وفتِ السعودُ بوَعدِها المضمونِ
وترادفتْ بالطائر الميمون
The Saudi fulfilled their guaranteed promise,
And good tidings came one after another.
وعلا لواءُ المسلمينَ وشافَهوا
تحقيقَ آمالٍ لهم وظنونِ
The banner of the Muslims was raised high, as they realized
Hopes and wishes they had harbored.
وأضاءتِ الدنيا وسُلُّ صباحُها
من بينِ جانحتي دُجىً ودُجون
The world lit up, and the radiant dawn
Parted the dark gloom and obscurity.
واخضرَّ مُغبرُّ الثرى فنسيمُهُ
يُثني على سُقيا أجشَّ هَتونِ
The dusty earth turned green, as its breeze
Swayed the lofty palm trees rhythmically.
بالفتحِ فتّحَ بابَه ذو عزَّةٍ
وَعَد الإِجابة حين قال ادعوني
With the Opening, the All-Mighty opened His door,
And promised to respond when called upon.
إنَّ الحديثَ لذو شجونٍ فاستمعْ
أحلى حديثٍ بل ألذَّ شُجونِ
Indeed, the discourse is profoundly moving, so listen
To the sweetest and most delightful words.
أمّا الممالكُ فالسُّرورُ مطنِّبٌ
في مستقرِّ سريرِها الموْضُونِ
Happiness has built its nest
In the established throne of each kingdom,
شقّتْ عقيقَ شفاهِها مُفترَّةً
عن مَبَسمٍ كاللؤلؤِ المكْنونِ
Parting its ruby lips delightedly
To reveal a smile like pearls hidden away.
بعدَ اعتراضِ اليأسِ نالَ مَحاقَهُ
قمرُ الرَّجاءِ فعادَ كالعُرجونِ
After the obstruction of despair, the moon of hope
Regained its full form after waning.
فضلٌ من اللهِ العزيزِ ونعمةٌ
كفّتْ فضولَ البغيِ من فَضْلون
A blessing from the Almighty, and a favor
That curbed the excess of the transgressors.
لمّا اغتدى جارَ الغمامِ وغره
بالومْضِ بارقُ رأيِهِ المأفونِ
When the neighbor of clouds rebelled, deceived
By the illusion of his extinguished plan,
في شامخٍ أيِستْ وفودُ الريح من
جرِّ الذُّيولِ بصحنِهِ المسكونِ
Against the towering and unyielding peak,
Whose train the winds cannot haul in its courtyard.
لم تفترعْه الحادثاتُ ولم تطُفْ
إلا بمحروسِ الجهاتِ مَصونِ
The events did not weaken him, revolving
Only around its protected sides, preserved.
يَلقى برَوقَيْهِ النجومَ مُناطحاً
ويحكُّ بالأظلافِ ظهرَ النون
He encounters the stars with his lightning, jousting,
And scratches the back of the noon with his claws.
أَنْستْهُ بِطْنتُه أياديَ مُنعمٍ
سَدِكٍ بعادةِ لُطفِهِ مَفتونِ
His calm personality has made him accustomed
To the gentle manners of a generous host.
في ضِمنِ بُرديهِ مَهيبٌ مُتّقىً
وعليهِ بِشرُ مؤَّملٍ مأمونِ
In his dignified appearance lies reverence and devotion,
While in him lies hopeful promise and security.
كالمَرْخِ يُبدٍي الاخْضرارَ غصونُه
والنارُ في جنبيْهِ ذاتُ كُمونِ
Like a flower blossoming greenery on its branches,
Yet with latent fire in its flanks.
فبَغى وألسنةُ القَنا يُنْذرْنَهُ
برحىً لحِبّاتِ القلوب طَحونِ
So he rebelled, and the channels of spears warned him
Of a mill that grinds the seeds of hearts.
وطَغى ومن يَستغْنِ يطغَ كما الثّرى
إنْ يرْوَ يوصَفْ نَبتُهُ بجُنونِ
He became tyrannical, and whoever becomes self-sufficient becomes so
If he is irrigated his growth is deemed insane.
وافْتنَّ في آرائهِ مُتلوِّناً
كأبي بَراقشَ أو أبي قَلَمونِ
His views fluctuated,
Like Abu Baraqish or Abu Qalamun.
طَوراً يجُرُّ فؤادُهُ رسَنَ المُنى
أيْ كيفَ أُلْحَقُ والمجرَّةُ دوني
At times his heart trails the course of wishes,
Oh how can I join when the Caravan is ahead of me?
ويقيسُ طَوراً حصْنَه بالسجنِ من
فَشِلٍ وراءَ إهابِهِ مَسجونِ
At times he measures his fortress against prison,
Due to failure, while incarcerated against his will.
والحربُ تَنكِحُ والنفوسُ مهورُها
ما بينَ أبكارٍ تُزَفُّ وعُونِ
War rapes while souls are its dowry,
Whether they be chaste or corrupt.
والبيضُ تَقمَرُ والغبارُ كأنه
خِرَقٌ شُقِقْنَ من الدآدي الجُونِ
Arrows shine while dust is like
Torn rags from the plots of darkness.
والنّبلُ يُمطرُ وبْلَهُ من مُنْحنى
نبعٍ كمُرْتجِزِ الغَمام حَنونِ
Arrows rain from the bent bow
Like the downpour of affectionate clouds.
رَشْقاً كألحاظِ الحسانِ رمى بها ال
عُشّاقَ قوسَ الحاجبِ المقرونِ
A barrage, like the glances of beauties launched
At the lovers by the bow of the conjoined eyebrow.
وتطيرُ أفلاذُ الجبالِ كأنّها
من كلِّ ناحيةٍ تقولُ خذُوني
The young mountains fly as if
Saying, take me, from every direction.
صُمُّ رَواجعُ إنْ تزِنْ رَضْوى بها
تُخْبرْكَ عن كميِّةِ الكمّونِ
Deafening is the echo therein,
If weighed, it tells of the amount of ammunition.
وترى الدماءَ على الجراحِ طَوافياً
فكأنّها رَمدٌ بنُجْلِ عُيونِ
You see blood circling the wounds
As if it were rheum in sleepy eyes.
حتى إذا نضِبَتْ بحارُ عُبابِه
عنهُ سِوى حَمَأٍ بها مَسْنونِ
Until when the seas of his violence were drained,
Only the despised remnants remained.
ركبَ البحارَ سُحَيرَةً وتخايلَتْ
صُورُ النجاةِ لوهْمِهِ المظْنونِ
He mounted the seas bewildered, deceived
By visions of salvation he imagined.
وتدبَّرتْ عُصْمُ الوُعولِ مكانَهُ
وغَدا كضَبٍّ بالعَراءِ مَكونِ
The pillars of families turned to determine his place,
So he became like a hyena in the barren desert.
فإذا الطلائع كالدَّبا مَبْثوثةٌ
لفُّوا سهولاً خلْفَهُ بحُزونِ
Suddenly the vanguards arrived like scattered ants
Who wrapped the plains behind him in mourning.
يَطَؤونَ أعقابَ العُتاةِ كما هَوى
نجمٌ لرجْمِ المارِدِ الملْعونِ
Trampling the heels of the aggressors, as if
A star had fallen to pelt the accursed devil.
كانوا التُّيوسَ ولا قُرونَ فكَلّلتْ
سُمْرُ الرماحِ رؤوسَهم بقُرونِ
They were the courageous heroes, though not horned,
The swords crowned their heads with horns.
وأتَوا بفضْلونَ الشّقيِّ كأنّهم
نَبَشوا به الغبراءَ عن مدْفونِ
They came with the wretched sinner, as if
They had unearthed him from his grave.
في قدِّ رابي الأحْدَبَيْنِ أبانَهُ
عن سَرْجِ راسِي الوطْأتينِ حرونِ
On the mount of the one with crooked forelegs they exposed him,
Removing him from the saddle of his settled abode.
أَعطى المقادَ بأرض فارسَ راجلاً
يَفْدي الدّماءَ بمالهِ المخزونِ
He gave up the reigns in the land of Persia on foot,
Ransoming the blood with his hoarded money.
مُتدحْرجاُ من طَودِ نخوتهِ إلى
سفْحٍ من القدْرِ الدَّنِّي الدُّونِ
Rolling down from his pride into
A lowly position and humble state.
لولا عواطفُ رايةٍ رَضَويّة
عَقدتْ حُباهُ على دمٍ مَحْقونِ
Were it not for the sentiments of the pleasing banner
That bound its ties to the cherished blood.
وقَضيّةٌ من سيرةٍ عُمريّةٍ
حكمتْ بفكِّ لسانهِ المَرْهونِ
And a mission from an Umar-esque biography,
That ruled to untie his restricted tongue.
لتَضلّعتْ طيرُ الفلا وسباعُها
من شِلْوِه المُلْقى بدارِ الهُونِ
Else the birds and beasts of prey would have feasted
On his carcass, thrown in the house of humiliation.
نَسبوا إلى الشيخِ الأجلِّ إباقَهُ
عنتاً وعُونيَ فيهِ ما قد عُوني
They attributed his rebellion against the supreme Sheikh
To animosity and enmity, but I was not hostile.
فالذنْبُ ذنبُ السامريِّ وعجْلِهِ
والعَتْبُ من موسى على هارونِ
The sin belongs to the Samaritan and his calf,
While the blame is upon Moses for Aaron.
ولذاك أَرسى كَلْكَلاً خشعتْ لهُ
شُمُّ الحصونِ فسُوِّيتْ بصُحونِ
For that he anchored shackles that humbled
The spines of fortresses, leveling them to plates.
ليثٌ تواضعَ في الفريسةِ فاجْتَرى
بالتّيسِ ذي القرنينِ والعُثْنونِ
A lion humbled itself before its prey, so it dragged
The stubborn billy goat with the two horns.
أهلاً بأخلاقِ الوزيرِ كأنها
دَمَثُ الحُزونِ وفَرحةُ المحزونِ
Greetings to the minister’s morals, as if they are
The solace of the grieved, and delight of the grieved.
قد شالَ عبءَ الملك منه بازلٌ
لا يستطيعُ صيالَهُ ابنُ لَبون
He carried the burden of the kingdom, while an easy load
Cannot be carried by the colt of Labun.
لم يرعَ أكنافَ الهُوَيْنى مُمْرِجاً
نعمَ الرَّفاهةَ في رياض هُدون
He did not graze the edges of vanity, indulging
In the luxuries of the gardens of Hedon.
ولهُ وحُقَّ لهُ لدى السطانِ إحْ
مادٌ وأجرٌ ليس بالمنون
He has the right to the Sultan’s praise and reward,
Which will not diminish or perish.
خِلعٌ كما ارتدت الفرندَ صفيحةٌ
أَهدى الصقالَ لها أكفُّ قُيونِ
A robe like the coat of mail the Franks wore,
Polished by the palms of the best blacksmiths.
واسْمٌ طوتْ ذكراهُ كلَّ مسافةٍ
في الأرضِ نائيةِ المزارِ شَطونِ
A name that has spanned every distant region
On the earth’s remote roads of Shuttun.
يفْشي ثَناهُ كاتبٌ أو راكبٌ
من بطنِ قرطاسٍ وظهرِ أَمونِ
Spreading its fame whether written or rode,
On the page of a parchment or the back of Anmun.
ولعلَّ كرْمانَ المَرُوعةَ ترتدي
منهُ بأمنٍ شاملٍ وسكونِ
Perhaps Kerman the feared will wear it
With comprehensive safety and tranquility.
فقدِ اغْتَدى كالزِّيرِ نضْواً بَمُّها
وأحسَّ أهلوها برَيب مَنونِ
For it has become like a balsam for its sore,
And its people have felt the danger of grief.
نكبتهمُ الأيامُ حتى إنَّهم
مَرِنُوا على النكباتِ أيَّ مرُونِ
Time has inflicted them until they
Have become flexible to any flexibility.
أَهوِنْ بحرِّ وطيسها لو أَنّهُ
نادى بها يا نارُ برداً كوني
The raging sea is easier than it, as if
It called “O fire become cool” to the blaze.
فلينتظرْ غَدَهُ لأنّ نصيبَهُ
من يَومِه كعُجالةِ العُربونِ
So let him await his tomorrow, for his share
Of his day is like the early payment.
ولْيسْترحْ من طعنِ لَبّاتِ العدا
بمُجاجِ لبَّةِ دَنِّهِ المطْعونِ
And relax from the stab of slanderers’ tongues
With the coagulant from his base blood.
من كفِّ أغيدَ ما لكفّيْ ربِّهِ
إذ يشتريه وصفقةُ المغْبونِ
From the grip of one who prepares, what can my Lord’s grip do
When He buys him, a deal of loss.
وليسمحَنَّ بصَبْرةٍ من عجدٍ
مُكتالةٍ لكلاميَ الموْزون
He should pardon with some tolerance
For my measured, rhyming words.
فقدِ اسْتذلَّنيَ الزمانُ وقبلَ ذا
ما كانَ يَسمحُ للزَّمانِ قُرونِي
For time has humiliated me, and before that
It would not for centuries be humble.
وليملكنَّ كنوزَ قارونٍ كما
ورثتْ عداهُ الخسفَ من قارونِ
Let him possess the treasures of Korah, as
His enemy inherited the engulfment from Korah.
ولتَبقَ دَوحةُ عزِّهِ مُلتفّةً
في خُضرِ أوراقٍ ومُلدِ غُصونِ
And let the bouquet of his honor remain wrapped
In the green of leaves and soft branches.
