سَيَأتي أَميرَ المُؤمِنينَ وَدونَهُ
جَماهيرُ حِسمى قورُها وَحُزونُها
The Commander of the Faithful will come with
Crowds whose determination and sorrow are evident
تَجاوُبُ أَصدائي بِكُلِّ قَصيدَةٍ
مِنَ الشِعرِ مُهداةٍ لِمَن لا يُهينُها
My echoes respond to every poem
That I dedicate to one who does not disgrace it
أُفَخِّمُ فيها آلَ مَروانَ إِنَّهُم
إِذاعَمَّ خوفُ عَبدِ شَمسٍ حُصونُها
I exalt the family of Marwan in it, for they
When the fear of a slave of the sun spread, their fortresses protected it
أُسودٌ بَوادي ذي حَماسٍ خَوادِرٌ
حَوانٍ عَلى الأَشبالِ محمىً عَرينها
Lions in the valleys of fervent zeal, vigilant
Protecting their cubs from the mountains' peaks
إِذا طَلَبوا أَعلى المَكارِم أَدرَكوا
بِما أَدرَكَت أَحسابُ قَومٍ وَدينها
When they sought the highest virtues, they attained
What the accounts of a people and their religion reached
لَقَد جَهَدَ الأَعداءُ فَوتَكَ جُهدَهُم
وَضافَتكَ أَبكارُ الخُطوبِ وَعونُها
The enemies exerted themselves in vain, their efforts failed
While maidens of battles came to your aid
فَما وَجَدوا فيكَ اِبنَ مَروانَ سَقطَةً
وَلا جَهلَةً في مَأزِقٍ تَستَكينُها
They did not find in you, O son of Marwan, any flaw
Nor an ignorant one in dire straits seeking refuge
وَلَكِن بَلَوا في الجَدِّ مِنكَ ضَريبَةً
بَعيداً ثَراها مُسمَهِرّاً وَجينُها
Rather, they tested in you a distant, sleepless vigor
Its wealth overflowing and its essence pure
إِذا جاوَزوا مَعروفَها أَسلَمَتهُمُ
إِلى غَمرَةٍ لا يَنظُرُ العَومَ نونُها
If they exceeded its favors, it surrendered them
To a torrent in which swimmers cannot see its depths
إِذا ما أَرادَ الغَزوَ لَم تَثنِ عَزمَهُ
حَصانٌ عَلَيها نَظمُ دُرٍّ يَزينُها
When he intended to raid, no steed swayed his resolve
Adorned with a string of pearls that graced it
نَهَتهُ فَلَمّا لَم تَرَ النَهيَ عاقَهُ
بَكَت فَبَكى مِمّا شَجاها قَطينُها
It cautioned him, but when the caution went unheeded
It wept, crying from the pain that distressed it
وَلَم يَثنِهِ عِندَ الصَبابَةِ نَهيُها
غَداةَ اِستَهَلَّت بِالدُموعِ شُؤونُها
Nor did its caution dissuade him in his youth
The day its affairs commenced with tears
وَلَكِن مَضى ذو مِرَّةٍ مُتَثَبِّتٌ
لِسُنَّةِ حَقٍّ واضِحٍ يَستَبينُها
Rather, the resolute man of principle went forth
To the clear, evident truth that revealed it
أَشَمُّ عَميمٌ في العَمامَةِ أَظهَرَت
حِزامَتُهُ أَجلادَ جِسمٍ يُعينُها
I smell the pervading scent in his turban that showed
His belt on a body that gives it strength
وَصِدقَ مَواعيدٍ إِذا قيلَ إِنَّما
يُصَدِّقُ موعودَ المَغيبِ يَقينُها
And the honesty of promises - for it is said:
Only one certain of the unseen fulfills them
وَهُم يَضرِبونَ الصَفَّ حَتّى يُثَبّتوا
وَهُم يُرجِعونَ الخَيلَ جُمّاً قُرونُها
As they strike the line of battle to affirm
And return the horses in mass, their forelocks tossed
فَتىً أَخلَصَتهُ الحَربُ حَتّى تَقَلَّبَت
كَما أَخلَصَت عَضباً بِضَربٍ قُيونُها
A noble the war purified until he turned
As it had purified rage in the blows of its spearheads
وَصِدقَ مَواعيدٍ إِذا قيلَ إِنَّما
يُصَدِّقُ موعودَ المَغيبِ يَقينُها
And the honesty of promises - for it is said:
Only one certain of the unseen fulfills them
وَهُم يَضرِبونَ الصَفَّ حَتّى يُثَبّتوا
وَهُم يُرجِعونَ الخَيلَ جُمّاً قُرونُها
As they strike the line of battle to affirm
And return the horses in mass, their forelocks tossed
فَتىً أَخلَصَتهُ الحَربُ حَتّى تَقَلَّبَت
كَما أَخلَصَت عَضباً بِضَربٍ قُيونُها
A noble the war purified until he turned
As it had purified rage in the blows of its spearheads
