اللَّهُ عَنْ تِلكَ المَناقِبِ دَافِعُ
ولَها مِن المَحْذورِ واقٍ مانِعُ
God defends those virtues from blame,
And protects them from all harm and shame.
لَوْلا اليَقينُ بأَنَّهَا مَعْصُومةٌ
لَتَفَجَّرَتْ بِدَمِ القُلوبِ مَدامِعُ
Were I not certain they're infallible,
My heart would weep tears, inconsolable.
زَرَّتْ على الصَّبْر النّفُوسُ جُيوبَها
والذُّعْرُ فيها لِلْجَوانِحِ خالِعُ
Patience' robe is rended at the seams,
And terror rends all hearts it seems.
وتَعَلَّلَتْ بِسُؤالِهَا وجَوَابِهِمْ
الفَضْلُ ناجٍ والتَّداوِي ناجِعُ
In their asking and answers intertwined,
Virtue sighs, and healing's undermined.
أنَّى تَضيرُ شِكايةٌ مِنْ جودِهِ
وَوُجودُهُ لِلخَلْقِ طُرّاً نافِعُ
How can plaints of His bounty e'er cause loss?
His existence for creation is gain across.
عَجَباً لِمُخلِصِها إلَى نادِي النَّدَى
والعالَمُ العُلْوِيُّ عَنْهُ يُقارِعُ
A wonder - his devotees in meadows of dew,
While the highest realm is aloof from him too.
آراؤُهُ بِيضٌ تُسَلُّ قَوَاطِعٌ
وَجداؤُه سُمْرٌ تُمَدُّ شَوارِعُ
His views are white, cutting sharp dissent,
His raiment saffron, down broad ways sent.
جَرَّ الشّجونَ الجُونَ عارِضُ سُقْمِهِ
فالدَّهْر من جَرَّاهُ خاشٍ خاشِعُ
Sorrow drew grief to weaken his health,
So time's oppressed are fearful in stealth.
هَلا بِنا سَدَك التَّألُّمُ لا بِهِ
إنَّ العَبيدَ عَن المُلوكِ تُدَافِعُ
Why should pain block us, and not him?
For slaves defend kings from harm's brim.
غاضَ التَّحَدُّث بالضَّنَى وبِحَسْبِنَا
أَنْ غاضَ مِنْ ماءِ العَنَاءِ النابِعُ
Speaking of woe diminished for us is enough,
For distress' water flowed, though rough.
حتَّى إِذَا الإبْلالُ صَحَّ تَوَاتُراً
وَصَلَ الحُبُورَ بهِ الدّليلُ القاطِعُ
Until restoration came, evidence accrued
And reached loved ones, conclusive and shrewd.
شُفِيَ الأَميرُ فَكُلُّ قَلْبٍ ساكِنٌ
بَعدَ الخُفوقِ وكُلُّ طَرْفٍ هاجِعُ
The prince healed, so every heart calmed,
Fear departed, and every glance tamed.
وَبدا سَناهُ فَلا عَدُوٌّ آمِنٌ
يَرجو النَّجاةَ ولا وَلِيٌّ جازِعُ
His glory emerged, no foe feels safe,
No friend despairs or wavers in faith.
رُوحُ الوَرَى سِرُّ العُلَى مَعْنَى الهُدَى
فَرْدٌ لأَشتاتِ المَكارِمِ جَامِعُ
Soul of the world, secret of highness, essence of guidance,
Singular in gathering virtue's shards for alliance.
لِلدِّينِ والدُّنيا بِعِصْمةِ ذاتهِ
إِعْجابُ مَنْ هُوَ في حِماهُ وَادِعُ
For religion and life, by his being kept safe,
Even those under his care marvel and waive.
يا حُسْنَ مَوْقعِ بُرْئِهِ مِن أُمَّةٍ
لَولاهُ حاق بِهم عَذابٌ واقِعُ
O beauty of his innocence `gainst a nation,
Without him, torment upon them would weigh like spoliation.
كانُوا مِن الشُّبَهِ المُضِلَّةِ في دُجىً
فَجَلا غَياهِبَها هُداهُ السَّاطِعُ
Ensnared in misleading doubts, clouded in dim,
His guidance shone light, their mis`ry made slim.
مَلأَتْ إيالَتُه اللَّيالي حَبْرَةً
وَالحادِثاتُ فَواجِئٌ وفَوَاجِعُ
His rule filled nights with turmoil rife,
Events suddenly turned, full of strife.
وحَيَاة يَحْيَى المُرْتَضَى ما شَاقَ فِي
أَثْناءِ شَكْواه الحَمَامُ السَّاجِعُ
The life of the chosen Yahya in the throes,
Even the doves sobbed during his woes.
كَلا وَلا رَاقَ الرَّبيعُ وزَهْرُهُ
في ناظِرٍ وَهوَ النَّضِيرُ اليانِعُ
Nay, spring with its blooms could not appease,
Despite its peerless blossoms and breeze.
وَلَقد تَنَكَّرَ كُلُّ شَيْء دُونَهُ
حتَّى المَغانِي الآهِلاتُ بَلاقِعُ
All but him seemed to change in their ways,
Even the rooftop singers lost their lays.
غَلَبَ التَّوَلُّهُ فالعُقولُ غوارِبٌ
لَمَّا تَحَجَّبَ والكُروبُ طَوالِعُ
Seclusion prevailed, minds wandered away,
As sorrows arose at the start of day.
وَكأَنَّ بَرْدَ الظِّلِّ قَيْظٌ لافِحٌ
وكأَنَّ عَذْبَ العَيْشِ سُمٌّ ناقِعُ
Shelter's cold seemed like scorching rays,
Sweet living seemed a toxic craze.
يَسْوَدُّ مُبْيضُّ الصِّفاحِ الناصِعُ
وَيَضيقُ مُنْفَسِحُ البَراحِ الواسِعُ
The brightening whitener itself grew dark,
The expanding space itself grew stark.
وَكأَنَّ ساعاتِ الثَّواءِ لِطولِها
حِجَجٌ رَوائِبُ للنُّفوسِ رَوائِعُ
As if hours of anguish were ages long,
Hearts roamed, distressed by sorrow's throng.
فالآنَ دانَ بِهِ القَصيُّ من المُنَى
ودَنا منَ المَنِّ القَصِيِّ الشاسِعُ
But now the distant goal feels close at hand,
The unreachable wish feels near and grand.
وتَطَلَّعَتْ لِلكافِرينَ مَصَارِعٌ
وتَمَهَّدَتْ بالمُؤْمِنينَ مَضَاجِعُ
Horizons of doom loom for unbelievers,
While rest awaits hearts of faithful believers.
وَبَدَتْ تَزينُ مَشَاهِدٌ ومَحَاضِرٌ
وغَدَتْ تَطيبُ مَصَائِفٌ ومَرَابِعُ
Scenes and dwellings now exude delight,
As do couches and shelters invite site.
لاقَى السَّلامَةَ فالزّمَانُ مُسالِمٌ
دونَ انْتِقاضٍ والأَمانُ مُشايِعُ
Safety he found, so times make peace,
Fears reassure and perils cease.
وتَرَشُّفُ النُّعْمَى بهِ مُتَنَاسِقٌ
وتَشَرُّفُ الدّنيا بهِ مُتَتَابِعُ
Blessings descend on him in a queue,
As gifts of life align in view.
مَلِكٌ تَقَدَّسَ في المُلوكِ مَقامُهُ
فَخَصَائِصٌ مَلَكِيَّةٌ وطَبَائِعُ
A king sanctified, exalted his station,
His royal traits and disposition.
أَضْحَى له شَرَفُ الْكَمَالِ مُسَلَّماً
هَيْهَاتَ ما في العَالَمِينَ مُنازِعُ
Supreme perfection is agreed his right,
None in the worlds can match his might.
في المُونِقَيْنِ رُوائِهِ وثَنَائِهِ
ما تَشْتَهيهِ نَوَاظِرٌ وَمَسَامِعُ
In prose or verse of his feats told,
All sights and sounds hunger to behold.
فَرَعَ الكَوَاكِبَ في التَّرَقِّي بَيْتُهُ
للَّهِ بَيْتٌ لِلْكَوَاكِبِ فارِعُ
His house surpassed the stars' climb,
As God's home overshadows celestial shine.
مِنْ زَاهِراتِ حُلاهُ حِلْمٌ بارِزٌ
أَعْيا مُعاوِيَةً وعِلْمٌ بارِعُ
Of his ornate qualities, prominent is wisdom,
That frustrated Mu'awiyah and discernment bespoke.
ماضٍ وقَدْ تَهِنُ الظُّبى في مَأْزقٍ
كَثُرَ الكُماةُ بهِ وقَلَّ مُضارِعُ
Decisive and few can equal him in fight,
Abundant his bounty and little his spite.
يَصِفُ النَّجابَةَ والرَّجَاحَة خُلقُه
ويَظَلُّ في الخَيْراتِ بَعْد يُسارِعُ
His nature tells of dignity and poise,
In good he still competes and employs.
مَرْآهُ بِالطَّوْدِ المُنِيفِ مُطَالِعٌ
فَكَأَنَّما فَوْقَ السَّرِيرِ مُتالِعُ
His vision's lofty goal is clear and high,
As if atop his throne it fills the sky.
إِنْ تَفْخَرِ الدُّنْيا بهِ وبِمُلْكِهِ
فَمُلوكُها خَوَلٌ لَهُ وَصَنائِعُ
If the world boasts of him and his reign,
Its kings are but servants in his domain.
مَوْلايَ عَبْدُكَ في الرِّضَى مُسْتَشْفِعٌ
وبَنَاتُ خاطِرِهِ إليْكَ شَوافِعُ
My lord, your servant pleads for your grace,
As his heart's daughters seek your embrace.
هُوَ ذا بِبابِكَ ليسَ يَسْأَم قَرْعَه
ولَطالَما وَلَجَ المُلِظُّ القارِعُ
Behold him at your door, tireless in his knock,
Though oft rebuffed, he withstands each shock.
يَرد السّرورُ مُهَنِّئاً وَمُهَنَّأ
عِدّاً يُطيلُ العَبَّ فيهِ الكارِعُ
Joy returns to congratulate the occasion's boon,
As days of celebration prolong soon.
وَيَوَدُّ لَوْ مُنِحَ الإجادَةَ ناظِماً
لِتَسيرَ عَنْهُ بَدَائِهٌ وبَدائِعُ
He wishes eloquence granted to sing your praise,
So his odes and poems your glory raise.
إنَّ الضَّراعَةَ لِلْقَبولِ ذَريعَةٌ
والحَقُّ في تَخْلِيدِ أمْرك ضارِعُ
But pleading acceptance is sufficient reason,
As truth strives to immortalize your season.
