شاقَ الحَمَامُ إليك لمّا ناحا

صَباً تَذكَّر إلْفَهُ فارتاحا

The dove longed for you when it cooed,

A youth remembering its companion and so finding solace.

ليتَ الحَمامَ أتَمَّ لي إحسانه

فأعارني أيضاً إليه جَناحا

Would that the dove might complete its kindness to me

By lending me its wings as well.

يا نازِحاً لم يَنقَطعْ ذِكْرِي له

لو أنّ ذاك يُقربُ النُزّاحا

O you who migrate but whose memory of me does not fade,

If only the one you miss would come closer!

أَتَظُنُّ أنّي صابِرٌ وجوانحي

مَمْلوءةٌ للبُعْدِ منك جِراحا

Do you think I can be patient when my wings

Are filled with wounds from being far from you?

شَوقي إليك على البِعادِ قدِ اغتدَى

بَرَحاً لوَ أنّي أستطيعُ بَراحا

My longing for you from afar has grown

To a vast desert—if only I could cross it!

قَسَماً لقد كتَم اللّسانُ هواكُمُ

لكنَّ دمعي بالسّرائر باحا

By God, my tongue concealed its passion for you

But my tears in private betrayed it.

عَزَّ العزاءُ عليَّ لمّا أنْ جَلا

يومَ الرّحيلِ معَ الصّباح صَباحا

Comfort was difficult when at the break of dawn

On the day we parted, morning bid morning farewell.

وعلى الجيادِ مُعارِضينَ فوارسٌ

فوق الكَوائبِ عارِضينَ رِماحا

Valiant horsemen on thoroughbred steeds

Raced their lances over the dunes.

لو قاتَلوا بَدَلَ الظُّبَى بلِحاظِها

كانوا إذنْ أمضى الأنامِ سِلاحا

Had they fought the gazelles instead with their swords,

They would have been the most expert wielders of weapons.

ومُرنَّحُ الأعطافِ تَحسَبُ صُدْغَه

ليلاً وتَحسَبُ خَدَّه مِصْباحا

The one with languid limbs—you’d think his cheek

Was a lamp, his temple a torchlight in the dark of night.

صَلِفٌ له سلطانُ حُسْنٍ قاهرٌ

يأبَى إذا مَلَك الفَتىإسجاحا

He has an irresistible beauty and charm,

Refusing to bow down though the youth is master.

بِتْنا نَدِيمَيْ خَلْوةٍ في عِفّةٍ

مُتَساقِيَيْنِ ولا زجاجةَ راحا

We were intimate friends in chaste seclusion,

Communing without need for goblets of wine.

راحاً تَعاطاها السُّقاةُ نفوسَها

منّا ولم تُمْدد إليها راحا

Wine which the cupbearers had tasted themselves—

We avoided it while they had not.

للهِ أحبابٌ تأوَّبَ طَيْفُهم

ليُزيحَ عن عَيني الكرَى فأزاحا

God has beloveds whose apparitions came

To dispel sorrow from my eyes, so removing it.

غدَروا ففي الأسماع ما مَلَحوا وإن

سَفَروا فكانوا في العُيونِ مِلاحا

They betrayed me, so their words turned bitter in my hearing,

And when they traveled away, they remained sharp thorns in my eyes.

فكأنّما داعٍ دعا فأجَبْتُ ال

لازالَ أفعالُ الحسانِ قِباحا

So it was as if someone had called me and I’d answered,

Though acts of kindness still seemed ugly to me.

كم كان من عُسْرٍ ومِن يُسرٍ

فما ألفِيتُ مِجْزاعاً ولا مِفراحا

How much hardship and ease there was,

Yet I found no shrinking coward or exulting victor.

خاطَبْتُ كلَّ مَعاشرٍ بلُغاتهم

زَمناً مُخاطبةَ الصّدَى مَن صاحا

I conversed with each group in their own language

For a time, like someone shouting into an echoing void.

ومنَعْتُ نفسي قولَ كلِّ بديعةٍ

عِطْفُ الكريم لها يُهَزُّ مِراحا

I held back my soul from praising every eloquent woman—

For the noble one’s affection makes the litters lurch.

أضحىَ لعِجْلِ اللُّؤْمِ كُلٌ عابداً

جَهْلاً فألقَى شِعْريَ الألواحا

Calf-worshippers have now become the idol of every fool—

So my poetry threw away its tablets.

حتى صدَرْتُ إليك يا صدْرَ الورى

بمَطالبي العُلْيا بك استِنْجاحا

Until I came to you, O heart of the world,

With my lofty requests, hoping for success through you.

ورأيتُ مَمدوحاً كما رَضِيَ العُلا

فَرضيِتُ أن أُسْمَى له مَدّاحا

I saw one praised as even the exalted were pleased with him,

So I was content to be his panegyrist.

تُفْدَى الصدورُ لصدْرِ دَهرٍ لم يَزلْ

طَلِباً إلى فُضَلائه مُرْتاحا

Hearts are ransomed for the heart of a time

That never ceased to yearn for its superior minds.

في القُرْبِ مُرتاحاً إذا لاقاهُمُ

وعلى البِعادِ إليهمُ مُلْتاحا

At ease with them when near, and longing for them

When far away—always yearning.

من أصبحَ الإسلامُ وهْو لبيتهِ

ركْنٌ عُلاه أعيَتِ المُساحا

The pillar of Islam’s house since the day he entered it

Was a man whose life the centuries failed to wear away.

ولمَسْحِه كَفَّ الثريّا عُمْرَها

بَقِيَتْ كذا مَبْسوطةً إلحاحا

Because of him, Yathrib prospered continuously—

He expanded it further and further.

أقضَى قُضاةٍ في الممالكِ كُلِّها

مِمَّن غَدا يَبْغي العلا أو راحا

The most judicious of judges in every kingdom,

Whether seeking glory or comfort.

يّقْظانُ صاغَ اللهُ ثاقِبَ فَهْمِه

لُطْفاً لقُفْلِ غُيوبهِ مِفْتاحا

Awake—God made his keen insight

Subtle, to unlock the secrets of the unseen.

ما قِسْتُ عِلْمَ بني الزّمان بِعِلْمِه

مَن قائِسٌ بغُطامِطٍ ضَحْضاحا

I cannot measure the knowledge of people today against his knowledge,

Like one measuring pitch-dark night against the bright dawn.

وَرِثَ الأئمَةَ كابراً عن كابرٍ

ولوِرْثِه جَعَلَ العُلا الارجاحا

He inherited erudite forefathers one after another,

And because of his inheritance, excellence outweighed all else.

مَطرَوا هُمُ ومضوا كراماً في الورى

فثَوى غديراً بَعْدَهم طفَّاحا

They passed away as noble souls, and after them

Only a sparkling pool was left in the valley.

حسُنتْ وطابَتْ في الورى أخبارُه

وأصَحَّها راوي العُلا إصحاحا

His virtues were beautiful and pure in the world—

And the narrator of great deeds recounted them flawlessly.

وكأنّ دُرًّا فاه راوى مَدْحِه

لمّا رَوى وكأنّ مِسْكا فاحا

When the narrator of his praise recites,

It is as though fresh, fragrant musk exudes.

مَلِكٌ سَرى العلماءُ تحت لوائه

فغَدا حريمُ بني الضَّلال مُباحا

A king under whose banner scholars walked—

So the sanctuaries of the misguided became permitted.

قد سَخَّر الأرواحَ خالِقُها له

إن لم يكُنْ قد سَخّر الأرواحا

The Creator subjugated spirits to him,

Even if He had not subjugated spirits.

وإذا أشارَ بعَقْدِ مَوْعدِ مَجْلسٍ

شَوْقاً إليه تُعاوِدُ الأشباحا

Whenever he signals to hold a majlis,

The apparitions return eagerly with yearning for him.

أمّا المُلوكُ فلَثْمُ ما هو واطِيءٌ

شَوْقاً إليه يَطْمحَونَ طِماحا

As for kings, they long to kiss what his feet tread

Out of yearning for him.

تَمْتارُ من آرائه راياتُهم

نَصْراً مُتاحاً للِعدا مُجْتاحا

They cull opinions and insights from his wisdom

To gain accessible victory over aggressors.

ويَروْنَ إن فَسَدَ الزّمانُ وأهلُه

للدين والدّنيا بهِ اسِتصْلاحا

They see that when the time and its people decayed,

He set right religious and worldly affairs.

إنّ المعاليَ كُنَّ سَرْحاً رائعاً

ألفاهُ عصْرُك عازِباً فأراحا

Your deeds surpassed those of our ancestors

When you made heads fly and toppled others.

وحديثُ مَجْدٍ بالقديم وصَلْتَه

إذ كانَ حُبُّك للزّمانِ لِقاحا

Your arguments accomplished what their swords did,

Spilling blood and clearing the land.

أسلافُنا البيِضُ اليَمانونَ الأُلَى

كانوا وكان نداهم فضَّاحا

May a jealous rival who envies what you attained

Be your ransom against the trickery of fate—

وإذا وقوا شح النفوس بمالهم

كانوا بأعراضٍ كَرُمْنَ شِحاحا

A foe who stands on tiptoes,

Hoping to pluck a shining star from the sky.

وغدَتْ فوارسُ للفوارسِ فيِهمُ

أبداً تُعوَّدُ للصِفاحِ صِفاحا

Beyond you he desires—though you appeared to his eyes

By God!—the ignorant are so insolent.

سَبقوا بنَصْرِ الدينِ دينِ مُحمَّدٍ

حتّى انجَلَى ليلُ الهُدى إصباحا

Next to the sun at dawn he rubs his eyes,

Blindly seeking daylight with the dim light of stars.

وشَرعْتَ أنت اليومَ نَصْراً مِثْله

فأزالَ عادِيةَ العِدا وأزاحا

You were the one who elucidated for the nation of Ahmad

The shining path of Ahmad’s religion.

فَعَلتْ فُصولُك فوق فِعْلِ نُصولِهم

لمّا أطارَ جَماجِماً وأطاحا

When they saw your magnanimity was like a raincloud,

They raced toward you on swift steeds.

وأتىَ جِدالُك ما أتَوا بجِلادِهم

حتّى أسالَ دِماءهم وأساحا

So when will my eyes gain tranquility

By seeing the sun of your kingship draw near?

ففَداكَ مِن رَيْبِ الحوادثِ حاسدٌ

يغدو إلى ما نِلْتَه طَمّاحا

When will I listen to the gems of your speech with my ears,

As your proximity enlivens my spirit even more?

عاوٍ يَقومُ على أناملِ رِجْلِه

لتنَال منه الكَفُّ نَجْماً لاحا

Khuzestan was desolate until God clothed it

Through you with a robe of honor.

يَرجو سِواكَ وقد طَلَعْتَ لعَيْنهِ

قَسَماً لقد خُلِقَ الجَهولُ وَقاحا

Do not disregard its conquest due to its small size—

I urge you by the life of your eminent father!

في جَنْبِ شَمْسِ صُحىً يُقلِّبُ عَيْنَه

أعمىَ لِيَطْلُبَ بالسُّها استِصْباحا

It was the encampment of your grandfather Al-Muhallab

In the days his armies thrust with spears.

ألسانَ أُمةِ أحمدٍ أنتَ الّذي

أوضَحْتَ مِلّةَ أحمدٍ لَمّاحا

He forcibly expelled the Kharijites from its lands—

Exile which brought lamentations over them.

لمّا رأوكَ منَ السّماحِ غمامةً

رَكِبوُا إليك من المَطِيِّ رِياحا

Likewise, pursue their trail in the kingdoms,

Pursuing corruption so that integrity spreads.

فمتى تَنالُ العَيْنُ منّي قُرّةً

بلِقاءِ شَمْسِ المُلْكِ منكَ كِفاحا

If I saw a humbled nation in the wilderness

And I could make it prosper, joy would depart.

ومتى أُقَرِّطُ دُرَّ لفظِك مِسْمَعي

ويَزيدُ قُرْبُك روحِيَ اسْترواحا

While you avoid indignity through the likes of it—

May God ennoble you!—since nobility comes easily to you.

قد كان خُوزِستانُ عُطْلاً عِطْفُها

حتّى كساها اللهُ منكَ وِشاحا

Whenever I ordered the virgins of my poetry to praise,

They refused, aspiring only for your match.

لا تَحقِرَنَّ قَضاءها من خِطَة

نُصْحاً لعَمْرُ أبي عُلاكَ صُراحا

So rouse in them some praise whose prerequisites

Were fulfilled by the downpour of your generosity.

فَهي المُعسْكرُ للمُهلّبِ جَدكم

أيامَ جرَّ جُيوشُه الأرْماحا

I postponed my compositions so I could be

One who offers his service before the delegations.

فَنفَى الخوارجَ عنْوةً عن أرضِها

نَفْياً أقامَ عليِهمُ النُّوّاحا

Out of love for myself—not myself, so that

I may one day see it heading off to you.

فاتْبَعْ كذلكَ في الممالِك إثْرَهُ

تَعْقُبْ فَساداً عَمَّهنّ صَلاحا

My feet envy my pen if I prepare it

To compose and improve writing.

لو أرى المُهَّنى في البسيطةِ أمْةٌ

وُلِّيتُها فَتهادَتِ الأفراحا

If I were able, I would speak of it and outrace it,

Traveling to meet you at dusk and dawn.

وتَجِلُّ أنت عن الهَناءِ بمِثْلِها

شَرَفاً لكَ اللهُ الكريم أتاحا

Rather, if I were able—and I cannot journey—

Due to the vicissitudes of fate that caused me to stray.

أبكارُ مَدْحي كلّما استأمَرْتُها

تأبَى لكُفْوءٍ غيرِكَ الإنكاحا

I would make the dot under the letter ba of “In the name of”

Yearn to gaze upon my book when it begins.

فأصِخْ لها من مِدحةٍ حاآتُها

وحياضُ جُودِكَ رَوَّتِ المُدّاحا

So it might see the face of a human—my eyes first—

Before reading, radiant through your splendor.

أخّرتُ كتُبْي كي أكونَ مُقدّماً

منّي إليك معَ الوفودِ رَداحا

Respond to my service with a noble answer,

Rewarding fine initiatives by clothing them in light.

حُبّاً لنَفْسي لا بنفسي أنْ أرى

منّي الغداةَ لها إليك سَراحا

The least right I have is that when I come to your doorstep

And rub my cheek upon it, I find acceptance.

قَدَمِي تَغارُ عليك من قَلَمي إذا

أصلَحْتُه لِكتابةٍ إصلاحا

Neither has the darkness of my youth’s night

Shaded my cheek, while today white hair has crowned it.

ولوِ استَطَعْتُ حكَيْتُه وسبَقْتُه

مَغْدىً إليك بمَفْرِقِي ومُراحا

So I went from white to white serving you,

Hoping to prosper through this lifelong devotion.

بل لو قَدِرت وقد عَجَزْت عن السرى

لصُروفِ دَهرٍ قد أهَدَّ جِماحا

Now is the time! Hear my call swiftly

To help me—my life under duress has strayed.

لَجَعْلت نقطةَ باءِ بسمٍ ناظري

مُتشَوِّقاً لِكتابِيَ اسِتفتاحا

Nothing remains of me but the evils of fate,

Unless your generosity rescues me from ruin.

فعسى يَرى إنسانَ عَيْني أوّلاً

قبلَ القراءةِ وَجْهك الوَضّاحا

You owe it to Muhalib and the Prophet’s helpers—

When you examine it—an obligation made clear.

فأجِبْ جَوابَ مُشرَفٍ عن خِدْمتي

حَسَنِ السّوابقِ لُبسها أوضاحا

Your generosity surpasses the bounty of the heavens—

That you might bestow without effort a wing upon me.

وأقَلُّ حَقّي إن طَرقْتُ فِناءكم

وأنخْتُ أنضائي إليه طِلاحا

So permit my hopes which I request,

O son of the lofty ones who were generous to kings!

والخَدُّ لم يّظلْلِه ليلَ شَبيبتي

واليومَ جَلّلَه المَشيبَ صَباحا

Bear the importuning of the one who relies upon you,

For they saw the paths to your aid are smooth.

فمِنَ البياضِ إلى البياضِ خدمتكُم

خِدماً بها يوماً رجَوْتُ فَلاحا

Grant me honor in response to my advice,

And strike the envious soul with terror.

واليومَ ذاك اليوم فاسْعَ مُبادِراً

نَصْرِي فدَهْرِي في العِنادِ أشاحا

Spite an envier in you who becomes

A container of the urine of time, dripping forever.

لم يَبْقَ منّي غير سُؤْرِ حَوادثٍ

إن لم تَدَاركْه بِجُودِكَ طاحا

Do not heed every sincere adviser’s advice,

Listening in order to ascertain the truth.

لِمُهَلّبٍ بكُم وأنْصارِ النّبِي

حَقٌ إذا استَوضَحْتَه استيضاحا

Weigh people in the scale of reverence for God’s law;

Lead mature men and Lords of the Mace.

يَقْضى على كرمِ العناصرِ منكَ أنْ

تُهْدِي بلا سَعْيٍ إلى جَناحا

Strike the flint of reason—do not yourself

Kindle the spreading of ignorance and folly.

فاسَمحْ بمأمولي الذي أنا طالبٌ

يا ابنَ الأُلىَ فضَلُوا المُلوكَ سَماحا

Offer praise persistently, making its defects overflow,

For that is the most profitable deal, with much gain.

واحْمِلْ تَدلُّلَ آمِيلكَ فقد رأوا

طُرُقَ الرّجاءِ إلى نَداكَ فِساحا

Stay constant to the lofty as long as a loving companion remains,

An ardent lover racing with the night.

فإليَّ أُهْدِ الإقْتراحَ كرامةً

وإلى فؤادِ الحاسد الأقراحا

The spring made the birds speak until their inarticulate chatter

Became, in thanking it, eloquent language.

أرغِمْ حسوداً فيكَ يُصبحُ بالقِلَي

عُمرَ الزمانِ إناؤه رَشَاحا

لا تُرْعَينْ كلَّ امْرىءٍ مُتَنَصّحٍ

سَمْعَ المُصدِقِّ قولَهُ استِنْصاحا

وزِنِ الوَرى وَزْناً بقِسطاسِ النُّهى

وانْقُدْ رِجالَ الاسْطِناعِ رَجاحا

واقدَحْ زِنادَ الرّأيِ منكَ ولا تَكُنْ

فيما عنَى نَشْرَ الحَيا قَدّاحا

واشْرِ المحامِدَ مُغْلياً أثماَها

فلَتلْكَ أعظَمُ صفَقْةٍ أرباحا

دُمْ للعلا ما جاد صُبْحاً دِيمةٌ

وسرى بلَيْلٍ بارِقٌ وألاحا

واستَنْطَقَ الطّيرَ الرّبيعُ فأصبحَتْ

في شُكْرِه عُجْمُ الطيورِ فِصاحا