قِفوا حَدِّثوا عَن حاجرٍ وَمُحجّر
وَعَن عهدِ أيّامٍ تَقضَّت وأعصرِ
Stand still, speak of old ruins and quarries,
Of bygone days that have passed and pressed wine.
وَعَن جيرةٍ ساغَت لَنا بِجوارهم
كؤوسُ الهوى مِن كلِّ أَلعسَ أَحورِ
Of a neighborhood whose company was pleasant,
Cups of love and joy overflowed without restraint.
لَياليَ لَم تبخل أُميم بِوصلها
عَلينا وَلَم تَصرم حبالاً وتهجرِ
Nights of amity were generous with their union,
They did not sever ties or abandon.
فَيا طالَ ما قد بتُّ مُستمعاً بها
وَمنهل صفو الفضل لم يتكدّرِ
For so long I have remained a keen listener,
A spring of honor never muddied.
أَرى عندَها ما أَشتهي بِلذاذهِ
فَما لذّة إِلّا وكان بمحضرِ
In their company I found all I yearned for in delight,
No pleasure but was found in their presence.
تَرى وقعاتِ اللثمِ إِن رُمت لَثمها
لَها أَثرٌ في خدّها المُتعصفرِ
You’d see imprints of kisses if she graced your lips,
Leaving a mark on her rosy, tawny cheek.
إِذا ما لَثمت الخدّ والخدُّ أحمرٌ
تَضرّج في لونٍ منَ الحسنِ أصفرِ
Kissing the cheek that reddens, it blushes
With a hue of beauty, golden yellow.
برود الثنايا معصر ريقَ ثَغرِها
حَكى الخمرَ مَمزوج بنطفةِ معصرِ
The cool of her mouth strained the drops from her lips,
Telling of wine blended with pressed grapes.
شَكى الجسمُ منها مرطها فوقهُ كَما
شَكى خصرها من ردفها المتمرمرِ
Her body complained of its saddle atop it,
As her hips bemoaned their crushing embrace.
بَدَت بصفاتِ الحسنِ بينَ موشّحٍ
دقيقٍ وساقٍ فاعمٍ ومسوّرِ
She appeared with the traits of beauty, slender waist wrapped tightly,
Smooth legs and heavy hips on perfect display.
مَتى يَرها الرائي وقد كان صاحياً
منَ الخمرِ مِن خمرِ الصبابةِ يسكرِ
When one who is sober sees her as if drunk
On the wine of youth till fully inebriated.
تَمرّست بِالأحداثِ مِن كونِ حُكمها
وَخاطَبتُها عَن علمِ غيبٍ مقدّرِ
I have gained knowledge of events from their wisdom,
And spoken to them of foreknown, predestined fate.
وَمَن قارعَتني النائباتُ بِصَرفها
فَما فزعت إلّا صفات المشقّرِ
When misfortunes have struck me with their twists and turns,
I fret not, but to divine decrees acquiesce.
وَإِنّي إِذا ما الجارُ غيّر طبعهُ
فَطبعيَ لم يخبُت وَلَم يتغيّرِ
Though my neighbor changes his nature,
Mine remains unshaken, its course stays steadfast.
وَرثتُ زُهيراً في القريضِ وجرولاً
وَأَسندتُ عَن قيسٍ وعن بزرجمهرِ
I inherited Zuhair’s art of poetry, and Jarwal’s;
I took over from Qays and the pride of Buzurjmihr.
وَأصبحتُ مَحسوداً عَلى ما حويتهُ
منَ الفضلِ والعلمِ الشريف المجمهرِ
I’ve become envied for the merits I’ve amassed,
Of noble knowledge and deeds so august.
غَريباً بأَخلاقي وحيداً بهمّتي
وَإِن كنتُ في أَرضي وقومي ومعشري
A stranger in manners, alone in ambition,
Though amidst my people, kin and peers.
وَليس بما يُبدي الحسودُ محسّداً
بِأقمن منّي لا وليس بأجدرِ
Not because the envious see me above reproach,
None more pristine than I, or of greater worth.
عَلى أنّني في الناسِ أصبحتُ طائلاً
بِما قلتُ في مدحِ المليك مظفّرِ
Yet I’ve become distinguished among men
For my praises of the victorious King.
أَخو الجودِ مفضالٌ كأنَّ نواله
عَلى الناسِ غيثٌ يستهلُّ ويمتري
The most generous brother, his gifts to the people
Are like rainfall, streaming, flowing bountiful.
أَجلّ منَ القعقاعِ في جلسائهِ
وَأعظمُ من كِسرى بن كسرى وقيصرِ
Nobler than the egret among his companions,
Greater than Kisra bin Kisra and Caesar of Rome.
تأرّث تاجَ العزّ عن كلّ أكبرٍ
تأرّثه عن كلّ أكبر أكبرِ
You inherited the crown of glory from every elder,
Received it from each predecessor and forebear.
يَدينُ لهُ في الفخرِ عمرٌو وتبّعٌ
وَدار بن دار والجلند بن كركرِ
‘Amr and Tubba‘ in pride are in your debt,
As are Dar bin Dar and Jaland of Karkar.
وَلَو توزنُ الدُنيا جميعاً وأهلها
لَما وازنوا منهُ قُلامة بُنصرِ
If the world entire and its people were weighed,
They would not balance a feather of your worth.
أَلا فاِختبر عنهُ إذا كنتَ جاهلاً
بهِ تعطَ أنباءَ اليقين وتخبرِ
Oh inquire about him if you do not know him,
Be informed of the certainty, ask and be told.
وَإِن أنتَ وسطَ الدستِ قابلتَ وجههُ
فَعظّمهُ تَعظيماً وهلّل وكبّرِ
If you are honored to behold his visage,
Revere him greatly, shout God’s praises and exalt.
وَطأطِئ لهُ بالرأسِ واِلثم بساطهُ
ونادِ لهُ بِالحمدِ جهراً وكرّرِ
Bow your head, kiss his carpet, acclaim him loudly,
Speak his praises openly, repeat and extol.
وَهاك ابن نبهان المتوّج حليةً
وبرداً محاكاً من ثناءٍ ومفخرِ
An ode of praise and glory—rejoice and recall.
Congratulations are yours for the kingdom you hold,
هنيئاً لك الملكُ الّذي قد حويته
وملكته فاِحمد إِلهكَ واِشكرِ
Rule it and thank your God, offer gratitude and laud.
You remain, O sun of glory and its full moon,
وَلا زلتَ يا شمس العتيك وبدرها
منَ المجدِ ترقى في منارٍ ومنبرِ
Ever rising in splendor, pulpit and station.
