تَمضي العُلى وَإِلى ذَراكُم تَرجِعُ
شَمسٌ تَغيبُ لَكُم وَأُخرى تَطلُعُ
The heights pass on while to your abodes they return
A sun sets for you while another sun rises
إِنَّ الصَفا العاديَّ يُقرَعُ بِالأَذى
مِن غَيرِكُم وَصَفاكُمُ لا يُقرَعُ
Verily the usual harmony is afflicted with harm
By others, while your harmony is not afflicted
مُتَداوِلينَ لِباسَ أَثوابِ العُلى
هَذا يُجابُ لَهُ وَهَذا يُنزَعُ
Taking turns wearing the garb of the heights
This one is answered while that one is stripped
في كُلِّ يَومٍ لِلنَواظِرِ مِنكُمُ
أَعلامُ عَلياءٍ تُحَطُّ وَتُرفَعُ
Every day for the onlookers among you
High standards rise and fall
لا مِثلَ مَن مَلَكَ العُلى مُستَقبَلٌ
فينا وَمَن طَوَتِ المَنونُ مُوَدَّعُ
No equal to one who holds the heights in the future
Among us and one the fates bid farewell
عَينانِ عَينٌ لِلمَزيدِ قَريرَةٌ
مِنّا وَعَينٌ لِلنَقيصَةِ تَدمَعُ
Two eyes - one joyous at success
While another tearful at loss
وَإِذا اِطمَأَنَّ مِنَ العَطِيَّةِ مَضجَعٌ
يَوماً أَقَضَّ مِنَ الرَزِيَةِ مَضجَعُ
When a resting place is content with bounty
A day fulfilling more than fate's portion
فَلَئِن فَرِحنا إِنَّ ذَلِكَ مُفرِحٌ
وَلَئِن جَزِعنا إِنَّ ذَلِكَ مُجزِعُ
Whether we rejoice or grieve both affect us
Glory has for some a scent, while others it breaks
لِلمَجدِ مِن عَلياكُمُ وَمَصابِكُم
أَنفٌ بِهِ شَمَمٌ وَآخَرُ أَجدَعُ
My sorrows and joys came in succession as though
Tears were made to follow in their tracks
بُؤسى وَنُعمى أَعقَبَت فَكَأَنَّما
رُدَّت عَلى أَعقابِهِنَّ الأَدمُعُ
Were it not for the most honorable Abu Shuja
Calamities could scarcely be mended
لَولا الأَعَزُّ أَبو شُجاعٍ لَم يَكُن
وَهِيَ النَوائِبِ عَن قَليلٍ يُرقَعُ
Without him, neither the broken restored nor the grieved eye's
Lid nor the deeply sorrowful's chain would heal
لَولاهُ ما اِنجَبَرَ الكَسيرُ وَلا سَما
طَرفُ الحَسيرِ وَلا سَلا المُتَفَجِّعُ
After their ordeals the lofty ones would not
Without him accept replacements
ما كانَتِ العَلياءُ بَعدَ مَصابِها
لَولاهُ بِالبَدَلِ المُجَدَّدِ تَقنَعُ
They erected pillars of their glory and chose
The straightest pillars that will not be removed
نَثَلوا كَنائِنَ مَجدِهِم فَتَخَيَّروا
مِنهُنَّ أَقوَمَ نَصلَةٍ لا تُنزَعُ
He shot an arrow that hit the heights' target
When in the bow of great deeds no arrows remained
سَهماً رَمى غَرَضَ العُلى مِن بَعدِما
لَم يَبقَ في قَوسِ المَعالي مَنزَعُ
Enemies cannot hope his rising place will appear
Since that rising is too narrow except for him
لا يَطمَعُ الأَعداءُ مَطلَعَ نَجدِهِ
قَد ضاقَ إِلّا عَنهُ ذاكَ المَطلَعُ
Their columns rushed anxiously to you
Until the firmest pillars settled with them
طَلَبَتكَ قَد قَلِقَت إِلَيكَ نُصولُها
حَتّى اِستَقَرَّ بِها النِصابُ الأَمنَعُ
Thirsty for you - and how can they turn from you
While the pasture is with you, as are rest and meadow
ظَمأى إِلَيكَ وَأَينَ عَنكَ مَحيدُها
وَالرَعيُ عِندَكَ وَالرُوا وَالمَرتَعُ
Never did their setting place mount or mold
Except with you - days that will not change
ما كانَ غارِبُها بِغَيرِكَ يُمتَطى
يَوماً وَطينَتُها بِغَيرِكَ تُطبَعُ
Hearts' allegiance came before hands' oath
Of one obedient, while consciences are more obedient
سَبَقَت بِبَيعَتِكَ القُلوبُ أَكُفَّها
أَيدٍ أَطَعنَكَ وَالضَمائِرُ أَطوَعُ
Than one whose passion is hidden, no bending in him
Or falsely swearing, with no turning back
مِن مُضمَرٍ يَخشى الهَوى لا يَنثَني
أَو صافِقٍ بِيَدِ الرِدى لا يَرجِعُ
Souls relinquished their imaginations, yet a hand might give
While its conscience refuses
أَعطَت تَخايُلَها الصُدورُ وَرُبَّما
تُعطي يَدٌ وَلَها ضَميرٌ يَمنَعُ
God supported your rule, raising high
The glory of foundations and most lofty structure
اللَهُ أَيَّدَ مُلكَكُم وَسَما بِهِ
مَجدُ القَواعِدِ وَالبِناءُ الأَرفَعُ
A house with heaven its ceilings and eaves
Feared by hovering doves obscured from view
بَيتٌ يُسَقَّفُ بِالسَماءِ رِواقُهُ
وَتَهابُ ذُروَتَهُ الحَمامُ الوُقَّعُ
The coils of its dome are the Pleiades' clusters
And the shadows of its eaves, polished meadows
أَطنابُ قُبَّتِهِ أَنابيبُ القَنا
وَسُجوفُ ظِلَّتِهِ المَواضي اللُمَّعُ
If foundations quake, its pillar rises over them
Or the structure shakes, it will not quiver
إِن ساخَتِ الأَركانُ أَشرَفَ رُكنُهُ
أَو ضُعضِعَ البُنيانُ لا يَتَضَعضَعَ
How often has an unruly camel, released from its tether
Continued under the riders' feet, straight and ascending
كَم مُصعَبٍ مَنَعَ الخِطامَ تَرَكتَهُ
تَحتَ الرَحالَةِ يَستَقيمُ وَيَظلَعُ
Or a rebel whose hands fell short of the heights
An adversity befalling you, cutting off necks and arms
أَو خالِعٍ قَصُرَت يَداهُ عَنِ العُلى
بوعٌ لَكُم تَقِصُ الرِقابَ وَأَذرُعُ
You preceded while the spine's vertebrae bent under it
As the coward's back was stamped with talons
فَسَبَقتُمُ وَكَبا بِهِ مِن جَدِّهِ
دونَ المُنى قَصفُ الفَقارِ مُوَقَّعُ
Their plots are hidden while your domination appears
Ants bite, while the white oryx gore
تَخفى مَكائِدُه وَيَظهَرُ سَطوُكُم
الذَرُّ يَقرُصُ وَالأَراقِمُ تَلسَعُ
No equal are the Buwayhid throne's sons, for they are
The peril of virtues and most unchaste of chests
لا ثُلَّ عَرشُ بَنَي بُوَيهٍ أَنَّهُم
غُدُرُ المَكارِمِ وَالجَنابُ الأَمرَعُ
Over their pastures predators circle
While fingers point accusingly towards their pastures
فَعَلى رُوائِهِمُ يَحومُ المُعتَفي
وَإِلى رُوائِهِمُ تُشيرُ الإِصبَعُ
Whether brought near, they are deadly adversaries
Or if they refuse, they are poisonous adders
إِن قارَبوا فَهُمُ الشِهادُ المُجتَنى
وَإِذا أَبوا فَهُمُ السِمامُ المُنقَعُ
Their hands are the paths of dew and their brows
More radiant than crowns - or rather more brilliant
أَيديهِمُ طُرُقُ النَدى وَجِباهُهُم
أَبهى مِنَ التيجانِ لا بَل أَلمَعُ
Thus they are the refuge in days of perils
And hope in days of virtues
فَهُمُ لِأَيّامِ الحَفائِظِ مَفزَعٌ
وَهُمُ لِأَيّامِ المَكارِمِ مَطمَعُ
The lofty ones called out to them until their shouts reached
The furthest goals, so the despised people panicked and hastened -
هَتَفَ العَلاءُ بِهِم إِلى غاياتِهِ
فَتَضَرَّعَ القَومُ اللِئامُ وَأَسرَعوا
I am your plant while the branch is soft and youth
Pliable, and leadership of the docile, smoothest
أَنا غَرسُكُم وَالغُصنُ لَدنٌ وَالصِبا
غَضٌّ وَلِلعيسِ القِيادُ الأَطوَعُ
I launched my arrows at the enemy, yet you left
My feet to follow the highest goals
رِشتُم سِهامي لِلعِدى وَتَرَكتُمُ
قَدَمي إِلى أَمَدِ المَعالي تَتبَعُ
You spurred my fortune to catch up with your glory
Until it persisted while others' fell short
وَحَثَثتُمُ حَظّي لِيَلحَقَ شَأوَكُم
حَتّى اِستَمَرَّ وَحَظُّ غَيري يُقدَعُ
You acted, so I recognized your deeds' value
Though sometimes the artisan errs on the path
وَصَنَعتُمُ فَعَرَفتُ قَدرَ صَنيعِكُم
وَلَرُبَّما غَلِطَ الطَريقَ المُصنِعُ
I safeguarded your favors you entrusted me with
Loyalty is a trust that must be safeguarded
وَحَفِظتُ ما اِستَودَعتُ مِن نِعمائِكُم
إِنَّ الوَفاءَ أَمانَةٌ تُستَودَعُ
O builder of established glory where
Eyes cannot perceive nor hands reach
يا بانِيَ الشَرَفِ المُوَطَّدِ حَيثُ لا
تَصِلُ العُيونُ وَلا تَنالُ الأَذرُعُ
Scion of the protected lofty cradle - in her lap
A treasure kept safe, and by her full moon nurtured
وَسَليلَ مُحصَنَةِ العُلى في حِجرِها
مُستَودَعٌ وَبِدَرِّها مُستَرضَعُ
Kings incline tenderly around him from all sides
Like a heart, ribs inclining toward it
تَحنو المُلوكُ عَلَيهِ مِن جَنَباتِهِ
كَالقَلبِ حانِيَةٌ عَلَيهِ الأَضلُعُ
Rise above misfortunes with resolve or felicity
Each breach has a mender
أَرتِق لَها فَتقَ النَوائِبِ بِالنَدى
أَو بِالقَنا وَلِكُلِّ خَرقٍ مَرقَعُ
Follow your father's path, for his path
Is sustenance leading to glorious deeds
وَاِسكُك سَبيلَ أَبيكَ إِنَّ سَبيلَه
لَقَمٌ يُجيزُ إِلى المَناقِبِ مَهيَعُ
Seek his days and gallant steeds
With yearning that rebukes the critics
وَاِطلُب عَلى أَيّامِهِ وَجِيادُهُ
حَسرى يَرِدنَ عَلى الطِعانِ وَظُلَّعُ
Dust rises upon dust as if
Swelling floodwaters stirred by a dreadful quake
تَدِقُ الغِوارَ عَلى الغِوارِ كَأَنَّها
وَطغاءُ تَحفِزُها بَليلٌ زَعزَعُ
While dawn tears off its shirt
As the first light dispels the darkest gloom
وَالصِبحُ مُنقَدُّ القَميصِ كَما جَلا
عَن حُرِّ مَفرَقِهِ البُجالُ الأَنزَعُ
Face days without wild beasts
With reins yoked by you made obedient
وَاِستَقبِلِ الأَيامَ غَيرَ جَوامِحٍ
يَثني إِلَيكَ بِها عِنانٌ طَيِّعُ
Hardships surrender humbled at your feet
After struggle, with cheeks rubbled in the dust
تَعنولِأَخمَصِكَ الخُطوبُ ذَليلَةً
بَعدَ العِراكِ وَخَدُّهُنَّ الأَضرَعُ
If your past brought joy, your day surpasses it
Yet future days may bring less than expected
إِن سَرَّ أَمسُك كانَ يَومُكَ فَوقَه
وَيَقِلُّ عِندَ غَدٍ لِما يُتَوَقَّعُ
