أَبى الدَهرُ إِلّا أَن تَقولَ وَتَفعَلا
لِتَصفَحَ عَن جُرمِ الزَمانِ الَّذي خَلا
Fate insisted that you should speak and act
To pardon the sin of bygone times,
وَمِن قَبلُ عاداكُم لِقَهرِكُمُ لَهُ
فَلَمّا رَآها فُرصَةً ما تَمَهَّلا
Those who before opposed you did so to subdue you,
When they saw a chance, they showed no hesitation.
وَرَدَّ إِلَيكَ الأَمرَ وَالنَهيَ راغِماً
وَلَو أَنَّهُ أَلفى بَديلاً تَبَدَّلا
It directed command and prohibition to you by force,
Had it found an alternative, it would have changed.
فَما ذَمُّهُ إِذ نالَ بَعضَ تِراتِهِ
وَما حَمدُهُ إِذ لَم يَجِد عَنكَ مَعدِلا
So it is not to blame when it took some of its rights,
Nor to praise when it found no way to turn from you,
فَلا تُنكِرِ الحُسّادُ أَن حُزتَ يافِعاً
مَحَلّاً لَهُ في المَهدِ كُنتَ مُؤَهَّلا
Let not the envious deny that you assumed leadership at an early age
For which you were destined since the cradle.
فَصَدَّقتَ مَن سَمّاكَ مِن قَبلُ سابِقاً
بِكَونِكَ سَبّاقاً إِلى رُتَبِ العُلا
You proved true those who named you the forerunner before,
By being the first to reach high office.
تَكَدَّرَ ماءُ العَيشِ لَحظَةَ ناظِرٍ
فَلَمّا حَوَيتَ المُلكَ عاوَدَ سَلسَلا
The water of life was disturbed for an onlooker,
But when you gained the throne, it flowed calmly again.
فَلِلَّهِ مَفقودٌ عَزيزٌ مُصابُهُ
عَراهُ مُلِمٌّ لَم يَجِد مِنهُ مَوئِلا
The loss of that dear noble afflicted by dire poverty
Is hard to bear; he found no refuge.
أَتاهُ وَحِيّاً حَتفُهُ كَهِباتِهِ
وَإِن كانَ ما أَعطاهُ أَوحى وَأَعجَلا
His destined death came to him suddenly
Though what it gave him came too soon.
فَمِن قَبلِهِ لَم تَنشَ في الأَرضِ ديمَةٌ
تَسُحُّ وَلا لاقى الغَمامُ مُبَخِّلا
Before him, the land never brought forth vegetation
That sheep could graze nor did the rain clouds withhold.
وَعَهدي بِأَثمارِ الأَمانِيِّ تُجتَنى
لَدَيهِ وَأَبكارِ المَحامِدِ تُجتَلا
I saw hopes’ fruits harvested in his presence
And first fruits of praise picked.
سَأَذكُرُهُ ما عِشتُ لا ذِكرَ عاتِبٍ
كَذِكرِ اِمرِيءِ القَيسِ الدَخولَ فَحَومَلا
I will remember him as long as I live, not like one who reproaches,
Like the mention of Imru’ al-Qais entering Fahmul.
وَإِن بَلِيَت أَوصالُهُ وَعِظامُهُ
فَعِندي ثَناءٌ لا يُلِمُّ بِهِ البِلا
Though his limbs and bones have wasted away,
I have a eulogy that does not blame misfortune.
وَلَو كانَتِ الأَقدارُ تُردَعُ بِالأَسى
وَتُقدَعُ كانَ الصَبرُ أَولى وَأَجمَلا
If fates could be warded off with anguish
And pushed away, patience would be best and most beautiful.
وَكَيفَ وَلَيسَ الحُزنُ إِلّا عُلالَةً
يَعيشُ بِها الغَمرُ الجَهولُ تَعَلُّلا
How could it when grief is but an ailment
That ignorant sorrowful souls contract.
وَما الناسُ إِلّا آمِنٌ مِثلُ خائِفٍ
وَدانٍ كَقاصٍ أَو مُعافىً كَمُبتَلا
People are either safe or afraid,
Humbled or victorious, prosperous or afflicted.
وَلَم نَرَ خَطباً نالَ مِنّا فَأَعقَبَت
إِساءَتُهُ نُعمى وَجارَ لِيَعدِلا
We have not seen a disaster that afflicted us
Whose harm was followed by blessing and justice.
وَلا حادِثاً راعَ القُلوبَ ظُهورُهُ
عَبوساً وَفي حالِ العُبوسِ تَهَلَّلا
Nor an incident that shook hearts when it appeared
Gloomy, yet in that gloom it was adorned.
أَرادَ شَقاءً فَاِستَحالَ سَعادَةً
وَرامَ قَبيحاً حينَ صالَ فَأَجمَلا
It wanted misery yet turned into bliss,
It sought ugliness yet turned beautifully good.
لَئِن أَخَذَ المِقدارُ وَهوَ مُحَكَّمٌ
عَظيماً لَقَد أَعطى عَظيماً وَأَجزَلا
If fate, which rules justly, has taken
A great man, it surely gave a great noble gift.
عَدا وَاِبتَغى مِنهُ بَديلاً فَما عَدا
هُماماً مُعِمّاً في النَباهَةِ مُخوِلا
It yielded and sought to replace him but did not find
A resolute man accomplished in distinction to succeed him.
مَناسِبُ فَنّاخُسرُ مِنها وَصالِحٌ
بِها فَليَطُل مَن طالَ وَليَعلُ مَن عَلا
One whose loss we feel yet one whose presence benefits,
So let the towering remain towering and the mighty empowered.
سَخِطنا فَلَمّا قُمتَ فينا مَقامَهُ
وَزِدتَ رَضينا أَن تُقيمَ وَيَرحَلا
We were angry yet when you assumed his position
And you made us more content for you to stay as he departed.
وَراعَ الأَعادي أَنَّهُ المُلكُ عَن يَدٍ
إِلى أُختِها وَهيَ اليَمينُ تَنَقَّلا
The enemies saw that power passed
From one hand to its sister, the right hand.
وَجَدتُ بَهاءَ الدَولَةِ المَلكَ لَم يَزَل
لَهُ العَزمُ حَدّاً وَالتَصَوُّرُ صَيقَلا
I found in it the splendor of the state whose king
Remains determined with imagination as polished steel.
هُوَ الداءُ أَعيا الناسَ طُرّاً دَواؤُهُ
فَلَو غَيرُهُ كانَ الطَبيبَ لَأَعضَلا
He is the disease that made the people fly joyously, his cure,
Had it been other than him, would have crippled the doctor.
أَذَلَّ عَصِيَّ الخَطبِ بَعدَ جِماحِهِ
إِلى أَن أَتى مِمّا جَنى مُتَنَصِّلا
He subdued the refractory enemy after his ferocity
Until he came away seeking conciliation.
رَآهُ بِعَينِ الفِكرِ قَبلَ وُقوعِهِ
فَصادَفَ مِنهُ قُلَّبَ الرَأيِ حُوَّلا
He foresaw it with the eye of thought before its occurrence
So he confronted its ever-changing opinion.
إِلى أَن أَقَرَّ الأَمرَ في مُستَقَرِّهِ
فَأَمَّنَ ما يُخشى وَأَرخَصَ ما غَلا
Until he settled the matter in its position
Securing what was feared and reducing what was expensive.
وَأَصفاكَهُ عَفواً وَلَم يُطِعِ الهَوى
لِمَيلٍ وَلَم يَعصِ الكِتابَ المُنَزَّلا
He pardoned voluntarily, not obeying desire
Out of bias nor disobeying the revealed scripture.
أَبانَ لَنا عَن هِمَّةٍ عَضُدِيَّةٍ
كَفى حَدُّها بيضَ الظُبى أَن تُسَلَّلا
He showed us his pillar-like ambition
Whose limit the forelocks of steeds if unleashed would not reach.
وَذَكَّرَنا أَسلافَهُ بِمَضائِهِ
وَإِن كانَ أَوفى في النُفوسِ وَأَمثَلا
He reminded us of his noble ancestors by his qualities
Though he was more faithful to souls and more exemplary.
وَما جُحِدَت عَلياؤُهُم غَيرَ أَنَّهُ
أَتى حادِثٌ أَنسى القَديمَ وَأَذهَلا
Their superiority is not denied except
That an unprecedented event makes the old forgotten.
تَميدُ بِمَن يَعصيكَ أَرضٌ تَحُلُّها
وَإِن لَم تُثِر فيها جِيادُكَ قَسطَلا
The land where you tread titters at those who disobey you
Even if your steeds did not stir up clouds of dust.
وَعَجزُهُمُ عَن أَن يُراعَ بِحَدِّهِم
كَعَجزِ الصَبا عَن أَن تُحَرِّكَ يَذبُلا
Their inability to take heed of their limit
Is like the youth’s inability to move a withered old man.
وَظَنّوا حِمى نَصرٍ يُباحُ بِمَوتِهِ
وَأَلفَوهُ ظَنّاً بِالبِوارِ مُوَكَّلا
They thought the sanctuary of your defense was violated by your death
And they were accustomed to thinking it was left unguarded.
وَوارِثُهُ مَن سَدَّدَ اللَهُ سَهمَهُ
فَما إِن رَمى إِلّا وَصادَفَ مَقتَلا
Yet your inheritor is one guided by God so his arrow
Does not miss but always meets its fatal mark.
لَقَد فَتَحوا بابَ العُقوقِ جَهالَةً
وَما زالَ بِالإِغضاءِ وَالصَفحِ مُقفَلا
In their ignorance, they opened the door of disobedience
Which always remains shut to forgiveness and pardon.
بَني عامِرٍ لا تَمتَطوا البَغيَ ضِلَّةً
فَلَم يَعلُهُ المَغرورُ إِلّا لِيَسفُلا
Tribe of Amer do not follow misguidance pridefully
For the deluded only followed it to be disgraced.
وَإِن نُتِجَت أُمُّ المَخافَةِ فيكُمُ
فَلا تَأمَنوها أَن تُعاوِدَ مُمغِلا
If fear's mother is conceived in you,
Do not feel safe that her cheating ways will not return,
وَلا تَتبَعوا الأَهواءَ فَهيَ مُضِلَّةٌ
وَإِن سَوَّفَ الشَيطانُ فيها وَسَوَّلا
And do not follow vain desires for they cause to go astray
Even if the devil has tempted and enticed in them.
وَلا تَقتَفوا مَن جارَ عَن مَنهَجِ الهُدى
فَأَدمى يَداً مِن حَقِّها أَن تُقَبَّلا
Do not imitate one who deviates from the path of guidance
Staining what should be revered hands that should be kissed.
وَكونوا كَأَشياخٍ لَكُم غالَها الرَدى
تَرى المَوتَ مِن نَقضِ المَواثيقِ أَسهَلا
Be like elders who considered violation of covenants worse than death
For you see death easier than their annulment.
فَفي آلِ ذُبيانٍ وَأَبناءِ وائِلٍ
مَواعِظُ لا تَخفى عَلى مَن تَأَمَّلا
In the family of Thubian and the sons of Wael
Are admonitions not hidden from one who contemplates.
أَعَلّوا صَحيحَ الرَأيِ وَاِتَّبَعوا الهَوى
فَأَيتَمَ مِنهُم كَيفَ شاءَ وَأَرمَلا
They followed sound judgment and pursued vain desire
So among them many were orphaned and widowed as fate willed.
وَقَد حَدَثَت في الأَرضِ وَالأَمرُ واضِحٌ
نَوائِبُ تَنهاكُم عَنِ الهَجرِ وَالقِلا
Events have occurred in the land and the matter is clear,
Occurrences caution you against isolation and estrangement.
أُذَكِّرُكُم ذِكرَ الصَديقِ صَديقَهُ
وَأُكبِرُكُم عَن أَن أَلومَ وَأَعذُلا
I remind you as a friend reminds his friend
And restrain you from blaming and fault finding.
وَلا أَجرَحُ الأَعراضَ ضَنّاً بِوُدِّكُم
وَيَحسُنُ فيهِ أَن أَضَنَّ وَأَبخَلا
I do not slander honors out of love for you
It would be good to show such love and refrain.
فَلا تَرضَ يا عِزَّ المُلوكِ بِذُلِّهِم
وَأَن يَرِدوا مِن غَيرِ بَحرِكَ مَنهَلا
Do not O honor of kings accept their humiliation
And that they seek without your sea a spring.
وَصِنواكَ لا تَعصِ اِبنَ عَمِّكَ مِنهُما
وَكُن غَيرَ مَأمورٍ إِلى السِلمِ أَميَلا
Protect him, do not disobey the son of your uncle among them,
Be unlike one ordered towards reconciliation.
فَما رَضِيا بِالبُعدِ عَنكَ زَهادَةً
وَلا اِبتَغَيا ما عَزَّ إِلّا تَذَلُّلا
They did not choose distance from you out of piety
Or seek what they cannot obtain except through humility.
وَهَل طَلَبا الإِنصافَ مِن غَيرِ أَهلِهِ
وَهَل أَوعَرا في السَومِ إِلّا لِيُسهِلا
Would they request fairness from other than its people,
Or make reconciliation difficult except to facilitate it?
وَإِن بانَ وَثّابٌ فَما ضَيفُ مُسلِمٍ
كَمَن شَطَّ عَن بَحرٍ وَيَمَّمَ جَدوَلا
A resident is not like a guest who departed the sea
And headed towards a barren valley.
وَلَكِنَّ مَثوىً في السَماءِ نَبا بِهِ
فَعُوِّضَ في أُفقٍ نَشا مِنهُ مَعقِلا
But news of an abode in heaven amazed him
So he settled for a corner having taken its fortress as refuge.
فَأَكرِم بِمَن جابَ المَهامِهَ مُرسَلاً
إِلَيكَ وَأَكرِم بِاِبنِ بَدرانَ مُرسِلا
Honor the resolute messenger who came to you
And honor Ibn Badran the sender.
سَليلُ مُلوكٍ أَقسَمَت مَأثُراتُهُم
بِأَن لا يَكونَ المَدحُ فيهِم تَقَوُّلا
Scion of kings whose influences swore
That praising them should know no hyperbole.
تُماثِلُ أَنوارُ البُدورِ أَهِلَّةً
وَتَعدو كَما تَعدو الضَراغِمُ أَشبُلا
Brilliant stars match when they rise
And race as the wolf cubs race.
وَكُلُّ مَنيعِ الجارِ وَالعِرضِ وَالحِمى
يَفوقُ الوَرى فَضلاً وَيُربي تَفَضُّلا
All dignified, honored and protected
Are above all in merit and grow in nobility.
دَعاكَ إِلى ما يُكسِبُ الحَمدَ مُحسِناً
وَحَثَّ عَلى ما يَجمَعُ الشَملَ مُجمِلا
He summoned you to what earns praise for the benefactor
And encouraged you to what unites and conciliates.
وَخَصَّكَ فيهِ بِالسُؤالِ كَرامَةً
وَما إِن بَراهُ اللَهُ إِلّا لِيُسأَلا
He singled you out to ask as an honor
And God only created him to be asked.
بِدَولَتِكَ اِزدادَ الزَمانُ نَضارَةً
فَلا بَرِحَت سِتراً عَلى الدَهرِ مُسبَلا
The time gained vitality through your state
Never ceasing to cloak the days.
وَأَمَّنتَ مُرتاعاً وَأَرهَبتَ مُرهَباً
وَأَنصَفتَ مَظلوماً وَأَغنَيتَ مُرمِلا
You secured a place of refuge, intimidated the intimidator,
Judged fairly between the wronged, and enriched the destitute.
فَضائِلُ أَعلاها أَبوها فَلَم يَدَع
لِذي شَرَفٍ فيها وَإِن عَزَّ مَدخَلا
Supreme merits, the greatest of which their father possesses
So none of noble rank found its access difficult.
وَأَعرَبَ عَن إِجمالِهِ بِجَمالِهِ
فَصَدَّقَ تَأميلاً وَراقَ تَأَمُّلا
He expressed its essence by his grace
Embodying refinement and pleasing the beholder.
لَكَ العَزمُ لا يَنبو إِذا كَلَّتِ الظُبى
تُضافِرُهُ البيضُ الَّتي لَن تُفَلَّلا
You possess determination when the horses frolic
Supported by the steeds that will never weaken.
تُرَوِّعُ في أَغمادِها قَبلَ سَلِّها
وَمِن بَعدِهِ تَفري المَفارِقَ وَالطُلى
They terrify in their sheaths before they are unleashed
Then later, the departed and ruins flee.
وَخَطِّيَّةٌ ما زالَ غَضّاً حَديثُها
إِذا شَهِدَت حَرباً وَإِن كُنَّ ذُبَّلا
Swords have edges whose sharpness the years
Have not dulled even if they witnessed wars and aged.
بِأَيدٍ لَها أَيدٌ تُبَرِّحُ بِالعِدى
إِذا صارَتِ الأَيدي مِنَ الرُعبِ أَرجُلا
With hands, they have hands that strike the enemy
When hands turn to feet out of fear.
مِنَ القَومِ حَلّوا بِالقُصورِ فَشَيَّدوا
عُلاً أَسَّسوها إِذ هُمُ ساكِنو الفَلا
Some people camped at palaces and built
Tall structures when the nomads dwell in dunes.
فَدانوا بِدينِ الناسِ وَاِتَّخَذوا النَدى
كِتاباً بِتَصديقِ الأَمانِيِّ أُنزِلا
They professed the religion of the people and took pleasure
As a scripture that endorses wishes revealed.
فَمِن نِعَمٍ مَوهوبَةٍ لِعُفاتِهِم
وَمِن نَعَمٍ مَأكولَةٍ وَهيَ في الكَلا
So blessings granted due to their chastity
And blessings consumed are among what they eat and wear.
تَرُدُّ الرَدى عَنها الصَوارِمُ وَالقَنا
وَتودي بِها إِن هَبَّتِ الريحُ شَمأَلا
Swords and spears deflect adversity from them
And misfortune carries them when gales blow.
ذَوُو النارِ تُغشى لِلإِضاءَةِ وَالقِرى
وَتَثني العِدى عَنها لَظىً لَيسَ تُصطَلا
People of fire are covered to illuminate
While enemies curve away from them burning hot unapproachable.
صَفَوا وَاِصطَفَوا خَيرَ الخُؤولَةِ نَخوَةً
فَما وَلَدوا إِلّا مَخوفاً مُؤَمَّلا
They chose the elite young women in fertility
So they did not bear except the bold and destined.
وَيَفضُلُ تاليكُم عَلى مَن يَؤُمُّهُ
فَمَن جاءَ مِنكُم آخِراً عُدَّ أَوَّلا
Your progeny is superior to those it leads
So the last of you counts as the first.
لِيَهنِكَ عيدٌ أَنتَ عِصمَهُ أَهلِهِ
فَلا خابَ مِنكُم مَن دَعا وَتَبَهَّلا
A feast you protected so none of you is deprived,
Disappointed is the one who called you and wavered.
يُقَصِّرُ قَولي دونَ ما أَنتَ فاعِلٌ
وَإِن كُنتَ قَد أوتيتَ قَولاً وَمِقوَلا
My words fall short of what you have done
Though you were given eloquence and speech.
فَخُذ جُملَةً مِن وَصفِ مَدحِكَ سُطِّرَت
وَلا تُلزِمَنّي مُعيِياً أَن أُفَصِّلا
Take from this prose eulogy composed for you
And do not obligate me when I weary to elaborate.
وَما جِئتُ مَحموداً وَنَصراً بِمِثلِها
لَعَمرُكَ إِلّا فَضَّلاها وَأَفضَلا
I have not come praised and victorious with the like
By your life except due to their preference and bounty.
وَلَو تَرَكا لي بُغيَةً أَستَزيدُها
لَكُنتَ بِها دونَ الوَرى مُتَكَفِّلا
If they had left aggression for me to increase
I would have with it guaranteed less than them.
وَتِلكَ العَطايا مِن تُراثِكَ حُزتُها
وَما نَقَصَت عَن بُغيَتي فَتُكَمِّلا
Those gifts are from your inheritance I took
Without decreasing from what I sought they supplement.
وَلا الظُلمُ مِن شَأني فَأَطلُبَ آجِلاً
وَقَد نِلتُ أَقصى ما رَجَوتُ مُعَجَّلا
Oppression is not my practice that I ask for delay
When I have attained the utmost of what I hoped immediately.
مَواهِبُ يَسبِقنَ السُؤالَ سَجِيَّةً
وَضَنّاً بِراجيهِنَّ أَن يَتَوَسَّلا
Gifts precede my request spontaneously
And refrain from asking the seeker to plead.
تَخالَفَ أَهلُ الأَرضِ فِيَّ وَفيهِما
وَقَد أَسرَفا فيما أَفادا وَخَوَّلا
People differed regarding me and them,
Though they exceeded in benefaction and provision.
فَقالَ أُناسٌ شاعِرُ العَصرِ نالَ مِن
أَشَفِّ المُلوكِ فَوقَ ما كانَ أَمَّلا
Some said the poet of the time attained from
The sweetest kings beyond what he wished.
وَقالَ أُناسٌ إِنَّها شَنُّ غارَةٍ
وَإِنّي إِلى مَدحَيهِما قُدتُ جَحفَلا
Others said they are the harm of a raid
While I was led to praise them riding an unruly camel.
وَما قُدتُ إِلّا شُرَّداً عَزُّ مَرُّها
عَلى بَلَدٍ لَم تَتَّخِذ فيهِ مَنزِلا
I was led unable except wandering far
From a land I did not take as residence.
تُحَلّى بِها الأَملاكُ في كُلِّ مَشهَدٍ
وَإِن نُظِمَت فيكُم فَأَنتُم لَها حُلا
Adorned by them in every occasion
And if composed on you, you are its adornment.
نَهَتها عُلاكُم أَن تَبَدَّلَ غَيرَكُم
وَآمَنَها إِنعامُكُم أَن تَبَذَّلا
Your supremacy prevents them changing for other than you
And your gifts secure it from being ineffective.
سَأُثني بِما أَولاهُ أَبناءُ صالِحٍ
بِجَهدي فَأَمّا أَن أُكافِيَهُم فَلا
I will praise with what the righteous sons
Gave me with my capacity yet repaying is impossible.
