حسْبِي رِضاكَ من الدهرِ الَّذِي عَتَبا

وجُودُ كَفَّيْكَ للحَظِّ الَّذِي انْقَلَبا

I am content with Your pleasure despite the blames of time,

And the bounty of Your hands is enough for the time that has reversed.

يا مالِكاً أَصبحَتْ كَفِّي وَمَا مَلَكَتْ

ومُهْجَتِي وحَياتِي بَعْضَ مَا وَهَبا

O You who have become the Owner of my palms without possessing them,

And my love and my life which are some of what You have bestowed.

ما أَقْلَعَ الغيثُ إِلّا رَيْثَما خَفَقَتْ

مَجَادِحُ الجودِ من يُمْناكَ فَانْسَكَبا

The rain did not cease but where the bounties from Your right hand gushed,

And good fortune did not go far except what Your glories attract.

ولا نَأَى السَّعْدُ إِلّا وَهْوَ تَجذِبُهُ

شوافِعُ المجدِ عن عَلْيَاكِ فاقْتَرَبا

If enemies supposed it was a setback,

You made up for me positions more sublime.

أَنتَ ارْتَجَعْتَ المنى غُرّاً مُحَجَّلَةً

نحوِي وَقَدْ أَعجَزَتْنِي دُهْمُها هَرَبا

If I lost a paper white as leaf,

You replaced it with gold.

لَئِنْ دَهَتْنِي شَمالاً حَرْجَفاً عَصَفَتْ

بماءِ وَجْهِي لقد أَنشأْتَها سُحُبا

So who can compete with the hands of gratitude if

You have extended to me Your highly hand in days of distress?

لَئِنْ تُنُوسِيَ تحرِيمُ المُحَرَّمِ لي

سَعْياً لعَجْلانَ مَا أَمَّنت لي رَجَبا

And You were his refuge in adversities while

Time shot its arrows and fate cast at him.

أَنَّسْتَنِي بِسَنا الإِصباحِ منبلِجاً

فِي حِينِ أَوْحَشَنِي البدرُ الَّذِي غَرَبَا

And Your justice defended the truth, avenging,

And Your victory returned the injustice of aggression to reckon.

وصَبَّحَتْنِي غَوادٍ منكَ مُغْدِقَةٌ

عن بارِقٍ لِيَ فِي جُنْحِ الظَّلامِ خَبا

Until You made up for him in the straits of the place of stay

A fortune that in the morning is exposed to aggression.

لَئِنْ توهَّمَهُ الأَعداءُ لي نُكَباً

أَنْحَتْ عليَّ لقد عُوِّضْتُها رُتَبا

But Allah willed that You win through it

The best reward and the best consequence with Him.

لَئِنْ فُجِعْتُ بِهَا بيضاءَ من وَرَقٍ

تبأَى عَليَّ لقد أُخْلِفْتُها ذَهَبا

Hands, if I were particularly supported,

You have generalized through them knowledge and literature.

فَمَنْ يباري جوادَ الشُّكْرِ فيكَ وَقَدْ

ناوَلْتَنِي يَدَكَ العلياءَ يومَ كبَا

And bounties have brought me the pride of their glory

And left my enviers captive to what they reaped.

وكنتَ ملجأَهُ فِي النائِباتِ وَقَدْ

سالَ الزمانُ عَلَيْهِ أَسهُماً وظُبى

So if my gratitude falls short of them, they have necessitated

From my good opinion beyond what is required.

وذَبَّ عدلُكَ دونَ الحقِّ منتقِماً

ورَدَّ نصرُكَ ظُلْمَ العِلْمِ مُحْتَسِبا

After the slanderers have ignited strongly

My ribs and entrails were for it firewood.

حَتَّى تلافَيْتَ في ضَنْكِ المقامِ لَهُ

حَظّاً غَدَا بَيْنَ أَيدي الظُّلْمِ مُنْتَهَبَا

And they sneaked for me in the fold of their plots,

A shameful, saddening, old maid.

أَبى لَكَ اللهُ إِلّا أَن تفوزَ بِهَا

خيراً ثواباً وخيراً عندَهُ عُقُبا

Until I was shaken so no ability to compose remained in me

Nor a sword of eloquence erect.

أَيادِياً إِنْ أَكُنْ مخصوصَ نُصْرَتِها

فقد عَمَمْتَ بِهِنَّ العِلْمَ والأَدَبا

And the witnesses of truth shine spreading for me

A light in which the words of the slanderers vanished.

وأَنْعُماً أَكْسَبَتْنِي عزَّ مَفْخَرِها

وغادَرَتْ كاشِحِي رَهْناً بِما كَسَبا

It is inconceivable that the people of earth fail

To attribute pearls to but the clouds of the sea.

فإِنْ يَقَعْ جُهْدُ شكري دونَهُنَّ فقد

أَوْجَبْنَ من حُسْنِ ظَنِّي فَوْقَ مَا وَجَبا

And it is absurd for the roses that they be attributed

To anything but the spring or have other than it for origin.

من بعدِ مَا أَضرم الواشُونَ جَاحِمَةً

كَانَتْ ضلوعي وأَحشائِي لَهَا حَطَبا

To whom do the adornments of sun belong if it adorns itself?

To whom belong the wafts of musk if they are accused of lies?

ودَسَّسُوا لِيَ فِي مَثْنى حبائِلِهِمْ

شنعاءَ بِتُّ بِهَا حَرَّانَ مُكْتَئِبا

And who would deny in the vestiges of his place of descent,

Kneeling, working, or walking away stealthily?

حَتَّى هُزِزْتُ فَلا زَنْدُ القريضِ كَبَا

فيما لَدَيَّ ولا سيفُ البدِيهِ نَبا

And how can I hope in You and not

Match Your praise except with blemish and lies?

وأَشرقتْ شاهِداتُ الحَقِّ تَنْشُرُ لي

نُوراً غَدَتْ فِيهِ أَقوالُ الوُشاةِ هَبا

And of Your blessings I bear less

Than what a rock utters or what a heart hides.

هيهاتَ أَعْجَزَ أَهْلَ الأَرضِ أن يجِدُوا

لِلدُّرِّ غَيْرَ عُبابِ البحرِ مُنْتَسَبا

Far it is for Your decree that I pretend praise

Or present to it the jewels unjustly seized!

وحاشَ لِلْوَرْدِ أَن يُعزى إِلَى رَمَضٍ

وأَن يكونَ لَهُ غيرُ الربيعِ أَبا

But they are ambitions You created with grace

Accompanying my humble ability, so they accompanied each other.

لِمَنْ سَنا الشَّمْسِ إِن أَضْحَتْ مُشكَّلَةً

فِيهِ لِمَنْ نَفَحَاتُ المِسْكِ إِن كُذِبا

And I am not the first who failed the wonders of Yours

That invited this saying from one who assumed or opined.

ومَنْ يُكَذِّبُ فِي آثارِ مَوْقِعِهِ

مُهَنَّداً خَذِماً أَوْ عامِلاً ذَرِبا

Indeed, Imru’ al-Qays is accused in some places,

Yet in his hands is the flag of poetry if it gallops.

وكيفَ يَصْدُقُني منكَ الرَّجَاءُ وَلا

أجْزِي ثَناءَكَ إِلّا المَيْنَ والكَذِبا

And poetry made Al-A’sha a captive and fettered him.

“Drunk,” it is said, “When Al-A’sha drinks.”

ودُونَ مَا أَنا من نُعْماكَ مُحتمِلٌ

مَا أَنْطَقَ الصخر أَوْ مَا أَنْبطَ القُلُبا

And how can I remain silent while my sea is abundant, witty,

To a fancy of the most lucid imagination that is filled?

حاشى لقدرِكَ أَن أُزْجِي الثَّناءَ لَهُ

دَعْوىً وأُهْدِي إِلَيْهِ الدُّرَّ مُغْتَصَبا

So if doubt avoids me or I understand it, here I am,

Prepared for the fine ideas, waiting.

لكنَّها هِمَمٌ أَنْشَأْتَها نِعَماً

تَشاكَها بنفيسِ القَدْرِ فاصْطَحَبا

A servant of Your blessings, in his hands a star of guidance

Proceeding in Your praise, clarifying the doubt and delusion.

ولستُ أَوَّلَ من أَعْيَتْ بدائِعُهُ

فاسْتَدْعَتِ القَوْلَ مِمَّنْ ظَنَّ أَوْ حَسِبا

If You wish, I dictate the wonderful poetry or write,

Or You wish, address in prose or deliver a sermon.

إِنَّ امْرَأَ القَيْسِ فِي بَعْضٍ لَمُتَّهَمٌ

وَفِي يَدَيْهِ لِوَاءُ الشِّعْرِ إِنْ رَكِبا

Like a meadow of beauty, its view presents sadness

And water, flowers, lights and grass.

والشِّعْرُ قَدْ أَسَرَ الأَعشى وقَيَّدَهُ

خُبْراً وَقَدْ قِيلَ والأَعْشى إِذَا شَرِبا

Or surpassed horses, gave settlement generously

And drive, speed, approach and skill.

وكيفَ أَظْما وبحرِي زَاخِرٌ فطناً

إِلَى خيالٍ من الضَّحْضَاحِ قَدْ نَضَبا

I crafted it, my fertile sincerity, dedicated

To You from all hopes pouring.

فَإِنْ نأَى الشَّكُّ عنِّي أَوْ فها أَنا ذا

مُهَيَّأً لِجَليِّ الخُبْرِ مُرْتَقِبا

So it is deserved for knowledge to bloom by it elated

And deserved for poetry to chirp by it enchanted.

عَبْدٌ لِنُعماكَ فِي كَفَّيْهِ نَجْمُ هُدىً

سارٍ بِمَدْحِكَ يَجْلُو الشَّكَّ والرِّيَبا

Time then refrained from a polite young man

Who befriended glory, possessions and Arabs.

إِن شِئْتَ أَمْلى بَدِيعَ الشِّعْرِ أَوْ كَتَبا

أَوْ شئتَ خاطَبَ بالمنثورِ أَوْ خَطَبا

And wishes granted him from Khumayr a hope

And nobility tied him to the origin of ‘Amir.

كَرَوْضَةِ الحَزْنِ أَهْدى الوشْيَ مَنْظَرُها

والماءَ والزَّهْرَ والأَنوارَ والعُشُبا

So death with curved nose became my homeland

And the highest call my lineage.

أَوْ سابَقَ الخيلَ أَعْطى الحُضْرَ مُتَّئِداً

والشَّدَّ والكَرَّ والتَّقْرِيبَ والخَببَا

And a land has been eased for me, ripening its fruit,

And a sky has shaded me, filled with meteors.

سَبَكْتُهُ عامِريَّ السِّنْخِ مُنْقَطِعاً

إِلَيْكَ من سائِرِ الآمالِ مُنْقَضِبا

And I have found—God forbid—security

In the care of the Supported King from what worries.

فَحَقَّ للعلمِ أَن يُزْهى بِهِ فَرَحاً

وحقَّ للشعرِ أن يَشْدُو بِهِ طَرَبا

From the evil of my envious enemies when they envy

And the evil of the gloomy days of mine when they pass.

فأَحْجَمَ الدهرُ مِنِّي عن فَتى أَدَبٍ

قَدْ حالَفَ العِزَّ والأَملاكَ والعَرَبا

So a king who is used to humiliating the formidable armies dispelled from me

The parties of enmity energetically with fervor.

وبَلَّغَتْهُ المُنى من حِمْيَرٍ أَمَلاً

وأَعلَقَتْهُ العُلا من عامِرٍ سَبَبَا

And leaves the tyrannous king divested

Of his gown of height and honor, seized.

فأَضْحَتِ المُنْيَةُ الغَرَّاءُ لي وَطَناً

وأَضْحَتِ الدعوةُ العَلْياءُ لي نَسَبا

Adorned with the wild beasts of earth, enraged,

And feeling in his interior disturbance, scratched.

وذُلِّلَتْ ليَ أرضٌ أَيْنَعَتْ ثَمَراً

وظلَّلَتْنِي سماءٌ مُلِّئَتْ شُهُبا

And the leader of steeds, his great number’s cloud

Filled the atmosphere, and the land fears his calamities.

وَقَدْ وَجَدْتُ عياذَ اللهِ أَمَّنَني

فِي ذِمَّةِ المَلِكِ المنصورِ مَا حَزَبا

And the elite of God from the supporters of His call

And those who have qualified themselves for supporting the religion, and have been chosen.

من شَرِّ تَشْغِيبِ حُسَّادِي إِذَا حَسَدُوا

وشَرِّ غاسِقِ أَيَّامِي إِذَا وَقَبا

Fulfilling the highest positions, throughout times,

And the heir of kingship, Qahtan, a father after a father.

وفَلَّ عَنِّيَ أَحزابَ العِدى مَلِكٌ

مُعَوَّدٌ أن يَفُلَّ الجحفلَ اللجِبا

Where the pride of Ishmael originates in his ancestors,

Hud and where Khandaf and Saba have converged.

ويَتْركَ المَلِكَ الجَبَّارَ مُخْتَلَعاً

عنهُ رِداء العُلا والعِزِّ مُسْتَلَبا

From every clan, advancing with glory laden

And independently with the crown of kingship seized.

مُجدَّلاً بِجُنُوبِ الأَرْضِ مُنْعَفِراً

ومُشْعَراً بِنَجِيعِ الجَوْفِ مُخْتَضَبا

Destiny has cast unto his hand its crisis,

So he won the earth for his kingdom and dignity for pride.

وقائِدُ الخيلِ عَمَّ الجوَّ عِثْيَرُها

ومادَتِ الأَرْضُ من أَهوالِها رُعُبا

Scornful of the clouds of sea when it grants

And disdainful with the pillar of forbearance when wrathful.

وصفوةُ اللهِ مِنْ أَنصارِ دَعْوَتِهِ

ومن تَنْقَّى لنصرِ الدِّينِ وانْتَخَبا

As if he and wishes race to his hand,

A loved one wafting from the beloved’s scent the morning breeze.

مُوفٍ عَلَى الرُّتَبِ القُصْوى مدىً فَمدىً

ووارِثُ المُلْكِ قحطاناً أَباً فَأَبا

So thank, O Mansur, the hand of God

By which you have dispelled my sorrows and distresses!

حَيْثُ اعْتَزَى فَخْرُ إِسماعِيلَ فِي سَلَفَيْ

هُودٍ وحيثُ تلاقَتْ خِنْدِفٌ وسَبا

And so often when the world seeked refuge in your rights

From an ordeal that hurt, you were the most unshakeable refuge!

من كُلِّ قَرْمٍ غَدا بالمجدِ مُشْتَمِلاً

ومُسْتَقِلّاً بتاجِ المُلْكِ مُعْتَصِبا

And how can one be disappointed by you of what one aspires

Or lack in your hands what one demands?

أَلقَتْ إِلَى يدِهِ الدُّنيا أَزِمَّتَها

فأَحرزَ الأَرْضَ مُلْكاً والعُلا حَسَبا

For you have become to the hopes of mankind a pillar

And you have become for the spheres of heights an axis!

مُسْتَحْقِرٌ لِعُبَابِ البَحْرِ إِنْ وَهَبَا

ومُسْتَكِنٌّ بِرُكْنِ الحِلْمِ إِنْ غَضِبا

You are the sea of favour which will never lack sweetness,

And you are the party of guidance which will never lack conquest!

كَأَنَّهُ والمُنى تَسعى إِلَى يَدِهِ

صَبٌّ تَنَسَّمَ من نَحْوِ الحبيبِ صَبا

فَلْيَشْكُرِ اللهَ يَا مَنْصورُ مِنكَ يَداً

كَشَفْتَ عَنِّي بِهَا الأَحزانَ والكُرَبا

وطالَمَا لاذَتِ الدُّنيا بِحِقْوِكِ مِنْ

خَطْبٍ أَلَمَّ فَكُنْتَ المَعْقِلَ الأَشِبا

وكيفَ يُخلِفُ مِنكَ الظَّنُّ مَا رَغِبا

أَوْ يُعْوِزُ المَجْدَ فِي كَفَّيْكَ مَا طَلَبَا

وَقَدْ غَدَوْتَ لآمالِ الوَرى أَمَداً

وَقَدْ غَدَوْتَ لأَفلاكِ العُلا قُطُبا

وأَنْتَ بَحْرُ الندى لَمْ يَأْلُ أَنْ عَذُبا

وأَنتَ حِزْبُ الهُدى لَمْ يَعْدُ أَنْ غَلَبا