سر يا أُسامةُ ما لجيشكَ هَازِمُ
أنت الأميرُ وإن تعتَّب وَاهِمُ
Go slowly, O Usama, what ails your defeated army?
You are the prince, even if the blamers reproach.
قالوا غلامٌ للكتائبِ قائدٌ
وفتىً على الصَّيدِ الخضارمِ حَاكمُ
They said a lad leads the battalions,
And a youth rules the green hunt.
غَضِبَ النبيُّ وقال إنّي بالذي
جَهِلَ الغِضابُ السّاخطونَ لعالِمُ
The Prophet grew angry and said: It is I
Whom the angry blamers in their ignorance blame.
إن يجهلوهُ فقد عَرفتُ مَكانَهُ
والعدلُ عِندي لا محالةَ قائِمُ
If they are ignorant of him, I have known his place,
And justice is firmly established with me.
ولئن رموه بما يسوءُ فقد رموا
مِن قبلُ والدَه ولَجَّ النّاقِمُ
And if they cast at him what does ill, they had
Cast before at his father, and the avenger took note.
نقموا الإمارَةَ فيهما وهُما لها
أهلٌ فكلٌّ أحوذِيٌّ حازِمُ
They resented authority in them, yet they are worthy of it.
Each is cautious, resolute, and decisive.
الخيرُ فيه وفي أبيهِ فآمِنوا
يا قومُ وَانْطلِقوا لما أنا عازِمُ
Good is in him and in his father, so trust,
O people, and set out toward what I have resolved.
ساروا وظَلَّ مع النبيِّ خَليلُه
والخطبُ بينهما مُقِيمٌ جاثِمُ
They marched off, and his bosom friend remained with the Prophet,
And worry stood between them, crouching,
يَنتابُ مَضجَعَهُ وينظرُ ما الذي
صنعَ القضاءُ فَهَمُّه مُتراكِمُ
Assailing his couch, and he looked to see what
Fate had done, and his cares accumulated,
مَرضُ النبيِّ طَغَى عليه فَقلبُه
يَغشاهُ مَوجٌ للأسى مُتلاطِمُ
The sickness of the Prophet grew strong over him, so his heart
Was inundated by a surge of grief, churning,
ودَرَى أسامةُ فانثنَى في جيشهِ
والحزنُ طامٍ والدُّموعُ سَواجِمُ
And Usama saw, so he folded up with his army,
While sorrow was overwhelming, and the tears unstoppable.
مات الرّسولُ المجتبى ماتَ الذي
أحيا نُفُوسَ الناسِ وَهْيَ رَمائِمُ
The chosen Prophet died. Dead is he who
Gave life to people's souls when they were decaying.
مات الرسولُ فكلُّ أُفقٍ عابسٌ
أسفاً عليه وكلُّ جَوٍّ قَاتِمُ
The Prophet died! So every horizon frowned,
Grieving for him, and every atmosphere turned gloomy.
مات الذي شَرَعَ الحياةَ كريمةً
والنّاسُ شرٌّ والحياةُ مآثِمُ
Dead is he who prescribed life honorable,
While people are evil and life blameworthy.
مات الذي كانت عجائبُ طِبّهِ
تَشفِي العُقولَ وداؤُها مُتفاقِمُ
Dead is he whose wonders of goodness
Healed minds and their chronic illnesses grew worse.
طَاشتْ لمصرعِهِ عُقولٌ رُجَّحٌ
وَوَهَتْ قُوىً مشدودةٌ وعَزائِمُ
For his death, minds inclined to justice lost balance
And powers drawn taut went limp.
دنيا الممالكِ بعد عصرِ مُحمّدٍ
حُزْنٌ يُجدَّدُ والعصورُ مَآتِمُ
After Muhammad's era the world of kingdoms is
Renewed sorrow and the eras gloomy.
صلّى عليكَ اللَّهُ إنّ قضاءَهْ
حَتْمٌ وإنْ زَعَمَ المزاعِمَ حَالِمُ
May God pray upon you! His decree, though blamers claim,
Is certain, be they stubborn.
عادَ ابنُ زيدٍ بالكتائبِ ما لوَى
من عزمِهِ الحَدَثُ الجليلُ العَارِمُ
Ibn Zayd returned with the battalions, their resolve not weakened
By the momentous event, overwhelming and devastating.
يَمشِي الخليفةُ لائذاً بركابِهِ
وكأنَّما هو سائِقٌ أو خادِمُ
The Caliph walked clinging to his stirrup
As if he were a driver or servant.
وأبى الأميرُ فقال دُونَكَ مَركبي
لا تَمْشِ إنّي إن فعلتَ لَغانِمُ
But the Prince refused, saying: Below you is my conveyance.
Do not walk! If you do, I will be ungenerous.
ولئن أبيتَ لأنزلَنَّ كَرامةً
لكَ فاقْضِ أمرَكَ لا نَبَا لَكَ صَارِمُ
And if you refuse, I will dismount out of respect,
So decide your command—no strong opponent thwarts you.
قال الخليفةُ ما أراكَ بِمُنْصِفي
دَعْنِي فللإسلامِ حَقٌّ لازِمُ
The Caliph said: I do not see you as fair.
Let me be! For the Islam has an enduring right.
أنا من جُنودِكَ لو ملكت رأيتني
تحت اللّواءِ فهالكٌ أو سالمُ
I am one of your soldiers—if I ruled I would be beneath the banner.
Ruined or safe, whichever He wills.
قُضِيَ الوَداعُ وعادَ مَشكورَ الخُطَى
يَرعاهُ للإسلامِ رَبٌّ راحِمُ
The farewell was decided, and he returned retracing noble steps,
Guarded for Islam by a Merciful Lord.
سِرْ يا أُسامةُ فالقواضِبُ لم تَمُتْ
هِيَ ما ترى وَهْوَ الجهادُ الدّائِمُ
Go slowly, O Usama! The war mares did not die.
They are what you see, and holy war is eternal.
وإذا البواتِرُ واللهاذِمُ أعوزَتْ
فالمسلمونَ بواترٌ ولهاذِمُ
When the skinny horses and chargers grow weak,
The Muslims are skinny horses and chargers.
يا لاثِمَ القمرِ المنيرِ مُودّعاً
هل كان قبلكَ للكواكبِ لاثمُ
O shameless reproacher of the brilliant moon, farewell!
Did any reproacher kiss the stars before you?
هِيَ يا أخا الشّوقِ المبرِّحِ قُبْلَةً
ما ذَاقَ لذَّتَها مَشُوقٌ هائِمُ
It is, O brother of yearning that makes glad, a kiss
Whose pleasure no longing wanderer has tasted.
ولقد تكونُ وفي حلاوتها أسىً
مُرٌّ مَذاقتُه ووجْدٌ جاحِمُ
It may be—and in its sweetness there is agony—
Bitter in taste, though ecstasy burns.
زلْزِلْ جُنودَ الرُّومِ وَاهْدِمْ مُلكَهُمْ
في عزّهِ العالي فنِعمَ الهادِمُ
Shake the Roman hordes, destroy their kingdom
In its lofty glory! Excellent destroyer!
قتلوا أباك فلا تَدَعْهُمْ وَاعْتَصِمْ
منهم بربّك إنّه لكَ عاصِمُ
They killed your father, so do not leave them be or seek refuge
From them but in your Lord. He will protect you.
ولقد هَزمتَ جُموعَهم فتفرَّقوا
وشَفاكَ منهم جَيْشُكَ المُتلاحِمُ
You routed their masses, and they scattered.
Your cohesive army healed you of them.
وأجَلْتَ خيلكَ في عِراصِ دِيارِهم
وفعلتَ فِعلكَ والأُنوفُ رَواغِمُ
You held back your horses in the meadows of their land,
Did your deed, while they bit their fingers in chagrin,
قتلٌ وأسرٌ هَدَّ من عَزَماتِهم
وأذلَّهم وكذاكَ يُجزَى الظّالِمُ
Killing and capturing undermined their resolve,
Humiliated and disgraced them—thus the wrongdoer is punished.
ولَئِنْ أزلتَ دِيارَهُم ونَخيلَهم
من بَعدِ ما ظلموا فما لكَ لائِمُ
If you plundered their lands and date palms
After they did wrong, you have no blamer.
عُدْ يا ابنَ زيدٍ باللّواءِ مُظفَّراً
وَانْعَمْ فَبالُ مُحمّدٍ بكَ ناعِمُ
Return, O Son of Zayd, victorious with the banner,
And enjoy—Muhammad's camel is haltered for you.
هذا أبو بكرٍ مَشَى في صحبِهِ
يلقاكَ مُبتهِجاً ورَكبُكَ قادِمُ
This is Abu Bakr walking in his company,
Approaching you joyfully as your conveyance arrives.
هُمْ هنَّؤوكَ وأنت أهلٌ للذي
صنعوا وحَسْبُكَ أن يُفيقَ النّائمُ
They congratulated you, and you deserve what
They did, and it suffices that the sleeper awaken.
اشْكُرْ صَنيعَ اللَّهِ يا شيخَ الوغَى
إنّ الذي عابَ الغُلامَ لنادِمُ
Thank the favor of God, O Sheikh of turmoil!
He who blamed the lad will regret it.
حِبَّ الرسولِ لكَ البِشارةُ إنّه
شَرَفٌ له فوقَ النُّجومِ دَعائِمُ
Love of the Prophet—good tidings! For him it is
Glory above the stars' supports.
ماذا يقولُ ذَوُو الحفيظةِ بعد ما
شكَرْت أُميّةُ ما صَنَعْتَ وهاشِمُ
What will the spiteful now say after
Umayya thanked you for what you did, and Hashim?
عفواً فَتِلكَ حَمِيَّةٌ عَربِيَّةٌ
أعيا الأوائلَ عَهدُها المُتقادِمُ
Excuse them—that is old Arab zeal
That exhausted the ancients in eras long past.
للمرءِ من نُورِ الحقائقِ ما يَرى
لا ما تُرِيهِ وساوِسٌ ومَزاعِمُ
Man sees of the light of truths what he sees,
Not what illusions and claims show him.
والنّاسُ عِندَ فِعالِهم إنْ يفعلوا
خَيراً فأحرارُ النّفوسِ أعاظِمُ
And people, when they act, if they do
Good, the nobler souls are greatest.
لا حُكْمَ للأنسابِ أو للسنِّ في
ما قالَ فِيهمِ مادحٌ أو واصِمُ
Lineage and age have no sway in
What praiser or critic says about them.
