وَنَتْ مِنْ دون غَايَتِكَ العُقولُ
وعَيَّ بِفِعْلِ راحَتِكَ المَقولُ
You are beyond the reach of minds,
While the worlds are awed by your acts of grace.
تَزيدُ عَلى الغَوادِي والعَوَادِي
عُلُوا إذْ تصوبُ وَإذ تَصولُ
You tower high above valleys and hills,
Whether you march or charge.
فَمَا مَتَعَ الضُّحى إلا استَحَلتْ
دَماً وَندىً ولا جَنحَ الأصيلُ
The light of dawn brings naught but blood
And dew, as the noble steeds advance.
وَلَولا حَمْلُها قَلَماً وسَيْفاً
لمَا شَرُفَ الصّريرُ ولا الصَّليلُ
Without their bearing of swords and pens,
The clashing of arms would not ring so shrill.
بفَضْلِ هِباتِها انجَلتِ المُحولُ
وعَن هَبَّاتِها انْقَضَتِ الذُّحولُ
By the grace of their gifts, the hopeless thrive,
And from their donations, the poor derive.
أَمَا الدُّنيا أَمانٌ أَوْ ثَراءٌ
لَهَا مِنْهُ عَلى العَلْيَا دَليلُ
Is worldly life a safe abode or wealth?
For the Hereafter, it holds proof enough.
فَمَا تَرِبَتْ بِما تُؤْتي يَمِينٌ
ولا خَافَتْ بِما تَأْتِي سَبيلُ
No hand grew tired of what it gave,
No path feared what came its way.
أَلا بِأَبِي يَدُ الملْك يَحْيَى
عَطَاياها الدِّياتُ إذا تُنيلُ
Nay, by my father, their gifts are blood-money
When afflictions befall.
بُيُوتُ النّاسِ عامِرَةٌ ولكِن
بُيُوتُ المالِ خاوِيةٌ طُلُولُ
Men’s homes may flourish, but houses of wealth
Lie vacant, devoid of inhabitants.
حُصونُ لُجينها أنحَتْ علَيهِ
بِما جَعَلَت ودائِلَة تُديلُ
Its firm citadels carved by her hands,
With gifts that made even enemies gentle.
وأكثَرُ ما يُضَارِبُها نُضارُ
عَريضٌ نَفعُهُ أبداً طَويلُ
And most often, its sharp blades
Bring lasting benefit and high renown.
عَلَى الحَيوانِ أجْمعه مُفاضٌ
حَبَا إفْضَالِها وهوَ الجَزيلُ
On all creatures, its overflowing grace,
Which is ever bountiful and grand.
وَسَلْ مُسْتَحمِليها ما حَملْتُم
يَقولوا ما تَكِلُّ بهِ الحُمولُ
Ask those who carry its loads, they will say
Even mules would not bear such burdens!
تؤودُ المُعقلِين بها الأَيادِي
وَيَضْبحُ تَحتَها حتَّى الخُيولُ
It strengthens the hands of strongholds’ guards,
Till even steeds kneel beneath its weight.
لئِنْ وَرَدُوا يُنَشِّطُهم قُدومٌ
لقَد صَدَرُوا يُنَشِّطهم قُفولُ
Whether they come or go, an arrival
Revives them, and so does a departure.
هِيَ البَركاتُ تسمِيَةً وَمَعْنىً
إذا طَلَعَتْ فَلِلْبُؤْسَى أفُولُ
These are blessings by name and by deed,
Whereby sorrows fade away when they rise.
وَما أَحْيَا النَّدى إلا إمامٌ
قَؤُولٌ كُلَّ صالِحَة فَعولُ
No life was revived except by a leader
Who fulfills every righteous goal.
يُجيزُ إِذا يُجيرُ مِن الليالِي
ويُجْزِلُ ما يُنِيلُ إِذا يُقيلُ
He compensates the afflicted nights,
And grants generously when he settles scores.
كَساهُم ثُمَّ قلّدهم بِعَصْبٍ
وَشيجٍ فَوْقهُ عَضْبٌ صَقيلُ
He adorned them with gowns and swords,
Above it, a belt and polished blade.
وأَيْنَ مِن السماح البأسُ يَطمُو
بِيُمْناه كما طَمَتِ السُّيولُ
Where is wrath, when magnanimity surges
Like a flood, submerging all in its midst?
إِذا الأقتالُ هاجَهُم اغْتِزارٌ
فَقتْلُهُمُ لِصارِمِهِ قَتيلُ
When battles inflame, their swords blaze,
And in killing foes, they themselves are killed.
تخَلّقَ جِدُّه ضَرْبَ الهَوَادِي
بِآيَة ما لَهُ حَدّ نَحيلُ
His grandfather mastered striking frontiers
With a miracle that has no parallel.
وَلِلأَحْبَارِ عَنهُ إِذا دَعاهُم
لِيبلُوَ صِدْقَ دَعْواهُم نَكولُ
The wise, when summoned to prove their claim,
Shun and evade his challenge.
يُنَاظِرُهُم عَلَى الإنظارِ حَوْلا
بِحُجَّتِهِم وَما لهُمُ حويلُ
He debates them in learned discourses,
With proofs, while they have no escape.
خِلالٌ لِلْمَلائِكِ مُنْتَهاها
ثَنَاءُ العالَمِينَ بِها خَليلُ
His ascent reached the pinnacle,
Where prophets' praises of him never cease.
عَن العُمَرَيْنِ أحْرَزَها فَمنْ ذَا
يُفاخِرُهُ وسُؤْدَدُهُ الأَثيلُ
He excelled both worlds, so who
Can rival him, with his lofty pedigree?
تَفَرَّدَ بِالمَكارِمِ والْمَعالِي
فَما لِقِداحِها مَعَه مُجيلُ
He monopolized all merits and sublimities,
None can equal him in glory.
وَلولا أَن تَوَاضَعَ في الترَقِّي
لأعْيَانَا لِسُدَّتِهِ وُصولُ
Had he not been modest in his rise,
The lofty summits would have bowed to him.
بِهِ ذلّ العزيزُ وتِلكَ سيما
جَلالَتِه كَما عَزَّ الذليلُ
By him the mighty were abased, such is the sign
Of his might, just as the lowly were empowered.
صَميمُ المَجْدِ أمنَعُ ما يُلاقي
ذِماراً إِذْ يُلِمُّ بِهِ دَخِيلُ
The heart of glory is invincible,
Whenever a foe confronts with conceit.
مَساعِيهِ الكِرامُ هُدىً ونورٌ
ومِلْءُ بُرودِهِ جُودٌ وَجولُ
His honorable deeds give guidance and light,
His cool composure, generosity and might.
يعِزُّ بِذاتِهِ دَهْرٌ وهَدْيٌ
يُعَزِّزُ ذَا وَذَا رَأيٌ أَصيلُ
By his essence, he brings honor to an age,
And by his guidance makes many eminent.
إلَى حِلْمٍ تَقَاصَرَ عَنه قَيسٌ
وعلم ضلَّ مدركَه الخَليلُ
His wisdom transcended that of Qais,
And his knowledge surpassed even Luqman.
ألَمْ تَرَهُ إذا هفَتِ الرَّواسي
يَهونُ على نُهاه ما يَهولُ
Have you not seen how when foundations shake,
What terrifies others is trivial to him?
وَإِن هَدَرت فَصاحَتُهُ بِحَفْلٍ
أرَمَّتْ لا تُراجِعُهُ الفحولُ
If tumults erupt, his shout in an assembly
Silences them, no brave soul repeats it.
أَجادَ مُؤَيَّداً في كُلِّ علياً
وَجادَ بِما الغَمام بهِ بَخيلُ
He excelled in supporting every high cause,
While the clouds fall short in generosity.
وَبَثّ العَدْلَ والعُدوانُ فاشٍ
فَلَيْسَ مِنَ المُلوكِ لَهُ عَديلُ
He spread justice, though injustice rages,
No king can match him in fairness.
بَديلٌ في الخلائِق لِلْبَرايا
وَشَأْوُ عُلاهُ ما منْهُ بَديلُ
He is peerless among all creations,
And nothing can substitute his exalted resolve!
