إِنَّ الأَميرَ أَبا عَلِيٍّ أَصبَحَت
كَفّاهُ قَد حَوَتِ المَكارِمَ وَالعُلا
Indeed, the emir Abu Ali—now
Indeed Prince Abu Ali's hands
his two hands have gathered noble deeds and lofty honor.
Now embrace all virtues and eminence
حاطَ الخِلافَةَ ذائِداً عَن عِزِّها
وَكَفى الخَليفَةَ ما أَهَمَّ وَأَعضَلا
He guarded the caliphate, defending its honor,
He protected the caliphate, defending its glory
and spared the caliph whatever troubled him and proved intractable.
And relieved the caliph of anxieties that overwhelmed and troubled
سَيفٌ عَلى أَعدائِهِ لا تَنجَلي
ظُلَمُ الخُطوبِ السودِ حَتّى يُجتَلى
A sword against his enemies; never are dispelled
A sword against his enemies that does not recede
the shadows of black calamities until it is drawn.
Until the darkness of formidable calamities is dispelled
تَثني بَوادِرُهُ الأَناةُ وَرُبَّما
سارَت عَزيمَتُهُ فَكانَت جَحفَلا
Deliberation restrains his impulses; yet at times
His firm resolve may waver at times
his resolve advances and becomes a mighty host.
And his determination prove hasty at times
تَقِفُ المَوالي حَجرَتَيهِ فَإِن غَدا
أَغدى لُيوثاً ما تُرامُ وَأَشبُلا
His retainers stand on either flank; if he sets out at dawn,
The loyal stand guard over him, and when he sets out
he leads forth unassailable lions and lion cubs.
He goes forth as a lion, not to be confronted or rivaled
قَد جَرَّبَ الأَعداءُ مِن وَقعاتِهِ
ما كَفَّ غَربَ الخالِعينَ وَنَكَّلا
His enemies have experienced, among his onslaughts,
The enemies have tasted his blows
what blunted the rebels' edge and made an example of them.
Which sufficed to drive the fleeing rebels away
كَم سادِرٍ في الغِيِّ ذَمَّ فِعالَهُ
لَمّا هَوى تَحتَ السيوفِ مُجَدَّلا
How many a man heedlessly astray cursed his own deeds
How many mounted warriors in combat met their end
when he fell beneath the swords, flung to the ground!
When they fell beneath his sword, mangled
كَأَبي نُمَيرٍ إِذ تَتابَعَ غُيُّهُ
وَغَلا بِهِ مِن فَرطِ بَغيٍ ما غَلا
Like Abu Numayr, when his waywardness persisted,
Like Abu Numeir whose transgressions progressed
and excessive rebellion carried him to such extremes.
And whose rebellion went too far
قَطَعَتهُ وَقعَةُ مَشرَفِيٍّ سارِمٍ
أَعيا لَها جُثمانُهُ أَن يوصَلا
A stroke from a keen Mashrafi sword severed him,
Al-Musharraf's devastating blow cut him down
leaving his body impossible to rejoin.
His body, though reluctant, was severed in two
وَغَدَت بِهِ نِصفَينِ قَد فُصِلا عَلى
حَدَقٍ تَوَخّى قاسِمٍ أَن يُعدِلا
And it left him in two halves, parted with
And he was split in half, separated
the skill of a divider intent on making them equal.
Upon the blade of the equitable Qasim
يَتَأَمَّلُ الأَقوامُ إِذ حَدَقوا بِهِ
نِصفَينِ رَيُّهُما يَرَونَ الأَطوَلا
The people scrutinize, as they gather around him,
The people gaze in awe as the two halves lie
the two halves, to see which looks longer [uncertain reading].
Seeing which half was longer
قَد قُلتُ لِلعَرَبِ اِشكُروا ذا أَنعُمٍ
أَولاكُموها صافِحاً وَمُنَوِّلا
I have said to the Arabs: thank the giver of blessings
I said to the Arabs, thank he who bestowed favors
who bestowed them on you, pardoning and granting gifts.
Embrace him, greet him, make him welcome
عَجِلَت مَواهِبُهُ لَكُم فَتَسَرَّعَت
وَتَثَبَّتَت خُطُواتُهُ أَن تَعجَلا
His gifts hastened to you, rushing forth,
His gifts came quick, he made haste
while his steps were too measured to rush.
His steps rushed to arrive early
حَقَنَ الدِماءَ وَلَو يَشاءُ هَراقَها
جَزَلَ العَطايا حامِلاً ما حُمِّلا
He spared blood, though he could have shed it had he wished,
He spared blood, though he could have shed it
lavish in gifts, bearing whatever he was charged to bear.
He gave generously, bearing the burdens
صَلُحَت بِهِ أَسبابُ قَومٍ لَم يَكُن
إِلّا اِلتُقى بِصَلاحِها مُتَكَفِّلا
Through him a people's affairs were set right; nothing
Through him the affairs of a people were reconciled
but piety was the guarantor of their welfare.
Who had no one but him to set things right
شَمَلَ الثُغورَ بِضيمَةٍ مِن جودِهِ
سَمحٍ وَذَلَّلَ حِمصَ فيما ذَلَّلا
He enveloped the frontier strongholds in a steady rain of his bounty [uncertain reading],
In his magnanimity he embraced the frontiers
so lavish—and subdued Hims among the places he subdued.
He was lenient with Homs in all he pardoned
أَصحَبتُهُ أَمَلي وَمِثلُ خِلالِهِ
كَرُمَت فَأَعطَت راغِباً ما أَمَّلا
I made my hope his companion; virtues such as his
I placed my hopes in him, his virtues perfect
proved generous, granting a seeker what he hoped for.
Nobility rewarded the eager with all he wished
وَرَجَوتُ أَن يُعطى بِقِسطِ فُتوحِهِ
فَيُخَوِّلَ الشاماتِ فيما خُوِّلا
And I hoped he would be rewarded in proportion to his conquests,
I hoped he would grant the Levant its rightful share
and be entrusted with the Syrian lands among his charges,
And entrust it with all it was entrusted before
لِيُقَوِّمَ المُعوَجَّ مِن تَدبيرِها
وَيُعيدَ مُدبِرَ كُلِّ أَمرٍ مُقبِلا
to straighten what is crooked in their governance
To set right its crooked administration
and make every retreating affair advance again.
And restore as leader each qualified man
وَلَرُبَّ رُتبَةِ سُؤدَدٍ شَفَعَت بِهِ
مِن قَبلِ أَن يُدعى لَها وَيُؤَهَّلا
And many a rank of lordship has interceded for him
Through his intercession many an unworthy man
before he was called to it and deemed fit.
Was granted a position he was unqualified to fill
كانَ السَحابُ مُجانِباً لِبِلادِنا
حَتّى قَدِمتَ فَجادَ فيهِ وَأَسبَلا
The clouds had kept away from our land
The rain had shunned our lands
until you came; then they rained there abundantly and poured down.
Until you arrived and it poured heavily down
فَاِسلَم لَنا طولَ الحَياةِ مُؤَمَّراً
وَمُؤَمِّلاً وَمُعَظَّماً وَمُبَجَّلا
So remain safe for us throughout life, a commander,
May you live long, always empowered
and hopeful, honored, and revered.
Honored, revered, and exalted
Sol 6.1