يا دارُ ما فَعَلَت بِكِ الأَيّامُ
ضامَتكِ وَالأَيّامُ لَيسَ تُضامُ
O abode, what have the days done to you?
They ravaged you, though time itself is never ravaged.
عَرَمَ الزَمانُ عَلى الَّذينَ عَهِدتُهُم
بِكِ قاطِنينَ وَلِلزَمانِ عُرامُ
Time has turned fierce against those I once knew,
Who dwelt within you—for time indeed has a fierce bite.
أَيّامَ لا أَغشى لِأَهلِكِ مَنزِلاً
إِلّا مُراقَبَةً عَلَيَّ ظَلامُ
Days when I would not approach your people’s home
Except in secret, with the darkness watching over me.
وَلَقَد نَهَزتُ مَعَ الغُواةِ بِدَلوِهِم
وَأَسَمتُ سَرحَ اللَهوِ حَيثُ أَساموا
I have pulled the bucket alongside the wayward souls,
And grazed the herd of pleasure wherever they grazed.
وَبَلَغتُ ما بَلَغَ اِمرُؤٌ بِشَبابِهِ
فَإِذا عُصارَةُ كُلُّ ذاكَ أَثامُ
I attained everything a man can attain in his youth,
And behold, the extract of all that is but sin.
وَتَجَشَّمَت بي هَولَ كُلِّ تَنوفَةٍ
هَوجاءَ فيها جُرأَةٌ إِقدامُ
A she-camel bore me through the terrors of every wasteland,
A spirited beast, possessed of boldness and drive.
تَذَرُ المَطِيَّ وَرائَها فَكَأَنَّها
صَفٌّ تَقَدَّمَهُنَّ وَهيَ إِمامُ
She leaves the other mounts behind her, as if she were
A row of prayer, and she the Imam leading them.
وَإِذا المَطِيُّ بِنا بَلَغنَ مُحَمَّداً
فَظُهورُهُنَّ عَلى الرِجالِ حَرامُ
And when our mounts convey us to Muhammad,
Their backs become forbidden for men to ride ever again.
قَرَّبنَنا مِن خَيرِ مَن وَطِئَ الحَصى
فَلَها عَلَينا حُرمَةٌ وَذِمامُ
They brought us near to the best of those who tread on pebbles,
So they hold a sacred right and a covenant over us.
رُفِعَ الحِجابُ لَنا فَلاحَ لِناظِرٍ
قَمَرٌ تَقَطَّعُ دونَهُ الأَوهامُ
The veil was lifted for us, and there appeared to the beholder
A moon before whom all illusions are cut away.
مَلِكٌ إِذا عَلِقَت يَداكَ بِحَبلِهِ
لا يَعتَريكَ البُؤسُ وَالإِعدامُ
A king—if your hands cling to his rope,
Neither misery nor destitution will ever afflict you.
مَلِكٌ تَوَحَّدَ بِالمَكارِمِ وَالعُلى
فَردٌ فَقيدُ النِدِّ فيهِ هُمامُ
A king unique in noble traits and high station,
Singular, without peer, a heroic chief.
مَلِكٌ أَغَرُّ إِذا شَرِبتَ بِوَجهِهِ
لَم يَعدُكَ التَبجيلُ وَالإِعظامُ
A radiant king; if you toast to his countenance,
Reverence and magnification will not pass you by.
فَالبَهوُ مُشتَمِلٌ بِبَدرِ خِلافَةٍ
لَبِسَ الشَبابَ بِنورِهِ الإِسلامُ
For the court is encompassed by the full moon of the Caliphate;
Through his light, Islam has donned the robe of youth.
سَبطُ البَنانِ إِذا اِحتَبى بِنِجادِهِ
فَرَعَ الجَماجِمَ وَالسِماطُ قِيامُ
Generous of hand; when he sits wearing his sword-belt,
He towers over the heads while the ranks stand in attendance.
إِنَّ الَّذي يَرضى الإِلَهُ بِهَديِهِ
مَلِكٌ تَرَدّى المُلكَ وَهوَ غُلامُ
Verily, he with whose guidance God is pleased
Is a king who donned the mantle of sovereignty while still a lad.
مَلِكٌ إِذا اِعتَسَرَ الأُمورَ مَضى بِهِ
رَأيٌ يَفَلُّ السَيفَ وَهوَ حُسامُ
A king who, when matters grow difficult, presses on
With a judgment that dulls the sword, though it be sharp.
داوى بِهِ اللَهُ القُلوبَ مِنَ العَمى
حَتّى أَفَقنَ وَما بِهِنَّ سَقامُ
Through him, God cured hearts of their blindness,
Until they recovered, bearing no sickness within.
أَصبَحتَ يا اِبنَ زُبَيدَةَ اِبنَةِ جَعفَرٍ
أَمَلاً لِعَقدِ حِبالِهِ اِستِحكامُ
You have become, O son of Zubaida, daughter of Ja'far,
A hope whose cords are knotted fast and firm.
فَسَلِمتَ لِلأَمرِ الَّذي تُرجى لَهُ
وَتَقاعَسَت عَن يَومِكَ الأَيّامُ
May you remain safe for the destiny for which you are hoped,
And may the days hold back from bringing your final day.
