بُشرايَ دالَت دَولَةُ المَعصومِ
بِحَيا العُفاةِ وَنُصرَةِ المَظلومِ
My glad tidings announced the state of the infallible one
With the life of the chaste and the aid of the oppressed
بِقُدومِ إِبراهيمَ سَيِّدِنا الرَضا
قَدِمَت وُفودُ السَعدِ خَيرَ قُدومِ
With the arrival of Ibrahim, our master Al-Reza
The delegations of good fortune arrived in the best arrival
حَيَّت مُحَيّاهُ المَواسِمُ وَالتَقَت
مِنهُ العُيونُ عَلى أَغَرَّ وَسيمِ
The seasons greeted his greetings, and from him
The eyes attained the most charming and beautiful
وَتَحَدَّثَ الحَيُّ الجَميعُ بِقُربِهِ
فَتَرَوَّحوا في نَضرَةٍ وَنَعيمِ
The living all spoke of his nearness
So they found refreshment and bliss
قَالظِلُّ مَمدودٌ كَأَنّا في ذُرى
عَدنٍ بِهِ وَالشُربُ مِن تَسنيمِ
The shade said it is as if we are in the meadows
Of Eden through him, and drinking from the breeze
وَالأَرضُ واجِفَةٌ وَما رَجَفاتُها
إِلّا لِاَنَّ بِها قُلوبَ الرومِ
And the earth shaking, though its tremors
Are only for the hearts of Rome within it
شَهِدَ الزَبورُ بِها وَلِآلَهُ
فَضلاً عَلى المَنثورِ وَالمَنظومِ
The Psalms testified to it and its wonders
With favor over the prose and the poetry
عَذُبَت مَوارِدُ جودِهِ فَلَو أَنَّني
أورِدتُها لَشَرِبتُ شُربَ الهِيَمِ
The streams of his generosity were sweet, if only
I attained them I would drink like the insane
حاوَلتُ مِدحَتَهُ فَبِتُّ بِلَيلَةٍ
ما لَيلُ مَهجورٍ وَلَيلُ سَليمِ
I attempted to praise him, so I spent a night
That is no wretched night, nor wholesome night
تَبِتُ القَوافي في يَدي فَأَنَسُّها
بِجَلالِهِ فَتَفِرُّ مِن تَنظيمِ
The rhymes stick in my hand, so I appease them
With his majesty, yet they flee from composition
حَتّى كَأَنّي مُفحَمٌ أَو أَنَّ بي
عِياً وَذاكَ العَيُّ غَيرُ ذَميمِ
It's as if I'm confounded, or that in me
Is some feebleness, though not despicable
وَلَقَد وَثِقتُ بِحِلمِهِ فَنَظَمتُها
سَعياً لَعَمرُكَ لَيسَ بِالمَذمومِ
And I trusted in his forbearance, so I composed it
Hoping for your life that is no objectionable
مَدحُ الأَميرِ اِبنِ الخَليفَةِ قُربَةٌ
لِلَهِ كَالتَكبيرِ وَالتَعظيمِ
Praise of the Emir, son of the Caliph, is a divine duty
Like glorification and exaltation
قُل لِلَّذي شادَ النَسيبُ مُقَدِّماً
مَدحُ الأَميرِ أَحَقُّ بِالتَقديمِ
Tell the one who lauded lineage, putting it first
Praise of the Emir is more deserving to be first
فَإِذا طَرِبتَ إِلى النَسيبِ فَنَفتَةٌ
بَعدَ الصَلاةِ عَلى ذَوي المَعصومِ
So when you incline towards lineage, a slight
After prayers upon the household of the infallible
وَإِذا بَلَغتَ إِلى الخِيامِ فَبَلِّغَن
مِنّي الخِيامَ وَدائِعَ التَسليمِ
And when you reach the tents, convey from me
To the tents my greetings and farewells
لَهفي عَلى حَيِّ حَلا قَوَّضوا
خِيَمَ الرُبا لِبِناءِ خَيمِ الخِيِمِ
I yearn for the living encampment which ruined
The tents of monasticism to build the tents of tents
وَمَضَوا وَلَو أَنَّ النُجومَ نَواظِرٌ
عاروا عُيونَ الشُهبِ بِالتَغييمِ
And they went, and if the stars were watchful
They would shame the eyes of comets with winking
وَلَأَنَّ عَينَ الشَمسِ عَينٌ رَفَّعوا
ظُلَلَ العَجاجِ عَلى العِمادِ الكُومِ
And if the eye of the sun were not an elevated eye
They would have raised the shadows of bats on pillars of sand
لاثوا مُدَثَّرَةَ السُجوفِ وَظَلّوا
فَوقض الخُدوجِ عَلى شَقيقَةِ ريمِ
They clung to the spheres' dresses, remaining
Above the Pleiades, next to the celestial Aldebaran
قَمَرُ الجَمالِ فَسَل بِها وَبِخِدرِها
مِن هالَةٍ مَحفوفَةٍ بِنُجومِ
The moon of beauty set among them, surrounded
By a halo enveloped in stars
جَرَّبتُ لَذّاتِ النُفوسِ فَلا أَرى
كَالرَكبِ يَخبِطُ في حَشى الدَيمومِ
I tried the tastes of souls, but I see nothing
Like the riding camels kneading in the innards of the sands
مُتَرَنِّمينَ عَلى ذُرى كيرانِهِم
وَصَريرُها بَدلٌ مِنَ التَرنيمِ
Chanting over the remains of their resting abodes
And its hissing instead of chanting
قي كُلِّ طامِسَةِ الصُوى لا يَهتَدي
فيها الدَليلُ بِمَعلَمٍ مَعلومِ
In every dark tent, the guide cannot be guided
By a known landmark
كانَت صَحائِفُ قَفرٍ غُفلاً فَقَد
رَسَمَ السُرى وَخَدّي بِها وَرَسيمي
The pages of the desert were neglectfully empty
Until he drew its features and my cheek and tattoo
قُل لِلمَطِيِّ تَجَلُّدي لا بُدَّ مِن
صِنوِ الخَليفَةِ فَاِقعُدي أَو قومي
Tell the rider: have patience, you must
Protect the Caliph, so stay or get up
سيري عَلى اِسمِ اللَهِ في اَمَلي فَقَد
ضَمِنَ المَطالِبَ جودُ إِبراهيمِ
Travel in God's name in my hopes, for
His generosity has guaranteed requests
سيري إِلى مَلكٍ رَضىً في مالِهِ
حَقٌّ لِسائِلِهِ وَلِلمَحرومِ
Travel to a king who is pleased with his riches
A right for the beseecher and the deprived
القائِدِ الخَيلَ العِتاقَ كَأَنَّها
سيدانَ رَملٍ أَو نُجومِ رُجومِ
The leader of horses as if they are
Lords of the sand or stars of shooting stars
فيها قَتاتُ الطَيرِ يُرتَعُ بِالضُحى
وَلَها اِنقِضاضَةُ لِقوَةٍ يَحمومِ
Among them the birds of prey roam at dawn
And they have the ferocity of an ardent zeal
نَضَحَ الحَميمُ جُلودَها فَتَضَوَّعَت
فَكَأَنَّ مِسكاً رَشحُ كُلِّ أَديمِ
Passion imbued their skin so they took on
The scent of musk dripping from every leather
مِن كُلِّ وَردٍ خاضَ بَحراً مِن دَمٍ
فَنَجا بِلَونِ الأَحمَرِ المَذمومِ
From every rose that swam in a sea of blood
And emerged in red color, which is despised
أَو أَشقَرٍ غَشَّتهُ شَمسُ جَبينِهِ
شَفَقاً وَعِطفاهُ هُبوبُ نَسيمِ
Or blond which the sun of its forehead covered
With sunset glow, and its sides with the blowing of breeze
أَو أَصهَبٍ شَرِبَ المُدامَ أَديمُهُ
فَأَقَلَّ فارِسَهُ بِرَسمٍ قَديمِ
Or gray which drank wine until its hide
Lightened its rider with an old inscription
أَو أَشهَبٍ رَقَمَت قَراطيسُ جِلدِهِ
فَأَتى الوَغى بِكِتابِهِ المَرقومِ
Or dappled which the pages of its skin recorded
So chaos brought its dotted book
أَو أَبلَقٍ كَالقَدحِ يَحسِبُ أَنَّهُ
قَد قُلَّدَت مِنهُ الوَغى بِبَريمِ
Or sorrel which darkness cast its covers
From it over an eyelid flaming with stupidity
أَو أَدهَمٍ أَرخى الظَلامُ سُدولَهُ
مِنهُ عَلى طِرفٍ أَحَمَّ بَهيمِ
Or bay which the darkness distributed its mantles
From it over a flaming eyelid with ignorance
خَيلُ الأَميرِ أَعدَّها فَكِلاهُما
خَلَفٌ مِنَ النُعمانِ وَاليَحمومِ
The Emir's horses, both are a remainder
From An-Nu'man and Al-Yahmum
يا خَيلَ مَولانا أَبيني حالَةً
فَلَقَد خَلَطتِ الظَمرَ بِالتَطهيمِ
Oh horses of our master, show me a condition
For you have mixed exertion with relaxation
أَمَعَ الأَعِنَّةَ تَمرَحينَ تَجاذُباً
وَعَلى الكَتيبَةِ شِدَّةُ التَصميمِ
Are you frolicking with the she-camels, pulling
While determination is intense for the brigade?
إِن كُنتِ غِزلانَ الصَريمَةِ فَاِسنَحي
أَو كُنتِ عِقبانَ السَراءِ فَحومي
If you are the deer of meadows then frolic
Or if you are the eagles of the plains then soar
لَمّا اِستَهَل بِها الثُغورَ صَوارِخاً
طَلَعَت طُلوعَ العارِضِ المَركومِ
When it raided the borders with warriors
It rose like the rising of a slated new moon
تَقَعُ السَنابِكُ بِالصَفا فَتَرى بِهِ
آثارَها كَالطابَعِ المَختومِ
The swords in the sheaths- if seen
Their marks are like the sealed imprint
قالَت جُموعُ الرومِ حينَ وَطِئتَهُم
وَيلٌ لِبيضِ رُؤوسِنا المَخطومِ
The throngs of Romans said when you trampled them
Woe to our white doomed heads
فيها بُروقُ المَشرَفِيَّةِ لُمَّعاً
تَعِدُ الكُماةُ بِجَحفَلٍ مَهزومِ
Among them the swords of Mashrafiyya gleaming
Promising defeat for the companies with ruin
وَالزاعِبِيَّةُ كُلُّ صِلِّ مُطرِقِ
شَرِهٍ لِسَدِّ المُهجَةِ المَكتومِ
And the Za'abiya, every hanging sword
Is evil to block the gaping wounds
وَالخافِقاتِ كَأَنَّ أَفئِدَةَ العِدى
أَكسَبنَها الخَفَقانَ بِالتَعليمِ
And the swaying banners, as if the hearts of enemies
Taught them swaying with teaching
وَالمُسرَداتُ مِنَ الدِلاصِ كَأَنَّها
عَرضُ السَلامَةِ رَدَّ لِلتَحسيمِ
And the fluttering, from the coats of mail as if they are
The presentation of wellbeing, returned for finalizing
وَأَراكَ في الجَيشِ اللَهامِ وَأَهلِهِ
قَلباً يُصانُ بُجُؤجُؤٍ وَحَزيمِ
And I see you in the brave army and its people
A heart protected by the mail coat and resolute
وَلَو اِنفَرَدَت مِنَ الفَوارِسِ لِلعِدى
لَهَزَمتَهُم بِالآيِ مِن حاميمِ
And if you singled out against the enemy
You would defeat them with the decisive verses
إِنَّ الإِمامَ رَآكَ في أَعمالِهِ
كَالبَدرِ يَسطَعُ لَيلَةَ التَتميمِ
Indeed, the Imam saw you in your deeds
Like the moon shining on the night of conjuring
فَرَمى ظَلامَ الظُلمِ مِنكَ بِنَيِّرٍ
عَدلٍ رَؤوفٍ بِالعِبادِ رَحيمِ
So he cast out the darkness of injustice with you, with justice
Kind to the servants, merciful
يَقِظٍ نِقابُ ظُنونِهِ كَيَقينِهِ
إِنَّ العُلومَ نَتائِجُ التَرجيمِ
Awake, the veil of his assumptions like his certainty
Indeed, knowledge is the result of conjecture
باتَ الطُغاةَ عَلى المَضاجِعِ غُفَّلاً
عَمّا يُرادُ وَباتَ غَيرَ نَؤومِ
The tyrants slept negligently unconcerned
With what is intended, while he slept not inattentive
تأَبى السِياسَةُ أِن يُهَوِّمَ ساعَةً
أَنّى تَحامي المُلكِ بِالتَهويمِ
Politics refused to worry for an hour
However it guards the kingdom with concern
وَهوَ الحَكيمُ يَزينُهُ سَفَهُ الوَغى
إِنَّ الحَليمَ هُنلاكَ غَيرُ حَليمِ
And he is the wise one, adorned by the ignorance of chaos
Indeed, the forbearing one, there, is not forbearing
بَشِّر يَتامى المُسلِمينَ بِوالِدٍ
مِنهُ يَحوطُ ذِمارَ كُلِّ يَتيمِ
Give glad tidings to the orphans of the Muslims, of a father
From whom surrounds the affairs of every orphan
وَالمُمحِلاتُ مِنَ البِلادِ بَوابِلٍ
مِن جودِهِ يُحيي الأَنامَ سُجومِ
And the places of migration with downpours
Of his generosity, reviving the people, solemn
وَلتُنذِرِ الرومَ الطُغاةَ بِعاصِفٍ
مِن باسِهِ مِثلَ الدَبورِ عَقيمِ
And let it warn the Roman tyrants with a storm
Like locusts from his might, barren
ظَنّوا بِهِ قَد زارَهُم مُتَوَشَّحاً
بِنِجادِ عَضبِ الشَفرَتَينِ صَميمِ
They thought he visited them cloaked
In the armor of the wrath of the two sharp edges
في عُصبَةِ التَوحيدِ يَقدُمُهُم بِأُب
بَهَةٍ الجَلالِ في حُلى التَكريمِ
In the party of Monotheism, he precedes them with the Father
Of majesty's ornaments in the garb of honor
يَرتَدُّ طَرفُ العَينِ عَنهُ مَهابَةً
وَيَجِلُّ لَولا الحِلمُ عَن تَكليمِ
The glance turns away from him in awe
And is humbled, if not for forbearance, from speaking
فَإِذا تَنادَينا بِحَضرَتِهِ رَوَت
عَنّا النُحاةُ غَرائِبَ التَرخيمِ
So when we call upon him, the rhetoricians relate to us
Wonders of ululation
وَإِذا رَأَو جَريَ القَضاءِ بِأَمرِهِ
فَهِموا يَقينَ الحَزمِ وَالمَحزومِ
And when they see the course of justice by his order
They understand the certainty of decisiveness and the decisive
كَم ذا أُفَضِّلُ مَدحَهُ وَلَو أَنَّني
كُنتُ اِبنَ صَفوانٍ خَطيبَ تَميمِ
How can I prefer praising him? And if I were
The son of Safwan, the orator of Tamim
لَعَجِزتُ عَن وَصفِ الأَميرِ وَإِنَّما
يومي الخَديمُ بِمَقصِدٍ مَفهومِ
I would be incapable of describing the Emir, truly
My day is a servant for an understood purpose
أَجِدُ الثَناءَ عَلَيهِ يَعغدِلُ حَجَّةً
وَعَلى ذَويهِ كَعُمرَةِ التَنعيمِ
I find praise of him equates an argument
And upon his family like performing Umrah
إِنَّ القَوافي ذو تقِلُّ لِقَدر ِهِ
لِيَقِلُّ عَنها قَدرُ كُلِّ عَظيمِ
Indeed, the rhymes are too few for his worth
So the worth of every great one diminishes through them
إن كُنَّ دُراً فَهيَ مِن تَنظيمي
أَو كُنَّ زُهراً فَهيَ مِن تَنجيمي
If they are pearls, then they are of my stringing
Or if they are flowers, then they are of my gathering
وَإِذا اِنتَسَبنَ نمينَ أَكَرمَ مَعشَرٍ
مِن آلٍ قَحطانٍ وَأَشرَفِ خيمِ
And when they claim the lineage of the best tribe
Of Qahtan's descendants and the noblest encampment
صَدَفِيَّةٌ كِندِيَّةٌ تَرعى المُنى
فَلَرُبَّما أَكَلَت مُرارَ سُمومي
Wandering she-camels feeding wishes
So sometimes they eat my bitter poison
دُفِنَت بِأَنقَرَةٍ مَعَ الضَليلِ
فَاِستَخرَجتُها مِن ثَوبِهِ المَسمومِ
Buried in Ankara with the lost
I extracted it from its poisoned garb
عَرَبِيَّةٌ في بُقعَةٍ عَجَمِيَّةٍ
فَرَّت إِلى صَدري مِنَ التَعجيمِ
An Arabian in a non-Arab land
It escaped to my chest from foreignness
فَمَنِ اِدَّعى السِحرَ الحَرامَ فَإِنَّني
بِحَلالِ هَذا السِحرِ حَقُّ زَعيمِ
Whoever claims sorcery, I by the lawfulness
Of this sorcery, am truly its champion
وَإِلى أَبي إِسحاقَ مَولانا الرِضى
يا نَفسُ أُمّي جَلَّ مِن مَأمومِ
And to my father Ishaq, our master Ar-Rida
Oh my soul's mother, glory to the worshipped
وَخُذي أَماناً مِن زَمانِكِ عِندَهُ
فَلَقَد أَجازَ عَلَيكِ حُكمُ ظَلومِ
And take safety in his era for yourself
For the rule of injustice has passed over you
مَن مُبلِغٌ عَنّي الخُطوبَ بِأَنَّني
آوي لِرُكنٍ لَيسَ بِالمَهدومِ
Who can convey from me the news that I
Take refuge in a pillar that is not demolished?
فاتَ الغِنى كَفّي فَكَم مِن حاسِدٍ
فَرِحٍ وَكِم مِن صاحِبٍ مَهمومِ
Wealth slipped from my hand, so how many enviers
Are delighted, and how many friends are worried?
فَطَلَبتُ جَدواهُ لِيَحدِقَني غِنىً
سَيّانَ فيهِ حاسِدي وَحَميمي
So I sought his bounty to bestow wealth upon me
The same for my envier or intimate
وَرَجَوتُ خِدمَتَهُ لِيَخدِمَني الوَرى
فَأفوزَ بِاِسمِ الخادِمِ المَخدومِ
And I hoped for his service to serve me the people
And I attain the name of the served servant
