواجِح

They made for an imam, and, by his good fortune, ever

bore us along like swift camels sure of their goal,

مُلاقِيَةً في يَمِّها يُمْن أمنِها

بآيةِ إذْعانِ الصِّعاب الجَوامِح

finding in their sea the blessedness of safety,

a sign that wild, unbridled steeds submit.

وقَد حَكَم الإصفاقَ أنّ اقتِحامَها

إليهِ غِمارَ المَوتِ صَفقةُ رابِح

The bargain was sealed: their plunging

toward him through death's depths was a profitable deal.

وَمَنْ يرْجُ يَحيى المُرْتَضَى لِحَيَاتِه

يَنَلْها على رَغْمِ الليالي الشّحائِح

Whoever looks to Yahya al-Murtada for his life

will gain it, despite the grudging nights.

فَبَرْقُ النّدى مِنهُ بِغُرّة ضاحِكٍ

وَزَنْد الوَغى مِنْهُ برَاحَة قادِح

Bounty's lightning shines from his smiling brow,

and war's firestick sparks beneath his striking palm.

إمَامُ هُدىً تَقْفو الأئِمةُ نَهْجَه

فَيَأتَمُّ مِنْهُمْ صالِحونَ بِصالِح

An imam of guidance, whose path the imams follow;

the righteous among them take a righteous man as guide.

وَتَغْزو إذا يغْزو النجومُ عُداتَه

فمن رامحٍ يَقضي عَلَيها وذابِح

When he campaigns, the stars campaign against his foes,

among them a Spearman who destroys them, and a Slaughterer.

رَحيبٌ رَحيمٌ صَدْرُهُ وَجَنَابُه

وَقَد حَرَجتْ ضِيقاً صُدورُ المَنادِح

Spacious and merciful are his heart and his presence,

while even the breasts of wide expanses grow cramped.

مِنَ المَلأ الأعْلَى تَذلُّ لعِزّه

وَتَخضَعُ أعْنَاقُ المُلوكِ الجَحَاجِح

He is of the highest assembly; his might humbles

and bows the necks of mighty kings.

ومِنْ ذَرْوَة البَيْتِ العَتيقِ بِنَاؤُه

عَلَى شَرَفٍ للنّيراتِ مُنَاطِح

His edifice rises from the summit of the Ancient House,

on a height that vies with the radiant stars.

أجَابَ أبو حَفْصٍ مُهيباً بهِ إِلى

بِناء المَعالي واقتِناء المَمَادِح

Abu Hafs answered one urging him toward

building noble deeds and acquiring grounds for praise.

هُوَ المَلْك لا تَرْقَى المُلوكُ مَكانَه

وأينَ مِن الإصباحِ ضَوْءُ المَصابِح

He is the king; no kings can reach his station—

what is the light of lamps beside the dawn?

شَأى كَيفَ شاءَ السابِقِينَ إِلى العُلا

وغَذُّ المَذاكِي غَيرُ سَير النَواضِح

As he pleased, he outstripped the foremost seekers of high rank;

the gallop of mature steeds is not the gait of water-camels.

مُوَطّأُ دارِ العَدْلِ فَهَّمَتِ العِدى

مَغازِيهِ مَعنَى الصّيْدِ قَبْلَ الذّبائِح

He makes justice's abode welcoming; his foes were taught

by his campaigns the meaning of hunting before slaughter.

إِذا لَم يَبِنْ سِرُّ السّماحِ وَفَتْ به

أساريرُ وَجْهٍ لِلغَزالَةِ فاضِح

If generosity's secret is not plain, it is fully expressed by

the lineaments of a face that puts the sun to shame,

وطُولُ يَدٍ طُوْلى يسحّ حِباؤُها

كَما سحّ ثجّاجُ السحابِ الدّوالِح

and the long reach of a matchless hand whose gifts pour down

like the downpour of heavy-laden clouds.

لَه عادَتَا جُودٍ وبأسٍ أعادَتَا

عَلَى الدّين والدُّنيا نِظَام المَصالِح

His twin habits of generosity and might have restored

to faith and worldly life the proper order of affairs.

يَجد رِقاعَ المالِ سِلْماً ويَنثَني

لِحَطْم القَنا حَرْباً وفلّ الصّفائِح

He divides his wealth in peace, then turns

in war to shatter spears and notch sword blades.

ومِن كَرَمٍ إصْغَاؤُه واهتِزَازُه

لِما يَعْتَفيه من بَنَاتِ القَرائِح

His listening and delighted stirring are part of his generosity

toward the daughters of poetic minds that seek his bounty.

وما الرّاسِخاتُ الشّامِخاتُ أنوفها

بِأرْجحَ وَزْناً منْ نُهاه الرّواجِح

Not even the firmly rooted mountains, with towering noses,

outweigh his weighty powers of reason.

سَمَا بيَ إِحضارٌ لِحَضْرَتِه التي

زَجَرْتُ إلَيها سانِحاً بَعْدَ سانِح

A summons to his presence raised me high—that presence

toward which I had read one auspicious bird-omen after another.

ولَم أعتَمد إلا حِمَاه أُعِدُّهُ

عِتاداً لدَهْرٍ جانفٍ غير جانِح

I have relied on his sanctuary alone, reckoning it

a safeguard against an unjust, unyielding age.

وعِندِي ثَنَاءٌ عَن أياديهِ قاصِرٌ

ولكِنّه جَهْدُ الشّكُور المُنَاصِح

I have praise that falls short of his benefactions,

but it is the utmost effort of a grateful, sincere well-wisher.

أُطَارحُهُ حَتى الحَمَامَ بَدَوْحِهِ

وأشْدُو بِه شَدْوَ الحَمَامِ المُطارِح

I trade it in song even with the doves in his lofty trees,

and sing it like doves answering one another.