أَما وَمَساعٍ لا نُحيطُ لَها عَدّا
وَتَأثيرِ مَجدٍ لا نَقيسُ بِهِ مَجدا
The favors you have shown are beyond all count,
And your glorious influence is beyond all measure.
لَقَد قَصَّرَ المُثني وَطالِبُ ذا المَدى
وَما مُنعِمٌ إِلّا مَنِ اِستَفرَغَ الجُهدا
The ambitious have fallen short whilst you have reached far,
And none prospers save those who strive their utmost.
فَإِن شِئتَ وَصفاً بالِغاً ما بَلَغتَهُ
فَقِف حَيثُ فُتَّ الوَصلَ نَجعَل لَهُ حَدّا
If you wish a description to portray your limit―
Stop where the link was severed, we will set a bound.
وَإِلّا فَلا لَومٌ عَلى كُلِّ قائِلٍ
نَحاهُ فَأَخفى جَهدُهُ فَوقَ ما أَبدى
Else no blame falls on any speaker
Whose efforts fall short of the truth as he makes them known.
وَما كُنتَ فَرداً في اِبتِغائِكَ غايَةَ ال
كَمالِ وَلَكِن كُنتَ في حَوزِها فَردا
You were not alone in seeking perfection―
But alone you were in possessing it absolutely.
وَناقَضَكَ الأَملاكُ فيها فَكُلَّما
عَلا بِكَ فِعلٌ هَضبَةً هَبَطوا وَهدا
The heavens rivaled you therein so whenever
A high deed raised you up they brought you down again.
لَئِن كُنتَ في العَلياءِ أَبعَدَهُم مَدىً
فَإِنَّكَ بِالإِنعامِ أَقرَبُهُم عَهدا
If you reached the furthest heavens in sublimity
You were closest in benevolence and recent in time.
وَإِن كُنتَ أَسلاهُم عَنِ البيدِ كَالدُمى
فَإِنَّكَ بِالتَقوى أَشَدُّهُمُ وَجدا
If you were without arms against calamity like the blind
You were firmer in piety and stronger in resolve.
وَإِن كُنتَ في الفَحشاءِ أَنباهُمُ شَباً
فَإِنَّكَ في الهَيجاءِ أَمضاهُمُ حَدّا
And if in licentiousness you were more daring in your prime
You were fiercer in rage when roused to anger.
وَأَنّى يَرومونَ المَحامِدَ ضِلَّةً
وَما صَدَقوا فيها وَعيداً وَلا وَعدا
How could they aspire to praise while straying
When they were neither true to their threats nor promises?
وَأَينَ هُمُ مِمَّن إِذا غَدَروا وَفى
وَإِن مَنَعوا أَعطى وَإِن هَزَلوا جَدّا
Where are they compared to one who, if betrayed, is true
And if he withholds, gives; and if they jest, is serious?
بَقيتُم بَني حَمدانَ ما بَقِيَ الوَرى
لِباغي نَدىً يُحيا وَباغي رَدىً يُردا
You Hamdanids will remain as long as there remains
A rebel with glory revived and a rebel with rage to quell.
فَما كانَتِ الأَقمارُ مِن قَبلِ خَلقِكُم
تَخافُ وَلا زُهرُ الكَواكِبِ تُستَجدا
Before you were created the stars were not
Frightened nor did the planets› flowers bloom anew.
سُيوفُكُمُ تَدمى بِكُلِّ كَريهَةٍ
وَأَيديكُمُ في كُلِّ مَسأَلَةٍ تَندا
Your swords bloodied all disliked things
And your hands solved all problems and straits.
إِذا أَضمَرَ الأَملاكُ حِقداً لِمَن جَنى
كَفاكُم وَحِيُّ البَطشِ أَن تُضمِرُا حِقدا
When the heavens concealed their rancor against one who sought refuge
It sufficed that you concealed your rage and did not dissemble it.
لَطَبَّقَتِ الدُنيا أَحاديثُ مَجدِكُم
فَما تَرَكَت في الأَرضِ غَوراً وَلا نَجدا
Accounts of your glory covered the whole world
Leaving no land, desert, hills or dales behind.
وَقَبلَكُمُ ما أَبصَرَ الدَهرُ مِثلَكُم
فَبادَ فَلا يُبصِر لِأَيّامِكُم بُعدا
Before you none like you did time behold
So it perished beholding none like you hereafter.
وَلَم تَقتَدوا في المَأثُراتِ بِغَيرِكُم
وَمَن عَلَّمَ السَبقَ المُطَهَّمَةَ الجُردا
None taught the noble steeds their arched course
Bearing smooth breastplates with necks outstretched.
بِكُم حَصَرٌ عِندَ السَبابِ فَإِن جَرَت
مُفاخَرَةُ الأَمجادِ أُلفيتُمُ لُدّا
Yours is the restraint if boasting of glories runs apace—
You would be found gentle if rivaling pride called for violence.
تُهينونَ مَن أَلغى فَضائِلَ نَفسِهِ
وَعَدَّ تَليدَ الفَخرِ وَالحَسَبِ العِدّا
You disdain one who neglects his own virtues
And counts the recording of ancestry and nobility a burden.
وَتُقصونَ مَن إِنعامِهِ يَغمُرُ المُنى
إِذا لَم يَكُن إِقدامُهُ يَقهَرُ الأُسدا
You disparage one whose benevolence overwhelms hopes
If his valor does not overwhelm the lions.
وَإِنَّكَ إِن عُدَّت فَضائِلُ تَغلِبٍ
لَأَعدَلُها حُكماً وَأَجزَلُها رِفدا
If Tughril›s virtues were enumerated
Justice and bounty would distinguish him above the rest.
عَلا بِكَ بَيتٌ أَنتَ أَعلى عِمادِهِ
وَكَم وَدَّ نَجمٌ أَن يَكونَ لَهُ وَدّا
Through him a house is raised up and you are atop its pillar,
Many a star desires to have affection as he has had.
وَلِلدَولَةِ المُستَنصِرِيَّةِ ناصِرٌ
بِهِ اِشتَدَّ زَنداً عِزُّها وَوَرَت زَندا
To the Buyid state he is a victorious champion
Through whom its power was fortified and its glory increased.
وَسَيفٌ حَمى الآفاقَ وَهوَ بِغِمدِهِ
فَكَيفَ إِذا صارَ النَجيعُ لَهُ غِمدا
A sword protecting the far horizons while yet in its sheath―
How then when the plains are its sheath!
وَأَرسَلَها سَومَ الجَرادِ مُغيرَةً
تَخِرُّ جِبالُ الأَرضِ مِن وَقعِها هَدّا
He sent them forth against the locusts wreaking havoc
Till the mountains of earth collapse from their striking.
حُسامٌ صُروفُ الدَهرِ مِن بَعضِ ما كَفَت
مَضارِبُهُ وَالأَمنُ مِن بَعضِ ما أَجدا
A decisive sword―time partly held back
Its ravages, and safety came from some of its gentleness,
قَضى بِكِتابِ اللَهِ فينا وَما اِعتَدى
وَوالَت يَداهُ المَكرُماتِ وَما اِعتَدا
Judging by God›s Book oppresively he did naught
While his noble hands oppressed none.
فَلا عَدِمَت هَذي النِيابَةَ دَولَةٌ
جَعَلتَ لَها أَعداءَها كُلَّهُم جُندا
No government has assumed this office
And made all its enemies into troops for it.
وَما خِفتَ إِلّا اللَهَ فيما وَليتَهُ
وَلا حِفتَ في الأَفعالِ سَهواً وَلا عَمدا
You feared only God in what you administered
Neither intentionally nor forgetfully doing wrong.
فَعَلتَ فَعالَ الحُرِّ نَفساً وَشيمَةً
وَإِن كُنتَ في مَحضِ الوَلاءِ لَها العَبدا
You acted with the purity of motive of a free man
Though being absolutely loyal to it as a slave.
وَهَل تَرِدُ الأَطماعُ ما عَنهُ حُلِّئَت
وَهَذا الهِزَبرُ الوَردُ يَمنَعُها الوِردا
Do aspirations recede from one for whom
This fresh-plucked rose denies them union?
لَقَد مَنَعوا بِالبيضِ ما أَخَذوا بِها
وَلَو أَمِنوا عَدواكَ ما بَذَلوا الوُدّا
They gave you allegiance out of fear
Else had they felt secure from you they would not have shown affection.
بَلَغتَ بِحَدِّ الرَأيِ ما أَعجَزَ الظُبى
تَناوُلُهُ فيما مَضى وَالقَنا المُلدا
You attained such height of reason as frustrated the ambitious
In times past from reaching while the nimble strove in vain,
فَلَو سارَ ذو القَرنَينِ في ظُلُماتِهِ
بِرَأيٍ كَذا لَاِبيَضَّ مِنها الَّذي اِسوَدّا
If Alexander had marched by such lights in his darkness
He would have whitened what thereby was blackened.
وَلَو أَنَّ يَأجوجَ اِستَعانوكَ مُرشِداً
وَحوشيتَ مِن إِرشادِهِم حَرَقوا السَدّا
If Gog and Magog had sought you as guiding mentor
And were guided, their heat would have melted the barrier;
وَلَو فُرِّقَت هَذي العَزائِمُ في الوَرى
إِذاً عَطَّلوا ما يَطبَعُ الهِندُ وَالهِندا
Had these resolves been divided among mankind Then would they equal what China produces and India.
How many fools were deceived to set their tricks for you
وَكَم جاهِلٍ أَغرى بِمَجدِكَ كَيدُهُ
وَلَكِنَّهُ أَودى وَما كانَ ما وَدّا
But they themselves perished failing to do what they plotted!
Your enemies concede your superiority by necessity
تُقِرُّ لَكَ الأَعداءُ بِالفَضلِ عَنوَةً
وَما الفَضلُ إِلّا ما أَقَرَّت بِهِ الأَعدا
For superiority is naught but what enemies concede.
Damascus used to grow blame manifestly
وَكانَت دِمَشقُ تُنبِتُ الذَمَّ بُرهَةً
وَأَنتَ الَّذي صَيَّرتَها تُنبِتُ الحَمدا
While you made it grow praise manifestly.
You held harm back from her and gave her largesse—
قَطَعتَ الأَذى عَنها وَفِضتَ مَواهِباً
وَما عَرَفَت ذا الجَزرَ قِدماً وَلا المَدّا
She knew neither ebb nor flow before.
Within her you lived fifty years and fifty more, amid
فَعِشتَ بِها خَمسينَ عاماً وَمِثلَها
لِعافٍ وَعانٍ ذا يُفادُ وَذا يُفدى
Well being and blessings—now faring for one, now ransoming another.
If these hopes recount their phases
وَما إِن عَدَت هَذي الأَمانيُّ طَورَها
لِأَنَّكَ بِالإِنصافِ تَستَوجِبُ الخُلدا
You deserve eternity for your impartiality.
You made happy the seasons of time in which was not contained
وَهُنّيتَ أَعيادَ الزَمانِ وَلا اِنطَوى
زَمانٌ جَنَينا العَيشَ في ظِلِّهِ رَغدا
A time whose shade granted life of ease and plenty.
None before you has trodden this path,
أَمامَكَ في ذا النَهجِ ما أَحَدٌ جَرى
وَلَولا بَنوكَ قُلتُ خَلفَكَ قَد سُدّا
Had it not been for your sons I would have said: ̃None will succeed you.›
The virtues of the younger two are brilliant qualities
وَعُنوانُ فَضلِ الأَصغَرينَ فَضائِلٌ
مُؤَثَّلَةٌ نالَ الكَبيرُ بِها المَجدا
By which the eldest attained glory.
If the elder assumed everywhere the zones of courage—
لَئِن حازَ أَقطارَ الشَجاعَةِ أَمرَداً
فَمِن مَعشِرٍ يُردونَ أُسدَ الوَغى مُردا
Then from a lineage turning back the lions savage.
And if the younger attained the utmost reach of eloquence—
وَإِن حازَ مِقدارَ البَلاغَةِ ناشِئاً
فَما جارَ عَن مَسعى أَبيهِ وَلا صَدّا
Then never falling short of his father›s high endeavor;
How wondrous that the protector of your rhyme
وَمِن عَجَبٍ أَن أَمَّ قَصدَكَ قافِياً
خِلالَكَ وَالأَعلامُ تَهدي وَلا تُهدا
Was your inner self while you are the guiding landmarks!
Natural disposition flows from you though unsought
تُفَضُّ الحُبا لِلطِفلِ مِنكُم وَما حَبا
وَيَشتَدُّ في كَسبِ الثَناءِ وَما اِشتَدّا
And pursuit of praise strengthens without conscious intent.
Who among you has ever pursued blame since he breathed air
وَهَل فيكُمُ مَن باشَرَ الذَمَّ مُذ نَشا
وَمَن فارَقَ الإِحسانَ مُذ فارَقَ المَهدا
And who neglected benevolence since leaving the cradle!
Did the mount›s seat pall at any talk unless
وَهَل وَخَدَت تِلكَ الرِكابُ بِمَهمَهٍ
لِتَقطَعَهُ إِلّا بِمَدحِكُمُ تُحدا
It was cut off by praise addressed to you!
I loaded you with my needs but did not compromise,
أَزَرتُكَ حاجاتي فَلَم أُنزِلِ المُنى
بِمَن كَذَّبَت فيهِ وَلَم أَعدَمِ الرُشدا
With one denying truth or lacking discernment.
And time gave little then pretended forgetfulness
وَأَعطى قَليلاً ثُمَّ أَكدى زَمانُنا
فَيَمَّمتُ مَن أَعطى كَثيراً وَما أَكدا
While I inclined to one giving much without pretending.
Gifts enfolded in immenseness and nobility
مَواهِبُ يَطويها جَلالاً وَنَخوَةً
وَلَستُ أَرى في الناسِ مِن نَشرِها بُدّا
And I do not see people spreading them manifestly,
With praise which, spreading among the people, vanished—
بِمَدحٍ إِذا ما ضاعَ في القَومِ نَشرُهُ
فَما النَدُ أَهلٌ أَن يَكونَ لَهُ نِدّا
For the dew is unfit to vie with sunrays;
Many precious things for me are knotted in you
وَكَم فيكَ لي عِقدٌ يَحوزُ جَواهِراً
تُزَيِّنُ مِنها كُلُّ جَوهَرَةٍ عِقدا
Adorning each gem in these necklaces.
I ask God to perpetuate you eternally,
مِنَ اللَهِ أَستَهدي بَقاءَكِ إِنَّهُ
قَصِيَّةُ ما أَعطى وَنُخبَةُ ما أَهدا
For of gifts He has given the quintessence and the most rightly guided.
Days pass not without charms pressing heavily
فَلا خَلَتِ الأَيّامُ مِنها مَحاسِناً
أَشَدَّ عَلى الأَحداقِ مِن نَومِها فَقدا
Upon the eyelids against their loss and passing;
