طيورُ المَعَالي في السماءِ حَوائِمُ
وَأشْرَاكُها سمرَ القَنَا والعَزَائِمُ
The birds of glory circle high in the sky,
Their feet tied with ropes of determination and will.
وَمَنْ رَامَ نَيْلَ العِزّ لم يطوِ قَلْبَهُ
على وَجَلٍ والدارعونَ تَصَادَمُ
He who aspires to glory cannot restrain his heart
At the sight of valor, though foes clash with him.
وفيهِ تَظَلُّ الخَيْلُ تَسْبَحُ في الدِمَا
كَسُفْنٍ عَلَتْها أبْحُرٌ تتَلاطَمُ
There the horses splash in blood
Like ships on a stormy, surging sea.
يطولُ كما طالَ ابنُ سلطان باعَهُ
ويقصر عنه من على الحرب قادم
A hero lasts as long as the son of a sultan sold him,
But falls short of one riding to battle.
سعيدٌ على أملاكِهِ العَدْلُ مُنْشَرٌ
وأملاكُ أعداه عليها المظَالِمُ
Joyful is Saeed in his just kingdom,
While the oppressor’s realm is filled with injustice.
ترى الخيلَ والأسادَ تحتَ لوائِهِ
عليها من الفَتْحِ المُبينِ عَلائِمُ
You see the horses and lions under his flag
Bearing clear signs of conquest upon them.
تُجَاذِبُهم تحتَ الأعنةِ والقَنَا
رماك المذاكي والذُكورُ الصَوَارِمُ
Archers and warriors with sharp swords
Jostle with them under the spears and banners.
ولو وردَ التَيَّارَ بعضُ لُهَامِهِ
لما هُوَ من فَوْقِ البسيطةِ دائمُ
And if a small part of his brave warriors approached,
They would not cease pushing from above the plain.
وفيه من الجلاء قَوْمٌ كأنَّهُم
بدورُ تَمَامٍ للِنَزالِ ضَبَارِمُ
Among them are worthy men, as if
They are full moons emerging for combat.
وُجُوهُهُمْ تَحْكِي شُعاعَ سُيوفِهم
وَهُمْ في حَواشي الرَّدْعِ أسْدٌ ضَرَاغِمُ
Their faces reflect the brilliance of their swords,
While they are like lions roaring on the battlefield.
ويَقْدَمَهُم كالبَحْرِ إذ هُوَ مُزْبِدٌ
وَسُحْبٌ يَدَاهُ بالنُّضَارِ سَوَاجِمُ
Leading them is an ocean swelling high,
With clouds grasping sharp hailstones in their hands.
وَتَقْبِضُ يُمناه قَناً وأعنَّةً
وتَبْسُطُها عند العَطَاءِ المَكَارِمُ
His right hand grasps a spear and banner,
His left distributes gifts generously.
ولو أنَّهُ في سالِفِ الدَّهْرِ آتياً
لما ذُكرِا بالجودِ مَعْنٌ وحاتِمُ
If he had lived in ancient times,
Ma'an and Hatem would not be famed for generosity.
أنَامِلُه يَوْمَ الكِفاحِ مَنيَّةٌ
وإنْ رُجيْتْ يَوْمَ السَّماحِ غَمَائمُ
His fingers, though deadly in combat,
Are, when appealed to in peace, rainclouds.
تُساعِدُه حُكْمَ المقاديرِ والقَضَا
إذا رامَ أمراً أمرُهُ فَهْوَ قَائِمُ
He is aided by the decisions of Fate and Destiny;
His will prevails if he decides on something.
إذا اعتقلَ السُّمْرَ الطوالَ لغارَةٍ
غَدَتْ بهمُ الأعْدَاءُ فَهْيَ بَهَائِمُ
When he imprisons tall horses for a raid,
The foe become like frightened animals.
فتى سال بالأقطار من حدِّ سَيْفِهِ
دماءٌ ودَلَّتْ عُرْبُها والأعَاجِمُ
His sword spills blood in all regions,
Flowing from Arabs and non-Arabs alike.
وتَصْحَبُه السِّيدَانُ إن رامَ غَزْوةً
لأكْلِ لُحُومٍ والنُّسُورُ القَشاعِمُ
The two masters accompany him when he heads for battle,
To eat meat while the vultures circle.
وَوُلّي القَضَا يَوْمَ الزِحام حُسامُه
يَقْضِي بِتَلْفِ الخَصْمِ إذْ هُوَ حاكِمُ
On the day of battle, his sword executes justice,
Destroying the adversary, for he is the judge.
يَجِزُّ دُرُوْعَ الخَصْمِ والسيفَ والقَنَا
ولا يَعْتَريِهِ بالضَرِيْبَةِ ثَالِمُ
It penetrates armor, sword, and spear,
Without burdening him with debt.
ولو عَلِم الأعداءُ منه مذلّةً
لما بانَ مِنْهُمْ في الزَمانِ التَخاصُمُ
If his enemies knew of his might,
There would be no discord left between them.
وإنْ هَمَّ للأعْداءِ قِتَالاً فتأته
تُصَالِحُهُ في دَارِهِ وتُسَالِمُ
If he prepares to fight the foes, they come to make peace,
Reconciling with him in his own land.
وإنْ خَالفُوهُ كَرَّ فيهم مُصَادمِاً
وَيَرْجِعُ عنهم تائهاً وَهْوَ باسِمُ
But if they oppose him, he attacks, routing them,
Then withdraws from them confused and resigned.
لِكَيْلا يرومونَ القِراع فيأتهم
كما انْقَضَّ نَجْمٌ للشياطينِ رَاجِمُ
So they do not dare to fight, for he comes upon them
Like a shooting star pelting the devils.
إذا ما استوى في صَهْوةِ الطِرْفِ حاسراً
تَهَزْهَزَتِ الدُّنياءُ ثم الأقالِمُ
When he draws himself up, mounted and ready,
The world and even the pens tremble.
تُدَرِّعُهُ عُفْرُ العَجَاجَةِ والقَنَا
إذا تَبَّبتْ يومَ الضِراب الغَلاصِمُ
His coat of mail and spear protect him
When the weapons clash on the day of battle.
يُضاحِكُ من تحتِ العَجاجِ حسامُهُ
ثغورَ العُلا والهامُ في الأفقِ حائِمُ
From beneath his coat of mail, his sword smiles
At the throats of the noble, while the horizon is devoid of refuge.
إذا هزَّهُ يومَ العِراكِ تَغَلَّقَتْ
صُدُورُ الأعادي خَشْيَةً والجمَاجِمُ
When he charges on the day of mêlée,
The enemies' breasts are shaken with fear, even the skulls.
سِنَانُكَ في الهَيْجاءِ كالبَرْقِ لامعٌ
على رَهَجٍ بالأفْقِ والأفْقُ قاتِمُ
Your teeth flash in the darkness like lightning
Above a vast plain with a dark horizon.
فتىً أنْفَقَ الأموالَ في طَلَبِ العُلا
بِبِشْرٍ ولو أنَّ النجومَ دَرَاهِمُ
A knight who spent his wealth pursuing glory
With good tidings, even if the stars were dinars.
وأغنى الورى من كان حَيّاً على الثرى
ولم يبْقَ في دنياه بالناسِ عادِمُ
He enriched the world when he was alive upon the earth
And left no one in his world deprived.
وَيُخفيِ عطاياه ويُظْهِرُها الثَنا
وهل كَتَمَتْ نَشْرَ الربيع الكَمائِمُ
He hides his gifts but fame reveals them,
For can the blooming of spring conceal the buds?
وكُلُّ فتىً يأتي لنادِيهِ قاصداً
يرى نفْسَه في لُجّةِ البَحْرِ عائمُ
Every youth who comes to his abode
Sees himself floating in the midst of the sea.
لساني على باعي بِمَدْحِكَ طائِلٌ
لأنَّكَ يا مولاي للخلقِ رَاحِمُ
My tongue falters in praising you,
For you, my master, are most merciful to all.
إذا صُغْتُ فيكَ الشعرَ خِلْتُ كأنَّني
بأعلى الثُّريا للبدورِ مُنَادِمُ
When I compose poetry in your honor
I feel as if I am conversing with the stars.
مَدَحْتُ ولم أترُكْ لقوسي مَنْزَعاً
وهل من بَنِيْ دُنياي بالنَّظْمِ عالمُ
I have praised without leaving room for my bow,
And who in my world is skilled in verse?
فلا نال مجداً قَطُّ مِثْلُك في الورى
ولا فاه نَظْماً قَطُّ مثلي ناظِمُ
None gained such glory as you in all the world,
Nor spoke such verse as I, the composer.
فَروْضُكَ مَطْلُولٌ وأمرُكَ نافِذٌ
وعَدْلُكَ مَبْسُوطٌ وعِزُّكَ دائِمُ
Your judgment is anticipated, your word enforced,
Your justice manifest, and your dominion eternal.
