أَلا هَل أَطَلَّ الأَميرُ الأَجَلُّ
أَمِ الشَمسُ حُلَّت بِرَأسِ الحَمَل
Has not the most noble prince delayed?
Or has the sun donned Aries' crown?
فَما شِئتَ مِن زَهرَةٍ نَضرَةٍ
تَرَدّى القَضيبُ بِها وَاِشتَمَل
Whatever fresh flower you desire
The rod lets fall, embracing it all.
وَهَزَّت مَعاطِفَهُ وَاِلتَوى
بِمَسرى النَسيمِ اِلتِواءُ الجِذَل
His robes it stirred, writhing
In the passing breeze's supple flow.
سُروراً بِهِ عَن فَتى دَولَةٍ
تُباهي بِعَلياهُ خَيرَ الدُوَل
Joyous for a scion of empire
Who all realms with his heights endows
أتانا الزَمانُ بِهِ آخِراً
تَهَشَّ إِلَيهِ اللَيالي الأُوَل
Fate brought him to us in the end
The early nights rushed to behold.
مَليكٌ تَبَسَّمَ ثَغرُ المُنى
بِمَرآهُ وَاِمتَدَّ خَطوُ الأَمَل
A king whose visage destiny smiled upon
And the steps of hope stretched long.
يَشُدُّ اللِثامَ عَلى صَفحَةٍ
تَرى البَدرَ مِنها بِمَرقى زُحَل
Drawing his wrap o’er a cheek
Where you see the moon at Jupiter's rising.
فَلَم أَدرِ وَالحُسنُ صِنوٌ لَهُ
أَأَبدَأُ بِالمَدحِ أَم بِالغَزَل
I know not: is beauty his protection
Shall I praise or flirt?
وَها هُوَ وَالحِلمُ في طَبعِهِ
هِزبَرٌ إِذا ماحَمى أَو حَمَل
In his nature is wisdom
A lion, whether in clash or advance.
يُضيفُ إِلى طَعنَةٍ رَشقَةً
هُناكَ وَلِلمُزنِ وَبلٌ وَطَل
To a stab, an added throw
There, but to the coward, burden and bane.
وَيَكفي فَيَكفَلُ في حالَةٍ
فَيَبني المعالي كَفى أَو كَفَل
He suffices, so guarantees in circumstance
Building glories, enough or guardian.
وَيَلزَمُهُ النَصرُ حُبّاً لَهُ
فَإِن سارَ سارَ وَإِن حَلَّ حَل
Victory cleaves to him in affection
Whether he fares forth or encamps.
فَما يَطرُقُ الطَيفُ غاباً لَهُ
وَلَو كانَ أَغفى بِهِ أَو غَفَل
No specter evades him in absence
Though he be oblivious or unaware.
يَدينُ بِضِدَّيهِ دونَ الهُدى
يَصُدُّ العِدى وَيَسُدُّ الخَلَل
He shuns the misguided without guidance
Repelling harm and blocking the breach.
وَيُدمي الشِفارَ وَيَحني القَنا
وَيَحمي الذِمارَ وَيَرعى الهَمَل
He reddens the blades and bends the spears
Shielding the weak, protecting the poor.
وَيَملَأُ رُعباً صُدورَ العِدى
فَيُرعِفُ بَأساً أُنوفَ الأَسَل
And fills the enemies' breasts with dread
Quaking in terror the bold.
مُمِرُّ حِبالِ القَنا وَالقُوى
إِذا ما فَشا في الحُماةِ الفَشَل
Sundering the ropes of the coward and weak
When folly spreads among the rabble.
كَفيلٌ بِإِدراكِ ما يَبتَغي
قَفا إِثرَ طاغِيَةٍ أَو قَفَل
Able to attain what he seeks
On the heels of a tyrant or in chains.
إِذا قالَ أَجمَلَ في قَولِهِ
وَأَحسَنَ مِن قَولِهِ مافَعَل
When he speaks, his words are most fair
And his deeds the finest of his words.
أَلَم تَرَ ماكانَ مِن بَأسِهِ
يَفوزُ بِهِ يَومَ حارَ البَطَل
Recall his might in that fray
Where heroes grew faint.
وَخارَ الأَبِيُّ وَخَرَّ الكَمِيُّ
وَجَدَّ الجِلادُ وَقَلَّ الجَدَل
The arrogant failed and the braggart fell low
The warrior panicked and the dispute faded.
وَرامَ النَصارى بِها نُصرَةً
فَلَم يُنجِدِ الرومَ رَومُ الحِيَل
Though the Christians called for its aid
Rome's cunning helped not the Romans.
وَصَدَّ اِبنَ فَرّاسَ عَن نَصرِها
تَلَظّي حِرابٍ دَوامي المُقَل
Ibn Farras he barred from their aid
My flashing swords forever falling.
فَما اِلتَمَسوا الغَوثَ إِلّا اِلتَوى
وَلا اِستَنجَدوا الوَعدَ إِلّا مَطَل
They sought no rescue but fled
No aid called they but delayed.
وَلا أَمَّ يُقبِلُ حَتّى اِنثَنى
حِذاراً وَلا غامَ حَتّى اِضمَحَل
None dared approach till he retreated
Fearing, none slept till defeated.
فَلَم يَدرِ ماعَلِقَت خَيلُهُ
أَشَكوى الوَجى أَو شَكاةَ الوَجَل
His steeds knew not their complaint of wounds
Or plaintive call of the injured.
بَلى خافَ مِن جَورِ سَيفٍ عَدا
مَضاءً بِكَفِّ إِمامٍ عَدَل
But he feared the tyranny of a hostile sword
Unleashed by a leader unjust.
وَأَولى بِهِ لَو تَدَلّى بِهِ
غُروراً وَأَولى بِهِ لَو أَدَل
And better to tempt it in desire
Better to dare its evil gust.
فَما حادَ عَنكَ بِقَلبٍ غَزا
وَلَكِن بِقَلبٍ وَهى عَن وَهَل
He parted from you not in absent heart
But in faintness from yearning.
لَكَ اللَهُ مِن سَيِّدٍ أَيِّدٍ
تَحَلّى الزَمانُ بِهِ عَن عَطَل
God gave you a lordly, aided master
Time adorned itself with his absence.
أَبى المَجدُ أَن يَرتَضي قِنيَةً
نَفيسَ الحُلى وَشَريفَ الحُلَل
Glory refused to favor a speckled cloak
Choice jewels and a noble dress.
فَقِنيَتُهُ لِلقَنا وَالظُبى
وَقُبِّ الخُيولِ وَبيضِ الخَوَل
His speckled cloak is for the lance and gazelle
The horses' necks and the wild cows' calves.
وَلَمّا سَقى الغَربَ فيما سَقى
وَحَلَّ بِهِ الغَربُ مِمّا أَقَل
And when he quenched the west with his bounty
The west was favored with his little.
أَتى الشَرقُ يَهفو جَناحُ السُرى
بِهِ وَتَهُبُّ رِياحُ العَجَل
The east came, the wings of fortune fluttering
For him, the winds of haste blowing.
فَسَكَّنَ مِن خَفقِ قَلبٍ نَزا
وَهَوَّنَ مِن مَسِّ خَطبٍ نَزَل
Calming hearts that pounded in ardency
Lessening the touch of worries fallen.
وَأَطمَعَ في حَسمِ داءٍ دَهى
وَإِقشاعِ عارِضِ هَمٍّ أَطَل
Giving hope of healing an illness prolonged
And clearing a cloud of grief gathered.
فَقُل لَاِبنِ رُذميرَ مَهلاً يَسيراً
يُقيمُ صَفاكَ الأَميرُ الأَجَل
Say to Ibn Ruzamir, wait a little
The most noble prince shall marshal your ranks.
يُحَرِّقُكَ مِنهُ سَنا شُعلَةٍ
هُناكَ وَيُغرِقُكَ طَوراً وَشَل
There he will burn you with a flaming tempest
And drown you for a time in evil.
فَمِل عَن طَريقِ شِهابٍ سَرى
فَأَهوى وَوادي أَتِيٍّ حَمَل
Turn from the path of a shooting star
That plunged into a deep valley.
وَحِد رَهبَةً عَن عُبابٍ طَمى
وَلُذ رَغبَةً بِصَياصي جَبَل
Feel awe of a darkening cloud's dust storm
And desire the crag's flashing shadows.
وَإِلّا فَثَمَّ جَوادٌ يَعُبُّ
وَنَصلٌ يَهُبُّ إِذا سُلَّ صَل
Else there is a steed that shall charge
And a blade that shall flash when drawn.
وَكُلُّ حَياةٍ إِلى مُنتَهى
أَجَل وَلِكُلِّ حِمامٍ أَجَل
For every life is an appointed end
And for every dove an allotted term.
