وَلِيُّ العَهْدِ أَمْ عَهْدُ الوَلِيِّ

أَتَى يُروِي البَسِيطَةَ كَالأَتِيِّ

The Crown Prince or the Prince's oath

Came to quench the thirst of the desert like one who comes

وَغُرَّتُهُ المُنِيرَةُ ما تَجَلَّى

لَنَا أَمْ غُرَّةُ الصُّبْحِ الجَلِيِّ

And his radiant face shone when it appeared

Was it for us or the dawn’s radiance manifest?

أَلا سِرُّ الهِدَايَةِ فيهِ بادٍ

لسَبَّاقِ العِنَايَةِ في البَدِيِّ

Behold, the secret of guidance in him is evident

For the forerunner of Providence in creation

فَمَا أَحْبَبتَ مِنْ خُلُقٍ رَضِيّ

ومَا أحْبَبتَ مِنْ خَلْقٍ وَضِيِّ

So whatever trait you loved that was agreeable

And whatever nature you loved that was gentle

عَلَى نَفَحاتِهِ تُبْنَى الأَمانِي

كَمَا يُبْنَى القَريضُ عَلَى الرَوِيِّ

On his breath desires are built

As poems are built on well-chosen rhyme

تَطَلَّعَ مِنْ سَمَاحٍ واتِّضَاحٍ

بِنُورِ البَدْرِ فِي جُودِ الحَبِيِّ

He looked with generosity and clarity

In the light of the full moon in the bounty of the loved one

وأَمّ ذَرى الإِمامَةِ نَحْوَ مَولىً

بِمِلْءِ الأَرْضِ مَعْدلةً مَلِيِّ

And the seeds of the Imamate towards the Master

Filled the earth, regulated, complete

تَخَيَّرَهُ حِمىً لِلْمُلْكِ لَمَّا

جَلاهُ أَجَلَّ ذَا أَنْفٍ حَمِيِّ

He chose him as the protector of the kingdom when

He revealed him, of excellent lineage, protecting

وَأَبْصَرَهُ علَى التَّوْفِيقِ وَقْفاً

يُقَرْطِسُ حينَ يَنْزَعُ فِي الرَّمِيِّ

And saw him adhering to success, pausing

To shoot accurately when tensions rise

وَلَمْ يُؤْثِرْهُ بالتَّأْمِيرِ لكِنْ

بِهِ مُسْتَأثِرُ الأَمْرِ العَلِيِّ

And did not prefer him with appointment but

The command, exalted, is his preserve

تَسَنَّنَ ما اقْتَضَتْهُ لَهُ الْمَعَالِي

بِمَنْصِبِهِ ومَنْسِبِهِ السَّنِيِّ

What the sublimities required for him were observed

In his position and his elevated lineage

وَنَادَى الْحَقُّ حَيْعَلا بِشَهْمٍ

تَحَقَّقَ بِالكَمَالِ اليَحْيَوِيِّ

And the truth called out proudly

Embodied in perfection, Yaḥyāwī

إلَى الفارُوقِ تَنْمِيهِ السَّجَايَا

سَمِيُّ أَبِيهِ يَا لَكَ مِنْ سَمِيِّ

To al-Fārūq—may his qualities grow—

His father's namesake, O what a namesake!

وَحَسْبُكَ ما هَداهُ مِنْ الوَصَايا

عَنِ المَهْدِيِّ مِنْ آلِ الوَصِيِّ

And enough for you is the guidance he gave him

From the Mahdi, from the household of the successor

أَغَرُّ مِنَ الخِلافَةِ فِي مَحَلٍّ

تَبَحْبَحَ فِي الإنَافَةِ والرُّقِيِّ

More prideful than the caliphate in any case

Luxuriating in comfort and decency

كَفَى التَّوحيد ما أَنْحَى فَأَضْحَى

وَحِيداً فِي المُلوكِ بِلا كَفِيِّ

The uniqueness of oneness sufficed him, so he became

Unique among kings, without peer

وَلَمْ يَكُ مَنْ أَبُو حَفْصٍ أَبُوهُ

لِيُلْفَى غَيْرَ شَيْحَانٍ أَبِيِّ

And none was Abu Ḥafṣ’s father but

Shaykhān his protector and mentor

تَأَخَّرَ مَنْ تَقَدَّمَ حِينَ أَجْرَى

مِنَ العَلْيَا إِلَى الأَمَدِ القَصِيِّ

He who went first lagged when He brought forth

From the Highest to the Distant Irresistible

وَأَشْرَقَتِ الليَالِي مِنْ حُلاهُ

فَلاحَتْ كَالحَلائِلِ فِي الحُلِيِّ

And the nights shone from his adornment

Radiant like brides in their finery

مُبَارَكُ مَولِدٍ مَيْمُونُ سَعْي

مُؤَيَّدُ عزْمَةٍ مَعْدُومُ سِيِّ

Blessed birth, auspicious endeavor

Supported resolve, untainted by evil

وَمَا طِيبُ الأَرُومَةِ مِنْهُ بِدْعاً

زَكَاةُ الفَرْعِ لِلأَصْلِ الزَّكِيِّ

And the perfume of the basil is no innovation from him

But the purity of the branch for the immaculate root

تَفُوزُ قِدَاحُ مَنْ يَأْوِي إِلَيْهِ

فَسيَّان المَرِيشُ مَعَ النَّضِيِّ

The cups of those who resort to him are victorious

While the feathers of the ostrich and the ostrich vie

أَجَدَّ بَشَاشَةَ الأَيَّامِ نُصْبٌ

لأَوْحَدَ فِي النِّصابِ الأَوْحَدِيِّ

The joy of days saddened the matchless one

At the height of glory, the singular one

بِكَ الليل استَنَار سَناً وَطِيباً

وَمِنْ وَرْدِ الضُّحَى وَرْسُ العَشِيِّ

By you the night was illuminated as it passed gently

And from the roses of dawn and eve's bouquet

نَتَائِجُ نَضْرَةٍ لِمُقَدّماتٍ

مُمَوَّهَةٍ بِمَنْظَرِهِ البَهِيِّ

Consequences of flourishing for excellent beginnings

Cloaked in their splendid appearance

تَخَالُ الأَرْضَ قَدْ مُلِئَتْ جِنَاناً

بِمَا الْتَحَفَتْ مِنَ الزَّهْرِ الجَنِيِّ

You would think the land filled with gardens

From the flowers that adorned it, freshly plucked

وَتَحْسَبُها إِذا يَغْزُو بِحَاراً

زَواخِرَ بِالخُيُولِ وبِالمَطِيِّ

And when he raids with an army

You'd think it coursers and steeds in full gallop

يَضِيقُ الرَّحْبُ عَنهَا مِنْ هِضابٍ

لأَعْوَجَ أَو لأَحْدَبَ أَرْحَبِيِّ

The open plain is too narrow for them

For one humpbacked or crooked of the wide open spaces

حَياةُ الدِّينِ وَالدُّنْيَا بِكَفَّيْ

أَبِي يَحْيَى الهِزَبْرِ الهِبْرِزِيِّ

The life of religion and worldly affairs in your two hands

O Abu Yaḥya al-Hizbar the eloquent

تَقَسَّمَتَا العُلا صَوْلاً وَطَوْلاً

أُعِدَّا لِلْعَدُوِّ وَلِلْوَلِيِّ

Dividing the heights in extension and duration

Prepared for the enemy and the ally

يُخافُ ويُرْتَجَى أَثْنَاءَ بَأسٍ

خُزيْمِيٍّ وبَذْلٍ خَازِمِيِّ

Feared and hoped for in fierce fighting

Like a Khazrami and generous like a Khuza'i

أَعَنْ سَدْويكِشٍ تَنْبَو ظُبَاهُ

وَمِنْ عَادَاتِها فَرْيُ الفَرِيِّ

Will the lions of Sadd wa-Yakīsh roar

And attack according to their wont, violently?

إِذَا غَرِيَتْ وَقَدْ عَرِيَتْ بِحَيٍّ

تَجدَّفَ نَحْوَ مَصْرَعِهِ الدَّمِيِّ

When they are enraged and stripped for war

The bloody place of their death is hastened

عِبِدَّى غَرَّها حِلْمُ المَوالِي

فَعَرَّضتِ البِشَارَةَ للنَّعِيِّ

My obedient servants, their patience deluded them

So they put glad tidings to lamentation

أَرَاغَتْ ضِلَّةً مَا عَنْهُ زَاغَتْ

وَزَأْرُ الليْثِ لَيْسَ مِنَ الصَّبِيِّ

They strayed, not straying from him,

And the lion's roar is not that of a boy

وَعاذَتْ بِالذَّرَى تَأْوِي إِلَيْها

فَهَلْ وَجَدَتْ عَن السَّنَنِ السَّوِيِّ

And they sought refuge in the vile

Did they find, deviating from the excellent paths?

وَلَمْ تَدَع التَّهَالُكَ في شَقَاهَا

لِتَهْلُكَةِ ابنِ إِسْحاقَ الشَّقِيِّ

They did not abandon self-destruction in their misery

Like the destruction of Ibn Isḥāq the wretched

تَحَرَّشَ بِالوَغَى دَهْراً فَدَهْراً

لِجَاحِمِها المُؤَجَّجِ فِي صُلِيِّ

It charged confusedly, ages on end,

With its raging confounded in evil

وَأَحسَنُها ابتِدَاءً وانتِهاءً

كَسَاهُ الدِّرْعُ دُونَ الأَتْحَمِيِّ

The best beginning and end for it

Was that the coat of mail spared the spine

ضَحُوكاً وَالحُسامُ العَضْبُ يَبْكِي

نَجِيعاً لانْقِصادِ السَّمْهَرِيِّ

While the smiling sword weeps blood

Silenced by the death of al-Samhari

وَقَدْ خَبأَتْ لهُ الأَقْدَارُ مِنْهُ

فَتىً وافَاهُ بالحَيْنِ الجَنِيِّ

And the fates had concealed from it

A young man who met it at the decisive moment

فَمَا أَغْنَى ابنُ غَانِيَةٍ فَتِيلاً

وَمَا أَجْدَى ذوُوهُ بَنُو عَلِيِّ

So what did the son of Ghaniya's wick avail

Or his supporters, the sons of ‘Ali?

وَأَحكَامُ الليالِي جَارِيَاتٌ

عَلَى المَنْخُوبِ قَلباً والجَرِيِّ

And the judgments of nights go on

Against the dejected heart and the spurned

فَإِنْ كانَتْ لَهُ الهَيْجَاءُ شِرْباً

فَقَدْ ذادَتْهُ أَطرَافُ العَصِيِّ

If excitement was its drink

The edges of the staff kept it at bay

وَإِنْ تَكُنِ الشَّقاوَةُ أَنْسَأَتْهُ

فَلَمْ يَكُ لِلسعَادَةِ بِالنَّسِيِّ

And if misery made it forget

It had no happiness to make it forget

وَكَيْفَ رَجَا ابْنُ سَوَّاقٍ نَجَاةً

ولَيسَ لِما عَنَاهُ بِالنَّجِيِّ

How could the son of Sawaq hope for salvation

When there was none to save him?

إِذَا الإِقْصافُ بِالعِيدانِ أَوْدَى

فَمَا يَعْدُوهُ عَن قَصفِ الوَدِيِّ

When burning brands bring destruction

What can save him from the searing of the valley?

أُحِيطَ بِهِ فَأَذْعَنَ عَن صغارٍ

يَذُمُّ عَواقِبَ المَرْعَى الوَبِيِّ

He was surrounded so he bent to petty matters

Cursing the consequences of the treacherous pasture

وأَلْحَفَ فِي الأَمانِ عَلَى اهْتِداءٍ

إِلَى اسْتِنقاذِ مَعْشَرِهِ الغَوِيِّ

And clung to security, rightly-guided,

To rescue his misguided people

وَهَانَ عَلَيْهِ أَنْ وَهَنَتْ قِوَاهُ

ليُمْسِكَ مِنْهُ بِالسَّبَبِ القَوِيِّ

And it was slight to him that his strength weakened

That he might hold fast to the strong tie

أَفَاقَ وَكَانَ لا يَصْحُو فُوَاقاً

رُكُوناً مِنْ هَواهُ إِلَى الرَبِيِّ

He regained consciousness though he did not wake to consciousness

Slumbering in his passion, to the Lord

وَخَوَّلَهُ الرِّضَى ما لَمْ يَخَلْهُ

وَكَمْ نَطِفٍ لهُ فَلَجُ البَرِيِّ

And contentment gave him what did not leave him

Though many a wave lashed the land

وَلَوْلا الصَّفْحُ أَسْقَتْهُ المَنَايَا

صِفَاحُ الهِنْدِ في يَوْمٍ قَسِيِّ

And had it not been for forgiveness, the deaths

Would have given him a draught of Indian steel one harsh day

إِذا حَفَّ الحِمامُ بِمُستَمِيتٍ

فَلا يَيْأَسْ مِنَ اللطْفِ الخَفِيِّ

When pigeons surround one determined to die

Let him not despair of unseen kindness

أَلا للَّهِ أَوَّاه مُطِيعٌ

يُدَوِّخُ كُلَّ جَبَّارٍ عَصِيِّ

Behold! Obedient to God, he subdues

Every stubborn rebel

تَسَامَى فِي مَراقِي الفَضْلِ حَتَّى

أَبَرَّ حُلىً مِنَ البَرِّ التَقِيِّ

He rose in the meadows of virtue until

He demonstrated a adornment of righteousness

وَأَقْسَمَ لا يُرَى إِلا مُكِبَّا

عَلَى الإِحْسَانِ لِلرَّجُلِ المُسِيِّ

And swore to only be seen leaning

Upon benevolence to the deviant man

وَمَا عَدِمَ اكْتِهَالاً واكْتِمَالاً

حِجَاهُ وهْوَ في حِجَجِ الصَّبِيِّ

And in completeness and perfection as a young man

His face veiled as the faces of boys

رَبِيءُ الحَرْبِ أَوْسَعَها غَناءً

فأَغْنَتْهُ الخِزَامَةُ عَنْ رَبِيِّ

Abundant in war, its gains enriched him

So the treasury made him needless of income

يَبينُ عَلَيْهِ مَيْلٌ لِلْعَوالِي

إِذَا لَحِظتهُ مِنْ طَرْفٍ خَفِيِّ

A inclination for the heights shows in him

When a hidden glance beholds him

وَيَسْتَدْعِي مُغَازَلَة المَوَاضِي

مُقنَّأةً كأَعْطافِ القِسِيِّ

And courting the wilds calls

Covered like the folds of the woven

وَلا يَدَعُ اقْتِنَاءَ العِلْمِ وَقْتاً

فَهَا هُوَ مِنهُ فِي شِبَعٍ وَرِيِّ

He leaves no time without acquiring knowledge

For here he is, sated and watered by it

سَما لِلمَجْدِ فِي كَدْحٍ وَقَدْحٍ

بِزَنْدٍ مِنْ قَرِيحَتِهِ وَرِيِّ

He took a lofty path to glory, in exertion and struggle

With talent flowing from his mind

وَأَحْرَزَ فِي المَعَالِي وَالمَعَانِي

وِرَاثَتَها عَنِ السَّلَفِ الرَّضِيِّ

And he gained as inheritance, in the heights and meanings

From the pleasing predecessors

تَسَلَّمَها بِحَقٍّ أَلْمَعِيّاً

نِقَاباً عَنْ نِقابٍ أَلْمَعِيِّ

Receiving it in brilliant propriety

A mask over a brilliant mask

يُشَرِّفُ ما تُصَرِّفُ راحَتاهُ

فَلِلْقَلَمِ افْتِخَارُ المَشْرَفِيِّ

Whatever his two hands steer

The pen takes pride in the noble

ولايَتُهُ لَنا غَوثٌ وَغَيثٌ

عَلَى الوَسمِيِّ سامٍ والوَلِيِّ

His rule over us is help and rain

Upon the branded, of high and low station

وَمَثْواهُ بِدَارِ المُلْكِ فَوْزٌ

بِصَفْوِ العَيْشِ وَالبالِ الرَّخِيِّ

And his abode in the House of the Kingdom a victory

In the choicest life and comfortable state

فَرِدْ بَحْرَ النَّدَى عَذْباً فُرَاتاً

وَطَالِعْ ناهِداً بَدْرَ النَّدِيِّ

So turn the sea of dew fresh and sweet

And appear shedding light, shining moon

وَفَيْتُ بِما استَطَعْتُ مِن امْتِدَاحٍ

فَهَلْ لِلْحُرِّ مَعْذِرَةُ الوَفِيِّ

I have discharged in the praise I could manage

Is the eloquent excused?

وَأَرْجُو أَنْ يُسَوِّغَنِي قَبُولاً

بِهِ أُهْدِي المَدِيحَةَ كالهَدِيِّ

And I hope acceptance makes me welcome

By which I present the eulogy like a gift