غَيْري رَمَيْنَ ذواتُ الأَعْين النُّجُل
إِذْ رِشْنَ نَبلَ فُتورِ اللّحظ بالْكَحَلِ
Others aimed the glances of languid eyes,
When they shot the arrows of listless looks with kohl.
مَن راحَ صَبّاً بحبّ الغانياتِ فلي
قَلْبٌ بحبِّ المعالِي راحَ في شُغُل
Whoever wasted his youth infatuated with singing girls,
My heart was busy with love of noble ideals.
وكم صبوتُ إلى وَرْدِ الخدود ولم
أَرْضِ العذولَ الذِي قد لجّ في العَذَل
How often I yearned for the roses of cheeks, but did not
Pick the fruit that had ripened into neglect.
لم يَحْم مَنِّيَ خَدّاً لَدْغُ عَقْرَبهِ
ولا ثَنَتْنِي سهامُ اللّحظِ عن مُقِل
No cheek was stung by the bite of its scorpion,
Nor did the arrows of glances turn me from my calm.
ولا نَهْتني حُلَى ألفاظِ غانيةٍ
عن رَشْفِ ما في ثَناياها من العَسَل
Nor did the trinkets of singing girls' words
Stop me from sipping the honey in their folds.
ولا قَنِعتُ بزور الْوَعْدِ من رَشَإٍ
دون التّعانُقِ والتَّجميش والقُبَلِ
Nor did I content myself with the false promise of a coquette,
Without embracing, whispering, and kissing.
ما زلتُ أَخلع في رَبْعِ الصِّبا رَسَنِي
لَهْواً وأسحبُ فيه رَيْطةَ الغَزَلِ
I have not ceased to sport in the spring of my youth,
Foolishly pulling the string of flirtation.
فالآن لمّا قَضَتْ نَفْسي مآربهَا
ونِلتُ من كلّ شيءٍ غايةَ الأَملِ
But now when my soul has fulfilled its wishes,
And attained the utmost of all hopes,
أَقصرتُ يا سَلْمَ عمّا تَعلمِين فما
أَصْبُو لَربْع ولا أَبْكي على طَلَل
I refrain, Salma, from what you know, so I no longer
Pine for the pasturelands or weep over ruins.
لمّا بَلغتُ أشُدِّي بعدما انْقَرَضَتْ
بعد الثّلاثين خَمْسٌ مِن زمانِيَ لي
When I reached maturity after thirty-five
Of my years had passed, I reconsidered and preferred dignity.
راجعتُ حِلمي وآثرتُ الوَقَار وَمن
يَحْلُمْ يُوَقَّرْ ومَنْ يَسْتَحْي يُنتضلِ
Whoever is forbearing is honored, whoever is modest gains respect.
As I obeyed my youth in folly, so now
كما أطعتُ شبابي في الصِّبا فكذا
أُطيع في صالح الأعمال مُكْتَهلي
I obey in doing righteous deeds, though grown old.
O sacred month of obligatory fasting, in which
يا شهْرَ مُفْترضِ الصَّوْمِ الذي خَلَصَتْ
فيه الضمائُر بالإخلاصِ في العمل
Hearts have been purified by true devotion.
You have, O Ramadan, erased our misdeeds, giving us
أَرْمَضْتَ يا رمضانُ السِّيئاتِ لنا
بُشْر بِنا للتُّقَى عَلاَّ على نَهَلِ
Good news of reverence and exaltedness on the meadows.
Fasting, righteousness and devotion are linked in you
صَومٌ وبِرٌّ ونُسْكٌ فِيك مُتّصِلٌ
بِصالحٍ وخشوعٍ غيرِ منفصِل
To goodness, humility and unsevered connection.
Would that your month were a year without ending,
يا ليت شهركَ حَوْلٌ غيرُ مُنْقَطِع
وليت ظِلِّك عنّا غيرُ مُنْتقِل
And that your shade over us were never shifting.
Among the months that have passed, you are only
ما أنت في أشهرِ الحَوْلِ الّتِي سَلفتْ
إلاّ كمثِلِ نِزارٍ في بني الرُّسُلِ
Like al-Nizar among the messenger prophets.
A king who, when asked, enriches the beggars,
مَلْكٌ إذا سِيلَ أَغْنَى السائِلين له
وإن هُمُ سكَنوا أعْطَى ولم يُسَل
Though they stay silent he gives without being asked.
In war he is found attacking again and again when
تَلقاه في الحربِ كَرَّاراً إذا اسْتَعَرتْ
وحامَ طيرُ الرَّدَى بالمعشِر النُّزُلِ
The birds of calamity flock together on the battlefield.
A swordsman whom no mighty tasks can evade
حَسّام ما مِنْ عِظماتِ الأُمور أَبَيْ
نَ الحَسْمَ وَصَّالُ ما مِنهنّ لم يَصِل
Decisively, a reconciler whom none evaded unfinished.
Not by the weak thoughts of the timid from any
لا بالضعيف قُوَي الآراءِ عن حَدَثٍ
يُرْدِي الأنامَ ولا الهِّيابةِ الوْكَلِ
Event that ruins people, nor by cowardly withdrawal.
With his sword he attains what swords fail to reach,
يَنال بالسيف ما تَعْيا السيوفُ به
وبالنَّباهة ما يُعِيي ذوِي الحِيَلِ
And by his vigilance what schemers cannot attain.
Wakeful when prudence sleeps, on guard,
يقظانُ حِين ينامُ الحزمُ مُحْتَرِسٌ
مُتَرَّفٌ شَرِسٌ عَجْلانُ ذُو مَهَلِ
Luxurious and fierce, hasty and deliberate.
The caliphate was adorned when you were clothed in it,
زِنْت الخلافةَ مذ أُلْبِسْتَ خِلْعَتَها
وزدْت دَوْلَتَها عِزّاً على الدُّوَل
And through you its domain gained glory over realms.
Without you it would be without splendor or glory,
لولاكَ كانتْ بِلا جِيد ولا جَيَد
ولا جفونٍ ولا كُحْلٍ ولا كَحَلِ
Without eyelids, kohl, or collyrium.
You have composed its crown of justice, and with
نَظَمتَ بالعدلِ تيجانَ البهاءِ لها
وبالسماحةِ وَشْيَ الْحَلْي والحُلَلِ
Clemency dressed it in the garment of beauty and finery.
Religion cannot be debased when you promote it,
فالدِّينُ غيرُ مهِيض إذ نهضتَ به
وَفَيْلَقُ الجودِ منصورٌ على البَخَلِ
And the flood of generosity gains victory over meanness.
Unbelief is shattered while faith is honored,
والكفرُ في شَظَفٍ والدينُ في شَرَف
والجودُ في سَرَفٍ والناس في جَذَلِ
Extravagance is allowed and people suffer need.
So enjoy the distant time in which you left the Muslims
فانْعَمْ بعيدٍ تركتَ المسلِمينَ به
سِلْماً وغادرتَ أَهل الكفِر في جَدَلِ
In peace and abandoned the unbelievers to wrangling.
You have supported the religion of your two forefathers
نصرتَ مِلّةَ جَدَّيك الَّلذَيْ سلَفا
حتى غدتْ بك تَسْتَعلي على المِلل
Until through you it rises above other faiths.
If the Feast comes to us happily through seeing you,
لئن أتى العِيد مِن لُقياكَ في فَرحٍ
لقد مَضَى الصومُ مِن منآك في ثَكل
Fasting has indeed departed from us in sorrow.
You appeared like the rising sun,
برزتَ فيه بروزَ الشمسِ طالعةً
وقد أَعاد الضُّحاءَ النَّقْعُ كالطَّفَل
When the plain was again clothed in white, like a child.
The full moons blossom and the banners flutter,
والبيضُ تَزْهَرُ والأَعلامُ خافقةٌ
والأرضُ في رَهَج والجوُّ في زَجَلِ
While the earth glitters and the atmosphere drones.
None who glance can prevent their eyes
فليس يَصْرِف لحظَ العين مُرْسِلُه
إِلاّ إلى سابحٍ في الأرِض أو بطلِ
From gazing on one who swims on land or is a hero.
The sun in the orbit of the army was obscured
والشمسُ فوقَ مَدارِ الجِيشِ قد حُجِبتْ
في جَوِّها بمُتون البِيضِ والأَسَلِ
By the hilts of the white swords and spears.
Until you reached the mosque, humble in devotion,
حتى بلغتَ المُصَلّى خاشعاً نَسِكاً
خشوعَ جَدِّك في أَزمانِه الأُولِ
In the humble devotion of your ancestor in early times.
You stood before them as preacher, eloquent of tongue,
فقمتَ فيهم خطيباً مِصْقعاً لَسِناً
بكلّ مُنْفَصِلٍ نَثْراً ومُتَّصِل
Joining each phrase smoothly and distinctly.
What stony heart was not softened by them?
فَأيُّ قلبٍ جلِيدٍ لَم يرِقَّ لهمْ
وأيُّ موعِظَةٍ غَرَّاءَ لَم تُقَلِ
What effective sermon did not melt?
An eloquence whose prose is composed masterfully,
بلاغَةٌ نبوِيٌ النَّظمِ مُحْكَمُها
وخُطْبَةٌ لم يَنْلها مُهْمَلُ الخَطَلِ
A speech no negligent orator ever attained.
You have explained the truth plainly, so that
أَبنْتَ بالحقِّ ما قد كان مُشْتَبِهاً
من الهُدَى فَتَجَلَّى كُلُّ مُشْتَكِل
What was ambiguous of guidance appeared clear.
A proof of sincerity by which you have solaced the saints,
برهانُ صِدْقٍ شَفَيتَ الأَولياءَ بِه
وسُقْتُه بين رَيْثِ القَول والعَجَلِ
While I watered it evenly between haste and delay.
They gained by what they heard the honor of nearness,
نالوا بما سمِعوا الزُّلفَى فما افْترقُوا
إلاّ وهُمْ من رِضا الرّحمانِ في جُمَلِ
And did not leave until satisfied by the Merciful.
They prayed behind you while the angels were behind them,
صلَّوا وراءَك والأَملاكُ خلفَهُمُ
مُبَلَّغين لأَعَلى السُّؤْلِ والأَملِ
Conveying to the Highest their hopes and aspirations.
And God purged what wrongs they had committed,
ومَحَّصَ الله ما كانوا قد اقْترفوا
حتى تَبَّروا من الآثام والزَللِ
Until they were cleansed of sins and error.
I have not lagged behind in the asceticism by which
وما تَأخرّتُ من زهد خسرتُ به
أجري ولا غبت عن رؤياك من مَلَلِ
I would lose my reward, or avoided seeing you from boredom.
Who would sell a radiant day for gloom?
ومَن يبيعُ نهاراً مُشْرِقاً بدُجىً
ومن يَخُوصُ ضُحَى الإِصباح للطَّفَل
Who would swap the dawn for a child's comfort?
But I stayed behind because of illness and pain,
لكن تخلّفتُ من سُقْمٍ ومِن أَلمٍ
طِفقْتُ بينهما كالهائِم الخَبِل
While they came and went like one crazed and confused.
A malady that deprived my eyes of sleep,
داءٌ يذودُ عن العينين نومَهُما
وعِلَّةٌ بِيَ قد زادَتْ على العِلل
And an affliction that increased past afflictions.
But if my legs failed me when I was sick
فإن تكن قَصَّرتْ بِي عنك إذ سَقِمَتْ
رِجلِي فإنّي صحيحُ الودّ والعملِ
From coming to you, my affection and deeds are sincere.
Neither my faithful counsel nor my obedience
لا وجُه نُصْحي وطاعاتي بمُنْصَرِفٍ
عَمّا عهِدتَ ولا قلبي بمُنْتَقِل
Have ever swerved from what you ordained, nor has my heart.
I am imbued with love of you as the water-carriers mixed
إنِّي بحبّك ممزوجٌ كما مَزَجَتْ
أيِدي السُّقاة مِزاجَ الماء بالعَسلِ
Their water with honey from the running brooks.
May the blessings of Him who endowed you with victory
صلّى عليك وأعطاك السعادةَ مَنْ
حَباك بالنّصرِ والتأخيرِ في الأَجل
And delayed your term pray over you and grant you happiness.
