أَشِدْ بِالقَوَافِي ذِكْرَ علْوَةَ أَوْ عَلْيَا
وَدَعْ لِلسَّوافِي دارَ مَيَّةَ بِالعَلْيَا
Speak of the loftiness of Ali or Aliya in best rhyme,
And leave the dwelling of Mayya in Alia for the litters.
لِكُلٍّ مِنَ العُشَّاقِ رَأْيٌ يُجِلُّهُ
وَإِنْ جَالَ فِي الأَحدَاقِ مَا يُبْطِلُ الرَّأْيَا
For every lover there is an opinion he values,
Though if eccentricities roam in the eyes that would nullify opinion.
أَلَمْ تَرَها عَيَّتْ جَواباً ولَمْ يَجِدْ
مُسائِلُها إِلا الأَوارِيَّ وَالنُّؤْيَا
Have you not seen her, she answered in annoyance without finding
His questions anything but nonsense and fantasies.
بِحَسْبِ زيادٍ نَدْبُهُ طَلَلاً عَفَا
وَحَسْبِي اقْتِدَاحٌ للغَرامِ زَكَا وَرْيَا
It suffices Ziyad to mourn deserted encampments,
While it suffices me to kindle the embers of love, fresh and tender.
إِذَا الأَثَرُ اسْتَهوَى فَما العَيْنُ صانِعٌ
بِمَنْ عَقْدُهُ لا يَقْبَلُ الوَهْنَ والوَهْيَا
When the vestiges have appealed, what can the eye do
With one whose knot accepts no weakness or bending.
أَوَيْتُ إلَى عَلْيَاءَ غَيْرَ مُنَهْنِهٍ
فُؤَاداً عَلَى الإِخفَاقِ يَسْتَنجِزُ الوَأْيَا
I came to Aliya undeterred,
With a heart exposed to affliction, fulfilling its vows.
وَلَمْ أَرَ كَالأَحْيَاءِ تَزْحَف دُونَها
فَتُكْثِرُ في أَكْفَائِها القَتْل والسَّبْيَا
I did not see the living crawling under her
Multiplying thereby killing and capturing.
كَفَانِي بِهَا رِيَّا بِرَامَةَ شَدَّ ما
جَفَانِي فَلا بُقْيا عَلَيَّ وَلا لُقْيَا
It suffices me that her aversion firmly
Estranged me, so I have no longer survival or meeting.
جَزَتْنِي جَزَاء الوَشْيِ والحَلْيِ إذْ أَبَتْ
مَحَاسِنُهَا أَنْ تَلْبَسَ الوَشْيَ وَالحَلْيَا
She rewarded me the reward of suspicion and ornament, for
Her charms refused to wear suspicion and ornament.
كَأَنِّيَ ما نازَلْتُ آسَادَ قَوْمِها
وَغَازَلتُ مِنْها وَسْطَ أَخْيامِها ظَبْيَا
It is as if I did not descend on the settlements of her people,
And courted amidst her tents some gazelle.
وَلَمْ أَدْرِ فِي هَصْرِي لِميَّادِ قَدِّها
أَرُمَّانَةً فِي النَّحْرِ أَقْطِفُ أَمْ ثَدْيَا
And I did not brandish in my patrol for her bending neckline
A pomegranate on the throat that I may pluck or breast that I may squeeze.
سَجَايَا الغَوَانِي مَا دَرَيْتُ فَشَأْنها
وَهجرَانها لا أُدرِك الهَجْر وَالنأْيَا
I did not know the coquetries of the tender girls, so their
Estrangement, I do not suffer estrangement and remoteness.
أَجِدَّكَ لا أَنْفَكُّ بِالغِيدِ مُغْرَماً
فَمَا أَنَا لِلأُخْرَى وَمَا أَنَا لِلدُّنْيَا
I profess you forever enamored
So I am not for the other nor am I for the world.
لقَلْبِيَ أوْحَى بالتَّصَابِي تَقَلُّبٌ
مِنَ الغُصْنِ مُخْضلاً ثَنَتْهُ الصَّبا ثَنْيَا
My heart was inspired with commotion
By a branch it bent, made tender by a zephyr’s bending.
وَلا بُدَّ لِلْوَافِي النُّهَى مِن نِهَايَةٍ
يُوَفِّي ارْعِواءً عِنْدَها الأَمْرَ وَالنَّهْيَا
The keeper of vows must inevitably have an outcome
Whereby he fulfills for her the command and the forbiddance.
أَلَيْسَ مَشِيبِي مُنْذِراً وَمُبَشِّراً
فَمَا لِيَ وَيلِي أُشْبِهُ الصُّمَّ وَالعُمْيَا
Does not my graying hair forewarn and foretell
So why do I resemble the deaf and the blind?
وَشُكْرُ أَبِي يَحْيَى الأَميرِ أَحَقُّ بِي
وَإِنْ عَزَّنِي شُكْرُ الأَميرِ أَبِي يَحْيَى
Thanking my lord Amir Abi Yahya is more warranted for me
Though thanking the Amir my lord Abi Yahya wearies me.
هُمام إِذَا ابتَاعَ الثَّناءَ بِمَا حَوَتْ
يَدَاهُ فَمَا يَخْشَى مُبَايعُه ثُنْيَا
Pillars, when they purchase praise with what
Their hands contain, their seller then fears no bending.
تَرَعْرَعَ بَيْنَ البَأْسِ والجُودِ مِثْلَما
تَبَحْبَحَ فِي المَجْدِ المُؤَثَّلِ وَالعَلْيَا
He was nurtured between valor and munificence, just as
He frolicked in honored glory and loftiness.
مُجِيلاً قِداحَ الفَوْزِ فِي كُلِّ مَشْهَدٍ
بِما يُقْتَضَى سَعْداً وَمَا يُرتَضَى سَعْيَا
Excelled in every field of success with what
Is required of fortune and desired of endeavor.
بِرَاحَتِهِ زَنْدُ المَكَارِمِ كُلَّما
أَرَانا بِهِ قَدْحاً رَأَينَا لَهُ وَرْيَا
With his ease the boughs of noble deeds whenever
We saw him flash we saw for it flakes.
أَعَدَّ لأَدْواءِ الليالِي دَوَاءَها
وَهَلْ يُخْطِئُ الإصَمَاءَ مَنْ يُحْسِنُ الرَّمْيَا
He prepared for the illnesses of nights their remedy
And does the unerring miss when he aims well?
مَسَاعِيهِ في أعْدَائِهِ وَوُلاتِهِ
تَمرُّ لَهُمْ شَرْياً وَتَحْلُو لَنَا أَرْيَا
His endeavors against his enemies and his governors
Pass by them evil and are sweet for us limpid.
يُديرُ مِن الحَرْبِ الضَّروسِ حَدِيقَةً
وَإِنْ لَم يَرِدْ فِيها سِوَى لامَةٍ مَهْيَا
He turns the fierce war into a tamed garden
Even if he only wants in it some slice of censure.
ويَحْسبُ أَجْنَاسَ القَوَافِي عُفَاتهُ
فيَحيَا لَها مَن هامَ أَقْتَالَهَا حَيَّا
And he counts thekinds of rhyme his chastity
Whereby he grants life to those who lusted for their killing.
تَأَلَّى هُدَاه لا تَأَتَّى مُناجِزاً
صُنوفَ العِدَى أَو يَمْحُوَ الغَيَّ والبَغْيا
His guidance refused to be matched fulfilling
The varieties of transgression or erase the injustice and enmity.
فَلا شَكَّ أَنَّ السُّمْرَ شَكّاً تُبيتُهُم
وَلا رَيْبَ أَنَّ البِيضَ تُفْنِيهِمُ بَرْيَا
Without doubt the brown race their nights are sleepless
And no doubt the white will destroy them entirely.
كَأَنَّ عَلَيهِ لِلقِرَاعِ ولِلْقِوَى
نُذُوراً فَلا صُبْحاً تُضَاعُ وَلا مَسْيَا
As if upon him for spears and strength
There are vows so neither morn are lost nor evening.
يَرُوحُ وَيَغدُو مَنزِلاً وَمُنازِلاً
فَمِن مُعتَدٍ يردَى وَمِن معتفٍ يَحْيَا
He comes and goes from one stage to another
Saving some transgressor and giving life to some pure.
هُوَ المُقْتَفِي مَا سنَّ للناسِ آلَه
وَهَلْ يَقْتَفِي إِلا السَّكِينَةَ وَالهَدْيَا
He is the one who follows what his family
Deemed good, and does one follow but tranquility and guidance?
أَئِمَةُ عَدلٍ يَمَّمَ الحَقُّ نَصْرَهُم
فَمَا عَدَلُوا عَنهُ دِفاعاً وَلا حَمْيَا
The imams of justice, the truth championed them
So they never deviated therefrom defending or protecting zealously.
هُمُ فَرَّجُوا غَمَّ الدَّواهِي وَضِيقَها
بِمَا وَسِعَ الدُّنْيَا وأَبْنَاءَها دَهْيَا
They relieved the grief of events and their straits
With what satisfied the world and its children satisfaction.
وَهُمْ نَصَرُوا الدينَ الحَنيفَ وَبَصَّروا
مَعَالِمَهُ والنَّاسُ فِي فِتْنَة عَمْيَا
And they supported the pure religion and elucidated
Its features while people were in the blindness of blindness.
وَهُمْ أَحْرَزُوا دُونَ المُلوكِ مَنَاقِباً
مَتَى مَا وَلوا إِخفاءَها بَهَرَتْ خَفْيَا
And they gained virtues above kings
Whenever they assumed them, their concealment dazzled even the hidden.
تَنَاهَوا مِنَ العَلْيَا إلَى غايَةٍ نَأَتْ
فَقَصَّرَ عَنْها كُلُّ مَدْحٍ وَإنْ أَعْيَا
They ascended the heights to a limit that
Every praise falls short no matter how tired.
أَعِدْ نَظَراً لِلدَّهْرِ تُبْصِرهُ ناضِراً
وَمَا رُؤْيَةُ الأَشْياءِ حَقّاً مِن الرُّؤْيَا
Reconsider the days, envision them flourishing
For envisioning things is not truly envisioning.
فَلا يَوْمَ إِلا إِضْحِيانٌ بِنُورِهم
وَلا لَيْلَة إِلا بِأَسْعُدِهِمْ ضَحْيَا
Thus no day but by their light is an immolation
Nor night but by their most fortunate a brightening.
لآلِ أَبِي حَفْصٍ وَسائِلُ نُصْرَةٍ
إلَى الدِّينِ وَالدنْيا هيَ النّسْبَةُ الدُّنْيَا
The family of Abi Hafs has the means of supporting
The religion and world, that is their relationship to the world.
فَبُشْرَى لِمَنْ لَمْ يَتَّخِذْ غَيْرَ حُبِّهِم
عَتاداً وزَاداً لِلمَمَاتِ وَلِلحَيَا
Good tidings to those who took none but their love
As equipment and provision for death and life.
لَقَدْ أَعْرَقُوا فِي المُلكِ لَكِنْ تَعدَّدُوا
فيَا رُشْدَهُم رَأْياً وَيا حُسْنَهُم رُؤْيَا
Truly they perspired in rule but they were many
So excellent their opinion and beautiful their view.
أَعَزُّ المَبانِي مَا أَقامُوا علَى القَنَى
لَدَيْهم وَخَيرُ الخَيْلِ مَا رَكَضُوا عُرْيَا
The strongest buildings are those they stood by the spearhead
And the best horses are those they rode bareback.
كَفَاهُمْ مِنَ القَصرِ السُّرادِقُ بِالفَلا
وَأَنْساهُمُ اليَنْبُوعَ ذِكْرُهُمُ الحِسْيَا
It suffices them of palace an open canopy in the plains
And their mention of springs distracted them from the cistern.
قَدِ اخْشَوشَنُوا إِلا حَواشِيَ أُرْهِفَتْ
رِقاقاً وآداباً صَغَتْ نَحْوَهُم صَغْيَا
They socialized except for the tender edges that
Became finely spun customs and etiquette inclining toward them.
وَقَدْ هَجَرُوا حتَّى اليَراعَ فَإِنَّمَا
يَخُطُّون بِالخَطِيِّ مَا يَفْضَحُ الوَشْيَا
They avoided even the saddle for they only
Write with the pencase that exposes the shoulder.
تَحَلَّى وَلِيُّ العَهْدِ زُهْرَ حُلاهُمُ
فَحِلْمٌ إلَى بُقْيَا وَعِلْمٌ إلَى فُتْيَا
The heir apparent wore the blossom of their regalia
So he has forbearance till eternity and knowledge till youth.
سَمَتْ دَعْوَةُ التَّوحِيدِ مِنْهُ بِأَوْحَدٍ
مآثِرَ أَعْيَتْ كُلَّ مَنْ يَطْلُبُ العلْيَا
The call of Monotheism through him launched with the peerless
A feat that exhausted all who seek the heights.
تَرَى الفَلكَ الدَّوَّارَ مِنْ خدَمَائِهِ
فَمَا لا يَرَى إيجَابُهُ سامَهُ نَفْيَا
You see the planets in their orbit among his servants
So he did not neglect what his obligation included.
مُجِيرٌ علَى الأَيَّامِ مِنْ جَوْرِ بُؤْسِها
بِنُعْمَى علَى نُعْمَى وَحُذْيَا علَى حُذْيَا
A refuge for the days from the wrong of their misery
With a blessing upon blessing, and plenty upon plenty.
لَهُ اللُّهُ ما نَدَّى يَميناً بِمِنَّةٍ
وَإِنْ هِيَ ذَاعَتْ فِي النَّدَيِّ فَمَا أَعْيَا
To him belongs what the right hand lavished with benevolence
Though if it spread in generosity it does not tire.
كَأَنَّ لُهاهُ لِلثُّرَيَّا وَيَوْمِهِ
فَعُودِي بِها نَضْرٌ وَأَرْضِي بِها ثَرْيَا
It is as if his arrival for the well-off and his day
Are happiness in livelihood and contentment in prosperity.
سَقَانِيَ رِيّاً بَعْدَ رِيٍّ سَمَاحُهُ
فَيَا حَبَّذا السَّاقِي وَيَا حَبَّذَا السُقْيَا
His liberality has quenched me with draft after draft
So excellent is the bearer and excellent is the quenching.
وَصَيَّرَ لِلتَّجوِيدِ جَدْوَاهُ مبدَأ
وَقَدْ بَلَغَ الإفحَامُ غَايَتَهُ القُصْيَا
And he rendered the proper pronunciation a principle
And perfection has reached its utmost possibility.
وَخَوَّلَنِي رُعْياً بِها وَكلاءةً
فَخَوَّلَهُ اللَّهُ الكَفاءةَ وَالرَّعْيَا
He authorized me a flock with trusteeship
So God granted him adequacy and trusteeship.
