مَن جَعَل المَغربَ مَطلَعَ الضُحى
وَسَخَّر البَربر جُنداً لِلهُدى
He who made the West the dawn of day
And rallied the Berbers as troops for guidance
وَصَرّف الأَيّامَ حَتّى أَحدَثَت
ما كانَ في الأَحلامِ أَحلامَ الكَرى
And orchestrated time until it actualized
What were in dreams, dreams of destiny
وَأَظفَر الصابر بِالنُجح فَيا
هَزيمة اليَأس وَيا فَوز الرَجا
And the patient were granted success, so hail
The defeat of despair, and the triumph of hope
وَنقّلَ الدَولةَ في بَيت الهُدى
فَلَم تزُل عَن طُنُبِ إِلّا إِلى
And he moved the dynasty to the House of Guidance
Thus it did not swerve from the niche of Ali
سُبحانَهُ المُلكُ إِلَيهِ وَلَه
يُؤتيهِ أَو يَنزِعهُ مِمَن يَشا
Glory be to Him, the King, to Whom belongs
And unto Whom He grants or deprives sovereignty over whom He wills
قامَ إِمامٌ مِن بَني فاطِمَةٍ
خَليفة ثُم تَلاه مَن تَلا
An Imam from Fatima's line rose up
The caliph then succeeded by the next in line
ما عَجبي لِمُلكِهم كَيفَ بُنى
بَل عَجبي كَيفَ تَأَخّر البنا
I marvel not at their reign, how it was built
Nay, I marvel how the building was so delayed
جدّهمو لا دِين دُون حُبِّهِ
وَأُمُّهُم بِالأُمَهاتِ تُفتَدى
Their grandfather is the religion without which no faith
And their mother is the mothers ransomed
وَمُذ مَضى مُضطَهدا وَالدُهم
أَصبَحَ بِالمُضطَهد اِهتم المَلا
And since their father passed, persecuted
The rulers began to care for the persecuted
أَجلَّهم عِليَةُ كُلِّ حِقبَةٍ
وَخَصَّهُم فيها السَوادُ بِالهَوى
He made them the essence of every epoch
And the blacks were partial to them in passion
وَالفُرسُ وَالتُركُ جَميعاً شِيعَةٌ
لَهُم يَرونَ حُبَّهُم رَأس التُقى
The Persians and the Turks are altogether partisans
For them, their love being the essence of piety
فَشَهِدَ اللَهُ لَهُم ما قَصَّروا
القَتل صَبراً تارَة وَفي اللُقا
So God bore witness they did not fall short
Sacrificing their lives in patience and in battle
كَم ثارَ مِنهُم في القُرون ثائِرٌ
بِالأَمويين وَبِالآل الرِضى
How many a rebel from them rose against
The Umayyads and the Rida's household
هَذا الحسينُ دَمُهُ بكربلا
رَوّى الثَرى لَما جَرى عَلى ظَما
This Husayn, his blood in Karbala
Watered the soil when it flowed to excess
وَاِستَشهد الأَقمارُ أَهلُ بَيتِهِ
يَهوُون في التُرب فرادى وَثُنا
And the bright stars of his household were martyred
Perishing in the earth solitary and in pairs
بن زِياد وَيَزيدُ بغيا
وَاللَهُ وَالأَيامُ حَربُ مَن بَغى
Ibn Ziyad and Yazid did tyranny
While God and time are at war with the tyrant
لَولا يَزيدُ بادئِاً ما شَرِبَت
مَروانُ بِالكَأس الَّتي بِها سَقى
Had it not been for Yazid in the first place
Marwan would not have drank from the cup he drank
وَثار لِلثارات زَيدُ بِن عَلي
بِن الحُسين بِن الوَصيِّ المُرتَضى
And Zayd ibn 'Ali revolted to avenge
The avenging of Ibn Al-Husayn, Al-Murtaza's heir
يَطلُبُ بِالحُجة حَقَّ بَيتِهِ
وَالحَقُّ لا يُطلَبُ إِلّا بِالقَنا
Seeking with argument his household's right
While right is not sought but with the sword's edge
فَتى بِلا رَأيٍ وَلا تَجرِبَةٍ
جَرى عَلَيهِ مِن هِشامٍ ما جَرى
A lad without wisdom or experience
Fell victim under Hisham to what befell him
اِتَخَذ الكُوفَةَ درعا وَقَنا
وَالأَعزلُ الأَكشَفُ مَن فيها اِحتَمى
He made Kufa his shield and spear
While the defenseless and exposed sought refuge in it
مَن تَكفِهِ الكُوفَةُ يَعلَم أَنَّها
لا نَصر عِندَ أَهلِها وَلا غَنا
Whom Kufa suffices, he knows it has
No aid from its people nor treasure
سائل عَليّا فَهُوَ ذُو علمٍ بِها
وَاِستَخبرِ الحسينَ تعلمِ النبا
Ask Ali about it, for he is knowledgeable of it
And ask Al-Husayn, learn from him the news
فَماتَ مَقتولاً وَطالَ صَلبُهُ
وَأُحرِقَت جِثَتُه بَعدَ البَلى
So he died, slain, and his corpse remained
Crucified, and his body burned after putrefaction
عَلى أَبي جَعفَرَ ثارَت فتيَةٌ
ما أَنصَفوا وَاللَه في شَق العَصا
For Abu Ja'far, young men sought vengeance
They did not do justice, by God, in that regard
هُم أَهلُ بَيتَ الحُسن الطاهر أَو
مِن شَبَّ مِن بَيت الحُسين وَنَما
They are the household of the Pure Al-Hasan or
Of those who reached maturity from Al-Husayn's line
أَيطلُبون الأَمرَ وَالأَمرُ لَهُم
قَد قَرَّ في بَيت النَبيِّ وَرَسا
Do they seek authority while it belongs to them?
It settled in the house of the Prophet, at rest
يَحمِلُ عَنهُم همَّهُ وَغَمَّهُ
أَبناءُ عَمٍّ نُجُبٌ أُولو نُهى
Their uncle's sons relieve them of their burden and gloom
Noble chiefs, foremost in wisdom
فَلَيتَ شِعري كانَ ذا عَن حَسَدِ
أَم بُخلِهِ بلَّغهم إِلى القَلى
So I wonder, was this out of envy
Or their meagerness that brought them to paucity
مُحَمدٌ رَأسهمو في البَصرة قَد
زادَ وَكُوفانُ كَمِرجَلٍ غَلا
Muhammad being their chief, in Basra he
Increased, and like a foaming sea, Kufa
مُلمّةٌ لَو لَم تُصادف هِمّةً
لَأَودَت الدَولَةُ في شَرخ الصِبا
Were it not for the determination that met it
The dynasty would have cracked in the arduous pass
قامَ إِلَيها مَلِكٌ مُشَمِّر
في النائِبات غَيرُ خَوّار القُوى
A valiant king rose up to it
Unflinching in adversity, in vigor unfailing
ساقَ إِلى الدار خَميساً حازَها
وَقَتل المَهديَّ عِندَ المُلتَقى
He led the Abbasid to the palace in a strike
And killed Al-Mahdi at the fated convergence
وَكانَ بَينَ جَيشِهِ بِأَخمرا
وَبَينَ إِبراهيم يَومٌ ذُو لَظى
And between his army and Ibrahim was
A day of intense heat and distress
لَم يَصدُقِ اِبنَ الحَسَنِ النصرُ بِهِ
أَصبَحَ ضاحِكاً وَأَمسى قَد بَكى
Victory did not prove true for Ibn Al-Hasan
He laughed in the morn and wept at dusk
ماتَ بِسَهمٍ عاشرٍ لَم يَرمِهِ
رامٍ وَلَكنّ القَضاءَ قَد رَمى
He died by an arrow on the tenth that did not aim for him
But providence is what aimed and shot
فَلا تَسل عَن جَيشِهِ أَينَ مَضى
وَلا تَسَل عَن بيتِهِ ماذا التُقى
So ask not after his army, where it went
Nor ask after his home, what farewell it bid
هاربُهم لَيسَ يَرى وَجهَ الثَرى
وَلا يَرى مَسجُونُهُم غَير الدُجى
Their fugitives see not the earth
And their captives see none but gloom
وَما خَلا خَليفَةٌ مُسوّدُ
مِن طالِبيٍّ يَطلُبُ الأَمرَ سُدى
No successor of Ali's sought authority
Except either killed, imprisoned, hiding or ruined
يُقتَلُ أَو يُزجُّ في السجن بِهِ
أَو يَتَوارى أَو يُبيده الفَلا
They hoped piety would restore their reign
But piety faded after their forebear
يَرجون بِالزُهد قِيامَ أَمرِهم
وَالزُهدُ مِن بَعد أَبيهم قَد عَفا
Had the world remained based on prophethood
Mankind would have been self-sufficient of the next
لَو دامَتِ الدُنيا عَلى نُبوةٍ
لَكانَ لِلناسِ عَن الأُخرى غِنى
They took on asceticism, shunning counsel
So that none dismounted from their viewpoint
تَخلَّقوا نَبذَ المَشورات فَلا
يَنزِلُ مِنهُم أَحَدٌ عَما يَرى
He who sees not by other than himself, though he saw
Through the eyes of the brilliant ones, would be blind
مَن لا يَرى بِغَيرِهِ وَإِن رَأى
بِعَيني الزَرقاءَ كانَ ذا عَمى
And rarely did they choose their men
For men are like gems, they must be picked
وَقَلما تَخَيروا رِجالهم
إِن الرِجال كَالفُصوص تُنتَقى
Al-Ma'mun differed with his household
Out of love for the legatee's sons and amity
قَد خالَفَ المَأمونُ أَهل بَيتِهِ
حُبّاً بِأَبناءِ الوَصيِّ وَحِبا
For their sake, he brandished the blacks for an instant
So folk said the ruler doffed his turban
مِن أَجلِهم نَضا السَوادَ ساعَةً
فَقالَ قَومٌ خَلع الوالي الحَيا
Had his commanders and family consented
He would have pledged succession to Ali ibn Al-Rida
وَلَو سَها قَوادهُ وَآلُهُ
لَقَلَّدَ العَهدَ عَليّ بِن الرِضا
His reign was not devoid of a rebel
Who cut off roads and ravaged the sanctuaries
فَما خلت دَولَته مِن ثائِرٍ
قَد قَطَع الطرقَ وَعاثَ في الحِمى
An Alawite ascetic sheikh was brought
Who accepted the pledge after initial refusal
جيءَ بِشَيخٍ عَلويٍّ زاهِدٍ
فَقَبِل البَيعة بَعدَما أَبى
Young men commanded in his name and prohibited
His beard distinguished for them its owner
تَأمرُ بِأَسمِهِ وَتَنهى فِتيَةٌ
لِحيتُهُ بَينَهُم لِمَن لَها
He was from his household but the sanctum
Feared their tyranny and debauchery
مِن أَهل بِيتِهِ وَلَكن فَزِعَت
مِن جَورِهم وَفِسقِهم أُمُّ القُرى
Many performing the Hajj were barred by him
And pilgrims intimidated, I did not feel safe
وَرُبَّ غادٍ مُنِيَ الحجُّ بِهِ
وَخُوّف الخَيف وَلَم يَأمَن مِني
And in their days Zayd was an inferno
And another, the butcher, ravaged and transgressed
وَكانَ زَيدُ النار في أَيامهم
وَالآخرُ الجَزّار عاث وَعَتا
So the army prevailed over them and subsided
Their penitent partisans, he pardoned
فَظَهر الجُندُ عَلَيهُم وَاِنتَهى
تائبهم إِلى الإِمام فَعَفا
Why did these alone not disgrace
The hearing of the Haydara's sons nor reject
فَهَؤلاءِ لِم يَشين غَيرُهُم
سمعَ بَني حَيدَرةٍ وَلا زَرى
Of their fortune was a caliph fond of them
And of pardon, that was his inclination
مِن حَظِّهم أَن صادَفوا خَليفَةً
في قَلبِهِ لَهُم وَلِلعَفو هَوى
The centuries passed with what
The Ordainer of centuries passed and decreed
وَلَم تَزَل تَمضي القُرونُ بِالَّذي
أَمضى مُصَرِّمُ القُرون وَقَضى
Until God granted Fatima's household
What did not expire, sublime fatherhood
حَتّى حَبا اللَه بَني فاطِمَةٍ
ما ماتَ دُونَهُ الأُبُوّةُ العُلا
Time tested them, with their right, until
It was said, "He will not fulfill," and fulfilled
ماطلهم دَهرهمو بِحَقِّهم
حَتّى إِذا ما قيل لَن يَفي وَفى
An occasion does not fail he who brings it
Nor is occasion deferred if it comes
ما لِأَوانٍ لَم يَئن مُقدِّمٌ
وَلا يُؤخَّر الأَوان إِن أَتى
A youth of their adherents set out to the Maghreb
Of abundant merits, and merits increased
سارَ إِلى المَغربِ مِن شِيعَتِهم
فَتى غَزيرُ الفَضل مَوفورُ الحجى
His forefathers attracted adherence there
Nursing the intention, it grew up strong
تَشيَّعت مِن قَبلِهِ آباؤُهُ
فَرضع النية فيهُم وَاِغتَدى
From the people of Sanaa, without his determination
It would not have achieved what was achieved
مِن أَهل صَنعاءَ وَدُونَ عَزمِهِ
ما صَنَعت مِن كُلِّ ماضٍ يُنتَضى
Where is the summoner with his people's swords?
Another more helpless, his resolve dissolved
وَأَينَ داعٍ بِسُيوف قَومِهِ
وَآخِرٌ أَعزَلُ شَطَّته النَوى
He wakes sought and sleeps seeking
His seekers did not sit still or rest
يُصبحُ مَطلوباً وَيُمسي طالِباً
ما قَعدت طُلّابُه وَلا وَنى
Informing the people of a guide that came to them
And that the Mahdi of the age had come
يُبَشِّرُ الناسَ بِهادٍ جاءَهُم
وَأَن مَهدِيَّ الزَمان قَد أَتى
Until the charm of his speech possessed the minds
Eloquence being but insinuations and amulets
حَتّى تَملَّك العُقول سِحرُهُ
إِن البَيانَ نَفثاتٌ وَرُقى
He continued to be followed wherever he called
To the Fatimid, victorious wherever he conquered
وَلَم يَزل مُتَّبَعاً حَيث دَعا
لِلفاطِميِّ ظافِراً حَيث غَزا
Wherever his cavalry and infantry aimed
In a land, it obeyed, or a fortress sought refuge
مَهما رَمى بِخَيلِهِ وَرَجلِهِ
في بَلَدٍ أَذعَن أَو حصنٍ عَنا
He left no Arab nor Berber
Nor deserts nor plains except subdued
فَلم يَدَع مِن عَرَبٍ وَبَربَرٍ
وَلَم يُغادر مِن صَحارى وَرُبى
He rid North Africa of the Aghlabids
From its gardens and palaces and abodes
أَجلى بَني الأَغلَبِ عَن أَفريقيا
عَن الجِنانِ وَالقُصورِ وَالدُمى
Donning a folk adorned with piety
Distinguished among them, with virtue he adorned himself
لابس أَقواماً تَحلّى بِالتُقى
بِينَهُمو وَبِالفَضيلة اِرتَدى
An exemplar for the faithful except
In worldly morals, an example for the licentious
قُدوَةُ أَهل الدِين إِلّا أَنَّهُ
في أَدب الدُنيا المِثالُ لِمُحتَدى
Then he set his sight on the Maghreb, so it trembled for him
And he drove on toward Sijilmasa on high
ثُم رَمى المَغربَ فَاِهتَزَ لَهُ
وَحَث نَحو سجلماسةَ الخُطا
Fought it by day until relief appeared
To its people, so they sought refuge in flight
قاتَلَها نَهارَهُ حَتّى بَدا
لِأَهلِها فَلاذوا بِالنَجا
Then entered and extracted from its prisons
Dust of eras interred in the earth in tatters
فَجاءَ فَاِستَخرَج مِن سُجونِها
تبرَ خِلالٍ كانَ في التُرب لَقا
Brought him to the encampment walking humbly
Holding back from joy at what transpired
أَتى بِهِ العَسكَرَ يَمشي خاشِعاً
مكفكفاً مِن السُرور ما جَرى
And said, O people, follow your guardian
This caliph, the daughter of the Chosen One's son
وَقالَ يا قَوم اِتَبِعوا واليكُم
هَذا الخَليفَةُ اِبنُ بِنت المُصطَفى
And the king left it to him outright
And marched in his troop amidst the throng
وَتَرك المُلكَ لَهُ مِن فَورِهِ
وَسارَ في رِكابِهِ فيمَن مَشى
Look to the intention, what it brings
And the religion, what loyalty is behind it
أَنظر إِلى النيةِ ما تَأَتي بِهِ
وَالدِينِ ما وَراءَهُ مِن الوَفا
Do not say there is no good left in mankind
For much good is in mankind over long periods
وَلا تَقُل لا خَيرَ في الناسِ فَكَم
في الناسِ مِن خَيرٍ عَلى طُولِ المَدى
Al-Mahdi undertook the matter, so he did not
Fall short of people's affairs from the right way
أَضطَلع المَهدِيُّ بِالأَمرِ فَما
قَصّر في أَمر العِباد عَن هُدى
And carried the people upon the religion, and he did not
Command any guidance or prohibit any blindness
وَحَمل الناسَ عَلى الدِين وَما
يَأمُرُ مِن رُشدٍ وَيَنهى مِن عَمى
His rule incorporated North Africa
With abundant shade, fertile plains
اِنتَظَمت دَولَتُهُ أَفريقيا
وارِفَةَ الظلِّ خَصيبَةَ الذَرا
And Egypt's conquest became the most arduous
And refractory of that which he desired and craved
وَأَصبَحَت مَصرُ وَأَمرُ فَتحَها
أَقصى وَأَعصى ما تَمَنّى وَاِشتَهى
How many armies he drove toward it, but dearth returned them
The plague and predators rebuffed his troops
كَم ساقَ مِن جَيشٍ إِلَيها فَثَنى
عَسكَرَهُ القَحطُ وَردّه الوَبا
And sedition flashed from the hidden
Which stirred the Maghreb into embers of anguish
وَفِتَنة مِن الغُيوب أَومَضَت
قَلَّبتِ المَغرِبَ في جَمرِ الغَضا
Its leader Abu Yazid, a debaucher
Wanting people's rule, loosened from restraints
صاحِبُها أَبو يَزيدٍ فاسِقٌ
يُريد أَمرَ الناس مَحلولَ العُرا
For every sum of money, blood, or honor
To the plunderer, slaughterer, and enslaver
وَكُل مالٍ أَو دَمٍ أَو حُرَّةٍ
لِناهِبٍ وَسافِكِ وَمَن سَبى
O excellent is the doctrine none refuse
Who earn by it or go astray with it
يا حَبَذا المَذهَبُ لا يَرفضُهُ
مِن قَعد الكسب بِهِ وَمَن غَوى
Ubaydallah died in its inferno
And the perseverant leader wearied
ماتَ عُبيدُ اللَهِ في دُخانِها
وَتَعِبَ القائِمُ بِالنارِ صِلى
Borders cracked and cities emptied
And the tyrant's command circulated and enforced
فُضَّت ثُغورٌ وَخلت حَواضِرُ
وَأَمرَ الطاغي عَلَيها وَنَهى
With money, crops, and souls unchecked
I forget not the plague, beasts, and vermin
بِالمالِ وَالزَرع وِبِالأَنفُسِ ما
أَنسى الوَباءَ وَالذِئابَ وَالدَبا
Then Muhammad passed with his anguish
But evil lingered and tribulation ceased not
ثُمَ قَضى مُحَمدٌ بِغَمِّهِ
وَالشَرُّ باقٍ وَالبَلاءُ ما اِنقَضى
His cavalry then did not avail Abu Yazid
Nor did his bows attain the bow's range
فَلَم تَنَل أَبا يَزيدٍ خَيلُهُ
وَلا قَنا لَهُ الكَنانَةَ القَنا
His armies retreated vanquished from Egypt
Complaining about the ruler, bitter complaints
اِرتَدَ عَن مَصرَ هَزيماً جُندُهُ
يَشكو مِن الإِخشيدِ مُرَّ المُشتَكى
And Al-Mansur took on a muddled matter
A weakened dynasty and faint sultanate
وَاِستَقبَلَ المَنصورُ أَمراً بَدَدا
وَدَولَةً رَثَّت وَسُلطاناً وَهى
The Zanati's fire ravaged the towns
And the sword altered the lands and erased
نارُ الزَناتِيِّ مَشَت عَلى القَرى
وَغَيّرَ السَيفُ الدِيارَ وَمَحى
So he was in the torrents of events like a boulder
And in the course of floods, unshakably firm
فَكانَ في هَوج الخُطوبِ صَخرَةً
وَفي طَريق السَيلِ شَمّاءَ الرُبا
Battling and fighting himself
If defeated, not retreating, if victorious, proceeding
مُكافِحاً مُقاتِلا بِنَفسِهِ
إِن خابَ لَم يَرجَع وَإِن فازَ مَضى
He did not cease pursuing the donkey men
In plains and rough terrain, travelling and trekking
لَم يَألُ صاحِبَ الحِمار مَطلَبا
في السَهلِ وَالوَعر وَسَيراً وَسُرى
Until he saved the cities and rescued the towns
And cleansed the land of the transgressor
فَأَنقذَ المُدنَ وَخَلَّص القرى
وَطَهَّرَ الأَرضَ مِن الَّذي طَغى
And left the kingdom secure to his son
With order pure and provinces content
وَتَرَكَ المُلكَ سَلاماً لِابنِهِ
وَالأَمرَ صَفواً وَالأَقاليم رضى
A prince as his house's magnates desired
In knowledge, manners, valor and aid
فَتى كَما شاءَت مَعالي بَيتِهِ
عِلماً وَآداباً وَبَأساً وَنَدى
Inheriting the burdens of forefathers
And the grace of ancestors increased to fortune
تَقيّل الأَقيالَ مِن آبائِهِ
وَزَيدَ إِقبالَ الجُدود وَالحُظا
Al-Muizz improved the kingdom, and his days became
Sweet for religion and life's pleasures
قَد حسّنَ المُلكَ المُعِزُّ وَغَدت
أَيامُهُ لِلدين وَالدُنيا حُلى
He encompassed the Maghreb on all its sides
What was near submitted, and afar conceded
أَحاطَ بِالمَغرب مِن أَطرافِهِ
وَدانَ مِنهُ ما دَنا وَما قَصا
His cavalry came from the high seas
Bearing live game of diverse forms
جاءَت مِن البَحر المُحيطِ خَيلُهُ
تَحمل مِنهُ الصَيد حَيّاً ذا طَرا
Until his armies grew large and abundant
Wealth flowed to him and prospered
حَتّى ربت وَكَثُرت جُموعُهُ
وَوَفر المالُ لَدَيهِ وَنَما
So Egypt overtook his mind
And however he yearned for it, beloved to him
فَاِستَحوَذَت مَصرُ عَلى فُؤادِهِ
وَقَبلَهُ كَم تَيّمت لَهُ أَبا
He chose for its conquest a seasoned warrior
His origin was the essence of gallantry
فَاِختارَ لِلفَتح فَتى مُختَبَراً
معدِنُه فَكانَ جَوهَرُ الفَتى
Dispatched him in a perfect, completed troop
For provisions, equipment and ample finance
سَيّره في جَحفَلٍ مُستَكمِلٍ
لِلزاد وَالعُدّةِ وَالمال الرَوى
He found the abode empty, exposed
By the death of Kafur who had protected it
فَوَجد الدار خلت وَاِستَهدَفَت
بِمَوت كافور الَّذي كانَ وَقى
Neither the Ikhshidids owned it, preventing it
Nor did the Abbasids guard the sanctuary
فَلا أَبو المِسكِ بِها يَمنَعُها
وَلا بَنو العَباسِ يَحمونَ الحِمى
It was vulnerable to him, unfortified
By the blood of youths or tears of sorrow
قَد هَيئت فَتحاً لَهُ لَم يدّعِم
عَلى دَم الفِتيان أَو دَمع الأَسى
So if the essence misses one day of fighting
How many days in Egypt can compensate?
فَإِن يَفُت جَوهَرَ يَومُ وَقعَةٍ
فَكَم لَهُ يَوماً بِمَصر يُرتَضى
Order was set right with his arrival
And the pillar of rule inclined and straightened
اِعتَدل الأَمرُ عَلى مقدمِهِ
وَكانَ رُكنُ المُلكِ مَيلاً فَاِستَوى
Laws flowed their due course
People knew security and prosperity
وَجَرَت الأَحكامُ مَجرى عَدلِها
وَعرَف الناسُ الأَمانَ وَالغِنى
How many traces remain of that precious being
Attributed to the honored Al-Muizz
كَم أَثَرٍ لِجَوهَرٍ نَفيسُهُ
إِلى المُعزِّ ذي المَآثر اِعتَزى
The Azhar mosque still stands, inhabited
As does Cairo that he built
الجامِعُ الأَزهرُ باقٍ عامِرٌ
وَهَذِهِ القاهِرَةُ الَّتي بَنى
When you mention his two palaces therein
On the Hill and Khaurnaq the sublime
وَقُل إِذا ذَكَرتَ قَصريهِ بِها
عَلى السَدير وَالخَوَرنقِ العَفا
The Upper Nile and Nubia submitted to him
To the Fatimids, and paid the reward
وَدانَ أَعلى النيل وَالنَوبُ بِهِ
لِلفاطِميين وَقَدَّموا الجَزى
Sham surrendered, and before it
The Hamdanid knights of the battlefield
وَخَضَع الشامُ وَمِن حِيالَهُ
مِن آل حَمدانَ فَوارِسِ اللُقا
Save Damascus which was seized
Damascus remains at heart Shiite
إِلّا دِمَشق اِغتُصِبَت وَلَم تَزَل
دِمَشقُ لِلشِيعَةِ تُضمرُ القِلى
The House came to Fatima's dynasty
And the Reign transferred over to them, at peace
وَأَتتِ الدارُ بَني فاطِمَةٍ
وَاِنتَقَلَ البَيتُ إِلَيهُم وَسَعى
So in them the sermon and the mention
In the land's minarets, and the prayer took place
فَصارَت الخطبةُ فِيهما لَهُم
وَالذكرُ في طُهرِ البِقاعِ وَالدُعا
Until when royal authority manifested its accord
And destiny threaded pearls for Jawhar
حَتّى إِذا المُلكُ بَدا اِتِساقُهُ
وَنَظَمَ السَعدُ لِجَوهَرَ المُنى
Al-Muizz came to Egypt in processions
Dazzling in their glory, abundant feast
أَتى المعزُّ مصرَ في مَواكِبٍ
باهِرَة العزِّ تكاثرُ الضُحى
The two palaces received a day the like of which
The Nile Valley never heard of or saw
وَاِستَقبَلَ القَصران يَوماً مِثلُهُ
ما سَمع الوادي بِهِ وَلا رَأى
The treasuries of the Maghreb in his train
As if the treasuries of God competed
خَزائِنُ المَغرِبِ في رِكابِهِ
تَبارَكَت خَزائِنُ اللَهِ المِلا
The Nile united with its likeness
And flooded the people with munificence and grace
فَاِجتَمع النيلُ عَلى مُشبِهِهِ
وَغَمَرَ الناسَ سَخاءً وَرَخا
The Son of the Messenger of God being more plentiful in bounty
And if his stream exceeded, the Nile envied his hand
وَاِبنُ رَسولِ اللَهِ أَندى راحَةً
وَجُودُه إِن جَرَحَ النيلُ أَسا
When this earth was barren in the arms of another
He came and lifted drought from it and sufficed
الأَرضُ في أَكنافِ هَذا أَجدَبَت
وَذا أَزاحَ الجَدب عَنها وَكَفى
Al-Aziz constantly craved
Baghdad though Fate was beneath his craving
وَلَم يَزَل أَبو تَميم يَشتَهي
بَغدادَ وَالأَقدارُ دُونَ ما اِشتَهى
Until his hopes' extent expired with him
If hopes knew the self's extent, their end
حَتّى قَضى عِندَ مَدى آمالِهِ
لَو تَعرِفُ الآمالُ بِالنَفس مَدى
The kingdom moved from the zenith of glory
To the summit of sublimity's towering height
اِنتَقل المُلكُ فَكانَت نُقلَةً
مِن ذِروة العزِّ إِلى أَوجِ العُلا
Anzar ran its ruinous course
As the staff runs its course on the disobedient
جَرى نِزارٌ كَمَعَدٍّ لِلسُدى
كَما جَرَت عَلى العُصيَّةِ العَصا
In Egypt Al-Aziz, if aroused, his rule
Reached from Ocean to Desert's breadth
إِن يَكُ في مِصرَ العَزيزَ إِنَّهُ
مِن المُحيط مُلكُهُ إِلى سَبا
Saddling steeds purely of choice stock
And bridling steeds, pearls of ferocity
المُسرجُ الخَيلُ نُضاراً خالِصاً
وَالمُنعِلُ الخَيلَ يَواقيت الوَغى
It was devoid of seriousness or playfulness
From battlegrounds to sword's intense heat
لَم يَخلُ مِن جَدٍّ بِها أَو لَعبٍ
مِن المَيادين إِلى حَرِّ الرَحى
A rule which fate made swagger, but which
No brief era rivaled when it swaggered
مُلكٌ جَرى الدَهرُ بِهِ زَهواً وَما
أَقصَرَهُ مُلاوةً إِذا رَها
Its days passed like youth
Its nights of union expired and ended
مَضى كَأَيام الصِبا نَهارُهُ
وَكَليالي الوَصل لَيلُهُ اِنقَضى
Al-Aziz was a dam of excellence from which
The hopeful returned laden with love
كانَ العَزيزُ سَدّة الفَضل الَّتي
اِنقَلَب الراجُون مِنها بِالحِبى
Isa's house from his favor's dew
And Musa's house, an ignited wick
لِآل عيسى مِن نَدى راحَتِهِ
وَآل مُوسى قَبَسٌ وَمُنتَشى
Al-Mamun he endured from Fatima's house
With how much bile swallowed, pardoned, forgave
وَكانَ مَأمونَ بَني فاطِمَةٍ
كَم كَظم الغَيظ وَأَغضى وَعَفا
To the demise of amity and absence of cordiality
Wisdom veiled and intelligence hidden
أَودى فَغابَ الرفقُ وَاِختَفى النَدى
وَحُجِبَ الحِلمُ وَغُيِّب الذَكا
Al-Hakim ruled Egypt and its affliction
Which suffered the utmost tribulation from his rule
وَحَكَم الحاكِمُ مَصرَ وَيحَها
قَد لَقيت مِن حُكمِهِ جَهدَ البَلا
It wearied from the disorder of a disordered one
Who, aroused, demolished, appeased, rebuilt
أَتعبَها مُختَلَطٌ مختَبَلٌ
يَهدِمُ إِن ثارَ وَيَبني إِن هَذا
Enduring continuous upheaval
To enfeebled resolve and resolve brought low
وَلَم تَزَل مِن حَدَثٍ مُسَيَّرٍ
إِلى فَئيل العَزم واهِنِ المَضا
Until the brilliance of that drafted document faded
And the two palaces ceased from that activity
حَتّى خَبا ضِياءُ ذاكَ المُنتَدى
وَعَطِلَ القَصران مِن ذاكَ السَنا
The Ayyubids abandoned the template of their rule
And the echoing authority, muted
عَفا بَنو أَيوبَ رَسمَ مُلكِهم
وَغادَروا السُلطانَ طامِسَ الصَدى
They united the people under a caliph
From Abbas' sons, no discretion or rule
وَجَمَعوا الناسَ عَلى خَليفَةٍ
مِن وَلَد العَباسِ لا أَمرَ وَلا
Glory to Him in Whose hand is sovereignty, for He
Alone disposes therein but what He decrees
سُبحانَ مَن في يَدِهِ المُلكُ وَمَن
لَيسَ بِجارٍ فيهِ إِلّا ما قَضى
So may God reward Fatima's household
The best rewards for Egypt and requite
فَيا جَزى اللَه بَني فاطِمَةٍ
عَن مَصرَ خَيرَ ما أَثابَ وَجَزى
And God avenged them against every envier
In pure lineage, He said and sufficed
وَأَخَذَ اللَهُ لَهُم مِن حاسِدٍ
في النَسَبِ الطاهِرِ قالَ وَلَغا
The Nile's caliphs to them are attributed
When the Euphrates' to Banu Saki is attributed
خَلائِفُ النيلِ إِلَيهُم يُنتَمى
إِذا الفُراتُ لِبَني الساقي اِنتَمى
Such are their hands upon its banks
Articulated in praise, made clear
تِلكَ أَيادِيهم عَلى لَبّاتِهِ
مفصلاتٍ بِالثَناءِ تُجتَلى
How many cities they built and abodes erected
For good deeds here and there
كَم مُدُنٍ بَنوا وَدورٍ شَيَّدوا
لِلصالِحاتِ هَهُنا وَهَهُنا
They raised the torch of reform, so none
Of reformers walked but by their light
هُم رَفَعوا الإِصلاحَ مِصباحاً فَما
مِن مُصلِحٍ إِلّا بِنورهم مَشى
Egyptian generosity is of what they instituted
Of righteousness and villages they founded in Egypt
وَالكرمُ المَصريُّ مِما رَسَموا
بِمَصرَ مِن بِرٍّ وَسَنُّوا مِن قِرى
Every Nayrouz therein or famed festival
Is theirs, and to them is attributed
وَكُلُّ نَيروزٍ بِمَصرٍ رائِعٍ
أَو مِهرَجانٍ ذائِعٍ هُمُ الأَلى
They tore their own robes for others' comfort
Broke thereby spears and forelocks
هُم مَزّقوا دُروعَهُم بِراحِهم
وَكَسَروا بِها الرِماحَ وَالظُبى
Not outstripping the Arabs, their own people
Nor protecting the North Africans, their partisans
لا العَربَ اِستَبَقوا وَهُم قَومهمو
وَلا رَعوا لِلمغرِبيّينَ الوَلا
They empowered the remotest of their house
And appointed him among the lesser clans
قَد مَلَّكوا الأَبعَدَ أَمرَ بَيتِهم
وَحَكَّموه في العَشائر الدُنى
Bringing down the Sunna from its rank
And raising their Shiites and whoever rose high
وَأَنزَلوا السُنَّةَ عَن رُتبتها
وَرَفَعوا شِيعَتهم وَمَن غَلا
Turning the kingdom over to their sons
So who found the opportunity took his youth
وَصَيَّروا المُلكَ إِلى صِبيانهم
فَوَجَد الفَرصة مَن لَهُ صَبا
Greed of the ministers between them intensified
And they became the true kings in practice
إِزدادَ بَغيُ الوُزَراء بَينَهُم
وَأصبَحوا هُمُ المُلوكَ في المَلا
The Caliph of the Merciful in a corner
Of resignation, the minister Ibn Jala
خَليفُةُ الرَحمَنِ في زاويَةٍ
مِن الخُمول وَالوَزيرُ اِبنُ جَلا
