أَقصِرا قَد أَطَلتُما تَفنيدي
وَمِنَ الجَهلِ لَومُ غَيرِ سَديدِ
My lords, you've been too harsh in blaming me unjustly out of ignorance.
You'd have excused my blame and torment
لَتَجاوَزتُما بِيَ اللَومَ وَالعَذ
لَ كَأَنّي شَكَكتُ في التَوحيدِ
had you not doubted God's oneness, as if I were skeptical of monotheism.
Do you think me frigid? Stand up! If only you knew the taste of coolness.
أَتَسومانِني الصُدودَ وَكَالعَل
قَمِ لَو تَعلَمانِ طَعمُ الصُدودِ
For it's the law of passion that the wise should seem to the peoples unwise.
You've blamed me plenty for standing with eyes
إِنَّ مِن سُنَّةِ الهَوى أَن يُرى في
هِ رَشيدُ الأَقوامِ غَيرُ رَشيدِ
flowing with tears and sighing.
My light Nawar, did you break your vow
قَدكُما مِن مَلامِ مَن وَقَفَت عَي
ناهُ بَينَ الدُموعِ وَالتَسهيدِ
or just get a new idea about annulling those bonds?
Do I complain of pale cheeks or sick gazelles?
أَكَعَهدي نُوارُ أَنتِ أَمِ اِستَح
دَثتِ رَأياً في نَقضِ تِلكَ العُهودِ
Or of reddened cheeks do I complain?
Passion has a pain that strips the flesh
أَبَياضَ الثُغورِ أَم مَرَضَ الأَج
فانِ أَشكو أَمِ الحمِرارِ الخُدودِ
when it touches one who's otherwise stoic.
Die a martyr of love! He who dies of love
إِنَّ لِلحُبِّ لَوعَةً تَترَكُ الجَل
دَ إِذا خامَرَتهُ غَيرَ جَليدِ
gets twice a martyr's reward.
A king whose rest brought low
مُت شَهيدَ الهَوى فَإِنَّ لِمَن ما
تَ مِنَ الحُبِّ ضِعفَ أَجرِ الشَهيدِ
both parent and child.
Each day has new gifts for him
مَلِكٌ راحَتاهُ أَحنى عَلى العا
فينَ مِن والِدٍ وَمِن مَولودِ
received with new thanks.
His rest created in munificence what wouldn't exist
كُلَّ يَومٍ لَهُ عَطاءٌ جَديدٌ
يُتَلَقّى جِوَجهِ شُكرٍ جَديدِ
if not for his call to bring into being.
Had a palmful striven to offer before his offer
أَبدَعَت راحَتاهُ في الجودِ ما لَم
يَكُ لَولا نَداهُ بِالمَوجودِ
his offer would have striven to spurn that palmful.
How many envoys through him sought refuge
لَو سَعى قَبلَ رِفدِهِ رِفدُ كَفٍّ
لَسَعى رِفدُهُ إِلى المَّرفودِ
and by his hand the envoys gained refuge!
He was so generous that his health forgot
كَم وُفودٍ بِهِ اِستَجاروا فَأَضحَوا
بِأَياديهِ مُستَجارَ الوُفودِ
what's divided of sandgrouse, ornaments and chattels.
For him every feast has an end, but
جادَ حَتّى لَقالَ عافيهِ ما يُق
سَمُ مِن رَملٍ عالِجٍ أَو زَرودِ
every day of his munificence is a feast.
Nothing's sweeter to him in life
كُلُّ عيدٍ لَهُ اِنقِضاءٌ وَكَفّي
كُلَّ يَومٍ مِن جودِهِ في عيدِ
than success egging him on to what's been promised.
A carpet that rose above the stars,
ما لَذيذُ الحَياةِ أَحلى لَدَيهِ
مِن نَجاحٍ يُغريهِ بِالمَوعودِ
then grew inflated after it went beyond them to ascend.
The wind cannot reach its extent,
بَسطَةٌ فاتَتِ النُجومَ عُلُوّاً
وَاِغتَدَت بَعدَ فَوتِها بِالصُعودِ
so it pines in dejection at its outstretchedness.
His firm resolve laughs at formidable undertakings
تَعجَزُ الريحُ عَن بُلوغِ مَداها
فَهِيَ حَسرى في شَأوِها المَمدودِ
as it marches ahead heedless of obstacles.
Had lions met him they'd have given
وَنَفاذٌ يُفُلُّ مُستَصعَبُ الخَط
بِ بِعَزمُِ يَخُدُّ في الجُلمودِ
the submission of the helpless to the lions' mastery.
His might claims lives, his largesse claims largesse.
لَو تُلاقى بِهِ الأُسودُ لَأَعطَت
طاعَةَ المُستَكينَ غُلبُِ الأُسودِ
Sublimity through his actions when gathered together,
and pleads through his hands when dispersed apart.
فَإِلى بَأسِهِ اِنتِسابُ المَنايا
وَإِلى جودِهِ اِنتِسابُ الجودِ
So pleads were offensive in trespassing against him
and they must pay those damages.
وَالعُلا مِن فَعالِهِ في اِجتِماعٍ
وَاللُهى مِن يَدَيهِ في تَبديدِ
The events of time receive from him
a will like an impenetrable crag.
فَكَأَنَّ اللُهى اِجتَرَمنَ إِلَيهِ
فَهِيَ مَطلوبَةٌ بِتِلكَ الحُقودِ
He loves no meager praise,
nor solicits thanks for paltry gifts.
تَتَلَقّى حَوادِثُ الدَهرِ مِنهُ
عَزمَ رَأيٍ كَالصَخرَةِ الصَيخودِ
Without fright when evil looms,
or panic, or violent trembling.
لا يُحِبُّ الثَناءَ نَزراً وَلا يَج
تَلِبُ الشُكرَ بِالنَوالِ الزَهيدِ
He has not lost the way of right
nor shot in judgement an errant arrow.
غَيرُ هَيّابَةٍ إِذا اِستَفحَلَ الخَط
بُ وَلا طائِشٍ وَلا رِعديدِ
He beat Hurmuz in glory and nobility of old,
and al-Ḥasan al-Qaram in worthy lineage.
لَم يُضِع مَنهَجَ الصَوابِ وَلَم يَر
مِ بِسَهمٍ في الرَأيِ غَيرِ سَديدِ
His ancestor Shalmgan—most generous ancestor!—
recommended glory through worthy deed.
فازَ مِن حارِثٍ وَخَسرو وَمِن هُر
مُزَ بِالمَجدِ وَالفَخارِ التَليدِ
From him in amicable company
gush springs of goodly greenery.
وَأَطالَ اِبتِناءَهُ الحَسَنُ القَر
مُ وَعَبدُ العَزيزِ بِالتَشييدِ
We've not had vengeance on the nights
and days but for Aḥmad the praiseworthy.
جَدُّهُ الشَلمَغانُ أَكرَمُ جَدٍّ
شَفَعَ المَجدَ بِالفَعالِ الحَميدِ
He made the sword arbitrator for the Sijistān crowd
and his soul still craves more.
تَرتَعي مِنهُ في جَنابٍ مَريعٍ
مونِقِ النَبتِ طَيِّبِ المَورودِ
Their bellies sated beasts of prey—
they were buried in bellies of twisted-haired hyenas.
ما اِنتَصَفنا مِنَ اللَيالي وَلا الأَي
يامِ إِلّا بِأَحمَدَ المَحمودِ
Death by spear abandoned them in the morning
between bowing and prostration.
حَكَّمَ السَيفَ في عَديدَ سِجِستا
نَ وَفي النَفسُ مِنهُ بُعدُ العَديدِ
So they are two parties: one slain,
his soul harvested by an iron blade;
فَكَفَت مِنهُمُ بُطونُ سِباعٍ
قُبِروا جَوفَها بُطونَ لُحودِ
another now captive for whom prison is torment—
alive but in the state of one entombed;
غادَرَتهُم يَدُ المَنِيَّةِ صُبحاً
بِالقَنا بَينَ رُكَّعٍ وَسُجودِ
a batch for the swords, in whom the decree of death
is realized directly, and a batch for shackles.
فَهُمُ فِرقَتانِ بَينَ قَتيلٍ
قُنِصَت نَفسُهُ بِحَدِّ الحَديدِ
Doomsday was staged for him in Qum
against some apostate bound to perish.
وَأَسيرٍ غَدا لَهُ السِجنُ لَحداً
فَهُوَ حَيٌّ في حالَةِ المَلحودِ
So the next day they were for him quarry
for vultures while he stood like a quarry
فِرقَةٌ لِلسُيوفِ يَنفُذُ فيها ال
حُكمُ قَصداً وَفِرقَةٌ للقُيودِ
and turned away instructing, on horses frolicking
beneath armor, to Tabaristān
وَأُقيمَت لَهُ القِيامَةَ في قُمٍّ
عَلى خالِعٍ وَعاتٍ عَتيدِ
while their settled abodes were sacked by spears of death—
wounded, or comatose, or destroyed.
فَغَدَوا إِن غَدا عَلَيهِم حَصيداً
بِالعَوالي وَقائِماً كَحَصيدِ
Likewise the Kurds set out death's spearheads for them
in the lances' length lay eternity.
وَثَنى مُعلَماً إِلى طَبِرِستا
نَ بِخَيلٍ يَمرَحنَ تَحتَ اللُبودِ
As the swords set out their blade-tips for Bāzawīn and Jorjān—
their lifelines were severed.
فَقَرى هامَهُم سُيوفَ المَنايا
فَجَريحٌ أَو مُرعَفٌ أَو مودِ
The spearheads embraced them so no warrior remained
but was shrouded in his deep pit.
وَكَذا الكُردُ سَنَّ لِلمَوتِ فيهُم
بِطُوالِ الرِماحِ طولَ الخُلودِ
The lances strode over them while prone
and over prone and fallen corpses.
مِثلَما سَنَّ لِلسُيوفِ بَقَزوي
نَ وَجُرجانَ قَطعَ حَبلِ الوَريدِ
Such is the man—no land he attacks rationally
but his armies suffice for troops.
عانَقَتهُم ظُبا السُيوفِ فَلا مُن
صَلٌ إِلّا مُغَيَّبٌ في جيدِ
His armies run riot and deaths come to be
between his banners and rules.
وَمَشَت فيهِمُ الرِماحُ وَخيداً
وَوَجيفَن مِن بَعدِ ذاكَ الوَجيفِ
He guaranteed provision for every bird
as provisions for each beast and hunter were guaranteed.
وَهُوَ المَرءُ ما غَزا بَلَداً بِالرَأ
يِ إِلّا كَفاهُ غَزوَ الجُنودِ
His palm had mastered auspicious occurrences
and his swords mastered promises.
يَغتَدي جَيشُهُ فَتَغدو المَنايا
بَينَ راياتِهِ وَبَينَ البُنودِ
He empowered the kingdom after its pillar
had tilted with the divisive sword of every restorer.
ضامِناً رِزقَ كُلِّ طَيرٍ كَما ضُمّ
مِنَ أَرزاقُ كُلِّ ضَبعٍ وَسيدِ
Extinguishing the flames of every battle
whose embers he dampened after their burning out.
أَلِفَت كَفُّهُ نَجاحَ المَواعي
دِ وَأَسيافُهُ نَجاحَ الوُعودِ
How many a dear soul he destroyed
who then rode high on camel litters above camel litters!
أَيَّدَ المُلكَ بَعدَ ما مادَ رُكنا
هُ بِسَيفِ الخِلافِ كُلَّ مُميدِ
One freed from confinement the open battlefield could not contain—
it held him in the narrowness of his belt.
مُخمِدٌ نارَ كُلَّ حَربٍ وَمُذكٍ
جَمرَها بِالرِماحِ بَعدَ خُمودِ
Stalwarts handed him over to soft beds—
men who, when it came to their bow-cords, did not sleep.
كَم عَزيزٍ أَبادَهُ فَغَدا را
كِبَ عودٍ مُرَكَّبٍ فَوقَ عودِ
So he was like the poet whom inspiration
possessed though most were oblivious.
مُطلَقٍ لَم تَحُزهُ ساحَةُ حَبسٍ
حَبسَهُ في شَريطِهِ المَشدودِ
The beast of the wastes envies him though he is not
in a state to be envied.
أَسلَمَتهُ يلى الرُقادِ رِجالٌ
لَم يَكونوا عَن وِترِهِم بِرُقودِ
Vanished from his brothers, he's neither
with them, nor lost to them.
فَهُوَ كَالشاعِرِ اِستَبَدَّت بِهِ الفِك
رَةُ فيما أَضَلَّ بُعدُ الوُجودِ
As if his palms outstretched over the trunk
in the assembly where help is witnessed
يَحسُدُ الطَيرَ فيهِ ضَبعُ البَوادي
وَهُوَ في غَيرِ حالَةِ المَحسودِ
were a bird resting its weary wings—
the resting of an exhausted toiler.
غابَ عَن صَحبِهِ فَلا هُوَ مَوجو
دٌ لَدَيهِم وَلَيسَ بِالمَفقودِ
And he has a companion addressing in his stead
him who has drawn more than a handspan away from him.
وَكَأَنَّ اِمتِدادَ كَفَّيهِ فَوقَ ال
جِذعِ في مَحفِلِ الرَدى المَشهودِ
For him no father counts but water
nor mother but the heat of the dust.
طائِرٌ مَدَّ مُستَريحاً جَناحَي
هِ اِستِراحاتِ مُتعَبٍ مَكدودِ
Yet despite his frail body the starling displays
through him outstanding courage.
وَلَهُ صاحِبٌ يُخاطِبُ عَنهُ
مَن نَأى عَنهُ فَوقَ شِبرِ الوَليدِ
Most articulate of creatures when on foot,
when you mount him his very gaze captivates.
ما لَهُ والِدٌ يُعَدُّ سِوى الما
ءِ وَلا أُمَّ غَيرُ حَرِّ الصَعيدِ
He does not repel iron from the noblest of intent
until he tastes the iron's flavor,
وَعَلى ضَعفِ جِسمِهِ تَفتِكُ القَط
رَةُ مِن فيهِ بِالشُجاعِ النَجيدِ
and likewise the sword pleases you not
by withholding itself at the hour of direct encounter.
أَخطَبُ الخَلقَ راجِلاً فَإِذا رُج
جِلَ خاطَبَت مِنهُ عَينَ البَّليدِ
On foot his speech flies with perfect correctness
while at home he's a sedentary dear one.
لا يَذودُ الحَديدَ عَن أَعظُمِ الأَس
ؤُقِ حَتّى يَذوقَ طَعمَ الحَديدِ
He has two branches: an evil and luminous Shurayḥ;
and an Arīm, a lethal foe and a staunch comrade.
وَكَذا السَيفُ لَيسَ يُرضيكَ في الغِم
دِ وَيُرضيكَ ساعَةَ التَجريدِ
How many happy ones misfortune girded!
How many miserable ones fortune swathed!
سائِرٌ لَفظُهُ بِكُلِّ صَوابٍ
وَهُوَ في بَيتِهِ أَليفٌ قُعودِ
He fills books with probity and solitude
like pearls threaded and matched.
وَلَهُ شُعبَتانِ شَريٌ وَأَريٌ
مِن رَدىً قاتِلٍ وَنَيلٍ عَتيدِ
Digging them out darkly and making them shine
for the people in black robes.
كَم سَعيدٍ أَحذاهُ ثَوبَ شَقِيٍِ
وَشَقِيٍّ أَحذاهُ ثَوبَ سَعيدِ
Thus you find them like girls in bridal processions
promenading the midst of an overflowing meadow.
يَملَأُ الكُتبَ مِن مَعانٍ تُؤامٍ
وَفُرادى كَاللُؤلُؤِ المَعدودِ
He strings prose like a composer strings
matched rows of round pearl.
يَجتَليهُنَّ في سَوادٍ وَيَجلو
هُنَّ لِلناسِ في الثِيابِ السودِ
O son of ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz, you've graced whatever governorate
you controlled, and whatever official garb.
فَتَراهُنَّ كَالعَذارى إِذا هُ
نَ تَهادَينَ وَسطَ رَوضٍ مَجودِ
An emirate after commandership—
God's boons followed upon them unceasingly.
يَنظُمُ الدُرُّ في بُطونِ القَراطي
سِ كَنَظمِ النَظّامِ دُرَّ العُقودِ
Victory for the Azkutakīn is now guaranteed
by you in your banners knotted tightly.
يا اِبنَ عَبدِ العَزيزِ هُنّيتَ ما خُو
وِلتَ مِن نِعمَةٍ وَمِن تَسويدِ
He did not formally receive from you a position
thereby encompassing the failure implicit in such investiture.
إِمرَةٌ إِثرَ كِتبَةٍ قَد تَوالَت
نِعَمُ اللَهِ فيهِما بِالمَزيدِ
If in all mankind a Saʿd al-Suʿūd exists,
you are the Saʿd of the Saʿūds!
نَصرُ أَذكوتِكينَ أَصبَحَ مَعقو
داً لَهُ في لِوائِكَ المَعقودِ
My champion of dew, through you my camels stretched out to pasture,
my anxieties subsided, and my tent pole lies at ease.
لَم تُقَلِّد لَهُ قِياماً بِأَمرٍ
فَاِحتَوى غِبَّ ذَلِكَ التَقليدِ
You surmounted in eloquence
any noble or revered sovereign.
إِن يَكُن في الأَنامِ سَعدُ سُعودٍ
بَشَرِيّاً فَأَنتَ سَعدُ السُعودِ
Scrutinizing examination and composition like matched pearl—
you distinguished them uniquely.
يا حَليفَ النَدى بِكَ اِمتَدَّ باعي
وَاِرتَوَت غُلَّتي وَأَروَقَ عودي
Hearers crave more when they hear it. If they recite it
from memory they appropriate it despite its great distance.
لَتَجاوَزتَ بِالبَلاغَةِ ما أَع
يا عَلى كُلِّ سَيِّدٍ وَمَسودِ
And an eloquence that, when you reprise it,
becomes novel with a reprising narrator.
نَسظَرٌ باحِثٌ وَنَظمٌ كَنَمِ الدُر
رِ فَصَّلتَ بَينَهُ بِفَريدِ
Too lofty for comprehension
or to be grasped by describers seeking detail.
يَطمَعُ السامِعونَ فيهِ فَإِن را
موهُ أَلفَوهُ فَوقَ بُعدِ البَعيدِ
It is as the never-found gazelle the hunters glimpsed
or looked down on from over the dunes;
وَبَيانٌ إِذا اِستُعيدَ تَجَلّى
جِدَّةً بِاِستِعادَةِ المُستَعيدِ
or garden roses, wisps of smoke,
snow patches, or the cold's mirage.
جَلَّ عَن أَن يُنالَ بِالفَه
مِ أَو يُدرِكَهُ الواصِفونَ بِالتَحديدِ
Your talent outpaces any description—
the ode alone won't encapsulate you fully.
فَهُوَ كَالغادَةِ الَّتي نَهدَ الثَد
يانِ مِنها أَو أَشرَفا لِلنُهودِ
Yet the ode is the most inclusive thing
for one sublime and noble.
أَو كَوَردِ الرِياضِ أَو كَجَنّاتِ ال
كاعِبِ الرودِ أَو كَوَشيِ البُرودِ
لَيسَ حَوكَ القَريضِ بالِغَ ما في
كَ بِوَصفٍ فَيُكتَفى بِالقَصيدِ
غَيرَ أَنَّ القَريضَ أَجمَعُ شَيءٍ
لِمُقيمٍ مِنَ العُلا وَشُرودِ
