هو النصر لا وان ولا متماكث — Ibn Farkoun

هوَ النّصرُ لا وانٍ ولا مُتَماكِثُ

ركائِبُهُ طوْعَ السّعودِ حثائِثُ

It is victory, neither lagging nor lingering;

its mounts hasten, obedient to good fortune.

هوَ الفتحُ عزّتْ أرْضُ أنْدلسٍ بهِ

وذلّ المُناوِي والعدُوُّ المُناكِثُ

It is conquest, through which the land of al-Andalus is exalted,

and the adversary and covenant-breaking enemy are humbled.

هوَ العزُّ لا يَفْنى مُردَّدُ ذكْرِهِ

مُخلَّدُهُ في صفحةِ الدّهْرِ لابِثُ

It is glory, whose oft-repeated remembrance never fades;

its immortalized record abides upon the page of time.

هو الصّنعُ قد جلّتْ مواقِعُه التي

بها اللهُ للدنيا وللدّينِ غائِثُ

It is divine favor, mighty in those workings

through which God succors the world and the faith.

عظائِمُ قدْ جلّت فذَلتْ لعزّها

طُغاةٌ بُغاةٌ للعُهودِ نواكِثُ

Mighty deeds, so great that before their might were humbled

rebellious tyrants, breakers of covenants.

أُصيبَ إفَنْتُ الرّومِ فارْتاعَ قومهُ

وأضْحَتْ بِطاحُ الرُشْدِ وهْي أواعِثُ

The infante of the Rūm was struck down, and his people trembled;

the plains of right guidance became rough sands.

تجرّعَ صابَ الموْتِ لا دَرَّ درُّهُ

فأيْدي المَنايا كيفَ شاءَتْ عوابِثُ

He gulped death's bitter sap—may his milk never flow!

The hands of doom sport however they please.

أصابَتْهُ من صرْفِ الزّمانِ مُصيبةٌ

بها الموْتُ عاثٍ في حِماهُ وعائِثُ

A calamity from time's reversals struck him,

through which death ravages his sanctuary and wreaks havoc.

سهامٌ من الأيّامِ فيهِ نَوافذٌ

وفي عُقَدِ السّرْبِ المَروعِ نوافِثُ

Arrows from the days pierce him,

and breathe into the knots of the terror-stricken heart.

لئِنْ أمّنَتْ منهُ الحوادثُ قابِلاً

عُهودَ صُروفِ الدّهْرِ فهْي نكائِثُ

Though vicissitudes have protected from him one who trusts

the pledges of time's reversals, they themselves break pledges.

وهلْ مِثلُهُ بحْرَ العظائِمِ عابِرٌ

لينجُو ومنْ سيْفِ المنيّةِ عابِثُ

And can one like him cross the sea of terrors

and escape? Who can trifle with death's sword?

وهَى رُكْنُ عُبّادِ الصّليبِ بموْتِهِ

فَها هوَ من بعْدِ العُلى مُتَقاعِثُ

At his death the pillar of the worshippers of the cross gave way;

behold it now, fallen back from its former height.

تقدّمَ يقْفو في الجَحيمِ سَبيلَهُ

لمُنْتَحِلي الإشْراكِ ركْبٌ أشاعِثُ

They advanced, following his path into Hell:

a disheveled cavalcade of those professing idolatry.

فقد راقَتِ الدّنْيا جَمالاً وبهجةً

وقد أخصَبَتْ منْها بِطاحٌ عَثاعِثُ

Now the world shines with beauty and delight,

and its sandy plains have grown fertile.

عجائِبُ لا الأيامُ أحْدَثْنَ مثلَها

ولا الدّهْرُ عنْها في القديمِ يُحادثُ

Wonders whose like the days have never brought forth,

nor has time recounted such things in ages past.

يقول لِسانُ الدّهْرِ والكُفْرُ صامِتٌ

هلمّوا فإنّي عنْ حُلاها مُحادثُ

The tongue of time speaks, while unbelief falls silent:

“Come, for I shall tell you of their charms.”

سُعودُ إمامٍ لمْ تزلْ عَزَماتُهُ

لديْهِ على النّصْرِ العزيزِ بواعِثُ

The good fortunes of an imam whose resolutions have never ceased

to spur him toward mighty victory.

هُمامٌ إذا طالتْ رِماحُ جُنودِه

زَكَتْ عنْهُ أخبارٌ وطابَتْ أحادِثُ

A valiant lord: when his soldiers' spears reach far,

reports of him flourish, and tales of him grow sweet.

أبيٌّ إذا جدّتْ سُيوفُ جِهادِه

فهُنّ بِهامِ المعْتَدينَ عوابِثُ

Unbowed: when the swords of his jihad work in earnest,

they sport with the heads of the aggressors.

وليُّ ندىً ينهلُّ صيّبُ جُودِه

فَيَنْهَلُ ظمآنٌ ويطْعَمُ غارِثُ

A patron of bounty, whose generosity pours down in rain,

so the thirsty drinks deeply and the hungry eats.

حَليف عُلاً تبغي النجومُ توصُّلاً

لها وهْيَ دونَ القصْدِ منْها لَوابِثُ

An ally of heights the stars seek to attain,

yet linger short of their intended goal.

به يَهْتدي سارٍ وينْجحُ مَقْصَدٌ

ويَقفو سَبيلَ الرُشْدِ فيه مُباحِثُ

By him the night traveler finds his way, and a purpose succeeds,

and through him the seeker follows the path of right guidance.

فإن باحَثَتْ فيه المَعالي خلائِفاً

مضتْ فلهُ بالفضْلِ تقْضي المباحِثُ

If lofty honors compare him with caliphs

who have passed, their inquiries judge him superior.

تدُلُّ على العَلياءِ منهُ مَخائِلٌ

عليهنّ مِصْداقُ الفِراسةِ باحِثُ

Signs in him point toward lofty eminence,

and discerning insight tests its truth against them.

لِما عزَّ وهّابٌ وبالسّيفِ دافِعٌ

وفي الحرْبِ منّاعٌ وللجيشِ باعِثُ

Lavish with what is precious, and a defender with the sword,

a staunch protector in war, a musterer of armies.

فوفّى حُقوقَ المكْرُماتِ وطالَما

وفَى بعُهودِ المجْدِ والدّهْرُ ناكِثُ

He has paid the dues of noble deeds, and how often

has he kept glory's covenants while time broke its vows!

وردّ جُنودَ الشّركِ وهْي عوابِثٌ

وأرْدى أسودَ الغابِ وهْيَ دَلاهِثُ

He repelled idolatry's armies as they ran riot,

and slew the lions of the thickets, fierce and bold.

فلا العزْمُ مفْلولٌ ولا الرأيُ فائِلٌ

ولا الحزْمُ مخْذولٌ ولا الخطْبُ كارِثُ

His resolve is not blunted, his judgment does not fail,

his prudence is not forsaken, nor does calamity overwhelm him.

حُلىً قصّرتْ عنها القياصرةُ الأُلَى

بمعْنَى انفِرادٍ ليسَ ثانٍ وثالِثُ

Adornments beyond the reach of the Caesars of old,

in a uniqueness admitting neither second nor third.

أتطلُبُ أمْلاكَ الزّمانِ منالَها

وقد أذْعَنَتْ سامٌ وحامٌ ويافِثُ

Do the kings of the age seek to attain them,

when Shem, Ham, and Japheth have already bowed?

فيا ناصِرَ الإسلامِ والواهِبَ الذي

تؤمُّ ظِماءٌ جودَهُ وغَوارِثُ

O champion of Islam, O giver whose

bounty the thirsty and the hungry seek,

تهنّأ على حُكْمِ السّعودِ فإنّهُ

قديمٌ من الصُنْعِ الجميلِ وحادثُ

rejoice under the rule of good fortune, for this

is gracious divine favor, both longstanding and new.

حُبيتَ بها بشرَى فحلّتْ على النّوى

لديكَ وأفواجُ السّرورِ حَثائِثُ

You were granted it as glad tidings, which alighted despite the distance

with you, while hosts of joy hastened along.

كأنْ ببلادِ الشّركِ بالسّيفِ قد عفَتْ

وبانَتْ خَبايا عنْدَها وخَبائِثُ

As though the lands of idolatry had been effaced by the sword,

and hidden things and evils had been exposed there;

وقد عُمِرَت بالمُسلمينَ مشاعِرٌ

ولُمّتْ من الدّين الحنيفِ مَشاعِثُ

and holy places had been filled with Muslims,

and the scattered strands of the upright faith gathered together.

كأن بالذي ألقى بسَبْتَةَ رَحْلَهُ

وقد فرّقَ المقدارُ ما هو حارِثُ

I seem to see him who laid down his baggage in Ceuta—

with destiny having scattered what he cultivates—

سيُفْرِجُ عنها والأنوفُ رواغِمٌ

وقد كُفيتْ منهُ خُطوبٌ كوارِثُ

soon withdrawing from it, with noses ground in dust,

while it is spared his crushing calamities.

ويقْصِدُ أرْضاً لا تُقِلُّ ركابَهُ

وكيفَ وأسْبابُ النّجاةِ رَثائِثُ

And he seeks a land that will not bear his mounts—

how could it, when the means of escape are tattered?

تُرَدُّ جُنودٌ عندَها وكتائِبٌ

ويُكْفَى خُطوبٌ بعدَها وحوادِثُ

There armies and battalions are driven back,

and thereafter dire troubles and misfortunes are averted.

ورأيٌ رآهُ فهْوَ منهُ بظِلْفِهِ

على حتْفِهِ كيفَ اقتضَى الغَدْرُ باحِثُ

A plan he devised—and through it, with his own hoof,

he digs for his death, as treachery dictates.

فأفعالهُ في النّجْمِ حين يرومُها

حدائِثُ عهدٍ والعُهودُ نكائِثُ

The deeds he seeks to accomplish lie among the stars,

freshly born, while covenants are broken.

كفَى اللهُ من فيها عليهِ تطاوَلتْ

أراذِلُ من أحْزابِهِ وأخابِثُ

May God shield those within it, against whom have risen

the basest and vilest of his factions.

إذا خفِيَتْ في ظُلمَةِ النّقْعِ هامُهُمْ

أشعّةُ بيضِ الهندِ عنْها بواحِثُ

When their heads are hidden in the darkness of battle dust,

the rays of India's white blades search them out.

فتُرديهِ أُسْدٌ من جُنودِكَ طالَما

تحيّزَ عنها وهْو لاهٍ ولاهِثُ

Then lions from your armies strike him down, from whom he long

kept apart, heedless and panting.

يؤمّلُ فِعْلاً وهْو للحقّ رافِضٌ

يُحاولُ قوْلاً وهْوَ في النّطْقِ لافِثُ

He hopes to act, yet rejects the truth;

he tries to speak, yet falters in utterance.

ورثْتَ من الصّحبِ الكِرامِ مآثِراً

سبقْتَ لها حيثُ المُلوكُ لَوابِثُ

You inherited glorious deeds from the noble Companions,

and reached them first where kings lingered.

حُبيتَ بها قِدْماً كما شاءَتِ العُلَى

وآثارُ أهْلِ المعْلُواتِ حدائِثُ

You were endowed with them long ago, as lofty honor willed,

while the legacies of men of lofty deeds are recent.

لَئِنْ درَجَ الأعْلَوْنَ أبناءُ قَيْلةٍ

بحيثُ رياضُ المَكرُماتِ أثائِثُ

Though the exalted sons of Qayla have passed away,

where the gardens of noble deeds grow luxuriant,

فوارِثُهُم مَنْ أنْهِدَتْ منْ جُنودِه

فوارسُ والبيضُ الرّقاقُ فوارِثُ

their heir is he from whose armies are dispatched

horsemen, while slender white blades rip bellies.

إذا ما قَضى الجودُ المؤمَّلُ نحْبَهُ

وللعَهْدِ في التّعْصيبِ والفَرضِ ناكِثُ

When hoped-for generosity has met its death,

and the covenant of residuary and fixed-share inheritance is broken,

ولا طلَبٌ إلا عن المنْحِ حاجزٌ

ولا سبَبٌ إلا لهُ المنْعُ فارِثُ

and every petition is a barrier to gifts,

and every means is ripped apart by refusal,

تؤمّلُكَ القُصّادُ بَدْءاً وعوْدَةً

فلا وارِدٌ إلا لرُحْماكَ وارِثُ

seekers place their hope in you, first and on returning,

and no one arrives but inherits your mercy.

لتُرْوَى بحُكْمِ الجودِ عن واكِفِ الحَيا

عن البحْرِ عن جدْوَى يدَيْكَ الأحادِثُ

So that, by generosity's decree, from the pouring rain,

from the sea, from your hands' bounty, tales may be told.

وهَبْتَ وقد أمّنْتَ غائِلَةَ العِدَى

فلمْ يُرْجَ مأمولٌ ولمْ يُخْشَ حادِثُ

You gave, having secured us against the enemy's malice,

so nothing remained to hope for, nor any calamity to fear.

أمَوْلايَ خُذْها للثّناءِ حديقَةً

كأنّ النّسيمَ اللّدْنَ بالمِسْكِ مائِثُ

O my lord, receive it as a garden of praise,

as though the gentle breeze were mingling with musk.

وجدّتْ جيادُ الحَمْدِ منكَ فراقَها

مَلاعِبُ في أفْقِ العُلَى ومعابِثُ

The steeds of praise sped from you, and were charmed by

playgrounds and places of sport on the horizon of glory.

فسارَتْ مَسيرَ الشّمْسِ أخْبارُ وصْفِها

وفي ضِمْنِها المجْدُ المؤثّلُ ماكِثُ

Thus accounts of its description traveled the sun's course,

while deeply rooted glory abides within its folds.

وأهْدَتْ منَ الأفْكارِ أبْكارَها التي

تَهادَتْ ولم يفْتضَّها قبْلُ طامِثُ

And it offered up the virgins of thought,

who came swaying, no deflowerer having touched them before.

وحسّن فكْري نظْمَ كُلّ عَجيبةٍ

فَها هُوَ حسّانٌ وجودُكَ حارِثُ

My thought adorned the versifying of every marvel;

behold, it is Hassan, and your bounty is Harith.

قَصَرتُ عليْها الفِكْر حتّى تقاصرَتْ

مَثانٍ لدَى إنشادِها ومَثالِثُ

I confined my thought to it until they fell short:

second and third lute strings, beside its recitation.

ولمْ لا يَروقُ السّامعينَ حديثُها

ومنظومُها في عُقْدةِ السّحْرِ نافِثُ

And why should its tale not delight the listeners,

when its woven verse breathes into the knot of magic?

ولمْ لا ومن جدْواكَ صوْبُ غَمامةٍ

منَ البِشْرِ تُزْجيها بُروقٌ حَثاحِثُ

And why not, when from your bounty comes a cloud's downpour

of gladness, driven along by swiftly flashing lightning?

وأنت الذي تُولي المَكارمَ والنّدى

وتُقدمُ جيْشَ النّصرِ والشّرْكُ رائِثُ

You are the one who bestows noble deeds and bounty,

and leads the army of victory while idolatry lags behind.

فأقْسَمَ عِزُّ النّصْرِ أنّك وارِثٌ

بلادَ العِدَى طُرّاً وما هوَ حانِثُ

Thus the might of victory has sworn that you shall inherit

all the enemy's lands—and it will not break its oath.