إِلامَ طَماعِيَةُ العاذِلِ
وَلا رَأى في الحُبِّ لِلعاقِلِ
How long will the censor’s greed persist, when he sees no reason in the love of the wise?
My heart is urged to cast you out, but my nature rebels against the one who seeks to change it.
يُرادُ مِنَ القَلبِ نِسيانُكُم
وَتَأبى الطِباعُ عَلى الناقِلِ
For your sake, I cherish my own wasting away, and feel for every lover worn thin by longing.
And if you departed and I did not weep for you, I would weep instead for the death of my love.
وَإِنّي لَأَعشَقُ مِن عِشقِكُم
نُحولي وَكُلَّ اِمرِئٍ ناحِلِ
Can my cheek deny these tears, when they have carved upon it a well-worn path?
Is this the first tear to stream across my face, or the first grief born of a loved one's flight?
وَلَو زُلتُمُ ثُمَّ لَم أَبكِكُم
بَكَيتُ عَلى حُبِّيَ الزائِلِ
I grant peace of mind to those who blame me, while I pass the night consumed by yearning.
It is as if the eyelids covering my gaze are garments torn in grief by a bereaved mother.
أَيُنكِرُ خَدّي دُموعي وَقَد
جَرَت مِنهُ في مَسلَكٍ سابِلِ
Were you a captive of anything but passion, I would pledge your ransom like the pledge of Abu Wa'il.
He offered gold as a ransom for his life, but paid instead with the tips of pliant spears.
أَأَوَّلُ دَمعٍ جَرى فَوقَهُ
وَأَوَّلُ حُزنٍ عَلى راحِلِ
He tempted them with the promise of led steeds, but they arrived bearing every valiant warrior.
As though the liberation of Abu Wa'il were the return of the moon after its setting.
وَهَبتُ السُلُوَّ لِمَن لامَني
وَبِتُّ مِنَ الشَوقِ في شاغِلِ
He called out and you heard him—yet how many silent ones, though far away, are as clear to you as those who speak?
So you answered his call in person, amidst an army that stood as his surety and guardian.
كَأَنَّ الجُفونَ عَلى مُقلَتي
ثِيابٌ شُقِقنَ عَلى ثاكِلِ
They emerged from the dust as if from a storm cloud, bathed in a downpour of their own sweat.
And when they dried, they met the whips with hides as hardened as the stones of a barren waste.
وَلَو كُنتَ في أَسرِ غَيرِ الهَوى
ضَمِنتُ ضَمانَ أَبي وائِلِ
They fixed their gaze on the quarry for five long days, before even glancing toward a place of rest.
Their elbows skimmed the earth in their stride, trusting in the enemy’s blood to wash them clean.
فَدى نَفسَهُ بِضَمانِ النُضارِ
وَأَعطى صُدورَ القَنا الذابِلِ
The posture of the raider in the saddle is far removed from one who squats in base relief.
They were thrust against every Rudayni spear, and against lances tempered and brown.
وَمَنّاهُمُ الخَيلَ مَجنوبَةً
فَجِئنَ بِكُلِّ فَتىً باسِلِ
They struck the army of an Imam atop a camel—a leader with true command over a kingdom of lies.
The steeds swept forward, driving the foe before him, scattering them like bees before the honey-gatherer.
كَأَنَّ خَلاصَ أَبي وائِلٍ
مُعاوَدَةُ القَمَرِ الآفِلِ
And when you appeared to his companions, their lions beheld the one who devours the devourer.
You struck with a blow that overwhelmed them all—a tyrant in force, yet just in dealing death to each.
دَعا فَسَمِعتَ وَكَم ساكِتٍ
عَلى البُعدِ عِندَكَ كَالقائِلِ
And a thrust that gathered their scattered ranks, as milk gathers within the brimming udder.
If your gaze fell upon a horseman, he became bewildered, losing even the instinct to walk.
فَلَبَّيتَهُ بِكَ في جَحفَلٍ
لَهُ ضامِنٍ وَبِهِ كافِلِ
A young hero continued to dye their beards with blood, yet scorned to strike the defenseless twice.
He cries out to no ally for aid, nor does he falter when others forsake him.
خَرَجنَ مِنَ النَقعِ في عارِضٍ
وَمِن عَرَقِ الرَكضِ في وابِلِ
He does not avert his gaze from the front lines, nor turn his eyes away from terror.
When he seeks vengeance, he does not merely wish for it—he takes it, though the debtor tries to delay.
فَلَمّا نَشِفنَ لَقينَ السِياطَ
بِمِثلِ صَفا البَلَدِ الماحِلِ
Accept the fate he has dealt you and be content, for survival is the only spoil you shall gain today.
And if this year’s encounter pleased you, then return to Homs when the seasons turn!
شَفَنَّ لِخَمسٍ إِلى مَن طَلَبنَ
قُبَيلَ الشُفونِ إِلى نازِلِ
For the crimson-stained blade that slew your kin remains firm in the hand of the slayer.
It grants generously the death you sought but failed to inflict, bestowing it upon all who ask.
فَدانَت مَرافِقُهُنَّ الثَرى
عَلى ثِقَةٍ بِالدَمِ الغاسِلِ
He rides at the vanguard, the pride of his legion, sharp as the spearhead crowning the shaft.
I marvel at the fool who hopes to give you battle, mounted though he may be on a sturdy beast.
وَما بَينَ كاذَتَي المُستَغيرِ
كَما بَينَ كاذَتي البائِلِ
Has God decreed he should meet you ill-prepared, wielding a blade on a faltering steed?
When you strike a skull with your blade, it shears through bone and sings its song in the victim's shoulder.
فَلُقّينَ كُلَّ رُدَينِيَّةٍ
وَمَصبوجَةٍ لَبَنَ الشائِلِ
He is not the first man of ambition whose soaring hopes lured him toward the unattainable.
He bares his legs to wade into the deep abyss, yet is drowned by the breakers before leaving the shore.
وَجَيشَ إِمامٍ عَلى ناقَةٍ
صَحيحِ الإِمامَةِ في الباطِلِ
Does the Caliphate not fear for its defender, the Sword of the State, its decisive edge?
He cleaves its enemies without a hand to wield him, and travels toward them without a bearer.
فَأَقبَلنَ يَنحَزنَ قُدّامَهُ
نَوافِرَ كَالنَحلِ وَالعاسِلِ
You left their skulls scattered in the sands, crushed so fine no sifter could separate bone from dust.
You cultivated from their corpses a spring harvest for the beasts, who now praise your boundless generosity.
فَلَمّا بَدَوتَ لِأَصحابِهِ
رَأَت أُسدُها آكِلَ الآكِلِ
And you returned to Aleppo in triumph, like precious jewels returned to a bare and waiting neck.
You trod barefoot upon ground so rough it would scar the feet of those wearing shoes.
بِضَربٍ يَعُمُّهُمُ جائِرٍ
لَهُ فيهِمِ قِسمَةُ العادِلِ
How many tales of your glory have spread abroad, distinct and visible as a piebald steed!
And how many days where the drink served was death, a gathering hateful to the uninvited guest?
وَطَعنٍ يُجَمِّعُ شُذّانَهُم
كَما اِجتَمَعَت دِرَّةُ الحافِلِ
You set the captives free, enrich the destitute, and grant forgiveness to the ignorant sinner.
May the Giver of Victory congratulate you on this triumph, and may your endeavors please Him in the life to come.
إِذا ما نَظَرتَ إِلى فارِسٍ
تَحَيَّرَ عَن مَذهَبِ الراجِلِ
For this world is more treacherous than a harlot, and more deceptive than the fowler’s snare.
Men perish in their lust for it, yet in the end, they grasp at nothing but the wind.
فَظَلَّ يُخَضِّبُ مِنهَ اللُحى
فَتىً لا يُعيدُ عَلى الناصِلِ
وَلا يَستَغيثُ إِلى ناصِرٍ
وَلا يَتَضَعضَعُ مِن خاذِلِ
وَلا يَزَعُ الطَرفَ عَن مُقدَمٍ
وَلا يَرجِعُ الطَرفَ عَن هائِلِ
إِذا طَلَبَ التَبلَ لَم يَشأَهُ
وَإِن كانَ ديناً عَلى ماطِلِ
خُذوا ما أَتاكُم بِهِ وَاِعذِروا
فَإِنَّ الغَنيمَةَ في العاجِلِ
وَإِن كانَ أَعجَبَكُم عامُكُم
فَعودوا إِلى حِمصَ مِن قابِلِ
فَإِنَّ الحُسامَ الخَضيبَ الَّذي
قُتِلتُم بِهِ في يَدِ القاتِلِ
يَجودُ بِمِثلِ الَّذي رُمتُمُ
فَلَم تُدرِكوهُ عَلى السائِلِ
أَمامَ الكَتيبَةِ تُزهى بِهِ
مَكانَ السِنانِ مِنَ العامِلِ
وَإِنّي لَأَعجَبُ مِن آمِلٍ
قِتالاً بِكُم عَلى بازِلِ
أَقالَ لَهُ اللَهُ لا تَلقَهُم
بِماضٍ عَلى فَرَسٍ حائِلِ
إِذا ما ضَرَبتَ بِهِ هامَةً
بَراها وَغَنّاكَ في الكاهِلِ
وَلَيسَ بِأَوَّلِ ذي هِمَّةٍ
دَعَتهُ لِما لَيسَ بِالنائِلِ
يُشَمِّرُ لِلُّجِّ عَن ساقِهِ
وَيَغمُرُهُ المَوجُ في الساحِلِ
أَما لِلخِلافَةِ مِن مُشفِقٍ
عَلى سَيفِ دَولَتِها الفاصِلِ
يَقُدُّ عِداها بِلا ضارِبٍ
وَيَسري إِلَيهِم بِلا حامِلِ
تَرَكتَ جَماجِمُهُم في النَقا
وَما يَتَخَلَّصنَ لِلناخِلِ
فَأَنبَتَّ مِنهُم رَبيعَ السِباعِ
فَأَثنَت بِإِحسانِكَ الشامِلِ
وَعُدتَ إِلى حَلَبٍ ظافِراً
كَعَودِ الحُلِيِّ إِلى العاطِلِ
وَمِثلُ الَّذي دُستَهُ حافِياً
يُؤَثِّرُ في قَدَمِ الناعِلِ
وَكَم لَكَ مِن خَبَرٍ شائِعٍ
لَهُ شِيَةَ الأَبلَقِ الجائِلِ
وَيَومٍ شَرابُ بَنيهِ الرَدى
بَغيضُ الحُضورِ إِلى الواغِلِ
تَفُكُّ العُناةَ وَتُغني العُفاةَ
وَتَغفِرُ لِلمُذنِبِ الجاهِلِ
فَهَنَّأَكَ النَصرَ مُعطيكَهُ
وَأَرضاهُ سَعيُكَ في الآجِلِ
فَذي الدارُ أَخوَنُ مِن مومِسٍ
وَأَخدَعُ مِن كَفَّةِ الحابِلِ
تَفانى الرِجالُ عَلى حُبِّها
وَما يَحصُلونَ عَلى طائِلِ
