مَهْرَجَانَ القَصيد " غَنِّ قَصِيْدِي

بَيْنَ زُهْرِ المُنَى وحُلْوِ النَّشِيدِ

Sing my poem

Between the blossoms of wishes and the sweet melody

فالمَعَاني انتَقَيْتُها مِنْ جِنَانٍ

والهَوَى صُغْتُه مَآثِرَ صيدِ

I have picked its meanings from gardens

And inspired its passion from the feats of the hunter

والقَوَافِي كَأَنها عَبَقُ الرَّوْ

ضِ وَنفْحُ الوُرُودِ بَيْنَ الوُرُودِ

And its rhymes are like the scent of flowers

And the blooming roses’ fragrance among the roses

هَاهَنا نَفْحَةٌ مِنَ الأَمَلِ الحُلْـ

ـو وفَيْضٌ من خَيره الْممدُودِ

And an overflowing of its endless goodness

And a meeting swirling with light, enriching

وَلقَاءٌ يَمُوْجُ بالنُّورِ يَجْلو

مَكرُمَات ِ البَيَانِ دَفْقَ الجُودِ

The beauties of rhetoric with generosity’s flow

“Come on my nightingale”, for how many friends

إِيْهِ " لَكْنُو " فَكَمْ ضَمَمْتِ نَديًّا

مِنْ شُيُوخٍ وَمِنْ شَبابٍ نَجيْدِ

Of elders and fine youth have you brought together

O tenderness of passion and cordial affection

يَا حَنانَ الهَوَى وصَفْوَ ودادٍ

غَرِّدي مِنْ قَصِيدِك المَعْهُودِ

Sing from your familiar poem

Adorn your wealthy home with passion, with glory,

زَيِّني دَارَكِ الغَنيَّةَ بالشَّوْ

ق ، بِمَجْدٍ ، بِمَلحَمَات الجُدُودِ

With the epics of the ancestors

How I called upon the poem from a teardrop of humiliation

كَمْ دَعَوْتُ القَصِيدَ من دَمْعَة الذُلِّ

فَأَلْوَى إلى مَكَانٍ بَعيدِ

But it turned to a distant place

How I looked in the paths of disgrace

كمْ تَلَفَّتُّ في دُرُوب هَوَانٍ

وَحَوَالَيَّ ألفُ خَطْوٍ شريدِ

And around me a thousand steps astray

With remnants of caravans torn apart

وَبقَايَا قَواَفِلٍ مَزَّقَتْها

عَضّةُ الرِّيح والتطامُ النُّجُودِ

By the biting wind and impetuous squalls

Crowding the roads, ruins

زَحَمَتْها عَلَى الدُّرُوب زَوَايا

وَرَمَتْها في غَيْهَبٍ وسُدُودِ

And throwing them into obscured, blocked valleys

The flowers of rhyme slipped from my hands

أَفْلَتَتْ مِنْ يَدَيَّ زُهْرُ القوَافي

وَنَأى اللحْنُ في بطونِ البيْدِ

And the tune distanced itself in the expanse of the desert

And the meanings were scattered in the sky

وَالمَعَاني تَنَاثَرَتْ في فَضَاءٍ

واخْتَفَتْ خَلْفَ أُفْقِهِ المسْدُودِ

And disappeared behind its blocked horizon

The poem’s pride suns away from disgrace

كِبْرياءُ القَصِيدِ يَشْمُسُ عَنْ ذُلٍّ

ويَنْأَى عَن الهَوَى والجُحودِ

And distances itself from passion and denial

In it is honor, it is the literature of Islam

عِزّةٌ فِيه ، إِنَّهُ أدَبُ الإِسْـ

ـلاَمِ غَرْسُ الإِيمانِ ، رَيُّ العُهودِ

The planting of faith, the watcher of pacts

O pillar of the poem, raised by truth

يَا إِبَاءَ القَصِيدِ يَرْفَعُهُ الصّدْ

قُ فَيَرْقَى إلى مَطَافِ خُلُودِ

So it rises to the highest place of immortality

It does not lower itself to passion

لاَ يَسِفُّ الهَوَى وَلاَ يَهْبطُ الحسُّ

وَلاَ ينحني لعَضّ قُيودِ

Nor bow down to the biting of shackles

The nobility of speech is from the guidance of truth

شَرَفُ القَوْلِ مِنْ هُدَى الحقِ

وسِحْرُ البَيَانِ بالتَوْحيدِ

And the magic of rhetoric is in Oneness

A literature that is quenched at it

أَدَبٌ يَرْتَوي البَيَانُ لَدَيه

مِنْ حَديثٍ ، مِنَ الكتاب المَجيدِ

From a hadith, from the Glorious Book

Its fragrant wood is so desired

رَفَّ بالطَّيْبِ عُودُهُ فَتَمنَّى

كُلُّ رَوْضٍ نَدَاوَةً مِنْ عُودِ

That every garden wished for its fresh fragrance

It spreads precious gems over the lands

يَنْشُرُ الجَوْهَرَ الكَرِيْم عَلَى الدَّهْـ

ـرِ غَنِيّاً باللؤلؤ المنضودِ

Rich with strung pearls

So the inspired poet came

فأتى الشاعرُ المدلُّ عليه

صاغه من أساورٍ و عقودِ

And formed it into bracelets and necklaces

The swaying beauties wished for

فَتَمَنَّتْ مُهَفْهَفَاتُ الغَوَاني

حِلْيَةً حَوْلَ مِعْصَمٍ أَوْجِيدِ

An ornament around a delicate wrist

It is the rustling of dew on the sleek leaf

هُوَ رَفُّ النَّدَى عَلَى الوَرَق اليَا

بِسِ يَهْتَزُّ في رَبيعٍ جَدِيدِ

Shaking in a new spring

It is the pulsation of strings with a beautiful melody

هُوَ خَفْقُ الأوْتَارِ بالنَّغَم الحَا

نيْ عَلَى بَهْجَةٍ وَفَرْحَةِ عِيدِ

To the joy and happiness of Eid

It is the blooming youth of the devout and a longing

هُوَ زَهْوُ الصِّبَا التَّقيِّ وَشَوْقٌ

مَنْ عَفافٍ وَزِيْنَةٌ في بُرُودِ

Of chastity, and beauty in cool calmness

It is in the universe a sign that glory

هُوَ في الكَوْنِ آيَةٌ حَوَّم المَجْـ

ـدُ عَلَيْهَا رَوائِعاً مِنْ نشيْدِ

Has cast on it wondrous hymns

O tenderness of the poem, o touch of Islam

يَا حَنَانَ القَصيدِ ، يَا لمْسَةَ الإِسْـ

ـلاَم سَلْوَى الحَزين مَأْوى الطَّريدِ

Solace of the sad, refuge of the outcast

O spaciousness of safety, wiping

يَا رِحَابَ الأمَان يَمْسَحُ ذُلاًّ

عَنْ جُفُونٍ وَدَمْعَةً عَنْ خُدُودِ

Humiliation from eyelids and tears from cheeks

O sanctuary that the weak flees to

يَا حِمىً يَفْزَعُ الضَّعِيفُ إليْهِ

فإذَا فيه قُوَّةٌ مِنْ أُسُودِ

Where he finds might from lions

O song of the poor in the path of truth

يا غَنَاءَ الفَقِير في مَنْهَج الحق

وَفي دَرْبِهِ الأمِين الرَّشيدِ

And on his loyal, guided road

O blessing of man carrying from it

يا لَنُعْمَى الإِنسَانِ يَحْمِلُ مِنْهُ

مِشْعَلاً شَقَّ مِنْ لَيَالٍ سُوْدِ

A torch that pierced through dark nights

Passion fluttered and chose from it

رَفْرَفَ الشَّوْقُ فانْتَقَى أَدَبُ الإِسـ

ـلاَمِ مِنْهُ قُمْريَّةَ التَغْريدِ

Islam’s literature, the moonlike warbling

And love granted in it the greatest verse

وَهَبَ الحُبُّ عِنْدَه الآيَةَ الكُبْـ

ـرى وأَغْنَى قُدْسِيَّةَ التَرْدِيد

And enriched the holiness of chanting

“There is no god but He”

فَهُوَ الله لاَ إله سِواهُ

هِيَ أَعْلَى هَوىً وَأَحْلى نَشِيدِ

Is the highest passion and sweetest poem

Return, O seasons, our majesty’s splendor

رَجِّعي يَا دُنا جَلاَلَ هَوَانا

واسْجُدي وانْعَمي بهذا السُّجودِ

And prostrate and enjoy this bowing

I am a slave of God—how great is love

أنا عَبْدٌ لله مَا أَعظَمَ الحُبَّ

ـب وَ أَغْنَاهُ باليقيَن الشَّديد

The most enriching with strong conviction

O melodies, o poem of the nights

يَا أَهازِيجُ يَا نَشيدَ اللَّيَالي

رَجِّعي اللحْنَ أَو أعيدي قَصِيدي

Return the tune or repeat my poem

With love I have delight in the days’ mouth

أنا بالحبّ نَشْوَةٌ في فَمِ الدّهْـ

ـرِ وَلْحنٌ مِنَ الهَوَى المنْشُودِ

And a melody of desired passion

O gift of Islam, o breath of faith

يَا عَطَاءَ الإِسْلاَم يَا نَفْحَةَ الإِيـ

ـمَان يَادُرَّةَ العَطَاءِ الفَرِيدِ

O unique pearl of gifts

A literature that blazed in nights with glory

أَدَبٌ شَعَّ في اللّيالي مَعَ العَزْ

م زَكَا عِطْرُهُ دَماً مِنْ شهيدِ

Its fragrance purified with blood of martyrs

How many times did it urge steeds in battlefields

كَمْ جَلاهُ عَلَى المَيادين فُرْسَا

نٌ وَغَنَّتْهُ وَثْبَةٌ مِنْ صِيدِ

And odes sang of its leap, of its hunter

So arise, O masterpieces of poetry, this is an arena

فانْهَضِي يَا رَوَائعَ الشِّعْرِ هذي

سَاحَةٌ زَغْردي لَهَا وَ أَعيدي

Chirp in it, and repeat my poem

You are at the peak of rhetoric, an abundant

أَنْت في ذِرْوَةِ البَيَانِ عَطَاءٌ

زَاخِرٌ بالهُدَى وأَبْحُرُ جُودِ

Gift of guidance and a sea of generosity

O abodes of Islam, gardens raised

يَا دِيِارَ الإِسْلاَمِ جُنَّتْ رُبَاهَا

بَيْنْ عَادٍ مَرَوِّعٍ وَحَسُودِ

Between a terrifying and envious enemy

Unleash your volcanoes, pour lava

أَطْلقي دُونَهُ البَراكِينَ ، صُبِّي

حِمماً ، زَلْزلي القَوَاعِدَ ، مِيْدي

Shake the foundations, raze them

And storm the rage of hurricanes, and rain

وَاعصِفي غَضْبَةَ الأعَاصِير ، وارْمي

فَوْقَهُ مِنْ قَنابلٍ و حَديدِ

On it bombs and iron

I am not the inspired poet if my poetry

لسْتُ بِالشَّاعِرِ المُدِلِّ إذا لَمْ

يَكُ شِعْري قَذَائِفاً مِنْ وَقُودِ

Is not bombs of fuel

And if a sword is sheathed

وَإِذا مَا انْطَوى عَلَى الغِمد سَيْفٌ

أَو خَلاَ السَّاحُ من هَوَى صِنديدِ

Or the battlefield emptied of passions’ iron

My poem will go on the road

سَوفَ يَمْضي عَلَى الطّرِيقِ قَصِيدِي

كالنَّدَى رَفَّ في رَبِيعٍ جَدِيد

Like dew that trembled in a new spring

O man of letters of Islam, where are the palaces

يا أَديبَ الإِسْلامِ أَيْنَ السَّرَايا

نَزَعَتْ عن مَضَاجِعٍ وَ مُهُودِ

That snatched away beds and pillows?

Awoken by lightning bolts of a call

أَيْقَظَتْهَا صَوَاعِقٌ مِنْ نِداءٍ

خاطِفَاتٌ بَقيَّةً مِنْ كُبُودِ

Snatching the remnants of brooding

Melodies rushed them into battle

دَفَعَتْها إلى النِّزَال أَهَازِيْـ

ـجُ فَمَاجَتْ عَلى لهيب النَّشيدِ

Seething with the flames of chanting

Brandishing them over Palestine’s expanse—thundering

وَجَلتْهَا عَلَى بِطَاح " فِلَسْطْيـ

ـنَ " دَويّاً في يَوْمِهَا المَشْهُودِ

On its witnessed day

And over Kabul—the lands roared

وَعَلَى " كَابُلٍ " ، وَزَمْزَمَتِ الأرْ

ضُ لَهِيْباً وَ أَرْعَدَتْ بالجُنُودِ

With fervor and rumbled with armies

The literature of the lost is night and wine

أَدَبُ التَّائِهينَ لَيْلٌ و َخَمْرٌ

بَيْنَ كَأَسٍ مُحطَّمٍ أَوْ غيدِ

Between a shattered cup or a grape vine

When the poem slumbers in the haze of drunkenness

حِينَ يَغْفُو القَصِيدُ في خَدَرِ السُّكْـ

ـرِ لخَصْرٍ مُهَفْهَفٍ وَنُهُودِ

To a swaying waist and nodding bosom

A literature that failed into debauchery and slept

أَدَبٌ ذَلَّ في الفُجُورُ و نَامَتْ

بَيْنَ أحْضَانِهِ جُفُونُ العَبيدِ

Between its arms lay the eyelids of the slaves

They steal away behind the magic of a false motto

يَتَوَارَوْنَ خَلْفَ سِحْرِ شِعَارٍ

كاذبٍ أَوْ زَخَارِفٍ ووُعُودِ

Or decorations and false promises

Name whatever example you wish, for this is

سَمِّ مَا شِئْت مِنْ مِثالٍ فَهَذا

أَدَبُ الضَّائع الشَقيِّ الجَحُودِ

The literature of the misguided, wretched ingrate

It will perish with time, while the literature

سَوفَ يَفنَى مَعَ الزّمَان وَيَبْقَى

أَدَبُ الحقِّ شُعْلَةً في الوُجُودِ

Of truth remains a flame in existence