أما الزمانُ إلى سلمى فقد جَنَحا

وعاد معتذراً من كل ما اجْتَرَحا

Time passed peacefully with Salma,

Repenting for all it had done.

وليس ذاك بصُنْعي بل بصنع فتى

ما زال يُدني بلطف الصنع ما نزحا

Not by my doing, but by a youth

Who soothes with kindness all discord.

مباركُ الوجه ميمونٌ نقيبتُهُ

يُوري الزنادَ بكفَّيه إذا قدحا

Blessed and auspicious is his face,

Striking the flints in his hands when they collide.

به غدوتُ على الأيام مقتدراً

فقد صفحتُ عن الأيام أن صَفحا

Through him I gained power over days gone by,

So I forgave the days all their wrongs.

رفعت منه رفيع الذكر ممتدَحاً

ألفى أباه رفيع الذكر ممتَدحا

I extol his exalted name with praise,

As his father before was extolled with praise,

مُعطىً لسانَ فمٍ معطىً لسان يدٍ

إنْ أجملا فصّلا أو فسَّرا شرَحا

Bestowing a tongue to a generous mouth,

And a generous hand to a tongue.

لو أن عبد الحميد اليوم شاهدَه

لطان بين يديه مُذعِناً وسَحا

If they adorned and elucidated clearly,

Or interpreted and expounded sublimely.

ضربتُ شعري عن الكتَّاب قاطبةً

صفحاً إليه ومثلي نحوَه جَنحا

If Abdul-Hamid saw him today

A sultan would bow before him in awe.

إياه كانت تراعي همتي وله

كانت تصون أديم الوجه والمِدَحا

I have turned my poetry from all writers

With forgiveness to him, and the like of me inclines toward him.

أَتأَرْتُ عيني سوادَ الناس كلِّهِمِ

فما رأيتُ سواه فيهمُ وضَحَا

It was he whom my resolve watched over

And for him my countenance was preserved and eulogized.

يَفْدي أبا الصقر إن قاموا بفديته

قومٌ إذا مَذقوا أفعالَهم صَرحا

I have wearied my eyes with all mankind,

Yet I did not see anyone shine like him.

فرعٌ تفرَّع من شيبانَ شاهقةً

مَنْ ساورتْها أماني نفسِه نجحا

His father would be ransomed if a people

Tasted their own actions - and confessed.

واهتزّ في نَبْعة صمّاء ما عَرفت

سهلاً ولا رَئِمت سيلاً وإن طَفحا

A branch extended from lofty Sheeban,

Those whom its hopes possessed succeeded.

لا تشربَ الماءَ إلا من ذؤابتها

إذا الغمام عليها من علٍ نَضحا

It shook mightily in a barren valley it knew

No plains, and no floods burst forth.

فات المذاكيَّ في بدءٍ وفي عَقِب

سبْقاً إلى الغاية القصوى وما قرِحا

None drink its water but from its wells,

When clouds pour down heavy rain upon it.

فتىً إذا شئت لا جهْلاً ولا سفهاً

كهلاً إذا شئت لا شيباً ولا جَلَحَا

It surpasses trackers at the beginning and end,

Racing to the farthest goal, never stumbling.

فَتَّاهُ شرخٌ شبابيٌّ وكهَّله

حِلمٌ إذ شال حلمٌ ناقصٌ رجَحا

A youth, if I wished, neither ignorant nor impetuous,

A mature man, if I wished, neither aged nor stooped.

في وجهه روضة للحسن مونِقةٌ

ما راد في مثلها طرفٌ ولا سَرحا

His bright youthful vigor complemented

His wisdom when deficient reason tilts the scale.

طَلُّ الحياءِ عليها واقع أبداً

كاللؤلؤ الرطب لو رقرقتَه سَفحا

In his face is a garden of beauty, a paradise,

No glance has ever wished for its like, nor gazed upon its charm.

وجهٌ إذا ما بدت للناس سُنَّتُهُ

كانت محاسنُهُ حَوْلاً لهم سُبَحَا

The cloak of modesty lies upon it eternally

Like liquid pearls, glittering if spilled.

أنا الزعيم لمكحولٍ بغُرَّتِهِ

ألّا يرى بعدها بؤساً ولا ترحا

A face whose traits, when revealed to people,

Make his qualities as clear as daybreak.

ممن إذا ما تعاطى نيل مكرمة

نالت يداه مَنال الطرف ما طمحا

I am the champion of Mak-hool and his valor,

Never to see misery or sadness again.

لو يخطِبُ الشمسَ لم ترغب ببهجتها

عن خير من خطب الأزواجَ أو نكحا

One who, when seeking glory, attains

The goal of eyes’ hope however lofty.

مهما أتى الناسُ من طَول ومن كرمٍ

فإنما دخلوا الباب الذي فتحا

If he sought the sun she would not prefer

Her own brilliance to his excellent courtship.

لاقى الرجالُ غبوقَ المجد فاغتبقوا

منه ولاقَى صبوحَ المجد فاصطبحا

However highly people reach in status or nobility,

They only entered through the door he opened.

خِرقٌ به نشوةٌ من أريحيَّتِهِ

هيهات من منْتشيها أن يقال صحا

Men attained the pinnacle of glory and seized it,

While others attained the dawn of glory and awoke to it.

يعطي المزاحَ ويعطي الجد حقَّهما

فالموتُ إنْ جدَّ والمعروف إن مزحا

In him is an ardor of joy from his compassion

Far from the worn-out soul though he travels long.

ممن إذا كان لاحِي البخلِ يَعذِره

فما يبالي بِلاحي الجود كيف لحى

He gives jest its due and seriousness too,

Be it deathly serious or light playful teasing.

إن قال لا قالها للآمرين بها

ولم يقلْها لمن يستمنِح المِنحا

One who, if the miserly complain to him,

Does not concern himself with the generous, however they are blamed.

يا بُعْد معناه من معنى اللئام إذا

شَحَوْا بلفظة لا أفواههم وشَحا

If he says no, he says it to those who command it,

Not to those begging a gift or favor.

لو لم يزد في بسيط الأرض نائلُهُ

لضاق منها علينا كلُّ ما انفسحا

How far in meaning from the meaning of baseness,

When they are miserly even in one word uttered.

أضحت بجدواه أرضُ الله واسعةً

أضعافَ ما مدَّ منها ربُّها ودَحا

If his reach did not extend across the earth’s expanse,

It would be too narrow for us however it spread.

فلاقحاتُ الأماني قد نُتِجْنَ به

وحائلات الأماني قد طوت لَقَحا

By his efforts God's ample earth expanded,

Multiple folds more than what its Lord flattened and spread.

لو أن أفعاله الحسنى غدت شِيَةً

للمجد ما عَدَتِ التَّحْجيل والقُرحا

Thus hopes burst forth and realized their fruits,

While barriers to hopes folded up their enclosures.

لا تحمدنَّ بليغاً في مدائحه

أفعالُه فسحت في مدحه الفُسَحا

If only his righteous deeds became universally known,

Glorious fame would never cease or diminish.

ولو تجاوزه المُدَّاحُ لم يجدوا

في الأرض عنه ولا في القول مُنتدَحا

Do not praise the eloquence of one who eulogizes him,

For his actions have excelled any praise that is uttered.

بُزُرْجُمُهْرُ بني العباس رُسْتُمهم

جلمود خَطْبَيْن ما صكُّوا به رَضحا

If the praiser exceeded it they would find

No higher ground, neither on earth nor in verse.

ماضي الأداتين من سيف ومن قلم

كبش الكتابة كبش الحرب إن نطحا

The Might of the Abbasids, their pillar,

Like a firm-standing mountain unmoving by any quake.

وافى عُطاردَ والمريخَ مولدُه

فأَعطَياه من الحظَّينِ ما اقترحا

Accomplished equally in sword and in pen,

A ram with pens, a ram with swords when they clash.

لهُ من البأسِ حدٌّ لو أشار به

إلى الحديد على علّاتِهِ فلَحا

His birth synchronized with Mercury and Mars

Each planet granted fortunes when they aligned.

ويُمن رأيٍ ورفقٍ لو مشى بهما

بين الأنيس وبين الجنَّة اصطلحا

In valor he has a limit - if unleashed

Against iron, even mountains would crack.

في كفّه قلم ناهيك من قلم

نُبْلاً وناهيك من كف بها اتشحا

With propitious counsel and wisdom applied,

Peace could be made between foe and dear friend.

يمحو ويثبت أرزاقَ العباد به

فما المقادير إلا ما وحى ومحا

In his hand is a pen - needless to elaborate

Its nobility. And needless to elaborate his capable hand that wields it.

كأنما القلم العُلْويُّ في يده

يُجريه في أيِّ أنحاء الأمور نحا

He ordains and decrees people’s fortunes with it.

Fate merely records what he inspires and dictates.

هذا وإن جمحَت هيجاءُ أَقمحها

نِكْلاً من الشرِّ ما يَكْبَحْ به انكَبحا

As if the Supreme Pen were in his hand,

Guiding affairs wherever they turn and lead.

يغشَى الوغى فترى قوساً ونابلها

إذ لا تزال ترى قوساً ولا قُزَحَا

Even if chaos roused its tumult,

You would see his bow and arrows ready when turmoil erupted.

ذو رميتين مفدَّاتين واحدة

تصمي الرمايا وأخرى تُوصل المِنحا

With two kinds of arrows - one kind

To pierce armor, another to deliver favors.

يغلغل النبل في الدرع التي رُتقت

رتقاً فلو صُبَّ فيها الماءُ ما رشحا

He pierces even fortified armor

As if pouring water - it would never seep through.

ويطعن الطعنة النجلاء يتبعها

شخبٌ دَرير إذا لاقَى الحصى ضَرحا

And he strikes an exemplary blow with his blade,

A peerless strike - when it hits stone it sparks light.

ويضرب الهام ضرباً لا كِفاءَ له

ترى لما طار منه موقعاً طرَحا

And he strikes skulls with such force

Wherever it lands you see it smash and shatter.

لمثل ذلك في الهيجاء من عملٍ

أنحى على الأدواتِ القينُ واجْتَنَحا

For such havoc wreaked in the fray

The skillful bowed out, withdrew, and fled.

يصول منه بمن عادَى خليقتَهُ

وَرْدُ السِّيالِ ترى في لونه صَبَحَا

He attacks his enemies with the ferocity

Of a raging flood - its currents like morning dawn.

ليثٌ إذا زأر الليث الهِزَبْر له

لم يحسب الليثَ إلا ثعلباً ضَبحا

A lion, when it roars, the hissing viper

Would think it not a lion, but only a howling fox.

عادَى فبادى العدا فيه عداوتَه

ولم يُخافتْ بها نجواه بل صدحا

He opposed and destroyed enmity itself within them,

Unafraid to meet their menace, but boldly engaging it.

وقال إذ قعقعوا شَنَّ الوعيد له

لن يرهبَ الليثُ ضأناً قعقعت وذحا

When they rattled threats he roared:

The lion fears not the bleating of lambs however loud.

يا من إذا ضاقت الأعطانُ في هَنَةٍ

زادت شدائدُها أعطانَه فَيَحا

O you whose gifts exceed in times of scarcity,

While ordeals increase, so too do your gifts overflow.

ليَهْنَأ الملكَ أن أصلحتَ فاسده

وأن حرست من الإفساد ما صلحا

It pleases the King when you repair what is damaged,

And guard what remains whole from future damage.

رددتَهُ جعفريَّ الرأي بعد هوىً

في الواثقيَّة لو لم تثنه جمحا

You restored its correct course after passions ruled,

Even if intrigues had not deflected you head on.

بِيَارَشوخٍ وفتيانٍ لهم قَدَمٌ

فيمن وَفَى لمواليه ومن نصحا

With faithful comrades of seasoned experience,

True to their allegiances, and advising sincerely.

يا رُبَّ رأيٍ صوابٍ قد فتحتَ لهم

لولاك يا فاتح الأبواب ما انفتحا

O Lord of wise and sound counsel you opened to them -

Without you, O Opener of doors, they would not have opened.

ولم تزل معهم في يوم وقعتهم

بالحائنين ونابُ الحرب قد كَلحا

You stood by them on the day their enemies clashed

When the fire of war ignited and blazed fiercely.

حتى أدِلْتُمْ وهبّتْ ريح نصركمُ

وخاب وجه عدو الحق وافتضخا

Until you triumphed and the winds of your victory blew,

While the face of truth's enemy fell and collapsed.

وما بغيتم ولكن كنتمُ فئةً

سقيتمُ من بَغى الكأس التي جَدَحا

You did not oppress, though you were a faction

Who drank from the cup of injustice first poured out.

شهدتُ أن عظيم الترك يومئذٍ

بِيُمنِكَ افتتح الفتحَ الذي فتحا

I testify that the Great Turk on that day

Owed his conquest to your support - a conquest that opened lands.

ما كان إلا كسهمٍ سدَّدته يدٌ

فما تلعثم ذاك السهمُ أن ذبحا

It was like an arrow aimed true by a hand

That released - straight and steady it flew.

بَصَّرْتَهُ رشْدَه في نصر سادته

بضوء رأيك حتى بان فاتضحا

You guided him rightly in supporting his masters

With the light of your wisdom, until the matter was clear as day.

فليشكروا لك أن كابدتَ دونهمُ

تلك الغمارَ التي تُودي بمن سبحا

So let them thank you for enduring for their sake

The intense darkness that destroys whoever is engulfed.

نصرتَهُمْ بلسانٍ صادقٍ ويدٍ

قولاً وصَولاً ولقَّيتَ العدا تَرحا

You supported them with sincere words and actions,

In speech and deed, and you repelled every foe aggressively.

حتى أفأتَ عليهم ظلَّ نعمتهم

عَوداً كما فاء ظلٌّ بعدما مَصحا

Until you restored the shade of their prosperity,

Like the shade that returns after fading away at first light.

ببعض حقك أنْ أصبحت عندهُمُ

مُشاوَرَاً في جسيم الأمر مُنْتَصَحا

By your counsel, though partial, you won their esteem

As an advisor on grave affairs, one they could trust.

أنت الذي ردَّ بعد الله دولتَهم

فليُوفَ كادحُ صدقٍ أجرَ ما كدحا

It was you, after God, who restored their rule,

So let the devoted of sincere loyalty be paid their due.

لولاك ما قام قطب في مُرَكَّبِهِ

أُخرى الليالي ولا دارت عليه رحى

Without you the axis of their power would not stand,

Nor would the millstone continue grinding night and day.

بك استقادتْ مطايا الملك مذعنةً

وأردف الصعبُ منها بعدما رَمَحا

With you the reins of kingdom submitted willingly,

And the intractable were reined in after having bolted off.

نفسي فداؤك يا من لا مؤمِّله

أكْدى ولا مستظِلٌّ في ذَراه ضَحا

I would sacrifice myself for you - for you are without equal,

My aspiration, and my shelter however barren.

لولاك أصبح في بدوٍ وفي حضرٍ

ديوانُ أهلك بين الناس مطَّرَحا

Without you both Bedouin and civilized

Would be equally lost and abandoned amongst people.

أضحى بك الشعر حيّاً بعد مِيتَتِهِ

إلا حُشاشةَ نفسٍ عُلِّقت شبحا

Through you poetry came back to life after dying,

Except for the rabble whose rhymes are but meaningless strains.

لا يسلب الله نعمى أنت لابِسُها

فما مشيتَ بها في أرضه مرحا

God does not take back blessing with which you are clad,

For you have not walked His earth with them vainly.

كم كاشح لك لا تُجدي عداوته

عليه ما عاش إلا الوَريَ والكَشَحا

How many faultfinders there are whose enmity

Does not harm you - may they live only abased and despised!

ممن ينافس في العلياء صاحبَها

ولو تحمَّل أدنى ثِقْلِها دَلحا

One who aspires to supremacy along with its master,

Yet if bearing its lowest burden it would crush and subdue him.

تُعْشِي بضوئك عينيه فَيَنْبَحُهُ

ليَنبَحِ الكلبُ ضوءَ البدر ما نبحا

Your light blinds his eyes causing him to bark,

For dogs will bark at the shining moon however brightly it beams.

لما تبسم عنك المجدُ قلت له

قهقِهْ فلا ثَعَلاً تُبدي ولا قلحا

When glory smiled upon you I said to it: Laugh!

Do not display any snarls or scowling frowns.

أجراك مُجرٍ فما أخزيت حلبته

بل وجه أيِّ جوادٍ سابقٍ سبحا

I have embarked upon this, confident my soul is resolute,

How can I say nonsense and have it be my preface!

قال الإمام وقد درَّت حلوبته

بمثلك استغزَرَ المستغزِرُ اللَّقحا

Rain your bounty on me, it will adorn me with flowers,

For you give life to the parched valley when you blow gently.

أتاك راجيك لا كفٌّ له مَرِنت

على السؤال ولا وجه له وَقُحا

If you rouse me up after I had grown despondent,

You would be raising up a fallen kingdom.

على قَعودٍ صحيح الظهر تامِكِهِ

ما كَلَّ من طولِ تَرْحالٍ ولا طَلحا

It is natural you would raise the lowly and revive them,

And you would shoulder whatever heavy burden they bear.

فانظر إليه بعينٍ طالما ضَرَحتْ

عنها قذى خَلَّة المختل فانضرحا

I imagine you have instilled hope within me,

While you brim over with joy.

فما يُجلِّي الذي تكنى به قنصاً

كما تُجَلِّي ابنَ حاجات إذا سنحا

I praise your abundant gifts that multiplied,

And I found in words to describe them unconfined breadth.

بل طرفُ عينيك أذكى حين تَثْقُبُهُ

للمجد من طرف عينيه إذا لمحا

I say, in answering the questioners about you:

The argument has become clear, no doubt remains.

بك افْتَتحْتُ ونفسي جدّ واثقةٍ

ألا أقول بغبٍّ ساء مفتَتحا

I met one after whom I shall never care again

Whether one is stingy with kindness or generous.

أمطِرْ نداك جنابي يكسُه زهراً

أنت المُحَيَّا بريَّاه إذا نفحا

I have rolled up my scroll filled out by him

And extended it to one generous who will unfurl what was rolled up.

إن أنت أنهضت حالي بعدما رزَحتْ

فأنت أنهضت ملكاً بعدما رزحا

His hands poured forth until when free of need,

Like two seas surging at full tide then settling calm.

لا بِدْع أن تُنْهِضَ الرَّزْحَى وتُنْعِشَهُمْ

وأن تَحمَّل عنهم كل ما فدحا

He gave openly - his palm spread out

With all it attained. And his chest expanded, relieved.

كأنني بك قد خوّلتني أملي

وأنت جذلانُ مملوءٌ به فرحا

While some givers, when their fingers give generously

Their conscience recoils from what they gave and granted.

أثني عليك بنُعماك التي عَظُمت

وقد وجدت بها في القول منفسَحا

He corrected the blemishes of my life's scroll

Blotting out defects, then made due amends for wounds inflicted.

أقول فيما أجيب السائلين به

أيَّانَ ذلك والبرهان قد وضحا

He was not deaf when I called him loudly

Like those unheeding the voice of a passionate implorer.

لاقيتُ من لا أبالي بعده أبداً

من ضنَّ عني بمعروفٍ ومن سمحا

Far kinder than a furtive glance he darted,

Is the glance of your eyes focused on glory wherever it glimmers.

ألقيتُ سَجْلِيَ منه إذ مَتَحْتُ به

إلى كريم يُرَوِّي سَجْلَ من مَتَحا

Through you I opened at first, my soul determined

I shall say no foolishness to taint my prelude.

فاضت يداه إلى أن خلتُ سَيْبَتها

بحرين جاشا لحين المدِّ فانتطحا

Rain down your bounty - it will adorn me in flowers.

For you give life to the valley however arid it becomes.

وجاد جودين أما الكفُّ فانبسطت

بما أنالَ وأما الصدرُ فانشرحا

If you raise my state after it had grown despondent,

Then you would be raising a fallen kingdom.

ورُبَّ معطٍ إذا جادْت أنامله

ضنَّ الضمير بما أعطى وما منحا

عَفَّى كلومَ زماني ثم قلَّمه

عني فأحفاه ثم اقتصّ ما جرحا

وما تصامم عني إذ هتفتُ به

كالناظرين بصوت الهاتف البَحَحا

يا عائفَ الطيرِ من طلّاب نائله

لايُثْنِيَنَّك عنه بارحٌ بَرَحا

عِفِ الثَّناء الذي تُثني عليه به

ولا تَعِف باكراتِ الطير والرَّوَحَا

فإن قَصْرك أن تلقى بعَقْوته

بحراً من العُرف لا كَدْراً ولا نزحا

إذا الوَنَى قيَّد الحَسْرى وعقَّلها

فيمَّمَتْهُ استفادت في الخطا رَوَحا