اُنظُر إِلى الأَقمارِ كَيفَ تَزولُ
وَإِلى وُجوهِ السَعدِ كَيفَ تَحولُ
Look how the moons fade away,
And how the faces of good fortune change,
وَإِلى الجِبالِ الشُمِّ كَيفَ يُميلُها
عادي الرَدى بِإِشارَةٍ فَتَميلُ
And how the lofty mountains lean
When the returning winds gesture, so they lean.
وَإِلى الرِياحِ تَخِرُّ دونَ قَرارِها
صَرعى عَلَيهِنَّ التُرابُ مَهيلُ
And how the winds blow without stopping,
While dust overwhelms them, abased.
وَإِلى النُسورِ تَقاسَرَت أَعمارُها
وَالعَهدُ في عُمرِ النُسورِ يَطولُ
And how the eagles' lifespans have shortened,
Yet an eagle's lifetime is long.
في كُلِّ مَنزِلَةٍ وَكُلِّ سَمِيَّةٍ
قَمَرٌ مِنَ الغُرِّ السُماةِ قَتيلُ
In every high-ranking position,
A moon of virtues is killed by fate.
يَهوي القَضاءُ بِها فَما مِن عاصِمٍ
هَيهاتَ لَيسَ مِنَ القَضاءِ مُقيلُ
Fate casts them down, none can protect them,
Alas, fate cannot be resisted.
فَتحُ السَماءِ وَنورُها سَكَنا الثَرى
فَالأَرضُ وَلهى وَالسَماءُ ثَكولُ
Heaven's gates opened and its light settled the land,
So the land rejoiced while the sky grieved.
سِر في الهَواءِ وَلُذ بِناصِيَةِ السُها
المَوتُ لا يَخفى عَلَيهِ سَبيلُ
Travel in the air and hold on to the forelocks of horses,
Death knows no obstacle in its path.
وَاِركَب جَناحَ النَسرِ لا يَعصِمكَ مِن
نَسرٍ يُرَفرِفُ فيهِ عِزرائيلُ
Ride on the wings of an eagle, it will not protect you
From an eagle in which flies Azrael.
وَلِكُلِّ نَفسٍ ساعَةٌ مَن لَم يَمُت
فيها عَزيزاً ماتَ وَهوَ ذَليلُ
Each soul has an appointed hour, one who does not die in it,
Dies disgraced though he lived esteemed.
أَإِلى الحَياةِ سَكَنتَ وَهيَ مَصارِعٌ
وَإِلى الأَماني يَسكَنُ المَسلولُ
Have you settled for life though it is full of death,
While dreams occupy the sleeping?
لا تَحفَلَنَّ بِبُؤسِها وَنَعيمِها
نُعمى الحَياةِ وَبُؤسُها تَضليلُ
Do not be distracted by its sorrows or joys,
The bliss and pain of life are but confusion.
ما بَينَ نَضرَتِها وَبَينَ ذُبولِها
عُمرُ الوُرودِ وَإِنَّهُ لَقَليلُ
Between its blossoming and wilting,
Is the lifetime of roses, and it is short indeed.
هَذا بَشيرُ الأَمسِ أَصبَحَ ناعِياً
كَالحُلمِ جاءَ بِضِدِّهِ التَأويلُ
The one who brought good news yesterday is today a mourner,
As if the interpretation has belied the dream.
يَجري مِنَ العَبَراتِ حَولَ حَديثِهِ
ما كانَ مِن فَرَحٍ عَلَيهِ يَسيلُ
Tears flow around his tales,
Where once joy overflowed.
وَلَرُبَّ أَعراسٍ خَبَأنَ مَأتَماً
كَالرُقطِ في ظِلِّ الرِياضِ تَقيلُ
Many a wedding party hides a funeral,
Like a garden's shade conceals snakes.
يا أَيُّها الشُهَداءُ لَن يُنسى لَكُم
فَتحٌ أَغَرُّ عَلى السَماءِ جَميلُ
O you martyrs, you will not be forgotten,
A conquest more splendid than you adorns the sky.
وَالمَجدُ في الدُنيا لِأَوَّلِ مُبتَنٍ
وَلِمَن شُيِّدَ بَعدَهُ فَيُطيلُ
In life, the first pioneer takes the glory,
And whoever comes after lengthens it.
لَولا نُفوسٌ زُلنَ في سُبُلِ العُلا
لَم يَهدِ فيها السالِكينَ دَليلُ
Were it not for souls who went astray on the path of ascension,
No guide would lead the climbers.
وَالناسُ باذِلُ روحِهِ أَو مالِهِ
أَو عِلمِهِ وَالآخَرونَ فُضولُ
While some give their soul, money or knowledge,
Others remain useless.
وَالنَصرُ غُرَّتُهُ الطَلائِعُ في الوَغى
وَالتابِعونَ مِنَ الخَميسِ حُجولُ
Victory prides itself on its vanguards in battle,
While the camp followers trail behind like sheep.
كَم أَلفُ ميلٍ نَحوَ مِصرَ قَطَعتُم
فيمَ الوُقوفُ وَدونَ مِصرٍ ميلُ
How many thousands of miles towards Egypt you traveled!
Why stop when Egypt is but a mile away?
طوروسُ تَحتَكِمُ ضَئيلٌ طَرفُهُ
لَمّا طَلَعتُم في السَحابِ كَليلُ
Your wings humble Mount Toros,
When you ascended the clouds like the new moon.
تَرخونَ لِلريحِ العِنانَ وَإِنَّها
لَكُم عَلى طُغيانِها لَذَلولُ
You relinquish the reins to the winds, though they
Are submissive to you in their rebellion.
اِثنَينِ اِثرَ اِثنَينِ لَم يَخطُر لَكُم
أَنَّ المَنِيَّةَ ثالِثٌ وَزَميلُ
Two and two you marched, unaware that death
Would be a third companion.
وَمِنَ العَجائِبِ في زَمانِكَ أَن يَفي
لَكَ في الحَياةِ وَفي المَماتِ خَليلُ
Among the wonders of your time is that you found
In life and death a faithful friend.
لَو كانَ يُفدى هالِكٌ لَفَداكُمُ
في الجَوِّ نَسرٌ بِالحَياةِ بَخيلُ
If one destined to die could be ransomed,
The eagles in the sky would be stingy with life.
أَيُّ الغُزاةِ أُلي الشَهادَةِ قَبلَكُم
عَرضُ السَماءِ ضَريحُهُم وَالطولُ
Which conquerors have approached martyrdom before you?
Their graves are the sky's expanse and its horizons.
يَغدو عَلَيكُم بِالتَحِيَّةِ أَهلُها
وَيُرَفرِفُ التَسبيحُ وَالتَهليلُ
Its inhabitants greet you each morning
With glorification and praise.
إِدريسُ فَوقَ يَمينِهِ رَيحانَةٌ
وَيَسوعُ فَوقَ يَمينهِ إِكليلُ
Idris with a basil plant above his right,
And Jesus with a wreath above his right.
في عالَمٍ سُكّانُهُ أَنفاسُهُم
طيبٌ وَهَمسُ حَديثِهِم إِنجيلُ
In a world whose inhabitants' breaths are sweet,
And the whispers of their talk are the Gospels.
إِنّي أَخافُ عَلى السَماءِ مِنَ الأَذى
في يَومِ يُفسِدُ في السَماءِ الجيلُ
I fear for the sky from harm,
On a day when the generation corrupts the sky.
كانَت مُطَهَّرَةَ الأَديمِ نَقِيَّةً
لا آدَمٌ فيها وَلا قابيلُ
It used to be immaculate, untouched,
With no Adam or Cain in it.
يَتَوَجَّهُ العاني إِلى رَحَماتِها
وَيَرى بِها بَرقَ الرَجاءِ عَليلُ
The weary turns to its mercies,
And the ailing sees in it the light of hope.
وَيُشيرُ بِالرَأسِ المُكَلَّلِ نَحوَها
شَيخٌ وَبِاللَحظِ البَريءِ بَتولُ
The crowned old man gestures toward it,
As does the innocent-eyed virgin.
وَاليَومَ لِلشَهَواتِ فيها وَالهَوى
سَيلٌ وَلِلدَمِ وَالدُموعِ مَسيلُ
But today it harbors lusts and desires -
A torrent, and for blood and tears, a channel.
أَضحَت وَمِن سُفُنِ الجَواءِ طَوائِفٌ
فيها وَمِن خَيلِ الهَواءِ رَعيلُ
Fleets of airships circle it,
And from the air, hordes of horses.
وَأُزيلَ هَيكَلُها المَصونُ وَسِرُّهُ
وَالدَهرُ لِلسِرِّ المَصونِ مُذيلُ
Its protected temple and secret are gone,
And time strips bare the secret.
هَلِعَت دِمَشقُ وَأَقبَلَت في أَهلِها
مَلهوفَةً لَم تَدرِ كَيفَ تَقولُ
Damascus panicked, and desperately
Rushed to her people, not knowing what to say.
مَشَتِ الشُجونُ بِها وَعَمَّ غِياطَها
بَينَ الجَداوِلِ وَالعُيونِ ذُبولُ
Sorrows walked her streets, and her wailing
Spread among the rivers and springs, withering them.
في كُلِّ سَهلٍ أَنَّةٌ وَمَناحَةٌ
وَبِكُلِّ حَزنٍ رَنَّةٌ وَعَويلُ
In every plain are groans and laments,
With every grief, cries and wailing.
وَكَأَنَّما نُعِيَت أُمَيَّةُ كُلُّها
لِلمَسجِدِ الأَمَوِيِّ فَهوَ طُلولُ
As if all Umayyad Damascus were mourning
The Umayyad Mosque, for it is her towering knight.
خَضَعَت لَكُم فيهِ الصُفوفُ وَأُزلِفَت
لَكُمُ الصَلاةُ وَقُرِّبَ التَرتيلُ
In it, the rows bow down to you and prayers are brought near for you,
And recitals and chanting draw close.
مِن كُلِّ نَعشٍ كَالثُرَيّا مَجدُهُ
في الأَرضِ عالٍ وَالسَماءِ أَصيلُ
From each coffin, its glory is like myrrh in the earth -
Lofty, while in the sky, rooted.
فيهِ شَهيدٌ بِالكِتابِ مُكَفَّنٌ
بِمَدامِعِ الروحِ الأَمينِ غَسيلُ
In it lies a martyr shrouded in the Book,
Washed with the tears of the Trustworthy Spirit.
أَعوادُهُ بَينَ الرِجالِ وَأَصلُهُ
بَينَ السُهى وَالمُشتَري مَحمولُ
His pillars are between the men, while his roots
Are between the praised ones, and He is borne witness to.
يَمشي الجُنودُ بِهِ وَلَولا أَنَّهُم
أَولى بِذاكَ مَشى بِهِ جِبريلُ
The soldiers carry him, and were it not for their precedent,
Gabriel would have carried him.
حَتّى نَزَلتُم بُقعَةً فيها الهَوى
مِن قَبلُ ثاوٍ وَالسَماحُ نَزيلُ
Until you reached a spot where desires
And hospitality once lodged.
عَظُمَت وَجَلَّ ضَريحُ يوسُفَ فَوقَها
حَتّى كَأَنَّ المَيتَ فيهِ رَسولُ
The grave of Joseph loomed over it,
As if the deceased in it were a messenger.
شِعري إِذا جُبتَ البِحارَ ثَلاثَةً
وَحَواكَ ظِلٌّ في فُروقَ ظَليلُ
My poetry, when you traverse the seas thrice,
And shade accompanies you in shady halts,
وَتَداوَلَتكَ عِصابَةٌ عَرَبِيَّةٌ
بَينَ المَآذِنِ وَالقِلاعِ نُزولُ
And you are passed from one Arab gathering
To another, between minarets and castles,
وَبَلَغتَ مِن بابِ الخِلافَةِ سُدَّةً
لِسُتورِها التَمسيحُ وَالتَقبيلُ
Until you reach, from the gate of the Caliphate, an elevation
Where you kiss its curtains and caress them,
قُل لِلإِمامِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَلِآلِهِ
صَبرُ العِظامِ عَلى العَظيمِ جَميلُ
Say to the Imam Muhammad and his family:
Patience over loss of life is seemly.
تِلكَ الخُطوبُ وَقَد حَمَلتُم شَطرَها
ناءَ الفُراتُ بِشَطرِها وَالنيلُ
Such were your tribulations, while you bore part,
With the Euphrates bearing part, and the Nile.
إِن تَفقِدوا الآسادَ أَو أَشبالَها
فَالغابُ مِن أَمثالِها مَأهولُ
If you miss the lions or their cubs,
The wilderness is filled with their likes.
صَبراً فَأَجرُ المُسلِمينَ وَأَجرُكُم
عِندَ الإِلَهِ وَإِنَّهُ لَجَزيلُ
Have patience - for Muslims awaits a great reward, as for you,
Yours, with God, is plentiful.
يا مَن خِلافَتُهُ الرَضِيَّةُ عِصمَةٌ
لِلحَقِّ أَنتَ بِأَن يُحَقَّ كَفيلُ
O you whose rightly-guided Caliphate is a protection
For truth, you guarantee truth be upheld.
وَاللَهُ يَعلَمُ أَنَّ في خُلَفائِهِ
عَدلاً يُقيمُ المُلكَ حينَ يَميلُ
God knows among his Caliphs is one of justice,
Who will make the kingdom upright when it tilts.
وَالعَدلُ يَرفَعُ لِلمَمالِكِ حائِطاً
لا الجَيشُ يَرفَعُهُ وَلا الأُسطولُ
Justice raises for kingdoms an impregnable wall,
Not an army or armada raises it.
هَذا مَقامٌ أَنتَ فيهِ مُحَمَّدٌ
وَالرِفقُ عِندَ مُحَمَّدٍ مَأمولُ
This is the standing of Muhammad,
And gentleness with Muhammad is hoped for.
بِاللَهِ بِالإِسلامِ بِالجُرحِ الَّذي
ما اِنفَكَّ في جَنبِ الهِلالِ يَسيلُ
By God, by Islam, by the wound
That still flows on the crescent's side!
إِلّا حَلَلتَ عَنِ السَجينِ وَثاقَهُ
إِنَّ الوِثاقَ عَلى الأُسودِ ثَقيلُ
Release the prisoner from his shackles,
For shackles are heavy on the noble.
أَيَقولُ واشٍ أَو يُرَدِّدُ شامِتٌ
صِنديدُ بُرقَةَ موثَقٌ مَكبولُ
Will some slanderer say, or a gloating enemy repeat:
"Buraihah is shackled and bound"?
هُوَ مِن سُيوفِكَ أَغمَدوهُ لِريبَةٍ
ما كانَ يُغمَدُ سَيفُكَ المَسلولُ
He is one of your swords they have sheathed for suspicion -
Your unsheathed sword is not to be sheathed.
فَاِذكُر أَميرَ المُؤمِنينَ بَلاءَهُ
وَاِستَبقِهِ إِنَّ السُيوفَ قَليلُ
Remember then the Commander of the Faithful's ordeal,
And prioritize him, for swords are few.
