عَبَر البَحْرَ يَؤُمّ الأبْحُرا
آمِناً في ورْدِهِ أن يَصْدُرا
He crossed the sea leading the sailors
Secure in his rose, so it would blossom
وامتَطَى اللجّة خَضْراء بِما
ألِفَ العَيْشَ لَدَيْهِم أخْضَرا
He mounted the green wave with what
He was used to a green living with them
خاضَ صَدرَ الهَوْل جَهْماً عابِساً
يَنْتَحيهِم ضاحِكاً مُسْتَبشِرا
He dared the horrible danger frowning
Laughing at them, rejoicing
وَسَما للغايَةِ القُصْوى عَلَى
خَطِرٍ أحزَرَ عنهُ الأخْطَرا
And he reached the farthest extent
On a peril, more prudent avoided the very peril
أثْرَةٌ أظْفَرَه الصّبْرُ بِها
وَأخُو الصّبْر حرٍ أن يَظْفَرا
A rare feat that patience has won
And patience's brother disdains to win
يَا لَهُ مُعتَزِماً مُعْتَزِلاً
عِيشةَ الخَفضِ ولِذاتِ الكَرَى
O you who has decided, isolated
To live lowly and for inner pains
جَدَّ مَجبولاً على رَفضِ الوَنى
فتَرى منهُ فَتىً مَا فَتَرا
Strongly created to reject flattery
So you see a staunch man never weak
أسْأَرَتْ منهُ الفلاذَا سَوْرَة
لِلْجَوارِي كالمَذاكِي ضمَّرا
The blades shone from him like
Flints for the maidens sparkling
طَامِحَ الهِمّة لا مُقْتَصِداً
في تَرَقِّيهِ وَلا مُقْتَصِرا
With ambition, no self-restraint
In his progress, and no humbling
قُلباً في حَالتَيْهِ حُوَّلاً
طَعِمَ الشّهْدَ وَذاقَ الصّبرا
A heart in both states transformed
That tasted honey and knew bitterness
للمَوامِي والطّوامِي مَوجُها
ما مَضَى مِن عُمُر أو غَبَرا
For death and life his face set
What of age has passed or turned to dust
لا يُبَالي كَيفَما بَاشَرَها
غَيْرُهُ من يَتَوَقّى الغِيَرا
He cares not how others have treated them
Except for those who fear others
إنْ يَكُنْ زَحزَحَ عَنْهُ وَطَناً
فلَقَدْ أمكَنَ مِنْهُ وَطَرا
If a home was snatched from him
He found refuge and escape
يَا لَسَاحاتٍ ثَواهُنّ العِدى
فَبَدا المَعْرُوفُ مِنْها مُنكِرا
O evil places where enmity lodged
So good turned evil from it
راحَ مَن آمنَ عَنْها راحِلاً
وَغَدا يَحْتَلها مَنْ كَفَرا
Those who felt safe there left
And tomorrow the unbelievers will raid it
فَغَرَ الشرْكُ عَلَيْها فَمَهُ
لَيْتَهُ أُلْقِمَ فِيها الْحَجَرا
So unbelief smiled widely on it
Would that rocks were fed to it
أَزَمَاتٌ طَعَنَتْ عَنْها بِهِ
عَزَماتٌ تَتَلَظّى سُعُورا
Crises stabbed it with
Determination blazing fiercely
ضَايَقَتهُ في الذَّرى ثُمّ سَمتْ
بأمانيهِ إلَى شُمّ الذُّرى
It stressed him in life then aimed
His ambitions to the height of life
فَلَهُ البُشْرَى بِمَرْمَاهُ الذي
أنْجحَ السّيْرَ عَلَيْهِ والسُرى
Good tidings to him for his goal
To which he progressed and climbed
وبِمَرْقاه إِلى مَرْتَبَةٍ
هَوَتِ الأنْجُم عَنْها مَظْهرا
And for his rise to a status
The stars dimmed before its gleam
حَسْبُهُ مَعْلُوةً خِدْمَتُهُ
لِلأمِيرِ ابْن إِمَام الأُمَرا
It suffices that his service is known
To the Prince Son of the Imam of Command
زَكَرِياءَ بن يَحْيَى المُرْتَضَى
ابْن عَبْد الواحدِ بن عُمَرا
Zakariyya son of Yahya the Chosen One
Son of Abdul-Wadud son of Umar
نَسَبٌ أبْهرُ مِن شَمسِ الضُّحى
ليسَ ماءُ المُزْنِ منْهُ أطْهَرا
A lineage brighter than the morning sun
Purest water is no clearer than it
وأَبٌ يخْلُفُهُ ابنٌ في العُلى
كالجَنَى يعْقُبُ بَعْدُ الزّهَرا
And a father leaving behind a son
Like the harvest following the bloom
إنّما آلُ أبي حَفص هُدىً
يكْشِفُ الغَيَّ ويَجْلو السَّرَرا
Only Abu Hafs' family are guidance
Exposing darkness and cheering chests
قَد أفاءَ بهِمُ ظِلُّ المُنى
وَصَفا مِنْ شرْبِها ما كَدَرا
The shade of death missed them
And some of its drink turned sweet
تَخِذَ الناسُ علاهُم سُنَناً
وَتَلا الدّهرُ حُلاهُم سُوَرا
People take their rising as a Sunna
And time repeats their state as walls
فَلَهُم مِن عِزّة أن يَفْخَروا
وعَلى حُسَّدِهِم أن تُقْصِرا
So they can proudly glory
And declaim their enviers
لا يَنالُ الفَوْزَ إلا رَاشِدٌ
حَجَّ شَرْعاً بَيْتَهُم واعْتَمَرا
None attains success unless one righteous
Who made pilgrimage, by their home, in rite
بَيْت عَلْيَاءَ سَمَتْ أَطرْافُه
وَرَسَتْ بَيْنَ الثرَيَّا والثَّرَى
The celestial house whose edges incline
And settle between the Pleiades and the ground
أَوْطَنَ التوْحيدُ منهُ مَشْعَراً
وتَبنَّى الهَدْيُ مِنْهُم مَعْشَرا
Where monotheism resides remembering
And guidance adopts their number
لهمُ المجْدُ الذِي لا يُمتَرَى
فيهِ والحَقُّ الذِي لا يُفْتَرى
Theirs is the glory which none contends
and the truth none fabricates
سَلّم الأَمْلاكُ لَمَّا عَلِمُوا
أنَّ كل الصّيد في جوْفِ الفَرا
The angels submitted when they knew
That all prey lies deep inside thegY grip
أعْظَمُ الأمّةِ وِزْراً نَاكِبٌ
عنهُمُ لَم يَعتَمِدْهم وَزَرا
Greatest of nations in his injustice turning
Away from them, not seeking their aid
صَفْوَةُ العالَمِ رَاقوا فِطَناً
تُبْرِزُ الأخفَى وَرَقَّوا فِطَرا
Choice of all peoples, excelling in judgment
Clarifying the unseen, intelligence maturing
مِنْ وُلاةٍ شرّفَ اللّه بِهِم
دَهرَهُم مذْ أُوجِدوا والبَشَرا
From governors by whom Allah ennobled
Their age since humans were created
لَوْ أَباحُوا لِلسُّهى أن يَرْتدِي
نُورَهُم أخْفَى سَناهُ القَمَرا
If they permitted worries to don
Their light, the moon would hide its radiance
زُرْ ذَراهُمْ تَجِدِ اليَوم ضُحىً
كُلَّه والليل طيباً سحرا
Visit their homes and you'll find only blessÑd days
Sweet night and fragrant dawn through all
وانتَجِعْهُم مُوسِراً أو مُعسِراً
تَرِد الجُود زُلالاً خَصِرا
Seek them out rich or needy
And hands pour plenty without stint
كيْفَ يَخشَى عائِلٌ تَهلكَةً
وأَبو يَحيَى مُعيلٌ لِلوَرى
How can a family fear destitution
While Abu Yahya provides for all people
مَلِكٌ يَدعُو نَداه الجَفلَى
حينَ لا تَدعُو الملوكُ النَّقَرى
A responded king who calls both
Near and far when kings do not call the distant
نَصَر الإحْسانَ والعَدْلَ بهِ
مَن قَضَتْ أقْدارُهُ أنْ يَنْصُرا
With him righteousness and justice were victorious
As his destiny decreed he make them prevail
أرْوَعٌ طلقُ المُحيَّا لم يَزَل
يَنشُرُ الأمنَ ويَطوي الحذَرا
Free and noble he never ceased
To spread security and roll up danger
كُلَّما فَتّحَ ذكراً بِاسْمِهِ
مادِحٌ فتّقَ مِسْكاً أذْفَرا
Whenever his name springs from one who praises
The eulogizer opens fragrant aloe-scented musk
أطْلَعَتْ منهُ الليالي بُورِكَتْ
في سَماءِ المَجدِ بَدْراً نَيِّرا
The nights shone from him a blessed
Full moon in the sky of glory
أحْرَزَ السؤْدَدَ عَنْ آبائِهِ
واقْتَفَاهُم أكْبَراً فَأكْبَرا
Greater enduring than his fathers
Succeeding them ever greater
فَجّرَتْ يُمْناهُ ينبوعَ النَدى
فجَرَى يَروِي الصَّدَى ما فَجَّرا
His good fortune gushed a wellspring of dew
To quench the thirst what it gushed
ما رُسوخُ الطّوْد ما جُوْدُ الحَيا
ما حُسامُ الهِنْدِ ما لَيْثُ الشَّرى
Not pride of ancestry, or open-handedness
Swords of India, lions of battle
إنْ حبَا في مجْلِس أَو احتَبى
أَو يُرى في مأزَق أو انْبَرى
When gathered or taken aside
Or seen in straits or sallying forth
باذِلٌ والغَيثُ فيها باخِلٌ
سَنةً شَهْباء تُزْجِي العِبَرا
Giving while inhospitable the rain in it
A famed year that pours copious tears
تُطْفِئُ الأجْوادُ فيها نارَها
وَهو في الهَضْبِ يَشُبّ العَنبَرا
Which great souls in, their fires quenched
As he flames ambergris in the meadows
وَإِذا ما شَرِيَ الشّرُّ فَلَم
يَقْتَصِر حتّى يجُزّ القَصَرا
And when evil persists he does not stop
Until it splits the palaces
حَسَمَ الأوْجالَ شَهْماً بَطلا
وَفَرى الأحوالَ عَضْباً ذَكَرا
A hero who directly settles matters
And recognizes situations, mindfully, wisely
أسْعَدُ الأملاك جَدّاً لا يَني
أو يَفوتَ النيرات الزُّهُرا
Of rulers most prospered, he will not waver
Or lose the delicate blossoms
وأمَدُّ الناسِ في البَأسِ مَدىً
وَالرّدى عَن نابِهِ قدْ كَشَرا
And most lasting of men in might and attack
As ruin recoils from his fangs bared
نَعَّمَ السّمع بِما شَيّدَه
مِن مَعالٍ وأَقَرّ البَصَرا
Hearing well what he erected
Of landmarks, the sight gratified
ليسَ يَرْجو مَن عَصَى مُعْتَصِماً
مِنْ عَواليهِ ولا مُعْتَصَرا
None who disobeyed his authority hopes
His indignation or submission will suffice
هذِه الأحْياءُ قَد دَوّخَها
فَسَلِ البِيضَ بِها والسُّمُرا
He who settled these quarters
So ask around it, the whites and the browns
زَارَها لَيْثاً مَهيباً زَأْرُهُ
لا يُهابُ الليْثُ حتّى يَزْأَرا
A formidable lion whose roar frightens lions
It fears not lions until they roar
مُهْدِراً مِن دَمِها مَا حَقَنت
ودَم المرَّاق يَمْضي هَدَرا
Shedding their blood it preserved
And shedding inviolable blood ensues
غَادَر الغَدْر وَمن دانَ بهِ
لِلعَوالي والعَوافي جَزَرا
He left betrayal and who sides with it
To indignation and punishment
وثَنَى للذُّلِّ والإذعانِ مَنْ
عنَّ في سُلْطانِهِ واستَكبَرا
Peerless whom his days serve
And alternate by his command or ban
أوْحَدٌ تَخْدُمُه أيّامُه
وتُواليهِ نَهَى أوْ أَمَرا
Beauty inaugurated his dynasty
Robed gloriously, traveling nobly
خَلَعَ الحُسْنُ عَلى دَوْلَتِهِ
حُلّة تَخْتَالُ فيها سِيَرا
Taking his father's Sunna
By which among men he traveled and roamed
واقتَفاها مِن أبِيه سُنَناً
سارَ في الناسِ بها أوْ سِيَرا
It suffices that in his presence
The light of guidance and beacon of towns shine
وَكَفَاه أنّ في حَضْرتِهِ
باهَرَتْ نُورَ الهُدى نارُ القِرى
His door where good begins
Reports being true to him
بَابُهُ مُبتَدأ الخَيْر الذِي
صَدَّقَ الخُبْر لَدَيْهِ الخَبَرا
His gate never passed
By bands unless for opening come bands
أبَداً لا تَتَعَدّى قَرْعَهُ
زُمَرٌ لِلْفَتْحِ تَتْلو زُمَرا
O heir apparent, for long
Coins competed with pulpits through you
يَا وَلِيَّ العَهْدِ فيما طَالَمَا
نَافَسَ الدّينَارُ فِيهَا المِنْبَرا
Coming to apologize for its brevity
It is the emirate whose traits
هاكَ مَا حَبّرْتُهُ مِنْ مِدَحٍ
جِئْتُ عَن تَقصيرِها مُعْتَذِرا
Either prose or verse were composed for it
I banned myself unless helping it
وَهيَ الإمْرَةُ أَعيا وَصْفُها
نُظِمَ الحَمْدُ لَها أونُثِرا
Or affiliated except spreading its good news
Favors how can their right be fulfilled?
قَدْ تحَرَّمْتُ بِها مُستَنصِراً
أوْ تَشَيّعْتُ لَهَا مْسْتَبشِرا
To it belongs the worth that cannot be valued
And excellent tidings, an auspicious household
مِنَنٌ كيفَ يُقَضَّى حقُّها
ولَهَا القَدْرُ الذي لنْ يُقْدَرا
That clothed us in aromatic aloes
And openings your eminence intended
وَهَنيئاً أوْبَةٌ مَيْمُونَةٌ
ألْبَسَتْنا مِنْ حُبُورٍ حِبَرا
The first of which follows the last
Appointed for you ties and alliances
وفُتُوحٌ يَمّمَتْ حَضْرَتَكم
أُوَلٌ تَقْدُمُ مِنها أُخَرا
So take from their wealth what is tied up
It suffices that the East informs of it
ذُخِرَتْ وِتْراً وشَفْعاً لَكُمُ
فاقْتَضُوا مِنْ غُرِّها ما ذُخِرا
So justify over the realm of ends
Preferring its right that you prefer
هَذِه أنْدَلُسٌ قَد أصْبَحَت
وَكَفَى بالشّرْقِ عَنها مُخبِرا
Long may you and the faith endure
With your secure rule
فتَسوّغْها عَلى حُكمِ المُنى
آثِراً مِنْ حَقها أن تُؤْثِرا
And religion strongly rooted
دُمْتَ والدُّنيا بِسُلْطانِكُمُ
طَلْقَةٌ والدّين مَشدُودُ العُرى
