لقد رام كتم الوجد يوم ارتحاله — Ibn Alkhatib

لَقَدْ رَامَ كَتْمَ الْوَجْدِ يَوْمَ ارْتِحَالِهِ

وَلَكِنَّ دَمْعَ الْعَيْنِ بَاحَ بِحَالِهِ

Indeed, he sought to conceal his passion on the day of his departure,

But the eye's tears disclosed his state.

فَجَادَ وَلَمْ يَمْلِكْ بَوَادِرَ عَبْرَةٍ

حَدَاهَا مَعَ الأظْعَانِ حَادِي جمَالِه

So he wept freely, unable to restrain the first gushes of tears,

His camel-driver sang the tears onward with the departing litters.

أَخُو زَفْرَةٍ لاَ يَسْتَقِيمُ كَأنَّمَا

يَجُولُ فَرَاشُ الْفِكْرِ حَوْلَ ذُبالِهِ

A man of sighs, unable to stand straight, as though

The moths of thought were circling his lampwicks.

إِذَا حَنَّ لاَقَى دَمْعَهُ بِيَمِينِهِ

وَإِنْ أَنَّ حَامَى قَلْبَهُ بِشِمَالِهِ

When he yearned, he caught his tears with his right hand,

And when he moaned, he shielded his heart with his left.

تَذَكَّرْتُ عَهْداً كَانَ أَحْلَى مِنَ الْكَرَى

وَأَقْصَرَ مِنْ إِلْمَامِ طَيْفِ خَيَالِهِ

I remembered a time that was sweeter than sleep,

And shorter than a fleeting visit from his dream-image.

فَيَالَيْتَ شِعْرِي مَنْ أَتَاحَ لِيَ الْجَوَى

وَعَذَّبَ بَالِي هَلْ أَمُرَّ بِبَالِهِ

Oh, would that I knew: the one who brought me heartache

And tormented my mind—do I cross his mind?

خَلِيلَيَّ هُبَّا فَازْجُرَاهَا وَعَرِّجَا

عَلَيْهَا بِكُثْبَانِ الْحِمَى وَرِمَالِهِ

My two friends, rise, urge her on, and halt

Beside her among the protected land's dunes and sands.

وَإِنْ غَالَهَا حَرَّ الْهَجِيِرِ فَذَكَّرِا

غَضَارَةَ وَادِيهِ وَبَرْدَ ظِلاَلِهِ

And if the midday heat overwhelms her, remind her

Of its valley's lushness and the coolness of its shades.

وَقُولاَ لَهَا رَيّاً فَأَكْنَافُ رِيَّةٍ

مَأَمَّ نَوَانَا فَابْشِرِي بِاحْتِلاِلِه

And tell her: Be quenched! For the environs of Riyya

Are our journey's destination; rejoice in settling there.

سَتَجْنيِنَ غَضَّ الْعَيْشِ مِنْ مَضَضِ السٌّرى

إذَا حُطَّ عَنْكِ الْكُورُ بَيْنَ حِلاَلِهِ

You will reap life's freshness from the pain of night travel,

When the camel-saddle is lifted from you among its encampments.

وَتَأَتِي أمِيرَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ خَوَامِسا

فَتَكْرَعُ مِنْ بَعْدِ النَّوى فِي نَوَالِهِ

And you will reach the Commander of the Muslims, five days athirst,

Then, after the long journey, you will drink deep of his bounty.

خَلِيفَةُ صِدْقٍ لَمْ يَجُدْ بِشَبِيهِهِ

زَمَانٌ وَلَمْ تَأَتِ الدٌّنَا بِمِثَالِهِ

A true caliph, whose like has never been bestowed

By time, nor have the worlds produced his equal.

يَرفٌّ إلَى الْعافِينَ لألاَءُ بِشرِهِ

كَمَا رَفَّ مَتْنُ الْعَضْبِ عِنْدَ صِقَالِهِ

The radiance of his cheerful face gleams toward those seeking bounty,

As a keen sword's face gleams when it is polished.

إذَا هَمَّ كَانَ الدَّهْرُ عَبْدَ مَقَامِهِ

وإنْ قَالَ كَانَ الْحَقَّ عِنْدَ مَقَالِهِ

When he resolves, Time becomes the slave of his station;

And when he speaks, truth attends his utterance.

مُجِيرُ مَنِ اسْتِعْدَاهُ قَبْلَ نِدَائِهِ

وَمُغْنِي مَنِ اسْتَجْدَاهُ قَبْلَ سُؤالِهِ

He protects whoever seeks his help before they call,

And enriches whoever seeks his bounty before they ask.

مُثِيِرُ رِيَاحِ الْعَزْمِ فِي حَوْمَةِ الْوَغَى

وَمُخْتَطِفُ الأبْطَالِ يَوْمَ نِزَالِهِ

He stirs the winds of resolve in the thick of battle,

And snatches away champions on the day of his combat.

وَمُوقِدُ نَارِ الْعَدلِ فِي عَلَمِ الْهُدَى

وَمُطْفِئُ نَارِ الْبَغْيِ بَعْدَ اشْتِعَالِهِ

And kindles justice's fire on the beacon of guidance,

And quenches oppression's fire after it has blazed.

وَمُطْلِعُ شَمْسِ الْبِشْرِ فِي سُحُبِ النَّدَى

وَبَانِي مَعَالِيهِ وَهَادِم مَالِهِ

And raises the sun of gladness amid the clouds of bounty,

And builds his glories while demolishing his wealth.

وللَّهِ مِنْ مَجْدٍ رَفِيعٍ عِمَادُهُ

تَبِيتُ النَّجُومُ الزَّهْرُ دُونَ مَنَالِهِ

By God, what glory, its pillar so lofty

That the bright stars spend the night beneath its reach!

وَأُقْسِمُ مَا رَوْضُ الرَّبَى عَقِبَ الْحَيَا

بِأعْطرَ عَرْفاً مِنْ ثَنَاءِ خِلاَلِهِ

And I swear: the garden of the hills after rain is not

More fragrant in scent than the praise of his virtues.

أيوسف دُمْ للِدِّينِ تَحْمِي ذِمَارَهُ

وَتَجْنِي الأمَانِي تَحْتَ ظِلِّ ظلالِهِ

O Yusuf, live on for the faith, guarding its sanctities,

And reap your wishes beneath its sheltering shadows.

وَلِلْجُودِ تُهْمِي سَاجِماً مِنْ سَحَابِهِ

وَلِلْبَأَسِ تُذْكي جَاحِماً مِنْ نصَالِهِ

And for generosity, pour forth rain from its clouds,

And for battle, kindle a blaze from its blades.

حَثَثْتَ رِكَابَ الْعَزْمِ فِي خَيْرِ وِجْهَةٍ

أُتِيحَ بِهَا الإسْلاَمُ بَرْدَ اعْتِلاَلِهِ

You urged the mounts of resolve toward the best of goals,

Through which Islam was granted cooling relief from its sickness.

نَشْرَتَ لِوَاءَ الدِّينِ حِينَ طَوَيْتَهاَ

مَرَاحِلَ غَزْوٍ مِنْكَ فِي نَصْرِ آلِهِ

You unfurled the banner of faith as you folded away

The stages of your campaign in support of its people.

إذَا جِئْتَ قُطْراً أوْ حَلَلْتَ بِمَرْبَعٍ

ثَوَى الأمْنُ والتَّمْهِيدُ بَيْنَ حِلاَلِهِ

Whenever you come to a land or alight at a campsite,

Security and stability dwell among its encampments.

وَصَابَ غَمَامُ الْجُودِ فَوْقَ بِطَاحِهِ

وَأشْرَقَ نُورُ الْهُدَى فَوْقَ جِباَلِهِ

And the clouds of generosity rain upon its plains,

And the light of guidance shines above its mountains.

كَأنَّكَ بَدْرٌ وَالْبِلاَدُ مَنَازِلٌ

إذَا جِئْتَ أُفْقاً رَاقَ نُورُ جَمَالِهِ

You are like a full moon, and the lands are its stations;

When you enter a horizon, the radiance of its beauty delights.

وَإنْ فُقْتَهُ بِالْحِلْمِ وَالْعِلْمِ وَالنَّدَى

وَشَارَكْتَهُ فِي نُورِهِ وَانْتِقَالِهِ

Though you surpass it in forbearance, knowledge, and bounty,

And share with it its light and its movement.

فكَمْ بَيْنَ مَحْفُوظِ الْكَمَالِ مِنَ الرَّدَى

وَمُتَّصِفٍ بِالنَّقْصِ بَعْدَ كَمَالِهِ

How vast the difference between one whose perfection is safe from ruin

And one marked by waning after reaching fullness!

وَلَمَّا أَرَحْتَ السَّيْرَ فِي قَصْرِ رية

بِعَزْمٍ تَضِقُ الأرْضُ دُونَ مَجَالِهِ

And when you rested from travel in the palace of Riyya,

With a resolve whose scope the earth cannot contain,

رَأَى مِنْكَ بحر الماء بَحْراً مِنَ النَّدَى

فَوَاصَلَ مِنْهُ الْمَوْجُ لَثْمَ نِعَالِهِ

The sea of water saw in you a sea of bounty,

And its waves kept kissing his sandals.

زَجَرْتَ بِهَا الأسْطُولَ يَبْتَدِرُ الْعِدَى

وَيَمْضِي إِلَى مَا اعْتَادَهُ مِنْ فَعَالِهِ

There you urged the fleet to rush upon the foes,

And sail on to the exploits it was accustomed to.

بِكُلِّ خَفِيفٍ ذِي حَفِيفٍ مُطَاوِعٍ

مُثَارَ صَبَاهُ أوْ مَهَبَّ شَمَالِهِ

With every light, rustling vessel, obedient to

The stirring of its east wind or the blowing of its north wind.

فَلِلَّهِ عَيْناً مَنْ رَآهَا صَوَافِناً

أَفَاضَ عَلَيْهَا الْقَارُ سُحْمَ جِلاَلِهِ

So, by God, blessed is the eye that saw them poised like steeds,

With pitch pouring over them its black caparisons.

إذَا سَاعَدَتْهَا هَبَّةُ الَّريحِ أسْرَعَتْ

كَمَا انْسَابَ أيْمُ الَّروْضِ غِبّ انْسلاَلِهِ

When a gust of wind helps them, they speed along,

As a garden serpent glides after slipping out.

وَغرْبَانِ اثْبَاجٍ زَجَرتَ سَينِحَهَا

وَيَظْهَرُ نُجْحُ الأمْرِ فِي حُسْنِ فَالِهِ

And crows of the ocean swells, whose auspicious flight you urged on,

And the venture's success appears in its favorable omen.

سَحَابٌ إذَا تَهْفُو بُرُوقُ صِفَاحِهِ

هَمَى عَارِضٌ جَهْمٌ بِوَدْقِ نِبَالِهِ

A cloud: when the lightning of its sword-blades flickers,

A grim raincloud pours down a shower of its arrows.

وَغِيلُ لُيُوثٍ غَابُهُ مِنْ سِلاَحِهِ

وَآسَادُهُ يَوْمَ الْوغَى مِنْ رِجَالِهِ

And a lions' thicket whose forest is made of its weapons,

And whose lions on the day of battle are its men.

وَرَوْضٍ سَقَاهُ النَّصْرُ صَوْبَ غَمَامِهِ

وَدَارَتْ عَلَيْهِ مُفْعَمَاتُ سِجَالِهِ

And a garden that victory watered with its clouds' downpour,

And its brimming buckets circled over it.

فأَغْصَانُهُ مُلْتَفَّةٌ مِنْ رِمَاحِهِ

وَأَوْرَاقُهُ مُخْضَرَّةٌ مِنْ نِصَالِهِ

So its intertwined branches are formed of its spears,

And its green leaves are formed of its blades.

جَوَارٍ غَذَاهَا الْغَزْوُ دَرَّ لِبَانِهِ

وَحَجَّبهَا الإسْلاَمُ تَحْتَ حِجَالِهِ

Maiden ships, nourished by warfare with its flowing milk,

And veiled by Islam beneath its bridal canopies.

هَوَافٍ إِلَى حَرْبِ الْعَدُوِّ وإِنَّمَا

وَثِقْنَ بِنَصْرِ الله يَوْمَ قِتَالِهِ

Eager for war against the enemy, and they only

Trusted in God's help on the day they fought him.

لِمُلْكِكَ عُقْبَى النَّصْر فارْقبْ طُلُوعَهَا

فَقَدْ آنَ لِْلإِسْلاَمِ آنُ اقْتِبَالِهِ

Victory is your reign's final outcome; await its rising,

For Islam's hour of youthful vigor has arrived.

هُوَ اللهُ يُمْلِي للْعِدَى وَيَدُ الْهُدَى

بِبُرْهَانِهَا تَجْلُو ظَلاَمَ مُحَالِهِ

It is God who grants respite to the foes, while guidance's hand

With its proof dispels the darkness of the enemy's falsehood.

وَهَلْ يَسْتَوِي مُسْتَبْصِرٌ فِي يَقيِنِهِ

وَمُسْتَبْصِرٌ فِي غَيِّهِ وَضَلاَلِهِ

And can one clear-sighted in his certainty be equal

To one clear-sighted in his error and misguidance?

هَنِيئاً لَكَ الْعِيدُ السَّعِيدُ فإِنَّهُ

أَتَاكَ بِبُشْرَى الْفَتْحِ قَبْلَ أتِّصَالِهِ

Joy to you on the happy feast, for it

Has brought you glad tidings of victory before its arrival.

طَوَى الْبُعْدُ عَنْ شَوْقٍ وَحَثَّ رِكَابَهُ

وَأوْشَكَ فِي مَغْنَاكَ حَطَّ رِحَالِهِ

It folded away the distance in longing and spurred its mounts,

And nearly set down its baggage at your dwelling.

وَلَمَّا شَجاَهُ الُبُعْدُ عَنْكَ وَشَفَّهُ

تَبَدَّى نُحُولُ الشَّوْقِ فَوْقَ هِلاَلِهِ

And when distance from you grieved it and wasted it away,

The thinness born of longing showed upon its crescent.

وَلَوْلاَ اخْتِصَاصُ الشَّرْعِ يَوْماً بِعَيْنِهِ

وَأَنَّا نُوَفِّي الأَمْرَ حَقَّ امْتِثَالِهِ

And were it not that sacred law singles out a particular day,

And that we give the command its due obedience,

لَمَا امْتَازَ يَوْم الْعِيدِ مِنْ يَوْم غَيْرِهِ

فَذِكْرُكَ عِيدٌ كُلُّهُ فِي احْتِفَالِهِ

The feast day would be no different from any other day,

For remembrance of you is a feast, all of it celebration.

وَدُونَكَهَا كَالرَّوْضِ عَاهَدَهُ الْحَيَا

وَجَرَّ عَلَيْهِ الْفَضْلُ ذَيْلَ اعْتِدَالِهِ

And take this, like a garden tended by the rain,

And over which excellence has trailed the hem of its harmony.

إذَا لَمْ يَكُنْ فِي السَّيْفِ مِنْ طِيبِ طَبْعِهِ

لَهُ صَيْقَلٌ لَمْ يُنْتَفَعْ بِصِقَالِهِ

If a sword does not possess, through the goodness of its temper,

A burnisher of its own, polishing it is of no avail.