طَرَقت لَولا تَبَسُّمُها
كادَ جُنحُ الليل يَكتُمُها
Her smile graced the gloom, else the wings of night had shrouded her.
A gazelle, sociable but for her shyness like a silent doll.
ظَبيَة لَولا تَأَنّسُها
دُميَةٌ لَولا تَكَتُّمُها
She sent a longing glance to her visitor,
A breath to revive her breath.
أَرسَلَت إِذناً لِزَورَتها
نَفحَةً يُحيِي تَنَسُّمُها
The sun thus rising is heralded
By the morning breeze preceding her.
وَكَذاكَ الشَمسُ إِن طَلَعَت
فَنَسِيمُ الفَجرِ يَقدَمُها
With a lover's passion wreathing her,
Adorning her beauty as its seal.
بِأَبي خَودٌ يُوَشِّحُها
مِن حُلاها ما يُخَتِّمُها
Fate had sufficiently endowed her-
With my tears or smiles.
قَد كَفاها الدَهرُ مَنطِقَها
أَو بُكائِي أَو تَبَسُّمُها
My bracelets chafed as did hers,
And my heart complained as did its clasp.
ضاقَ ذَرعي كَأَساوِرِها
فَاِشتكى قَلبِي وَمِعصَمُها
Sorrows have clutched my heart as her bracelets
Have scratched it with unpolished gems.
ساوَرَت قَلبي الشُجونُ كَما
عَضَّها للقُلب أَرقمُها
The longing bracelet pains me,
The ornament bracelet pains her.
فَسِوارُ الشَوقِ يُؤلمني
وَسِوارُ الحَليِ يُؤلِمُها
That which laments her bangles' clacking
Differs from what mourns her bereavement.
وَالَّذي يَشكُو مُخلخَلُها
غَيرُ ما يَشكو مُتَيَّمُها
One arises from a pained heart,
The other from a heart in pain.
ذاكَ مِن قَلبٍ تَأَلُّمُهُ
وَهِيَ عَن قُلبٍ تَألّمُها
What I complain of tortures me,
What she complains of gratifies her.
وَالَّذي أَشكو يُعَذِّبُني
وَالَّذي تَشكُو يُنَعِّمُها
She swore, none shall live who abandons her,
Perjuring the oath she swore.
أَقسَمَت لا عاشَ مَن هَجَرَت
أَبِإِثمِي بَرَّ مَقسَمُها
Alas! Because of her glances' sword-
How can it not proclaim its drawing!
آهِ مِن سِيفَي لَواحِظِها
كَيفَ لا يُنبُو مُصَمِّمُها
Could the sword of the minister Abu Ja'far
Be guided by her sword to strike!
أَتُرى سَيفُ الوَزِيرِ أَبي
جَعفَرٍ أَضحى يُعَلِّمُها
A king whom kings are adorned by
When counted as her own, for he is the noblest.
مَلِكٌ تُزهى المُلوكُ إِذا
عُدَّ مِنها وَهُوَ أَكرَمُها
Supreme in lineage, I seat him;
By God's command, the most upright.
في عُلا الأَنسابِ أَقعَدُها
وَبأَمرِ اللَهِ أَقوَمُها
Hardest on unbelievers,
Gentlest towards Islam.
وَعَلى الكُفّارِ أَغلَظُها
وَعَلى الإِسلام أَرحَمُها
Bravest in feats of valor,
Foremost in facing perils.
وَلَدى الإِقدام أَهوَلُها
وَعَلى الأَهوالِ أَقدَمُها
He excelled in every glory-
The most Godfearing and wisest sage.
بَذّها فِي كُلّ مَكرُمَةٍ
فَهوَ أَتقاها وَأَعلَمُها
None can equal him on battlegrounds-
Save heroes girded for war.
وَمُحالٌ أَن يُجَلّيَ فِي
حَلبَةٍ إِلّا مُطَهَّمُها
Between his magnanimity and might
Lurk the earth's bliss and blessings.
بَينَ رُحماهُ وَسَطوَتِهِ
نِقَمُ الدُنيا وَأَنعُمُها
His affection towards us
We divide as favors among us.
قَسَمَت فِينا مَحَبَّتَهُ
نِعَمٌ فِينا نُقَسِّمُها
Had the sun unveiled him,
No clouds would veil him.
لَو حَكَتهُ الشَمس سافِرَةً
لَم يَكُن غَيمٌ يُلَثِّمُها
Had the moons sought his splendor,
Their fullness would not wane.
لَو حَبا الأَقمارَ بَهجَتَهُ
لَم يَخف نَقصاً مُتمَّمُها
Had the blooms sought his protection,
None would drown in the dawn's pools.
لَو أَجارَ الزُهرَ ما غَرِقَت
فِي خَليج الفَجرِ عُوّمُها
Had the world resolved against him,
It would shatter against his defiance.
لَو رَمى الدُنيا بِعَزمَتِهِ
هَلَكت فيما يُجَشِّمُها
Had he herded hearts' flocks,
Beauty's army would not plunder them.
لَو رَعى سِربَ القُلُوبِ لَما
كانَ جَيشُ الحُسنِ يَغنَمُها
A Kaaba of munificence, his abode,
Every supplicant circumambulates it.
كَعبَةٌ للجُودِ حَضرَتُهُ
كُلّ مُحتاجٍ يُؤَمِّمُها
Its cornerstone is his serenity's haven,
Its flask Zamzam's cool drafts.
رُكنُها مَلثُومُ راحَتِهِ
وَنَدى كَفَّيهِ زَمزَمُها
Believers and infidels journeyed to it from lands afar,
Each humbly glorifying it after gaining their wants.
حَجَّ مِن أَقصى البِلادِ لَها
كافِرُ الدُنيا وَمُسلِمُها
His world served the pilgrims,
So for religion he labored to serve it.
شَهِدُوا فِيها مَنافِعَهُم
فَاِنثَنى كُلٌّ يَعَظِّمُها
Yearning for union, she approached,
But he spurned her with asceticism's firmness.
مَوسِمُ الحُجّاجِ دُنياه تَخدِمُه
فَاِنبَرى لِلدِين يِخدِمُها
Branches envied us his pearls
Strung in subtlety's bands.
أَقبَلَت لِلوَصلِ راغِبَةً
فَاِنثَنى بِالزُهدِ يَصرِمُها
His palm grants us shining gems
When we touch its hems.
حَسَدَتنا الغِيدُ فِي دُرَرٍ
لِمَعالِيهِ تَنَظّمُها
He is deliverance if you are wronged,
Though you would do him injustice calling him rain.
كَفّهُ بَحرٌ فَتَتحِفُنا
بِاللآلي حينَ نَلثِمُها
None rivals his munificence,
While the clouds frown with remorse after.
وَهيَ غَوثٌ إِن ظُلِمتَ وَإِن
قُلتَ غَيثٌ كُنتَ تَظلِمُها
It is his nature to be generous,
Theirs to be miserly and aloof.
ما نَداهُ لِلغَمامِ وَلَو
طَبَّقَ الآفاقَ مُرهَمُها
My lord, thanking you is incumbent
Among religion's duties binding me.
أَينَ مِن إِشراقِ غُرَّتِهِ
ساعَةُ الجَدوى يُغَيِّمُها
The community of your unity knows
God will have mercy upon it through you.
باسِمٌ عِندَ النَوالِ يَرا
ها مُمَرّاتٍ فَيغنَمُها
The one we cling to for refuge
Will protect it, sublime scion.
وَتُنِيلُ السُحبُ عابِسَةً
ما بِها إِلّا تَندُّمُها
Through you God buttressed His faith
When unbelief nearly wore it.
فَهوَ عَن جُودٍ طَلاقَتُهُ
وَهِيَ عَن بُخلٍ تَجَهُمُها
So the foe made peace, though eyes had nearly
Succumbed before swords they saw.
أَيُّها المَولى وَشكرُكَ فِي
واجِباتِ الدينِ أَلزَمُها
You raise the banners of villages
You exalt and educate.
أُمَّةُ التَوحِيدِ قَد عَلِمَت
بِكَ أَنّ اللَهَ يَرحَمُها
The plague of malice has departed,
Though it nearly corrupted and destroyed us.
وَالعِصامِيُّ الَّذي اِعتَصَمَت
بِعُلاهُ سَوفَ يَعصِمُها
Our dark nights were ridden with strife
Till your wisdom's dawn dispelled their gloom.
بِكَ شادَ اللَهُ مِلّتَهُ
حِينَ كادَ الكُفرُ يَثلِمُها
So the foe is obedient to your command
Or to the swords that threaten stark calamity.
فَالعِدى سَلمٌ لَها وَلَقَد
كادَت الأَبصارُ تُسلِمُها
When their consciences betray them,
God shall make them know.
خَفَضَت أَعلامَها لِقُرىً
أَنتَ تُعلِيها وَتُعلِمُها
When their mysteries act up,
The sword's remedy settles them.
ذَهَبَ الداءُ العُقامُ وَقَد
كادَ يُعدِيها فَيُعدِمُها
When their hordes rage,
Terror's army routes them.
غَشِيَت دَهماءَنا فِتَنٌ
لِغَواشِي اللَيلِ تُدهِمُها
People live prosperously in your sword's shade,
Gardened in the Meadows' bliss.
يَتَجلّى صُبحُ رَأيك في
لَيلِها فَاِنجاب مُظلِمُها
The righteous gain reward,
The sinner gets pardon.
فَالعِدى طَوعٌ لِأَمرِكَ أَو
لِظُبا الأَسيافِ تُلحِمُها
The fearful gain security,
The destitute gain plenty.
فَمَتى خانَت ضَمائِرُها
فَبِإِذنِ اللَهِ تَعلَمُها
How many hopes your hand fulfilled
When none save you could perfect them!
وَمَتى اِعتَلَّت سَرائِرُها
فَدَواءُ السَيفِ يَحسِمُها
I thank my lords abundantly,
While my lord ushers them to grandeur's thrones.
وَمَتى جاشَت عَساكِرُها
فَبِجَيشِ الرُعب تَهزِمُها
Meanings of gratitude abide in my soul
But I find no words to convey them.
وَالوَرى مِن ظِلِّ سَيفِكَ في
جَنّةِ الرُضوانِ تُنعِمُها
Languages fall short of reaching them
As I have nothing to explain them.
فَيَنالُ الأَجرَ مُحسِنُها
وَيَنالُ العَفوَ مُجرِمُها
It's enough elucidation for an ambiguity
That explaining it remains ambiguous.
وَيَنالُ الأَمنَ خائِفُها
وَيَنالُ اليُسرَ مُعدَمُها
You've silenced my eloquence - and how eloquent
Are the most eloquent orators you've muted!
كَم يَدٍ تَمَّمتَ وَاليَدُ ما
رَبّها إِلّا مُتَمّمُها
Favors like dusk's sun - its light fire,
Its gold dinars - and the moon a drachma.
أَنا في العُبدانِ شاكِرُ مَن
هُوَ في الساداتِ مُقحِمُها
Your grants have left all mankind behind, dividing favors
Among people on earth distributing them.
وَمَعاني الشكرِ في خَلَدِي
لَم أَجِد لَفظاً يُتَرجِمُها
Exalted with me, though I am not
Equal to praising your bounty.
قَصَّرَت عَنها اللغاتُ فَما
فِي يَدِي شَيءٌ يُفَهِّمُها
I almost suppressed them out of fear
Of disbelief when they became wondrous.
وَكَفى شَرحاً لِمُبهَمَةٍ
أَن يَفُوتَ الشَرحَ مبهَمُها
In reality, they exceeded what
My imagination could conceive.
أَفحَمت نَطقي وَأَفصَحُ ما
في رِجال النُطقِ أَفحَمُها
Those you grace may be sated by them
And cease, which would shame the granter.
مِنَحٌ شَمسُ العَشِيّةِ دِي
نارُها وَالبَدرُ دِرهَمُها
Whenever I exclude one aspect,
You bring me a finer one preceding it.
وَعَطايا خِلتُ مُعطِيَها
بَينَ أَهلِ الأَرضِ يَقسِمُها
Gifts like the dawn - the most beneficial,
Unlike rainclouds, are the most lasting,
عَظُمَت عِندِي وَلَستُ لَما
تَقتَضي نُعماكَ أُعظِمُها
Newest remedy for every malady,
Earliest release from every bond.
كِدتُ لَمّا أَصبَحَت عَجَباً
خَشيَةَ التَكذِيب أَكتُمُها
Magnificent hand, and every
Sign of your favors, my lord, is greatest.
جاوَزَت لِي في الحَقيقةِ ما
لَم يُجَوِّز لِي تَوَهُّمُها
You aid the oppressed when they call on you,
Saving them from the abyss they've plunged in.
يَتشَهذاها المُنيلُ وَقَد
كادَ مَن تُعطاهُ يَسأمُها
Misfortunes leave them speechless in their plight,
Mute with agony unintelligible.
كُلَّما اِستَثنَيتُ أَنتَجَ لِي
عَينَ تالِيها مُقَدَّمُها
Crises rule them - how many
Fires flare that they fan!
مِنَنٌ كَالصُبحِ أَنفَعُها
بِخِلافِ السُحبِ أَدوَمُها
In their gleam you shine like stars
Pacifying celestial mansions.
فَشِفاءُ السُقمِ أَحدَثُها
وَفَكاكُ الأَسرِ أَقدَمُها
Thronging the ranks by your side
Crowding the mansion of Gemini.
وَاليَدُ العُظمى وَكُلُّ أَيا
دِيكَ يا مَولايَ أَعظَمُها
More protective near you if
A lad approaches the august.
نَصرُكَ المَظلُوم تَنقِذُهُ
مِن غِمارٍ باتَ يُقحَمُها
Guarded by the meadows' swords that serve it
From the glances' sly swords that covet it.
يُعرِبُ الشَكوى وَتُخرِسُهُ
شِدَّةُ البَلوى فَيُعجِمُها
Truer to you than Beauty's eternal gardens
If a glance attempts to pluck it
حَكَمت فِيهِ الخُطُوبُ فَكَم
عاثَ في جَمرٍ يُحَكِّمُها
Or imagination dares to veil it.
Unsheathe Thulfiqar, twin-bladed!
يَتَجلّى في ذُراهُ كَما
تَسكُنُ الأَبراجَ أَنجُمُها
Rush to defend the双峰! Cleave them!
Let not the days complain unheard -
حَلَّ مِن ناديكَ فِي رُتَبٍ
مَنكِبُ الجَوزاءِ يَزحَمُها
We have a lord who can rein in the world's caprice.
He favors me and coerces it,
فَهوَ أَحمى في جَنابِكَ إِن
نابَ لِلأَحداثِ مُعظَمُها
Upsetting norms for me and it both.
So set aside trite elegies before
مِن رِياضِ الخَدِّ يَحرُسُها
مِن سُيوفِ اللَحظِ يَخدِمُها
Thanking our lord I seat.
If I fall short in serving him,
وَهُوَ أَوفى في ذُراكَ مِنَ ال
وَجنَةِ المَصبُوغِ عَندَمُها
I hope he'll be pleased and show clemency.
You were guided to glory, rather guided
إِن أَرادَ اللَحظُ يَقطِفُها
أَو أَشارَ الوَهمُ يَلثِمُها
Gently like one smiling guided.
Charm for sights, she enchants them.
سُلَّ سَيفُ المُقلَتَين وَأَش
رِعَ للنَهدَين لَهذَمُها
Passion of lovers, she captures them.
Valiant in your triumph, her hand.
فَدَعُوا الأَيّامَ شاكِيَةً
غَيرَ مَسمُوعٍ تَظَلُّمُها
Eloquent in thanking you, her mouth.
So assume from the beauty of her splendor
وَصُروفُ الدَهرِ إِن بَطشَت
فَلَنا مَولىً يُحَلِّمُها
A manner bequeathing its glow.
Robes like a garden its rain has overjoyed
خالَفَ المُعتادَ بِي وَبِها
فَهوَ يَرضِيني وَيُرغِمُها
With its cloudburst's tears watering it.
We'll weave them in the cloak's pattern
فَاِجتَلُوا خَنساءَ بَينَ يَدَي
شُكرِ مَولانا أُقدِّمُها
And brocade them with ink's threading.
With the wisdom you've given, we gift her it
أَنا إِن قَصَّرتُ في خِدَمِي
فَعَسى يَرضى وَيَرحَمُها
To adorn her and beautify it.
In your exalted name, once suited
أَهدِيَت للمَجدِ بَل هُدِيَت
كَهَدِيٍّ راقَ مَبسِمُها
To glory's attire naming it,
Choice items anew we'll dress her in-
نُزهَةُ الأَبصارِ تسحَرُها
مِسكَةُ العُشّاقِ تَفغَمُها
The most splendid and gratifying.
Immortalized be praises of you that
باطِشٌ في نَصرِكُم يَدُها
ناطِقٌ في شُكرِكُم فَمُها
No excellence ceases to also praise.
By you high aspirations commence, so blood
فَاشتمِل مِن حُسنِ بِهجَتِها
خُلُقاً يَضفو مَنُمنَمُها
Begins the noble and seals them.
حُلَلاً كَالرَوضِ أَضحَكَهُ
مِن دُمُوعِ الغَيثِ أَسجَمُها
في طِرازِ الطرسِ نَنسجُها
وَبوَشيِ الحَبرِ نَرقُمُها
بِالَّذي أَسدَيتَ مِن حِكَمٍ
نَحنُ نُسدِيها وَنُلحِمُها
باسمِكَ الأَعلى إِذا صَلَحت
لِلِباسِ المجدِ يُعلَمُها
وَالتَحِف أَبرادَها جُدُداً
فَهِيَ أَبهاها وَأَنعَمُها
وَابقَ للأَمداحِ لا عُدِمَت
مِنكَ خِلّاً لَيسَ يُعدِمُها
بِكَ بَدءُ المَعلُواتِ فَدُم
تَبدَأُ العَليا وَتَختِمُها
