أَما وَمَناقِبٍ عَزَّت مَراما
وَمَجدٍ شامِخٍ أَعيا الأَناما
With noble traits that raise aspirations aloft,
With towering glory that dazzles all people,
لَقَد هَمَّت نُفوسٌ بِالمَعالي
فَمُنذُ هَمَمتَ لَم تَترُك هُماما
Souls have aspired to greatness before,
But since you aspired, you have not ceased your resolve.
وَكُلٌّ ضارِبٌ فيها بِسَهمٍ
وَلَكِن فازَ مَن جَمَعَ السِهاما
Each shoots an arrow towards it,
But only prevails he who gathers all arrows.
خُصِصتَ بِرُتبَةٍ عَلَتِ الثُرَيّا
وَخَلَّت لِلمُحاوِلِها الرَغاما
You were endowed with a rank beyond high stations,
Leaving the steep passes to those who attempt them.
عَلَت وَغَلَت عَلى مُتَطَلِّبيها
لِتَأمَنَ أَن تُسامى أَو تُساما
It rose high above those who seek it
So it would be safe from being competed for or rivaled.
فَما أَبدَت لِمُستامٍ خِداما
وَلا فَضَّ الزَمانُ لَها خِتاما
It has never shown submission to any rival
Nor has time unlocked its conclusion.
وَكَيفَ يَرومُ شَأوَكَ رَبُّ عَزمٍ
إِذا ما باشَرَ الهَيجاءَ خاما
How can one with little resolve hope to rival your stature
When you undertake matters prolifically?
يَرى طَلَبَ المَعاشِ أَجَلَّ غُنمٍ
فَقَد أَفنى الحَياةَ بِهِ اِهتِماما
He sees seeking livelihood as the best bounty,
For he has wasted his life preoccupied with it.
وَرائِدُ بِرِّهِ يُعصى وَيُقصى
وَوارِدُ بَحرِهِ يَشكو الأُواما
The guide of righteousness is disobeyed and outcast,
While the novice of its sea complains of drowning.
وَيَرضى مَنسِمَ العَلياءِ تاجاً
إِذا لَم تَرضَ أَخمَصُكَ السَناما
And he who holds the noble's reins is pleased with a crown
If your sole does not please the stirrups.
أَرى المُلكَ العَقيمَ حَمى حِماهُ
بِأَروَعَ يَحسِمُ الداءَ العُقاما
I see the barren kingdom---its protector preserved it
With the finest strategy that defeats affliction.
ثَنى الأَزَماتِ بِالعَزَماتِ عَنّا
وَكَفَّ بِحَدِّها الكُرَبَ العِظاما
You have folded the tribulations with strong will,
And with its very essence warded off major woes from us.
فَلا زالَت لِجاحِمِها خُموداً
وَلا بَرِحَت لِجامِحِها لِجاما
So it remains forcing its aggressors into submission
And stays busy against its assailants.
مَنيعٌ جارُهُ إِن حَلَّ أَرضاً
جَلا الإِظلامَ عَنها وَالظَلاما
A neighbor whose alliance promises security---
Darkness and shadows recede from the land he settles.
فَقَد وَدَّ المُلوكُ عَلى التَنائي
لَوِ اِسطاعوا لِراحَتِهِ التِثاما
Kings have wished privacy from him
If they could find a way to distance themselves.
سَخَوا لَمّا اِنتَشَوا وَهَمى نَداهُ
وَما عَرَفَ النِدامَ وَلا المُداما
They were defiant when they rebelled, and his threat loomed,
But they have not known regret or remorse.
يَعُمُّ بِهِ الأَدانِيَ وَالأَقاصي
إِذا لَم يَعدُ رِفدُهُمُ النَداما
It spreads to both nearby and distant lands
If his aid no longer reaches them.
وَإِن قَرَنوا بِبُخلِهِمُ عُبوساً
قَرَنتَ بِجودِكَ السَجمِ اِبتِساما
And if they combine austerity with their scowls,
You combine your smiles with generosity.
يَمينٌ بَرَّحَت بِالمالِ حَتّى
حَسِبنا وَفرَكَ اِقتَرَفَ اِجتِراما
A hand that has comforted with wealth until
We deemed it enough---so cease overindulgence!
وَتَأبى أَن يُجاوِرَها فُواقاً
لِعِلمِكَ أَنَّ جارَكَ لَن يُضاما
It refuses to be neighboring wastefulness
For you know your neighbor will not be wronged.
وَكانَ الدينُ مُعتَصِماً وَلَكِن
بِنَصرِكَ زادَهُ اللَهُ اِعتِصاما
Religion was a shelter, but by your victory
God has increased its fortification.
عَزائِمُ أَخفَرَت ذِمَمَ الأَعادي
وَلَم يَخفِر لَها أَحَدٌ ذِماما
Your resolves have staved the enemies' attacks,
And none has weakened their onslaught like you.
وَكَم مِن غارَةٍ أَرسَلتَ فيها
إِلى طُرَدائِكَ المَوتَ الزُؤاما
How many raids have you launched
In which you sent lethal death to your foes!
بِبيضٍ ما شَحَذتَ لَها غِراراً
وَخَيلٍ ما شَدَدتَ لَها حِزاما
With cavalry whose blades were not sharpened
And horses whose girths were not tightened.
وَكَم أَغنى وَعيدُكَ في عَدُوٍّ
غَناءً يُعجِزُ الجَيشَ اللُهاما
How your threats have sufficed your enemies---
Songs that bewilder the most ferocious armies!
تَوَلَّجَ في مَسامِعِهِم كَلاماً
وَصارَ إِلى قُلوبِهِمُ كِلاما
It echoes in their ears as discourse
And settles into their hearts as discourse.
لَغُرّوا بِالسَكينَةِ مِنكَ جَهلاً
وَرُبَّ سَكينَةٍ جَرَّت عُراما
They were deluded by your tranquility into ignorance---
Many a tranquility has drove nudity!
نَسَختَ تَليدَ عِزَّهِمُ بِذُلٍّ
أَوانَ مَسَختَ أُسدَهُمُ نَعاما
You have replaced their legendary glory with disgrace
When you transformed their lions into ostriches.
فَظَنَّ القَومُ مَحياهُم مَماتاً
وَنَحنُ نَظُنُّ يَقظَتَنا مَناما
So those people deemed their lives as death,
While we deem our awakening as but a dream!
وَقَد مَرَنَت عَلى قَذعٍ وَجَدعٍ
مَوارِنُ قَطُّ ما عَرَفَت خِطاما
The paws of a cat that never knew a muzzle
Have endured cutting and sawing.
وَنادَيتَ المَمالِكَ فَاِستَجابَت
لِطاعَتِكَ اِعتِياماً وَاِغتِناما
You have called upon the kingdoms, and they obeyed
Your rule instinctively and opportunistically.
تَيَقَّنُ أَنَّ أَخذَكَها صَلاحٌ
كَفاها أَن تُحيطَ بِها اِصطِلاما
They are certain that your conquest brings prosperity,
It is enough that they are enveloped by your domination.
فَأَلحِق شَرقَها بِالغَربِ قَسراً
كَحَوزِكَ قِبلَةً مِنها وَشاما
So annex their East to the West by force--
Like your Mecca, make it their qibla and destination!
غِياثَ المُسلِمينَ كَفَفتَ عَنهُم
عَظائِمَ تَسلُبُ اللَحمَ العِظاما
Savior of the Muslims, you have spared them
Great troubles that tear flesh from the bones.
يَهونُ عَلَيكَ إِحياءُ اللَيالي
وإِن طالَت إِذا باتوا نِياما
It is easy for you to stay up nights
Even if they are long while your followers sleep.
سَهِرتَ لِكَي تُنيمَهُمُ وَقِدماً
تَوَلّى الأَمرَ مَن سَهِروا وَناما
You have stayed up that you may lull them to sleep,
While the responsible have undertaken the matter whether awake or asleep.
وَما سَلَّ الكَهامَ عَلى عِداهُ
غَداةَ الرَوعِ مَن وَجَدَ الحُساما
Regret has not crept in after the initial shock
For he who found the swords.
لَقَد وَطَّدتَ بِالآراءِ أَمراً
لِغَيرِكَ ما اِستَقادَ وَلا اِستَقاما
You have established with opinions a matter
That none else could have favorably persisted.
عُقودٌ بِالتُقى وَالعَدلِ شُدَّت
أَطَعتَ اللَهَ فيها وَالإِماما
Ties bound by piety and justice---
You have obeyed God and the Imam in them.
فَما يَخشى الوَلِيُّ لَها اِنفِصالاً
وَلا يَرجو العَدُوُّ لَها اِنفِصاما
So the guardian cannot fear their separation,
Nor can the enemy hope for their split.
دَعَت لَكَ بِالبَقاءِ وَقَد أُجيبَت
حَزائِقُ أَمَّتِ البَيتَ الحَراما
Pilgrims in holy sites beseech God
For your state’s protection and permanence.
بِجَمعٍ تَلبَسُ الخَضراءُ مِنهُ
تَرَحَّلَ أَو ثَوى غَيماً رُكاما
You have adorned your efforts with steadfastness,
So time has not systemized its flow.
إِذا ما حَلَّ ظَلَّلَها دُخاناً
وَإِن هُوَ سارَ طَبَّقَها قَتاما
You have revived its longevity to persevere—
Thus, year after year passes by.
وَيَمنَعُ مَن تَحَدّاهُ حُدوداً
بِعِزِّ المَشرَفِيَّةِ أَن تُقاما
Tested in precarious and lofty conditions
Whose tribulations leave no room for appeal.
حَمَيتَهُمُ مِنَ النَكَباتِ طُرّاً
وَمِثلُكَ عَن وُفودِ اللَهِ حاما
Partners to steadfastness—they have reached its extent,
Its banks, without quite reaching maturity.
يُقِرُّ بِذاكَ مَن صَلّى وَضَحّى
وَيَشهَدُ كُلُّ مَن شَهِدَ المَقاما
They have shouldered your burden thus found it easy,
And have known your path thus staying straight.
مَواقِفُ يَسأَلونَ اللَهَ فيها
لِدَولَتِكَ الحِراسَةَ وَالدَواما
They have brought good and justice to the land,
So remain for its people, forever and ever!
لَقَد حَلِيَت بِسُؤدُدِكَ المَساعي
فَلا حَلَّ الزَمانُ لَها نِظاما
When poets boast emptily,
I do not aspire, save in praising you.
حَيِيتَ حَياتَهُ الطولى تَقَضّى
كَذا أَعوامُهُ عاماً فَعاما
My memory is not passion I have reaped
Any fruits from, even if I loved it intensely.
مُوَقّىً في الخَطيرِ وَذي المَعالي
نَوائِبَ ما تَرَكتَ لَها اِحتِكاما
I have attributed with a natural disposition, no blame in it,
Reminding of a natural disposition that earned blame.
قَرينا سُؤدُدٍ بَلَغا مَداهُ
وَجاراهُ وَما بَلَغا الفِطاما
My state has slept, and dissipated is reforming my body
In a land whose stay I cannot handle.
لَقَد نَهَضا بِعِبئِكَ فَاِستَقَلّا
وَقَد عَرَفا سَبيلَكَ فَاِستَقاما
And had the Quran not prohibited it,
I would have chosen your proximity, even with poor health!
وَعَمّا الأَرضَ إِحساناً وَعَدلاً
فَدُمتَ لِأَهلِها أَبَداً وَداما
I will be forced, against leaving you, with resolve
To where the reigns pull me towards you.
إِذا الشُعَراءُ بِالتَشبيبِ فاهوا
فَلَستُ بِغَيرِ مَدحِكَ مُستَهاما
So the finest poetry has paid you a fleeting visit—
I lack fleetingness and sins in it!
وَما ذِكري هَوىً لَم أَجنِ مِنهُ
وَإِن أَحبَبتُهُ إِلّا غَراما
Residing in your company, none has thrown him
Even if the countries, because of him, became coveted.
نَسَبتُ بِصَبوَةٍ لا لَومَ فيها
تُذَكِّرُ صَبوَةً جَلَبَت مَلاما
Rising above the peaks of bliss proudly,
Even the fine pearls are beneath him.
نَمَت حالي وَعَزَّ صَلاحُ جِسمي
بِأَرضٍ لا أُطيقُ بِها مُقاما
Lofty peaks amongst the peaks have brought us joy,
And your mention, O noble one, has delighted us!
وَلَولا ما نَهى القُرآنُ عَنهُ
إِذا لَاِختَرتُ قُربَكَ وَالسَقاما
No wonder that some noses have been preoccupied
With the fragrance of musk, disregarding stench.
سَأُكرِهُ في رَحيلي عَنكَ عَزماً
إِلَيكَ سَرى يُجاذِبُني الزِماما
The most honorable garb a generous man wears
Is praise carried over from glory he has erected.
فَزارَكَ مِن بَديعِ الشِعرِ زَورٌ
عَدِمتُ الزَورَ فيهِ وَالأَثاما
Your gifts have not waned for those who receive it,
Raising my hopes—so complete them!
مُقيمٌ في جَنابِكَ لَم يَرِمهُ
وَإِن غَدَتِ البِلادُ بِهِ تَراما
But convey to me a purpose—decorate it
By granting my ambitious wishes!
عَلا قِمَمِ النَعائِمِ مُستَطيلاً
وَسارَ وَمِن قَلائِصِهِ النُعاما
May God intensify the envy of your envious enemies
Even if their lives have been preserved.
قَوافٍ في الفَيافي آنَسَتنا
وَأَنسَتنا بِذِكراكَ الكِراما
Were it not for their ignorance, hearts would have cooled
Realizing your glory can never be attained.
وَلا عَجَبٌ إِذا شُغِلَت أُنوفٌ
بِعَرفِ المِسكِ عَن نَشرِ الخُزاما
Hearts whose streams of despair have overflowed,
And their fires refuse to be extinguished.
وَأَفخَرُ ما تَسَربَلَهُ كَريمٌ
ثَناءٌ سارَ عَن مَجدٍ أَقاما
So the clouds cannot alleviate the burning anguish
Of one who saw your generosity and the clouds dissipated.
وَما نَقَصَت عَطاياكَ اللَواتي
عَلَت أَمَلي فَأَسأَلَكَ التَماما
With noble traits that raise aspirations aloft,
With towering glory that dazzles all people
وَلَكِن عَنَّ لي غَرَضٌ فَطَرِّز
بِتَبليغيهِ أَنعُمَكَ الجِساما
أَماتَ الحاسِديكَ اللَهُ غَيظاً
وإِن كانَت حَياتُهُمُ حِماما
فَلَولا جَهلُهُم بَرَدَت قُلوبٌ
تَحَقَّقُ أَنَّ مَجدَكَ لَن يُراما
قُلوبٌ فاضَ سَيلُ اليَأسِ فيها
وَتَأبى نارُها إِلّا اِضطِراما
فَلا نَقَعَ الغَمامُ غَليلَ صادٍ
رَأى جَدواكَ وَاِنتَجَعَ الغَماما
