لَعَمري سُليمان الزّمان لَقَد بَنى
بِعَكّاءَ صرْحاً قَد تَوطَّنهُ الفخرُ
By my life, Sulayman of this age has indeed built
in Acre a lofty citadel where glory has made its home.
بَناهُ مِنَ العَلياءِ في حُسنِ رَونَقٍ
وَتَرصينِ بُنيانٍ يَتيهُ بِهِ الفِكرُ
He built it from lofty splendor, amid beauty and radiance,
and the strength of its construction leaves the mind wandering in wonder.
فَجُدرانُهُ مَجدٌ وَعِزٌّ وَسَقفُهُ
هُوَ الشّرَفُ الأَعلى وَمِن دونِهِ البدرُ
Its walls are glory and might, and its roof
is the loftiest honor, while the full moon lies below it.
تَنَوَّعَتِ الأَحجارُ فيهِ كَأَنَّها
عَقيقٌ وَياقوتٌ وَمَرمرُه درُّ
Its stones are so varied that they seem to be
carnelian and ruby, while its marble is pearls:
فَمِن أَحمَرٍ قانٍ وَأَبيضَ مُزهِرٍ
وَمِن أخضرٍ زاهٍ به الجَوُّ يَخضرُّ
some are deep crimson, and some radiant white,
and some a brilliant green that turns the very air green.
فَلَو نَظَرَ الرّاؤونَ حُسنَ بَلاطِهِ
لَقالوا يَقيناً ها هُنا الأَنجُمُ الزُّهرُ
If those who gaze upon it saw the beauty of its pavement,
they would surely say, “Behold—the shining stars are here!”
تَرَقرَقَ ماءٌ راقَ سَكباً وَمَنظَراً
وَلَم يَحْكِهِ في طَعمِهِ الشَّهدُ وَالقطرُ
Water shimmered there, delightful in its pouring and its appearance—how lovely a sight!
Neither honey nor syrup can rival its taste.
وَرَقَّ هواءً صارَ لِلرّوحِ روحَها
فَمَن يَنتَشِقْ مِنه يُوسّع لَهُ العمرُ
Its air grew so delicate that it became the spirit’s own spirit;
whoever breathes it has his life prolonged.
وَتُربَتُه مِسكٌ شَذيٌّ وَفَرشُهُ
سُرورٌ وَأَفراحٌ يُسالِمُها الدّهرُ
Its soil is fragrant musk, and its furnishings
are joys and delights that Time leaves undisturbed.
وَإِن يَكُ نَهراً ماؤُه سالَ فِضَّةً
فَبانيهِ للإِقدامِ ثمّ النَّدى بَحرُ
And if it is a river whose water flows like silver,
its builder is a sea in courage and, moreover, in generosity.
وَكَم جاءَ فَتحُ اللَّهِ في فَتحِ بابِهِ
وَخَفقٍ في راياتِهِ عندهُ النّصرُ
How many a God-given victory came at the opening of its gate,
while triumph fluttered there among its banners!
لَهُ السّعدُ خَدّامٌ بِهِ اليُمنُ ساكِن
بِهِ الأُنسُ بسّامٌ يُقارِنُه البِشْرُ
Good fortune is ever his servant, and blessing dwells within it;
fellowship smiles there, accompanied by good cheer.
تَسامَى عَلى رَأسِ السِّماكِ بِناؤُهُ
إِلى أَن بَدت مِن دونِهِ الشَّمسُ وَالنّسرُ
Its edifice rose above the head of al-Simāk,
until the sun and the Eagle-star appeared below it.
لَعَمريَ ما إِيوانُ كِسرى وَحسنهُ
وَأَنّى سَديرٌ أَن يَكونَ لَهُ ذِكرُ
By my life, the Iwan of Khosrow, for all its beauty, is nothing—
and where is al-Sadīr, that it should have any mention beside it?
وَما عِندَهُ يَبدو الخَوَرْنَقُ إِذ بَدا
وَلا فَخرَ بِالقَصرينِ لَو فَخرت مِصرُ
Nor does al-Khawarnaq amount to anything beside it when it comes into view;
nor is there glory in the Two Palaces, even if Egypt boasts of them.
وَمِن جَنّةِ الفِردَوسِ لا بِدْعَ أنّه
لَقَد كانَ ذاكَ القصرُ فَليَجزِم الفِكرُ
That it is from the Garden of Paradise is no wonder:
it surely is that very palace—let the mind be certain.
فَوَيحَ دِمَشق الشّام لَم تَحوِ مِثلَهُ
فَلَم تَحوِهِ الدّنيا وَهَذا هوَ الفَخرُ
Alas for Damascus of Syria, that it did not contain its like!
The world itself did not contain it—and this is true glory.
وَقَد غَبطت عَكّاءَ في حُسنِ قَصرِها
فَوَدَّت وَأرِّخ أَنْ بِها ذَلكَ القصرُ
Damascus indeed envied Acre the beauty of her palace,
so she wished for it and dated it with the words, “That palace is within her.”
فَلا بَرِحَت فيهِ السّعودُ خَوادِماً
وَثَغرُ الهَنا فيهِ فَلا زالَ يَفترُّ
May good fortunes never cease to serve within it,
and may the mouth of happiness there never cease smiling.
وَلا زالَ بانيهِ بِهِ مُتهنِّئاً
مَدى الدَّهرِ ما قَد بانَ مِن شَرقِهِ الفجرُ
May its builder never cease enjoying bliss within it,
through all time, so long as dawn appears from its east,
وَما قَد شَدا طَيرٌ وَما لاحَ كَوكَبٌ
وَما قَد بَدا بَرقٌ وَما قَد هَمى القطرُ
so long as a bird sings and a star gleams,
so long as lightning flashes and rain pours down.
Sol 5.6