ذكَر المعسكَر صاحبي ذِكْرا

فأثارَ لي تَذكارُه فِكْرا

My companion mentioned the camp, and his mention aroused thoughts in me,

I yearned with intense yearning and remembered the company of its people for a long time,

وحَنَنْتُ حَنّةَ واجدٍ طَرِبٍ

وذكرتُ صُحبةَ أهلِه دَهرا

So I hurried there until I visited it,

With my wrap folded and my sword at my waist,

فجَعلْتُ حتّى زُرْتُهُ عَجِلاَ

نِضْوِي وِشاحاً والفلا خَصرا

And for the chief minister wholeheartedly,

When I heard the good news at An-Nuway,

ولسيّدِ الوزراء قاطبةً

لمّا سَمِعْتُ على النّوى بُشرى

I swore I would not slacken the reins,

Until I see Hamadan and Al-Qasr,

أقسمتُ لا قَصرَ الزّمامَ يَدِي

حتّى نَرى هَمذانَ والقَصرا

When I saw it from afar,

I exclaimed ten times out of joy for it,

لمّا نظرتُ إليه من بُعُدٍ

كَبَّرتُ من طَربٍ له عَشرا

And I dismounted from the furthest range of my sight,

Thankfully kissing the hand of the one who brought me the news,

ونزلتُ من أقصى مدَى نَظَرِي

ليدِ المطيّةِ لاثِماً شُكرا

A sanctuary the beauties of this world flocked to,

A sea that foams when a young man sees it,

حَرَمٌ من الدّنيا إليه غَدَتْ

تُجْبَى محاسنُ أهلها طُرّا

I swore he had never seen a sea before it,

Groups that return and groups that begin,

بَحرٌ يموجُ إذا رآه فتىً

أقسمتُ لم يَر قبلَه بَحرا

Like the sea showing its ebb and flow,

Its domes at dawn narrated tales,

فِرَقٌ تعودُ وتَبتدِي فِرَقٌ

كالبحرِ يُبدِي المَدَّ والجزَرا

Glittering, both small and large,

They depict meadows of lavender, adorned with anemones,

وحكَى القِبابُ به الحَبابَ ضُحىً

يَلمعْنَ من صُغْرَى ومِن كُبرى

The palace makes eyes fall short with its magnificence,

A tower enclosing the sun of the earth,

تَحكي رياضَ الأقحوانِ بدَتْ

ومن الشّقائقِ وُسِّطَتْ شَذرا

With lions roaring around it,

And that is why she called its tower Asad (Lion),

والقصرُ من إعظامِ ساكتِه

الطّرفُ يَقصُرُ دونه قَصرا

The sun of the sky, and that is enough pride for it!

When we arrived safely, each spent

بُرْجٌ لشمسِ الأرضِ مُكتنَفٌ

بالأُسْدِ تَزأرُ حَولَهُ زأرا

The morning after arrival fulfilling a vow,

And he emerged, sharing the sights of his eyes,

ولذاكَ سَمَّتْ بُرجَها أَسَداً

شمسُ السّماء وحَسْبُها فَخرا

And telling the news of his matter,

You would see nations as if

لمّا وصَلْنا سالمِينَ قضَى

كُلٌّ غداةَ وُصولِه نَذرا

They were gathered for the day of their judgment,

And the army tents settled,

وانبَثَّ يُشيعُ عينَه نظَراً

منه ويَخبُرُ أمْرَهُ خُبرا

Like oysters enclosing pearls in their shells,

screening your eyes, you see no gaps

فتَرى الورى أُمَماً كأنّهمُ

حُشِروا ليومِ حِسابِهم حَشرا

From what fills drops and droplets,

Wherever you turn, your eyes fill

وحكَتْ خيامُ الجُنْدِ نازلةً

صدَفاً تَضُمّ بُطونُها دُرّا

With bands and your chest with joy for them,

You see sauntering grounds and courtyards

وتُجيلُ طَرْفَكَ لا ترَى خَلَلاً

مِمّا يَسُدُّ القَطْرَ والقُطرا

Where the neighing responds to the murmuring,

And at the doors, rounded shields

حيث التَفتَّ ملأتَ من فَرَقٍ

عَيْناً ومن فَرَحٍ بهمْ صَدرا

With their ears shortened warily,

The positions of the spears deployed

ورأيتَ أنديةً وأفنيةً

فيها الصّهيلُ يُجاوِبُ الهَدرا

Like the palm of morning displaying its red fingertips,

And on the steeds of the horses, young colts

وتَرى على الأبوابِ مُقْربَةً

مَطْوِيّةً أقرابُها ضُمرا

Whose manes are groomed beneath them,

Some striking a ball, tearing it,

مشمولةً أمْناً ومن كرمٍ

قد حَدَّدتْ آذانَها حِذرا

In a field, or racing horses,

Others, mounted on a cheetah to hunt it,

ومراكزَ الأرماحِ قد نشَرتْ

كَفّ الصَّبا عذَباتِها الحُمرا

Or holding a falcon,

And through the rows of tents, you see

وعلى جيادِ الخيلِ أغلمةٌ

غُرّ تُصَرَفُ تحتها غُرّا

The shots of archers twang their bows,

They have scattered for their hands and eyes

من ضاربٍ كُرَةً ينُزِّقُها

في مَلْعبٍ أو رائضٍ مُهرا

What is in all the treasuries a scattering,

Their curved daggers made into rings,

أو مُردِفٍ فَهْداً ليُقنصَه

أُدْمَ الفلا أو مُمْسِكٍ صَقرا

Large ones on their ears,

They shoot shields and hearts,

وخلالَ أطنابِ الخيامِ تَرَى

رَشْقَ الرُّماةِ سِهامَها تَتْرى

So that their blackness is deceived by the whiteness.

The market shows wonders in every glance,

نثَروا لأيديهمْ وأعينِهم

ما في الكنائنِ كُلِّها نَثْرا

A land you walk in, none has seen

A land you travel in, neither left nor right,

مَجعولةً أصداغُها حَلَقاً

منها على آذانِها كِبرا

Until we stayed the night hopefully,

Promising ourselves every pleasant thing,

يَرمون قِرطاساً وأفئدةً

فسَوادُها ببياضِه يُغْرى

And darkness fell, so they multiplied in number,

The youth of spears, their stars blossomed flowers,

والسّوقُ تُبصِرُ من عجائبِها

في كلِّ مَرْمَى نَظرةٍ مِصرا

The guards sang and their staffs crackled,

Vying behind the night, meeting its drums,

بلَدٌ يسيرُ وما رأى أحَدٌ

بلداً يُسارُ بهِ ولا يُسرى

Or discerning the dawn,

What prey they meet, they tear it apart,

حتّى إذا بِتْنا على أَمَلٍ

نَعِدُ النّفوسَ بكُلِّ ما سَرّا

Baring their fangs and claws,

If a specter dared approach them stealthily,

ودجَا الظّلامُ فكاثَروا عَدَداً

بشَبا الرّماحِ نُجومَه الزُّهرا

It would find no escape,

Until dawn shone and its banners were unfurled for us,

وتَغنّتِ الحُرّاسُ واصطفقَتْ

عِيدانُها وتجاوبَتْ نَقرا

And you heard the calls to prayer from the flanks

Penetrating the darkness with their cries,

تَحْدو وراء الليّلِ قارعةً

لطُبولِها أو تُبصِرَ الفَجرا

And you would think the beating drums,

If you listened morning or evening,

والغُضْفُ مَن لَقِيَتْ تُمزَقُه

وتَعُلُّ منه النّابَ والظُّفرا

Thunder cut rhythmically, and you will not find

Crawling or breaking before it,

فلَوَ انّ طيفاً رام من طُنُبٍ

لهمُ دُنُوّاً لم يَجِدْ مَسرى

So they shook off the remnants of their sleepiness and fulfilled

The duty of prayer sincerely,

حتّى إذا ما الصّبحُ لاحَ وقد

نُشرَتْ لنا راياتُه نَشرا

And the young servants hurried

Following their horses’ tracks,

وسَمعتَ صيحاتِ الأذانِ من ال

جنَباتِ تَنْعَرُ بالدُّجَى نَعرا

Fastening the knots of their thick robes,

In which you see them blossoming flowers,

وتَخالُ أصواتَ الطّبولِ إذا

أصغَيتَ إنْ ظُهراً وإنْ عَصرا

Like pearls, the perfection of their beauty increases

In the eye when crowned with amber,

رَعْداً يُقطَّعُ بالعَروضِ فما

تَلقَى له زَحْفاً ولا كَسرا

And as if their helmets on the cheeks’ reflection

From the glow became red,

فنفَوا بقايا غُمضِهمْ وقَضَوا

فَرْضَ الصّلاةِ وأخلَصوا السِّرّا

Until they took their weaponry,

And raced their best horses,

وتَقاطَر الغِلمانُ راكضةً

للخيلِ تابعةً له الإثرا

Competing in manners and trying lances and slim spears,

So the Lord of the worlds turned back with them,

المُحكِمين عقودَ أقبيةٍ

فيها يُرونَكَ أَوجُها زُهرا

And the black screen was raised

In the sky above the flowered veil,

كالدُّرِّ زِيدَ كمالُ بَهجتِهِ

في العَينِ أنْ قد كُلِّلَ التِّبرا

They asked about the shade, it was removed

From which sun for the other?

وكأنّما أضحَتْ قَلانِسُهم

من عَكْسِ ضوء خُدودِهم حُمرا

It veiled the increase of its light's radiance

Out of kindness from its hot eye,

حتّى إذا أخذوا صوالجَهمْ

جَهَدوا سوابقَ خَيلهِم حُضرا

Until when it shone from afar

People proclaimed their prayers aloud,

وتَنازعوا الآدابَ وامتحَنوا النْ

نُشّابَ والخَطِّيّةَ السُّمرا

And in the council the chest leaned

From it orders emanate, gladdening the chests,

فثنَى الأعِنّةَ راجعاً بهمُ

مَولَى الورَى واليومُ قد حَرّا

A chest whose garment protects it, shielding it

From the arrow of the time’s eye with a shield,

والسِّترةُ السوداءُ قد رُفعَتْ

في الجَوِّ فوق الغُرّةِ الزَّهرا

A treasure hoarding its glory,

Taking iron to protect it as a shell,

فسَلُوا المَظَلّةَ إنّها دُفِعَتْ

عن أيّةِ الشّمْسَيْنِ للأُخرى

The kingdom is the kingdom of the whole earth,

Encircling it like a collar round the neck,

حجَبَتْ تَزايُدَ نُورِ غُرَّتهِ

من رأْفةٍ عن عينِها الحَرّى

Religion a heart in its wings,

However much an apostate fears evil,

حتّى إذا ما لاحَ من بُعُدٍ

جهَرَ الورى بدُعائهمْ جَهرا

The sciences the times will bring

Hidden in its folds, a secret,

والصّدْرُ في الدّيوانِ مُستَنِدٌ

منه الأوامرُ تَشرَحُ الصَّدرا

How many clear pages and you will not see

A single line for miserliness in between them,

صَدْرٌ رداءٌ تُقاهُ يَستُرُه

عن سهمِ عينِ زمانهِ سَترا

This perfection in truth, not

What was mentioned before it,

مُستودَعٌ لُبّاً لعِزّتِه

تَخِذَ الحديدَ لصَوْنِه قِشرا

I remember a group who

Perhaps memories are renewed,

والمُلْكُ مُلْكُ الأرضِ أجمعِها

كالطّوقِ منه أُلزِمَ النَّحرا

Children of a time whose treachery after

Their demise you did not meet,

والدِّينُ قَلْبٌ في جوانحِه

مهما اتّقَى من مارقٍ شرّا

My thoughts do not end regarding it

But its matter does not equal thought,

وعلومُ ما يأْتي الزّمانُ به

مكنونةٌ في طَيِّه سِرّا

My covenant with them, their tears

Pour heavily when they grant us a trickle,

كم فيه صُحْفِ ندىً ولست تَرى

للبُخلِ في أثنائها سَطرا

How often I returned from them

Regretfully, and my she-camels regretfully,

هذا الكمالُ على الحقيقةِ لا

ما كان يُذْكَرُ قبْلَه ذِكرا

I hoped to gain wealth from them

While misfortunes reckon their odd number as even!

إنّي لأذكُرُ معشراً عُهِدوا

ولربّما تَتجدَّدُ الذّكرى

I used to see all chests other than yours

As a chest whose heart had become barren,

أبناءَ دَهرٍ لا لَقِيتَ له

يا صاحِ بعدَ وفائهِ غَدرا

All becameacles and their companion

Remained seeking water from them,

ما تَنقضِي في أمرِه فِكَرِي

بلْ لا يُساوي أمرُه الفِكرا

So today I came to the arm of a generous king

I am a guest of hope satisfied by his generosity,

عَهْدِي بهم تُضحِي دُموعُهمُ

غُزْراً إذا وهَبوا لنا نَزرا

And they prayed for the Sultan of people that

O victory's helper, glorify victory for him,

كم رجعةٍ عنهم رجَعْتُ أنا

مُتَحّسِراً وركائبي حَسْرى

And they went early to the parade ground and crowded it

For there the nomads and settled peoples meet,

أمّلْتُ منهم أن أنالَ غِنىً

والحُولُ تَحسَبُ شَفْعَها الوِترا

And the grandees see them

Crowding, so they exclaim “God is Great”,

كُلُّ الصّدورِ سواك كنتُ أَرى

صدْراً غدا من قلبِهِ قَفرا

And the infantry arrayed around them

Guarding right and left,

كُلٌّ غدا غُمْراً وصاحبُه

قد ظَل منه طالباً غَمرا

Their helmets tilting as if they are

Pieces of gardens garlanded with flowers,

فاليومَ صرتُ إلى ذُرا مَلِكٍ

ضَيفُ الرّجاءِ بجُودهِ يُقرى

And you see their sword belts halted

Like lines whose rhythm aligns the line,

ودَعَوا لسلطانِ الأنامِ بأنْ

أَعزِزْ له يا ناصِرُ النّصرا

And the king is like the blazing sun

Dazzling our eyes beyond it,

وغدَوا إلى الدّركاةِ وازدحَموا

فهُناك تَلقَى البَدْوَ والحَضرا

And from the armies staring at him

Surging seas you see around him green,

وأكابرُ الأُمَراء تُبصِرُهمْ

مُتحاشدِينَ فتُكْبِرُ الأَمرا

Crowded from the greatness of what they witness

They do not discern themselves from the ground by a handspan,

والبِيضُ مُصلتَةٌ تَحُفُّ بهم

وتَذودُ من يُمنَى ومن يُسرى

And you see the kings of earth humble

Standing before his throne belittled,

فَنٌّ أَجَدَّ الدّهرُ سُنّتَه

ويَحارُ مَن يتأَمّلُ الدّهرا

Words whispered imperceptibly

With eyes stealing glances secretly,

وبنو الرّجاء بكلِّ مُلتفَتٍ

منهم تُشاهِدُ عسكراً مَجرا

Messengers after messengers arriving

Like drops, one follows the next,

وذوو العمائمِ في مناصِبهم

والتُّركُ تَرمُقُ نَحوهَم خُزرا

And those with pale faces who on the day

Of peace made their brows dusty,

مِيلاً قلانسُهم كأنّهمُ

قِطَعُ الرياضِ تَكلّلتْ زَهرا

And the cries of the wronged tell

The story of the meows or chiding of cats,

وتَرى سِماطَيْهم وقد وقَفُوا

كالسّطْرِ حاذَى نَظْمُه السّطرا

They raised cases on their staffs

And implore God to resolve them,

والملْكُ مثْلُ الشّمسِ كاسِرةً

أبصارَنا من دُونِها كَسرا

They approach and the cavalry cuts them off

A horde pulling their whips pulled taut,

ومِنَ الجيوشِ المُحدِقينَ به

لُجَجاً تَرى من حَوْلِه خُضرا

As if angry without anger

Lashing bellies and backs,

من عُظْمِ ما يَلْقَى تَضايُقُها

ما تَستبِينُ من الثّرَى شِبرا

The horses coming and going,

These led, those running,

وتَرى مُلوكَ الأرضِ خافتةً

وقَفوا أمامَ سريرِه صُغرا

Under the little colts’ grooming

Not disobeying any order,

والقولُ هَمْسٌ لا حَسيسَ له

والعينُ تَسرِقُ لَحْظَها سِرّا

With the elephant at the end of the procession,

Frightening the young man with its enormity,

والرُّسْلُ بعدَ الرُّسْلِ واردةٌ

كالقَطْرِ أصبحَ يَتبَعُ القَطرا

Standing where the eunuchs command and forbid

وذوو الوجوهِ البيضِ مَن جَعلوا

يومَ السّلامِ جِباهَهم غُبرا

So it obeys the prohibition and command,

Two ears like two shields beneath them,

وتَصايُحُ المُتظَلِّمينَ حكَى

لَغَطَ القطا أوسعْتَها زَجرا

And two tusks like two spears if provoked,

A pavilion rises over its platform

رفَعُوا على قَصباتِهم قصَصاً

ويناشدون اللّهَ أن تُقْرا

Shading it like one who climbed a palace,

Its trunk seems to be

يَدنونَ والجاؤوشُ مُعتَرِضٌ

حَرِدٌ يَجُرُّ سِياطَه جَرّا

The nozzle of a hose if flexed,

And the trumpets buzz if the Sultan rides

وكأنّه حَنِقٌ بلا حَنَقٍ

يُغْشِي السّياطَ البَطْنَ والظَّهرا

You would think them vowing through him,

My Master, I fled to him from my time

والخيلُ جائيةٌ وذاهِبةٌ

هذى تُقادُ وهذِه تُجْرى

And the brother of disgrace, to him who fled,

So I will surely overlook those who spent

تحت الأُغَيلمةِ الصّغار منَ التْ

تَأْديبِ لا تَعْصِي لها أمرا

A lifetime, whether people knew or did not,

Why should I blame nights past

والفيلُ في ذَيلِ السّماطِ له

زَجَلٌ يُهالُ له الفتَى ذُعرا

Whether their legacy was good or corrupt?

An old covenant, if sound then sound,

في مَوقفِ الحُجّاب يُؤْمَرُ أو

يُنْهَي فَيُمضِي النّهْيَ والأَمرا

Or if it commanded us then it passed,

My gratitude for this era preoccupies me

أُذْنانِ كالتُّرسَيْنِ تحتهما

نابانِ كالرُّمحَينِ إن كَرّا

From reproaching that era,

With the just companion my time sought refuge

يَعلو له فَيّالُه قَصَراً

فيظَلُّ مثْلَ مَنِ اعتلَى قَصرا

So I will surely forgive its sins completely,

My Master, time is apologizing to us

وكأنّما خُرطومُه مثَلاً

راووقُ خُرطومٍ إذا افتَرّا

For remaining, and that is enough apology,

I dwelt with it, so I attained every wish

وتَرنُّمُ البُوقاتِ إن رَكبَ السْ

سُلطانُ تَحسَبُها بهِ نَذرا

And that is why they said, “Dweller of the sea”,

My hopes came to it depressed

مَولىً فرَرْتُ إليه من زَمني

وأخو الفَخارِ إليه مَن فَرّا

So the dew healed their burning livers,

I presented them skinny, may he generously

فلأَصفحَنّ عنِ الّذين قَضَوْا

عُرْفاً أتَى الأقوامُ أم نُكْرا

Fatten them, after I had thirsted them,

So I will surely thank him abundantly

ما لي أذمُّ ليالياً سلَفتْ

إن عَقّ ماضيها وإن بَرّا

And ingratitude will exceed gratitude,

O You who returned the face of time

عهْدٌ قديمٌ إن حَلا فخَلا

أو إنْ أمَرَّ لنا فقد مَرّا

To prosperity through His justice, good news,

Opened are the eyes of his envious haters

شُكْرِي لهذا العَصْرِ يَشغَلُني

عن أن أعاتبَ ذلك العَصرا

Not closing their lids out of hatred,

And their pens seemed to gush

بالصّاحبِ العَدْلِ احتمَى زَمنِي

فلأغفِرنَّ ذنوبَه غَفرا

From their ribs being sharpened,

Who would hope to see himself

مولىً إلينا الدّهرُ مُعتَذِرٌ

ببقائه وكفَى به عُذرا

With patience owning souls before Your war?

If Chosroes lived he would be seen

جاورْتُه فبلَغْتُ كُلَّ مُنىً

ولذاك قالوا جاوِرِ البَحرا

From fear of Your power clinging to Chosroes,

O You whose loyalty I stored for a time

وأتَتْه آمالِي مُحلأةً

فشفَى النّدَى أكبادَها الحَرّى

For the sake of a day when hoarding is praised,

You focused a glance I had granted

أوردْتُها عَشْراً كَرُمْنَ له

من بعدِ ما أظمأتُها عشرا

So favor me with another glance,

You possessed all my world

فلأشكُرَنّ جزيلَ أنعُمِه

ويفوقُ كُفْرُ النِّعمةِ الكُفرا

So allow my matter to occupy Your thought,

An eye without sleep sealed shut

يا أيّها المولَى المُعيدُ إلى

وَجْهِ الزّمانِ بِعَدْلِه بشرا

And fingers clasped together yellowed,

The envious looked at their appearance

مَفتوقةٌ أجفانُ حاسِده

ما إن يَخيطُ بهُدْبِها شُفْرا

While I knew the essence of their matter,

So until when will greed lead me

وكأنّما أقلامُه طَفِقَتْ

للغَيْظِ من أضلاعِهِمْ تُبْرى

A slave to it while I fancy myself free?

And old age bared its eye in wonder

مَن ذا يُؤمِّلُ أن يُرَى نفَساً

قُدّامَ حَربِكَ مالِكاً صَبرا

Winking at me with its eyelid,

So be the one to empty my concerns generously

ولَوَ انّ كِسرَى عاش كان يُرَى

من خَوفِ بأسِكَ لازماً كِسرا

For the free man, You are more worthy of freeing,

O You whom I made my destination, so

يا مَن ذخَرْتُ ولاءه زَمناً

من أجلِ يومٍ يَحمَدُ الذُّخرا

My difficult journey became smooth to You,

And I see wealth obey me when You make

أَوْلَيتَ فَضْلي نظرةً سَلَفَتْ

فامْنُنْ إليه بنَظرةٍ أُخرى

The flaws of time for me poverty to You,

The daughter of my thoughts in generosity came to You

وملَكْتَ من دُنْيايَ أَجمعِها

فالْمَحْ بِفكْرِكَ أَمْريَ الإمرا

So I presented her to You an honorable virgin,

No young man approves the sword of tongues

عَيْناً بلا نَومٍ مُغمّضَةً

وأنامِلاً مَضْمومةً صِفرا

Unless he shows excellence in Your praise,

O You whose lofty position makes

نظَر الحسودُ إلى ظواهرِها

وأنا بباطِنِ أَمرِها أَدْرى

The ground and sky equal before You,

The feast returned to You, so meet it

فإلى متى يقتادُني طَمعِي

عْبداً له وأَظُنُّني حُرّا

With a mouth smiling from joy,

In an everlasting radiant state

والشَّيبُ فاتحُ عَيْنِه عجَباً

يرنو إليّ بطَرْفِه شَزرا

As long as a fast follows feasting.

فكُنِ المُفرِّغَ خاطرِي كَرماً

فالحُرُّ أَنتَ بنَصْرِه أَحرى

يا مَن جَعلْتُك مَقْصِدِي فغدا

سَهْلاً إليكَ رُكوبِيَ الوَعرا

وأَرى الغِنى طَوْعِي إذا جَعلَتْ

نُوَبُ الزّمانِ إليك لي فَقرا

جاءْتكَ من فِكَري ابنةٌ كَرُمتْ

فجلَوتُها لكَ حُرّةً بِكرا

لا يَرتضِي سيفَ اللّسانِ فتىً

ما لم يُبِنْ في مَدْحِكَ الأُثرا

يا مَن لدَيهِ لعُظْمِ مَنْصِبِه

سِيّانِ مَن لم يُطْرِ أو أَطْرى

العِيد عاد إليك فاجْتَلِهِ

ثَغْراً عنِ الإقبالِ مُفترّا

في دولةٍ غرّاءَ دائمةٍ

مادامَ صَومٌ مُعقِباً فِطرا