أَهاجَ لَهُ ذِكرُ الحِمى وَمَرابِعُه
لَجاجَةَ شَوقٍ ساعَدَتها مَدامِعُه
The memory of the sanctuary and its spring camps stirred within him
A persistence of longing, aided by his flowing tears,
فَباتَ بَليلَ الحَبيبِ مُضطَرِمَ الحَشا
كَأَن بِسَفا البُهمى فُرِشنَ مَضاجِعُه
So he passed the night damp with love, his vitals ablaze,
As if his bed were lined with the sharp awns of wild barley.
يَمُدُّ إِلى البَرقِ اليَمانِيِّ طَرفَهُ
لَعَلَّ الحِمى وَالخَبتَ جيدَت مَراتِعُه
He extends his gaze toward the Yemeni lightning,
Hoping the sanctuary and the lowlands have been watered by rain.
مَنازِلُ خالَلتُ السُرورَ بِرَبعِها
لَيالِيَ يَدعوني الهَوى فَأُطاوِعُه
Dwellings where I befriended joy in their quarters,
Nights when passion called me, and I obeyed it.
أَرَبَّ عَلَيها كُلُّ مُحلولِكِ الرَجا
أَحَمُّ الرَحى مُستَعجَماتٌ مَطالِعُه
May every dark, heavy cloud remain fixed above them,
Black as a millstone, its horizons obscure and dim,
مُلِثُّ القُوى واهي العَزالي إِذا اِنتَجى
بِهِ مُنتِجٌ أَربَت عَلَيهِ دَوافِعُه
Unceasing in strength, loose in its spouts when poured out
By a thunder-cloud whose torrents exceed all measure,
يَحُثُّ ثِقالَ المُزنِ فيهِ مُجَلجِلٌ
إِذا ما حَدا سَلَّت سُيوفاً لَوامِعُهُ
Driven by a roaring wind urging on the heavy white clouds,
Which, when it sings, its lightning unsheathes swords.
إِذا ما بَكَت فيهِ السَحائِبُ جُهدَها
ضَحِكنَ بِنُوّارِ النَباتِ أَجارِعُه
When the clouds weep their utmost therein,
The sandy hills laugh with the blossoms of plants.
وَقَفتُ بِها وَالصَحبُ شَتّى سَبيلُهُم
عَذولٌ وَمَعذولٌ وَآخَرُ سامِعُه
I stood there while my companions urged different paths:
A blamer, an excuser, and another who merely listened.
فَكاتَمتُهُم ما بي وَبِالقَلبِ لَوعَةٌ
إِذا اِضطَرَمَت تَنقَدُّ مِنه أَضالِعُه
I concealed from them what I felt, though a burn was in my heart
That, if it flared up, would shatter my ribs.
وَقُلتُ لِذي وُدّي أَعِنّي فَإِنَّني
أَخو ظَمَإٍ سُدَّت عَلَيهِ مَشارِعُه
And I said to a friend of mine, 'Aid me, for I am
A brother of thirst for whom the watering places are blocked.'
أَلَم تَرَ أَظعاناً تُشَدُّ لِنِيَّةٍ
تِهامِيَّةٍ وَالقَلبُ نَجدٌ مَهايِعُه
Did you not see the camel litters fastened for a destination
Toward Tihama, while the heart’s wide valleys are in Najd?
عَشِيَّةَ لا صَبري يَثيبُ وَلا الهَوى
قَريبٌ وَلا وَجدِي تُفيقُ نَوازِعُه
On an evening when my patience would not return, nor was love
Near, nor would the yearning of my passion cease.
سَقى اللَهُ رَيعانَ الشَبابِ وَعَهدَهُ
سِجالَ الهَنا ما لَألَأَ الفَجرَ ساطِعُه
May God water the prime of youth and its era,
With buckets of bliss, as long as the bright dawn creates a shimmer.
فَما العَيشُ إِلّا ما حَباكَ بِهِ الصِبا
وَإِن خادَعَت ذا الشَيبِ مِنهُ خَوادِعُه
For life is nothing but what youth bestowed upon you,
Even if the deceits of old age try to mislead the gray-haired one.
وَموحِشَةِ الأَرجاءِ طامِسَةِ الصُوى
تَروهُ بِها الذِئبَ الجَري رَوائِعُه
And [I crossed] a desolate wasteland, its landmarks effaced,
Where the bold wolf is terrified by its terrors,
وَيَبكُمُ فيها البومُ إِلّا نَئيمَهُ
وَيَخرَسُ فيها الطَيرُ حَتّى سَواجِعُه
Where the owl is mute save for its moaning,
And the birds are silent therein, even the cooing ones.
تَعَسَّفتُها أَفري قَراها بِجِسرَةٍ
أَمونِ السُرى وَاللَيلُ سودٌ مَدارِعُه
I traversed it, cutting through its back on a sturdy mount,
Trusted in night-travel, while the night wore its black armor,
إِلى مَلِكٍ يُنبي تَهَلُّلُ وَجهِهِ
لِمَن أَمَّهُ أَنَّ الأَماني تُطاوِعُه
Toward a King whose radiant face announces
To the one seeking him, that wishes will obey him.
تَفَرَّعَ مِن صيدِ المُلوكِ إِذا اِنتَمى
تَطَأطَأَ إِعظاماً لَهُ مَن يُقارِعُه
He branches from a lineage of hunter-kings; when he asserts his ancestry,
Whoever battles him lowers his head in reverence.
سَما صُعُداً لِلمَجدِ حَتّى إِذا اِستَوى
عَلى هامِهِ أَدناهُ مِنّا تَواضُعُه
He ascended toward glory until, when he settled
Upon its summit, his humility brought him close to us.
يُريكَ اِنخِداعاً إِن تَطَلَّبتَ فَضلَهُ
وَأَمّا عَنِ العَليا حَذارِ تُخادِعُه
He shows you gullibility if you seek his bounty,
But as for high honor—beware of trying to deceive him.
تَبيتُ العَطايا وَالمَنايا بِكَفِّهِ
لِراجي نَداهُ أَو لِخَصمٍ يُمانِعُه
Gifts and deaths spend the night in his palm,
For the one hoping for his dew, or the adversary opposing him.
كَأَنَّ زِحامَ المُعتَفينَ بِبابِهِ
تَزاحُمُ مَن تَرمي الجِمارَ أَصابِعُه
It is as if the crowding of petitioners at his door
Is the crowding of pilgrims whose fingers throw pebbles at Mina.
مُنيفٌ إِذا سامى الرِجالَ تَضاءَلوا
لِاَروَعَ تَلهو بِالعُقولِ بَدائِعُه
Lofty; when he vies with men, they diminish,
Before a magnificent one whose wonders toy with the intellects.
تُرامِقُهُ الأَبصارُ صوراً خَواشِعاً
لِهَيبَتِهِ وَالأَشوَسُ الرَأسِ خاضِعُه
Eyes steal glances at him, broken and humbled
By his awe, and the head of the proud warrior bows to him.
مَهابَةُ فَضلٍ فيهِ لا جَبَرِيَّةٌ
فَلا رافِعاً حُكماً وَذو العَرشِ واضِعُه
He possesses a majesty of virtue, not of tyranny,
So no one raises a judgment while the Lord of the Throne lowers it.
إِذا هَمَّ لَم تُسَدَد مَسالِكُ هَمِّهِ
عَلَيهِ وَلَم تَصعُب علَيهِ مَطالِعُه
If he intends a matter, the paths of his intent are not blocked
Against him, nor are its ascents difficult for him.
إِمامُ الهُدى عَبدُ العَزيزِ بنُ فَيصَلٍ
أَصيلُ الحِجى مُستَحكِمُ الرَأيِ ناصِعُه
The Imam of Guidance, Abdulaziz bin Faisal,
Rooted in wisdom, decisive in opinion, pure in judgment.
تَذودُ الدَنايا عَنهُ نَفسٌ أَبِيَّةٌ
وَعَزمٌ عَلى الخَطبِ المُلِمِّ يُشايِعُه
A proud soul defends him against base deeds,
And a determination that accompanies him against striking calamities.
أَقامَ قَناةَ الدينِ بَعدَ اِعوِجاجِها
وَثَقَّفَهُ حَتّى اِستَقامَت شَرائِعُه
He set upright the spear of Religion after its curvature,
And straightened it until its laws stood true.
وَلَم يَتركِ الدُنيا ضَياعاً لِغاشِمٍ
مُخيفُ سَبيلٍ أَو عَلى الناسِ قاطِعُه
He did not leave the world to be wasted by an oppressor,
Who terrifies the road or cuts it off from the people.
وَلكِن حَمى هذا وَذاكَ بِهِمَّةٍ
يُهَدُّ بِها مِن شامِخِ الطَودِ فارِعُه
But he protected this and that with a high ambition,
By which the peaks of towering mountains are demolished.
تَلاقَت عَلَيهِ مِن نِزارٍ وَيَعرُبٍ
بَنو الحَربِ خُلجانُ النَدى وَيَنابِعُه
The sons of war from Nizar and Ya'rub met upon him,
Being the gulfs of generosity and its springs.
أَجاروا عَلى كِسرى بنِ ساسانَ راغِماً
طَريدَتَهُ إِذ غَصَّ بِالماءِ جارِعُه
They protected the refugee against Kisra bin Sasan, defying him,
Even when the one swallowing the water choked on it.
وَآباؤُهُ الأَدنَونَ شادوا مِنَ الهُدى
مَعالِمَهُ لَمّا تَعَفَّت مَهابِعُه
His nearest forefathers built the landmarks of guidance
When its paths had been obliterated.
وَعادوا وَوالَوا في الإِلهِ وَجالَدوا
عَلى ذاكَ حَتى راجَعَ الدينَ خالِعُه
They returned, and were loyal to God, and fought
For that, until the one who cast off Religion returned to it.
هُمُ ما هُمُ لا الوِترُ يُدرَكُ مِنهُمُ
وَإِن يَطلُبوهُ باءِ بِالذُلِّ مانِعُه
They are who they are; no blood vengeance is taken from them,
And if they seek it, the one withholding it returns in humiliation.
إِذا ما رضوا باخَت مِنَ الحَربِ نارُها
وَإِن غَضِبوا أَلقى الوَليدَ مَراضِعُه
If they are pleased, the fire of war subsides,
And if they are angry, the nursing mothers drop their newborns.
وَأَبناءُ شَيخِ المُسلِمينَ مُحمدٍ
لَهُم فَضلُ سَبقٍ طَبَّقَ الأُفقَ شائِعُه
And the sons of the Sheikh of Muslims, Muhammad,
Possess a virtue of precedence whose fame has covered the horizon.
هُمُ وارَزوكُم حينَ ما ثَمَّ ناصِرٌ
سِوى رَبِّكُم وَالمُرهَفِ الحَدُّ قاطِعُه
They are the ones who supported you when there was no helper
Except your Lord and the sharp-edged sword.
عَلى جَدَثٍ ضَمَّ الإِمامَ مُحمدّاً
سَحابٌ مِنَ الغُفرانِ ثُجٌّ هَوامِعُه
Upon a grave that encloses the Imam Muhammad,
May clouds of forgiveness pour down in torrents.
فَقَد حَقَّقَ التَوحيدَ بِالنَصِّ قائِلاً
بِما قالَهُ خَيرُ الأَنامِ وَتابِعُه
For he established Monotheism with textual proof, speaking
What the Best of Creation and his followers said.
فَإِن رُمتَ أَن تَأتي الهُدى بِدَليلِهِ
فَطالِع بِعَينِ القَلبِ ما ضَمَّ جامِعُه
If you desire to approach Guidance with its evidence,
Then peruse with the eye of the heart what his 'Jami' [comprehensive book] contains.
عَلى مَن مَضى مِنكُم وَمِنهُم تَحِيَّةٌ
يَجودُ بِها جَزلُ العَطاءِ وَواسِعُه
Upon those of you who have passed, and those of them, be a greeting
Bestowed by the Giver of abundant and vast rewards.
فَأَنتُم وَهُم مِن رَحمَةِ اللَهِ لِلوَرى
فَلا زِلتُمُ ما صاحَبَ النَسرُ واقِعُه
For you and they are of God’s mercy to mankind,
May you remain so as long as the vulture accompanies its prey.
فَيا واحِدَ الدُنيا وَياِبنَ عَميدِها
وَمَن بَأسُهُ يُخشى وَتُرجى مَنافِعُه
O Unique One of the World, and son of its pillar,
And he whose might is feared and whose benefits are hoped for:
لكُم في رِقابِ الناسِ عِقدُ نَصيحَةٍ
وَبَيعَةُ حَقٍّ أَحكَمَتها قَواطِعُه
You hold upon the necks of the people a contract of sincere counsel,
And a pledge of truth which decisive proofs have made binding.
فَما قَيَّدَ النُعمى سِوى الشُكرِ وَالتُقى
وَتُنجي الفَتى إِذ يَجمَعُ الخَلق جامِعُه
Nothing binds blessings like gratitude and piety,
And nothing saves the youth when the Gatherer assembles creation.
وَإِنَّ صَريحَ الحَزمِ وَالعَزمِ لِاِمرىءٍ
يُفَكَّرُ غِبَّ الأَمرِ كَيفَ مَواقِعُه
Indeed, pure prudence and determination belong to a man
Who thinks about the end of a matter and where it will fall,
فَيَترُكُ أَو يَأتي مِنَ الأَمرِ بَعدَما
يُقَلِّبُ فيهِ رَأيَهُ وَيُراجِعُه
So he leaves or approaches a matter only after
He turns his opinion over regarding it and reviews it.
وَلا يَترُكُ الشورى وَإِن كانَ عاقِلاً
فَكَم سَهم غَربٍ أَحرَزَ الخَصلَ دافِعُه
And he does not abandon consultation, even if he is wise,
For how often has a stray arrow hit the target when deflected?
إِلَيكَ إِمام المُسلِمينَ زَجَرتُها
لَها عَرصَةٌ مَيثُ الفَلا وَجَراشِعُه
Toward you, O Imam of Muslims, I have driven her [the she-camel],
Across a courtyard of soft sands and rough terrain.
إِذا ما شَكَت أَيناً ذَكَرتُكَ فَوقَها
فَزَفَّت زَفيفَ الرَألِ فَأَجاهُ رائِعُه
When she complained of fatigue, I mentioned you while upon her,
And she hastened like the ostrich, terrified by a hunter.
وَإِنَّ اِمرءً يُهدى المَديحَ لِغَيرِهِ
لَمُستَغبَنٌ في عَقلِهِ أَو فَضائِعُه
Truly, a man who gifts praise to other than you
Is cheated in his intellect, or his deeds are atrocities.
وَمَن يَرمِ بِالآمالِ يَوماً لِغَيرِهِ
يَكُن كَأَبي غَبشانَ إِذ فازَ بائِعُه
And whoever throws his hopes one day to another,
Is like Abu Ghabshan when his seller succeeded [in a foolish trade].
كَذا المَرءُ إِن لَم يَجعَل الحَزمَ قائِداً
حَصيفاً وَإِلّا اِستَعبَدَتهُ مَطامِعُه
Thus is a man if he does not make prudence his leader,
A sound leader—otherwise, his greeds will enslave him.
فَنَفسَكَ لا تَطَرح بِها كُلَّ مَطرَحٍ
يُعابُ إِذا ما ذاعَ في الناسِ ذائِعُه
So do not cast your soul into every place
That is criticized when the spreader of news spreads it.
وَإِنَّ فَتى الفِتيانِ مَن إِن بَدَت لَهُ
مَطامِعُ سوءٍ نافَرَتها طَبائِعُه
The true youth among youths is he who, if base ambitions
Appear to him, his nature recoils from them.
وَإِنّي بِآمالي لَدَيكَ مُخَيِّمٌ
وَحَسبُ ثُنائي أَنَّ جودَكَ شافِعُه
And I have camped my hopes with you,
And it suffices my praise that your generosity is its intercessor.
وَلَم أَمتَدِح عُمري سِواكَ بِدايَةً
وَلكِنَّما خَيرٌ مِنَ الخَيرِ صانِعُه
I have never praised anyone but you in my life as a beginning,
But the doer of good is better than the good itself.
وَصَلِّ عَلى المُختارِ رَبّي وَآلِهِ
وَأَصحابِهِ ما ناحَ في الدَوحِ ساجِعُه
And may my Lord bless the Chosen One and his family,
And his companions, as long as the pigeon coos in the tall trees.
