كَلِفٌ شَجتهُ معالم الأطلالِ
لمّا عَفت وخلت من النزالِ
The relics of ruins have afflicted its trunk,
When it was abandoned and emptied of strife.
بعثت لهُ الشوق المبرّحَ والجَوى
دمنٌ منَ الحيّ النزول خوالِ
It inspired in him passionate yearning and love,
The tent-dweller descending in the lively valley.
وَمرتّل التغريدِ يصدحُ بالضُحى
مِن فوقِ فرعٍ من فروعِ الضالِ
And the warbler with melodious trilling proclaims at dawn,
From the branch of branches of misguidance.
غنّى فذكّرنا بعهدٍ سالفٍ
مِن مدّةٍ سلفت منَ الأحوالِ
It sang, reminding us of a bygone era,
Of an age long past of changing fortunes.
ما بالُ عمرة لَم تَجد لمتيّمٍ
مِنها على اِستِحقاقهِ بوصالِ
How is it that a life did not find for the lovelorn
Therein what was deserved in reunion?
خودٌ تمازج وصلها بصدودها
في زيِّ مشغوفٍ وهجرة صالِ
Intimacy mingled with its firmness
In the garb of an ardent lover and harmonious estrangement.
تَنأى وتقربُ للمحبِّ وهكذا
طبع الخراد البيض في الإذلالِ
It draws near and comes close to the lover, and so is
The nature of the white partridge in humiliation.
وَلربّما قَد جادَ لي بوصالِها
منها عَلى الهجرانِ طيف خيالِ
And perhaps sincere union with her
Would provide me from her some illusion after estrangement.
بذل الخيال لنا رخيصاً وصلها
مِن بعدِ طولِ الهجر وهو الغالِ
The imagination provided cheaply her union
After prolonged separation, which is most precious.
ريَّا السواعدِ رخصة أطرافها
ظَميا الموشّح فعمة الخلخالِ
Its arms are too short to reach her hands,
And the sleeves do not attain her bracelets.
غصّت خلاخلُها بفاعمِ ساقها
وَشَكت مآزرُها من الأكفالِ
Her anklets were distressed by her delicate feet,
And her girdles complained of her wrists.
وَتَرى الحياءَ عَلى محاسن وجهها
يَحوي بريق مائهِ السلسالِ
And you see modesty upon her beautiful face
Containing the glitter of its chain.
مثل الغزالةِ إِن بَدت وَإِذا رَنَت
بِلِحاظِها ترنو بعين غزالِ
Like a gazelle, when she appeared, and when she glanced
With her eyes, she looked towards a gazelle.
يا أيّها الناس اِفهموا لي ما أنا
مستنسخٌ مِن محكمات مقالِ
O people, understand me for what I am -
A copier of the established sayings.
أَنا لستُ بالراضي على ناس أرى
أَحوالهم ما وافقت أحوالي
I am not content with people whose state
Does not match my own.
بذَلوا مدى أيّامهم عرضي وما
أَنا لهم ما عشت بالبذّالِ
They wasted the length of their days slighting me, and I
For them, while I lived, was no spendthrift.
قارَبتُهم فَتباعدوا باعدتهم
قَربوا بطبعٍ خادعٍ ختّالِ
I drew close to them but they grew distant.
They approached with a deceitful, pretentious nature.
لا غروَ إِن حسدوا بما قَد عاينوا
ما نلت مِن كرمٍ ومن أفضالِ
Do not be surprised if they envied what they witnessed of
The generosity and favors I attained.
فَلَقد تعمّد ذاك إخوةُ يوسف
مِن قبلُ في الزمن القديم الخالي
Verily, the brothers of Joseph intended that
Beforehand, in ancient times of yore.
فَوحقّ مَن قَد كانَ صوّر آدماً
في الخلقِ من حمأٍ ومن صلصالِ
By the right of Him who created Adam
From clay and minerals!
لأجدّ في إصلاحِ سعي النفس إن
أَذنَ الإله بصالح الأعمالِ
I will find in reforming the self's endeavor, if
God permits, righteous deeds.
إنّي اِمرؤٌ لا أَرتضي بمحلّة
فيها يُساوى الحرُّ بالأنذالِ
I am a man who will not accept residence
Where the free man is equal to the base.
لا يبلغ المجدَ اِمرؤٌ إلّا إِذا اِس
تَمطى بجانب شدّة الأهوالِ
A man attains no glory unless he
Endures by the side of formidable tribulations.
وَالمرءُ مَن يسمو بمفخرِ نفسهِ
لا مفخرِ الأعمامِ والأخوالِ
And man's glory is what makes his soul sublime,
Not the glory of uncles and in-laws.
وَمفازة عطشى الفلا مجهولة
جاوزتها بجلالةٍ شملالِ
And the destination of thirsty wanderer is unknown,
Having traversed it with lofty mounts.
يَسري بمضطرم العزيمةِ جاهل
حكماً منَ الآداب والآمالِ
An ignorant man proceeds with burning resolve,
Lacking wisdom, manners or hopes.
وَتشيم مِن جَدوى فلاحٍ بارقاً
تُزري بكلِّ مجلجلٍ هطّالِ
And you adorn from the benefit of thriving conspicuously
Every completely armed knight.
اليجشبيّ الأمجد الملك الّذي
أَفنت مَواهبهُ جزيل المالِ
Al-Mujāhid Al-ʾAmjad, the glorious king who
Squandered his gifts, bountiful and grand.
غيثٌ غداة تنقّل وتفضّلٍ
ليثُ غداة تدعّس ونزالِ
A rain one day, pleasant and generous,
A lion the next day, sullen and contentious.
طعّانُ فرسانِ الخميسِ وإنّه
يومَ المغارمِ حاملُ الأثقالِ
Spearhead of the horsemen of Thursday, he is
The bearer of burdens on the day of trials.
جلّت معاليهِ وعظمته عن الت
تَكييفِ والأندادِ والأشكالِ
His glories and greatness were too lofty for
Categorization, match or forms.
يا أيُّها الملك الّذي حَرسَ العلا
بِشوازبٍ وقواضبٍ وعوالِ
O king who protected the heights
With officers and guards and soldiers.
اِسمَع مقالةَ مُخلصٍ لكَ لم يَزَل
مِن جودِ كفّك موثقاً بعقالِ
Hear the words of a loyal one, who has not ceased
To be bound by your palm's bounty.
أَسميت فيما يرتجى آماله
بِذُرى يديك فهنّ غير هزالِ
I named the hopes of what is wished for
The progeny of your hands, for they are no lean years.
وَلتهنَ بالعيدِ الّذي قد أتى
لكَ بالسرورِ معاً وبالإقبالِ
And may you be congratulated on the feast day
Which came to you with joy and grace.
عيدٌ بهِ خُتمَ الصيام وإنّه
لمبشّرٌ بالفطرِ من شوّالِ
A feast in which fasting concludes, and it is
A harbinger of breakfasting in Shawwal.
أَضحى بدولتك الغداة ونصرها
مستحسن الإبكارِ والآصالِ
Your state shone in the morning and its victory
Appreciating promptness and hospitality.
وافى وقَد بذلَ السلام لوجهك ال
محجوب بالإكرامِ والإجلالِ
It arrived conveying greetings to your face, not
Concealed by honor and majesty.
وَاِفترّ مبسمها بوجهٍ مشرقٍ
لمّا اِشتهرت لهُ بأنعمِ بالِ
And its smile beamed with a radiant face
When it became renowned for its blessings.
لا زالَ هَذا العيدُ يأتي زائراً
مُستقبلاً لكَ أيّما اِستقبالِ
This feast continues to come as a visitor,
Welcoming you in any manner of welcoming.
إنّي عَجبتُ لكَ الغداةَ وأنتَ في
تختِ الممالكِ للرعيّة والِ
I wondered at you this morning, while you were
On the throne of kingdoms for the flock and family.
والناسُ يَزدحمونَ جودك كلّهم
شوقاً لرؤية وجهك المفضالِ
And people crowded your generosity, all of them
Yearning to see your favored face.
لَمّا رأوكَ وأنتَ وسط الدستِ من
بينِ الجنودِ معاً وبين الآلِ
When they saw you in the center of the retinue
Amongst the soldiers and the family.
خرّوا لتقبيلِ البساطِ جميعهم
مِن قبلةٍ أو يمنة وشمالِ
They all bowed to kiss the carpet
Whether from the front, right or left.
حقٌّ لهذا الدست يهدي تربَه
طيباً إِلى الأملاك والأقيالِ
This palm deserves to donate its soil,
Aroma to realms and thrones.
وَتزورهُ الأطيارُ مع وحشِ الفلا
مِن كلّ يعفورٍ ومن رئبالِ
And the birds and beasts of the wild
Visit it, of every deer and fox.
بك زيّن اللّه البلادَ فأَصبحت
كالبكرِ تسحب فضلة الأذيالِ
Through you God beautified the lands, so they became
Like a virgin trailing the edges of her gown.
فلك الزعامةِ والرِياسةِ والعلا
ولكَ المحلّ السامك المتعالِ
Yours are the leadership, governance and heights,
And yours is the lofty, sublime abode.
