نَشَدتُكَ اللَهَ مِن بَرقٍ عَلى إِضَمِ
لَمّا سَقَيتَ جُنوبَ الحَزنِ فَالعَلَمِ
I conjure you by God, from a lightning on a clouded night,
When you quenched the thirst of sadness, so the banners waved.
وَصُبتَ بَينَهُما حَتّى تُسيلَهُما
بِمُستَهَلٍّ مِنَ الوَسمِيِّ مُنسَجِمِ
And you poured between them until you made them flow
With a torrent from Al-Wasmi, harmoniously mixed.
مَنازِلٌ لا تُجيبُ الصَبَّ مِن خَرَسٍ
وَلا تَريعُ إِلى شَكواهُ مِن صَمَمِ
Abodes where the rain does not awake the deaf,
Nor does it pasture the herds of the dumb.
أَقامَ يَنشُدُ شَملاً غَيرَ مُتَّفِقٍ
مِن آلِ لَيلى وَشَعباً غَيرَ مُلتَئِمِ
He stood reciting verses, to mend a disjointed tribe
Of Layla's kin, and a nation not united.
وَقَد تَكونُ بِها قِضبانُ إِسحِلَةٍ
مُهتَزَّةٍ في اِحمِرارِ الوَردِ وَالعَنَمِ
Among them may be the reddened wands of Isḥilah
Swaying amid the blush of roses and meadows.
إِذ وُدُّ لَيلى صَحيحٌ غَيرُ مُؤتَشِبٍ
وَحَبلُ لَيلى جَديدٌ غَيرُ مُنصَرِمِ
Since the love of Layla is true, free of any doubt,
And the rope of Layla is new, not yet worn.
تُعدي القُلوبَ بِعَينَيها إِذا نَظَرَت
حَتّى تُجِدَّ لَها خَبلاً مِنَ السَقَمِ
With her eyes she captures hearts wherever she glances
Until she finds in them some trace of sickness.
أَما وَضِحكَتِها عَن واضِحٍ رَتِلٍ
تُنبي عَوارِضُهُ عَن بارِدٍ شَبِمِ
But her laughter reveals a graceful, gentle pace,
Its expressions disclose a refreshing, cool calm.
لَقَد كَتَمتُ هَواها لَو يُطاوِعُني
شَوقٌ لَجوجٌ وَدَمعٌ غَيرُ مُكتَتَمِ
I would have concealed his love if an ardent longing
And unrestrained tears would allow concealment.
اللَهُ جارُ بَني خاقانَ إِنَّهُمُ ال
أَثرَونَ مِن كَرَمِ الأَخلاقِ وَالشِيَمِ
God bless the abode of Banu Khāqān, for they
Have excelled in noble manners and ethics.
بَيتٌ تَقَدَّمَ فيهِ المَجدُ وَاِجتَمَعَت
لَهُ عِظامُ المَساعي وَالعُلا القُدُمُ
A house where glory advanced and gathered
Were great ambitions and venerable lineages.
النازِحونَ عَنِ الفَحشاءِ يُبعِدُهُم
عَن لُؤمِها عِظَمُ الأَخطارِ وَالهِمَمِ
Those who flee indecency are distanced
From its shame by their sense of dignity and resolve.
مااِنفَكَّ مَجدُ عُبَيدِ اللَهِ يُكسِبُهُم
مَحَبَّةً مِن صُدورِ العُربِ وَالعَجَمِ
The glory of the servants of God does not cease to earn them
Affection from the hearts of Arabs and non-Arabs alike.
ما إِن يَزالُ النَدى يُدني إِلَيهِ يَداً
مُمتاحَةً مِن بَعيدِ الدارِ وَالرَحِمِ
The dew continues to extend to them a hand
Outreached from afar, from home and womb.
يَلومُهُ عاذِلوهُ في سَماحَتِهِ
عَلى خَلائِقَ لَم تُذمَم وَلَم تُلَمِ
His critics blame him for his generosity
Towards morals they have not censured or blamed.
خِرقٌ أَقامَ قَناةَ المُلكِ فَاِعتَدَلَت
بِمُستَتِبٍّ مِنَ التَدبيرِ مُنتَظِمِ
Al-Khirāq established the channels of kingship, so they flowed
With a steady stream of wise governance.
مُستَحكِمُ الآيِ لا عَهدَ الصِبا كَثَبٌ
مِنهُ وَلا هُوَ بِالموفي عَلى الهَرَمِ
Firm in judgment, his youth left no trace,
Nor is he, when aged, neglectful of duties.
قَد أَكمَلَ الحِلمَ وَاِشتَدَّت شَكيمَتُهُ
عَلى الأَعادي وَلَم يَبلُغ مَدى الحُلُمِ
He has perfected forbearance and his wisdom intensified
Against enemies, though not reaching the limits of clemency.
فَكَيفَ إِذ شابَ وَاِحتازَت تَجارِبُهُ
لَهُ الحِجى وَتَلَقّى الحَزمَ مِن أَمَمِ
How then, now his hair grayed and his experience matured,
Prudence is his armor and he has gained wisdom from nations?
طَرفٌ مُطِلٌّ عَلى الآفاقِ يَكلَؤُها
بِناظِرٍ لَم يَنَم عَنها وَلَم يُنِمِ
A glance overlooking horizons, prowling over them
With an eye that did not sleep nor slumber over them.
مُذَلَّلُ السَمعِ لِلداعينَ لَيسَ بِذي
بَأوٍ عَلى الصارِخِ الأَقصى وَلا بُذُمِ
His hearing is gentle towards callers; he spares no effort
For the most distant screamer, and is without arrogance.
إِذا اِستَعاذَ بِهِ المُستَصرِخونَ رَأَوا
وَجهاً يُجَلّي سَوادَ الظُلمِ وَالظُلَمِ
When the desperate seek refuge in him, they see
A face that dispels the darkness of injustice and oppression.
إِن قَلَّلوا هَيبَةً أَو أَكثَروا لَغَطاً
أَصغى بِحِلمٍ وَرَدَّ القَولَ عَن فَهَمِ
If they diminish his prestige or exaggerate pretense,
He listens forbearingly and averts speech from error.
أَو أَغفَلوا حُجَّةً لَم يُلفَ مُستَرِقاً
لَها وَإِن يَهِموا في القَولِ لَم يَهِمِ
If they overlook an argument, he does not stealthily seize it,
And if they err in speech, he does not err.
حارِسُ مُلكٍ لَهُ مِن دونِهِ أَبَداً
صَدرٌ شَفيقٌ وَرَأيٌ غَيرُ مُتَّهَمِ
Guardian of a kingdom - beside him it forever has
A compassionate heart and an unaccused opinion.
سُستَ الخِلافَةَ إِشرافاً وَحَيِّطَةً
وَذُدتَ عَن حَقِّها بِالسَيفِ وَالقَلَمِ
You assumed the caliphate with care and vigilance
And defended its right with sword and pen.
وَلَم يَزَل لَكَ مُذ وُلّيتَ حَوزَتَها
غَوثٌ لِلَهفانَ أَو نَصرٌ لِمُهتَضَمِ
Since you assumed it, you have not ceased to provide
Succor for the anguished or victory for the oppressed.
تِلكَ الرَعِيَّةُ مَوفوراً جَوانِبُها
وَقَد تَكونُ كَنَهبٍ شَعَّ مُقتَسَمِ
The masses - you have secured them on all sides
Though they would be vulnerable to pillage and division.
رَأَوكَ حِرزاً لَهُم مِن كُلِّ بائِقَةٍ
وَعِصمَةً فيهِمِ مِن أَوثَقِ العِصَمِ
They saw you as their fortress against every remaining threat
And their protection among the strongest of protections.
وَما اِنفَكَكتَ وَلا اِنفَكَّت أَناتُكَ مِن
تَوفيرِ وَفرِ اِمرِئٍ مِنهُم وَحَقنِ دَمِ
You did not waver, nor did your aid cease,
From fulfilling the wants of each one, and staunching blood.
تَوَخِّياً لِاِصطِناعِ العُرفِ تَصنَعُهُ
في الصالِحينَ وَإِبقاءً عَلى النِعَمِ
Seeking propriety's demand, you make it
Among the righteous, and maintain blessings.
أَظَلَّهُم مِنكَ جودٌ لَو وَسَمتَ بِهِ
مَنابِتَ الأَرضِ لَاِستَغنَت عَنِ الدِيَمِ
Your munificence has shaded them - if you were to adorn
The earth’s surfaces with it, they would lack no moisture.
ما كُنتَ فيهِم بِمَنزورِ النَوالِ وَلا
رَثِّ الفَعالِ وَلا مُستَحدَثِ الكَرَمِ
You have not been with them fleeting in bestowal,
Nor careless in action, nor improvising in generosity.
إِنّي أَمُتُّ بِوُدٍّ قَد تَقادَمَ عَن
حُدثِ اللَيالي وَلَم يُخلِق عَلى القِدَمِ
Indeed, I profess a love for you, enduring, transcending
The newness of nights, not formed in recent times.
وَذِمَّةٍ بِكَ لَم يُشبِه تَأَكُّدُها
إِلّا وَفاؤُكَ لِلأَقوامِ بِالذِمَمِ
And an obligation to you that its constancy
Resembles only your loyalty to pacts and covenants.
