لَقَد رَحَلَت سُعدى فَهَل لَكَ مُسعِدُ
وَقَد أَنجَدت عَلواً فَهل لَكَ مُنجِدُ
My happiness has departed, so is there anyone to make me happy?
And when help was needed, did you rise up? Then who will help me now?
لَقَد بِتُّ أَرجو الطَيفَ مِنها يَزورُني
وَكَيفَ يَزورُ الطَيفُ مَن لَيسَ يَرقُد
I spend my nights hoping her ghost will visit me,
But how can a specter visit one who does not slumber?
وَقد كانَ لي من مَدمَع العَينِ مَنبَع
فَغار بِنار الوَحيد فَهيَ تَوَقَّد
My eyes were a wellspring of tears,
But they have dried up and ignited into flames of anguish.
رَعيتُ بِطَرفي النجمَ لَمّا رَأَيتُها
تَباعَدُ بُعدَ النَجم بَل هيَ أَبعَد
I followed the stars with my eyes when I saw them,
Retreating far in the distance like stars, no further still.
تُنيرُ الثَريّا وَهيَ قَرطٌ مسلسلٌ
وَإِن كرَّ فيها الطرفُ درٍّ مُبَدَّد
The Pleiades shine while being a necklace with scattered pearls,
Even if the eyelids gaze upon it, precious gems will scatter and dissipate.
وَتَعتَرِض الجَوزاءُ وَهي كَكاعِبٍ
تَمَيَّلُ مِن سُكرٍ بِها وَتَمَيَّد
And Orion rises like an intoxicated constellation
Swaying from the wine, leaning and bending.
وَتَحسَبُها طوراً أَسيرَ جَنايَةٍ
تَرَنَّحَ عِندَ المثي وَهو مُقَيَّد
You would think it a captive mountain, constrained by sin,
Moaning by the pole star, while shackled and chained.
وَلاحَ سُهَيلٌ وَهو لِلصُّبحِ راقِبٌ
فَشوهِد مِنهُ طَرفُ باكٍ مسَهَّد
Suhail appears, keeping watch over the dawn,
So its weeping eye was witnessed hanging low.
أَردُدُ عيني في النُجومِ كَأَنَّها
دَنانيرُ لكِنَّ السَماءَ زبرجَد
I survey the stars as if they were dinars,
But the sky is made of aquamarine.
رَأَيتُ بِها وَالصُبحُ ما خانَ وِردُه
قَناديلَ وَالخَضراءُ صرحٌ مُمَرَّد
I saw them at dawn - it did not miss its tryst -
Like lamps, while the green sky is a towering palace.
وَقِيدَ لنا من مَربَطِ الخَيلِ أَشقَرٌ
إِذا ما جَرى فَالريحُ تَكبو وَتركد
Tethered for us is a reddish steed from the stables,
When it runs, the wind ruffles its mane and it stampedes.
وَصرتُ عَلى بُسطِ الرِياضِ أَنيقَةٍ
وَأَنهارُها أَعلامُها تَتحرَّدُ
I stood upon the carpets of beautiful gardens,
With streams whose ripples are like unsheathed scimitars.
فَلَمّا رَأَيتُ الماءَ يَجري تَسَلسُلًا
ظَنَنت سيوفَ الهِند فيهِ تُجَرَّد
When I saw the water flowing in succession,
I thought it was Indian swords flashing bare.
وَشاهَدتُ أَنواعَ الرِياح تُجتَلى
فَيُحلى بِها بردٌ قَشيبٌ مُعَمَّد
I witnessed all kinds of winds being stirred up,
Bringing cool breezes that clear away heat.
فَأَخضرُها يَحكيهُ عَضدٌ موَشَّمٌ
وَأَحمرُها يَحكيهِ خَدٌّ مورَّد
Its greenness recalls a green tattooed arm,
Its redness recalls a blushing cheek.
وَقد زَهرت فيهِ الأَقاحي كَأَنَّها
ثغورُ عَذارى بِالأَراكَ تُعَهَّد
The ponds have blossomed within it as if they are
Forts of maidens, guarded by soldiers on patrol.
وَأَطرَبَني صوتُ الحمائِمِ بَينَها
وَقد طَربت بَينَ الغُصون تَغرِّدُ
The cooing of doves makes me swoon,
As they swoon amongst the branches, chirping away.
هنالِكَ يُنسى الموصليُّ وَزلزلٌ
وَيَعبدُها من طيبَةِ الشَد وَمعبدُ
There one forgets the sorrows of Mosul and calamities,
And worships it - even the most devout of Tayyiba and its mosques.
هنالك عاطيتُ المَدامَةَ سادَةً
اولي مكرَماتٍ ساعَدوني فَأُسعِدوا
There I was served wine by noble servers,
The elite who help me, to bring me joy.
كُمَيتاً كَأَنفاس الأَحِبَّةِ عرفُها
مَتى مُزِجَت قلنا لُجَينٌ وَعَسجَدُ
Araq whose scent is like the breaths of loved ones,
We say it is limpid and refined when blended.
إِذا انقَضَّ مِنها في الزُجاجَةِ كَوكَبٌ
بَدا كَوكَبٌ من بَعده يَتَوَقَّد
When a star falls from it into the glass,
Another star appears after it, kindling its flame.
يُناولُنيها ساحِرُ الطَرف أَهيَفٌ
أَنامِلُه من شِدَّة اللينِ تُعقَد
The enchanter gazes at me, handing it to me,
His fingers intertwined from the utmost gentleness.
إِذا حَملت يُمناه ابريقَ فِضَّةٍ
بَدا أَجيد يحذوه لِلشُّربِ أَجيد
If his right hand carries the silver ewer,
It appears like a full moon walking beside a crescent moon.
وَإِن سجد الاِبريق لِلكَأس عُنوَةً
فَنَحنُ لَهُ من شِدَّةِ الحُب نَسجُدُ
If the ewer bows down before the cup persistently,
Then we prostrate before it wholeheartedly from our love!
وَقد أَغتَدي لِلصَّيدِ غَدوَةَ أَصيَد
أُعاجِلُ فيها الوَحش وَالوَحشُ هُجَّدُ
One morning I went out hunting,
I met wild beasts head-on while they fled terrified.
فَعارَضَ عَيرٌ قُلتُ للمَرح هاكَهُ
فَعاجَلَهُ قَصداً لَهُ العَيرُ مُقصَدُ
A caravan passed and I said to my steed in jest,
“Catch up to it!” So towards the caravan it sped determinedly.
وَعَنَّت ظِباءٌ حينَ تَحتيَ مُطلَقُ ال
يَدَينِ بِهِ أَيدي الوُحوشُ تَقيد
A fleeing gazelle was trapped by my unfettered hands,
As the claws of beasts grip it and it surrenders.
فَأَورَكتُها وَالسَيفُ لَمعَة بارِقٍ
وَلم يُغنِها احضارُها وَهيَ تَهجدُ
I struck it down while my sharp sword gleamed,
But it did not benefit from its moans and pleas.
فَجَدَّلتُها حَتّى حَسِبتُ لِسُرعَتي
حُسِمتُ وَكَفّي البَرق ساعَةَ أَعقد
I spun it around until I thought in my swiftness,
That I had picked both lightning and thunderbolts in my clinched fist!
لَقَد رعتُها أَزمانُ شَعريَ راتِعٌ
وَطرفُ مشيبي عَن عَذاريَ أَرمَدُ
My poetry has ridden the steeds of time like an intrepid hero,
While the lashes of old age make my vision blur.
وَما بِلَغت حدَّ الثَلاثينَ مُدَّتي
وَهذا طَراز الشَيب فيه يُمَدَّدُ
I have not reached thirty years of age,
Yet the pattern of white hair spreads upon my head.
سَأوضح نَهجَ الحَق إِن كانَ سامِعٌ
وَأُرشِدُ مَن يُصغي إِلَيَّ وَيُرشَد
I will clarify the path of truth if there is someone who listens,
And guide whoever inclines their ear and seeks guidance.
وَمَن كان يَخفيهِ فانِّيَ مُظهِرٌ
وَمَن لَم يجرِّده فَإِنّي مُجَرِّدُ
I display what others hide,
And reveal what others do not demonstrate clearly.
وَمَن كان بِالتَشبيهِ وَالجَبرِ دائِناً
فَإِنِّيَ في التَوحيدِ وَالعَدل أَوحَدُ
As for those steeped in likening God to creation,
I am utterly devoted to God’s oneness and justice.
أُنَزِّه ربَّ الخَلقِ عن حَدِّ خلقِهِ
وَقد زاغَ راوٍ في الصِفاتِ وَمُسنَدُ
I absolve the Lord of creation of any limitation to His creation,
While the misguided went astray in His attributes and dependencies.
فَهذا يَقولُ اللَهُ يَهوى وَيَصعَدُ
وَهذا لَدَيهِ اللَهُ مُذ كانَ أَمرَدُ
One says that God desires, loves, and ascends -
While another claims that God has been eternal and everlasting.
تَبارَكَ ربُّ المُرد وَالشِيب انَّهُم
لَأكفَرُ من فِرعَون فيهِ وَأَعنَد
Blessed is the Lord of lineage and white hair! They are indeed
More disbelieving than Pharaoh in this and more stubborn.
وَآخَرُ قالَ العَرشُ يَفضل قَدرَهُ
وَأَوهَم ان اللَهَ جِسمٌ مُجَسَّدُ
Another claims that the throne exceeds His power in grandeur,
And suggests that God is an embodied physical form.
وَآخرُ قالَ اللَهُ جسمٌ مجسَّمٌ
وَلم يَدرِ أَنَّ الجِسمِ شَيءُ مُحَدَّد
While yet another says God is a formed body,
Unaware that a body is inherently limited.
وَأَنَّ الَّذي قَد حُدَّ لا بُدَّ مُحدِث
إِذا مَيَّزَ الأَمرَ اللَبيبُ المؤيَّدُ
That which is limited must have a creator,
If the intelligent person discriminated properly.
لَقَد زَعَموا ما لَيسَ يَعدوهُ مُشرِك
وَقد أَثبَتوا ما لَيسَ يَخطوهُ ملحِدُ
They claimed what no polytheist would claim,
And affirmed what no atheist would dare state.
وَقُلنا بِأَن اللَهَ لا شَيء مِثلُهُ
هُوَ الواحِدُ الفَردُ العليُّ المُمَجَّدُ
While we say that nothing resembles God -
He is the One, the Singular, Most High, Most Glorified.
هو العالِمُ الذاتِ الَّذي لَيسَ مُحوَجاً
إِلى العِلم وَالأَعلامُ تَبدو وَتَشهدُ
He is the Knower whose essence is not in need
Of knowledge or signs that appear and testify.
وَلَيسَ قَديماً سابِقاً غَيرُ ذاتِهِ
وَان كانَ أَبناءُ الضَلال تَبَلَّدوا
None is eternal prior except His essence,
Even if the misguided children of doom persist.
أَتانا بِذِكرٍ مُحكَمٍ من كَلامِهِ
هو الحَجَّةُ العليا لِمَن يَتَسَدَّدُ
He brought us the decisive Qur’an through His speech -
It is the supreme proof for whoever consolidates and fortifies faith.
وَان قالَ أَقوامٌ قَديم لأَنَّهُ
كَلام لَهُ فَاِنظُر إِلى أَينَ صَعَّدوا
Though some say it is eternal since it is His speech,
See where they have escalated in ascribing divinity!
كَذاكَ النَصارى في المَسيحِ مَقالُها
وَقد شَرَّدوا عَن دينِنا فَتَشَرَّدوا
Likewise the Christians with their claims about Jesus -
They have strayed far from our faith and wandered astray.
فَتَبّاً لَهُم إِذا عانَدوا فَتَنَصَّروا
وَوَيلًا لَهُم إِذ كايَدوا فَتَهَوَّدوا
Woe to them if they defy and turn Christian!
And ruin to them if they scheme and become Jewish!
وَإِن سقتُ ما قالوهُ في الجبر ضلَّةً
خَشيتُ جِبالَ الأَرضِ مِنهُ تهدَّدُ
If I conveyed what they say about predestination it would be misguidance,
I fear the mountains of the earth would shake from it in horror!
يَقولونَ أَنَّ اللَهَ يَخلِقُ سَبَّهُ
لِيُشتَمً كَلّا فَهو أَعلى وَأَمجَد
They say that God creates one to insult Him; never!
He is most High and Glorified above what they presume.
وَقالوا أَرادَ الكفرَ وَالظَلمَ وَالزِنا
وَقَتلَ النَبِيِّينَ الَّذينَ تَعَبَّدوا
They say He intended disbelief, oppression, and adultery,
And the murder of prophets who devotedly worshipped Him.
فَكَلَّفَ مَن لَم يَستَطع فِعلَ مُحنَقٍ
عَلى عَبدِهِ حاشاهُ مِمّا تَزَيَّدوا
He burdened one who cannot commit wicked deeds
By punishing him in Hell eternally for abandoning them.
وَعاقَبه عَن تَركِهِ الفِعلَ لَم يُطَق
عِقاباً لَهُ من بِالجَحيمُ مُخَلَّدُ
They say justice is to task a crippled man with standing
And a paralyzed man with running swiftly - when he cannot!
يَقولونَ عَدلٌ أَن يكلِّفَ مُقعَداً
قِياماً وَعَدواً مُسرِعاً وَهوَ مُقعَد
While we say that God is Just, and that
He burdens not with more than one can bear.
وَقُلنا بِأَنَّ اللَهَ عَدلٌ وَأَنَّهُ
يُكَلِّفُ دونَ الطَوق ما هو أَحمدُ
The sins of all people are by their own doing,
When they commit them apart from Him defiantly.
وَأَنَّ ذُنوبَ الناسِ أَجمَع كَسبُهُم
بِاِحداثِها من دونِهِ قَد تَفَرَّدوا
God only intends their moral rectitude,
Though they corrupt their religion and rebel.
وَلَيسَ يُريدُ اللَهُ إِلّا صَلاحَهُم
وَإِن أَفسَدوا في دينِهِم وَتَمَرَّدوا
The postponer of punishment still delays while threats continue,
To fulfill all that they were promised, in deed.
وَيُرجىءُ ذا الارِجاءُ وَالقَولُ وارِد
بِاِنجازِه كلَّ الَّذي قَد تُوُعِّدوا
I sincerely praise the Prophet Muhammad
And his progeny, from whom comes the Prophet Muhammad.
وَأخلَصُ مَدحي لِلنَبِيِّ محمَّدٍ
وَذريَّةٍ مِنها النَبِيُّ مُحَمَّدُ
A prophet who upheld the faith when it was leaning,
And weakened the canal of disbelief while it was strengthening.
نَبِيٌّ أَقامَ الدينَ وَالدينُ مائِل
وَأَوهى قَناةَ الكُفرَ وَهي تشدَّدُ
Without him the depths of misguidance would not have been exposed,
And the aims of truth would not have been known.
فَلَولاهُ لم يُكشَف سجافُ ضَلالَةٍ
وَلَولاهُ لم يُعرَف من الحَقِّ مَقصَدُ
He called and guided, delivering from the grip of ruin,
As God blessed him throughout his rest.
دَعا وَهدى مُستَنقِذاً مِن يَد الرَدى
وَصَلّى عَلَيهِ اللَهُ ما دامَ فَرقَدُ
He bequeathed leadership to the best of men, his cousin,
Though his enemies opposed him, but they did not find guidance.
وَأَوصى إِلى خَيرِ الرِجال اِبن عَمِّه
وَان ناصَبَ الأَعداءُ فيهِ فَما هُدوا
All the goodness that was dispersed in ruin, converges in him -
So appraise him! I enumerate and detail it.
تَجَمَّع فيهِ ما تَفَرَّقَ في الرَدى
مِنَ الخَيرِ فَاِحصوهُ فَإِنّي أُعَدِّدُ
He was granted precedence in Islam, as it was surrendered to him,
Apart from a nation that harbors enmity towards him belligerently.
فَسابِقهُ الاِسلام قَد سُلِّمَت لَهُ
سِوى أُمَّةٍ من بُغضِهِ تَتقدَّدُ
He struggled against enemies, initially and repeatedly,
While others alongside him would waver and retreat.
وَقَد جاهَدَ الأَعداءَ ابدءاً وَعودةً
وَكان سِواهُ في القِتالِ يُمَرِّدُ
He is the full moon during times of strife and otherwise,
While his sword fulfills its obligations amidst the clamor of war.
هو البَدرُ في هَيجاءَ بَدرٍ وَغيرُهُ
فَرائِضُهُ من ذُكرة السَيف ترعُدُ
How many events in Khaybar have you relayed,
Though you are like ostriches, wandering confused!
وَكم خَبَرٍ في خَيبَرٍ قَد رويتُمُ
وَلكنَّكم مثل النعام تشرَّد
In Uhud, men fought with his sword
Blackening the face of disbelief while it blackened their own.
وَفي أُحُدٍ َلّى رِجالٌ وَسيفُهُ
يُسَوِّد وَجهَ الكُفرِ وهو يُسَوَّدُ
On the day of Hunayn, some of you felt anguish at fleeing,
While his blade was the wrath of warriors, unsheathed and perilous.
وَيَوم حنينٍ حنَّ لِلفَرِّ بَعضُكُم
وَصارِمُهُ عَضبُ الغُرار مُهَنَّد
Ali! Ali! In all tribulations
Though your birth pained them, so they betrayed you.
عليّ عَلِيّ في المَواقِف كُلِّها
وَلكِنَّكُم قَد خانَكم فيه مَولد
Ali, brother of the best of prophets - So hush!
Or gain insight, for guidance is nearer and more direct.
عَلي أَخو خَير النَبِيّينَ فَاِخرسَوا
أَو اِستَبصروا فَالرُشدُ أَدنى وَأَقصَدُ
Ali, his mention flies with every bird,
While his enemies stand and testify for him involuntarily.
عليٌّ له في الطَيرِ ما طارَ ذِكرُهُ
وَقامَت بهِ أَعداؤُهُ وَهيَ تَشهَدُ
Ali, the verse “Is there indeed” has text regarding him,
Despite your aversion - so turn away adamantly!
عَلي لَهُ في هَل أَتى ما تَلوتُمُ
عَلى الرُغمِ مِن آنافَكم فَتفرَّدوا
He spent the night on the Prophet’s mattress boldly
While they gathered threatening and warning.
وَباتَ عَلى فَرشِ النَبِيِّ تَسَمُّحاً
بِمُهجَتِهِ إِذ أَجلَبوا وَتَوَعَّدوا
He never knew idolatry while people prostrated before them,
As he followed the Prophet, singularly devoting himself to God.
وَما عَرف الأَصنامَ وَالقَومُ سُجَّدٌ
لَها وَهو في اثر النَبِيِّ يُوَحِّدُ
He made him as his successor (caliph) amongst his family,
Like Aaron was to Moses - so investigate and ascertain!
وَصَيَّره هارونَه بَينَ أَهلِهِ
كَهارون موسى فَاِبحَثوا وَتَأَيَّدوا
He assumed leadership of people but did not declare supremacy over them,
Except for those who demonstrate hostility and enmity.
تَوَلّى امورَ الناسِ لم يَستَقِلهُمُ
إِلّا رُبَّما يَرتابُ مَن يَتَقَلَّدُ
He was not in need of others’ knowledge,
When people were perplexed regarding religious rulings.
وَلم يَكُ مُحتاجاً إِلى عِلم غَيرِهِ
إِذا اِحتاجَ قَومٌ في القَضايا فَبُلِّدوا
Revelation did not come back to him after verses were revealed,
While you shunned them, turning your visions away aloofly.
وَلا اِرتَجَعت مِنهُ وَقَد سارَ سورَةٌ
وَغُضّوا لَها أَبصارَكُم وَتَبَدَّدوا
The door of the best mosque was not closed to him,
While their doors were closed to him obstructively.
وَلا سُدَّ عَن خَيرِ المَساجِدِ بابُهُ
وَأَبوابُهُم إِذ ذاكَ عَنه تُسَدَّد
His wife, Fatima, is the best and most virtuous of women
For the most virtuous and excellent man - her merit is undeniable.
وَزَوجَتُه الزَهراء خَيرُ كَريمَةٍ
لِخَير كَريمٍ فَضلُها لَيسَ يُجحَدُ
The path of glory extended through both her sons al-Hasan and al-Husayn -
Without them glory would have no legacy.
وَبِالحَسنَين المَجدُ مَدَّ رَواقَهُ
وَلَولاهُما لَم يَبقَ لِلمَجدِ مَشهَدُ
From them branched light into the earth,
So for God there are lights that continue emanating.
تَفَرَّعت الأَنوارُ للأَرضِ مِنهُما
فَلِلَّهِ أَنوارٌ بَدت تَتَجَدَّدُ
They are brilliant proofs made manifest,
And lamps of God that can never be extinguished.
هُم الحُجَجُ الغُرُّ الَّتي قَد تَوَضَّحَت
وَهم سُرُجَ اللَه الَّتي لَيسَ تَخمَدُ
I declare allegiance to you, O family of Muhammad,
While you are the religion’s pillars and reservoirs of knowledge.
أُواليكُمُ يا أَهلَ بَيتِ محمدٍ
وَكُلُّكُمُ لِلّدينِ وَالعِلم فَرقَد
And I dismiss those who harbor enmity towards you - they are blind,
Opposing what was your blessed birth.
وَأَتركُ مَن ناواكُمُ وهو أَكمةٌ
يُبادي عَلَيهِ مولِد لَيس يُحمَدُ
When he hears the magic of my poetry's enchanting eloquence,
He nearly collapses from the intensity of sorrow.
إِذا سمع السِحرَ الَّذي قَد عَقدتُهُ
يَكادُ لَهُ من شِدَّة الحُزنِ يَفأد
To you, family of Taha (Prophet Muhammad) and Yasin (Quranic Chapter), I send praise
That permeates the farthest lands and provides aid.
اِلَيكُم ذَوي طه وَيسَ مدحةً
تَغورُ إِلى أَقصى البِلادِ وَتُنجِد
Ibn Abbad sought closeness to the family of Ahmad through it,
So that Ahmad may intercede for him on Judgement Day.
تَوَخّى اِبنُ عَبادٍ بِها آلَ أَحمدٍ
لِيَشفَع في يَوم القِيامَةِ أَحمَد
Sing poetically, O Meccan, composing excellently -
For none attains precedence except the most excellent composer!
فَدونكَ يا مَكِّيُ أَنشِد مُجوِّداً
فَلَيسَ يَحوزُ السَبقَ إِلأّا المَجَوِّدُ
I have attempted to the best of my ability to translate the meanings and maintain the poetic style. Please let me know if you need any clarification or have feedback!
