أيا ملكَ الأملاكِ قَد جاءني الّذي
حبَوْتَ به من نعمةٍ وتعهّدِ
O King of kings, He whom you have blessed me with grace and care,
Has come to me and sent calling me to praise, my head is crowned, bracelets in hand,
وأرسلتَ تستدعِي المديحَ وإنّه
لرأسِيَ تاجٌ والسّواران في يدِي
And I have no adornment besides the rags of my clothes and the strings of beads around my neck.
No rhythm did I delay which you addressed between these people at every gathering,
ولم يكن التّشريفُ لِي دَرَّ درُّه
سوى خزّ أثوابِي ودُرِّ مقلَّدي
Except illness which you protected me from, and I am content that I ransom myself for your sake.
My diction has been impaired by that which I complained of,
وما أخّرَ النَّظْمَ الّذي كنتَ خاطباً
به بين هذا الخلق في كلِّ مشهدِ
And I do not approve any saying about you that is not excellently crafted.
The tongue has no speech to utter, nor can the fettered foot walk.
سوى مرضٍ حوشيتَ منه وإنّني
لراضٍ بأنّي للأذى عنك مُفتدِ
How can I, in my feeble state, praise the one whose praise has been my days and nights of worship?
I originate deeds through him above every doer,
وحال عن التّجويدِ ما قد شكوتُه
ولم أرضَ قولاً فيكَ غيرَ مجوَّدِ
And with him I surpass in words every poet.
And how many eulogies of your loftiness excel,
وليس لمعقول اللّسانِ مقالةٌ
تُقالُ ولا مَشْىٌ لرجلِ المقيَّدِ
Triumphing over the compositions of all other eulogists,
Journeying east and west with ease,
وَكَيفَ اِطّراحِي مدحَ مَن كان مدحُه
به الدّهرَ تسبيحي وطولُ تهجّدِي
Traversing every land and wilderness,
And pleasing to the ears of those who listen,
أصولُ به فعلاً على كلِّ فاعلٍ
وأزهى به قولاً على كلّ منشدِ
As the tunes of the lutanist pleased the drinker of wine.
If the warbler trills sadly with them,
وكم لِيَ في مدحِي عُلاكَ قصائدٌ
فَضَلْنَ اِفتِخاراً نَظْمَ كلِّ مُقصِّدِ
You forget the cooing of the love-lorn dove.
I have served you as an old man for thirty pilgrimages,
يَسِرْن عَلى الأكوار شرقاً ومغرباً
وَيَقطعنَ فينا كلَّ بَرٍّ وفَدْفَدِ
Going as you wish of me, content.
No slip have I relied on from you, so why should that come from a willful hand?
ويُطربن مَن أصغى لهنَّ بسمعِه
كما أطربتْ ذا الخمرِ ألحانُ مَعبدِ
I have only rolled up my sleeves in your satisfaction,
And only stripped myself in your love.
فإنْ غرَّد الشادِي بهنَّ تنغُّماً
تناسيتَ تغريد الحَمامِ المغرّدِ
Night's veil falls from me as I traverse its expanse,
Supplicating with what you desire, eyes pressed in prayer.
خَدَمتُكَ كَهلاً مُذ ثلاثون حجّةً
أروح بما ترضاه مِنِّي وأغتدِي
I know my prayers are answered in truth of my loyalty and purity of my devotion.
You held the halter on me long ago,
ولم تكُ منِّي هفوةٌ ما اِعتمدتُها
فكيف لما تأتي يدُ المتعمّدِ
So take my bridle now, pardoned with a renewed sovereignty.
As for our lordship your sons, they have ascended
وَما كانَ إلّا في رضاك تشمّرِي
وَلا كانَ إلّا في هواك تجرّدِي
To the heavens for ascent, above every glittering star.
Swords of valor among us, and domination,
تَنامُ الدّجى عنِّي وأقطعُ عرضه
دعاءً بما تهوى بجَفْنٍ مُسهَّدِ
Shelters of repose among us, and smooth resting places.
They inherited that honesty, as you desired it
وَأَعلمُ أنّي مُستجابٌ دعاؤُه
لصادقِ إِخلاصِي ومحضِ تودُّدِي
Passed from lord to lord.
You were envied when their perfection was accomplished,
وَكنتَ ملكتَ الرِّقَ مِنِّيَ سالفاً
فخذْ رِبْقتِي عفواً بملكٍ مجدّدِ
And what good is he who lives without being envied?
And how much nobility they have in the kingdom,
فَأَمّا مَوالينا بَنوك فإنّهمْ
علَوْا في سماءٍ للعُلا كلَّ فرقدِ
And lofty, well-built heights,
Your attributes that dazzled with glory and pillars
سُيوفُ غِوارٍ بَيننا وتسلّطٍ
كهوفُ قرارٍ بيننا وتمهّدِ
Are known in them.
You did not miss when you shot them as arrows to glory,
هُمُ ورِثوا تلك النّجابةَ فيهمُ
كَما شِئتَها عَن سيّدٍ بعد سيّدِ
Except with an arrow straight and true.
You continue to protect us from every doubt through them,
حُسدتَ بهمْ لمّا تناهى كمالُهمْ
ولا خيرَ فيمن عاش غيرَ محسَّدِ
And achieve every purpose through them.
And you are of a people, if they witness the fray
وكم لهمُ في الملكِ من عَبَقٍ به
ومن مرتقىً عالي البناءِ مشيّدِ
You choose from them helper and gallant knight.
Some white-skinned in striking, and some dark-skinned in thrusting spearheads.
وتُعرَف فيهمْ من شَمائلك التِي
بهرتَ بها آثار مجدٍ وسؤدُدِ
They refused to fall short of immense bravery,
Or refrain from fierce burning.
ولم ترمِ لمّا أن رميت إلى المنى
بهمْ أسهماً إلّا بسهمٍ مسدَّدِ
They would not return except with gathered band,
Salvation brought together from scattered parts.
فَلا زلتَ مكفيّاً بهمْ كلَّ ريبةٍ
ولا زلتَ فيهمْ بالغاً كلَّ مقصدِ
No coward among them when dangers massed,
Nor any giving up weapons and armor.
وَإِنّك مِن قَومٍ إِذا شَهِدوا الوغى
فما شئتَ من عانٍ بها وفتىً رَدِ
They were not sated except by what poured from the veins
As the thirsty are sated by water.
وَمِن أَبيضٍ عندَ الضّراب مثلَّمٍ
وَمِن أَسمرٍ عندَ الطّعان مقصّدِ
Forever glory and praise and dew float
Immersed in enduring existence.
أَبَوْا أَن يَسدّوا عَن عَظيمِ أناتِهِ
وَأَن يُحجموا عن جاحمٍ متوَقّدِ
If fate sought to wrong you in its turning,
It heard only creaking gibbets and gnashing teeth.
وَأَن يَرجعوا إلّا بِشملٍ مجمّعٍ
جنَوْه لهمْ من كفِّ شملٍ مبَدَّدِ
Never did a day dawn upon a state where we heard of it,
Except stars of great fortune.
ولم يُرَ فيهمْ والمخاوفُ جمّةٌ
مُوَلٍّ إلى أمنٍ ولا من معرّدِ
وَلَم يَرتووا إلّا بِما سال بالقنا
كما يرتوي بالماءِ من عطشٍ صَدِ
وَدمْ أَبداً لِلمَجدِ وَالحمدِ والنّدى
تَعومُ اِنغِماساً في بقاء مخلَّدِ
وَإِن رامَ دَهرٌ أَن يسوءَك صرفُه
فأصغى بمصلومٍ وعضّ بأدْرَدِ
وَلا طَلعتْ يوماً على دولةٍ بها
بَلغنا بها إلّا كَواكبُ أسعُدِ
