لَعَمرُكَ ما هَذي البدورُ الطوالِعُ
وَما هَذِهِ الأقمارُ وَهيَ سواطعُ
By your life, what are these shining stars,
These bright moons beaming with splendor.
تَشَعشَعُ أَنواراً وَتَزهو تَلألؤاً
وَقَد مَلَأ الأَكوانَ مِنها التّلامُعُ
They radiate lights and glow with brilliance,
Their twinkling has filled the cosmos.
أَضاءَت بِها الآفاقُ مِن كلِّ جانِبٍ
وَمِنها إِلى الضّوءِ اِستَحال المطالعُ
They have illuminated the horizons on all sides,
The daybreak itself acquired light from them.
وَتَسبَحُ في نَهرِ المَجَرَّةِ أَنجمٌ
ثَواقبُ تَسبي العَقلَ وَهيَ لَوامِعُ
Stars roam in the river of the galaxy,
Dazzling planets that captivate the mind.
لَآلئ في نَهرٍ مِن النّورِ جارِياً
تَموجُ وَمِنها الضّوءُ بادٍ وَساطِعُ
Pearls flowing in a river of light,
Surging and shedding abundant, streaming light.
بِها كانَ تَرصيعٌ لِفَيروزَجِ السّما
وَهَل لِلسّما غَير النّجومِ رَصائعُ
The azure sky was adorned by their braiding,
For what else has the sky but the stars as its ornament?
وَقَد رَقَصَت بِالنّور مُدبرةً بِهِ
وَمُقبِلة فيهِ وَهُنَّ رَواجعُ
They danced with light, at times setting,
At others rising, while they return.
قَناديلُ قَد عُلِّقنَ لا شَكَّ في الفضا
تُحَرِّكُها الأَرياحُ وَهيَ بَدائِعُ
Lamps suspended, no doubt, in space
Stirred by the winds, unique wonders!
أَضاءَت بِها تيكَ البدورُ وَأَشرَقَت
بُروجُ المَعالي وَهيَ مَنها طوالعُ
By them the full moons shone radiantly
And the constellations of glory rose, being lit by them.
لَها الشَّرَفُ الأَعلى أَجلّ مَنازلٍ
تَسامَت عَلى العَلياءِ مِنها المَرابِعُ
To them belongs the highest glory, the noblest dwelling,
Their positions exceed the most elevated stars.
تَرَبَّت بِمَهدِ العزِّ وَالمَجدِ أَصلها
وَشَبَّت بِحجرِ المَجدِ فَهيَ يَوافعُ
They were raised in the cradle of might and glory,
And grew up in the lap of majesty, hence they scaled high.
لها المجدُ في صلب المحاسن والدٌ
لها العزُّ ثديٌ والمعالي مراضع
To them belong might embedded in the essence of beauty,
To them belong honor - a bosom, and ascendance - wet nurses.
لَها اليُمنُ حُضنٌ وَالسّعودُ حَواضِنٌ
لَها فَوقَ رَأسِ الفَرقَدينِ مَراتعُ
Good omen is their bosom, bliss their cradles,
And over the pinnacle of joy their pasture.
لَها السَّعدُ خدّامٌ عَلى هامَةِ السّهى
وَفَوقَ ثريّا البختِ وَالحظِّ تابعُ
Luck serves them on the pinnacle of splendor
And above the peak of fate and fortune their pursuer.
بِها الفخرُ يَنمو وَالمَفاخِرُ تَعتلي
بِها الحُسنُ يَسمو وَهوَ لا شَكَّ بارعُ
Through them glory grows and honors rise high,
Through them beauty excels, undoubtedly manifest.
وَما هَذِه الأَقمارُ إِلّا نَوافِلٌ
بِشَمسِ سَماءِ المَجدِ وَالمجدُ طالعُ
These moons are but voluntary offerings
وَهاتيكَ شَمسٌ في المَعالي مَقرُّها
بِأَطلَسِ أَفلاكِ العُلى وَهوَ تاسِعُ
To the sun of the glorious firmament, and glory is rising!
That sun with the highest domain as its station,
وَما أَوّلُ الأَفلاكِ فيهِ مَقَرُّها
وَلا ثالث أَيضاً وثانٍ ورابعُ
At the summit of the celestial spheres, the ninth.
Not in the first sphere is its station,
وَلا خامس أَيضاً كَذاكَ وَسادس
وَلا ثامِن أَيضاً كَذاكَ وَسابعُ
Nor in the second, third or fourth.
Neither in the fifth, likewise, nor the sixth,
وَلَكِن بِأَعلى ذَروَةِ التّاسِعِ الّتي
عَلَيها المَعالي بِالفَخارِ رَواتِعُ
Nor in the eighth, likewise, nor the seventh!
Rather, at the highest pinnacle of the ninth,
وَلا بِدعَ أَنّ الشّمسَ مِنها تَوَلَّدَت
بُدورٌ وَأَقمارٌ زَواهٍ بَوارِعُ
Where glories at the peak remain steadfast!
Without doubt, from it suns originated
أَمَا الشّمس مِنها البدرُ كانَ ضِياؤُهُ
وَما هوَ لَولا الشّمس بادٍ وَساطعُ
And moons - luminous, shining wonders!
Verily, the full moon acquired its light from it
أَجَل هَذِهِ شَمسُ الوزارَةِ لا هَوَتْ
وَلا قَد خَلَت مِنها وَعَنها المَطالِعُ
Else, without the sun, it would cease radiating!
Indeed, this is the undiminished sun of ministry!
تَمُدُّ شُعاعَ النّفعِ بِالخيرِ لِلوَرى
وَخَيرُ شُعاع الشّمسِ مِنها المَنافِعُ
The dayspring has not forsaken it.
It extends the ray of benefit with good to the land,
وَما هِيَ إِلّا الشَّهم وَالأَمجد الّذي
لِكلِّ صُنوفِ المَجدِ حاوٍ وجامعُ
And the best ray of the sun is the useful one!
It is none but the glorious and splendid one
هُوَ السيِّد الرابي بِأَسمى سِيادَةٍ
لَها سُرُرُ العَلياءِ عِزّاً مَضاجِعُ
That encompasses all types of glory.
He is the supreme master, with utmost mastery,
كَمالُ فَخارِ الدّهرِ جَوهَرُ فَخرِهِ
فَريداً سليمان الزّمان وَوازعُ
For him are the seats of the noble a resting place.
The quintessence of the pride of time, essence of its pride,
وَزيرٌ عَظيمُ القدرِ فَخمٌ سمَيدع
رَفيعُ الذّرى مَنْ تابَعوهُ سَمادِعُ
Peerless, Solomon of the age, and restrainer!
Minister grand in station, dignified, majestic,
أَميرٌ وَسيمُ الوجهِ تَعلوهُ هَيبَةٌ
وَمِن بَينها بَرقُ البَها يَتَلامَعُ
Lofty his position, those below him are lowly.
A prince handsome of face, above which is aura
وَيا حُسنَها مِن بُرقُعٍ فَوقَ وَجهِهِ
وَيَحسُنُ مِنها لِلوُجوهِ البَراقعُ
Amidst which gleams the lightning of splendor!
How excellent is the kerchief on his face!
فَخيمٌ عَريضُ الجاهِ سامٍ رفيعهُ
يُؤَيّدهُ بِالرّفعِ منهُ التواضِعُ
And more graceful for faces are face covers!
Lofty, expansive in status, towering, eminent,
بِحلم فَما حلمُ اِبن قَيسٍ فَبالغوا
عَنِ البحرِ بِالتحديثِ فَالبحرُ واسعُ
His eminence is aided by humility from him.
With forbearance - so describe Ibn Qais' forbearance!
وَلا يمنَعُ التّحديث عنهُ مبالِغٌ
وَهَل عنهُ لِلتحديثِ قَد كانَ مانعُ
Go beyond limits regarding the ocean for it is vast!
Noobstacle prevents describing him
حَميدُ خِصالٍ فَالفِعالُ حَميدَةٌ
وَحُسْنُ المَزايا فَهيَ فيهِ دَسائعُ
And has there been an obstacle to describing him?!
Praiseworthy traits so deeds are commended,
مَكارِمُ أَخلاقٍ بِنَفسٍ كَريمَةٍ
غَرائز فيهِ قَد سَمَت وَطَبائِعُ
And beauty of attributes for in him are rarities.
Virtues of character from a generous soul
هُوَ الأَسدُ الرّئبالُ وَالضّيغّمُ الّذي
لَدَيهِ أُسودُ الغابِ ذُلّاً خَواضِعُ
Innate in him, and now prominent, natural.
He is the formidable lion, the strong
يَكرّ عَلى وَردٍ أَغرَّ مُحجَّلٍ
كَطَودٍ عَظيمٍ مِنهُ تَعلو المَذارِعُ
Before whom lions of the forests kneel submissively!
He attacks a rose garden, intensely red
أَصيلٍ كَريمٍ مُعربٍ ثمَّ مقربٍ
وَسَهبٍ ذَريعٍ سَلهَبٍ لا يُدافَعُ
Like a massive mountain with rising columns.
Noble, generous, eloquent Arab then ennobled
وَجَرداءَ سَرحوبٍ وَبحرٍ كريمةٍ
وَمَعروقةِ اللّحيَينِ لَيسَت تضارعُ
A swift stallion, fierce, that cannot be resisted.
The she-camel Jardaa Sarhoob and the generous Bahr
فَلَو صَهَلَت بَينَ الجبالِ عَلى العِدى
لَمِنها اِغتَدى تَعرو الجِبالَ الزّعازِعُ
Prominent cheekbones, no rivals to them!
If they galloped against the mountains provoking fight
وَقَد وَقَعَت مِنها العِدى في تعاتِعٍ
تَعاتِعَ جَلَّت ما حَكَتها تَعاتِعُ
They would make even mountains shake from their charge!
From them came provocation in repeated contention
وَإِن نَشَبَت مِنهُ المَضابث في العدى
فَحالاً لَهم تَبدو لَديهِ المَصارِعُ
Contention placed beyond any contention!
If swords were drawn with them for contest
مَضابِثُهُ سمرٌ عَوالٍ عَوارِتٌ
وَبيضٍ مَواضٍ مصلتاتٌ لَوامعُ
Quickly would heads bow down before them as corpses!
His swords have no fault but
فَكَم عِندَها الأَعداءُ خَرّوا عَلى الثّرى
وَأَرؤُسُهم عَنهُم لَدَيها رَواكِعُ
They are the napes of foes and cutters!
No blemish is in his spears but
وَلا عَيبَ في أَسيافِهِ غَيرَ أَنّها
قَواضِبُ أَعناقِ العِدى وَقَواطِعُ
They stab the core of the foe and ribs!
If his troop marched or an army on expedition
وَلا شَينَ في أَرماحِهِ غَيرَ أَنّها
تضيّفها كِبْد العِدى والأضالعُ
Then the dawning suns are the rising stars!
None resembles him if the sun were to comprise a convoy!
فَلَو قَد بَدا في مَوكِبٍ أَو بِجَحفَلٍ
فَشَمس الضّحى مِنها النُّجومُ الطّوالِعُ
To what end do ambitions extend?!
He is the sea of munificence and the rainclouds of plenty!
وَما مِثلُهُ قَد تَحتَوي الشّمسُ مَوكِباً
وَأَنَّى إِلى هَذا تُمدُّ المَطامِعُ
From his smiling mouth gleams lightning radiance!
Open-faced he gives generously from a willing heart
هُوَ البحرُ جوداً وَالسّحابُ سَخاوَةً
وَمِن ثَغرِهِ بَرقُ التبسُّم لامعُ
Many are the abundant showers that fall short of him!
He has poured from the sea of his beautiful opinion
يَجودُ طَليقَ الوجهِ عَن طيبِ خاطِر
وَكَم تَزدَري بِالبحرِ مِنهُ الدّسائِعُ
And who recalls an opinion from him - sweeter are crafts!
Allah has granted, my Lord has granted him a position
وَقَد جادَ هَذا البحرُ مِن حُسن رأيِهِ
وَمَن يذْكُ رَأياً مِنهُ تَحلو الصّنائِعُ
Well-placed through it are positions!
Upon his fortunate namesake, but the son of his namesake
وَمَنَّ رعاهُ اللَّهُ رَبّي بِرُتبَةٍ
لَقَد حَسُنَت في الدّهرِ مِنها المَواقِعُ
My brother, Honorable Abdullah, who has no match!
Named Meer Miran, which in fact
عَلى شِبلِهِ المَيمونِ بَل وَاِبنِ شِبلِهِ
أَخي العزِّ عبدِ اللَّهِ مَنْ لا يُضارعُ
Is the highest position, none contends!
Unexpected that the lion grants his cub
وَذي مَيرميران تَسمّى وَإنّها
هِيَ الرّتبة العُليا وَلَيسَ مُدافعُ
A status by which habitats ascend high!
It is the custom of lions to seek for their cubs
وَلا غَروَ أَنّ اللَّيثَ يَمنَحُ شِبلَهُ
بِمَنزِلَةٍ تَسمو لَدَيها المَراتِعُ
To match them in might, prevalent is this norm!
I congratulate him for the joy of his eye
وَمِن عادَةِ الآسادِ تَبغي لِشبلِها
يُشابِهها قَدراً وَذا الأمرُ شائِعُ
And that his secret delights his hearing and ears!
For what he attained an honor of glory
وَإِنّي أُهَنّيهِ بِقُرَّةِ عَينِهِ
وَأَن سرّ منهُ قَلبه والمسامعُ
The musk has spread and where is musk but rare!
With his high resolve like a decisive sword
بِما نالَهُ عِزّاً مِنَ المَجدِ شبلهُ
وَقَد فاحَ مِسكُ البشر وَالمِسكُ ضائِعُ
A drawn blade cutting and dividing!
I beseech every minister like him! But where is his equal?!
بِهِمّتِهِ العليا بِعَزمٍ كَأنَّهُ
حُسامٌ إِذا قَد سُنُّ ماضٍ وقاطعُ
And where is the likeness of the sun that contends?!
He persistently attains in ascendance positions
أَكلُّ وَزيرٍ مثله أَينَ مثله
وَأَينَ مِثالُ الشّمسِ يا مَن ينازعُ
And from the most high, seats therein ascend!
O glorious minister, O Abu Nadda!
فَلا زالَ يُولي في المَعالي مَراتِباً
وَتَسمو مِنَ العَلياءِ فيهِ المَواضِعُ
O you, towards whom fingers gesture on high!
I have served you, my master, with sincere service
فَيا أَيّها الشّهمُ الوزيرُ أَبو النّدى
وَيا مَن بِعَلياهُ تُشيرُ الأَصابِعُ
With creative contemplation, unmatched in wonders!
Moulded by my thought from the buds of eloquence
خَدَمتُكَ يا مَولايَ صادقَ خِدمَةٍ
بِبنتِ اِفتِكارٍ ما حَكَتها البَدائِعُ
Moulded perfectly by reasoning lost!
Those adept in rhetoric and intelligence are shocked by it
بِفكرِيَ صيغَت مِن نُضارِ بَلاغَةٍ
فَأَحكَمَها صَوغاً بِهِ العقلُ ضائِعُ
And minds yield to its profound meaning!
Adorned with a necklace of praise for you, truly
فَتَاهَت بِها أَهل البلاغَةِ وَالذّكا
وَذَلَّت لِمَعناها البليغِ المَصاقِعُ
Composing pales regarding it in ambitions!
It has come to you, my elevated brother
تَحَلَّت بِدرِّ المَدحِ فيكَ قِلادَة
تَكِلُّ عَنِ التثمينِ فيها المَطامِعُ
To kiss a hand and threshold wherein is majesty!
So welcome it with acceptance and pleasure
أَتَتكَ أَخا العليا لِتَقبيلِ راحَةٍ
وَتَقبيلِ أَعتابٍ لَها المجدُ رافِعُ
And in it find, my master, an intercessor for it!
Remain in God's safekeeping, in the fortress of His protection
فَأَقْبِلْ عَلَيها بِالقَبولِ وبِالرِّضا
وَمِنها لَها مَولايَ عندكَ شافِعُ
The Lord of the Throne, my God, defends you!
Unharmed by evils, protected from harm
وَدُم في أَمانِ اللَّهِ في حِصنِ حِفظِهِ
وَعنكَ إِله العَرشِ رَبّي يُدافعُ
Foes yield to you as they kneel low!
As long as the breeze blows or stars
سَليماً مِنَ الأَسواءِ تُحمى مِنَ الرّدى
تَذِلُّ لَكَ الأَعداءُ وَهيَ خَواشِعُ
Gleam at night before fading twilights!
And musk was not used to seal a poem
مَدى الدّهرِ ما هَبَّ النّسيمُ وما بَدَت
نُجومُ الدّياجي في الدّجى تَتَساطَعُ
Imbued with eternity while musk is of use!
وَما كانَ مِسْكُ المَدحِ خَتمَ قَصيدَةٍ
تضمَّخ فيهِ الدّهر وَالمِسكُ نافِعُ
