هَل غَيرُ ظِلِّكَ لِلعُفاةِ مَقيلُ

أَم غَيرُ عَفوِكَ لِلجُناةِ مُقيلُ

Are there any other shades for the sinful besides your shade?

Are there any other pardons for the guilty besides your pardon?

شَرَفَ المَعالي ظَلتَ مَفتوناً بِها

فَوُعورُها أَبَداً عَلَيكَ سُهولُ

You were enthralled by the nobility of heights,

So their ruggedness was always easy for you.

وَخُلِقتَ مُعتَلِياً عَلى الرُتَبِ العُلى

فَعَظيمُ ما في ناظِرَيكَ ضَئيلُ

You were created to ascend the highest ranks,

So whatever appears small in your eyes is indeed great.

ما كانَ مِثلُكَ قَطُّ في جيلٍ مَضى

فَليَفخَرَن ما شاءَ هَذا الجيلُ

None like you have ever been in a past generation,

So let this generation boast however much it wants.

كَم في سُيوفِكَ آيَةٌ قَد غادَرَت

مُتَأَلِّهاً مَن رَأيُهُ التَعطيلُ

How many signs there are in your swords that left

Those who saw them paralyzed in awe.

بيضٌ حَقَنَّ مِنَ الدِماءِ حَرامَها

وَحَلالُها بِشِفارِها مَطلولُ

White swords that shed forbidden blood,

While their allowed blood flows from their blades.

خافَت عَوادِيَكَ المُلوكُ فَرُسلُها

عَن رَهبَةٍ أَبَداً إِلَيكَ مُثولُ

The kings feared your returning armies, so their envoys

Always came trembling to you out of dread.

وَلَطالَما زادَ التَخَوُّفُ فَالتُقى

بِجَنابِ مُلكِكَ مُرسِلٌ وَرَسولُ

And the more the fear increased, the more

Envoys and messengers came to your kingdom’s side.

تَأتيكَ طائِعَةً إِذا اِستَدعَيتَها

وَلَها إِذا لَم تَدعُها تَطفيلُ

They come willingly when you summon them,

And without your call, they have no excuse.

أَلهى عَدُوَّكَ عَنكَ لَحظَةُ ناظِرٍ

وَشُهودُ بِشرِكَ بِالنَوالِ عُدولُ

The glance of an enemy distracted you but for a moment,

While the witnessing of your partnership was just.

بِشرٌ تَكَفَّلَ بِالغِنى إيماضُهُ

ما كُلُّ بَرقٍ بِالذَهابِ كَفيلُ

A human whose resolve guaranteed wealth,

Not every lightning accompanies rain.

وَيَدٌ تَرى أَموالَها بِنَوالِها

جُمَلاً تَوَلّى هَدمَها التَفصيلُ

A hand that sees its wealth through its giving,

Like camels whose burden of gifts was relieved.

فَالنُجحُ يا سَيفَ الخِلافَةِ مُعوِزٌ

حَتّى يُناخَ بِبابِكَ التَأميلُ

So success, O Sword of the Caliphate, is in need

Until hope settles at your door.

حَرَمٌ لِإِكرامِ الوُفودِ مُؤَهَّلٌ

فَفِناؤُهُ أَبَداً بِهِم مَأهولُ

A sanctuary prepared to honor delegations

Whose destruction by them is never intended.

وَالظاعِنونَ مُواصِلوكَ يَدَ النَدى

حَتّى كَأَنَّهُمُ لَدَيكَ نُزولُ

The slanderers constantly malign you

As if they are settled around you.

مَجدٌ بِحَيثُ تَحُلُّ لَيسَ بِنازِحٍ

وَحَديثُهُ في الخافِقينِ يَجولُ

Glory where you reside that does not disappear

And whose tales roam through hearts.

فَهَلِ الرِياحُ حَمَلنَ ذِكرَكَ فَاِستَوى

عَرضُ البَسيطَةِ عِندَهُ وَالطولُ

Did the winds carry your mention and level

The breadth of the plains and the heights?

أَخجَلتَ مُنهَمِرَ الحَيا بِمَكارِمٍ

يُخبِرنَ أَنَّكَ لِلكِرامِ سَليلُ

You shamed the gushing rain with your virtues

That inform me you are a noble scion.

ثَمَرُ الغُصونِ تُبينُ عَن أَعراقِها

أَيَكونُ مِن غَيرِ الغُيوثِ سُيولُ

The fruits of branches show their roots

Can there be floods without rain?

ما مَجدُ قَومِكَ غامِضاً وَجَميعُ ما

تَأتيهِ مِن حَسَنٍ لَهُ تَأويلُ

The glory of your people is not ambiguous as all

The good that comes from you has an interpretation.

لا كَالَّذي إِن عَدَّ يَوماً فَخرَهُ

فَعَلى مَآثِرِ أَوَّليهِ يُحيلُ

Not like one who if he counts a day of pride

Refers it to the deeds of his forefathers.

بَلَغَت بِكَ الأَمَدَ البَعيدَ فَضائِلٌ

لِأَقَلِّها يُستَوجَبُ التَفضيلُ

Exalted virtues have reached you, even the least

Of which deserves preference.

مِنها لَدى سوقِ الثَناءِ بَضائِعٌ

حَلَّت وَفي سوقِ العُفاةِ كُبولُ

From them at the market of praise are wares

That came, while at the market of sin are bags.

وَأَرى الَّذي أَدرَكتَ وَهوَ المُنتَهى

مُستَصغَراً فيما إِلَيهِ تَؤولُ

I see what you have attained, which is the utmost,

Belittled by what is yet to come.

كَم قَد فَصَلتَ بِلَحظَةٍ وَبِلَفظَةٍ

ما الخَطبُ يَقصُرُ عَنهُ وَهوَ طَويلُ

How many things have you resolved in an instant, with a word,

That lengthy speeches fall short of, despite their length.

سَعيٌ تَبَتَّلَ لِلسُمُوِّ وَهَيبَةٌ

سَلِمَت مِنَ الأَكفاءِ فَهيَ بَتولُ

An effort you undertook to ascend and a reverence

That the peers conceded, so it remained chaste.

ضَمَّنتَها أَن لا تَخافَ وَإِن نَأى

عَنكَ الصَريخُ فَلا يُخافُ سَبيلُ

You made it unafraid though support be far,

For without your scream, no path is feared.

شَرُفَت بِوَطئِكَ أَرضُنا فَبِواجِبٍ

أَن يُستَقَلَّ لِتُربِها التَقبيلُ

Our land was ennobled by your footsteps, so it is rightfully

Incumbent to kiss its soil.

فَدِمَشقُ لَيسَ لَها نَظيرٌ في الدُنا

وَكَذاكَ مالَكَ في المُلوكِ عَديلُ

Damascus has no equal in the world,

And so is its king among kings, matchless.

ظَلَّت تُرَجّي أَن تَعِنَّ إِقامَةٌ

حيناً وَتَخشى أَن يَعِنَّ رَحيلُ

It hoped for a stay and feared a departure,

While all it contains, far or near,

وَجَميعُ ما تَحوي تَباعَدَ أَو دَنا

ما لِلخُطوبِ يَدٌ إِلَيهِ تَطولُ

Is not subject to misfortunes reaching it,

As you triumphed over events when they recurred

نَكَّلتَ بِالأَحداثِ لَمّا أَن عَدَت

فَلِصَرفِها عَمّا حَمَيتَ نُكولُ

So remain, as the mention of you is protection

For the cities, though the ravages of time are long.

فَأَقِم فَذِكرُكَ لِلعَواصِمِ عِصمَةٌ

يُخشى وَإِن بَعُدَ الهِزَبرُ الغيلُ

You captivated hearts, and what you wore

Remained dazzling before the eyelids.

رُعتَ القُلوبَ وَظَلَّ ما قُلِّدتَهُ

في جَفنِهِ وَكَأَنَّهُ مَسلولُ

A sword that kills but does not return to its sheath

Until enmities and grudges die.

سَيفٌ يُميتُ وَلا يُعاوِدُ غِمدَهُ

حَتّى تَموتَ ضَغائِنٌ وَذُخولُ

Others made the sword an appendage,

While you made the appendage a sword.

إِن غَيرُكَ اِتَّخَذَ الدِلاصَ مُذَيَّلاً

فَرَقاً فَإِنَّكَ لِلدِلاصِ مُذيلُ

O you whose determination matches that of his ships,

And so they arrive even as the waves roar.

يا مَن قَواضِبُهُ تُشايِعُ عَزمَهُ

وَلِأَجلِ ذاكَ تَصِلُّ حينَ يَصولُ

Below your command, nothing in the realms impedes,

Say what you wish, for it will be done.

ما دونَ أَمرِكَ في المَمالِكِ حاجِزٌ

قُل ما تَشاءُ فَإِنَّهُ مَفعولُ

And unleash upon Iraq’s land clouds

Like the rain of doves when it pours.

وَاِنشُر عَلى أَرضِ العِراقِ سَحائِباً

غَيثُ الحِمامِ مَتى طَلَعنَ هَطولُ

Their rains are the blood of enemies, their lightning

The gleam of swords, and their thunder the clashing of blades.

أَمطارُهُنَّ دَمُ العِدى وَبُروقُها

لَمعُ الصَوارِمِ وَالرُعودُ صَليلُ

So perhaps the Tigris will mediate the rule of one

Who bounded the Euphrates and Nile with his rule.

فَلَعَلَّ دِجلَةَ أَن تَوَسَّطَ مُلكَ مَن

حَفَّ الفُراتَ بِمُلكِهِ وَالنيلُ

O Bani Numayr, the island is no refuge,

If the torrent of armies visits it.

أَبَني نُمَيرٍ ما الجَزيرَةُ مَعقِلاً

إِن زارَها مِن ذي الجُيوشِ رَعيلُ

Do not let your foolish one harbor betrayal with your consent,

For the mother of traitors is most wretched.

لا يُضمِرَنَّ سَفيهُكُم بِرِضاكُمُ

غَدراً فَأُمُّ الغادِرينَ ثَكولُ

You wanted the victory of Nasr gone astray,

While the truth swears he was abandoned.

فَلَقَد أَرَدتُم نَصرَ نَصرٍ ضَلَّةً

وَالحَقُّ يُقسِمُ أَنَّهُ مَخذولُ

Your swords were lightning flashes at Zabibirj

That exposed the Ka'bi though he was slain.

كانَت سُيوفُكُمُ بَوارِقَ زِبرِجٍ

أَجلى عَنِ الكَعبِيِّ وَهوَ قَتيلُ

Do your swords betray you at the encounter,

And do your minds betray you after fleeing?

أَتَخونُكُم عِندَ اللِقاءِ صَوارِمٌ

وَتَخونُكُم بَعدَ الفِرارِ عُقولُ

Whom the terror did not deter when it was before his eyes,

Was not turned from his resolve by intimidation.

مَن لَم يَرُعهُ الهَولُ وَهوَ بِعَينِهِ

لَم يَثنِهِ عَن عَزمِهِ التَهويلُ

Can the lightweight prepare a heavy burden?

One who takes the burden lightly while it is heavy?

هَل يَستَعِدُّ الخِفَّ عِبئاً مُثقَلاً

مَن يَستَخِفُّ العِبءَ وَهوَ ثَقيلُ

So avoid the horse herd of the victorious one, it is

A blessing at the thickets of cane.

فَتَجَنَّبوا سَرحَ المُظَفَّرِ إِنَّهُ

نَعَمٌ بِأَشطانِ القَنا مَعقولُ

Or part with the danger in firm resolve,

When hearts and resolutions change.

أَو فَاِرقُبوا وَشكَ الرَدى في عَزمَةٍ

بَينَ العَزائِمِ وَالقُلوبِ تَحولُ

Syfiya, 'Adawiya, Sharafiya,

The time is rolled up in their edges.

سَيفِيَّةٍ عَضُدِيَّةٍ شَرَفِيَّةٍ

حَدُّ الزَمانِ بِحَدِّها مَفلولُ

By them times are exposed as they are lanterns,

And in them glories are crushed though great.

تُجلى بِها الأَزمانُ وَهيَ حَنادِسٌ

وَيَدِقُّ فيها الخَطبُ وَهوَ جَليلُ

Do not feel safe from the Lord of armies if they march,

For their resolve prevails over the courage of men.

لا تَأمَنوا رَبَّ الجُيوشِ إِذا غَزَت

فَلَها بِهاماتِ الرِجالِ قُفولُ

One whom the glance suits, he carries a knight

Adorned, not the glance while it is black.

مَن يَطَّبيهِ الطَرفُ يَحمِلُ فارِساً

مُتَلَبِّباً لا الطَرفَ وَهوَ كَحيلُ

And the cracked sword suits him on the day of strife,

Not the cheek while it is soft.

وَيَروقُهُ الأَسَلُ المُحَطَّمُ في العِدى

يَومَ الوَغى لا الخَدُّ وَهوَ أَسيلُ

A king who prides himself on awe and prohibition,

This loftiness, not the crown or wreath.

مَلِكٌ تَرَدّى بِالمَهابَةِ وَالنُهى

هَذي العُلى لا التاجُ وَالإِكليلُ

One of might, if people possessed a little of it

The disgraced would gain honor and the honored disgrace.

ذو البَأسِ لَو في الناسِ فُضَّ يَسيرُهُ

لَاِنصانَ مُبتَذَلٌ وَعَزَّ ذَليلُ

And generosity, if they reached a tenth of his,

No miser would remain among the living.

وَالجودِ لَو بَلَغوا مَدى مِعشارِهِ

لَم يَبقَ بَينَ الخافِقينَ بَخيلُ

He is peculiar to the elite when he attains it,

Stingy while providing it and general when preventing it.

يَختَصُّ بِالعَلياءِ حينَ يَنالُها

ضَنّاً بِها وَيَعُمُّ حينَ يُنيلُ

By God, all brilliance that comes your way

In this universe is servile compared to you.

لِلَّهِ ما تَأتي فَكُلُّ نَباهَةٍ

تَعدوكَ في ذا الخَلقِ فَهيَ خُمولُ

When warhorses complained of your constant raiding

And the speech was but neighing.

لَمّا اِشتَكَت خَيلُ الوَغى مِن بَعدِها

إِدمانَ رَكضِكَ وَالكَلامُ صَهيلُ

You settled them in the shade of palaces, never

Were they, before, settled in the shade of desolation.

أَسكَنتَها ظِلَّ القُصورِ وَلَم تَزَل

مِن قَبلُ في ظِلِّ الوَشيجِ تَقيلُ

And you gave them the best of people as a guide,

While you gave them the sincerest advice.

وَمَنَحتَها خَيرَ الأَنامِ مَقودَةً

وَلَها مِنَ النُصحِ الصَريحِ دَليلُ

A blond that if the night wore its shirt

Or mingled with it, it would still be pure.

شُقرٌ لَوَ اِنَّ اللَيلَ أُلبِسَ قُمصَها

أَو خالَطَتهُ لَعادَ وَهوَ أَصيلُ

It was coupled with red whose color was of it,

Its stars were its pearls and beauty spots.

قُرِنَت بِدُهمٍ لَونُها مِن لَونِهِ

وَنُجومُهُ غُرَرٌ لَها وَحُجولُ

The wonders of colors remained deficient

In describing it, comparing it, or exemplifying it.

وَغَرائِبُ الأَلوانِ ظَلَّ مُقَصِّراً

عَن وَصفِها التَشبيهُ وَالتَمثيلُ

Their necks and veins guaranteed them victory in racing,

The ambitious gaze flowed copiously.

كَفَلَت لَها أَعناقُها وَعُروقُها

بِالسَبقِ وَالطِرفُ الطَموحُ رَسيلُ

Decorated gray, a group by which scattered,

Marked dun, a group by which crippled.

مَعنونَةٌ سِربٌ بِها مَطرودَةٌ

مُتَقَنَّصٌ سِربٌ بِها مَشلولُ

They extended on the smooth-bodied horses,

As if a blue lizard or small camel claimed them.

طالَت عَلى الجُردِ السَلاهِبِ بَسطَةً

حَتّى اِدَّعاها شَدقَمٌ وَجَديلُ

Their saddles did not suffice them the day you rallied them,

So you flooded them with decoration.

لَم يَكفِها الإِسراجُ يَومَ بَعَثتَها

شَرَّ العُيونِ فَعَمَّها التَجليلُ

They pranced playfully, so how many asked:

Is it a beast led, or horses ridden?

وَتَجَفَّلَت مَرَحاً فَكَم مِن قائِلٍ

أَيُقادُ وَحشٌ أَم تُقادُ خُيولُ

The spoils of those you devastated among the brave fools,

Have no equal with one who gives away such plunder.

أَسلابُ مَن أَردَيتَ مِن شوسِ العِدى

ما عِندَ مَن يَسخو بِتِلكَ غُلولُ

O you whom wealth humbles when asked,

While the asking and the asked are humiliated!

يا مَن يَذِلُّ المالُ عِندَ سُؤالِهِ

ذُلَّ السُؤالِ وَغَيرُهُ المَسؤولُ

If this is a crown for the lofty,

Then my embellished praises are its crown.

إِن كانَ هَذا الفَضلُ تاجاً لِلعُلى

فَمَدائِحي التَرصيعُ وَالتَكليلُ

Despite my sins, I am forbidden protection,

This saying did not shake that saying.

إِنّي بِرَغمِ عِدايَ مَمنوعُ الحِمى

ما هَزَّ هَذا القَيلَ هَذا القيلُ

My praises of you will not cross their limit,

Until the superior crosses the inferior.

وَلِيَ المَحامِدُ لَن يُطاوَلَ رَبُّها

حَتّى يَطولَ الفاضِلَ المَفضولُ

I was not adept in this speech, but

You taught me through your munificence how to say it.

ما كُنتُ أُحسِنُ ذا المَقالَ وَإِنَّما

عَلَّمتَني بِنَداكَ كَيفَ أَقولُ

You made rhyming easy for me, blessing me,

So the words are weighty and the gifts plentiful.

ذَلَّلتَ لي صَعبَ القَوافي مُنعِماً

فَالقَولُ جَزلٌ وَالعَطاءُ جَزيلُ

As long as you live, days are holidays for us,

Whose veneration and esteem are obligatory.

ما عِشتَ فَالأَيّامُ أَعيادٌ لَنا

فَرضٌ لَها التَعظيمُ وَالتَبجيلُ

So submit to a religion that you have guarded,

Upon it is a shade from your shade.

فَاِسلَم لِدينٍ قَد غَدَوتَ تَحوطُهُ

فَعَلَيهِ ظِلٌّ مِن سُطاكَ ظَليلُ

And subjects whom you enriched and protected,

So their prayers for you are continuous.

وَرَعِيَّةٍ أَغنَيتَها وَحَمَيتَها

فَدُعاؤُها بِثَنائِها مَوصولُ

We climb tribulations with favors,

Some of which by our hands are renewed.

إِنّا نَصولُ عَلى الخُطوبِ بِأَنعُمٍ

مِنها بِأَيدينا قَنىً وَنُصولُ

You have continued to rule people as a deputy,

A kingdom that will outlast time.

لا زِلتَ تَحكُمُ في الأَنامِ مُخَوَّلاً

مُلكاً يَزولُ الدَهرُ قَبلَ يَزولُ

They live in bounty and are protected by you,

So their praise is coupled with prayers for you.