لَكَ اللَّهُ ما هَذا التّواني بِلا جَدِّ
إِلى المَطلَبِ الأَسنى إِلى غايَةِ القَصدِ
By God! Why this procrastination without effort
Towards the highest goal, to the point of purpose?
فَحَثَّ مَطايا القَصدِ تَضرِبْ كبدها
وَسُقْها بِسَوطِ الشّوقِ في غايَةِ الجُهدِ
So spur the steeds of purpose to race at full gallop
And drive them with the whip of longing to utmost exertion
وَجَدَّ عَلَيها السّير تَهوى إِلى المُنى
فَذَو العَزمِ مِن عاداتِهِ الجد بِالجدِّ
And show them determined resolve in setting forth
For the man of resolve shows only resolve in his habits
لِنَحوِ حِمى عكار عالية الذُّرى
مُشيّدة العَلياءِ بِالعِزِّ وَالمجدِ
Towards the protected precinct of glorious ‘Akka
Lofty in honour and glory
فَتِلكَ بُروجُ العزِّ في الدَّهرِ كلّهِ
مِنَ الشّرفِ الأَعلى عَلى مَطلَعِ السّعدِ
For those are the towers of glory in all time
At the apex of nobility, above the dawn of fortune
وَتِلكَ دِيارُ الأُنسِ بَل هِيَ جنّةٌ
زَهَت فَحَكَتها أَو حَكَت جَنّة الخلدِ
Those are the mansions of intimacy—indeed, a garden
Adorned, or rather, the Garden of Eternity
وَتِلكَ دِيارُ الحُسنِ تَزهو رُبوعها
وَتَسمو سُموَّ الحُسنِ في وَجنَةِ الخدِّ
Those are the mansions of beauty, their meadows ablaze
And soaring as high as beauty can soar in the cheeks
رِياضٌ بِها المَعروفُ أَضحى غِراسَها
فَأَثمَرَ هَذا الغرسُ لِلجودِ وَالرفدِ
Gardens wherein kindness is cultivated to grow
And this planting yielded for munificence and largesse
وَأُسقِيَ ماءَ المَجدِ مِن مَنبَعِ العُلى
فَكانَ بِهِ ذا الغرس أَحلى مِنَ الشّهدِ
Watered from the wellspring of glory sans peer
So this planting was sweeter than honey to taste
وَأَنبَتَ أَغصانَ المَكارِمِ وَالنّدى
تَهزُّ بِأَيدي الشُّكرِ وَالمدحِ وَالحَمدِ
And brought forth branches of bounty and amity
Swaying with gratitude, praise, and laudation
مَنازِلُ أَقمارٍ مَطالِعُ أَنجُمٍ
مَشارِقُ أَنوارٍ تَدلُّ عَلى الرّشدِ
Abodes of moons, dawning places of stars
Dawns of lights that inspire guidance aright
بُروجِ شموسٍ في سَماءِ كَواكِبٍ
أَضاءَت بِها العليا ضياءً بِلا حدِّ
Constellations of suns in a heaven of planets
Their splendour illuming the zenith beyond all measure
فَوَدَّت نُجومُ الأُفقِ لَو أَنّها السّما
وَهَل كانَ ودُّ المُستَحيلاتِ بِالمُجدي
The stars of the horizons longed, “Would that we were the sky!”
But can longing for the impossible yield anything of worth?
مَواطِنُ أَمجادٍ كِرام أَكاسِر
وَغاب وَغيل لِلضّياغِمِ والأُسدِ
Mansions of glory, valiant lions
To the plight of calamities and lions a barrier
هَوَوا بِالهَوى العُذري كلّ فَضيلَةٍ
وَلَم يَهتَووا أَمثاَل عَزَّةَ أَو دَعدِ
Swayed by innocent passions are all paragons
Parallels to ‘Azza's resolve and grit there are none
فَلا حُسنَ في غَيرِ الفَضائِلِ عِندَهُم
فَهُم لَم يَقولوا بِالغَواني وَلا المردِ
For apart from virtues in their eyes is no beauty
Frivolities and vanities they never allowed
وَقبلَةِ آمالٍ وَكَعبَةِ قاصِدٍ
يَعودُ بِجبرِ القَلبِ لِلفَوزِ بِالقَصدِ
A goal for aspirations, the Kaaba for one who seeks
To unburden the heart and succeed in one's aim
فَيا طيبَ عَكّارٍ تَسيرُ بِهِ الصّبا
وَفي مِثلِهِ لَم تَسرِ يَوماً صَبا نَجدِ
So pleasant your breezes in ‘Akká scented, O zephyr
Never once did breezes blow so sweetly in Nejd
لَئِن ضَلَّ عَنها مَن يُريد كِرامها
فَنَفحُكَ لا رَيب إِلَيها لَهُ يهدي
And if one seeking glory should stray from your precinct
Your breath, no doubt, shall guide him aright to your arms
تَوَجَّه إِلَيها وَاِجهَد النّفسَ ساعِياً
وَسِر سَيرَ مُشتاقٍ يَجدُّ عَلى وَجدِ
So towards it direct yourself, strive with determined soul
And march the march of longing with full intensity
وَسِر عامِداً بِالسّيرِ وَالسّعي بُرجَها
فَذَلكَ في عكّار كَالعَلمِ الفَردِ
Head to its towers with driving and striving
For in ‘Akká it's peerless, unique like a brilliant moon
فَعَكّار عَينٌ لِلبِلادِ وَبرجِها
فَإِنسانُها المَكحول بِالحُسنِ وَالمَجدِ
‘Akká is the pupil of the eye for all climes
Its people adorned with beauty and glory
تَتيهُ بِهِ عكّار فَخراً عَلى السّما
وَحقَّ لَها فيه الفَخارُ وأن تُبدي
By it 'Akká prides herself o'er both horizons
Rightfully claiming this pride—let her raise her banners!
وَقَد كانَ بِالجَوزاءِ فَخر سَمائِها
وَقَد كانَتِ الجَوزاءُ تَخلو عَنِ الندِّ
Though the constellation Leo once claimed 'Akká's pride
Her link with Leo diminished; she drove him away
وَإِذ كانَ هَذا البرجُ قَد قَلَّ فَخرها
بِجَوزائِها وَالخط بِالردِّ وَالطّردِ
There arose within her a sun of high station and glory
And luminary of perfection gleamed from the dawn of joy
بِهِ شَمسُ عَلياءٍ وَعِزٍّ وَسُؤددٍ
وَبَدرِ كَمالٍ لاحَ مِن جَبهَةِ السّعدِ
Born to a most noble line, of eminent descent
Surpassing all genealogies through both father and ancestors
تَوَلَّدَ مِن مَجدٍ بِأَكرمِ محتَدٍ
تَسامى عَلى الأَنسابِ بِالأَبِ وَالجدِّ
Suckled with the milk of bounty and sincerity
Cradled in the bosom of glory from childhood's days
تَغَذَّى بِأَلبانِ المَكارِمِ وَالنّدى
تَرَبّى بِحضنِ العِزِّ مِن زَمَنِ المَهدِ
Adorned with fair character from the moment of his cradle
And since that time with righteous conduct arrayed
تَحَلَّى بِحُسنِ الخلقِ مِن حينِ مَهدِهِ
وَقَد زين بِالآدابِ مِن ذَلكَ العَهدِ
Clothed in the raiment of forbearance from the days of youth
Magnificent indeed was the mantle he thus arrayed
تَرَدّى بِبُرد الحلمِ مِن زَمَنِ الصِّبا
فَكانَ لَهُ وَاللَّه مِن أَفخَرِ البُردِ
Embodying kindness, discretion, and refinement
Of excellent temper, benefaction always at hand
تَجَسّمَ مِن لُطفٍ وَذَوقٍ وَرقّة
بِطَبعٍ وَمَعروفٍ وَخَيرٍ لَهُ يُسدي
From these beauteous qualities he attained a essence
Through this composition: a peerless, unique gem
تَرَكّب مِن هَذي المَحاسِنِ جَوهراً
فَسمّيَ بِالتّركيبِ بِالجَوهَرِ الفردِ
Encased he in robes of perfection untainted
By defects and impurities, betrayal or malice
تَدَرَّعَ في ثَوبِ الكَمالِ مطهّراً
مِنَ النّقصِ وَالأَدناسِ كَالغَدرِ وَالحقدِ
The beauty of consummate glory and majesty
Their recourse in times of crisis and critical need
جَمالُ كَمالِ الماجِدينَ وَعِزِّهم
وَمَرجِعِهم في حالَةِ الحلّ وَالعَقدِ
Soul of the eye of the noble, their shining light
Their breast overflowing with bounty and righteousness
وَإِنسانِ عَينِ الأَكرَمينَ وَنورها
وَصَدرهم المَوفورِ بِالخَيرِ وَالرّشدِ
When glories are threaded on the string of Súdúd
He is, by God, assuredly the knot of that bond
إِذا اِنتَظَم الأَمجادُ في سلكِ سُؤددٍ
فَذَا بَينَهُم وَاللَّه واسِطَةُ العقدِ
‘Alí in name, ‘Alí in attributes and lineage
In glory, fortune, ascendancy, and ancestry
عَلِيّ السّجايا وَالمَزايا مَعَ الذّرى
وَالاِسمِ عَليِّ الجاهِ وَالبختِ والجَدِّ
Of noble soul, while it disdains oppression
In earnest or jest, with burning sincerity
عَزيزٍ كَريم النّفسِ وَهيَ أَبيَّة
عَنِ الضّيمِ تَأباهُ عَلى الهَزلِ وَالجِدِّ
Most fortunate of the blest, son of the happy
A Shadíd sire overawing both friend and foe
هُوَ الأَسعَدُ المَسعودُ وَاِبنٌ لِأَسعَدٍ
بنيّ شَديد مُرعِب الأُسدِ وَالضدِّ
Awe-inspiring—but for his forbearance, a mere youth
Could, by his wrath, be laid low and buried in the grave
مهيبٌ فَلولا حِلمُه يُدرِكُ الفَتى
بِإِغضابِهِ كانَ الفتى حَلَّ في اللّحدِ
A prince before whom both mighty lions and lambs
Are humble servants, this cannot be denied
أَميرٌ لَهُ الآسادُ ثمّ العظامُ قَد
تَبَدَّوْا مِنَ الخدّام لا شكّ وَالجندِ
His bannered tent on high completely veiled
As glories rise from beneath this banner's shade
غَدا بَندُهُ المَضروبُ في قُبَّةِ العُلى
وَقَد قامَتِ الأَمجادُ مِن تَحتِ ذا البَندِ
His whiteness flutters over every host
Bearing the tokens of triumph and Sura of Praise
وَرايَتُهُ البيضاءُ في كُلِّ مَوكِبٍ
بِها الفتحُ يَتلو النّصرَ في سورَةِ الحَمدِ
Terror of foes, lion in strife and fray
Guarding the nest of the noble with sword and lance
هِزَبرُ الشّرى لَيثُ الكَريهَةِ وَالوَغى
حَمى بَيضَة العَلياءِ بِالرّمحِ وَالهِندي
With unsheathed blade he charges forth to defend the elite
Trainéd is he in boldness with each cut and thrust
إِلى نَجدَةِ العَلياءِ يَسطو بِصارِمٍ
تَعَوَّدَ في الآسادِ للقَطِّ والقَدِّ
If his lance he brandished against the enemy
Its point would reach them even from afar
لَئِن مَدَّ لِلأَعداءِ بِالطّعنِ رُمحَهُ
وَلَو بَعُدُوا نِيلوا لَدى ذَلكَ المَدِّ
If against the faces of foes his sword he wielded
In dread they would perish, be it sheathed or drawn
وَلَو هَزَّ في وَجهِ العداةِ حُسامَهُ
لَذابوا بِهِ رُعباً وَلَو كانَ في الغمدِ
How often the foes supposed themselves a massive force
While in their eyes no trace of seeing could be found
فَكَم شامَهُ الأَعداءُ جَيشاً عَرمرَماً
وَلَيسَت عُيونُ القَومِ بِالأَعيُنِ الرُّمدِ
How often alone he stood in tumult and battle
As fearsome in combat as a tearing lion
وَكَم صَفَّ في الهَيجاءِ وَالحَربِ وَحدهُ
وَقَد صالَ في الهَيجاءِ كَالأَسدِ الوردِ
What countless thousands deemed as nought
And one in a thousand deemed as a multitude!
فَكَم مِن أُلوفٍ لا تُعَدُّ بِواحِدٍ
وَكَم واحِدٍ بِالأَلفِ يحسبُ في العدِّ
Had he fared forth on a mettlesome steed
With long spear grasped in his fist
وَلَو كَرَّ فيها فَوقَ ظَهرِ مُطهَّمٍ
يَطولُ الثريّا فيهِ بِالكفِّ وَالزّندِ
And raised in their midst his lance's point
Unloosing his torrent of wrath with forceful speed
وَصَعد فيها رُمحَهُ نَحوَ صفّهِم
وَجَرَّدَ فيها عَضبهُ الماضِيَ الحدِّ
From fear of him the foe held back pierced
By terror, and turned to flee on their lean steeds
لِشمتِ العِدى مِنهُ مَخافاً تَأَخّروا
وَوَلَّوا فِراراً بِالمُطهّمَةِ الجردِ
And with his blade he gashed their breasts
And cleaved through the napes of their necks with his Indian sword
وَقَد خَطَّ بِالخطّي أَوراقَ صَدرِهِم
وَقَد خَطَّ في رقّ المَناحِرِ بِالهِندي
Onto their hearts' strings he threaded a necklace
Unlike spears, most splendid indeed is the threading of his sword
وَنَظَّمَ بِالخَطِّيِّ عقداً قُلوبهم
وَلا سمطَ مِثلَ الرّمحِ في النّظمِ لِلعَقدِ
His largesse flows unremitting, like the sea
Whether extended or withheld, from him it flows
عَلى نَسَقٍ وَاللَّه يَجري عَطاؤُهُ
فَكالبحرِ ما أَسدى وَكالبحرِ ما يُسدي
A generous prince —had he gifted sovereignty
Its acceptance he would surely make possible
جَوادٌ فَلَو أَهدى الدّنى لِاَستَقَلَّها
وَمَن ظنّه التّقصير لِلعُذرِ قَد يبدي
The truly generous offer their gift sincerely
While the miserly cannot freely offer their gift
وَإِن الجواد المِستقلُّ عَطاءهُ
وَذو البخلِ مَن لا يَستَقِلّ لما يُهدي
Doors to seekers crowd with visitors galore
Riding hopes of munificence and charity
لَقَد أَمَّه العافونَ مِن كلِّ جانِبٍ
رُكوباً عَلى الآمالِ لِلجودِ والرِّفدِ
And from him they savoured the wine of this gift so pure
A most delectable watering-place gushing and fresh
وَمِنهُ اِستَطابوا مَنهَلَ الجودِ مَورِداً
أَما مَنهلُ الإِحسانِ مُستَعذَب الوِردِ
By his people throng 'Akká's ways and alleys
Choked liked the markets of Egypt beyond measure
فَعَكّارُ بِالعافينِ أَضحَت دُروبها
تَغُصُّ بِهِم ملأى لِمُزدَحم الوفدِ
So O thou gallant one, before whose door
The exalted stand like servants meek
كَأَسواقِ مِصر بِاِزدِحامٍ وَغصّةٍ
بِها تُضرَبُ الأَمثالُ بالِغَةُ الحَدِّ
You built the sublime with lofty pillars strong
With righteousness and excellence beyond all reckoning
فَيا أَيّها الشّهمُ الّذي عندَ بابِهِ
لَقَد قامَتِ العَلياءُ تَخدم كَالعَبدِ
And you laid this foundation firm with glory and honour
That none might change its course toward collapse and decay
بَنيت المَعالي بِالعَوالي وَبِالنّدى
وَفي حُسنِ أَخلاقٍ تَزيدُ عَلى العَدِّ
So may God protect you from every affliction
Delicate, strong, slender, and finely dressed
وَكُنتُ بِعزِّ النّفسِ مَع غايَةِ التّقى
تؤسّسُ ذا البنيانَ بِالعِزِّ وَالمَجدِ
A rare beauty, daughter of wisdom, peerless
Of comely visage, a heart-bewitching charmer
وَمَن يَبنِها في غَيرِ ما قَد بَنيتها
يَؤولُ بِها البنيان لِلهَدمِ وَالهدِّ
From her flow waters of eloquence clear
And she pours forth from the essence of rhet'ric's art
فَهاكَ حَماكَ اللَّهُ مِن كلِّ عاهَةٍ
مُخدَّرة هَيفاء مَمشوقَة القَدِّ
With her wizardry of expression she scales the heights
Reaching steps unattained by common or elite
فَريدَة حُسنٍ بِنتَ فِكرٍ يَتيمَةٍ
جَميلة وَجهٍ وَهيَ كاعِبةُ النّهدِ
To you she came bearing wonders to dazzle the minds
Her train trailing in amazement, her veil cast aside
يَسيلُ بِها ماءُ البَلاغَةِ صافِياً
وَيَنسابُ مِن دُرِّ البديعِ على مَهدِ
Scented by the perfume of your praise
Thereof, by God, more fragrant than musk or perfume
يُمازِجُه سِحر البَيانِ قَدِ اِرتَقى
مَراتِبَ لَم تدرك عَلى القُربِ وَالبعدِ
So treat her with favour and pleasure, my lord
And guard her, O patron of kind acts, from hurt or rebuff
أَتَتكَ تَهزّ الكشحَ عَجباً وَمفخراً
وَتَسحَبُ ذَيلَ التِّيهِ كاشِفة الخَدِّ
Lofty acceptance is your nature and wont
Refusal and rejection your excellent ways abhor
مُعطّرة مِن عطرِ مَدحِك نافِحاً
فَكانَ بِها أَشذى مِنَ المِسكِ وَالندِّ
May you remain under God's protection, well-shielded
Observed by the eye of grace, fortune, and joy
فَأَحسِنْ إِلَيها بِالقَبولِ وَبِالرّضى
وَصُنْها أَبا المَعروفِ مِن خَجلَةِ الصدِّ
In a salubrious body and blissful existence
In a life of ease and plenty may you ever abide
فَشيمَتُكَ العَلياءُ مِن دَأبِها الرّضى
وَعادَتُك الحَسناءُ تَنبو عَنِ الردِّ
As long as the spring birds trill in the gardens
Displaying in all seasons beauty and grace
وَدُمتَ بِعَينِ اللَّه مَكلوءَ حِفظِهِ
وَمَلحوظَ عينِ اليمنِ وَالخيرِ وَالسّعدِ
Let not the earnest in pursuit of their aim
By God! Say, “Why should striving abate?”
بِصِحَّةِ جِسمٍ في مَسَرَّةِ مُهجَةٍ
بِعَيشٍ هَنِيٍّ ناعِمٍ رَغدِ
مَدى الدّهرِ ما غَنَّى الرّبيعَ عنادِلٌ
فَأَبدينَ حُسنَ الصّدحِ في زَمَنِ الوردِ
وَما قالَ ذو جِدٍّ يحثُّ بِجدّهِ
لَكَ اللَّه ما هَذا التّواني بِلا جدِّ
