إذا لم تَقْدِرا أَنْ تُسعداني
على شَجَني فَسِيرا واتْرُكاني
If you two cannot make me happy,
Leave me to my passion and go away.
دَعاني من مَلامِكُما سَفاهاً
فداعي الشَّوقِ دُونكُما دَعاني
You blamed me for being foolish in love,
While yearning itself called me to it.
وأينَ منَ الملامِ لقَى هُمومٍ
يَبيتُ ونِضْوُه مُلْقَى الجِران
Where is blame for one suffering sorrows,
Who spends the night tossing restlessly?
يَشيمُ البرقَ وهْو ضجيعُ عَضْبٍ
ففي الجَفْنَينِ منه يَمانيان
Lightning flashes as he lies grieving,
With two lightning bolts in his eyelids.
وقفْتُ ولم تَقِفْ منّي دُموعٌ
لأجفاني تُعاتِبُ مَنْ جَفاني
I stopped but no tears fell from me
To reproach those who were dry to me.
ولا أَنسَى وإنْ نُسِيَتْ عُهودي
غداةَ حدا الرِّكابَ الحادِيان
I won't forget even if my vows are forgotten
The morning the two feet sped away.
فماج إلى الوَداعِ كثيبُ رَمْلٍ
ومال إلى العناقِ قضيبُ بان
The sandy hill flowed toward farewell
While the crooked stick inclined to embrace.
وحاول منه تَذكرةً مشوقٌ
فأعطى خدَّهُ عِقْدَيْ جُمان
A lover sought from it a scented keepsake
So it gave its cheeks, a pair of carnelians.
ودرَّعَ قلْبَهُ بالصّبْرِ حتّى
رماني بالصَّبابةِ واتَّقاني
It clad its heart with patience until
It pelted me with youthfulness and perfection.
أميلُ عن السُّلُوِّ وفيه بُرْؤٌ
وأعلَقَ بالغرامِ وقد بَراني
I turn from sobriety though it has healing
And cling to love though it has destroyed me.
وتَعجبُ من حنيني في التّنائي
وأعجبُ من صُدودِكَ في التَّداني
You're amazed at my yearning in separation
While I'm amazed at your aloofness in nearness.
ألا للهِ ما صنعَتْ بعَقْلي
عَقائلُ ذلك الحَيِّ اليَماني
Oh God, what the charms of that Yemeni
Did to my reason, those soft gazelles!
نَواعمُ ينْتَقِبْنَ على شَقيقٍ
يَرِفُّ ويبْتَسِمْنَ عنِ اقْحُوان
Beauties lying in wait on a cheek
That quivers and smiles with dimples.
دنَوْنَ عشيّةَ التّوديعِ منّي
ولي عينانِ بالدّمِ تَجْريان
They approached me the eve of farewell
While I had eyes flowing with blood.
فلم يَمْسحْنَ إكراماً جُفوني
ولكنْ رُمْنَ تَخْضيبَ البنان
They did not gently wipe my eyelids in kindness
But perfumed my fingers with henna.
وكم إلْفٍ حَواني البُعْدُ عنه
وأضلاعي على كمَدٍ حَوان
How much intimacy absence made me forget
While my ribs circle a blazing fire.
أذُمُّ إليه أيّامُ التّنائي
وإن لم أحظَ أيّامَ التّداني
I pine for those days of separation
Even if I saw no days of nearness.
وأجعَلُ لو قَدَرْتُ على جُفوني
طريقَ الطّارقينَ إلى جِفاني
If I could, I would make my eyelids
A path for night visitors to my cheeks.
وليلٍ خِلْتُ لَمْعَ الشُّهْبِ فيه
شَرارَ غضاً تَطايرَ في دُخان
One night when meteors were falling
Sparks of grief scattered in smoke,
طَرقْتُ الحيَّ فيه على سَبوحٍ
يلوحُ أمامَ غُرَّتِه سِناني
I circled the neighborhood on a wakeful steed
With teeth gleaming ahead of its bridle,
كأنّ بَريقَ ذا وبياضَ هذي
إذا اقْترنا بلَيْلٍ كَوكبان
As if the sheen of this one and the whiteness of that
Were two stars coupled with the night.
ودهْرٍ ضاعَ فيه مَضاءُ حَدّي
ضياعَ السَّيفِ في كفِّ الجَبان
And a time when the brilliance of my sword was lost
Like the loss of a sword in a coward's hand.
أُكابدُ فيه كُلَّ وضيعِ قومٍ
إذا بهرَتْهُ رِفْعتيَ ازْدَراني
I suffered every disgrace of a worthless people
Who became insolent when honored by me.
يُطَيْلِسُ منه رأْساً فيه أوفَى
وأكثرُ من خُيوطِ الطَّيْلَسان
He sits head raised though more loyal to me,
And readier with the threads of his turban.
وفي الكُمِّ العريضِ له يمينٌ
حقيقٌ أنْ تُقطَّعَ باليَماني
In his ample wrap is a true right hand
Meet to be cut off with a Yemeni blade.
أقولُ إذا همُ حَسدوا مكان
تعالَيْ فانْظُري بمَن ابتلاني
I say, when they envied my position,
"Come look at who tested me!"
ولو عَزّوا أهنْتُهمُ انْتِقاماً
ولكنْ لا إهانةَ للمُهان
And if they attributed power to me I would humiliate them in revenge
But there is no humiliation for the disgraced.
زمانُكَ ليس فيه سِواكَ عَيْبٌ
وعيبٌ ليس فيَّ سِوى زَماني
Your time has no flaw but me
While my flaw is nothing but my time.
وركْبٍ آنسوا أمَداً فحَثّوا
إليه العِيسَ تَمرَحُ في المَثاني
A group who hastened a period and drove
Their steeds toward it, bounding smoothly,
بآمالٍ كما قَطَعوا طِوالٍ
إليه ومثْلما عَقَدوا مِتان
With hopes like the leagues they traversed
To it, and the pacts they tied there.
ضَمِنْتُ لها وَشيكَ النُّجْحِ لكنْ
على كفَّيْكَ تَحقيقُ الضَّمان
I guaranteed its imminent success but
Fulfilling the guarantee rests in your hands,
بيُمْنِ الصَّاحبِ المأمولِ أَضحَتْ
دِيارُ المُلْكِ آهلةَ المَغاني
Through the aid of the trusted companion it became
The abode of kingship, home of songs.
وعادَتْ بَهجةُ الدُّنيا إليها
وكانَتْ مِن أكاذيبِ الأماني
And the joy of life returned to it
Though it had been among false hopes.
وعمَّ الأرضَ إحساناً وعَدْلاً
طُلوعُ أغرَّ مَنْصورٍ مُعان
Goodness and justice spread over the land
With the rise of brilliant Mansur,
وباهَى طَلْعةَ السَّعْدَيْنِ منه
بسَعْدٍ ما لَهُ في النّاسِ ثان
Who triumphed with a rise that has no peer among people
In good fortune that embraces all.
ولم يَكُ لو تأدَّبتِ اللّيالي
ليُوسَمَ باسْمِ مَوْلىً خادمان
Even if the nights had shown humility
Two servants would brand him lord.
له يومان يومٌ للعَطايا
يُفَرِّقُها ويومٌ للطّعان
He has two days: a day for gifts
He distributes, and a day for spears.
فَداهُ مَنْ سعَى يَبْغي مَداهُ
كما قُرِنَ الهَجينُ إلى الهِجان
May he ransom one who seeks his extension
As the bay horses are paired with the chestnuts!
وقال النَّجْمُ لا تَطمَحْ إلى مَنْ
أراهُ في العُلُوِّ كما تَراني
The star said, "Do not aspire to one
Whom you see lofty as I."
تُباريه وبينكما قياساً
تَفاوُتُ ما تَعُدُّ الخِنْصِران
Vying with him, between you is difference
Beyond the ken of mathematicians.
بَسطْتَ قِوامَ دينِ اللهِ كَفّاً
تَمُنُّ على العُفاةِ بلا امْتنان
You spread the pillars of God's religion in a palm
That bestows on the destitute without unease.
وتأتي أسطُرُ التَّوقيعِ منها
وقد أُوتينَ من سِحْر البَيان
The lines of your signature come from it
Gifted with the magic of eloquence,
بأحسنَ من خُطوطٍ للغَوالي
لوائحَ في خُدودٍ للغواني
In a more wondrous script than the risings
Of planets in the cheeks of heavenly nymphs.
إذا افتخرَتْ مُلوكُ الأرضِ قِدْماً
بآثارٍ تُخَلِّفُها حِسان
When the kings of earth boast
Of the traces their benevolence leaves,
قَلعْتَ القلعةَ العَلْياءَ بأساً
أحلَّ قطينَها دارَ الهَوان
With might you brought down the lofty citadel
To make its mortar the abode of disgrace.
وكانتْ للطّعامِ قُعودَ عِيٍّ
وقد مَلكوا لها طَرَفَ العِنان
It had been a sedentary lair for gluttons
Who controlled its reins.
فلم يَترجَّلوا عنها إلى أنْ
تَلاقَتْ حولَها حَلَقُ البِطان
They did not dismount until
The circles gathered around it.
فَتحْتَ الحِصْنَ ثُمّ جعَلْتَ منه
بثأْرِ الحِصْنِ تَخْريبَ المباني
You took the fortress then made it
A ruin destroying fortresses in vengeance.
فظلَّ تَدُقُّ أيْدي الخيلِ منها
مَراقيَ أعيَتِ الحَدَقَ الرَّواني
So the hooves of the steeds still pound them
With a pounding that exhausted the gazelles.
مَلكْتَ قِيادَ طاعتِهمْ برَأيٍ
مَزَجْتَ له الخُشونةَ باللُّيان
You took leadership of their obedience with wisdom
Blending for it sternness and gentleness.
وشابَه فتْحَ مكّةَ حينَ أعطَى
رسولُ اللهِ مَطْلوبَ الأمان
Like the opening of Mecca when God's Messenger
Gave protection to those who sought immunity,
فما دَرَجَ الزّمانُ بها قليلاً
وللكُفّارِ تُطْرِقُ مُقْلَتان
So that after a short time
The idolaters' eyelids drooped in sleep.
نعَمْ فَتحوا ولكنْ من رُقادٍ
عُيونَهمُ إلى شَرِّ امْتِحان
Yes they opened, but from a slumber
To the worst of trials.
شكَوا جَدْباً فأعشَبَ بالأفاعي
لهمُ مُلْسُ الثَّنايا والرِّعان
They complained of barrenness so it let loose upon them
The hemlocks' hissing and howling,
وطاعنَهمْ لكَ الإقبالُ منها
بأقْتلَ من شبَا الصُّمِّ اللِّدان
And its stabbing of you became for them
More deadly than the fangs of asps,
بحيّاتِ الصِّمام الصُّمِّ لمّا
رَقَوا بالسَّلْمِ حيَّاتِ الطِّعان
With the deaf adders' deafly hissing
When they declined the peace of treacherous snakes.
كأنّ الطّودَ غَيْظاً حينَ ألقَى
بإفكِهمُ الجَهولَ أخا افْتِتان
It was as if the camel, enraged when
Their ignorant lie cast it away,
رَماهمْ منه كلَّ مكانِ كَفٍّ
لتَلْتقِفَ الطّغاةَ بأُفْعُوان
Pelted them from its mouth with each handful
So the tyrants were seized by snakes.
تثَعْبَنَ كلُّ صَعْبٍ منه لمّا
تفَرْعَن كلُّ عِلْج ذي امْتِهان
It made every rugged path smooth when
Each twisting approach was leveled.
وزارَكَ في زمانِ الفَتْحِ عيدٌ
كما ابتدَر المدَى فَرَسا رِهان
Its conquest was blessed by a feast
As the range is preceded by the winning steed.
فهذا للمدائحِ يَجْتليها
مُدَبَّجةً وهذا للأغاني
This is for pure praises recited
Embroidered, and this for melodies.
فلا زالتْ لكَ الأيّامُ طُرّاً
مُتوَّجةَ المطالعِ بالتَّهاني
The days have not ceased to be propitious for you
Crested at their start with congratulations.
أعِرْ نظَراً هلالَ العيدِ يَبْدو
على أُفُقِ السَّماءِ كسَطْرِ حان
Look, the new moon of feast days appears
On the sky's horizon like a line of splendor.
كأنّك إذ شدَدْتَ مهادَ عِزٍّ
لسُلْطانِ الوَرى فوقَ العِيان
It's as if when you secured the pillow of might
For the world's sultanate, lofty before all,
وسَمْتَ بنُونِ سُلْطانٍ مَجيداً
أديمَ سمائهِ وَسْمَ الحِصان
You marked the bright fortune of glorious sultanate
On its everlasting sphere like the marking of a steed.
ألا يا أشرفَ الوزراء طُرّاً
إذا عُدُّ الأقاصي والأداني
Oh, most noble minister, days still
Crest each horizon near and far for you!
خُلِقتَ مؤيَّداً بعُلُوِّ شَأنٍ
يُذِلُّ منَ الورى لك كُلُّ شان
You were created supported by the loftiness of rank
That lowers before you every person of status.
إذا شُنَّتْ سُطاكَ على عَدُوٍّ
فلا يَنْجو بقَعْقَمةٍ الشِّنان
If your whip is cracked over a foe
He will not escape with a shred of clothes
ولا بِنزالِ أرْعَنَ ذي جيادٍ
ولا بنُزولِ أجْيدَ ذي رِعان
Or the onslaught of a heavily armored knight
Or the attack of a mailed soldier.
رمَيتَ بها بني الإلْحادِ حتّى
تركتهمُ بمدرجةِ التّفاني
You struck the people of unbelief with it until
You left them in the depths of annihilation.
رجَوا حكْمَ الِقران ورُحْتَ فيهمْ
بسَيْفِكَ مُمْضياً حُكْمَ القُران
They hoped for the Quran's rule but you went against them
With your sword, executing the Quran's decree,
ليَهْنِكَ مَوْقفٌ أظهرتَ فيه
لدينِ اللهِ إعزازَ المكان
So that you appeared in a stance that gave victory
To God's religion, honoring the place.
وعَقْدُكَ مجلسَ النَّظَرِ افْتِخاراً
ومالكَ يومَ مكرُمةٍ مُدان
Your presiding over the council of review is a matter of pride
While owning a day of bounty is your habit.
ومُجتمَعُ الأئمّةِ في نَدىٍّ
وقَد وافَوْكَ من قاصٍ ودان
The gathering of imams in your presence
As they gather around you from far and near
كأنّهمُ النُّجومُ وأنتَ بدْرٌ
إذا نظَرتْ إليكمْ مُقْلَتان
Is like stars with you as the full moon
When two gazers look upon you.
إذا غمَضَتْ مَسائلُهمْ تَهدَّى
بضوء جَبينِكَ المُتناظِران
When their problems make you frown, you are guided
By the light of your thoughtful brow.
تَرى الخَصْمَيْنِ يَسْتَبِقانِ فيها
كما طلَب المدَى فَرسا رِهان
You see two disputants vying over them
As if competing for distance, a prize at stake.
وليس منَ العجيبِ وأنتَ بحْرٌ
إذا غاصوا على دُرَرِ المَعاني
It's no wonder with you being a sea
That they dive for the pearls of meanings.
لهمْ في كُلِّ مسألةٍ خِلافٌ
يَقومُ بحُجَّتَيْهِ الجانبان
For every issue they have disagreement
With arguments from both sides.
فأمّا حُبُّهمْ لك حينَ تَبْلو
فَمُتّفِقٌ عليهِ المَذْهبان
But their love for you when you decide
Is agreed upon by both creeds.
فلا زال اجْتماعُ الشَّمْلِ منكمْ
من الدَّهرِ المُفَرِّقِ في أمان
So union has not ceased among you
Safe from the separating days.
فهمْ لكَ في أبيكَ أجَلُّ إرْثٍ
وأعلَى سُؤْدَدٍ يَبْنيهِ بان
To you they are the greatest inheritance from your father
And the highest elevation built by the Creator.
صلاةُ اللهِ دائمةٌ عليه
مُبوِّئةً له زُلَفَ الجِنان
May God's prayers ever be upon him
Granting him the most honored place in the Gardens.
فلا بَرِحَت لك الأيّامُ غُرّاً
مُتوَّجةَ المطالعِ بالتَّهاني
The days have not failed to be auspicious for you
Crested at their start with congratulations.
فكم يا أيُّها المَولَى تُراني
أُعاني للحوادثِ ما أُعاني
Oh my master, how much suffering
The events make me suffer!
وأستَحْيي زماناً أنت فيه
إذا أرخَيْتُ للشَّكْوَى عِناني
And I'm ashamed of a time in which you are
When I give free rein to complaining.
فأوجِدْني خَلاصاً من يدَيْهِ
وأوجِدْهُ خَلاصاً من لِساني
So provide me deliverance from its hands
And provide deliverance from my tongue.
وكُنْ لي كالمُؤيَّدِ في اصطناعي
لِيُعْضَدَ أوّلٌ منكمْ بِثان
Be my supporter in my profession
So my beginnings are backed by your help,
بقولٍ قصيدةٍ أبدَعْتُ فيه
رجَعْتُ لها بألْفٍ قد حَباني
In creating a poem in which I showed
A thousand refinements after a thousand trials.
ولو أعملْتَ فكْرَكَ في حُقوقي
رَعيْتَنيَ الغداةَ كما رَعاني
If you applied your mind to my rights
You would care for me tomorrow as you cared yesterday.
فأدنى نظرةٍ لكَ ألْفَ عامٍ
تَعيشُ به وتُطلِقُ ألْفَ عان
A glance from you is a thousand years
Lived through, releasing a thousand sighs.
وهل رأتِ الملوكُ خلالَ حُلْمٍ
نظائرَ ما تُرِينا في العِيان
Have kings seen the likes of your forbearance?
Which you show us plainly before our eyes.
وأنت حلَلْتَ عُقْدةَ شاهِديزٍ
وأنتَ عَقْدْتَ سِكْرَ المَسْرُتان
You solved the knot of Shahidiz
And you untied the magic of Masrutan.
هَمُ بدأوا وأنت تُتِمُّ كُلاًّ
فلم يَكُ بالتّمامِ لهمْ يَدان
They began while you complete each work
For they had no two hands for perfection.
لعسكرِ مُكْرَمٍ حَقُّ اخْتصاصٍ
فلا يَكُ في مَصالحها تَوان
An honored army deserves the right to specialization
So there should be no delay in its affairs.
فَمُرْ بعمارةِ الدُّولابِ فيها
تكُنْ إحدى صَنائِعكَ الحِسان
Then order the building of its barracks
To make it one of your excellent projects.
لقد زَيَّنْتَ عَصْركَ بالمعالي
كما زَيّنْتَ شِعريَ بالمعاني
You graced your time with great deeds
As you graced my poetry with great meanings.
يَضيعُ بأرضِ خُوزِستانَ مِثْلي
ضَياعَ السّيْفِ في كَفِّ الجَبان
One like me is lost in the land of Khuzistan
Lost like a sword in a coward's grasp.
وآمُلُ من شُمولِ العَدلِ أنّي
أُعانُ على عجائبِ ما أُعاني
I hope from the inclusiveness of justice
To be aided against the wonders I suffer.
وأُرغِمُ حُسَّدي فَقَدِ اسْتَطالوا
ولولا أنت ما حَسدوا مكاني
I will defeat my enviers for they have grown insolent
And were it not for you they would not envy my rank.
رأوْا عِرْضي كعِرضهم ولكنْ
على حالَيْنِ لا يَتَقاربان
They saw my honor like theirs but
Over two states that cannot be brought together.
رَماني العَيبُ لمّا قلّ مالي
على أدبي وهمْ عَيبُ الزَّمان
Blame struck me when my money ran low
Though it is the age that is to blame.
أقولُ لهمْ إذا عَرضَوا لذَمّي
تعالَيْ فانْظُري بمَنِ ابْتلاني
I say to them when they move to blame me,
"Come look at who tested me!"
وأُقسِمُ ما فِرِنْدٌ في حُسامٍ
بأشْرفَ من مَديحِكَ في لساني
I swear there is nothing finer than your praise
Even if a sevenfold poem were composed.
وخُذْها من فَمِ الرّاوي نَشيداً
ألذَّ منَ الرَّحيقِ الخُسْرُواني
Muhammad's religion in every case
And Muhammad's kingdom are thankful to you.
بلا لفظٍ على الأسماعِ بكْرٍ
إذا جُليَتْ ولا مَعْنىً عَوان
May you and your blessings endure forever
As the two bright stars have befriended each other!
ومَنْ يُرضي علاءكَ في ثَناءٍ
ولو نُظِمَتْ له سَبْعٌ مَثان
ودينُ مُحمّدٍ في كُلِّ حالٍ
ومُلْكُ مُحمّدٍ لكَ شاكران
فدامَ ودُمْتَ في نَعَمٍ جِسامٍ
كذلكَ ما تَواخَى الفَرْقَدان
