ما عَلَيها أَوانَ تَطوي الفَيافي
غَيرُ حَثِّ الذَميلِ وَالإيجافِ
No passage of time makes the hills subside,
Save the constant plodding of feet and the hardship of wayfarers,
غَيرَ أَنَّ المَرءَ اللَجوجَ دَعاها
فَاِعتَسَفنَ الفَلاةَ أَيَّ اِعتِسافِ
Save when the obstinate mortal summoned them,
Then crossing the wasteland was extremely arduous!
أَنكَرَت شَدقَماً وَأَلغَت جَديلاً
مُعرِباتٍ عَنِ الرِياحِ السَوافي
They negated the water-skin and the leather bucket,
Carriers of the errant winds.
فَاِنبَرَت كَالقِسِيِّ بَل كَسِهامٍ
وَصَلَتها القِسِيُّ بِالأَهدافِ
So they set out like the bow or even like arrows,
And the bowsman reached his target.
حَيثُ لا تُدرِكُ السَنابِكُ رَكضاً
بَعدَ ما أَدرَكَتهُ بِالأَخفافِ
Where the water-skins cannot keep up when running,
After they had kept up with the light runners.
فاعِلاتٌ بِهِنَّ سَبعُ لَيالٍ
فِعلَ سَبعٍ مِنَ السِنينَ عِجافِ
In seven nights they performed the deeds of seven lean years,
And reached the Nile of Egypt before the arrival of carriers and slaves.
وَرَدَت بَعدَ ظِمئِها نيلَ مِصرٍ
قَبلَ وِردِ الفُرّاطِ وَالسُلّافِ
When they marched in the fertile meadow,
The pasture of Anemones and goats,
حينَ ذَمَّت في مَرتَعِ العِزِّ وَالثَر
وَةِ مَرعى التَنّومِ وَالخِذرافِ
And descended comfortably in a state,
Where dwelling sufficed the perfect host.
وَأَناخَت بِدَولَةٍ عَزَّ فيها
فَكَفاها المُلِمَّ نِعمَ الكافي
So its pride and son of its pride are the essence of sovereignty,
The lord of highness brought up in chastity.
فَخرُها وَاِبنُ فَخرِها مَعدِنُ السُؤ
دُدِ رَبُّ العَلاءِ تِربُ العَفافِ
The noblest lineage, soul and ambition,
And the most generous character and traits.
الشَريفُ الأَعراقِ وَالنَفسُ وَالهِم
مَةِ وَالمَكرُماتِ وَالأَوصافِ
Of radiant visage that eyelids refuse shelter,
And dwelling in open space not in pages.
ذو صِفاحٍ تَأبى الجُفونَ مَقَرّاً
وَقِرىً في الجِفانِ لا في الصِحافِ
So I sought refuge from all types of disgrace,
Since I sought refuge with the noblest of nobles.
فَأُعيذَت مِن كُلِّ مَينٍ ظُنوني
مُنذُ عاذَت بِأَشرَفِ الأَشرافِ
And I praised the times in the presence of glories,
Unequalled throughout thousands of halcyon days.
وَحَمِدتُ الزَمانَ عِندَ هُمامٍ
غَيرُ عافٍ ذَراهُ مِن أَلفِ عافِ
They did not condemn living in a refuge, mansion or resort,
So I forgot every fair patron,
لَم يَذُمّوا بِظِلِّهِ العَيشَ في مَش
تىً وَلا مَربَعٍ وَلا مُصطافِ
In the presence of a patron with folded sleeves,
Seeking his glory, hoping his hopes, whose hospitality is hospitable.
فَتَناسَيتُ كُلَّ مولي جَميلٍ
عِندَ مَولىً مَوُطَّإِ الأَكنافِ
Prejudiced in obstinacy the course of persistence, prejudice of the horrific prejudice.
While awake, he is not devoid of dew, and when asleep, the visitor reaches him.
مُجتَديهِ مُجدٍ وَراجيهِ مَرجُو
وٌ وَأَضيافُهُ ذَوو أَضيافِ
A benefactor whom calumnies are distant from,
As distant as his appointment was from betrayal.
مُجحِفٌ بِالتِلادِ في سَنَنِ الإِح
مادِ إِجحافَ وَقعَةِ الجَحّافِ
O few helpers in the ranks of glory, peerless and granter of thousands!
How many a brother in time surpassed his brother,
لَيسَ يَخلو مِنَ النَدى وَهوَ يَقظا
نُ وَيَغشاهُ طارِقاً وَهوَ غافِ
By a deed that reveals the contrasts!
Just as the praise of ‘Abd Shams surpassed
مُنعِمٌ تَبعُدُ المَذَمّاتُ عَنهُ
بُعدَ ميعادِهِ مِنَ الإِخلافِ
That which Hashim the son of ‘Abd Manāf attained
By a deed that made him eponymous and forgettable the mention of ‘Amr,
يا قَليلَ الأُلّافِ في رُتَبِ المَج
دِ اِنفِراداً وَواهِبَ الآلافِ
And ‘Amr is no faintheart.
All came making pilgrimage at your abode hoping for
كَم أَخٍ في الزَمانِ فاقَ أَخاهُ
بِفَعالٍ بِهِ يَبينُ التَنافي
That which the pilgrims hope for during circumambulation.
Where the pastureland of glory is not extending
مِثلَما فاتَ عَبدَ شَمسٍ ثَناءٌ
حازَهُ هاشِمُ اِبنُ عَبدِ مَنافِ
And the hopes of wishes are not sound.
You are the protection of mankind, even if
بِفَعالٍ بِهِ تَسَمّى فَأَنسى
ذِكرَ عَمروٍ وَلَيسَ عَمروٌ بِخافِ
Youbuilt them, still they would crumble without accord.
Did the bird ever arrive with news
طافَ كُلٌّ بِبابِ دارِكَ يَرجو
ما يُرَجّي الحَجيجُ عِندَ الطَوافِ
Except exposing the failing of the rest?
For the Lord of worship from you are swords
حَيثُ لا مَرتَعُ المَواعيدِ مِجدا
بٌ وَلا مَربَعُ الأَمانِيِّ عافِ
That need no sharpening.
You protected religion with rapprochement and dignity
أَنتُمُ عِصمَةُ الأَنامِ وَلَو بِن
تُم وَكَلّا رُدّوا بِغَيرِ خِلافِ
While it was vulnerable to rapprochement.
And steadfastness to warring with enemies,
هَل خَلا قَطُّ مِن قَوادِمِهِ الطَا
ئِرُ إِلّا وَبانَ عَجزُ الخَوافي
And steadfastness under the pounding catapult.
And tomorrow mankind will know them by their mark,
وَلِرَبِّ العِبادِ مِنكُم سُيوفٌ
غَيرُ مُحتاجَةٍ إِلى إِرهافِ
Men from you on the Heights.
You have unlocked the chests of the proud
حَمَتِ الدينَ بِالتَلافي وَبِالقَه
رِ وَقَد كانَ عُرضَةً لِلتَلافِ
And the pride of the generous suffices.
And if praise circulates among people one day,
وَثَباتٌ إِلى قِراعِ الأَعادي
وَثَباتٌ تَحتَ القَنا الرَعّافِ
You will exclusively obtain the share and favor.
With casuals the date palms and orchards are erased and forgotten
وَغَداً يَعرِفُ الأَنامَ بِسيما
هُم رِجالٌ مِنكُم عَلى الأَعرافِ
Better than one bought by usury.
Of it for you are multiples of what the deluge takes
قَد حَلَلتُم صُدورَ أَندِيَةِ الفَخ
رِ وَحَسبُ الكِرامِ بِالأَطرافِ
After insistence and depletion.
And for them parts equal to what the thief leaves
وَإِذا الحَمدُ ذاعَ في الناسِ يَوماً
فُزتَ مِن دونِهِم بِحَظٍّ وافِ
After admission to the witness.
Or how your gifts surpassed
بِالنَسايا تُلغى وَتُنسى كَسَروٍ
أَفضَلٍ يَشتَريهِ بِالإِسلافِ
Your surplus when censured with extravagance.
Then take exclusive exaltation, O son of Abī Ya‘lā
لَكَ مِنهُ أَضعافُ ما تَسلُبُ الغا
رَةُ بَعدَ الإِلحاحِ وَالإِلحافِ
Like the exclusivity of heavens in elevation!
Not like a people who long asked
وَلَهُم مِنهُ مِثلُ ما يَترُكُ السا
رِقُ بَعدَ الإِعرافِ لِلعَرّافِ
Then referred to their ancestors.
They chronicled in papers of pride
أَو كَما غادَرَت عَطاياكَ مِن وَف
رِكَ لَمّا نُعِتَّ بِالمِتلافِ
An account that sinks into decadence.
Whoever had his home in al-Thurayyā
فَاِنفَرِد بِالعَلاءِ يا اِبنَ أَبي يَع
لى اِنفِرادَ السَماءِ بِالإِشرافِ
And with it became a swimmer without fatigue,
Theirs are nomad’s houses wherein no landmarks remain
لا كَقَومٍ كَم طولِبوا بِالمَساعي
فَأَحالوا بِها عَلى الأَسلافِ
Save the funnels and pegs.
One day they sense no blame.
سَطَّروا مُبطِلينَ في صُحُفِ الفَخ
رِ حِساباً يَنحَطُّ بِالأَخلافِ
Can the cicada feel the pinch of the blacksmith’s tongs?
Creation was misguided, and you were guided,
كُلُّ مَن كانَ بَيتُهُ في الثُرَيّا
وَبِهِ صارَ سابِحاً غَيرَ طافِ
So your effects among the noble deeds are unequalled.
Those who hope in you did not accept
فَهوَ بَيتُ الأَعرابِ لَم يَبقَ فيهِ
مَعلَمٌ غَيرَ نُؤيِهِ وَالأَثافي
In the arena of purpose, or accept sufficiency.
Noble deeds wherein you were ascribed aggression
لا يُحِسّونَ بِالمَذَمَّةِ يَوماً
هَل يُحِسُّ الوَشيجُ عَضَّ الثِقافِ
While you are the essence of integrity.
I used to hope from one in whom hope could not be placed,
ضَلَّ ذا الخَلقُ فَاِهتَدَيتَ فَآثا
رُكَ في المَكرُماتِ غَيرُ قَوافِ
Thus time tries and grants wellbeing.
Thus have I told greediness, “Away with you!”
لَم تَرُض آمِليكَ في حَلبَةِ المَط
لِ وَلَم تَرضَ لِلمُنى بِالكَفافِ
And when times bring hardship, then wellbeing!
And my admission of ignorance is an excuse and a basis;
مَكرُماتٌ نُسِبتَ فيها إِلى الجَو
رِ وَإِن كُنتَ مَعدِنَ الإِنصافِ
Transgression is obliterated by admission.
My hopes in you came to fruition,
كُنتُ أَرجو مِن قَبلُ مَن لَيسَ يُرجى
وَكَذا الدَهرُ يَبتَلي وَيُعافي
While the days tired me out in contrast.
Just as death attains the ghoul,
وَكَذا قُلتُ لِلمَطامِعِ عِفّي
وَإِذا أَعوَزَ الزَمانُ فَعافي
Not health to the invalid.
And you were kind in acquiring my praise
وَاِعتِرافي بِالجَهلِ عُذرٌ وَقِدماً
مُحِيَ الإِقتِرافُ بِالإِعتِرافِ
With frequent gentleness and favours.
Between consideration, by which the swordsman’s hand is adorned,
ظَفِرَت بِالمُرادِ عِندَكَ آما
لي وَأَعيا عَلى الزَمانِ خِلافي
And consideration to the dart-thrower of slices.
You gave me without asking and conferred kindness upon kindness.
مِثلَما يَظفَرُ المُماتُ بِمُحيٍ
لا كَما يَظفَرُ العَليلُ بِشافِ
وَتَلَطَّفتَ في اِقتِناءِ ثَنائي
بِهِباتٍ كَثيرَةِ الأَلطافِ
بَينَ عُرفٍ يَدُ المُسيفِ بِهِ مَل
أى وَعَرفٍ لِمارِنِ المُستافِ
بَدَأَتني قَبلَ السُؤالِ وَوالَت
بِجَميلٍ إِلى جَميلٍ مُضافِ
