فَتَحَتْ سُعُودُكَ كُلَّ بَابٍ مُبْهَمٍ
وَجَلا يَقينُكَ كُلَّ خَطْبٍ مُظْلِمِ
Your good fortune opened every ambiguous door,
And your certainty illuminated every dark affair.
وَجَنَيْتَ غَضَّ الْفَتْحِ مِنْ وَرَقِ الظِّبَا
وَالنَّصْرَ مِنْ غَرْسِ الْقَنَا الْمُتَحَطِّمِ
You reaped the unripe fruits of victory
And triumph from the broken spears.
فَانْهَدْ بِسَعْدِكَ قَبْلَ جُنْدِكَ لِلْعِدَى
وَابْعَثْ بِرُعْبِكَ قَبْلَ جَيْشِكَ تَهْزِمِ
So destroy your enemies with your fortune before your army,
And rout them with your might before your conquering troops.
وَاحْفَظْ بِحَزْمِكَ كُلَّ سِرْبٍ غَافِلٍ
وَاكْلأْ بِسُهْدِكَ جَفْنَ كُلِّ مُهَوِّمِ
And protect with your wisdom every heedless flock,
And soothe with your calm every anxious eye.
فَالْحَتْفُ فَوْقَ غِرَارِ سَيْفِكَ يَلْتَظِي
وَالرِّزْقُ بَيْنَ بَنَانِ كَفِّكَ يَنْهَمِي
For heads lie above the edges of your sword, awaiting
And sustenance flows between your palms, to be seized.
يَاعِصْمَةَ الثَّغْرِ الَّذِي دَارَتْ بِهِ
أَعْدَاؤُهُ دَوْرَ السِّوَارِ بِمِعْصَمِ
O guardian of the land for which enemies
Surrounded like bangles around a wrist.
يَاقَائِدَ الْخَيْلِ الْمُغِيرَةِ بِالضُّحَى
وَمُزِيرَ رَبْعِ الْكُفْرِ كُلَّ مُطَهَّمِ
O leader of the cavalry who raid at dawn
And shake the quarters of unbelief.
مِنْ كُلِّ بَرْقٍ بِالأَهِلَّةِ مُسْرَجٍ
قَيْدِ الأَوَابِدِ بِالثُّرَيَّا مُلْجَمِ
With every steed furnished for battle,
Tethered in place by strong tent pegs.
مِنْ أَخضَرٍ كالحِبْرِ أَوْ مِنْ أَشْقَرٍ
كَالتِّبْرِ أَوْ مِنْ أَحْمَرٍ كَالْعَنْدَمِ
Some green like ink, others blond like wheat,
Or red like coral, dappled and spotty,
أَوْ أَشْهَبٍ إِنْ لاَحَ فِي غَسَقِ الدُّجَى
فَكَأَنَّمَا هُوَ غُرَّةٌ فِي أَدْهَمِ
Or gray—when it shines in the dusk of night
It seems a rain cloud in gathered darkness.
قَطَعَتْ سُيُوفَكَ كُلَّ حُكْمٍ قَاطِعٍ
وَقَضَتْ سُعُودُكَ قَبْلَ كُلَّ مُنَجِّمِ
Your swords cut every firm decree,
And your fortunes decide before any astrologer.
وَإِذَا الْخُطُوبُ جَهِلْتَ لَحْنَ خِطَابِهَا
كَانَ الْحُسَامُ الصَّلْتُ خَيْرَ مُتَرْجِمِ
And when events are confused in their discourse,
The keen blade is the best translator.
كَمْ فَتْكَةٍ لَكَ فِي الْعِدَى مَشْهُورَةٍ
يُزْرِي حَدِيثُ تَلِيدِهَا بِالأَقْدَمِ
How many famous killings credited to you
Whose oft-told tales revive the ancient days!
وَكَتِيبَةٍ قَرَأَتْ ظُباكَ كِتَابَهَا
فَعَلِمْتَ مِنْهَا كُلَّ مَا لَمْ يُعْلَمِ
And what band recited your auguries
So you knew of them all that was unknown!
وَلَكَ الْجَوَارِي الْمُنْشَآتُ سَوَابِحاً
فِي الْيَمِّ أَمْثَالَ الصُّقُورِ الْحُوَّمِ
You have slave girls diving beneath the waves
Like hawks into the sea, plunging with purpose.
فَتْخُ الْقَواَدِمِ لِلْفَنَا قَدْ أَبْرَمَتْ
أَمْراً بِهَا كَفُّ الْقَضَاءِ الْمُبْرِمِ
Every ship equipped for battle
Whose sails cling to the mast tops in the wind.
مِنْ كُلِّ مُنْصَاعٍ كَأَنَّ شِرَاعَهُ
قِطَعُ السَّحَابِ سَرَتْ بِنَوْءِ المرْزَمِ
The sails billow white beneath wings
That you’d think, in the gloom, were black ravens.
سَاحَ الْبَيَاضُ الْبَحْتُ تَحْتَ جَنَاحِهِ
فَتَراهُ فِي شِيَةِ الْغُرَابِ الأَعْصَمِ
Those diving slave girls, their dowry is
The enemy dead, and they are created from blood.
تِلْكَ الْجَوَارِي الْمُنْشآتُ صَدَاقُهَا
مُهَجُ الْعِدَى وَخَلُوقُهُنَّ مِنَ الدَّمِ
Their anklets are of twisted rope without
Any gold or silver links.
وَحِجَالُهُنَّ مِنَ الْبُنُودِ فَلاَ تَرُمْ
وَصْلاً بِدِينَارٍ لَهُنَّ وَدِرْهَمِ
They came to aid Allah’s servants—
Exalted is His Majesty—and the people of Christ and Mary.
نَصَرَتْ عِبَادَ اللهِ جَلَّ جَلاَلُهُ
وَسَطَتْ بِعُبَّادِ الْمَسِيْحِ وَمَرْيَمِ
You launched them though water was at hand,
Slaying the foe, and that was the best ablution.
يَمَّمْتَهَا وَالْمَاءُ مُوْجُودٌ لَهَا
نَحْرَ الْعَدُوِّ فَكَانَ خَيْرَ تَيَمُّمِ
They carried men like battle-hungry lions
Steadfast against the piercing of lances.
حَمَلَتْ رِجَالاً كَاللُّيُوثِ مَصَاعِباً
صُبُراً عَلَى لَفْحِ الْمِصَاعِ الْمُضْرَمِ
With purpose they sailed the Sea of Suez,
Baring blades, without wavering.
قَصَدَتْ بِهِمْ بَحْرَ الزُّقَاقِ عَزِيمَةٌ
قَدْ جَرَّدَتْ أَسْيَافَهَا لَمْ تَكْهَمِ
Until their auspicious faces rose
White against the great darkness.
حَتَّى إِذَا طَلَعَتْ وُجُوهُ سُعُودِهَا
بِيضاً عَلَى ذَاكَ السَّوادِ الأَعْظَمِ
As if the rainbow were among their ranks
And those with braided locks were the arrows.
وَكَأَنَّ قَوْسَ الْغَيْمِ بَعْضَ قِسيِّهَا
وَذَوو الذَّوَائِبِ بَعْضَ تِلْكَ الأَسْهُمِ
The tongue of victory cried out, articulating:
“O kin of the true religion, be resolute!”
نَادَى لِسَانُ النَّصْرِ يُفْصِحُ نَاطِقاً
يَا أُسْرَةَ الِّدينِ الْحَنِيفِ تَحَكَّمِي
How many banners of conquest waved over them!
How many realms were designated for the sword!
كَمْ رَايَةٍ لِلْفَتْحِ فَوْقَ رُؤُوسِهِمْ
خَفَقَتْ وَكَمْ مَلْكٍ هُنَاكَ مُسَوَّمِ
They left the hordes of the cross as if
They'd feasted on sealed wine mixed with blood.
فَتَرَكْنَ أَحْزَابَ الصَّلِيبِ كَأَنَّمَا
ثَمِلُوا بِمَخْتُومِ الرَّحِيقِ مُفَدَّمِ
Their ships belch them as if sleeping at sea,
Not with decay, but slumbering tranquilly,
تَفْلِي مَفَارِقَهَا الْمِيَاهُ كَأَنَّهَا
فِي الْبَحْرِ نَائِمَةٌ وَلَيْسَ بِنُوَّمِ
Strewn as carrion upon the sandy shore,
A feast for whales, birds, or crawling creatures.
صَرْعَى عَلَى عَفْرِ الرِّمَالِ وَلِيمَةً
لِلْحُوتِ أَوْ لِلطَّيْرِ أَوْ لِلضَّيْغَمِ
You called them wretched heretics, but were not surprised—
This outcome suits that fateful epoch.
نَادَيْتَهَا الْجَفْلاَءِ غَيْرَ عَجِيبَةٍ
هَذَا الصَّنِيعُ لِمِثْلِ ذَاكَ الْمَوْسِمِ
From each withdrawer wearing trailing robes,
Hiding serpents under a viper’s skin.
مِنْ كُلِّ مُنْسَحِبِ السَّوَابِغِ مُضْمِرٍ
سُمَّ الأَفَاعِي تَحْتَ جِلْدِ الأَرْقَمِ
Rolled up in a turban that revealed its core,
And wrapped in a fringed cloak.
وَمُلَفَّفِ فِي الْعَصْبِ أَعْرَتْ مَتْنَهُ
وَكَسَتْهُ حَاشِيَةَ الرِّدَاءِ الْمُعْلَمِ
Or bearing arms but unable to defend himself,
So he surrendered to you, admitting defeat.
أو بالسلاح لم يستطع عن نفسه
دَفْعاً فَمَدَّ لَهَا يَدَ الْمُسْتَسْلِمِ
You emptied the enemies’ lands of inhabitants
Destroying them, and filled Hell with their souls.
أَقْفَرْتَ رَبْعَ الْكُفْرِ مِنْ سُكَّانِهِ
بِهَلاَكِهِمْ وَعَمَرْتَ رَبْعَ جَهَنَّمِ
You gave them to drink the cup of misery
Mixed with viper venom and bitter aloe.
وَسَقَيْتَهُمْ كَأْسَ الرَّدَى مَمْزُوجَةً
سُمَّ الأَسَاوِدِ فِي نَقِيعِ الْعَلْقَمِ
You kindled fire over water, raising flames,
And spilled blood over the sea, an ocean of gore.
وَقَدَحْتَ فَوْقَ المَاءِ نَاراً تَلْتَظِي
وَسَفَحْتَ فَوْقَ البَحْرِ بَحْراً مِنْ دَمِ
As if the horizon cast waves atop it
With hands of wind, from fresh blood.
فَكَأَنَّ صَفْحَ الْبَحْرِ مَدَّتْ فَوْقَهُ
أَيْدِي الرِّيَاحِ مَطَارِفاً مِنْ عَنْدَمِ
The edifice of unbelief was fortified in its foundations—
It would have never fallen but for God’s defense.
بُنْيَانُ كُفْرِ وُطِّدَتْ أَسَاسُهُ
لَوْلاَ دِفَاعُ اللَّهِ لَمْ يَتَهَدَّمِ
From a day when its power was swollen
To every passing, advancing day.
لِلَّهِ مِنْ يَوْمٍ تَعَاظَمَ قَدْرُهُ
فِي كُلِّ يَوْمٍ ذَاهِبٍ مُتَقَدِّمِ
He revived the peninsula after the tightness of its bonds,
And protected the Muslims trapped within.
نَعَشَ الْجَزِيرَةَ بَعْدَ شَدِّ وَثَاقِهَا
وَأَجَارَ مَنْ حَفَّتْ بِهِ مِنْ مُسْلِمِ
The first fruits of your opening successes
Unveiled themselves before you after long concealment.
بِكْرُ الْفُتُوحِ نَضَتْ لَدَيْكَ نِقَابَهَا
مِنْ بَعْدِ طُولٍ تَقَنُّعٍ وَتَلَثُّمِ
The footfalls of your mounted warriors, when ghosts whisper to them,
From a restless soul on earth or an anxious one.
سَمَرُ الرِّكَابِ إِذَا تَعَاوَرَهَا السُّرَى
مِنْ مُنْجِدٍ فِي الأَرْضِ أَوْ مِنْ مُتْهِمِ
And from the stranger of fate whose traces
Are obscured between ruins and holy Zamzam.
وَغَريبَةٍ الزَّمَنِ الَّتِي آثَارُهَا
مَتْلُوَّةٌ بَيْنَ الْحَطِيمِ وَزَمْزَمِ
Rejoice in it, beautiful work, and anticipate
Even greater feats to come.
فَاهْنَأ بِهِ صُنْعاً جَمِيلاً وَارْتَقِبْ
مِنْ بَعْدِهِ إِتْيَانَ صُنْعٍ أَعْظَمِ
God, like Joseph, gathered the far reaches of the world
And doubled the yields, while dearth gaped.
جَمَعَ الإِلَهُ بِيُوسُفٍ شَمْلَ الْوَرى
وَثَنَى النَّوَائِبِ وَهْيَ فَاغِرَةُ الْفَمِ
Calm spirits when events are grave,
Smiling at the threatening circumstance.
ثَبْت الْجَنَانِ إِذَا الْخُطُوبُ تَعَاظَمَتْ
مُتَبَسِّمٌ فِي الْحَادِثِ الْمُتَجَهِّمَ
He follows through with resolute winds, not procrastinating,
And observes opinions after their disarray.
يُمْضِي رِيَاحَ الْعَزْمِ غَيْرَ مُسَوِّفٍ
وَيُلاَحِظُ الآرَاءَ بَعْدَ تَلَوُّم
Thus you see him, in days of vigor, the last to doubt,
And in days of resolve, the first to advance.
فَتَرَاهُ يَوْمَ الْحَزْمِ آخِرَ مُرْتَئٍ
وَتَرَاهُ يَوْمَ الْعَزْمِ أَوَّلَ مُقْدِمِ
You are from a noble Sa’dian line
That attained glory—so excellent is their attainment.
تَنْمِيهِ مِنْ أَبْنَاءِ سَعْدٍ أُسْرَةٌ
كَرُمَتْ فَنِعْمَ الْمُنْتَمَى وَالْمُنْتَمِي
Critics, though none can criticize them,
And benefactors, though none can do them good.
الطَّاعِنُونَ وَمَا بِهَا مِنْ طَاعِنٍ
وَالْمُطْعِمُونَ وَمَا بِهَا مِنْ مُطْعِمِ
Passionate to attain the highest aspirations, enamored
With the prime of virtues, immersed in generosity.
كَلِفٌ بإِدْرَاكِ الْمَعَالِي هَائِمٍ
صَبٍّ بِأَبْكَارِ الْمَكَارِمِ مُغْرَمِ
Thus you find him in days of steely resolve
And days of pardoning the offenses of a criminal.
فَتَرَاهُ بَيْنَ عَزِيمَةٍ تَفْرِي الطُّلَى
يَوْماً وَعَفْوٍ عَنْ جَرِيمَةِ مُجْرِمِ
I swear by your munificence—and it is the loftiest of oaths—
And by the glory of your kingdom—the sublimest of all sworn.
قَسَماً بِجُودِكَ وَهْوَ أَيُّ أَلِيَّةٍ
وَبِعِزِّ مُلْكِكَ وَهْوَ أَسْمَى مُقْسَمِ
The remembrance of youthful days after their passing
Is naught, nor riches for the destitute pauper.
مَا ذِكْرُ أَيَّامِ الشَّبَابِ وَقَدْ مَضَى
أَوْ مَا الْغِنَى عِنْدَ الْفَقِيرِ الْمُعْدِمِ
I prize an instant gazing on your face
More precious than my praise spoken from my mouth.
بِأَجَلَّ مِنْ نَظَرِي لِوَجْهِكَ سَاعَةً
عِنْدِي وَأَحْلَى مِنْ ثَنَائِكَ فِي فَمِي
My lord, take it as an unblemished Arabian gift
Adorned with a necklace of your sublime traits.
مَوْلاَيَ خُذْهَا غَادَةً عَرَبِيَّةً
تُزْهَى بِعِقْدٍ مِنْ عُلاَكَ مُنَظَّمِ
When I set out to praise you, it became clear
How necessary it is to thank the Bestower.
لَمَّا اعْتَزَيْتُ إِلَى ثَنَائِكَ بَانَ لِي
فِي الْعَقْلِ كَيْفَ وُجُوبُ شُكْرِ الْمُنْعِمِ
If an aging Zuhair had composed the likes of this,
Age wears on but his remembrance does not fade.
لَوْ قَالَ فِي هَرِمٍ زُهَيْرٌ مِثْلَهَا
هَرِمَ الزَّمَانُ وَذِكْرُهُ لَمْ يَهْرَمِ
Or if Antara had passed by them, he would not say
“Have the poets who came before passed away?”
أَو مَرَّ عَنْتَرَةٌ عَلَيْهَا لَمْ يَقُلْ
هَلْ غَادَرَ الشُّعَرَاءُ مِنْ مُتَرَدَّمِ
