تَجلَّتْ فقلْتُ البدرُ لولا عُقودُها
وماسَتْ فقلتُ الغصْنُ لولا نُهودُها
Her beauty emerged, so I said, were it not for her braids, the full moon would envy her.
She turned, so I said, were it not for her supple form, the branch would envy her.
وظَلّ نساءُ الحّيِ يَحسُدْنَ وجهَها
ولا خيرَ في نُعميَ قليلٍ حَسودها
The women of the tribe envied her face, though little is the good in an envied blessing.
One evening she revealed the gardens of her beauty, so theglance was at a loss how to turn away.
عَشِيّةَ أبدَتْ عن رياضِ محاسنٍ
فلم يَدْرِ سَرْحُ اللّحظِ كيفَ يَرودها
Beyond her, blue eyes are but windows, which, when the eye beholds her, it shuts them out.
She arose with the steel of India sharpening her beauty, and was fettered with anklets of chiming bells.
ومِن دونها زُرْقُ الأسنّةِ شُرَّعٌ
إذا وردَتْها العَينُ ظلّتْ تَذودها
She walked abroad from the interior of her tent, while the nearest dwellings of the tribe were remote from her.
With a complexion white but not like white pearls, and a hue reddish but not like rubies.
غَدتْ وحديدُ الهِندِ حادي جِمالِها
وقِيدَتْ بأشطانِ الرُّدَيْنّيِ قُودها
The glances never ceased to gather their booty from her, while the steel of India supplied her polish.
I wondered at her dark mole that she inlaid with blood, while the necklace's burden increased her languor.
وقد سارتِ الأحداجُ من بطْنِ وَجْرةٍ
وأَدنَى ديارِ الحّيِ منها زَرودها
She stalks the wild beasts of the desert, extending to the caravan her neck, a thing of terror when she turns to strike.
By Allah, what ferocity, though we pursue not her like.
ببِيضٍ وليس البِيضُ إلاّ لِحاظُها
وسُمْرٍ وليس السُّمْرُ إلاّ قُدودها
I looked and the moons of the fair leaned towards her, while their stars attended on her curls as handmaidens.
I saw nothing like the glances of her eyes, or like her slender waist.
وما بَرِح الألحاظُ يَجني كَليلُها
علينا وبيضُ الهندِ يَنْبو حَديدها
Howsoever the railer rails at Sa'dah, nevertheless among the deserted encampments
There is a reiterator who reiterates her name.
عَجبتُ لذاتِ الخالِ أنَّى تَقلّدتْ
دماءً وَحَمْلُ العِقْدِ مِمّا يؤودها
The lady of the tribe, when the warriors couched their spears,
Stood sheltering in her mantle the panic-stricken beast.
تَمُدُّ أمامَ السِربِ للرّكْبِ جيدَها
فللّهِ من وَحشيّةٍ ما نَصيدها
Though she restrained it with her spears, had she been able, she would have clad it with her mantle.
Whenever we unveiled her face to contemplate her beauty, her languor was revealed to us.
نظرتُ وأقمارُ الخدورِ طَوالعٌ
وقد أَتلعَتْ بِيضَ السّوالفِ غِيدها
The ringdoves among us were yearning more than ever, though I did not know that aught could add to their yearning.
Clad in the blue of dawn is her shift, and strung with the pearls of night her necklace.
فلم أر كالألحاظِ لولا نُبوُّها
ولم أرَ كالأجيادِ لولا صُدودها
Would that when she turned from us, she had wings to bring her back, that I might owe to her a kindness to last forever.
Encompassed by two boons - her return, and the ornament that she left me.
ومهما حدا الحادي بسُعْدَى ففي الكَرى
مُعيدٌ على رَغْمِ الفراقِ يُعيدها
Among the tale-tokens of my passion is an eye, that when it weeps, causes a tear that cannot be dried.
It rained not save by the will of Layla, nor was it watered save by my running tears.
عقيلةُ حيٍّ راكِزينَ رِماحَهم
إلى حُلَلٍ تَحْمِي مَهاها أُسودها
I fulfilled not to youth its due, till its days were over, and it departed.
Then when the days of impetuousness passed, I spoke to my companion, "Is there any return for what is vanished, that we may recover it?"
مُمنّعةٌ حاطتْ عليها رِماحَها
ولو قَدرتْ خيطتْ عليها جُلودها
And I changed from a black-eyed girl, craved in the encampments, to a white-templed decrepit, strange to my companions.
How long will my blackness remain black, when the days and nights change their whites and blacks?
إذا ما اجتَلْينا ما أَسرّتْ حِجالُها
تَجلَّى علينا ما أَسرَّتْ غُمودها
A troop of horses, double-girded their saddle-girths, lightly equipped, their deserts and wilds seeming narrow to them.
They vie starwise by night with the planets, and rise starwise to the highest heaven.
وقد زاد أشواقي إليكم حَمائمٌ
وما كنتُ أدرِي أنّ شيئاً يَزيدها
We rode till we climbed mountains, filled with every demon, upon a rugged hill that defied him who would lead them.
Archers whose bows suffer no relaxation, and horsemen whose stirrups suffer no weariness.
مُطوّقةٌ من زُرْقةِ الفجرِ قُمْصُها
وَمن حُلْكةِ اللّيلِ البهيمِ عُقودها
Those are wild cows with them, while these crouch like lionesses.
They shall return, though their limbs be grey, their forelocks hoary.
ولو قد أعارَتْ حين شاقَتْ إليكمُ
جناحاً به تُطْوَى على النّأْيِ بِيدها
The steeds departed, their girths closedrawn; yet no mountain-track makes the mountains grey, but only the days make their new-born child grey.
We departed from the foul folk, drawing away reproachfully, while their revilings were cast at us and their spites flung at us.
تَقلّدت منها مِنّةً يَغْتدِي لها
مدَى الدّهْر في طَوقَيْنِ جيدي وجيدها
For me, if I loosed the restraining bonds, my steadfastness alone reins them back.
They who serve greed abjectly, we serve honor proudly, not as their servants.
ومن عُدَدِي للشّوقِ عَينٌ إذا بكَت
جَرت عَبْرةٌ لا يُستطاعُ جمُودها
Grief enough it is that I voided my soul of the wine of life which wets not my palate or gladdens my heart.
And their envier casts at me the glance of a one-eyed man, so increasing the weakness of his sight against me.
فلا مطَرتْ إلاّ لليْلَى عِهادها
ولا سُقيَتْ إلاّ بَدْمعيِ عُهودها
Souls from hatred fallen sick, evil thoughts making their wont.
Naught aroused the people against me, till my absence from a journey of theirs, of which they were witnesses.
وما كُنتُ وَفّيتُ الصِّبا كُنْهَ حَقِّه
وأيّامَه حتّى تَقضَّي حَميدها
When the envious saw my loyal devotion, high on the noblest seat, their rancors burst out.
They said: "Correct in judgement, you have chosen a friend!" I said to them: "The best of arrows is the most correct in its aim,
فلمّا انقضَى عَجْلانَ قلتُ لصاحبي
ألا هل له من عَودةٍ نَستعيدها
I have aimed it at objects, till I hit the mark, and till the once distant morn drew near me.
Its quality, bestowed on it by God, He bestowed not on any other of mankind, so that it remained unique.
وبُدِّلتُ من سوداءَ تُهوَى على البِلَى
بِبيضاءَ مشْنوءٌ إلينا جَديدها
It increases in raising up by exceeding humility, and such good works it builds up, work supporting work.
It knows the knowledge of truth, that no spark of fire is feared for its enduring,
وكم ذا تُرى يَبْقَى سَوادِي بحالِه
إذا اختلفَتْ بِيضُ اللّيالي وسُودها
It preserves the wealth of kingdoms guarding it, and lavishes other wealth to please the people.
The king of the world saw your concentration on those who melt the livers of a grudging people.
وخُوصٍ طَويْنَ البِيدَ وهْي طلائحٌ
تَرامَى بها أغوارُها ونُجودها
And the Prophet Joseph said to me: 'Entrust me with its treasuries, to keep count of them for you.'
The Sultan of mankind appointed you, nor did you fail to execute his command.
يُباري نجومَ اللّيلِ طَوراً هُبوطُها
معَ الفَلَكِ الأعْلى وطَوراً صُعودها
Such then is the most eminent of those the kings entrusted with authority, desiring the welfare of the deputed, not the deputy coveting it for himself.
O best of the gatekeepers, no dynasty has been joined to another, but its good fortune was linked to yours.
وجُزْنا جِبالاً مِلْؤُها كُلُّ ماردٍ
على صَعْبةٍ أعيَتْ على مَنْ يَقودها
Its counsels protect the dome of the kingdom, and its policies keep the kingdom's pillars upright.
It has an untrodden plain, not sprinkled with the feathers of Twin Eagles day after day.
رُماةُ سهامٍ لا تُمَدُّ قِسيُّها
وفُرسانُ خيلٍ لا تُشَدُّ لُبودها
Its noble sign to the people is a prayer-niche, toward which their aspirations bow morning and evening.
Now to the spears of the champions is their bending, and now to the calamus of the clerks their prostration.
فتلك جلاميدٌ بهنّ قِتالُها
وتلكَ شَناخِيبٌ عليها قُعودها
Your lineage ascended to the most eminent sharifs, the white Meccans of honored pedigree.
Kings whose grandfathers — no, their fathers too — were kings, even as their ancestors were.
ستَرجِعُ والأطوادُ شِيبٌ فُروُعها
ركائبُ سارتْ وهْي جُرْدٌ خُدودها
They became lords of the world in their might, though the horizons all were their vassals.
Naught of wish or desire was gained, but their promise accomplished it, and their word made it true.
وما بيَ من طُرْقِ تَشيبُ جِبالُها
ولكنْ لأيّامٍ يَشيبُ وَليدها
Every hand but for their munificence had remained shut to the people, grudging its bounty.
The brother of Bounty - his saying follows his doing, swift as the lightning that follows its thunder.
رحَلْنا عنِ القومِ اللّئام نجائباً
تُشَدُّ بشَكْواهم وتُلْقَى قُتودها
His tenderness moves to pity at the breath of dawn, when the tender north wind blows upon us.
As though upon us were a garden of his praise, whenever his acclaim casts a shadowy nimbus.
وعنْديَ لو أَطلقتُ عنها سَوائرٌ
أَوابدُ إلاّ أنّ حِلْمِي قُيودها
He is the sun, and the Pleiades are the moons in his horizon, giving and spending their light as he ordains.
Ahmad, of the auspicious conjunctions, shone as a prophet, when his horoscope was joined with that of Anushirwan.
ومَن عَبد الأطماعَ ذُلاً فإنّنا
لَمُستَعْبِدوها عِزّةً لا عَبيدها
The days of Anushirwan, compared with Ahmad's days, were but as their new moons matched with their full moons.
So take them as rhymed prose, whose beauty still wanders through the countrysides distract
كفى حَزناً أَنّى تَبرّضْتُ نُطْفةً
من العيشِ لم يُبْلِلْ لساني وُرودها
Dear to the hearts of the noble is their recitation, and sweet to the mouths of narrators their chanting.
They came to you from a soul yearning to you, whose visit and ode have a claim on your honor.
وحاسِدُها يَرمِي بُمقْلةِ أَحْولٍ
فَيزدادُ في عَينَيْهِ ضِعْفاً عَديدها
Still may you remain in a world whose bliss endures, and still remain in joys with undiminishing increase!
In them preserve the fair mention of Ibn Khalid, for the mention of noble souls is their immortality."
نُفوس من الشّنْآنِ أضحَتْ مريضةً
فقد جَعَلتْ أفكارُ سَوءٍ تَعودها
وما غَرَّ منّي القومَ حتّى تَألّبوا
سوى غَيْبتي عن رِحلةٍ هُم شُهودها
فلمّا رأَى الحُسّادُ حُسْنَ وِفادتي
على السُّدّةِ العلياءِ فُتّتْ كُبودها
وقالوا سَديدَ الحضرة اختَرتَ صاحباً
فقلْتُ لهم خيرُ السّهامِ سَديدها
رَميتُ به الأغراضَ حتّى أَصبْتُها
وحتّى دنا منّي الغداةَ بَعيدها
له شِيمةٌ لم يُعْطِها اللّهُ غيَرهُ
من النّاسِ حتّى ظَلّ وهْو وَحيدها
يَزيدُ بإفْراطِ التّواضُعِ رفْعةً
وتلك مَعالٍ في مَعالٍ يَشيدها
ويَعلَمُ عِلْمَ الحّقِ أنْ ليس قبْسَةٌ
من النّارِ يُخشَى الدّهرَ منها خُمودها
ويَحفَظُ أموالَ الممالكِ حِفْظَها
وأُخْرَى يَدٌ يُرضِي الرّعيّةَ جُودها
رأَى مَلِكُ الدنْيا اختصاصَكَ بالّتي
تُذيبُ لها أكبادَ قومٍ حُقودها
وقال رَسولُ اللّهِ يُوسُفُ ولّنِي
خزائنَها تُحفَظْ لديَّ حُدودها
وولاّك سلطانُ الأنامِ ولم تَسَلْ
وهاتِيكَ عُلْيا لا يُطاقُ جُحودها
وأَشْرفُ ما ولّي الملوكُوِلايةٌ
تُريدُ المُولَّي لا المُولَّي يُريدها
فللّهِ مَيْمونُ النّقيبةِ ما انتمَى
إلى دولةٍ إلاّ وأَورقَ عُودها
فأصبح يَحمِي قُبّةَ المُلْكِ نُصْحُه
وآراؤهُ من أنْ يَميلَ عَمودها
له ساحةٌ لم يَنتَثِرْ حَبُّ مُزْنةٍ
كما تَتوالَى كُلَّ يومٍ وُفودها
إشارتُه العلياءُ للنّاسِ قِبلةٌ
إليها هوىً يُضحِي ويُمسِي قُصودها
فطَوراً لأرماحِ الكُماةِ رُكوعُها
وطَوراً لأقلامِ الكُفاةِ سُجودها
نَمتْهُ إلى أعلَى ذُؤابةِ سُؤْددٍ
من العَجَمِ البِيض المناسيبِ سِيدها
ملوكٌ سمَتْ عَلْياؤها وجدودها
كما كَرُمَتْ آباؤها وجُدودها
غدتْ سادةَ الدُّنيا على حينِ عِزّها
وراحَتْ وكُلُّ الخافقَيْنِ مَسودها
وما نِيلَ من أُمنيّةٍ ومَنّيةٍ
سِوى ما أتاهُ وعْدُها ووَعيدها
بكُلِّ يدٍ لولا نَداها وجُودها
على النّاسِ ما سَرَّ الكريمَ وُجودها
أخو كَرمٍ تَتلو المقالَ فعالُه
سريعاً كما يتلو بُروقاً رُعودها
وأَعطافُهُ تَهتَزُّ حقَّ اهتزازِها
إذا راحَ مَخْلوعاً علينا بُرودها
كأنّ علينا رَوضةً من ثنائهِ
إذا ظلَّ يُمناهُ سماءً تَجودها
هو الشّمسُ والعافون أَقمارُ أفْقهِ
تُجِدُّ وتُبْلِي النُّورَ ممّا يُفيدها
بأزمانِ نُوشَرْوانَ فاخرَ أَحمدٌ
نَبِيُّ الهُدى لمّا تلاقَتْ سُعودها
وأَيّامُ نُوشَرْوانَ في حَقِّ أَحمدٍ
كتلكَ سواءٌ شِيبُها وجَديدها
فَخُذها قوافٍ ما تزالُ لحُسْنِها
تَسيرُ بآفاقِ البلادِ شَرودها
يَلَذُ لأسماعِ الكرامِ قَريضُها
ويَحْلو بأفواهِ الرُّواةِ نَشيدها
أَتَتْكَ بها نَفْسٌ إليكَ مَشوقةٌ
لها حُرْمتاها قَصْدُها وقصيدها
ولا زلْتَ في دُنيا يُقيمُ نَعيمُها
ولا زلتَ في نُعْمَي يَدومُ مزيدها
وتَحْوِي بها الذِكْرَ الجميلَ ابنَ خالدٍ
فما الذكْرُ للأحرارِ إلا خُلودها
