طَلَّتْ نَجِيعِيَ أطْلاءٌ وأَطْلالُ

بِحَيْثُ يُعْقَدُ إحْرَامٌ وَإِحْلالُ

My destinations have all become ruins,

Where ihram is donned and ihlaal concluded.

مَنازِلٌ كَانَت الأقْمارُ تَنْزلُها

بِالخِيفِ خَفَّتْ بِهِمْ نُوقٌ وَأَجْمالُ

Abodes where the moons used to alight,

Softly, gently, with them the she-camels and beautiful ones tread.

جَرَّ البِلَى فَوْقَهُ أذْيَالَهُ وَجَرَى

لِشُهْبِهِ بالأُفُولِ الرّاهنِ الفَالُ

Time has dragged its train over it and flowed

To its decline this present era.

وَكَمْ عَزَيْتُ حَدِيثَ الآنِساتِ بِها

ولِي إلى الأُنْسِ إغْذَاذٌ وَإرْقالُ

And how often I have consoled myself with tales of its charming ones,

While I have sustenance and a resting place for friendliness.

أَيَّامَ لا كَدَرٌ في الصّفْوِ مُعْتَرِضٌ

ولا لإِلْفٍ عَلى الإعْرَاضِ إِقْبَالُ

Days wherein no turbidity mars the clear water

Nor inclination for an accustomed state turns away.

يَا لَلْعَلاقَةِ نِيطَتْ بِي عَلَيَّ فَما

يُغادِرُ كَسْفَ البَالِ بِلْبَالُ

O binding pact that was tied around me, so it does not

Leave the sorrow of affliction without releasing its knot.

وللْعَوَاذِل عَنَّاني تَصَنُّعُهَا

كَما تُعَنِّي الخُصُورَ الهِيفَ أكْفالُ

And the coquettish ones have busied me with their pretentiousness,

As the slender waists busy the hands of the ardent lover.

هَيْهات أُعْذَلُ في بَيْتِ الهَوَى نَسَبي

فَفيمَ يَكْثُرُ لُوَّامٌ وعُذَّالُ

Far from it! I will not be chided in the abode of love for my lineage,

So why do the blamers and chiders increase?

وكيفَ يُوجِدُنِي السّلْوانُ مَعْذِرَة

وعُذْرَةٌ لِيَ أعْمَامٌ وأَخْوَالُ

How can the smooth rocks find me an excuse,

While for me there are paternal and maternal uncles?

كَأنَّ قَلْبِي فَرَاشٌ في تَقَحُّمِهِ

نَاراً لَهَا بِأَكُفِّ الغِيدِ إشْعَالُ

As if my heart is a moth in its restless roving,

Kindling with its palms a fire having brands for lighting.

أمَّا قَتُولُ التي أهْوى تَدَانِيَهَا

فَدُونَها منْ سرَاةِ الحَيِّ أَقْتَالُ

As for the slaying of her whom I love being brought close,

Before it are ranks of the living for killing.

أُدِيرُ طَرْفِي إلى دَرَاتِها كَلِفاً

ومِلْءُ قَلْبِيَ آمَالٌ وآجَالُ

I turn my glance to her abodes wretchedly,

While my heart is filled with hopes and terms.

هي الثُّرَيَّا وَعيوقٌ يَحُفُّ بِها

غَيْرَانَ يَكْفُلُ مِنْها الظَّبْيَ رِئْبَالُ

She is the doe and a wide enclosure surrounds her,

Other than it, the gazelle takes from it the wolf cub.

غزَالةٌ كُلَّما أَغْزَتْ لَوَاحِظَهَا

آبَتْ وأفْئِدَةُ العُشَّاقِ أنْفَالُ

A gazelle, whenever she is amorous with her glances,

Hearts are captivated and those of the lovers are plunder.

ظَلَّتْ تُقَلِّصُ عُمْري وَهْيَ في حُجُبٍ

تَضْفُو عَلَيْهَا لِسُمْرِ الخَطِّ أظْلالُ

She remained diminishing my life while being veiled,

Casting with her cheek’s marking shadows.

تَعَجَّبَتْ منْ حَيَاتي إذْ رَأَتْ دَنَفي

وَفِي يَدَيْهَا شِفَاءٌ لي وإبْلالُ

She wondered at my life when she saw my emaciation,

While in her hands are my remedy and renewal.

مَعسولَةُ الرّيق لم أنْكِر وقد وُصِفَتْ

أنْ قيلَ في قَدِّهَا الميَّالِ عَسَّالُ

The sweet-lipped honey, I did not deny when she was described,

That it was said about her bending stature, supple.

كَأنَّ أسْنَى اللآلي في تَرَائِبِهَا

مِمّا تَلأَلأَ حُسْناً وَهْيَ مِعْطَالُ

As if the gleam of lightning in its flashing,

From that which sparkled in beauty while slackening,

يُقِلُّ مِنها قَضِيبَ البَانِ مُعْتَدِلاً

دِعْصٌ من الرِّدْفِ مِنْهار ومِنهَالُ

Reduces from it the rod of the excellent Ban, extended,

A branch from its shedding, pouring forth abundantly.

مَكَثْتُ فِيهَا عَلى عَهْدِي وَما مَكَثَتْ

لِلْحُبِّ حَالٌ وَلِلْمَحْبُوبِ أَحْوالُ

I remained in it true to my covenant and she did not remain

For love there is a state, and for the beloved one there are states.

والسَّيْفُ والرُّمْحُ لا أرْجُو دفاعَهُمَا

إذا تَمَرَّسَ بي قلْبٌ وخلْخَالُ

The sword and the spear, I do not hope for their defence

When a heart armours itself against me and fist.

لَولا اتِّصالي بِسُلْطَانِ الأميرِ لَقَدْ

لاقَتْ بِهَا القدّ آرابٌ وَأَوْصَالُ

Were it not for my connection to the authority of the prince, indeed

The bows would have met with it and the sinews.

مَلْكٌ تَمَهَّدَتِ الدّنْيَا بِدَوْلَتِه

وَقَد تَحَيَّفَهَا للْحَيْفِ زِلْزَالُ

A dominion the world prostrated to its rule

And it had convulsed it for oppression with an earthquake.

وَأَلْبَسَتْها السَّنى الوَضَّاحَ غُرَّتُهُ

فأصْبَحَت في بُرودِ الحُسنِ تَختالُ

And affliction made its shining youth hoary,

So it became one who walks with pride in the cold of beauty.

عَلَى حَفَائِظِهِ حِفْظُ الوُجودِ وَإِنْ

آدَتْهُ للْحَرْبِ أوْزَارٌ وأثْقَالُ

Over its coasts is the protection of existence, even if

The burdens of war, its loads, and its packing exhausted it.

مُؤَيَّدٌ كُلَّما حَلَّتْ كَتَائِبُه

بِسَاحَةٍ آذَنَ الأعْمَارَ تَرْحالُ

Supported, whenever its battalions descended

Into a plain, it heralded the emigration of lifetimes.

سَرَتْ سَرَايَاه في أرْضِ العِدَى فَغَدا

لِلْحُزْنِ فِيهِنَّ إحْزَانٌ وإسْهَالُ

Its encampments travelled in the land of enemies, so

In them, for grief, there are griefs and pouring forth.

آراؤُهُ كالسَّنَى مَرْآه نَيِّرَةٌ

أَضْحَتْ مَفاتِيحَ والآفَاقُ أقْفَالُ

Its views are like the brilliant sun, its mirror is radiant,

Which has become keys by which the horizons are locked.

مَهْما أطَلَّتْ عَلى التَّجْسيمِ رَايَتُهُ

فَلِلْفُتُوحِ عَلى التَّوحيدِ إِطْلالُ

No matter how long its banner remains unfurled over embodiment,

To divine oneness there is an exposure.

هَدى إِلى السَّمْحَةِ البَيْضاءِ في زَمَنٍ

أبْنَاؤُهُ في الخُطُوبِ السُّودِ ضُلالُ

It has guided to sincere whiteness in an age

Whose sons are in the gloomy afflictions, lost.

فَقَدْ شَفَى الدينَ والدّنيا مُهَنَّدُهُ

كَما شَفَى مِن صَدَى الإمْحالِ هَطَّالُ

So its helper has cured the religion and the world,

As the echo of determination cured he who is resolute.

وَقَدْ أَذَلَّتْ مُلوكَ الأَرْضِ عِزّتُهُ

وقَوَّمَتْهُمْ قَناهُ عِنْدَمَا مالُوا

His crimes covered those whom the majesty of a kingdom whose

Occupation is benevolence covered when they inclined.

أَينَ الجَبَابِرَةُ اسْتَوْلَوْا إلَى أَمَدٍ

فَاسْتَأصَلَتْهُمْ عَوالِيهِ بِما صَالُوا

In it there is deliberation and respite, in it there is nobility

And there is no neglect along with respite.

آلَتْ قِوَاءً مَغانِي آلِ غانِيَةٍ

بِهِ وغَالَتْهُمُ لِلدَّهْرِ أَغْوالُ

It pardons and overlooks as is the wont of the Divine Self,

Just as it is generous, clement, the Bestower who separates.

وَصُدَّتْ الصِّيدُ مِنْ عُجْمٍ ومِنْ عَرَبٍ

بِسَطْوِ سُلْطَانِهِ فَالكُلُّ أَجْفالُ

As for Abu Zakariyya the Imam, upon

The highest ideals, he is speaker and doer.

وَتِلْكَ عَادَتُه دامَتْ سَعَادَتُهُ

يَغْشَى بِها سَوْرَةَ الأَبْطَالِ إبْطَالُ

In his right hand is the command of valor and munificence,

Striking, stabbing, beneficence, and embrace.

عَادُوا عَبَادِيدَ عِبْدَاناً لِشِدَّتِهِ

وَهُمْ إِذا تُحْسَنُ الأَحْسابُ أقْيالُ

As if his auburn steed and his sword he sends

Against the enemy, a millstone for death, crushing.

أَعْجِبْ بِهِمْ طُلَّقاً لَكِنْ تمسِّكُهُمْ

مِنَ الْمَهَابَةِ أَقْيَادٌ وَأَغْلالُ

Since his wondrous exploits stood, no arrow

Has hit its mark, nor has one thrown wide of the target.

جَلَّتْ جَرَائِمُهُمْ عَمَّنْ تَغَمَّدَهَا

جَلالُ مَلْكٍ لهُ في البرِّ إِيغالُ

The people slept on the bed of security with what

He deluded them with ease, strolling, and wandering.

فيهِ أنَاةٌ وإِمْهالٌ بِهِ شَرُفا

وَلَيْسَ مِنْهُ مَعَ الإمْهالِ إِهْمالُ

The opposite is necessarily made distinct by its opposite,

And does ambiguity remain with elucidation?

يَعْفُو وَيَصْفَحُ في ذاتِ الإلهِ كَما

يَسْخُو ويَسْمَحُ والمِفضالُ مِفْصَالُ

The garden of grief did not smile with its laughter

Until the valleys of grief became desolate.

أمَّا أَبو زَكَرِياءَ الإمامُ عَلى

وَفْقِ المَعالي فَقَوّالٌ وَفَعَّالُ

Blessed, he did not cease to follow his father the father

Of Muhammad ibn Abi Hafs and did not decline.

لِلْبَأسِ والجُودِ في يُمْناه حُكْمُهُما

ضَرْبٌ وَطَعْنٌ وإِحْسَانٌ وَإِجْمَالُ

From the secrets of his conduct there spread

To creation, by God’s blessing, completion and perfection.

كأنَّمَا سُمْرُهُ والصَّولُ يُرْسِلُهَا

عَلى العِدَى بِرَحىً لِلمَوْتِ أَصْلالُ

The era before him was brutish, but by him it appeared

Adorned with beauty and equipped with burdens.

مَا صَابَ لِلْمَلْك مُذْ قَامَتْ صَوائِبُهُ

سَهمٌ ولا صَامَ خَطِّيٌّ وقُصَّالُ

All seasons in his state are spring,

And the land, for what it yields, is a garden.

نامَ الأَنَامُ عَلى فَرْشِ الأَمَان بِما

أَغْرَاهُ بالسُّهْدِ تَجْوَابٌ وتَجْوَالُ

Its beneficial elements equated its essence,

So the epoch altogether is enchantment and roots.

لابُدَّ للضِّدِّ مِنْ ضِدٍّ يُمَيِّزُهُ

وَهَلْ يَقِرُّ مَعَ الإِيضَاحِ إِشْكَالُ

O Lord, by him the existence came to have an eid

For which one performing hajj in it and Shawwal circles it.

وَرَوْضَةُ الحَزْن لَمْ يَبْهَجْ تَضَاحُكُها

حَتَّى سَجَا لِغَوادِي المُزْنِ إعْوَالُ

At ease in stride in the confined terrain, proceeding,

The zealous passions being plucked and the terms cut off.

مُبَارَكٌ لَم يَزَلْ يَتْلُو أَباهُ أبَا

مُحَمَّدِ بنِ أبي حَفْصٍ ولَمْ يَالُ

Its news in sublimity and glory is ongoing,

As if, for nonesuch similitude, they are similitudes.

عَمَّ البَريَّةَ مِنْ أسْرَارِ سِيرَتِه

لِنِعْمَة اللّهِ إتْمَامٌ وإِكْمَالُ

From his lofty attributes, knowledge gushed forth

As the brook flows down the meadow’s center.

كَانَ الزّمَانُ بَهيماً قَبله فبَدَا

عليهِ لِلحُسْنِ أوْضاحٌ وأَحْجالُ

And the flowing of gifts poured from his fingers

As the torrents surged from the rains.

كُلُّ الفُصولِ رَبِيعٌ في إِيالَتِهِ

والأرْضُ رَبْعٌ لِمَا يُولِيهِ مِحْلالُ

It is as if his favours favour unceasingly, it did not breach

The fact that to it the parched ones and family come.

ساوَتْ أَعاصِرُهُ طِيباً عَنَاصِرُهُ

فالدَّهْرُ أَجْمَعُ أَسْحارٌ وآصالُ

So each day the delegation visits his noble presence,

Casting themselves to it, ships and cargo.

يا ربَّ أضْحَى وفِطْرٍ للوُجودِ بهِ

يَحُجُّ ذو حِجَّةٍ فيهِ وشَوَّالُ

His boons pointed to him, the vestiges of his blessings,

As vestiges point to what is to come in the present.

رَحْبُ الخُطَى في المَجَالِ الضَّنْكِ مُتَّئِدٌ

والهَامُ تُقْطَفُ والآجَالُ تُغْتَالُ

He attained for his forefathers in gracious deeds a lofty structure

Whose minarets reached high, just as they attained elevation.

أَنْبَاؤُهُ في العُلى والمَجْدِ سائِرَةٌ

كأَنَّهَا لانْعِدامِ المِثْلِ أمثَالُ

So in the horizon of ideals, or their highest point,

They are worthy ones who dazzled with light and lion cubs.

تَفَجَّرَ العِلْم مِنْ عَلْيا شَمائِلِهِ

كَما يَسُحُّ بِوَسْطِ الرّوْضِ سِلْسالُ

From each depended on for glory, united,

Through him the essence and family ascend to the sky.

وانْهَلَّ سَيْبُ العَطايا مِن أَنامِلِهِ

كَما ألجَّ مِنَ الأَمْطَارِ أَسْيَالُ

In the forearm of the intrepid, he is one who charges,

Upon him for generosity are the ornate saddle cloth.

كأنَّ آلاءهُ آلَتْ فَما حَنِثَتْ

أنْ يُمْتَطَى نَحْوَهُ الدَّأْمَاءُ والآلُ

Abu Yaḥyá the Prince circles, and they

Before him are like the brilliant stars, similitudes.

فكُلّ يومٍ يَؤُمُّ الوَفْدُ حَضْرَتَه

تَرمِي إلَيهَا بِهِم فُلْكٌ وأَجْمالُ

They are arranged in the system of dominion four,

As the order of a necklace's composition is arranged gems.

دَلَّتْ عَلَيْهِ المُنَى آثارُ أنْعُمِه

كمّاً تَدُلُّ عَلَى المُسْتَقْبَلِ الحالُ

He granted them the highest of ranks and authorized them with

A dominion by which dominions were rendered powerless.

أَسْمَى لآبائِهِ في المَكْرُمَاتِ بُنىً

طالَتْ ذُؤابَتُها عزّاً كَما طالُوا

My Master, you are the recourse of the worlds, and in

Kissing your two hands are glory and wealth.

فَهُمْ بِأُفْقِ المَعالي أَو بِغَايَتِهَا

أَهِلَّةٌ بَهَرَتْ نُوراً وَأَشْبالُ

Take them, mentioning you, as an ode made sweet,

As the brooks are made to flow through the meadow.

مِنْ كُلِّ مُعْتَمَدٍ في المَجْدِ مُتَّحِدٍ

تَسْمُو بِهِ لِلسَّماءِ الذاتُ والآلُ

The servant has no preoccupation but gratitude to his Master,

Even if occupations divert him from days.

يَفُتُّ في عَضُدِ البَأساءِ مِنْهُ فَتىً

عَلَيهِ للكَرَمِ الوضَّاحِ سِرْبالُ

Were it not for your sublime nature, its lineage,

Verse would have debility and convulsions.

يَلْتاحُ بَدْراً أبو يَحْيَى الأمِيرُ وَهُمْ

إزَاءهُ كالنّجومِ الزُّهْرِ أمْثالُ

Through you my poetry regained its power after its subjugation,

And the mouth and hands humbled to little speech.

قَد رُتِّبُوا في نِظَامِ المُلْكِ أرْبَعَةً

كَما يُرَتَّبُ نَظْمَ العقْدِ لأالُ

My past youth declined and my vigor bent,

And in your blessings the afflicted one comes to delight.

أَنالَهُمْ رُتَبَ العَلْيا وَخَوَّلَهُمْ

مَلْكٌ لِمَا أعْجَزَ الأَمْلاكَ نَيَّالُ

I took shade under your all-encompassing shadow and to

The bosom of Tawfil's progeny the infants turned.

مَوْلايَ أَنْتَ مَآلُ العالَمينَ وفِي

تَقْبِيلِ كِلْتا يَدَيْكَ الجَاهُ وَالمالُ

To the point that praise from your bounty to me is a gift

From me a composition, and from your sublimity, dictation.

خُذْها بِذِكْرِكَ فيها مِدْحَةً عَذُبُتْ

كَما تُدارُ خِلالَ الرّوْضِ جِرْيَالُ

So pour forth, O Sea, familiarity and knowledge,

You know and see the echo of passionate love and ardour.

لا شُغْلَ لِلعَبْدِ إلا شُكْرُ سَيِّدِهِ

وَإِنْ عدَتْهُ مِنَ الأَيَّامِ أَشْغَالُ

The servant has no occupation but thanking his Master,

Even if days preoccupy him with matters.

لَوْلا جِبِلَّتُكَ العُلْيَا عَشيرَتُهَا

لَكانَ لِلشِّعرِ إِكْدَاءٌ وإِجْبَالُ

Were it not for Your sublime nature and lineage,

Poetry would have feebleness and convulsions.

بكَ اسْتَقَلَّ قَريضِي بَعْدَ كَبْوَتِه

وكُبَّ لِلْفَم والكَفَّيْنِ إقْلالُ

Through You my poetry regained its power after its subjugation,

And the mouth and hands were lowered to little speech.

وآبَ ماضِي شَبابي وانْثَنَتْ جِدَتي

وَثَابَ يَنْعُمُ في نَعْمَائِك البالُ

My past youth declined and my vigor bent,

And in Your blessings the afflicted comes to delight.

وَظِلَّكَ الوارِفَ اسْتَغْشَيْتُهُ وإلى

ذرَى طَفيلٍ أَوَى مِنْكَ الأُطَيْفالُ

I sought shade under Your all-encompassing shadow and the

Infants of Tawfil's progeny took refuge in Your bosom,

حَتَّى المَدَائِحُ مِنْ جَدْواكَ لي هِبَةٌ

مِنِّي كِتابٌ ومن عَلْيَاكَ إِمْلالُ

To the extent that praise from Your grace is a gift to me,

From me a composition, and from Your sublimity, dictation.

فِضْ أيُّهَا البَحْرُ مَعْرُوفاً ومَعْرِفَةً

تَعْلَم وَتَرْوِ صَدى هِيمٍ وجُهَّالُ

So pour forth, O Sea, cordiality and knowledge,

You know and see the echo of fervor and passion.