سقى دارهم هام من السحب هامع — Ibn Alkhatib

سَقَى دارَهُمْ هامٍ منَ السُّحْبِ هامِعُ

ولا أجْدَبَتْ تِلكَ الرُّبَى والأجارِعُ

May a streaming, pouring cloud water their dwelling,

and may those hills and sandy tracts never grow barren.

يَنوبُ عنِ الأجْفانِ في عَرَصاتِها

إذا كَلَّ منْها عارِضٌ مُتَتابِعُ

It takes the place of eyelids in its open grounds

when their ceaseless raincloud grows weary.

وحَيَّ بِها عهْدِي إذِ العيْشُ ناعِمٌ

نَضيرٌ وإذْ روْضُ الشّبيبةِ يانِعُ

And may my days there live again, when life was gentle,

fresh, and the garden of youth was ripe.

وقَفْنا علَيها الرَّكْبَ يوْماً وبعْدَهُ

وثالِثَ يوْمٍ واقْتَضى السّيْرَ رابِعُ

We halted the caravan there for a day, and the next,

and a third day; a fourth demanded we move on.

نُعَفِّرُ في الآثارِ حُرَّ خُدودِنا

ونَشْكو الى الأطْلالِ ما البَيْنُ صانِعُ

We rubbed our tender cheeks in the dust of the traces,

and lamented to the ruins what separation does.

فكمْ قدْ روَتْ عنّا بِها تِلكُمُ الرُّبَى

أحاديثَ شكْوَى سَلسَلَتْها المَدامِعُ

How often those hills there have told on our behalf

tales of lament, strung together by tears.

مَعاهِدَنا اللاّتِي محَتْ حُسْنَكِ النّوَى

تُرَى هلْ لَيالِي الأنْسِ منْكِ تُراجِعُ

O our old haunts, whose beauty separation has erased,

I wonder: will your nights of companionship return?

ويَسْكُنُ قلْبٌ منْ بِعادِكِ خافِقٌ

ويَرْفأ جَفْنٌ منْ فِراقِكِ دامِعُ

And will a heart pounding at your absence grow still,

and an eyelid weeping at parting from you cease its tears?

يَميناً بعَهْدِ القُرْبِ فيكِ إذِ الهَوى

قَشيباً وإذْ شمْلَ الأحبّةِ جامِعُ

I swear by the days of nearness in you, when love

was fresh, and when it gathered the company of loved ones:

لَمَا خامَرَ السَّلْوانُ بعْدُ قُلوبَنا

ولا عرَفَتْ مِنّا الجُنوبَ المَضاجعُ

consolation has not yet entered our hearts,

nor have beds known our sides.

وإنّا لَيَعْرونا إليْكِ تَشَوُّقٌ

إذا لاحَ برْقٌ منْ ثَناياكِ لامِعُ

And longing for you indeed assails us

when flashing lightning appears from your mountain passes.

ومِنْ عجَبٍ أنْ خانَنا فيكِ عزْمُنا

فَلا العَهْدُ مَنْسيٌّ ولا الحيُّ شاسِعُ

And it is a wonder that our resolve has failed us over you,

for neither is the old bond forgotten, nor is the encampment far.

وما إنْ تَنَكَّبْنا الوَفاءَ طَريقَةً

ولا برِحَتْ تَحْنو علَيْهِ الأضالِعُ

We have not turned from fidelity as our path,

nor have our ribs ceased to embrace it tenderly.

ولكِنّنا جِئْنا منَ الأرْضِ جنّةً

بِها للعِبادِ الفائِزينَ مَشارِعُ

But we have reached a paradise on earth,

with watering places for the fortunate servants.

فأبْصارُنا وقْفٌ علَى كلِّ منْظَرٍ

يَروقُ وفِيها ما تلَذّ المَسامِعُ

So our eyes are devoted to every sight

that delights, and it holds what pleases the ears.

ومَنْ حَلَّ هَذا المُلْكَ لمْ يَبْغ بعْدَهُ

رَحيلاً ولمْ ينْزِعْ بِهِ عنْهُ نازِعُ

And whoever settles in this kingdom seeks thereafter no

departure, nor does any impulse draw him away from it.

حلَلْنا منَ الأنْصارِ حيّاً بنُورِهِ

أضاءَت لأرْبابِ اليَقينِ المَطالِعُ

We dwelt with a clan of the Ansar, by whose light

the horizons shone for those possessed of certainty,

وغَاباً لأُسْدِ اللّهِ دونَ مَرامِهِ

جُنودُ السّماواتِ الطِّباقِ تُدافِعُ

and in a forest for God's lions; barring access to it,

the hosts of the tiered heavens stand in defense.

وإنْ غالَ خطْبُ فهْوَ مأْوَى منَ الرّدَى

وإنْ هالَ ذنْبٌ فهْوَ في الذّنْبِ شافِعُ

And if calamity strikes, it is a refuge from death;

and if sin terrifies, it intercedes regarding that sin.

وفاضَتْ علَيْنا منْ مَواهِبِ يوسُفٍ

بِحارٌ لغُلاّتِ الظَّماءِ نَواقِعُ

And from Yusuf's gifts there overflowed upon us

seas that quench the thirsty ones' burning thirst.

ولاحَتْ لَنا منْ بِشْرِهِ ونَوالِهِ

سَحائِبُ تَهْمي والشُموسُ طَوالِعُ

And from his cheerful face and his bounty there appeared to us

clouds pouring rain, and suns rising.

فلمْ نَرَ منْ قبْلِ اسْتِلامِ يَمينِه

بِحارَ نَوالٍ قِيلَ هُنّ أصابعُ

For before touching his right hand we had never seen

seas of bounty said to be fingers.

ألا هَكذا فلْيُحْرِز المَجْدَ ربُّهُ

وتُبْنى المَعالي أوْ تُرَبّى الصّنائِعُ

Behold! Thus let glory's master win it,

and lofty attainments be built, or benefactions nurtured.

أميرَ العُلَى لوْلاكَ لمْ تنْبُ رَوْعَةٌ

ولمْ تَعْرِف النّوْمَ العُيونُ الهَواجِعُ

O prince of glory, but for you no terror would have receded,

nor would slumbering eyes have known sleep.

ولا سُكِنَتْ هَذِي الجَزيرةُ بُرْهَةً

وأصْبَحَتِ الأوْطانُ وهْيَ بلاقِعُ

Nor would this peninsula have been inhabited even for a while,

and the homelands would have become empty wastes.

ولا عُرِفَ الحقُّ المُبينُ من الهَوى

ولا مثَلَتْ للسّالِكين المَهايِعُ

Nor would clear truth have been distinguished from caprice,

nor would broad paths have appeared to travelers.

ولمّا استَشاطَ الكُفْرُ بيْنَ بلادِها

وقادَتْهُ لاستِئْصالِهنّ المَطامِعُ

And when unbelief raged among its lands,

and greed drove it to uproot them,

أعَدَّك فِيها اللهُ تنْصُرُ دينَهُ

وتَصْدَعُ بالحقِّ الذي هوَ صادِعُ

God readied you there to uphold His faith,

and proclaim the truth, which cleaves asunder,

وتَمْضي كَما يمْضي القَضاءُ بقُدْرَةٍ

منَ اللهِ لا يُلْفَى لَها الدّهْرَ دافِعُ

and advance as destiny advances, by a power

from God, against which no repeller is ever found.

وكتّبْتَ منْ أُسْد الحِفاظِ كَتائِباً

إذا ثوّبَ الدّاعي أتَتْهُ تُسارِعُ

And you formed battalions from the lions who guard honor;

whenever the caller sounded his summons, they came to him in haste.

إذا سحَبوا ذَيْلَ الدّروعِ إلى الوَغَى

كما تسْحَبُ السُّحْبَ البُدورُ الطّوالِعُ

When they trailed the hems of their armor into battle,

as rising full moons trail the clouds,

تحرّكَتِ الأجْيالُ واشْتَعَلَ الفَلا

وزُلْزِلَ منْ هَذي البَسيطةِ وادِعُ

the peoples stirred, and the desert burst into flame,

and every peaceful dweller on this earth was shaken.

وأعْدَدْتَ منْ غُرِّ الجِيادِ صَوافِنا

تَغارُ بأدْناهَا البُروقُ اللّوامِعُ

And you readied white-blazed steeds, standing poised,

whose least the flashing lightning envies.

مُطَهّمَةً جُرداً لها منْ دَمِ العِدَى

شِياتٌ ومنْ نسْجِ القَتامِ البَراقِعُ

Well-formed and sleek-coated, they bear, from their enemies' blood,

markings, and veils woven from battle dust.

ومُنْصَلِتٌ كالصُّبْحِ أشهَبُ ساطِعٌ

وأحْمَرُ وردِيٌّ وأصْفَرُ فاقِعُ

And one is swift, dawn-like, gray and radiant,

and one rose-red, and another vivid yellow.

لدَيْهِنّ منْ رألِ الرِّمالِ إذا انثَنَتْ

تَليلُ ومِنْ ظَبْي الفَلاةِ أَسارِعُ

When they turn, they have, from the sands' young ostrich,

a neck, and from the desert gazelle, sinews.

وثقّفْتَ منْ سُمْرِ الرِّماحِ ذَوابِلاً

بأقْلامِها فِيهِمْ تُخَطُّ الوَقائِعُ

And you straightened slender, brown spear-shafts;

with their pens, battles are inscribed upon the foe.

فأصْبَحَ جمْعُ الكُفْرِ دونَ نِزالِها

كَما تتْرُكُ النّبْتَ الهَشيمَ الزّعازِعُ

So the host of unbelief, before engaging them, became

like dry plants left strewn by tempest winds.

يؤَمِّلُ بالسِّلْمِ انتِظامَ شَتاتِهِ

وهيْهاتَ يُرْجى وصْلُ ما اللهُ قاطِعُ

It hopes through peace to gather its scattered ranks,

but how vain to hope to join what God severs!

فبابُكَ مرْجُوٌّ وبأسُكَ مُتّقَى

ورِفْدُكَ مَبْذولٌ وعدْلُكَ شائعُ

So your door is sought in hope, and your might is feared;

your aid is freely given, and your justice widespread.

ومُلْكُكَ منْصورٌ وحِزْبُكَ غالِبٌ

وسيْفُكَ آنافَ الضّلالَةِ جادِعُ

Your kingdom is victorious, and your party triumphant,

and your sword cuts off the noses of error.

لكَ اللهُ ما أمْضى سُيوفَك كلّما

تَواقَعَ منْ مُرّ الحَوادِثِ واقِعُ

God be with you! How keen your swords are whenever

a bitter stroke of misfortune comes crashing down.

ومَنْ ذَا لهُ جَدٌّ كجَدِّكَ أوْ أبٌ

إذا عدّدَتْ آباءَهُنّ التّبابِعُ

And who has a grandfather like yours, or a father,

when the Tubba kings count their forefathers?

لقدْ أبْصَرَتْ منْكَ النّواظِرُ مِلأَها

غَداةَ بَدا منْ غُرّةِ العِيدِ طالِعُ

The eyes have indeed gazed their fill upon you

the morning a rising radiance appeared from Eid's bright brow.

برَزْتَ على رجْلِ الجَلالِ الى التي

تُرَفِّعُ منْ مَثْواكَ ما اللهُ رافِعُ

You came forth on majesty's foot toward that which

raises your station as God raises it.

وأحْيَيْتَ للدّينِ الحَنيفِ شَرائِعاً

بأنْصارِ دينِ اللهِ تُحْيَى الشّرائِعُ

And you revived ordinances for the upright faith;

through the champions of God's faith, ordinances are revived.

وقد زَحَفتْ يُعْشِي العيونَ رُواؤُها

صُفوفٌ من الفُرْسانِ وهْيَ دَوارِعُ

And there had advanced, their splendor dazzling the eyes,

ranks of horsemen, clad in armor.

فلمّا قضَيْتَ العيدَ سُنّةَ نحْرِهِ

وأُطعِمَ مُعْتَرُّ هُناك وقانِعُ

And when, on Eid, you had fulfilled its rite of sacrifice,

and the approaching supplicant and the contented poor were fed there,

رَجعتَ الى دارِ الخِلافةِ والعُلَى

فضاءَتْ بنورِ الهَديِ تلكَ المَرابعُ

you returned to the house of the caliphate and high glory,

and those quarters shone with the light of guidance.

وعرّضْتَ للتّقْبيلِ كَفاً كريمةً

تَفيضُ على الطُّلاّبِ منها ينابِعُ

And you offered a generous hand to be kissed,

from which springs flow forth upon those who seek.

وذاعَتْ بروْضِ المدْحِ فيكَ مدائِحٌ

كما ذاعَ منْ أنفاسِ دارينَ ذائِعُ

And praises of you spread through the garden of praise,

as fragrance spreads from the breaths of Darin.

فيَهْنيكَ في الأعْيادِ أسْعَدُ قادِمٍ

يخبِّرُ أنّ الفَتْحَ منْ بعْدُ تابعُ

So may the happiest visitor among the festivals gladden you,

announcing that victory will follow afterward.

أطلّ فحيّانا بطَلِّ سُرورِه

لقد عذُبَتْ منْهُ لَدَيْنا المَواقِعُ

It appeared and greeted us with the dew of its joy;

sweet indeed to us has been the fall of its dew.

فدُمْ ملْجَأ للدّينِ تَحْمي ذِمارَهُ

إذا دهَمَتْ يوْماً بَنيهِ المَفازِعُ

So remain a refuge for the faith, guarding its inviolable honor,

whenever terrors one day assail its sons.

كأن بكَ قد أحْرَزْتَ كلَّ ممَنّعٍ

بَعيدٍ فلمْ يمْنَعْهُ دونَكَ مانِعُ

It is as though you have already captured every fortified place,

far away, with no defender keeping it from you.

وأصبحَ مُلْكُ الرّومِ نهْباً وأصبحَتْ

تحَكَّمُ في غُلْبِ الرِّقابِ الجَوامِعُ

And the realm of the Romans has become plunder, and

shackles hold sway over massive necks.

ودانَتْ لكَ الدُنيا وأصْبَح شمْلُها

بُعَيْدَ افتِراقٍ وهْوَ بالدّينِ جامِعُ

And the world has submitted to you, and its fellowship has become

soon after division, all-embracing through the faith.

وإنّي لأرْجو اللهَ حتّى كأنّني

أرى بجَميلِ الظّنِّ ما اللهُ صانِعُ

And indeed I hope in God until it is as though I

see, through trusting expectation, what God will do.