أُمّوا بنا نحوَ العقيقِ وأدْلِجوا

وقِفوا على تلكَ الرّبوعِ وعرّجوا

Our mothers directed us towards Al-‘Aqeeq, and prodded,

They stopped at those meadows and wandered,

واثْنوا الأعنّةَ نحو سكّانِ اللّوى

واِلوُوا بأعناقِ المطيّ وعوّجوا

And turned the she-camels towards the dwellers of the valleys,

And bent the necks of the rides and swerved.

فإذا لكم بدتِ الرّسومُ فأمْسِكوا

أكبادَكُم حتّى يدَيكُم تنضجُ

So when the features become visible to you, then withhold

Your livers until your hands ripen.

فهُناكَ حيٌّ للعُيونِ تنزّهٌ

فيهِ وللقَلبِ الشجيّ تبَهّجُ

For here is an abode of delight for the eyes,

A place of joy for the aching heart.

حيٌّ على الوادي كأنّ قِبابَه

كُثُبٌ ينوّعُها الحَيا ويُزَبْرِجُ

An abode over the valley, as if its domes

Are hillocks diversified by snakes and lizards.

حرمٌ تَرى من دونِ بيضةِ خِدرِه

كم فيهِ بيضةُ خادِرٍ تتدَحْرَجُ

A sanctuary you see, without the egg of its wall,

So many eggs of snakes in it rolling.

عذْبُ المناهِلِ غيرَ أنّ وُرودَها

نارُ المَنايا دونَه تتأجّجُ

The springs are sweet but its roses

Are fires of sorrows burning within.

يُمسي بأربُعهِ لنيرانِ القِرى

وفْدٌ وللبيضِ الرِّقاقِ تموُّجُ

In the evening, a delegation comes to it from the fires of the villages

And a surge of thin visitors flows.

لكواكِبِ الفِتيانِ فيه تحجّبٌ

ولأنجُمِ الفَتَياتِ فيه تبرُّجُ

For the planets of youths therein are veils

And for the stars of girls adornments.

أوراقُهُ تُشْجي ورَجْعُ قيانِهِ

أشْجى وأوقَعُ في النّفوسِ وأوهَجُ

Its leaves whisper and the return of its reeds

Most melodious and impactful to the souls.

كم فيهِ ظبيٌ بالحَرير مسَرْبَلٌ

وهِزَبْرُ حربٍ بالحَديدِ مدَجَّجُ

How many gazelles in it wear silk robes

And brave warriors in it don iron armor.

ورفيعُ مجدٍ بالنّجيعِ مخضّبٌ

وصريعُ وجدٍ بالدّموعِ مضرّجُ

The noble glory in it wears white blood

And the fervent love wears tears.

ولكَمْ به شمسٌ تقلّد جيدُها

شُهُباً وبدرٌ بالهِلالِ مدَمْلَجُ

How many suns wear its mane as meteors

And how many moons wear the crescent as jewelry.

بصعيدِه تشفى العُيونُ وتنْجَلي

فكأنّ كلَّ حصىً عليه دهنَجُ

By its ground the eyes recover and sights clear

As if each pebble on it were oil.

للّهِ أيّامٌ لنا سلفَتْ به

ولَيالُ وَصْلٍ صفوُها لا يُمزَجُ

Days Allah provided us in it

And nights of union whose elite cannot be blended.

أوقاتُ أنسٍ كالعرائِسِ بهجةً

يا ليتَها بالبَيْنِ لا تتزوّجُ

Times of intimacy like happy brides

If only they would not marry separation!

كالعِقْدِ كان نظامُها فتفرّقَتْ

فحكَتْ ثَنايا الغُرّ وهْو مفلَّجُ

Their order was like a necklace but it scattered

So the caves of distance narrated and ruptured.

حيّا الحَيا العَرَبَ الألى لضيوفِهِم

نسجوا به بُسْطَ الحرير ودبّجوا

Greet the fine life of the eminent Arabs for their guests

They wove for them silk carpets and embroidered.

وبمُهجَتي منهم عليّ أعزّةٌ

دخلوا الفؤادَ ومنه صبري أخرجوا

And for my beloved ones among them, who were dearest to me,

They entered my heart and extracted my patience.

صُبْحُ الوجوه ترى على جبَهاتِهم

تزهو مصابيحُ الجمالِ وتُسرَجُ

You see the dawn of faces glow on their foreheads

Like lamps of beauty ignited and illuminated.

أخذوا جِيادَهُمُ أهلّةَ عسْجَدٍ

وبأنْجُمِ البيضِ الحديدِ تتوّجوا

They took their thoroughbred steeds, marked with glory,

And crowned them with the iron stars of white weapons.

لم أنْسَ موقفَهُم وقد أرِقَ النّوى

والريحُ تُحدى للرّحيلِ وتُحدَجُ

I cannot forget their stand when the shelters were packed

And the wind challenged departure and darkness.

ساروا فكم قمرٍ على فرسٍ بَدا

فيهِم وكم شمسٍ زَواها هودَجُ

How many moons on horses appeared among them

And how many suns crowned with tent covers!

ولَرُبّ سافرةٍ غَداةَ رحيلِهم

ذهلَتْ وأفزَعَها الفِراقُ المُزعِجُ

And on the morrow of their departure, how many does

Became confused and startled by the disturbing separation.

تبكي وتذري كحلَها بدمُوعِها

فيعودُ وردُ الخدِّ وهوَ بنفسَجُ

She cries and sheds her kohl in tears

So the roses of her cheeks return as violets.

لم أدرِ قبل أرى الدموعَ بجَفنِها

أنّ اللآلي البيض قد تتنسّجُ

I had not seen tears in her eyes before

As if the thin crescents were being woven.

حتّامَ أطلبُ للنجومِ فأرتَقي

وأهِمُّ في وصلِ النجومِ فأعرُجُ

I seek the stars in the dark night and ascend

And I worry about joining the stars and swerve.

وأضلَّ في لَيلِ الغوايةِ والهوى

وبياضُ شَيبي فجرُهُ يتبلّجُ

I go astray in the night of temptation and passion

While the dawn of my white hair gleams.

ما كُنتُ أوّلَ مُدْنَفٍ بفؤادِه

لعِبَ الهَوى وسَباهُ طَرْفٌ أدْعَجُ

I was not the first lovelorn with a heart

Played with by a glance and deceived by a gaze.

وإلامَ تُطمِعُني الحِسانُ بوصلِها

وعُهودُهنّ قضيةٌ لا تُنتَجُ

Why does she give me hope of union

While their vows are a matter concluded?

وأقولُ إنّ الدهرَ يسْمحُ باللِّقا

ونَوى الأحبّةِ كُربةٌ لا تُفرَجُ

And I say that time makes lawful meeting

But the intent of loved ones is unsolvable anguish.

تعِسَ الزّمانُ وليسَ فيه منظرٌ

حسنٌ إذا جرّبْتَهُ لا يسمُجُ

Misery to the times that hold no charming scene

Good when tested that does not turn hostile.

هل فيه للظّنِّ الجميلِ معرَّسٌ

أو للقوافي السائِراتِ معرَّجُ

Is there in it a lover for beautiful supposition

Or open roads for traveling rhymes?

همدَتْ مرابعُه فليس به سوى

مَغنى عليٍّ روضةٌ تتأرّجُ

Its pastures have calmed so there remains

Only the singing of Aali, a garden that flourishes.

غيثٌ إذا ما النّبْتُ صوّحَ والكَلا

أولى ووجهُ الأرضِ لا يتدجّجُ

A rain, when vegetation cheers and the land,

Becomes ugly and its face does not cloak.

أنّى أتيتَ ربوعَهُم فرِياضُها

خُضْرٌ ووُرْقُ المَكرُماتِ تثجّجُ

How did you come upon their meadows, so its greenery

Is verdant and the leaves of generosity overflow?

قاسَ الأنامُ به الغمامَ وما يروا

أنّ الغَمامَ بجُودِه يتسرّجُ

People compared it to the clouds, but they did not see

That the clouds by its generosity dress.

لو في سِباخِ الأرضِ يمطُرُ كفُّهُ

بالتِبْرِ فيها نوّرَ الفَيروزَجُ

If its palm were to rain gems on the earth

It would illuminate carnelian in it and make it flow.

خُلِقَ النّدى خُلُقاً له فإنِ اِدّعى

فيهِ سواهُ فأحْولٌ يتغنّجُ

The dew was created to belong to it, so if

Another claims it, he is most unjust and petty.

أفديهِ بالمتصنّعينَ فإنّهم

ماءٌ عليهِ طُحلُبٌ يتفَلْذَجُ

I would sacrifice the pretenders for him, for they

Are water with algae floating over it.

يا منْ أظلَّ الرّزْقُ ملكَ بَنانِه

فيها إليه بكلِّ حظٍّ منهَجُ

O you whom sustenance has shaded with its building,

To it, incline with every share of determination.

جُمِعَتْ به مِيمُ الكِرامِ فأصبحَتْ

لُجَجاً بعَشْرِ بنانِه يتخلّجُ

In it the letters M and K of generosity are joined

So it became a gulf with its building gushing forth.

سمْحٌ إذا ما الدّهرُ أصبحَ كالحاً

منهُ تبلّجَ فيه وجهٌ أبْلجُ

It is easy when the times become harsh

By it the face lightens when gloomy.

هو للعُلا زنْدٌ وللدنيا إذا

ما اِسودّتْ الأيّامُ خدٌّ أنعَجُ

It is power for the highs and for the lows of life

A cheek that smiles when days turn ashen.

دعْ عنكَ أخبارَ الكِرامِ فإنّه

هو زُبدةٌ يَكفيكَها ونَموذَجُ

Leave aside the news of the generous for it

Is sufficient essence and an exemplar.

عَذُبَتْ مواردُه وطاب فمَنُّه

بالمَنِّ عندَ الوِردِ لا يتأجّجُ

Its springs are sweet and its mouth wholesome

With bounty at watering, it does not boil.

بصفاتِه كم ضلّ عقلٌ واِهتدى

بضيائِه في الليلِ سارٍ مُدلِجُ

Many minds have gone astray by its traits

And by its light are guided at night traveling.

قبَسٌ يهزُّ خليجَ فولاذٍ به

غَرْقى النّفوسِ الخائِناتِ تلجّجُ

A spark that shakes the gulf of steel

Drowning the insidious souls and troubling.

يجتازُ ريحُ السُخطِ فيه فيلْتَظي

ويمرّ برْدُ العَفوِ فيه فيثلُجُ

The wind of anger passes by it and freezes

And the cold of pardon passes and snows.

رضعَ الرّدى حتّى ترشّح جسمُه

لبَناً فأصبح فوقَهُ يترجْرَجُ

It suckled malice until its body oozed

Milk, so over it dashes and bubbles.

تُمسي الأسودُ على الثّرى صرعى إذا

شهِدَتْ نِمالَ الموتِ فيه تَدْرُجُ

The black falls dead on the ground when

Witnessing its death struggles marching.

بطلٌ أسنّتُهُ تنضْنَضُ بالسَّنا

منهنّ ألسنةُ الرّدى وتلجْلَجُ

A hero whose grinders crunch with the arrows

From which the grinders of evil stammer and tremble.

فيه تثقّفتِ الرّماحُ فأوشكَتْ

تنسابُ من يدِه القَناةُ فتخْلجُ

In it the spears are sharpened so they nearly

Leak from its hand and convulse.

وتَشحّذَتْ بيضُ السيوفِ بعزمِه

فمضَتْ وكادَ كَهامُها يتسرّجُ

And the swords are honed with its determination

So they depart, and their edges nearly ignite.

تلقى عوامِلُها الجُموعَ إذا سَطا

فكأنّها ألِفاتُ وَصْلٍ تُدْرَجُ

Its wonders meet the throngs when it attacks

As if they are cords of union unraveling.

آباؤهُ حُجَجُ الإله وحَجّهُ

فرضٌ على ذي حاجةٍ يتحوّجُ

Its forefathers are proofs of God and its Hajj

A duty upon one in need bumbling.

من عِترةٍ في جودِهم ووجودِهم

أمِنَ الوَرى نُوَبَ الزّمانِ وأبلَجوا

From a lineage by whose generosity and existence

The people became safe from the woes of time, and they straightened.

رهْطٌ بهِم طابَتْ وزادَتْ يثرِبٌ

شرَفاً وعزّتْ أوسُها والخزرَجُ

A folk by whom Yathrib gained goodness

And its Aus increased in nobility and its Khazraj.

لو يُقسمُ الدّاعي بهم يوماً على

صُمّ الجِبالِ لأقبلَتْ تتخزلَجُ

If on a day the supplicant swore by them to

The deaf mountains, they would lean and shake.

ركبوا الخُطوبَ وألجموها بالظُّبا

فلهُم جوامحُها تُراضُ وتُسْرَجُ

They mounted adversities and defeated them with the lions

So their courage for them accepts and mobilizes.

قرنوا السّماحةَ بالشجاعةِ مثلَ ما

بالعفوِ قد خلطوا العَفافَ وأدمَجوا

They combined generosity with bravery just as

With chastity they mixed propriety and consolidated.

وتفرّدوا بالحَمْدِ إلّا أنّهُمْ

شفَعوا فُرادى المَكرُماتِ وزوّجوا

And singled out praise, except that they

Paired each of the virtues and coupled.

يا منْ إذا حدّثْتُ عنهُ بأنّه

بحرٌ فلا أخشى ولا أتحرّجُ

O you, if I say he is an ocean, I do not fear

Or hesitate to exaggerate and breach.

إن قيلَ مِشكاةٌ فرأيُكَ نيّرٌ

أو قيلَ مرآةٌ فذِهنُك أسرَجُ

If it is said a lantern, your view is brilliant,

Or if a mirror, your mind is most capacious.

أنّى تُجارى في الكمال وإنّما

لُقمانُ في المِضمارِ خلفَك أعرَجُ

How can you compete in perfection when

Luqman in your track is the lame and limping?

فرّجْتَ ضيقَ المُشكلاتِ بفكرةٍ

في السُّمِّ يُمكِنُها لرَضْوى تولِجُ

You relieved the narrowness of problems with a thought

Through which agreement finds a way to penetrate.

لا زِلْتَ خيرَ أبٍ لأبناءِ الرّجا

وطريقَ رزقٍ بابُه لا يُرتَجُ

You remain the best father to the children of goodwill

And path of sustenance whose gate does not shut.

فاِنعَم بأجرِ الصّومِ واِبقَ بنعمةٍ

تُغلي صُدورَ الحاسدينَ وتوهِجُ

So enjoy the reward of fasting, and remain in bounty

That boils the chests of enviers and ignites.

واِبهَج بعيدٍ أنت أسنى غُرّة

منه وأبهى في القلوبِ وأبهَجُ

And delight in an Eid whose eldest branch you are

The most beautiful in hearts and dazzling.

واِرْفُلْ مدى الأيّامِ في حُلَلِ الثّنا

فنَداكَ يُسديها وفِكري ينسُجُ

And stroll the expanse of days wearing garments of intimacy

For your activity to drape them and your mind to weave.