أَخَفْضاً نَوَتْ فِينا النَّوى ولَعَلَّها
أَجَدَّ بِهَا طُولُ السُّرى فأَمَلَّها
The stars incline to us, perhaps
To alleviate the misery of distance,
وَحاشَ لأَصْدَاءِ الفَلا أن تَصُدَّها
بِنا أَوْ أَضَالِيلِ الدُّجى أَنْ تُضِلَّها
And keep safe from the echoes of separation
Or the dark nights’ bewilderment.
وأَحْقِرْ بِهَوْلِ البَحْرِ أَنْ يَسْتَكِفَّها
وأَهْوِنْ بِغَوْلِ القَفْرِ أَنْ يَسْتَزِلَّها
I care not for the terror of oceans,
Nor the deceit of barren wilderness,
ولكِنْ أَيادِي مُنْذِرٍ نَذَرَتْ بِهَا
فكانَتْ لَنَا مِنْها قَذىً وشَجاً لَهَا
Except the hands of Munthir swore
To shower us with misery and wounds.
فحازَتْ إِلَى عِزِّ الحَياةِ رِحالَنا
وَزَمَّتْ عَلَى خِزْيِ المَتالِفِ رَحْلَها
Our feet strode to the glory of life
While the confounded lagged behind in disgrace.
نَحاها مُقِيلُ العاثِرِينَ بِعَثْرَةٍ
لَعاً لِيَ مِنْها والنَّوى لا لَعاً لَهَا
The stumbler pushed us down,
Curse him, not the stars that blessed our path!
فكَمْ أَقْفَرَتْ مِنَّا مَحَلّاً وغَرَّبَتْ
وُجُوهاً أَجَدَّتْ فِي الفُؤادِ مَحَلَّها
How they emptied our dwellings!
How gazes once tender turned strangers!
ويا رُبَّ بَلْهاءِ الصَّبا عن جَوى الهوى
لَبِسْتُ بِهَا عَيْشَ الصَّبابَةِ أَبلَها
My ignorant craze for the folly of passion
Clothed my youth in insipid attire.
كَشَفْتُ لِسَهْمَيْ طَرْفِها عن مَقاتِلِي
مِجَنَّ تُقىً لَمْ يَمْنَعِ النَّفْسَ قَتْلَها
I exposed my soul to those lethal eyes,
The shields of chastity availed me nothing.
وشَكَّكَني وَجْدِي بِهَا وَصَبابَتِي
أَنَفْسِيَ لِي إِنْ أَخْطَأَ الحَيْنُ أمْ لَهَا
My passion and foolishness made me doubt
Whether the fault was mine or theirs.
وَحَسْبِي بِهَا عَذْلاً عَلَى سَلْوَةِ الهَوى
وعُذْراً كفانِي العاذِلاتِ وعَذْلَها
And yet they suffice as reprimand for my passion’s wanderings,
And excuse for those who blame and accuse.
بِقَدٍّ إِلَى مُسْتَوْدَعِ القَلْبِ قادَها
ودَلٍّ عَلَى مُسْتَوْطَنِ النَّفْسِ دَلَّها
With lineage to the heart’s repository they come,
And with blood ties to the soul’s settlement.
ولِلْخَفَرِ السَّحَّارِ فِي وَجَناتِها
خَوَاتِيمُ لا يَخْفِرْنَ مِنِّيَ وَصْلَها
My songs cannot equal their charm
Or unravel the mysteries of their beauty.
وما خَفَرَتْ بِيضُ الصَّوارِمِ والقَنا
مَحاسِنَها مِمَّا أَصابَ فَأوْلَها
The blades and spears spared not
What adversities have despoiled.
فَلِلَّهِ مِنْ بَيْنٍ تَقَسَّمَ طُرْقَهُ
طَوَارِقُ لا يُلْهِينَ عَنْ لَهْوِ مَنْ لَهَا
God split the firm earth with valleys
Where death stalks the heedless lovers at night.
عَلاقَةُ حُبٍّ شَدَّ مَا عَلِقَتْ بِهَا
حَبائِلُ بَيْنٍ بَتَّ مِنِّيَ وَصْلَها
Strands of love held me bound,
While destiny cut off communion.
وَصَفْوَ هَوىً مَا قَرَّ حَتَّى هَوَتْ بِهِ
حوادِثُ تفريقِ القُلُوبِ هَوىً لَهَا
Our separation came suddenly, no matter
How long we delighted in deep passion.
فكُنَّا لَهَا نَبْلاً أَصَابَتْ بِنا الصَّبا
وَمَا عَدَلَتْ عَنْ رَمْيِ قَلْبِيَ نَبْلَها
We were struck down by mischievous fate.
The winds showed no mercy, leaving us all but lifeless forms.
جُسُوماً أَقَلَّتْها الرِّياحُ فَلَمْ تَدَعْ
لَهُنَّ مِنَ الأَرواحِ إِلّا أَقَلَّها
The night sent its heralds, instructing them
To never let darkness end or daylight break.
نَجائِبُ وَصَّاها الجَدِيلُ وشَدْقَمٌ
بأَلّا تَمَلَّ اللَّيلَ حَتَّى يَمَلَّهَا
At dusk, they don the robe of youth
Only to cast it away at dawn, turning white.
فَتُخْلِقُ بالإِرْقَالِ ثَوْبَ شَبابِهِ
وتَتْرُكُهُ بالأُفْقِ أَشيَبَ أَجْلَها
They ambush him behind the thin light of dawn
Like partridges shaking off their plumage.
تُرَاوِحُهُ مِنْ خِلْفَةِ الفَجْرِ طُرَّةٌ
كَمُعْتَرَضِ الشَّقْرَاءِ تَنفُضُ جُلَّها
How many a frail heart have they seized
Whose star guides another frail soul!
فكَمْ حَمَلَتْ مِنْ حُرِّ قَلْبٍ مُولَّهٍ
يُبَلِّغُ عَنْهُ النَّجْمُ قَلْباً مُوَلَّها
And many a mother searching for her son
Lost in the belly of endless night.
وكم ضَمَّ ذَاكَ اللَّيْلُ مِنْ أُمِّ شادِنٍ
أَضَلَّتْهُ فِي جَوْفِ الفَلا وأَضَلَّها
Until hearts have reached out with voices
Announcing that there is no beyond.
وَقَدْ بَلَّغَ الجَهْدُ القُلُوبَ حَناجِراً
تُبَشِّرُها أَنَّ التَّناهِي مَدىً لَهَا
Our misery almost triumphed, O Mansour!
By leading travelers back through farthest paths.
فَوَشْكانَ يَا مَنْصُورُ مَا نُصِرَ الأَسى
بِرَدِّ أَقاصي الأَرْضِ نَحْوَكَ سُبْلَها
In every town the caravan was called:
Take word to them that destination is reached!
ونادى نَدَاكَ الرَّكْبَ فِي كُلِّ بَلْدَةٍ
أَلا بَلِّغُوا هَدْيَ الرِّكابِ مَحِلَّها
A woman of excellent stock bid you welcome,
Making your abode a greater pilgrimage.
فَلَبَّتْكَ مِنْ غَوْرِ الجَلاءِ أَهِلَّةٌ
أَهَلَّ بِهَا مَأْوَاكَ حَتَّى أَهَلَّها
As though we vowed the rising sun our lodging,
By God, your face was its sweet fulfillment!
كَأَنَّا نَذَرْنا مَطْلَعَ الشَّمْسِ مَنْزِلاً
أَلِيَّةَ حَلْفٍ كَانَ وَجْهُكَ حِلَّها
You sheltered the well-armed fugitives.
You oft rescued many lives from certain death.
فآوَيْتَ فَلَّ النَّائِبَاتِ وَطَالَما
أَبَرْتَ العِدى قَتْلاً وآوَيْتَ فَلَّها
You welcomed them, eased their ways-
Ever standing with those who come and go.
ونادَيْتَها أَهْلاً وسَهْلاً وَلَمْ تَزَلْ
أَحَقَّ بِهَا فِي النَّازِلِينَ وأَهْلَها
You shaded those who lacked the shade of night,
You satisfied whom misfortune had deprived.
فَظَلَّلْتَ مَنْ لَمْ يُدْرِكِ اللَّيْلُ ظِلَّهُ
وأَغْدَقْتَ مَنْ لَمْ تُلْحِقِ المزْنُ طَلَّها
You replaced the peace of death with peace,
We took comfort there from worldly cold.
وعَوَّضْتَنا من رَاحَةِ المَوْتِ رَاحَةً
سَكَنَّا بِهَا بَرْدَ الحياةِ وَظِلَّها
You built homes for us in your land,
Attending to their welfare and comfort.
وأَعْمَرْتَ مِنَّا فِي ذَرَاكَ منازِلاً
تَفَقَّدْتَ مَثْواها وأَرْغَدْتَ نُزْلَها
You revealed but a fraction of your gifts
Yet it encompassed a diversity of hopes.
وَلَمْ تَبْدَ مِنْ نُعْمَاكَ إِلّا بِبَعْضِها
وَلَكِنَّهُ عَمَّ الرَّغائِبَ كُلَّها
We delighted in meadows graced by joy,
A wine cup elevated the spirit there.
فَرُحْنا شُرُوباً قَدْ تَأَنَّقَ رَوْضُها
وأَنْهَلَها كَأْسُ السُّرُورِ وَعَلَّها
We sigh, but only due to your great gifts-
You made your sweet memory its transport.
نَدَامَى ولكِنْ مِنْ عَطايَاكَ راحُها
وَقَدْ جَعَلَتْ من طِيبِ ذِكْرِكَ نُقْلَها
Our worldly demands are lightened
By both land and sea made yours to hold.
وَخَفَّتْ عَلَى يُمْناكَ مِنَّا مطالِبٌ
تَشَكَّى إِلينا البَرُّ والبَحْرُ ثِقْلَها
And no prince held the crown
Until he bore all its toil and weight.
وما تَوَّجَتْ هَذِي الرِّياسَةُ سَيِّداً
أَكالِيلَها حَتَّى تَحَمَّلَ كَلَّها
A bride with unveiled beauty-
Let no man make claims unless honorably wed!
هِيَ البِكْرُ مَجْلاهَا حَرَامٌ مُحَرَّمٌ
فَيا مَنْ بِمَهْرِ المَكْرُماتِ اسْتَحَلَّها
She sought among the warriors and poets
And found none but the gallant son of YaHyaa.
فَتاةٌ دَعَتْ مَنْ للحروبِ وللنَّدى
فما وَجَدَتْ إِلّا ابْنَ يَحْيَى فَتىً لَهَا
He rent the world with the first call
To Islam, and broke the fetters of disbelief.
مَنِ اخْتَرَقَ الدُّنْيَا لأَوَّلِ دَعْوَةٍ
إِلَى دَعْوَةِ الإِسلامِ فافْتَكَّ غُلَّها
He drove the confederates away from her sanctuary
And grasped the forelocks of tyranny’s lions.
وشَرَّدَ أَحْزابَ العِدى عَنْ حَرِيمِها
وأَدْرَكَ منْ مُسْتَأْسِدِ الكُفْرِ ذَحْلَها
He waved its branches in the sky’s expanse
And rooted its trunk in the soil of glory.
ودَوَّحَ فِي جَوِّ السَّماءِ غُصُونَها
وأَثْبَتَ فِي بَحْبُوحَةِ العِزِّ أَصْلَها
He extended the land with cavalry in pursuit of foes,
Crushing the lands of Bilaad under their hooves.
ومَدَّ هوادِي الخَيْلِ فِي طَلَبِ العِدى
فأَوْطَأَها حَزْنَ البِلادِ وسَهْلَها
How often he ransomed the lowliest soul
With a life all souls of the worlds combined cannot equal!
وكَمْ قَدْ فَدى أَدنى النُّفُوسِ مِنَ القَنا
بِنَفْسٍ نُفُوسُ العالَمِينَ فِدىً لَهَا
If the shining sun could be replaced,
It would be said to it: Descend, make way!
فَلَوْ كَانَ للشَّمْسِ المنيرَةِ دُولَةٌ
بأُخْرى لَقِيلَ اصْعَدْ فَحِلَّ مَحَلَّها
If the stars’ orbits allowed a gap,
It would be said: Take its course and follow!
ولَوْ لَحِقَتْ مَجْرى الكواكِبِ خَلَّةٌ
لَقِيلَ لَهُ سُسْتَ العُلا فَتَوَلَّها
If told: Increase its gifts and seek
Through it more praise from the world, it would decline!
ولَوْ قِيلَ زِدْها فِي هِباتِكَ واسْتَزِدْ
بِهَا الحَمْدَ من هَذَا الوَرى لاسْتَقَلَّها
If it pleased him as adornment,
It would be said: Place the diadem upon your head!
ولَوْ كَانَ يَرْضاها نِظاماً لِزِينَةٍ
لَقِيلَ تَتَوَّجْ زُهْرَها وتَحَلَّها
But refrain, my words are enough for it,
With pendants the stars would not replace.
وأَغْنِ بِهِ عنها وَفِي مَنْطِقِي لَهُ
قلائِدُ لا يَرْضى الكَوَاكِبَ بَدْلَها
Gems the ages hoarded nothing of its like,
Nor the sea gifted the like of its pearls.
جواهرُ لَمْ يَذْخَرْ لَهَا الدَّهْرُ مِثْلَهُ
مَلِيكاً ولا أَهْدى لَهُ البَحْرُ مِثْلَها
I immortalize in it his attributes
That provoke all creation to envy.
أُخَلِّدُ فِيهَا مِنْ نداهُ وبَأْسِهِ
خلائِقَ تَسْتَمْلِي الخلائِقُ فَضْلَها
I entertain thereby pleasant tales to come
By reliving the days of ones now gone.
فتُحْبي لَهَا حُسْنَ الأَحادِيثِ بَعْدَها
بإِحْيائِها أَيَّامَ مَنْ كَانَ قَبْلَها
And I recreate thereby the trace of a benefactor’s days
Who pointed to me the kind glances of grace.
وأُمْلي عَلَى الأَيَّامِ آثارَ مُنْعِمٍ
عَلَيَّ بِعَيْنِ المَكْرُمَاتِ أَمَلَّها
God ordained for me through her the means
To harmonize my words with deeds.
قضى اللهُ لي منها وسائِلَ نِسْبَةٍ
فَأَلَّفَ فِي الأَحْقابِ قَوْلي وفِعْلَها
My praise, pride, panegyric and glory for it,
My thanks, delight, laudation and devotion toward it.
ثنائي وعَلْياها ومَدْحِي وفَخْرَها
وشُكْرِي ونُعْماها وحَمْدي وبَذْلَهَا
O greatest of holidays come together!
You rose over faith and earth as the highest rank.
ويَا عِيدَ أَعْيادٍ توافَتْ فأَشْرَقَتْ
عَلَى الدِّينِ والدُّنيا وكُنتَ أَجَلَّها
You tell of the appointed time and I delight,
You tell of repeated days and I delight.
تُخَبِّرُ عن جَمْعِ المُنى فَتَهَنَّها
وعن عَوْدِ أَعْيادٍ بِهَا فَتَمَلَّها
Your kindness to guests draws near the distant ones,
Your reception of visitors unites those parted.
وبِرُّكَ للأَضْيافِ قَرَّبَ بُعْدَها
وبِشْرُكَ بالزُّوَّارِ أَلَّفَ شَمْلَها
