مُتَيَّمٌ مُتْلَفٌ تَلَدُّدُهُ

بانَ لِبَيْنِ الْهَوَى تَجَلُّدُهُ

A lover consumed, tormented by his yearning,

Its intensity plain in amorous passion's burn.

طَالَ عَلَيْهِ مَدَى الصُّدُودِ فَمَا

يُبْصِرُهُ مِنْ ضَنَاهُ عُوَّدُهُ

His loved one remains beyond reach, distant,

While his myopic blindness veils all sight.

قَدْ كَتَبَ الْحُبُّ بِالسَّقَامِ لَهُ

فَضَمَّهُ مَنْ أَتَى يُفَنِّدُهُ

Love wrote illness into his fate's book;

Whoever came near was drawn into his void.

أَوْرَدَهُ الْحَتْفَ مَارِدٌ غَنِجٌ

زَادَ عَلَى حُسْنِهِ تَمَرُّدُهُ

Death—relentless, harsh—casts him into peril:

Now even his beauty adds to obstinacy.

يَكَادُ مِنْ لِينِهِ وَرِقَّتِهِ

تَحِلُّهُ لَحْظَتِي وَتَعْقُدُهُ

His soft loveliness, his delicate being

Tempt my gaze to settle, hold me rapt.

قَد ارْتَدَتْ بِالجَمَالِ جُمْلَتُهُ

كَمَا ارتَدى بالنَّدَى مُحَمَّدُهُ

His grace and beauty match one another,

As dew reflected the sheen of Muhammad's face.

خَلِيفَةٌ أُكْمِلَتْ فَضَائِلُهُ

فَفَرْعُهُ طَيِّبٌ وَمَحْتِدُهُ

A Caliph complete in his virtues: his scion

Is sweet smelling, guided by what's right.

تَعَبَّدَ المَجْدَ فَهوَ يَمْلِكُهُ

طَارِفُهُ عِنْدَهُ وَمُتْلَدُهُ

Glory he worships; it obeys his hands.

Pleasure, music and song are his familiars.

قَدْ رَضِيَ الرَّاضِيَ الإِلهُ لإصْ

لاَحِ زَمَانٍ سِوَاهُ مُفْسِدُهُ

Content is his Lord with setting right

An age that only vandals make crooked.

فَهوَ بِتَفْوِيضِهِ الأُمورَ إلَى ال

لَهِ بِحُسْنِ التَّوْفِيقِ يَعْضُدُهُ

So governance rendered to God lends him support

In wisdom, excellence, divine guidance.

أَما تَرَى مَا كَفَاهُ مِنْ خَطَرٍ

غَائِرُهُ مُعْجِزٌ وَمُنْجِدُهُ

Don't you see what danger his feats overcame?

The profound secured, his aid is revealed.

لاَ يَبْلُغُ الْفِكْرُ كَشْفَ غُمَّتِهِ

يَعُومُ فِي حَيْرَةٍ تُرَدِّدُهُ

Thought cannot penetrate his feat's secret.

Bewildered, it falters, struggles onward.

وَهوَ عَلَيْهِ فِي ذاكَ مُتَّكِلٌ

يَشْكُرُ إحْسَانَهُ وَيَحْمَدُهُ

But he through trust in God remains confident,

Thanking His grace, praising glorious signs,

وَلَنْ يُضِيعَ الإِلهُ مُلْتَجِئاً

إلَيْهِ فِي الْخَطْبِ بَلْ مُؤَيِّدُهُ

Sure God will not abandon one who pleads

In hardship—no, He sends forces to back him!

يَسِلُّ رَأْياً كَالسَّيْفِ وَقْفَتُهُ

وَيَحْتَوِي سَيْفَهُ وَيُغْمدُهُ

Keen strategy pours from him like a sword thrust;

He sheathes his blade once disorder is quelled.

تَمَسُّكاً فِيهِ بِالْوَفَاءَ وَمَا

تَقْصُرُ عَمَّا يُرِيدُهُ يَدُهُ

Loyalty his weapon, his hands strive unstinting

Toward each purpose at which they aim.

كفَايَةُ اللهِ تَسْتَطِيفُ بِهِ

تُنْحِسُ أَعْدَاءَهُ وَتُسْعِدُهُ

God's sufficiency raids to aid its champion,

Route his enemies, secure his fortune.

أَوْحَدَهُ اللهُ فِي فَضائِلِهِ

فَهوَ مِنْ بَدْءِ الْكَمَالِ أَوْجَدَهُ

Matchless in virtue, God made him unique

From the first A guide on ascendance's path

جَرَى عَلَى الصُّنْعِ وَالسَّعَادَة وَالْ

يُمْنِ لَهُ سَيْرُهُ وَمَقْصَدُهُ

Fate poured on him artistry, bliss, divine guidance So his course and his goal ring with music

His armies pressed round him like Badr's full moon

جُيُوشُهُ حَوْلَهُ كَمَا حَدَقَتْ

بِالْبَدْرِ بَدْرِ التَّمَامِ أَسْعُدُهُ

Glowing perfect with forces about it

Ruled by his Counsellor's probity, wisdom,

يَسُوسُهُمْ بِالسَّدَادِ حَاجِبُهُ

وَهُوَ بآرَائِهِ يُسَدِّدُهُ

While the Amīr's own views give guidance

As if the Amīr were God's regent on earth

كَأَنَّهُ منْهُ لَيْسَ يَبْعُدُ أَنْ

يُشبِهَ مَوْلَىً في الْعِزِّ أَعْبُدُهُ

Whom the noblest of nobles worship

But his ambition exceeds slackness like the curve

لَكِنَّهُ فَايِتٌ بِهِمَّتِهِ

كَمَا يَفُوتُ الهِلاَلَ فَرْقَدُهُ

Of the crescent whose bend outpaces stillness

What gushing torrent with froth can compare

وَأَيْنَ مِنْ زَاخِرِ العُبابِ صَرىً

يُحْفِي إذا جَاشَ فِيهِ مُزْبِدُهُ

To an intelligent man whose thoughts pour clear?

Bright his mind: trailing ideas never dimmed it.

أَرَى ذَكِيّاً ذَكَتْ خَوَاطِرُهُ

فَلَمْ يَخُنْ فَهْمَهُ مُتَلِّدُهُ

A flaming sword for whoever disobeyed,

Extinguishing rebellion, restraining chaos.

سَيْفٌ عَلَى مَنْ عَصَاكَ مُتَّقِدٌ

تُطْفِي بِهِ طُغْيَانَهُ وَتُغْمِدُهُ

Best of refuges! All hopes are placed in you,

Excelled by none in your starting charity

يا خَيْرَ مَنْ لاَذَ ذُو الرَّجَاءِ بِهِ

وَخَيْرَ مَنْ بالنَّوالِ يَرْفِدُهُ

You exceed limitation; trust your promise.

وَمَنْ يَفُوتُ الْمُنَى تَطَوُّلُهُ

وَيَقْتَضِيهِ الإنْجَازَ مَوْعِدُهُ

Your wealth flows toward us, forwarded

By carriers who quicken, never tire.

أَمْوالُهُ نَحْوَنا مُوَجَّهَةٌ

بِنائِلٍ لاَ تُحَثُّ وُرَّدُهُ

Through you our state and status are raised.

يُعْلَى لَنا الحالُ والمَحَلُّ بِهِ

فَلاَ سُؤالٌ لَهُ نُرَدِّدُهُ

No need to repeat, confirm every claim!

If worship of servants were permitted for other

لَوْ جازَ أَنْ يَعْبُدَ العِبادُ سِوَى الْ

خالِقِ كُنَّا لِلْبِرِّ نَعْبُدُهُ

Than Creator, then yours would be ours!

Your servant, whose devotion you know well:

عَبْدُكَ مَنْ قَدْ عَرَفْتَ نيَّتَهُ

لَمْ ينْتَقصْ ساعَةً تَوَدُّدُهُ

Never has he failed, or curbed earnest suit.

Asks only his master see clear the perspective

يَسْألُ أَنْ يَسْتَبِينَ سَيِّدُهُ ال

رأْيَ بِفِكْرٍ لَهُ يُحَدِّدُهُ

Thought yields, clarify ambiguities.

Lover of sheathed swords, bloodshed's staunch critic:

وَمُؤَثِرُ الْحَقْنِ للدِّماءِ فَقَدْ

تَاقَتْ إلَيْهِ لِلْعَيْثِ شُرَّدُهُ

Havoc itself seeks the safety he provides.

Confident of obedience's blessing, he'll shoulder

مُسْتَيْقناً نِعْمَةَ الْمُطِيعِ لَهُ

يَحْمِلُ مَا فِي الضَّمانِ يَعْقدُهُ

Vows that settle what words themselves invite.

His guarantee holds good, no fear of excess

يَقْبَلُ فِيهِ ضَمَانَ مَوْعِدِهِ

فَلَيْسَ يُخْشَى مِنْهُ تَزَيُّدُهُ

If he states intent, soon guidance prompts amend.

Each moment's crisis carries unique shape.

إِنْ قَالَ قَوْلاً وَفَّى بِهِ عَجِلاً

يَهْدِيهِ لِلرَّأْيِ فِيهِ أَرْشَدُهُ

This consigns acts, while the next prohibits them.

Grace today sanctions a wish, unlike tomorrow.

فَكُلُّ وَقْتٍ لَهُ شَرِيطَتُهُ

يُصْدِرُ هذَا مَا ذَاكَ يُورِدُهُ

Every region in the land kindles with fury,

As chaos and discord spread through the country.

قَدْ يَسْمَحُ الْيَوْمَ بِالْمُرَادِ وَلاَ

يُشْبِهُهُ فِي سَماحِهِ غَدُهُ

Some gain their aim, while wings burn others raise.

Together, once authority's bridle restrains them,

فِي كُلِّ صُقْعٍ مِنَ الْبِلادِ لَظىً

مُسَعَّرٌ وَالغُواةُ تُوقِدُهُ

Humbled, clutching the bit between their teeth,

This one and that plead in mutually assured

فَانْ نَجا بَعْضُها بِمَقْصِدِهِ

هُدَّ مِنَ الْبَعْضِ ما يُشَيِّدُهُ

Confirmation the Amīr provides both needs.

The obstinate warden may spark to rebellion,

وَكُلُّهُمْ إِنْ أَقَامَ فِي يَدِهِ

خِطامُهُ صَاغِراً وَمِقْوَدُهُ

Only to have mighty armies quell intent,

Till the rebellious kneel in loyal obedience,

يَطْلُبُ هَذَا ما ذاكَ يَطْلُبُهُ

بِشافِعٍ عِنْدَهُ يُؤَكِّدُهُ

Renewing a troth that respect renders valid.

Baghdad, fortress home of kings, secures them

قَدْ يَسْتَحِيلُ الْوَلِيُّ ذَا عَنَتٍ

تُقْدَحُ بِالْغِشِّ مِنْهُ أَزْنُدُهُ

Against danger no invading army could breach.

While her inhabitants war drains resources;

وَيُصْبِحُ المخْلِقُ الْوَلاَءَ لَهُ

مِنْ طَاعَةٍ ثابِتٍ تُجَدِّدُهُ

No treasury remains to finance further need!

What other land matches hers for a ruler

بَغْدادُ حِصْنُ الْمُلُوكِ تُؤْمِنُهُمْ

مِنْ كُلِّ بَاغٍ يُخْشَى تَوَرُّدُهُ

Guarding effectively what he solidifies?

Name no alternate, for hers has the best

وَأَهْلُها فِي الْخُطُوبِ جَيْشُهُمُ

بِغَيْرِ رِزْقٍ لِلْجَيْشِ يَنْقُدُهُ

Course of governance; praise be to Aḥmad!

Final authority resides with one long known

فَأَيْنَ لاَ أَيْنَ مِثْلُهَا بَلَدٌ

بِحافِظٍ مُلْكُهُ يُؤَكِّدُهُ

To choose rightly the course events dictate.

He knows affairs best—and God guides the steps

فَلا تُرِدْ غَيْرَهَا بِهَا بَلَداً

أَسْلَمُ سَيْرِ الْمُغِذِّ أَحْمَدُهُ

Taken and decisions his actions shape!

والأَمْرُ مِنْ بَعْد ذَا وذَاكَ إِلَى

مُعَوَّدٍ لِلصَّوابِ يُوجِدُهُ

فَإنَّهُ أَعْلَمُ الْمُلُوكِ بِمَا

يَفْعَلُ وَاللهُ فِيهِ يُرْشِدُهُ