لِيَهنِكَ ما شادَت لَكَ الهِمَمُ العُلا
وَهُنّيتَ مَجداً لَم يَجِد عَنكَ مَعدِلا
May gladness lead to what noble aspirations built for you,
And you took pride in glory no equal could find
إِلَيكَ اِرتَقى إِذ كُنتَ مُذ كُنتَ فَوقَهُ
وَغَيرُكَ ما يَنفَكُّ يَرقى إِذا عَلا
You rose up high when you were already high above
While others only rise high when they ascend
تَحَلّى أُناسٌ بِالمَديحِ لِيَشرُفوا
فَأَمّا مَنِ اِستَولى عَلى ذا المَدى فَلا
Some adorned themselves with praise to gain esteem
But those upon that plateau gained nothing
تَأَوَّلَ أَعداءُ المُلوكِ عَلَيهِمُ
فَوالَيتَ إِحساناً كَفاكَ التَأَوُّلا
Enemies of kings misinterpreted things against them
Yet you did them good - your interpretation was enough
فَلَو وَصَلَت أَبواعُهُم ما تَطاوَلَت
إِلَيهِ مُناهُم كانَ فِترُكَ أَطوَلا
Had their abuses reached him, their necks would not have
Had their crowns suited you as ornaments, they could not have overstepped ruin
وَلَو صَلَحَت تيجانُهُم لَكَ زينَةً
إِذاً ما اِستَطاعَت أَن تَعَدّى المُخَلخَلا
Though you spend the night pursuing their rear-guards
You would be the first of them when excellence is first
وَإِن باتَ في أُخراهُمُ مُتَعَقِّباً
تَكُن أَوَّلاً مِنهُم إِذا الفَضلُ أَوَّلا
You surpass white blades completely in cutting and penetrating
And excel in beautiful forgiveness and turning away
تَفوقُ النُصولَ البيضَ قَطعاً وَهِزَّةً
وَتَسبِقُ بِالصَفحِ الجَميلِ التَنَصُّلا
You still accept the fault, apologizing for it,
So you forgive it at length and your forbearance increases
وَما زِلتَ تَلقى الذَنبَ مُعتَذِراً لَهُ
فَتَغفِرُهُ طَولاً وَتَندى تَطَوُّلا
Until we reckon each who slips accountable
For what their hands earned - seeking intercession
إِلى أَن حَسِبنا كُلَّ صاحِبِ زَلَّةٍ
بِما كَسَبَت مِنها يَداهُ تَوَسَّلا
You turned away from the flatterers’ words with majesty
Until we thought them lacking in generosity
وَأَعرَضتَ عَن قَولِ السُعاةِ جَلالَةً
إِلى أَن حَسِبناهُم عَلى الجودِ عُذَّلا
No blame in gaining praise for one who inclined to it
But blame for one who asked.
وَلا لَومَ في كَسبِ الثَناءِ لِمَن صَبا
إِلَيهِ وَلَكِنَّ المَلامَ لِمَن سَلا
Your shade denies refusal to every seeker in it
So you sufficed those praising you their seeking
نَفى ظِلُّكَ الإِمحالَ عَن كُلِّ لائِذٍ
بِهِ فَكَفَيتَ المادِحيكَ التَمَحُّلا
Your gifts left no religious duty or tradition of generosity -
They gave freely in supererogation
مَواهِبُ لَمّا لَم تُغادِر فَريضَةً
وَلا سُنَّةً في الجودِ جادَت تَنَفُّلا
When they took life from your enemies with their arrows
They returned seeking to take life again
إِذا ما أَصابَت مِن عُداتِكَ مَقتَلاً
بِأَسهُمِها عادَت تَطَلَّبُ مَقتَلا
If a conjecture is known, certainty is supposed
If cavalry of reality are seen, imagination
وَإِن عُلِمَت ظُنَّ اليَقينُ تَظَنِّياً
وَإِن رُؤِيَت خيلَ العِيانُ تَخَيُّلا
The living shine if they are not lasting
The stars and flowers shine if they do not fade
فَهُنَّ الحَيا لَو كُنَّ غَيرَ دَوائِمٍ
وَهُنَّ النُجومُ الزُهرُ لَو كُنَّ أُفَّلا
Are you not of those who gained glory
That was not slight, and aimed high
أَلَستَ مِنَ القَومِ الَّذينَ تَقَيّلوا
مِنَ العِزِّ ظِلّاً لَم يَكُن مُتَقَيَّلا
And gave abundantly until meeting no delays
And excelling until finding none hoped
وَطالوا إِلى أَن لَم يُلاقوا مُطاوِلاً
وَجادوا إِلى أَن لَم يُصيبوا مُؤَمِّلا
If registers were written for the benefactors
None but yours would stand in them
فَلَو سُطِرَت لِلمُنعِمينَ جَرائِدٌ
لَما ثَبَتَت فيها لِغَيرِكُمُ حِلا
The flag of glory loved your shining feats
Giving you praise that will never cease
هَوى عَلَمُ المَجدِ الأَجَلُّ مَآثِراً
أَفادَتهُ حَمداً لَن يَزالَ مُؤَثَّلا
One who is perceptive sees the ground as high when he seeks the highest point
Others see the high point in its market as low
يَرى الصابَ أَرياً حينَ يَطلُبُ غايَةً
يَرى غَيرُهُ في سوقِها الأَريَ حَنظَلا
He gives up a precious soul, not for religion
Too dear for the noble that it be sacrificed
وَيَبذُلُ دونَ الدينِ نَفساً نَفيسَةً
عَزيزٌ عَلى العَلياءِ أَن تُتَبَذَّلا
When an order perturbed the Sultan
And he returned to the advisors’ view relied upon
إِذا حَرِجَ السُلطانُ صَدراً بِأَمرِهِ
وَعادَ إِلى رَأيِ الكُفاةِ مُعَوِّلا
His highest signature informs that he
In all matters relies on God and trusts Him
فَتَوقيعُهُ الأَعلى يُخَبِّرُ أَنَّهُ
عَلى اللَهِ في كُلِّ الأُمورِ تَوَكُّلا
So he brought out what was hidden long ago
Made easy what was hard before it was eased
فَأَبدى لَهُ ما كانَ قِدماً مُغَيَّباً
وَسَهَّلَ صَعباً قَبلَهُ ما تَسَهَّلا
Created non-existent, tamed the unruly
Brought close the distant, clarified the ambiguous
وَأَوجَدَ مَعدوماً وَذَلَّلَ جامِحاً
وَقَرَّبَ مِنزاحاً وَأَوضَحَ مُشكِلا
So the finest qualities appear in the cheer of his face
Urging eyes to contemplate before being turned away
لِأَروَعَ يَبدو في أَسِرَّةِ وَجهِهِ
سَناً يُعجِلُ الأَبصارَ أَن يُتَأَمَّلا
He rages so the armored one becomes torn apart
He protects so the eminent one becomes rolled up
يَصولُ فَيُضحي السابِرِيُّ مُمَزَّقاً
وَيَحمي فَيَثني المَشرَفِيَّ مُفَلَّلا
In awe of God he wears armor that will not be removed
If he meets privately - cloaks that will not be taken off
وَمُدَّرِعٍ مِن خَشيَةِ اللَهِ في المَلا
مَلابِسَ لا يُنزَعنَ عَنهُ إِذا خَلا
I swear by Him without whom his delegation would not have come to him
Urging on their riding beasts brought down
حَلَفتُ بِمَن لَولاهُ ما سارَ وَفدُهُ
إِلَيهِ يَحُثّونَ الرِكابَ المُذَلَّلا
They gained favors and praises until it was amazing they could bear it
You advanced their travel time so they could journey safely under your auspices - long has the journey been hastened
لَقَد أوقِروا مِن أَنعُمٍ وَمَحامِدٍ
فَأَعجِب بِهِم كَيفَ اِستَطاعوا تَحَمُّلا
You gave them ample space from every desolate plain
Matching the wilderness in red plains
وَقَدَّمتَ ميقاتَ المَسيرِ لِيَأمَنوا
بِيُمنِكَ سَيراً طالَما كانَ مُعجَلا
Bracelets if the rider is prohibited
Spears if the rider is resisted
وَأَوسَعتَهُم مِن كُلِّ دَهماءَ شَطبَةٍ
تُعارِضُ بِالبَيداءِ أَدماءَ عَيطَلا
If they passed through an awesome wasteland
Your fine speech interceded with none
سَوارٍ إِذا سارَ المَطِيُّ مُحَرَّماً
صَوافِنُ إِن باتَ المَطِيُّ مُعَقَّلا
Permitting them where there is no pasture
And bringing out water where there is no spring
إِذا سَلَكوا رَبعاً جَديباً مُرَوِّعاً
شَفَعتَ لَهُم حُسنَ الكَلاءَةِ بِالكَلا
It is the effort pleasing the Majestic and His creation
May it forever be a veil over the people, poured down
مُبيحاً لَهُم في حَيثُ لا رَعيَ مُرتَعىً
وَمُستَنبِطاً في حَيثُ لاماءَ مَنهَلا
God did not disappoint their prayers
Good fortune for God’s religion that it be accepted
هُوَ السَعيُ أَرضى ذا الجَلالِ وَخَلقَهُ
فَدُم أَبَداً سِتراً عَلى الخَلقِ مُسبَلا
You gathered the pilgrims of Iraq, and they left
Places fear had shaken
وَلا خَيَّبَ اللَهُ الكَريمُ دُعائَهُم
فَحَظٌّ لِدينِ اللَهِ أَن يُتَقَبَّلا
You are the aid of the Muslims, so be for them
Shelter, even if their homelands moved far from you
وَأَمَّكَ حُجّاجُ العِراقِ وَخَلَّفوا
مَواطِنَ قَد أَلقى بِها الخَوفُ كَلكَلا
No excuse for horses long pent up
If they did not stir up trouble in the land of Baghdad
وَأَنتَ غِياثُ المُسلِمينَ فَكُن لَهُم
وإِن نَزَحَت أَوطانُهُم عَنكَ مَوئِلا
Steeds when hostility intensifies in a land
They see you excite skirmishing, rushing wildly
فَلا عُذرَ لِلخَيلِ الَّتي طالَ حَبسُها
إِذا لَم تُثِر في أَرضِ بَغدادَ قَسطَلا
Racing with horsemen who double their hands
When hands become feet from fear
جِيادٌ إِذا اِشتَدَّت بِأَرضٍ مُخالِفٍ
أَرَتكَ مُثارَ النَقعِ هاماً وَجَندَلا
Headbands that do not doubt except their certainty
When others doubt the smooth-haired weakling
تَجارى بِفُرسانٍ تُضاعِفُ أَيدَها
إِذا صارَتِ الأَيدي مِنَ الرُعبِ أَرجُلا
O Master of al-Za‘rā’ you summoned resolves
Thought went astray in trying to interpret them
عَصائِبُ لا تَجتابُ غَيرَ يَقينَها
إِذا غَيرُها اِجتابَ الدِلاصَ المُذَيَّلا
Ghiyathiya, Tajiya, Nasiriya
If theyadvance, they will not accept any halt in the horizon
فَيا مالِكَ الزَوراءِ حُزتَ عَزائِماً
جَرى الفِكرُ في آياتِهِنَّ مُضَلَّلا
How often you left behind in a predicament one who turned aside
And left behind him hostility and enmity
غِياثِيَّةً تاجِيَّةً ناصِرِيَّةً
إِذا ما سَمَت لَم تَرضَ في الأُفقِ مَنزِلا
O Master of the nearby fire whose flames are dying down
Beware the fire for which no kindling is prepared
وَكَم أَخلَفَت في مَأزِقٍ ظَنَّ مارِقٍ
وَكَم خَلَّفَت فيهِ سِناناً وَمُنصُلا
Its fuel is linen, white cotton, and thin silk
Though deemed perfumes of wreaths
وَيا صاحِبَ النارِ القَريبِ خُمودُها
حَذارِ مِنَ النارِ الَّتي لَيسَ تُصطَلا
You were always qualified for significant matters
And empowered for firm kingship
مِنَ السُمرِ وَالبيضِ الرِقاقِ وَقودُها
وَإِن ظُنَّ مِن طيبِ التَضَوُّعِ مَندَلا
Clear modes of expression pronounced their essence initially
So none missed their meaning who contemplated
وَما زِلتَ لِلأَمرِ العَظيمِ مُؤَهَّلا
قَديماً وَلِلمُلكِ العَقيمِ مُؤَهِّلا
Resolve refusing in dangerous times except burning strong
Effort refusing in pride except picking the best
عُرىً أَعرَبَت عَن ذاتِها في اِبتِدائِها
فَلَم يَخفَ مَغزاها عَلى مَن تَأَمَّلا
So the ties were loosened and the knots undone
Exhausting the land - what it knotted and what it unknotted
وَعَزمٌ أَبى في الخَطبِ إِلّا تَوَقُّداً
وَسَعيٌ أَبى في الفَخرِ إِلّا تَوَقُّلا
Virtues the time’s shade remained fragrant from
Never ceasing to take pride in them
فَحَلَّ رُباهُ وَاِجتَلى بِعُقودِهِ
فَأَعيا الوَرى ما اِحتَلَّ مِنها وَما اِجتَلا
It competed with the risky affairs of the kingdom - its pure one
Never flagging one day or pausing
فَضائِلُ ظَلَّ الدَهرُ مِنها مُعَطَّراً
فَلا عادَ مِن فَخرٍ بِهِنَّ مُعَطَّلا
Two famous resolves proceeded together
On a path to supremacy not deviating
وَجارى خَطيرَ المُلكِ فيها صَفِيُّهُ
فَلَم يَنِيا يَوماً وَلَم يَتَمَهَّلا
Of praiseworthy natures molded from justice and piety
Through them given greatness among the devout and sanctity
هُمامانِ مَعلومانِ قَد سَلَكا مَعاً
طَريقاً إِلى العَلياءِ لَيسَ بِأَميَلا
If they determine, gentle with parents
If forbearing, you see pleasure and decay
ذَوا شِيَمِ صيغَت مِنَ العَدلِ وَالتُقى
بِها عُظِّما في الخافِقينَ وَبُجِّلا
If they make firm the days’ tyranny, it passes away
If they judge by the revelation sent down
إِذا قَدِرا فَالوالِدانِ تَرَفُّقاً
وَإِن حَلِما عايَنتَ رَضوى وَيَذبُلا
They never matched the open-handed except to surpass them
Or excelled glories except to be preferred
وَإِن أَحكَما الأَيّامَ زالَ جِماحُها
وَإِن حَكَما أَمّا الكِتابِ المُنَزَّلا
They did not turn from these renowned qualities
Or remove from might what they wore
وَلا جاوَدا الأَجوادَ إِلّا وَأَربَيا
وَلا فاضَلا الأَمجادَ إِلّا وَفُضِّلا
To delight the Imam in his unshakable bond
Strengthened - never to be undone
وَلا نَزَعا عَن هَذِهِ عُرِفا بِها
وَلا نَزَعا مِن عِزَّةٍ ما تَسَربَلا
You celebrated a feast whose joy rises above it
Leaving it among us when you departed
لِتَهنِ مَساعيكَ الإِمامَ
بِعُروَتِهِ الوُثقى قُوىً لَن تُحَدَّلا
Whoever turned from hopes in you, I see
Every ocean since I saw you a stream
وَهُنّيتَ عيداً ظَلتَ تَعلوهُ بَهجَةً
وَتَخلُفُهُ فينا إِذا ما تَرَحَّلا
You fulfilled wishes so mine were obstructed
Leaving me no access to you
وَمَن جادَ بِالآمالِ عَنكَ فَإِنَّني
أَرى كُلَّ بَحرٍ مُذ رَأَيتُكَ جَدوَلا
I have grown accustomed to disappointment after
Your splendor prohibited I make excuses
وَوالَيتَ آلاءً فَسُدَّت مَطامِعي
فَلَم تَتَّرِك لي عَن جَنابِكَ مَزحَلا
An amusement whose door of desire I entered
Though it had been a door I could find no way into
وَأَلفَيتُ إِخلافَ المَواعيدِ مُعوِزاً
لَدَيكَ وَأَخلافَ المَكارِمِ حُفَّلا
My hopes pastured there on every fertile meadow
Though long left to wither with neglected herbage
وَأَنشَرتَ في قَحطانَ أَوساً وَحاتِماً
وَأَنشَرتَ في قَيسٍ زِياداً وَجَروَلا
I see embarrassment overtaking me in my pauses
And I never feared to speak and then regret it
وَكُنتَ لِحُكمِ الدَهرِ فِيّ مُناقِضاً
وَلَيسَ بِبِدعٍ أَن يَجورَ وَتَعدِلا
Nothing but that describing you makes me
Slow-witted, though I am given speech and words
وَلا غَروَ أَن تُعطي أَمانِيَّ طالِبٍ
يَراكَ بِتَصديقِ المُنى مُتَكَفِّلا
No excuse for falling short, for I am
Like news of the sword meeting the joint
مُصيخٍ إِذا اِستَدعَيتَهُ جاءَ مُسرِعاً
إِلَيكَ وَإِن لَم تَدعُ جاءَ مُطَفِّلا
And even if you show me incapacity, there remains
When published, nothing for me but preference
وَمالِيَ أَرضى بِالتَعَلُّلِ بَعدَما
نَهاني نَداكَ الغَمرُ أَن أَتَعَلَّلا
My praise inspires my listeners as if
I turn upon them from it twisting chains
لُهىً فَتَحَت بابَ المُنى فَدَخَلتُهُ
وَقَد كانَ باباً لَم أَجِد فيهِ مَدخَلا
So witticisms are not ransacked in your presence
Nor do brides cease to be coupled
رَعى أَمَلي فيها بِكُلِّ خَميلَةٍ
وَكانَ قَديماً مُجدِبَ الرَعيِ مُهمَلا
أَرى خَجَلاً يَعتادُني في مَواقِفي
وَما كُنتُ أَخشى أَن أَقولَ فَأَخجَلا
وَما ذاكَ إِلّا أَنَّ وَصفَكَ جاعِلي
بَليداً وَإِن أوتيتُ قَولاً وَمِقوَلا
وَلا عُذرَ في التَقصيرِ عَنهُ فَإِنَّني
نَبَوتُ نُبُوَّ السَيفِ صادَفَ مَفصِلا
وَعِندي وَإِن أَوضَحتَ عَجزاً بَقِيَّةٌ
إِذا نُشِرَت لَم أُلفَ إِلّا مُفَضَّلا
ثَنائِيَ يُنشي سامِعيهِ كَأَنَّني
أُديرُ عَلَيهِم مِنهُ صَهباءَ سَلسَلا
فَلا بَرِحَت مِنهُ غَرائِسُ تُجتَنى
لَدَيكَ وَلا زالَت عَرائِسُ تُجتَلا
