حديث غرامي فيك أضحى مقيدا

وعنك حديث الجود أرويه مسندا

The tale of my passion for you is now recorded.

And on your authority I narrate generosity's tale with a chain of transmission.

ومذ أنت والنصر اجتمعت تولدت

سعود فخلنا باجتماع تولدا

Since you and victory came together, there were born

good fortunes; we thought your conjunction had brought them into being.

وقلدت سيف العدل في الحكم فاقتدت

بك الناس اذ صرت الامام المقلدا

You were girded with justice's sword in rule, and your example was followed

by the people, when you became the leader they emulate.

وانسيتنا اخبار من قد تقدموا

باسمى فعال منك والامر مبتدا

You made us forget the accounts of those who came before,

through your loftiest deeds, though your rule was only beginning.

وعطفك تأكيد لبرك نحونا

فلله ما احلاه عطفا مؤكدا

Your affection confirms your goodness toward us.

God be praised—how sweet it is, this reaffirmed affection!

نشرت بساط العدل من بعد طيه

فيا لك منشورا قديما تجدّدا

You spread the carpet of justice after it had been folded away.

How splendid that ancient carpet, spread anew!

ونحو حماة حين اضحيت مرسلا

اطعنا وحقا ان نطيع محمدا

And when you were sent toward Hama,

we obeyed—and rightly should we obey Muhammad.

ومستوطنا لما حللت بارضها

تجمع شمل كان فيه مبددا

And when you settled as a resident in her land,

a community once scattered there was reunited.

لقد فتحت فتحا جديدا مباركا

فلا غرو ان ابديت رأيا مسددا

You achieved a new and blessed conquest.

No wonder you displayed such well-directed judgment.

فبشراك يا ارضا علاك بنعله

اذا ما اقام اليوم عندك او غدا

Glad tidings to you, O land he has trodden with his sandal,

whenever he stays with you, today or tomorrow.

وشقراء وادي الشام تبكي تأسفا

عليك بدمع فوق صدر تنهدا

And the fair-haired one of al-Sham's valley weeps in sorrow

for you, with tears upon a breast heaving with sighs.

واعينها مما بكت قد تفجرت

ولا عجب والله ان تتشهدا

Her eyes have burst forth from so much weeping.

No wonder, by God, that she recites the testimony of faith.

وجبهتها الغراء حالت كأنها

تغازلها لونا من الليل اسودا

Her radiant brow has changed, as though

a black hue of night were courting her.

وعهدك للأقمار كانت منازلا

فما بقيت الا رسولا ومعهدا

As you remember, she was a dwelling place for moons;

now she remains only a messenger and a familiar haunt.

ومذ في سما الهيجا سيوفك ابرقت

فامطر منها الجفن والقلب ارعدا

Since your swords flashed in the sky of battle,

the eyelid rained because of them, and the heart thundered.

وفرّ اسي من نار عزمك من رأى

وذاب جوى من حرها من تجلدا

Whoever saw it fled grief-stricken from the fire of your resolve,

and whoever stood firm melted in anguish from its heat.

وسيفك منه كم ترهب سيد

وصار فقيرا مذ رآه مجرّدا

And your sword—how many a lord became a monk for fear of it,

and became a pauper upon seeing it unsheathed!

وجمع العنا لما اثنيت لنحوهم

فصيرت ذاك الجمع بالسيف مفردا

When you turned toward the assembled host of hardship,

you reduced that host to a single one with your sword.

فان اوغلوا في السير خوفا وابعدوا

فبالعزم قد ادركت افضى وابعدا

If they pressed on in their march from fear and went far away,

through resolve you overtook those farther afield and more remote.

وكم قبضت كفاك رمحا وصارما

وكم بسطت يوما لجينا وعسجدا

How often your hands have grasped a lance and a keen sword,

and how often, in a day, they have offered silver and gold!

اياديك جلت ان تقاس بغيرها

وتالله غيث لا يقايس بالندى

Your favors are too exalted to be measured against others.

By God, a downpour cannot be compared with dew.

وقد صرت معتادا ببذل وانما

لكل امرىءٍ من دهره ما تعودا

You have grown accustomed to giving; indeed,

each man has from his lifetime only what he has grown accustomed to.

وقد نلت يا حلو المواهب رفعة

وفخرا على مر الزمان وسؤددا

You have attained, O you whose gifts are sweet, eminence,

and glory through the passing of time, and lordly honor.

وانك من قوم كرم اعزّة

بهم يهتدي في المكرمات ويقتدي

You come from a generous, mighty people,

in whom one finds guidance and an example in noble deeds.

صديقهم ثوب السرور له ردا

عدوهم يختال في حلل الردى

Their friend wears the robe of joy as his mantle;

their enemy struts in robes of destruction.

بايديهم سمر وقاح بألسن

تفوه بطعن عند اجوبة العدا

In their hands are tawny, unyielding spears, with tongues

that speak in thrusts when answering their foes.

اقاموا عمود الملك عمدا بسيفهم

فهم خير بيت في الانام تعمدا

They deliberately raised the pillar of kingship with their sword.

They are the finest house among humankind to seek out.

ولا عيب فيهم غير اني قصدتهم

فالفيت اهلا للنوال ومقصدا

They have no fault, except that I sought them out

and found a household of bounty, a worthy destination.

فكم من عطاء حدثتنا اكفهم

حديثا رواه ابن المبارك مسندا

How much bounty their hands have told us of,

in an account Ibn al-Mubarak related with a chain of transmission!

امام له من نحو منطقهم هدى

بديع بتصريف المعاني تفردا

An imam whose guidance comes from the manner of their speech,

a marvel, unrivaled in the shaping of meanings.

له قلم لو لم يكن ذا بلاغة

لما خلته واله الا مهندا

He has a pen which, were it not possessed of eloquence,

I would, by God, have thought nothing but an Indian sword.

يقابل بالاحسان من كان محسنا

بشاكل بالعدوان حقا من اعتدى

He meets whoever has done good with kindness;

the aggressor he truly meets with aggression of like kind.

طويل نجاد السيف عنه تقاصرت

حماة الوغى عنى لقد كفتوا اليدا

Long is his sword-belt; before him fall short

the champions of battle—I mean, they have held back their hands.

وكم اسدا من بأسه صار خرنقا

وكم رشأ يعزى اليه تأسدا

How many a lion became a leveret before his might,

and how many a gazelle fawn associated with him became a lion!

فيا معنوي اللفظ مذ حل في فمي

بتكراره يحلو اذا ما ترددا

O you whose name is rich in meaning, since it entered my mouth,

it grows sweet through repetition whenever it returns.

اليك التفاتي يا بديع زمانه

فكن مستعفا لي بالعطاء ومسعداً

To you I turn, O marvel of your age;

so bring me relief through gifts and make me happy.

وجد لي واجعل لي عليك حواسدا

فلا عيش الا ان ارى لي حسدا

Be generous to me, and make others envy me because of you;

for life is no life unless I see myself envied.

فخذها عروسا بنت فكر يتيمة

فريدة عقد بالمعاني تنضدا

Take her as a bride, an orphan daughter of thought,

a peerless jewel in a necklace strung with meanings.

شريفة معنى انت والله كفؤها

بكونك يا رب المكارم سيدا

Noble in meaning, she has in you, by God, her worthy match,

for you are a lord, O master of noble deeds.

يريك ضياء الشمع سحر بيانها

فصلها وقاطع من اتاك مفتدا

Candlelight reveals to you the magic of her expression;

so keep her close, and cut off whoever comes to you seeking ransom.

فلا زلتم حسن ابتداء ويومكم

يقابله حسن اختتامكم غدا

May you remain a fair beginning, and may your day

be matched tomorrow by the beauty of your ending.