ونشوانة غيداء ظامية الحشا
وقامتُها غُصْنٍ من البانِ مائدُ
A slender, gazelle-like beauty with darkly alluring eyes,
Her stature is like a supple bough of acacia wood.
وتَبُدِي جبنياً يَفْضَحُ الشمسَ نورُهُ
وفَرْعاً زَرَى بالليلِ وهو أساوِدُ
She reveals a radiant cheek that outshines the sun,
And a delicate branch adorned at night with jet beads.
وواوات صُدغٍ عند رَوْضٍ بخَدّةِ
تفتَّح فيه وردُهُ وهو عائدُ
Her dimpled cheeks near a meadow with soft down
Where a rose blossoms, freshly returned.
وميم به ماءُ الحياةِ تصونه
عن الرَّشْفِ أسيافٌ حدادٌ نواضدُ
With lips like the water of life, guarded
Against draining by keen, steadfast swords.
وتزهو بنحرٍ كالسَجنْجَلِ نَيِّرٍ
تُنَاط عقودٌ فَوْقَه وقلائدُ
She blossoms with a throat like a polished necklace,
Adorned above with necklaces and amulets.
لها بَشْرة كالماءِ وهي رهيدةٌ
ثُؤَثِّر فيها رَفْرَفٌ وَمَجاسد
Her complexion is like water, she is languorous,
Stirred by the fluttering of fans and waving kerchiefs.
تُماطلني دَيْني وفي المطْلِ لذةٌ
ولذّتُه شَهْدٌ به السُمُّ راصد
She tantalizes me, prolonging my debt, and in her dallying is bliss,
Whose sweetness has poison, with desire lying in wait.
تُحرّمني وصلا عليّ محلّلا
ولا رَاعها واشٍ لجوجٌ وحاسِدُ
She denies me lawful union, though it is permitted me,
With no concern for the jealous and envious reproacher.
وإني أسيرٌ في الهوى ومُتَيّمٌ
ومالي عليه في الغَرامِ مُسَاعِدُ
I wander lost in love and suffer separation,
With none to help me in my passion.
وإن دموع العاشقين لعبرة
ودمعي تبر وهو بالخد جامد
For the tears of lovers are telling,
And my tears sincere though frozen on my cheek.
كما هَطَلتْ كفُّ ابنِ سلطان بالندى
ويشكي الجَفَا منها طَرِيفٌ وتالِدُ
As the hand of the noble son of Sultans dripped with dew,
He complained of her aloofness while the gastropod crept slowly.
سعيد نَمَتْهُ سادةٌ جَلَّ فَخْرُهُمْ
وَخَافَ سراياهُ مُقِرّ وجَاحِدُ
The nobility raised him, his greatness was manifest,
And his close companions feared both ally and detractor.
إذا ما سعى والخلق تحت ركابِه
يسحّ لهم منه جمان ولائد
When he marched forth the people were under his feet,
His generosity raining favors and bounties upon them.
تُقرُّ له الأعداءُ بالفضلِ والثَنا
وليس له في دهرِه قَطُّ حاسدُ
Even enemies acknowledged his merit and praise,
In his time he had no envious rivals.
ولا مَلِكٌ في سالِف الدهر مثله
إلى الحَشْرِ لم تُنسل سواه الخرائدُ
No king in ancient times was his equal,
Until the end, none were spawned but him.
هو المحسن السلطان والسيد الذي
له النصر كف والمعزة ساعدُ
He is the benefactor, the Sultan, the noble Lord,
For him is triumph of hand, and honor of arm.
فتى هَزْهَزَ الدنياء حتى اننشى بها
ويَرْجُفُ منه بَدْرُها والفَراقِدُ
He shook the world until it woke anew through him,
At his brilliance both moon and stars trembled.
كمّي تخاف الأسدُ عند لقائه
وتَقَصْرُ عنه والمدى مُتباعِدُ
How the lion fears at the meeting with him,
And falls short though the distance is great between them.
وتَشَوَّقَ الهيجا إذا حلَّ ذِكْرُها
كما شَوَّقَ الصادي النزيفَ الموارِدُ
The restless yearned when his name was mentioned,
As the thirsty yearn for the rain pouring from the clouds.
سَرَى وأتاها من ديارِ بعيدةٍ
وذَلَّتْ له أبطالُها والقَوائد
He attacked the lands from distant homelands,
Their warriors bowed down before him, their bands humbled.
ويَجْتَاحُها والكمت في الجوِّ حُوَّمٌ
وسمرُ القنا في الدّارعين قواصد
He conquered as the black clouds massed in the firmament,
And the simoom blazed on the coats of mail.
عَجَاجُ الوغى والسيف سحب وبارق
وسيل الدما والضّرب بحر وراعد
The clamor of war, the unsheathed sword lightning,
The torrent of blood, the blows like thunder and storm.
تَقصُّ السريجيّاتُ أخبارَ فِعلهِ
وتروي الوشيجُ اللّدنُ وهي شواهِدُ
The horses tell the tales of his deeds,
The chroniclers relate the news, they are witnesses.
شديدٌ شديدُ البأسِ إن سَلَّ سيفَه
تفارق أجسامَ العدا والقماحِدُ
Fierce, fierce in might, when he unsheathed his sword,
The bodies of foes and pretenders were severed.
يُحب كفاحَ الدارعين لأنَّه
تُصاغ له منه العُلا والمحامدُ
He loved the clashing of armored warriors,
For it brought him glory, exaltation and praise.
ولا رزقَ إلا من بَنانِك يُرْتَجَى
ولا وافد إلا لنحوك قاصد
The only provision comes from your threshing floors,
No visitors come but those bound towards you.
ودم سالماً يا سيدَ الخلقِ كلّهِ
وإنك في نَهْر المجَرَةِ قاعِدُ
Peace and safety to you, O Master of all people,
For you dwell in the river of abundance forever.
ألا أبلغا عني هلاكاً وما جِداً
هما الباذخانِ الزاكيانِ الأماجدا
Convey for me ruin and utter loss, O two noble,
Radiant, glorious pillars.
سلاماً يفوحُ العِطْرُ من طيبِ نَشرِهِ
ومنظرُه فاقَ الجُمانَ الولائدا
Peace whose sweet fragrance diffuses,
Its aspect surpassed scattered pearls.
قد اتزرا بالمجدِ وارْتَديا به
وصارا ليَ في الدهرِ كفاً وساعدا
They are clothed in glory and honor,
For me in time they are helper and supporter.
هما يُسعداني إن سَطَتْ بي حَبَوْكَرٌ
إذا لم يجد في العالمينَ مُساعدا
They bring me fortune if misfortune befalls me,
When none can be found in both worlds to give aid.
