خيرُ المَواطِنِ حَيثُ هَذا الأَروَعُ
وَأَجَلُّ قَولٍ ما أَقولُ وَيَسمَعُ
The best of citizens where this most wondrous one abides,
And the highest speech is what I say as he hears.
أَجهَدتُ نَفسي في المَديحِ فَلَم أَجِد
ما قَد صَنَعتُ مُجازِياً ما يَصنَعُ
I strove in praise but found naught I did
Could repay what he does, though I tried every approach.
وَأَضَعتُ مَدحي قَبلَهُ في غَيرِهِ
إِنَّ المَدائحَ في سِواهُ تُضيَّعُ
I put my praises before him aside for others -
For praises elsewhere are but wasted.
يُثنى عَلَيهِ بِدونِ ما في طَبعِهِ
كَالمِسكِ أَسيرُهُ الَّذي يَتَضَوَّعُ
He's praised sans what's in his nature
Like musk made captive by what makes it exude.
وَيُزارُ بِالمَدحِ السَنِيِّ وَقَدرُهُ
أَعلا مِنَ المَدحِ السَنِيِّ وَأَرفَعُ
He's visited with praise that is outstripped
By his worth; he's higher than such praise, loftier.
خِدَعٌ جَعَلناها إَلَيكَ وَسائِلاً
إِنَّ الكَريمَ بِكُلِّ شَيءٍ يُخدَعُ
Ruses we made to reach you - for the noble
Can by all things be tricked to draw near.
شَفِعَت إِلَيكَ نَفاسَةٌ مِن نَفسِهِ
أَغنَت ذَوي الحاجاتِ عَمَّن يَشفَعُ
Something of his soul interceded for us,
Enriching the needy beyond any intercessors.
سَهلٌ وَفيهِ عَلى العَدوِّ شَراسَةٌ
كَالسَيفِ مَلمَسُهُ يَلينُ وَيَقطَعُ
Gentle, yet harshly vigorous against the foe
Like a sword, soft to the touch yet cutting swift.
إِن سَرَّ ضَرَّ وَتِلكَ شَيمَةُ مِثلِهِ
وَابنُ الكَريمَةِ مَن يَضُرُّ وَيَنفَعُ
If he approves he harms, and such is his ilk,
A noble's son harming or benefiting as he desires.
مِثلُ الغَمامِ المُستَغاثِ بِدَرِّهِ
فِيهِ الصَواعِقُ وَالغُيوثُ الهُمَّعُ
Like a cloud laden with its scattering lightning,
Its thunderbolts and pouring rain contained within.
لَو أَنَّهُ بارى الرِياحَ لَقَصَّرت
عَن بُعدِ غايَتِهِ الرِياحُ الأَربَعُ
If he let forth the winds they would grow short
Of reaching his limit though they're four.
وَلَرَدَّها حَسرى الهُبوبِ كَليلَةً
حَتّى تَرى أَنَّ البَطيئَ الأَسرَعُ
And he would drive them back, chagrined, at night
Till the slowest seemed the swiftest steed.
يَتَقَلَّدُ العَضبَ الحُسامَ وَتَحتَهُ
قَلبٌ أَحَدُّ مِنَ الحُسامِ وَأَقطَعُ
He girds on his blade and under it a heart
Sharper than the blade and more trenchant.
وَيَرى التَوَقّي بِالسَنَوَرِ ذِلَّةً
وَالدِرعُ يَكرَهُهُ الهِزَبرُ الأَروَعُ
He sees caution with armor as baseness
While the coat of mail seems to him the brighter war gear.
جَنبَ الجِيادَ كَأَنَّ أَنصافَ القَنا
ما بَينَ أَذرُعِها الخَضيبَةِ أَذرُعُ
He reined in the steeds as if loins of lances
Were between their bloodied withers.
وَالبيضُ تَنثرُ لَحمَ كُلِّ مُدَرَّعٍ
فَتَعودُ تَنظِمُهُ الرِماحُ الشُرَّعُ
The whites scatter the flesh of every armored one
Till the spears reassemble what they rend apart.
في كُلِّ مُنبَسِطِ الفِجاجِ كَأَنَّهُ
قَزَعٌ بِوارِقُهُ السُيوفُ اللُمَّعُ
On each outspread expanse of desolation
He's like a torrent with its flashing swords.
أَبدى نَواجِذَهُ الكَمِيُّ مُكَلّحاً
فيهِ كَما كَلَحَ الأَزَلُّ الأَجلَعَ
The tribesman showed his prowess clad in full mail
As primal time showed its Treasures long buried.
وَتَناثَرَت فيهِ الجَماجِمُ وَالطُلى
حَتّى تَعاثَرَتِ المَذاكي المُزَّعُ
The skulls and missiles all flew around him
Till the battle sites were strewn with scattered debris.
مَن مُبلِغُ الأَتراكِ أَنَّ أَمامَهُم
بَحراً يُغَرِّقُ مَوجُهُ مَن يَشرَعُ
"Who will tell the Turks before them lies
A sea whose waves will drown any who dare cross?"
أَمُّوا وَهَمّوا بِالوُرودِ فَراعَهُم
مِن دونِهِ هَذا الهُمامُ الأَروَعُ
They then feared and fancied entering - this valiant hero
Beyond them made them realize the Syria and its people
وَتَيَقَّنوا أَن الشآمَ وَأَهلَهُ
أَحمى بِلادِ الخافِقينِ وَأَمنَعُ
Are the hottest core of those who draw the sword, invincible.
One whose cloak bears no disdain, as if within its folds
بِمُوَقَّرٍ لا يُستَخَفُّ كَأَنَّما
في بُردَتَيهِ مُتالِعٌ أَو صَلفَعُ
Lurked a lion or towering camel.
If he weighed his greatness against his forbearance
لَو وازنَ الطَودَ الأَشَمَّ بِحِلمِهِ
لانحَطَّ وَاِرتَفَعَ الأَشَمُّ الأَرفَعُ
The forbearing would sink and the greatest ascend.
The path to munificence was difficult while his
ضاقَ الطَريقُ إِلى النَدى وَطَريقُهُ
سَهلٌ إِلى ابنِ أَبي عَليٍّ مَبيَعُ
Was easy to the son of Abu 'Ali Mabaya.
A king - we've heard of kings and their deeds,
مَلِكٌ الطَريقُ إِلى النَدى وَطَريقُهُ
سَهلٌ إِلى ابنِ أَبي أَبي عَليٍّ مَبيَعُ
Yet his actions belittle what we have heard.
I created new expressions on seeing him
مَلِكٌ سَمِعنا بِالمُلوكِ وَفِعلِهِم
وَأَتى فَصَغَّرَ فِعلُهُ ما تَسمَعُ
Give generously, excelling whomsoever gives excellently.
And I complained of being unable, so he briskly
أَبدَعتُ فيهِ القَولَ حينَ رَأَيتُهُ
يُعطي فَيُبدِعُ في غِنى مَن يُبدِعُ
Made me draw near when his noble self embraced me.
To the point I prefer what he granted me
وَشَكَوتُ إِمحالي فَأَمرَعَ جانِبي
مُذ ضَمَّني هَذا الجَنابُ المُمرِعُ
To the robe of honor he bestowed on me.
O son of kings, none can keep you
حَتّى لَقَد أَفضَلتُ مِمّا نالَني
مِن فَضلِهِ مِمّا يَخلَع
From the game though kings vie and are kept at bay.
Your hands, in what they attained, found a place
يابنَ المُلوكِ الصِيدِ غَيرَ مُدافَعٍ
عَمّا يُحاوِلُهُ المُلوكُ فَيُدفَعُ
Wherein the stars before you have no place.
A nobility the steps of Caesar fall short of,
نالَت يَداكَ بِما أَنالَت مَوضِعاً
ما لِلكَواكِبِ فيهِ عِندَكَ مَوضِعُ
A munificence those in your wake strive to follow.
You graced us with the joyous feast - we only
شَرَفاً تُقَصِّرُ عَنهُ خُطوَةُ قَيصَرٍ
وَنَدىً تَتَبَّعَ فيهِ إَثرَكَ تُبَّعُ
Delight in your beautiful face, nothing else.
A headland left devoid of dwellers -
هُنيتَ بِالعيدِ السَعيدِ فَإِنَّنا
بِجِمالِ وَجهِكَ لا بِهِ نَتَمَتَّعُ
For us passions surged in knowing it was his.
My heart guaranteed affection for it and its people -
رَبعٌ خَلا بِالغَورِ مِن سُكانِهِ
هاجَت لَنا الحُرُقاتُ مِن عِرفانِهِ
So for it and them the guarantee was fulfilled.
We mixed potions with it - its zephyr then blew,
ضَمِنَ الجَوى قَلبي لَهُ وَلِأَهلِهِ
فَوَفى لَهُ وَلِأَهلِهِ بِضَمانِهِ
Reminding me of its meadows and bait.
I feared the caravan's blame had I not
عُجنا الطَيَّ بِهِ وَهَبَّ نَسيمُهُ
فَذَكرتُ رَيّاهُ بِرَيّا بانِهِ
Curbed my tears from flooding forth.
A headland whose forenoons lacked a settled person,
وَخَشيتُ لَومَ الرَكبِ لَولا أَنَّني
نَهنَهتُ غَربَ الدَمعِ عَن سَيَلانِهِ
Their riders leaning away from its sand dunes.
They sleep in the shade of the shrubs, does in a herd,
رَبعٌ خَلَت عَرَصاتُهُ مِن نُهَّدٍ
رَجَحَت رَوادِفُهُنَّ عَن كُثبانِهِ
You'd think they fell from its boughs as they lean.
Around it the oryx of Wishaah turned,
يَرقُدنَ في ظِلِّ الأَراكِ قَوائِلاً
فَتَخالُهُنَّ سَقَطنَ مِن أَغصانِهِ
From its lower to upper hills wandering every direction.
Gazelles of men fled it, instead it was thronged
مِن كُلِّ جائِلَةِ الوِشاحِ تَدَيَّرَت
مِن غَورِهِ الأَدنى إِلى جَولانِهِ
With wild beasts, gazelles of its glens.
They ask after the lover's state - ask not of him
غِزلانُ إِنس بِنّ عَنهُ وَعُوِّضَت
عَرَصاتُهُ بِالوَحشِ مِنغِزلانِهِ
Or his condition; do not ask.
Passion overflowed the stream beds - openly it declared for you,
يَسألنَ عَن شَأنِ المُحِبِّ عَلى النَوى
لا تَسأَلوا عَنهُ وَلا عَن شانِهِ
So the distance made it declare all the more intensely.
It hid its love in patience until it could find
شَطَّ المَزارُ أَعلَنَ في هَواكَ بِسِرِّهِ
فَالبينُ أَحوَجَهُ إِلى إِعلانِهِ
No more patience or composure to conceal it.
You claimed I forgot my pledges - blame no person
كَتَمَ الهَوى صَبراً إِلى أَن لَم يَجِد
صَبراً وَلا جَلَداً عَلى كِتمانِهِ
For what he forgets, no blame on him for his lapses.
The Iraqi lightning flashed - it stirred in me for you
وَزَعَمتُمُ أَنّي نَسيتُ عُهودَكُم
لا لَومَ لِلإِنسانِ في نِسيانِهِ
In Syria a tenderness from remembering its radiance.
It left the stone beds as if agate
وَلَقَد سَرى بَرقُ العِراقِ فَهاجَ لي
بِالشامِ وَجداً مِن سَنا لَمَعانِهِ
Melted on the heads of its channels.
It appears to your eye in darkness as if
تَرَكت عَقيقَتُهُ الأَحَصَّ كَأَنَّما
ذابَ العَقيقُ عَلى رَؤُوسِ قُنانِهِ
The slim musk willow, rustling with its tongue.
Richly laden, it tells the sleepless one from the glass vessel
يَبدو لِعَينِكَ في الظَلامِ كَأَنَّهُ
صِلُّ الكَثيبِ مُنضنِضاً بِلِسانِهِ
The date syrup spilling over it in its sweetness.
It and night cloaked in shadowy gloom appear
مُتَبَوِّجاً يَحكي الأَصَمَّ مِنَ القَنا
سالَ النَجيعُ عَلَيهِ في عَسَلانِهِ
Like the goats' fire over the back of the pens.
A king - when his banner flutters
فَكَأَنَّهُ وَاللَيلُ مُعتَكِرُ الدُجى
نارُ المُعِزِّ عَلى مُتونِ رِعانِهِ
Men's hearts flutter at its fluttering.
Fair of repute - his absence like his presence,
مَلِكٌ إِذا خَفَقَ اللِواءُ وَراءَهُ
خَفَقَت قُلوبُ الإِنسِ مِن خَفَقانِهِ
His talk like seeing him before you plainly.
It killed wild beasts who by morning were counted
حَسَنُ الثَناءِ مَغيبُهُ كَشُهودِهِ
بَينَ المَلا وَحَديثُهُ كَعِيانِهِ
Among those its guests kill before it.
So the beasts learned of abodes from its bramblings
قاتَ الوُحوشَ فَأَصبَحَت مَحسوبَةً
فيمَن يُقاتُ لَدَيهِ مِن ضيفانِهِ
And mankind learned of abodes from its smoke.
Do not feel safe from time and its caprice
فَالوَحشُ قَد عَرَفَ القِرى بِعَجاجِهِ
وَالإِنسُ قَد عَرَفَ القَرى بِدُخانِهِ
If you do not cling to the cord of its security.
And a band confused the dark with matchsticks,
لا تَأَمَننَّ مِنَ الزَمانِ وَرَيبِهِ
إِن أَنتَ لَم تَعلَق بِحَبلِ أَمانِهِ
Not known in the waste lands from their gloom.
They dye the white serviettes crimson at banquets
وَعِصابَةٍ خَبَطوا الظَلامَ بِأَينُقٍ
في البيدِ لا يُنكرنَ مِن ظُلمانِهِ
From the elongated revelry of its red drink.
An evil gang whose villainy, once concealed, concealed them
يَخضِبنَ مُبيَضَّ الحَصا بِمَناسِمٍ
طالَ السُرى فَدَمينَ مِن إِدمانِهِ
Until a hand destroyed the riders in its twisting paths.
From each unsheathed swordbelt it made
خُوصُ الأَحِجَّةِ ما اِنطَوَت حَتّى طَوَت
بِيداً تُبيدُ الرَكبَ في غيطانِهِ
The dust of its desert gut like an interior.
From beneath the buttoned shirt its sword -
مِن كُلِّ مُغتَرِضِ الأَريكَةِ صَيَّرَت
غُبرُ الفَيافي بَطنَهُ كَبِطانِهِ
Its edge keener than its tongue's edge.
It hopes for wealth from every unmatched one; it did not fear
مِن تَحتِ مُنقَدِّ القَميصِ بِسَيفِهِ
حَدُّ وَأَمضى مِنهُ حَدُّ لِسانِِ
To disappoint those who sought its aid after God.
It brings life to the legacy of the house of 'Amir
يَرجُو الغِنى مِن كُلِّ أَروَع لَم يَخَف
راجيهِ بَعدَ اللَهِ مِن حِرمانِهِ
Where kings of earth lived in its benevolence.
Tempted by lack of funds, though it is a wealth
وَيَؤُمُّ أَبلَجَ مِن ذُؤابَةِ عامِرٍ
عاشَت مُلوكُ الأَرضِ في إِحسانِهِ
Where praise increases in its lessening.
Though many are its generous ones,
مُغرىً بِنَقصِ المالِ إِلّا أَنَّهُ
مالٌ يَزيدُ الحَمدُ في نُقصانِهِ
None more generous than Abu 'Ulwan.
A sea whose angers overflowed - only it is
إِنَّ الزَمانَ كَثيرَةٌ كرَماؤُهُ
لَكن أَكرَمَهُم أَبُو عُلوانِهِ
A sea from whose depths we saw the sea.
Going gently, if fate grew harsh, leading,
بَحرٌ شَطونُ العِبر إِلّا أَنَّهُ
بَحرٌ رَأَينا البَحرَ مِن خُلجانِهِ
Its foes unsafe from its hostility.
It disdained realms until they were
ماضي الجَنانِ إِذا تَقَلَّدَ صارِماً
لَم يَمضِ صارِمُهُ مَضاءَ جَنانِهِ
Subject to its blows and stabbings.
As the lion disdains to pound prey
شَرُفت مَناقِبُهُ إِلى أَن رُصِّعَت
عِوَضاً عَنِ الياقوتِ في تيجانِهِ
Not come between its paw and grip.
Or a steed known for its quality
وَالمأثُراتُ الغُرُّ أَشرَفُ قيمَةً
في تاجِهِ المَعقودِ مِن عِقيانِهِ
From souls spilt by its slashing.
Like the rivulet, obedient - only
قابَلتُ في الإِيوانِ سُنَّةَ وَجهِهِ
فَسَلَوتُ عَن كِسرى وَعَن إِوانِهِ
It cannot be sheathed to curb its flow.
Or a blade bearing a fiery coal,
وَرَأيتُ حينَ رَأيتُ أَحسَنَ سيرة
فينا وَأَعدَل مِن أَنو شِروانِهِ
Its gleam showing between its teeth.
In the hands of one most wondrous - each time the war
أَنسى البَرِيَّةَ عَدلَ ذاكَ بِعَدلِهِ
فَكَأَنَّهُم في عَصرِهِ وَأَوانِهِ
Drew near and the frightened ones approached their likes.
Like the goat yet where can its equal be found
لَو حَلَّ دونَ مَحَلِّهِ مِن قَدرِهِ
ما كانَ يُبصَرُ مِن عُلوِّ مَكانِهِ
Save rarely among the kings of its time?
Formidable when fate was difficult to tame,
تَأبى المَمالِكَ نَفسُهُ ما لَم تَكُن
مَملوكَةً بَضرابِهِ وَطِعانِهِ
Its foes unsafe from its aggression.
When I weighed the two worlds I found them
كَالليثِ يأنَفُ أَن يَدُقَّ فَريسَةً
لَم تَثوِ بَينَ مَلاطِهِ وَجِرانِهِ
Not outweighing it in its scale.
More devout, if breaking its fast, than the pious
رَبِحَ الثَنا بِخَسارَةٍ مِن مالِهِ
فَأَتاهُ ربحُ الحَمدِ مِن خُسرانِهِ
Or, fasting for God, in Ramadan.
It surpassed the generous of old in munificence,
حامي الذِمارِ وَلِلمَنِيَّةِ مَورِدٌ
خُلِقَت رِماحُ الخَطِّ مِن أَشطانِهِ
Preceding the aged palm on the day of its race.
O King who restored life to munificence among us
إِذ لا يَرى البَطَلُ الشُجاعُ لِنَفسِهِ
وَزَراً حَصيناً غَيرَ ظَهرِ حِصانِهِ
And justice to life in its lands!
Pride of rule founded what it built
أَو مُرهَفٍ عُرِفَت نَفاسَةُ قَدرِهِ
مِن أَنفُسِ سالَت عَلى سِيلانِهِ
While you built, surpassing its building.
You established the pillar of rule after disasters
كَالجَدوَلِ المُنقادِ إِلّا أَنَّهُ
لا يُحتَشى في الغِمدِ مِن جَرَيانِهِ
That had overturned it, so it leaned from its pillars.
You sought your vengeance, thereby spurring fate
أَو مارِنٍ في الصِلِّ حامِلِ جَذوَةٍ
يَبدُو سَناها مِن بَريقِ سِنانِهِ
Against those who persisted in tyranny against you.
And you contained what was emptied - disdaining it
في كَفِّ أَروَعَ كُلَّما اشتَجَرَ القَنا
وَدَنا في الرَوعِ مِن أَقرانِهِ
As a gift you found for your boy servants.
You ruled your inheritance with resolve
مِثلُ المُعِزِّ وَأَينَ يُوجَد مِثلُهُ
إِلّا قَليلاً في مُلوكِ زَمانِهِ
That led the reigns of rule after its defiance.
So enjoy your feast absent no happiness
صَعبٌ إِذا صَعُبَ الزَمانُ قِيادهُ
لا يَأمَنُ الأَعداءُ مِن عُدوانِهِ
In time, lasting through its eras.
For might has equipped you with its steed's back,
لَمّا وَزَنتُ العالمينَ وَجَدتُهُم
لا يَرجَحونَ عَلَيهِ في ميزانِهِ
And kingship equipped you with the excess of its reins.
أَتقى البَرِيَّةِ مُفطِراً مِن صَومِهِ
أَو صائِماً لِلّهِ في رَمَضانِهِ
سَبَقَ الكِرامَ السابِقينَ إِلى النَدى
سَبقَ العَتيقِ النَهدِ يَومَ رِهانِهِ
يا أَيُّها المَلِكُ الَّذي أَحيا النَدى
فينا وَأَحيا العَدلَ في بُلدانِهِ
قَد كانَ فَخرُ المُلكِ شَيَّدَ ما بَنى
وَبَنَيتَ أَنتَ فَزِدتَ عَن بُنيانِهِ
وَأَقَمتَ رُكنَ المُلكِ بَعدَ نَوائِبٍ
مالَت عَلَيهِ فَمالَ مِن أَركانِهِ
وَطَلَبتَ ثَأرَكَ فاستَثارَ لَكَ الرَدى
مِمَّن أَلَحَّ عَلَيكَ في طُغيانِهِ
وَحَوَيتَ ما خَلّى فَلَم تَحفِل بِهِ
كَرَماً وَجُدتَ بِهِ عَلى غِلمانِهِ
وَمَلَكتَ إِرثَكَ مِن أَبيكَ بِهِمَّةٍ
قادَت زِمامَ المُلكِ بَعدَ حِرانِهِ
فَاسعَد بِعيدِكَ لا عَدِمتَ سَعادَةً
في الدَهرِ باقِيَةً عَلى أَزمانِهِ
فَالعِزُّ قَد أَمطاكَ ظَهرَ جَوادِهِ
وَالمُلكُ قَد أَنطاكَ فَضلَ عِنانِهِ
