ثَنى قَدها ريح الصبا فَتأَودا
وَغَنى بِها طَير الغَرام وَغَردا
The breeze of dawn bent her slender shape, so she swayed gently,
And birds of passion sang of her, warbling sweet melodies.
وَحَركها ريع الشَباب وَهاجَها
فَهَزَّت لَنا رُمحاً وَسَلت مهندا
The vigor of youth stirred her being and made her tremble,
So she shook her spear at us and flung arrows swift as lightning.
نفور رَنَت بِالرقمتين مَطارفا
مِن الوَجد حاكتها النَواظر سهدا
With eyes like antelope she gazed at us coyly from afar,
Her glances, drunk with passion, tempting hearts to love's surrender.
فَرد بِها غُصن رَطيب وَعاقها
كَثيب فَماجَت حيرة وَتَجلدا
She swayed a fragrant branch, evading its insistent clasp,
Like a sand dune slipping down, confused, though standing firm.
أَلا بِأَبي تِلكَ النَواظر كَم رَمَت
فَباتَ بِها طَرف الصَبابة أَرمَدا
By my father! How those glances shot their shafts - till dawn
Left the youths' eyes bloodshot, and desire made them sleepless!
نَواظر ضاقَت أَن تَرانا بربعها
وَما ذاكَ إِلا كانَ مَنعاً مُجَردا
Eyes too narrow to grant us a quarter of their glance.
Not miserly were they, just honoring duty's covenant.
وَمرشف شَهد قَد فَقَدنا رضابه
وَيا طالما أَضحى لِقَلبي مَوردا
And lips sweet as ripened dates - how we miss sipping their nectar!
Many's the morning they quenched the thirst of my longing heart.
حوى عقد در لاح مِن تَحت خاتم
عَقيقته بالوشم صارت زبرجدا
Pearl teeth flashed beneath her lips, ruby-red as though tattooed,
Gleaming within that garden where roses bloomed at dawn,
وَروض مُحياكم قَطَفنا وروده
صَباحاً فَصارَ الشَوق فيهِ مجددا
Roses we'd pluck, though longing ever made the roses new,
Like water sparkling in crystal that refreshed the soul at dawn.
صَفيحة بَلور سَقاها بِمائه
نمير الحَيا حسنا فَعادَ موردا
May God let our days be spent fulfilling sacred duties,
As the Companions did, both alone and congregation.
سَقى اللَه عَصراً قَد أَقمنا فُروضه
عَلى سنَن الأَصحاب جَمعاً وَمُفرَدا
The Qur'an shone with verses that illuminated dawn,
Till overwhelmed, we bowed down prostrate, given to devotion.
وَقُرآن حسن قَد بَدت فيهِ آية
تَضيءُ فَأَصبَحنا مِن الوَجد سُجدا
Nights with you shone with stars of union, guiding every limb.
A weeping damsel spilled pearls over carnelian flame dispersed.
لَيالي سعود قَد بَدَت في خلالها
نُجوم وَصال كل عُضو بِها اِهتَدى
She saw me ready to set out, resolved, with sword upheld.
Asked me, "Where are you bound? We're helpless without you here.
وَقائِلَة قَد أَسبَلَت در دَمعِها
عَلى شعل الياقوت نَثراً مُبَددا
Hearts we've turned to you - how can their beloved disappear,
Leaving them neglected, spurned?" I said, "Let me be,
رَأَتني وَقَد جَردت للسَير هِمة
حَكَت في مضاء العَزم سَيفاً مهندا
For I will follow the noble deeds told in tradition."
Thirsting for valiant company, for only in the desert heat
إِلى أَين تَبغي السَير عَنا وَإِننا
غَرائر لا نَقوى عَلى البُعد وَالرَدى
And pathless track are cool sweet waters sipped with joy.
I will seek a sea whose adventurous all find their thirst increased
قُلوب عَطفناها عَلَيك أَينبغي
لِمَعطوفِها يَنآى وَتَتركها سُدى
Till in noble generosity it surges, foam-crested waves.
I will stay in a house where circling it delights,
وَأَخبار وَصل فيكَ كانَ ابتِداؤُها
أَتعقل أَخبار وَما ثم مبتدا
And the courtyard's pebbles, if they could speak, would tell fine tales.
A place where rights are given to rightful claimants,
فَقُلت دَعيني وَالقِياس فَإِنَّني
سَأَتلو أَحاديث الأَماجد مسنَدا
Where the noble of rank are the elite, both old and young.
When asked, "Who will grant you your rightful due?" I said: "My father Ahmad -
ظَمئت إِلى لُقيا الكِرام وَإِنَّما
يَطيب ورود الماء في الحر وَالصدى
Through the Abbas he resembles Full Moon Muhammad."
The radiance of the stars is dimmed by his brilliance.
سَأَقصد بَحراً كُلما بانَ قاصد
لَهُ هاجَ بِالفَضل الجَزيل وَأزبدا
Truly, he rivals sun and moon and the planets!
They are the noblest of Arabs, honored above all
وَأنزل بَيتاً كُلما طُفت حَوله
تَسنمت مِن ظهر الفَراقد مقعَدا
By the Best of Creation, the Seal of Prophets.
Raiment of the Caliphate they donned, so elegant,
محلاً بِهِ توفى الحُقوق لأَهلِها
وَيَمتاز أَهل الفَضل شَيخاً وَأمرَدا
The Fountain of Al-Sakaya has been their drinking place.
Through Ahmad's son their glory has long shone bright.
فَقالَت وَمَن يُعطيك حَقك كُله
وَيوليك عزاً قُلت وَالد أَحمَدا
Through him they gained lofty honor and matchless repute.
What are Anas and his son but a ray that flashed from their light?
كَريم إِلى العَباس تنمى فُروعه
فَيلقى بِها بَدر التَمام محمدا
By his father, in all merit he takes his lead.
Open-handed, his many gifts put the rain to shame,
نجار عَنت زَهر النُجوم لضوئه
نَعم وَحَكى شَمساً وَبَدراً وَفرقدا
Bringing life to the meadows of bounty once dead.
Habits of kindness - for habits come naturally to all.
هُم العرب الغُر الَّذين تَشَرفوا
بِخَير الوَرى أَزكى النَبيين محتدا
Each takes from fate whatever is destined to accrue.
He built a mansion of glory on foundations firm,
لَقَد لَبِسوا ثَوب الخِلافة ضافياً
وَكانَ لَهُم ماء السقاية مَورِدا
So for him it stands secure, buttressed, tall.
When confused minds transgress, he is an unwavering guide,
بعم رَسول اللَه طالَ فَخارهُم
وَنالوا بِهِ مَجداً رَفيعاً وَسُؤددا
Matchless in sound judgment, holding firmly to what is right.
The light of his intellect dispels the darkness of doubts,
وَما أَنس وَالبَحر دَرويش نَجله
سوى لَمحة مِن نورِهم قَد تَوَقدا
Raising the lowly up and putting the proud in their place.
He raced to be generous till we knew him as open-handed,
بِوالده في كُل فَضل وَمَشهد
تَأسى فَأضحى في المكارم سيدا
More liberal than downpours from rainclouds unleashed.
A refuge for visitors - when cruel fate assailed them,
جَزيل أَياد أَخجل الغَيث وَبلها
فَأَحيا بِها رَوض النَوال وَأَوجَدا
His tables spread for newcomers, set by hands that never tire.
O embodiment of munificence who filled his being with bounty,
تَعود أَسداء الجَميل وَإنما
لكل امرئ مِن دَهره ما تَعودا
You we know by your flowing stream of constant generosity.
O faultless one whose merit has always withstood
بَنى بَيت مَجد أَسسته أُصوله
فَأَضحى لَهُ سوراً حَصيناً مشَيدا
Corruption's people, supporting the rightly-guided.
You made this age host to a human, else
وَقور إِذا طاشَت عُقول أولي النُهى
غَدا علما في قوة الرأي مُفرَدا
Blind in both eyes it would have groped sightless.
Through you horizons have stretched vast. Without you,
يُنير ظَلام الشك نير عقله
فَيرفَع مَخفوضاً وَينصب مُبتَدا
No! They would not have. Through you the world is graced.
To you hostility is humiliated. You've fasted with reward.
جَرى في سَبيل الجود حَتّى علمته
جواداً وَمِن سَيل المَواطر أجودا
Grateful, by the Merciful you've been promised enduring reward.
I greet you on this Feast that came visiting you, blessing you,
محط حال الوافِدين وَكَهفهم
إِذا جارَ فيهم جائر الدَهر وَاِعتَدى
Wishing you happiness and guidance. Here is the new moon's scimitar -
Stand, make the prayer of peace, and sacrifice the ungodly!
مَوائده للطارِقين تَمدها
أَياد لَهُ لَم تَعرف الجزر سَرمَدا
May Abdullah always return to meet you, with renewed resolve,
And may your noble stars keep rising to the highest celestial sphere,
فَيا مَظهر الجود الَّذي حَل روحه
بِهَيكله حَتّى عَرَفناه بِالنَدى
Ever ascending in lasting glory! As long as the breeze blows gently
And birds of passion sing of her, warbling sweet melodies.
وَيا عَيبه الفَضل الَّذي لَم يَزَل بِه
معاناً عَلى أَهل الفَساد مُؤيدا
جعلت لِهَذا الدهر إِنسان عَينه
وَلَولاك أَضحى أكمه الجفن أَرمَدا
وَطالَت بِكَ الفَيحا وَلَولاك لَم تطل
وَزانَت بِكَ الدُنيا وَذلت لَكَ العِدى
لَقَد صمت مَأجوراً وَأَفطرت شاكِراً
وَنلت مِن الرَحمن أَجراً مؤبدا
فَهنيت بِالعيد الَّذي جاءَ زائِراً
إِلَيكَ يهنيك السعادة وَالهُدى
وَهَذا هِلال الشَهر قَد صيغ خنجَراً
فَقُم سالِماً وَانحر عَدواً وَملحِدا
فَلا زالَ عَبد اللَه ما دامَت العلى
يَعود إِلى لُقياك عوداً مُجَددا
وَلا بَرحت أَقمار غرك تَرتَقي
إِلى فلك الأَفلاك عزاً مُخَلدا
مَدى الدَهر ما هَب النَسيم مهينما
وَغَنى بِه طَير الغَرام وَغَردا
