نِهَايَةُ الفَخْرِ لِي فِي هَذَا الكَلِمِ
تَعْرِيفُ حَافِظَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ مِنْ أَمَمِ
This pride of mine in this verse,
Is to identify Hafez Ibrahim among the nations.
أَقُولُ مِنْ أَمَمٍ إِذْ لَيْسَ فِي بَلَدٍ
فِي الشَّرْقِ يَجْهَلُ اسْمَ الشَّاعِرِ العَلَمِ
I say among nations, for there is no land
In the Orient where the poet’s name is unknown.
وَلَمْ يُطَالِعْ وَيَسْتَظْهِرْ رَوَائِعَهُ
مَا بَيْنَ مُنْتَثِرٍ مِنْهَا وَمُنْتَظِمِ
Or who has not read and appreciated his masterpieces,
Both prose and verse alike.
فَهَلْ أَزِيدُ الأُولَى لَمْ يَعْرِفُوهُ سِوَى
أَدَاءِ رَسْمٍ لَدَى التَّعْرِيفِ مُلْتزَمِ
Should I say they know him not,
To pay homage in this introduction I am bound.
هَذَا فَتَى الدَّهْرِ زَانَ النُّبْلُ طَلْعَتَهُ
وَإِنْ يَكُنْ بِجَمَالٍ غَيرَ مُتَّسِمِ
This is the paragon of the age, nobility adorns his features,
Though not particularly handsome or sublime.
إِذَا تَجَلَّى لَكَ الإِلْهَامُ مُزْدَهِراً
فِي مُقْلَتَيْهِ فَلا تَنْظَرْ إِلَى الأَدَمِ
When inspiration radiates through his eyes,
Look not to his appearance or complexion.
وَإِنْ تَبَيَّنْتَ مِنْهُ هَيْكَلاً تَعِباً
بِوِقْرِهِ فَهْوَ فِي آنٍ خَفِيفُ دَمِ
If his body seems weary and fatigued,
In moments he is lively and bright of spirit.
دَعِ الهَيُولَى وَحَيِّ الروحَ فِي رَجُلٍ
مِنْ أَشْرَفِ الْخَلْقِ بِالأَخْلاقِ وَالشِّيَمِ
Let go of appearances and breathe life into a man
Of the noblest character and manners.
نحَارُ فِيهِ فَمَا تَدْرِي تَفَردَهُ
أَبِالقَوَافِي وَإِنْ راعَتْ أَمِ الْهِمَمُ
I am dazzled by him, though you know not his uniqueness
In rhyme and meter, even if minds are occupied.
لاحَتْ مَنَاقِبُهُ الغَرَّاءُ سَاطِعَةً
لِلْمُبْصِرِينَ سُطُوعَ الشهْبِ فِي الظُّلَمِ
His shining virtues are evident
To the discerning, like meteors in the dark of night.
أَجْلَلَتُمُوهُ وَأَوْلاكُمْ تَجِلَّتَهُ
مُجَاهِراً غَيْرَ ضَنَّانٍ وَلا بَرِمِ
You esteem him profoundly, and your high regard humbles him,
Magnanimous, neither miserly nor aloof.
وَلَمْ يَزَلْ خَيْرَ مَنْ صَانَ الجِوَارَ وَمَنْ
رَعَى الخَلِيقَ بِأَنْ يُرْعَى مِنَ الْحُرَمِ
He remains the best at honoring kinship and one who
Safeguards humanity that he too may be kept from harm.
بِرَغْمِهِ أَنَّ عَيْنَ الشَّرْقَ نَائِمَةٌ
عَنِ المَعَالِي وَعَيْنُ الْغَرْبِ لم تَنَمِ
Despite the Orient’s slumber
And the Occident not yet asleep.
إِنْ شَامَ مِنْ جَانِبٍ فِينَا سَنَى أَمَلٍ
حَيَّى الرَّجَاءِ بِدَمْعٍ غَيْرَ مُكْتَتَمِ
If hope shines from any side,
He revives aspiration with unrestrained tears.
وَإِنْ دَعَتْهُ إِلَى ذَوْدِ حَمِيَّتُهُ
رَاعَ العُدَاةَ بِمِثْلِ الزَّأْرِ فِي الأَجَمِ
If zeal calls him to defend dignity,
He chases the enemies like a lion in the thickets.
مَا شِعْرُ حَافِظَ إِلاَّ صُورَةٌ مَثَلَتْ
لِلنَّيْلِ فَاضَ بِأَلْوَانٍ مِنَ النِّعَمِ
Hafez Ibrahim’s poetry is but an image
Of the Nile overflowing with blessings and bounty.
وَلَيْسَ إِلاَّ صَدَى الأَطْيَارِ مَالِئَةً
جَنَّاتِ مِصْرَ بشمَا يُشْجِي مِنَ النَّغَمِ
And only the echo of birds filling
Egypt’s gardens with a melody that stirs the soul.
شِعْرٌ كَأَنَّ شُعُورَ الْقَوْمِ قَدَّرَهُ
فَلاحَ مَظْنُونُهُ فِيهِ كَمُرْتَسَمِ
Poetry that determines the people’s passions
So their desires are clearly reflected in his verses.
تَرَاهُ أَصْدَقَ مِرْآةٍ لأُمَّتِهِ
إِنْ شَفَّ عَنْ أَمَلٍ أَوْ شَفَّ عَنْ أَلَمِ
You see it as the truest mirror of his nation
Whether uncovering hope or revealing pain.
يُلْقِيهِ لَحْناً بِلا لَحْنٍ فَيُطْرِبُهَا
وَيُبْدِعُ الوَهْمَ لا يَلْتَاثُ بِالْوَهْمِ
He composes a tune without a tune, bringing delight
And inspiring the imagination without dependence on myth.
لَوْ كُنْتَ شَاهِدَهُ أَيَّامَ يُنْشِدُهُ
وَقَدْ عَلا مِنْبَراً فِي المَشْهَدِ الْعَمَمِ
Had you witnessed him reciting his poems
While standing atop a platform before a gathered crowd.
عَلِمْتَ مَا نَشْوَةُ الرَّاحِ الْعَتِيقِ فَلَمْ
تَكَدْ تُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ الْحِلْمِ وَاللَّمَمِ
You would know the rapture of the ancient soul, unable
To discern between dream and reality.
فإِنْ تَرَسَّلَ جَادَتْهُ قَرِيحَتُهُ
بِأَحْسَنِ القَوْلِ مِنْ جَزْلٍ وَمُنْسَجِمِ
When his talent flowed freely, his genius
Produced the finest speech, weighty and harmonious.
وَطَاوَعَتْهُ المَعَانِي فَهْيَ فِي يَدِهِ
مِلْكٌ يُصَرِّفُهُ تَصْرِيفَ مُحْتَكِمِ
Meanings came easily to him, and were his
To mold as he desired like an arbiter.
نَثْرٌ فُنُونُ الْحِلَى فِيهِ مُوَزَّعَةٌ
بَيْنَ المَشَاهِدِ وَالآرَاءِ وَالْحِكَمِ
Prose wherein the arts of rhetoric intermingled
Between scenes, ideas, and wisdom.
زَاهٍ بِأَفْصَحِ تَعْبِيرٍ وَأَبْلَغِهِ
سَهْلُ الأَدَاةِ سَلِيمُ اللَّفْظِ مِنَّ سَقَمِ
Eloquent in the most articulate expression and moving imagery,
Of smooth diction and language free of defect.
لَكِنَّ حَافِظَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ أُنْذِرُكُمْ
لَهُ جَوَانِبُهُ الأُخْرَى مِنَ الْعِظَمِ
But I warn you, Hafez Ibrahim has
Other dimensions that display his greatness.
عَوَّذْتَ بِاللهِ مِنْ غَرْثَى الْعُيُونِ أَخاً
يَعْدُو الأَنَاقَةَ إِلَى النَّهَمِ
Seek refuge in God from the deception of eyes that see
A fellow who exceeds elegance and tastes.
عِشْنَا رَفِيقَيْ صِبَا فِي مِصْرَ وَاشْتَهَرَتْ
دَهْراً وَقائِعُنَا فِي كُلِّ مُؤتَدَمِ
We lived as friends in our youth in Egypt, and for ages
Our affairs were known in every gathering.
فَالعِقْدُ مِنْ ثُلْثِ قَرْنٍ غَيْرُ مُنْتَثِرٍ
وَالسِّمْطُ شِبْهُ سِمَاطٍ غَيْرُ مُنْفَصِمِ
For thirty years the necklace hasn’t broken,
Its cord hasn’t snapped or come undone.
وَقَدْ رَأَى مِنْ بَلائِي فِي وَلائِمِهَا
بَلاءَ حُرٍّ جَمِيلِ الظَّنِّ بِالكَرَمِ
He saw me endure in his gatherings
The trials of a free man, good of thought and generous.
إِلَى البُيُوتَاتِ فِي الأَطْرَافِ مُخْتَلِفٍ
وَلِلْمَحَاشِدِ فِي الْحَارِثِ مُقْتَحِمِ
Traveling to remote homes and daring raids
To conquer the nomads in the desert land.
يَغْشَى مَآدِبَهَا اسْتَوْفَتْ أَطَايِبَهَا
وَاسْتَكْمَلَتْ أَدَبَ السَّدَاتِ وَالْخَدَمِ
Attending their feasts, enjoying their delicacies,
Perfecting the manners of hosts and servants.
فَأَحْنَقَتْهُ مُبَارَاتِي وَلا جَرَمٌ
وَلَيْسَ فِي حَنَقِ المَوْتُورِ مِنْ جُرُمِ
So he resented my competition, and rightly so,
Though no crime in the resentment of one aggrieved.
فَجَاءَكُمْ وَعَلَى مَا فِيهِ مِنْ مِقَةٍ
يُبْدِي نَوَاجِذَ رَابِي الضِّغْنِ مُنْتَقِمِ
He came to you embittered, displaying the claws
Of a grieving lion, vengeful and enraged.
فَأَطْعِمُوهُ وَأَوْفُوا دَيْنَ صَاحِبِكُمْ
وَلا تُرِيحُوهُ فِي يَوْمٍ مِنَ التُّخَمِ
Feed him, fulfill your duty to your companion,
Grant him no rest from worldly indulgences.
وَأَرْخِصُوا قِيمَ الطَّهْيِ النَّفِيسِ لَهُ
فَرُبَّ غَارِمِ شَيْءٍ جِدُّ مُغَتَنِمِ
Make the price of fine cuisine affordable,
For a debtor may pay a high price for a precious gain.
أَدْنَى أَحَادِيثِهِ لَوْ رُوجِحَتْ رَجَحَتْ
أَغْلَى النَّفَائِسِ بِالأَقْدَارِ وَالقِيَمِ
The least of his conversation, if weighed, would outweigh
The costliest luxuries in value and price.
وَكَمْ لَهُ نُكْتَةٌ تَسْبِي الْعُقُولَ إذَا
جَرَى بِهَا مِرْقَمٌ أَوْ رُدِّدَتْ بِفَمِ
He has many a subtle point that captivates minds
When traced with a pen or recited aloud.
يَا أَهْلَ لُبْنَانَ إِنَّ الضَّيْفَ عِنْدَكُمُ
هَدِيَّةُ اللهِ فِيمَا قِيلَ مِنْ قِدَمِ
O people of Lebanon, a guest among you
Is a gift of God, so it’s been said since ancient times.
أَعْزِزْ بِهِ وَهْوَ مِنْ إِهْدَاءِ مِصْرَ إِلَى
أَبَرِّ جِيرَتِهَا بِالْعَهْدِ وَالذِّمَمِ
Honor him, for he is a gift from Egypt to
Its most righteous neighbor, faithful to its pact.
مَا الأَلمَعِيُّ الَّذِي فِيكُمْ يُمَثِّلُهَا
إِلاَّ مُمَثِّلَ مَجْدِ النِّيلِ وَالهَرَمِ
Is not the brilliant Alamee among you the representative
Of the Nile’s glory and the pyramids of timeless fame?
أَلَيْسَ فِيمَا نَرَاهُ مِنْ مَآثِرِهَا
أَسْنَى مَفَاخِرِهَا مَا خُطَّ بِالْقَلَمِ
Do you not see in his achievements
The most splendid pride of Egypt ever written?
دَامَتْ بِغَابِرِهَا دَامَتْ بِحَاضِرِهَا
تَعِزُّ مَوْفُورَةَ الإِجْلالِ فِي الأُمَمِ
May she endure in her past and present,
Esteemed and revered among the nations.
