يَا لَيْلُ وَيْحَكَ إن صبحَك قدْ سَفَرْ
فَالْجَأ لِذِمَّةِ فَرْعِهِ أوْ فَالمْفَرْ
O night, alas for you, your dawn has departed
So seek refuge in its branches or take flight
أوَ مَا رَأيْتَ النجمَ خَالَ ظَهِيرَةً
فَطَوَى سِجِلا للكِتَابِ قَدِ انْتَشَرْ
Have you not seen a star unveiled in broad daylight
Then rolled up the outspread scroll of fate?
وتَلاَعَبَتْ خَيْلُ النَّسِيمِ تَبَاشُراً
إذْ فَرَّ جَيْشُ الدَّجْنِ وَالفَجْرُ انْتَصَر
The steeds of the breeze frolicked with delight
When the army of darkness took flight and dawn conquered
وَجَلَتْ قِيَانُ الزَّهْرِ أوْجُهَ حسنهَا
لمّا غَدَتْ كَالزُّهْرِ وَاضحة الغُرَرْ
The buds of flowers revealed their beautiful faces
As clear as flowers when the cocoons split open
وَتَبَرَّجَتْ غِيدُ القيَانِ وَقَدْ رَأتْ
وَجهَ الرياضِ يَلُوح من خَلَلِ الشجرْ
The warbling birds in the bushes were thrilled to see
The face of the garden revealed through the trees
وَارْتَاعَ أدْهَمُ دَجْنِهَا لما انْبَرَى
في الافق أشهبُ ضَوْئِهَا يَقْفُو الأثَرْ
Their dusky steeds shied when there arose
In the horizon the star’s radiant glow
وَافترَّ ثغرُ أقَاحهَا مُتَعَجَباً
إذْ كَلَّلَتْهُ يَدُ السَّحَائِب بِالدُّرَرْ
Their smiling lips were filled with wonder
As clouds wreathed them with pearly drops of rain
وَتَكَلَّلَتْ بِالمُزْنِ وَجْنَةُ وَرْدِهَا
فعجبتُ كَيْفَ المَاءُ لاَ يُطْفِي الشَّرَرْ
The rose garden was crowned with luxury
I wondered how the water had not quenched the flames
وَسَقَتْ كُؤُوسُ الطلّ مبسم نَوْرِهَا
فَعَلِمْتُ أن المسك بِالوردِ اخْتَمَرْ
The brimming cups of dew distilled its pure light
I knew then that perfume was mingled with roses
وصفا الظلال عَلَى مجَارِي نَهْرِهَا
فبدا جبينٌ هَلَّ فِي دَاجِي الطُّرَرْ
The shade settled gently on the garden’s streams
Revealing a meadow buried in verdant gloom
وَحَكَتْ حَوَاشِيهَا المُنَضَّدَة الذرَى
ألْوَاحَ جَزْعٍ فَوْقَهُ الدر انْتَثَرْ
The edges adorned with pearls
Set down tablets amidst scattered rubies
وَرَقَى خطيبُ الطَّيْرِ منبرَ أيْكِهِ
فَتَلاً عَلَى الأسْمَاعِ آيَاتِ السُوَرْ
The melody of birds rose from their choir
Reciting to all listeners verses from the Holy Book
وَأظَلَّ والي الغيم لمّا أن رأى
مُقَلَ الأزَاهرِ زَانَهَا غَنَجُ الحَوَرْ
The Lord of the clouds cast his shade
On the beauty of flowers, like the black-eyed Houris
فَكَأنَّمَا رَنَتِ الحَدَائِقُ نَحْوَهُ
فَأكَبَّ يَرْجُمُهَا بِحَصْبَاءِ المَطَرْ
It was as if the gardens inclined towards him
And he showered them with hailstones in return
وَكَأنَّمَا تِلْكَ الرّيَاضُ خَرِيدَةٌ
تُبْدِي نَوَاظِرُهَا السُيوفَ لِمَنْ نَظَرْ
It was as if the meadows unsheathed their swords
To whoever might look upon their terrifying sight
وَكَأنَّمَا ذَاكَ الحَمَامُ مُؤَقِّتٌ
قَدْ هَبَّ مِنْ نَوْمٍ فَأذَّنَ في السحَرْ
It was as if the doves were clerks
Who woke from sleep to announce the dawn by song
وَكأنَما تلكَ الزُهور نوَاظْر
جَال النُعاَس بهَا فأَيقِظهَا السمَرْ
It was as if the blossoms were eyes
Which closed in slumber and the thorns awakened
وَكَأنَّمَا تِلْكَ المَذَائِبُ أسْهُمٌ
أضْحَتْ تُفَوّقُهَا القِسِي بِلاَ وَتَرْ
It was as if the icicles were arrows
That excel even the strongest bow in range
وَكَأنَّمَا تِلْكَ الجَوَابِي أعْيُنٌ
فاضت مدَامعُهَا عَلَى فَقْدِ السهرْ
It was as if the streams were weeping eyes
That shed tears for the loss of vigilance
وَكَأنَّمَا تِلْكَ القِبابُ وَقَدْ بدَا
وجهُ المليك بِهَا منَازِلُ لِلْقَمَرْ
It was as if the domes in which appeared
The face of the King were abodes for the moon
مَوْلاَي عثمان المَلِيكُ المُرْتَضَى
ذُو المبسم الوَضَّاحِ وَالوَجْهِ الأغرْ
My Lord Usman the chosen King
Of radiant smile and glowing countenance
ملكٌ يَرَى قَاضِي الكمَالِ لِمَجْدِهِ
بِالرتْبَةِ العَلْيَاءِ وَالوَجْهِ الأبَرْ
A King whom the Judge of Perfection views
As most high in rank and noblest in manner
ملكٌ إذَا ازْدَحمَ المُلوكُ لموردٍ
وَنَحَاهُ لاَ يَرِدُونْ إلا إنْ صَدَرْ
A King, when Kings crowd for position
None can surpass if he steps forth
عَلَمٌ إذَا هزّ الحسَامَ بِكَفِّهِ
رَكَعَ الجَحُودُ لِرُكْنِ قِبْلَتِهِ وَخَرّ
A banner, that if brandished in his fist
The mountains bow down before his sanctuary
مَا أمّ صَفَّا لِلْقِتَالِ سِنَانُهُ
إلاَّ وَنَادَى أيْنَ يَا بَاغِي الْمَفَرَ
Whenever the spark of war was lit
His spear called “Where are you, o foe?”
ذُو عَزْمَةٍ لَوْ أنَّهَا لِمُهَنَّدٍ
مَا فَلَّ مِنْ قَرْعِ الدُّرُوعِ وَلاَ انْكَسَرْ
With resolve, that if it belonged to a hero
Would not waver amidst the clash of armor
وَسَمَاحَة تَدَعُ الفَقِيرَ مُعَظَّماً
وَحَمَاسَهٍ تَدَعُ المعَظَّمَ مُحْتَقَر
With generosity that leaves the destitute enthroned
And passion that leaves the enthroned condemned
ملكٌ إذَا اسْتَسْقَيْتَ مُزْنَتَهُ سَقَى
وَإذَا انْتَصَرْتَ بِسَيْفِ عَزْمَتِهِ نَصَرْ
A King who if you seek his bastion for aid
Will give you victory if you fight with his sword
فَإلَى سنَاهُ البدرُ فِي اللَّيْلِ الْتَجَا
وَإلَى نَدَاهُ الغيثُ في المَحْلِ افْتَقَرْ
The full moon is dim before his brilliance
The rain is but a drop before his munificence
مَا أثْمَرَتْ بِالهَامِ سُمْرُ رِمَاحِهِ
إلا لأنَّ الغُصْنَ يُعْشَقُ بِالثَّمَرْ
When he desired to fell regiments
His awesomeness made further fighting futile
كَلاَّ وَلاَ لَمَعَتْ بَوَارِقُ بِيضِهِ
إلا لِيَحْرقَ بالأشِعَّةِ مَنْ كَفَرْ
When aided by his penetrating thoughts
He saw what previously was hidden from him
وَإذَا أرَادَ بِأنْ تُفَل كَتَائِبٌ
أغْنَتْ مَهَابَتُهُ عَنِ العَضْبِ الذَّكَرْ
When talk turned to praise his glories
Witnessing his splendor made reports redundant
وَإذَا اسْتَعَانَ بِنَظْرَةٍ مِنْ فِكْرِهِ
عَيْناً رَأى مَا كَانَ عَنْهُ مُسْتَتَرْ
O you who fear the days’ fickle vicissitudes
That exchange sweet life for bitter misery
وَإذَا تَحَدَّثَ مُخْبِرٌ عَنْ مَاجِد
أغْنَى عِيَانُ سَنَا عُلاَهُ عَنِ الخَبَرْ
Take refuge in the sanctuary of Abu Amr
And rest assured no ill can reach you there
يَا خَائِفاً مِنْ صرفِ دهرٍ شَأنُهُ
أنْ يُبْدِلَ الصفوَ المُمْتِّعَ بِالكَدَرْ
He covers the mundane in a cloak of nobility
He revived its glories in his splendid deeds
جَاوِرْ أبَا عمرِو المَنيعَ جَنَابُهُ
تَأمَنْ إذَا مَا خِفْتَ حَادِثَةَ الغِيَرْ
He guards the Divine with a breastplate of resolve
His hosts were made triumphant by victories
الساتِرُ الدُّنْيَا بِذَيْلِ مَكَارِمٍ
أحْيَتْ مَكَارِمُهَا مَآثِرَ مَنْ دَثَرْ
I met him at my lowest ebb
He restored me to the most sublime condition
وَالمَانِعُ العَلْيَا بِبِيضِ عزَائِمٍ
حَيَّتْ مَيَامِن مُنْتَضِيهَا بِالظَّفَرْ
O You whose abode I pilgrimed for Salvation
Striving like those who performed the holy Hajj
لاقَيْتُهُ والحَالُ أقْبَحُ مَا اخْتَفَى
فَأعَادنِي والحالُ أحسنُ مَا اشْتَهَرْ
Congratulations on this blessed occasion!
Founded by your heir, of brightest fame
يَا مَنْ قَصدْتُ منَار كعبة بَيْته
وسَعَيْتُ فِيمَنْ حَجَّ بَيْتَك واعْتَمَرْ
And this garden beautified with grace
To celebrate the arrival of your glorious name
اهْنَأْ بِهَا مِنْ بِنْيَةٍ مَسْعُودةٍ
قَدْ شَادهَا من نَسْلِك الملكُ الأغرْ
Whose essence their forms represent
Just as forms follow essences content
وانْعَمْ بِهَا من جَنَّة قَدْ زُخْرفَتْ
لِقُدُومِ مَجْدِك واوْلِهَا حسن النَّظَرْ
The Muslim nation could not lack Your shade
For through You their Age of Empire was made
صورٌ مَعَانيكمْ أقَامَتْ ذاتَهَا
وكَذا المَعَانِي تَسْتَقِيمُ بهَا الصُورْ
You fortified their domain with feared might
You made your mercy their nourishing light
لا يَعْدِ َمْنَك المُسْلِمُونَ فَإنَّهُمْ
قَدْ أدْركُوا فِي عِزّ ظِلِّكُمُ الوَطَرْ
Yours are happiness, prestige, delight and peace
Safety, eternal life and settled abode
حَصَّنْتَ حَوْزتَهُمْ بِبأسٍ يُخْتَشَى
ورحمتَ فَاقَتَهُم بِجُودٍ يُنْتَظَرْ
Neither did the flowers reveal their smiles
Nor the hosts of triumph display their glittering robes
فَلَك السَّعَادَةُ والكَرَامَةُ وَالهَنَا
وَلَكَ السَّلاَمَةُ وَالبَقَا وَالمُسْتَقَرْ
مَا افترَ ثغرُ الزهْرِ مُبْتَسِماً وَمَا
جَالَتْ جُيُوش النَّصْرِ وَاضحةُ الغُرَرْ
