أهاجتك ذكرى من خليط ومعهد — Ibn Alkhatib

أَهاجَتْكَ ذِكْرى منْ خَليطٍ ومَعْهَدِ

سمَحْتَ لَها بالدّمْعِ في كلِّ مَشْهَدِ

Has a memory of companions and a familiar haunt stirred you,

that you yielded it tears in every place?

وعادَكَ عِيدٌ منْ تذَكُّرِ جِيرَةٍ

نأَوْا بالذي أسْأَرْتَهُ منْ تجَلُّدِ

And has a recurring remembrance of neighbors revisited you,

who departed with what remained of your fortitude?

حَنانَيْكَ في نَفْسٍ شَعاعٍ ومُهْجَةٍ

إذا لمْ يحِنْ منْ بعْدِهِمْ فكأنْ قَدِ

Mercy, mercy upon a scattered soul and a heart

that, if it has not perished since they left, seems already to have done so.

فكَمْ دونَهُمْ منْ مَهْمَةٍ ومَفازَةٍ

وأثْباجِ بحْرٍ زاخِرِ اللُّجِّ مُزْبِدِ

How many trackless wastes and deserts lie between you and them,

and broad reaches of a sea with swelling, foaming depths!

كأنْ لم يكُنْ منْ قبْلِ يومِكَ عاشِقٌ

ولا واقِفٌ بالرَّبْعِ وقْفَةَ مُكْمَدِ

As though before your day there had never been a lover,

nor anyone standing at the dwelling in grief,

ولا سألَ الأطْلالَ بعْدَ قَطينِها

فعيّتْ جَواباً بعْدَ طولِ ترَدُّدِ

nor anyone questioning the ruins after their dwellers departed,

which could give no answer after long questioning.

ومُسْتَنْصَرٍ منْ دَمْعِهِ غيْرُ ناصِرِ

ومُسْتَنْجَدٍ منْ ضُرِّه غيْرُ مُنْجِدِ

And many a helper sought among his tears, yet giving no help,

and a rescuer sought against his distress, yet giving no rescue,

سوى عَبْرَةٍ تحْدو ثِقالَ سَحابِها

إذا ما ونَتْ ريحُ الزّفيرِ المُصَعّدِ

save a tear that drives along its laden clouds,

when the wind of rising sighs grows faint.

أسَى النّفْسِ لا يَقْوى على ردِّ فائِتٍ

فإنْ شِئْتَ فلْتُقْلِلْ وإنْ شِئْتَ فازْدَدِ

The soul's sorrow cannot restore what is lost;

lessen it if you wish, or increase it if you wish.

وما رَجُلُ الدّنْيا سوى متَقَطِّنٍ

لنَكْرانِها ماضٍ مَضاءَ المُهَنَّدِ

A man of the world is only one alert

to its faithlessness, resolute as an Indian blade.

إذا أقْبَلَتْ بالخيْرِ لمْ تسْتَفزَّهُ

وإنْ كان معْتَدّاً بهِ ضُرَّ مُعْتَدي

When it comes bringing good, it does not excite him,

however prized it be—the harm of an aggressor.

فَلا تَقْنَ ما يَجْني علَيْكَ ذَهابُهُ

وإنْ كان مُعْتَدّاً بهِ ضُرَّ مُعْتَدي

So do not hoard what, through its loss, inflicts upon you,

however prized it be—the harm of an aggressor.

وخُذْ ما بِهِ جادَ الزّمانُ مُسامِحاً

ولا تَتْرُكْ يوْمَ السّرورِ الى غَدِ

Take with an easy spirit what time bestows,

and do not postpone a day of joy until tomorrow.

وسِرْ في مَراحِ اللهِ مُقْتَصِرَ الخُطى

وكُنْ لنَوالِ اللّهِ مُنْبَسِطَ اليَدِ

Walk in God's pasture with measured steps,

and hold your hand open for God's bounty.

وإنْ راعَ دهْرٌ أو تنَكّرَ حادِثٌ

فلُذْ بحِمى منْ عامِرِ بْنِ محمَّدِ

If time alarms you, or an event turns hostile,

seek refuge in the protection of ʿAmir ibn Muhammad,

فتَى الحَيّ منْ هِنْتاتَةٍ جيرَةِ الهُدى

وخيرَةِ أصْحابِ الإمامِ المُوَحِّدِ

the clan's champion, of Hintata, neighbors of guidance,

and the choicest companions of the Almohad imam.

وكوْكَبُ أفْقِ الغَرْبِ لمْ يَبْقَ بعْدَهُ

وبعْدَ ابْنِهِ منْ كوْكَبٍ متوقِّدِ

And the star of the western horizon, after whom there remained,

and after his son, no blazing star.

رَحيبُ مَجالِ الفَضْلِ يَكْلَفُ بالعُلى

فَما هوَ بالمُصْغي لقَوْلِ المُفَنِّدِ

Vast is his field of excellence, enamored of the heights;

he gives no ear to the faultfinder's words.

ويَطْوي بُرودَ الُلْكِ فوقَ خلائِقٍ

تُناسبُ خُلْقَ النّاسِكِ المتزهِّدِ

He folds the mantles of kingship over qualities

akin to the character of a devout, self-denying ascetic.

ومُشْتَغِلٍ بالحَزْمِ يَقْدَحُ زَنْدُهُ

إذا اشْتَغَلَ الأمْلاكُ باللّهْوِ والدَّدِ

Busied with resolve, his fire-stick strikes sparks

when kings busy themselves with amusement and play.

وضافِي لِباسِ المَجْدِ بالفَضْلِ مُكْتَسٍ

وبالفَخْرِ مُعْتَمٍّ وبالحَمْدِ مرْتَدي

Ample in robes of glory, clothed in excellence,

turbaned in honor and mantled in praise.

وتَحْتَمِلُ الرُّكْبانُ طيبَ حَديثِهِ

فيأتيكَ بالأخبارِ مَنْ لم تُزَوِّدِ

Travelers carry the sweet accounts of him,

and one you gave no provisions brings you news.

ومُرْتَقِبُ الإقْبالِ في كلِّ وجْهَةٍ

وأمْرٍ ولِلصّنْعِ الجَميلِ معوَّدِ

Expecting good fortune in every direction

and undertaking, accustomed to gracious favors.

فوَاللّهِ ما نَدْري أيُمْنُ نَقيبَةٍ

ترِفُّ علَيْهِ أمْ سَعادةُ موْلِدِ

By God, we do not know: is it a fortunate disposition

that hovers over him, or good fortune at birth?

تُساسُ بهِ الأقْطارُ بعْدَ ارْتِجاجِها

وتَدْنو لهُ الأوْطارُ بعْدَ تبَعُّدِ

Through him the realms are governed after their upheaval,

and desired ends draw near to him after being far away.

لهُ جبَلٌ في مُلْتَقَى الهوْلِ عاصِمٌ

يُناولُ مَنْ يحْتَلّهُ النّجْمَ باليَدِ

He has a mountain, a refuge where terrors meet,

placing a star in the hand of whoever dwells upon it.

ورأيٌ إذا ما جُهِّزَتْ عنْهُ رايَةٌ

كَفى سعْدُها عنْ كُلِّ جُنْدٍ مجَنَّدِ

And judgment such that, when a banner is dispatched by it,

its good fortune suffices in place of every mustered army.

يَرى الأمْرَ في أعْجازِهِ وصُدورِهِ

بعيْنِ البَصيرِ الألْمَعيِّ المُسَدَّدِ

He sees a matter in its endings and beginnings,

with the eye of a discerning, keen-witted, unerring man.

ألَيْسَ منَ القوْمِ الذينَ عُلاهُمُ

مُخلَّدَةٌ واسْتَشْهِدِ الكُتْبَ تَشْهَدِ

Is he not of the people whose eminence

is everlasting? Ask the books to witness: they will testify.

مآثِرُهُمْ في الدّينِ غيْرُ خَفيّةٍ

فهُمْ كالنّجومِ الزّاهِراتِ لمُهْتَدي

Their glorious deeds in the faith are no secret;

they are like shining stars to one seeking the way.

خَلائِفُ عبْدِ المؤْمِنِ المَلِكِ الذي

بسِرٍّ من المَهْديِّ قدْ كانَ يهْتَدي

Successors to ʿAbd al-Muʾmin, the king who

was guided by a secret from al-Mahdi,

ودوّخَ أكْنافَ البَسيطَةِ بعْدَهُ

وأعْلَنَ بالتّوْحيدِ في كُلِّ مسْجِدِ

and subdued the earth's far reaches after him,

and proclaimed God's oneness in every mosque.

فأبْناؤهُ منْ بعْدِهِ أعْمَلوا الظُّبى

وأمْضَوْا سُيوفَ اللّهِ في كلِّ مُلْحِدِ

His sons after him set their sword-edges to work,

and drove God's swords through every heretic.

فسَلْ إنْ أرَدْتَ الأرْكَ إذ غصّتِ الرُّبى

بكُلِّ عَميدٍ بالرَّغامِ موَسَّدِ

Ask al-Arak, if you wish, when the hills were choked

with every chieftain pillowed on the dust.

فمَنْ ذالَهُ كالقوْمِ إنْ شِئْتَ في نَدىً

وبأسٍ وفي فضْلٍ وفي صِدْقِ مَشْهَدِ

Who, then, has their like, if you will, in generosity,

and valor, in excellence, and in steadfastness in battle?

لَئِنْ زيّنوا الدُّنْيا بزُهْرِ وُجوهِهِمْ

لقدْ زيّنوا بالذِّكْرِ كلَّ مُجلَّدِ

If they adorned the world with their radiant faces,

they surely adorned every volume with their remembrance.

وأبْقَوْا ثَناءً عاطِراً فكأنّما

نَسيمُ الصَّبا هبّتْ على الزّهْرِ النّدي

They left behind fragrant praise, as though

the east wind's breeze had blown over dew-wet flowers.

أبا ثابِتٍ لازالَ سَعْدُكَ ثابِتاً

وجودُكَ يَرْوي وِرْدُهُ غُلّةَ الصّدِي

Abu Thabit, may your good fortune remain steadfast,

and your generosity's watering place quench the thirst of the parched.

ولازِلْتَ قُطْباً تَسْتَديرُ بهِ العُلى

كما دارَتِ الأفْلاكُ حوْلَ المُحَدَّدِ

May you remain a pole around which eminence revolves,

as the celestial spheres revolve about the outermost sphere.

رفَعْتَ بِناءَ المُلْكِ لمّا تَمايَلَتْ

دَعائِمُهُ فوْقَ الأساسِ الموطَّدِ

You raised the edifice of kingship when there swayed

its pillars above the firmly laid foundation.

وأصْرَخْتَهُ لمّا دَعاكَ على النّوى

وواصَلَ ترْجيعَ النِّداءِ المَرَدَّدِ

You came to its rescue when it called you from afar,

and kept repeating its echoed cry,

بكُلِّ صَقيلِ المتْنِ سالَ خَليجُهُ

ولكنّ حُكْمَ القَيْنِ قال لهُ اجْمُدِ

with every polished-backed blade whose channel flowed,

until the smith's decree told it, 'Freeze!'

يُري بنُحولِ الحَدِّ شيمَةَ عاشِقٍ

ويُكْذِبُ خَدّاهُ بخَدٍّ مُورَّدِ

Its slender edge displays a lover's nature,

yet its two cheeks belie this with a rose-red cheek.

ومُلْتَفِتٍ عنْ أزْرَقِ اللّحْظِ قدْ حَكى

بهِ العَلَقُ المُحْمَرُّ مُقْلَةَ أرْمَدِ

And a blade turned from its blue glance, upon which

reddened gore has mimicked an inflamed eye.

شَكا مَرَهَ الألْحاظِ في حوْمَةِ الوَغى

فوافاهُ مُلْتَفُّ الغُبارِ بإثْمِدِ

It lamented its unpainted eyes in the thick of battle,

and swirling dust came to it bearing kohl.

وكُلُّ شَهيرِ العِتْقِ أشْرَفَ جيدُهُ

وقامَ على مَلْمومَةٍ منْ زَبَرْجَدِ

And every steed renowned for pure breeding, its neck raised high,

standing upon a compact mass of chrysolite.

تألّقَ عنْ بَرْقِ الدُّجنّة كلّما

تبسَّمَ في قِطْعٍ منَ اللّيلِ أرْبَدِ

It flashed like lightning from a dark cloud whenever

it smiled within a murky stretch of night.

إذا ما تغنّى بالصّهيلِ مرَجِّعاً

سمِعْتَ بهِ صوْتَ الغَريضِ ومَعْبَدِ

When it sings, trilling its neigh,

you hear in it the voices of al-Gharid and Maʿbad.

وجدّدْتَ نصْرَ الجِدِّ في ابْنِ ابْنِهِ الذي

رعَيْتَ لهُ حقَّ الذِّمامِ المؤَكَّدِ

And you renewed your support for the grandfather in his grandson, for whom

you upheld the claim of a solemnly confirmed covenant.

ولمْ تأتِ بِدْعاً بالوَفاءِ وإنّما

شفَعْتَ الذي أسْلَفْتَ في القوْمِ منْ يَدِ

You brought no novelty in faithfulness; you merely

paired with another the favor you had earlier shown these people.

ويأبَى لكَ المجْدُ الذي أنْتَ أهْلُهُ

على الدّهْرِ إلا أنْ تُتَمِّمَ ما بُدِي

The glory of which you are worthy allows you

throughout time nothing but to complete what was begun.

وعُدْتَ يجُرُّ المُلْكُ خلْفَكَ ذَيْلَهُ

وفي حُكْمِكَ العُلْيا تَروحُ وتَغْتَدي

You returned, kingship trailing its train behind you,

while eminence goes forth evening and morning under your command.

ويَعْتَدُّ منْكَ المُلْكُ والدِّينُ والوَرى

بكافِي الدّواهِي والهُمامِ المؤيَّدِ

Kingship, faith, and humankind rely on you

as the warder-off of calamities, the aided champion.

وسوّغكَ العَقْدُ السّعيدُ مسَرّةً

وهنّأَكَ الإمْلاكُ أعْذَبَ موْرِدِ

The happy marriage bond has granted you delight,

and marriage has brought you the sweetest watering place.

شَدَدْتَ بصِهْرِ المُلْكِ أزْرَ مَجادَةٍ

تَوارَثْتَها عنْ أوْحَدٍ بعْدَ أوْحَدِ

Through royal marriage you strengthened a nobility

inherited from one peerless forebear after another.

ومِثْلُكَ مَنْ يَرْمي بهمَّتِهِ العُلى

ويَرْفَعُ أعْلامَ الثّناءِ المُجَدَّدِ

One like you aims his ambition at the heights,

and raises the banners of renewed praise,

ويُحْيي منَ التّوْحيدِ رسْماً يُعيدُهُ

لخَيْرِ اجْتِماعِ الشّمْلِ بعْدَ تبدُّدِ

and revives a vestige of Almohad unity, restoring it

to the finest reunion after dispersal.

عَقيلَةُ مُلْكٍ فُزْتَ منْها بطائِلٍ

عَزيزٍ على نفْسِ الكَريمِ المُمَجَّدِ

A noble daughter of kingship—from her you gained a boon

precious to the soul of a noble, exalted man.

يُزرُّ علَيْها هوْدَجُ المُلْكِ هالَةً

يَدورُ علَيْها كُلُّ غَفْرٍ وفَرْقَدِ

The royal howdah is fastened about her like a halo;

around her every Ghafr and Farqad revolves.

فلوْ أنْصَفَتْ فوْقَ العُيونِ ابْتَغَوْا لَها

طَريقاً فتَمْشي فوْقَ صَرْحٍ مُمَرَّدِ

Were she treated fairly, they would seek for her above their eyes

a path, so she might walk upon a smooth, polished court.

وفي نِسْبَةِ الأشْياءِ يظْهَرُ حُسْنُها

موحَّدَةٌ زفّتْ لخَيْرِ موَحِّدِ

The beauty of things appears in their fitting relation:

an Almohad woman led as bride to the finest Almohad.

فهنّأكَ اللهُ الإيابَ ولا انْقَضَتْ

سُعودُكَ تَتْرى بيْنَ مَثْنى ومَوْحَدِ

May God make your return a joy, and may they never end—

your happy fortunes, coming in succession, in twos and ones.

وقابِلْ صَنيعَ اللّهِ فيكَ بشُكْرِهِ

وراقِبْهُ حالَ السِّرِّ والجَهْرِ تُحْمَدِ

Meet God's goodness toward you with thanks to Him,

and be mindful of Him in private and public: you will be praised.

فَيا هَضْبَةَ العُلْيا ويا مُزْنَةَ النّدى

ويا مَفْخَرَ الدُّنْيا ويا قَمَرَ النّدي

O mountain of eminence, O raincloud of bounty,

O pride of the world, O moon of the assembly,

ويا عُدّةَ المُلْكِ المَرينيِّ كلّما

اسْتَجارَ بهِ في الأمْسِ واليوْمِ والغَدِ

O mainstay of Marinid kingship, whenever

it seeks refuge in him, yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

ركَضْتُ إليْكَ الجُرْدَ أفْلي بها الفَلا

وأذْرَعُ منْها فَدْفَداً بعْدَ فَدْفَدِ

I spurred lean steeds toward you, combing the wilderness with them,

and measuring out its wastes, expanse after expanse.

يَطيرُ بِها الشّوقُ الحَثيثُ فيَنْبَري

لمثْواكَ فيها كلُّ سَهْمٍ مُسَدَّدِ

Urgent longing makes them fly, and there darts

toward your dwelling, among them, every well-aimed arrow.

ولوْ هاجَ عزْمي منْ سِواكَ وصاحَ بي

لآثَرْتُ سِيما العاجِزِ المُتَبَلِّدِ

Had anyone but you stirred my resolve and called to me,

I would have preferred the guise of a helpless dullard.

وما كُنْتُ أرْضى أنْ أنالَ ذَريعَةً

أُكِدُّ لها نَفْسي وأُكْذِبُ مَقْصَدي

I would not be content to gain an avenue of favor

for which I exhaust myself and belie my purpose,

وأقْتَحِمُ الأخْطارَ والأرضُ تلْتَظي

وألْتَهِمُ الأقْطارَ والهَوْلُ يغْتَدي

and plunge into dangers while the earth blazes,

and devour distances while terror sets out at dawn,

ولوْ أنّ شمْسَ الجوِّ أو قَمَر الدُّجى

يعودانِ لي هَضْبَيْ نُضارٍ وعسْجَدِ

even if the sun of the sky or the moon of darkness

became for me two mountains of gold and fine gold.

ولكنّهُ وُدٌّ وحُسْنُ تَخيُّرٍ

قضى لكَ منّي بالثّناءِ المُخَلَّدِ

But it is affection and sound choosing

that have ordained for you everlasting praise from me.

جعلْتُكَ بيْنَ النّاسِ حظّي الذي سمَتْ

لإحْرازِهِ نفْسي وطَبْعيَ مُنْجِدي

I made you my portion among men, the prize my soul aspired

to win, with my own nature lending me aid.

وحرَّكَ عزْمي أنْ أزورَكَ قاعِداً

على فُرُشِ العِزِّ الأصيلِ المُجَدَّدِ

And my resolve was stirred to visit you seated

upon the couches of ancient, renewed honor,

ليَخْلُصَ تأمِيلي إلَيْكَ ووِجْهَتي

ويَبْرأُ عزْمي منْ سِواكَ ومَقْصَدي

so that my hope and my course might be devoted to you alone,

and my resolve and purpose be free of all but you.

فلا تَنْسَ لي هَذا الذِّمامَ فإنّهُ

لَخيْرُ ذِمامٍ قد وصَلْتُ به يَدي

Do not forget this bond I hold with you, for it

is the finest bond to which I have joined my hand.

أجازَ عُلاكَ اللهُ منْ كُلِّ حادِثٍ

ولازِلْتَ في سَعْدٍ على الدّهْرِ مُسْعِدِ

May God preserve your eminence from every misfortune,

and may you ever enjoy good fortune that favors you through time.

وأحْيَى أبا يَحْيَى لعَيْنِكَ قُرّةً

قَريعُكَ في حَزْمٍ وعزْمٍ وسُؤدَدِ

May He keep Abu Yahya alive, a joy to your eyes,

your peer in prudence, resolve, and lordliness,

مؤمَّلَ أبْنائي ومَظْهرَ دعْوَتي

ولوْلا اتّقائي عتْبَهُ قُلْتُ سيّدي

the hope of my sons, the embodiment of my prayer;

were I not afraid of his reproach, I would call him my lord.

ولازِلْتَ تجْني كلّما اشْتَجرَ الوَغى

جنَى النّصْرِ منْ غرْسِ القَنا المُتقصِّدِ

May you ever reap, whenever battle clashes,

victory's fruit from the planting of splintered spears.

وكثّرَ منْ حُسّادِكَ اللّهُ إنّهُ

إنِ اللّهُ أنْمى خيْرَهُ لكَ تُحْسَدِ

May God increase your enviers, for indeed,

if God increases His bounty toward you, you will be envied.