لَكَ يَا وَلِيدُ تَحِيَّة الأَحْرَارِ
كَتحِيَّة الجَنَّاتِ وَالأَطْيَارِ
To you, O Walid, I send the greeting of the free
Like the greeting of gardens and birds
تُهْدَى إِلى سَحَرٍ مِنَ الأَسْحَارِ
أَقْبَلْتَ وَجْهُكَ بِالطَّهارَة أَبْلَجُ
Bestowed upon the magic of dawn
Your face has arrived with purity, radiant
وَالوَقْتُ طلْقٌ والرَّبِيعُ مُدَبَّجُ
وَالشَّمسُ سَاكِبَةٌ سُيُولَ نُضارِ
And time is serene, spring adorned
The sun pouring currents of vitality
آيَاتُ حُسنٍ لَمْ يَكُنْ مَظَاهِرَاً
لِلسَّعد فِيكَ وَلا ضُرِبْنَ بَشَائِرَا
Signs of beauty never manifested before
As good omens for your fortune, nor have they been foretold
لَكِنَّهنَّ عَرَضْن فِي التَّسيَارِ
لَوْ كَانَ بَيْتُ إِمَارَةٍ لَكَ مَنْبِتَاً
But they occurred spontaneously in facilitation
If the house of rulership were your birthplace
لأَجَلَّتِ الدُّنْيَا وِلادَكَ مِنْ فَتَى
وَسَرَى بَشِيرُ البَرْقِ فِي الأَمْصَارِ
The world would have celebrated your birth as a young man
And the messenger of lightning would have spread in cities
وَلَقال رَاجٍ أَنْ يُثَابَ بِمَا افْتَرَى
تِلْكَ العَلائِمُ فِي السَّمَاءِ وَفي الثَّرَى
A reciter would have claimed reward for his lies
Those signs in the sky and on earth
مِنْ شِدَّة الإِعْظَامِ وَالإِكْبارِ
لكِنْ وُلِدْتَ كمَا أُتِيح وَمَا دَرَى
From the intensity of glorification and aggrandizement
But you were born as was made possible, of which
أَحَدُ الأَنَامِ لأَيِّ أَمْرٍ قُدِّرَا
أُعْدَدْتَ مُنْذُ بَدَاءَة الأَعْصَارِ
No one knew for what matter it was destined
You have been prepared since the beginning of time
سِرٌّ وَكُلُّ ابْنٍ لأُنْثَى يُولدُ
سِرٌّ لِهَذَا النَّاسِ يَكْشِفُهُ الغَدُ
A secret - and every son born to a woman is
A secret to people, disclosed by tomorrow
عَمَّا تُكِنُّ مَشِيئَةُ المِقْدَارِ
عَنْ سَائِمٍ بَيْنَ الرَّعِيَّة ضَائِعِ
About what the will of destiny hides
Of a wanderer among the masses, lost
أَوْ كوْكبٍ مَاحِي الكوَاكِبِ سَاطعِ
مُتَكَامِلٍ فِي السَّيرِ كَالأَقْمَارِ
Or a planet outshining the planets, shining
Perfect in its course like full moons
مَا حِكْمَةُ الرَّحْمَنِ فِيكَ أَتَنْجَلي
عَنْ آخِرٍ فِي القومِ أَمْ عَنْ أَوَّلِ
What is the wisdom of the Merciful regarding you - does it manifest
From one who is last among his people or first
عَنْ مُحْجِمٍ أَمْ مُقْدمٍ مِغْوَارِ
فَلَئِنْ سَمَوْتَ إِلى مَقَامِ إِمَارَةٍ
From one who is obscure or leading, outstanding
If you rise to the position of rule
يَوْماً فَعِيسَى كانَ طِفْلَ مَغَارةٍ
ورَضِيعَ رَائِمَةٍ مِنَ الأَبْقارِ
One day Jesus was an infant of a cave
And a suckling lamb among cattle
وَأَحَقُّ مَا حَقَّ العَلاءُ لِنَائِلٍ
مَا نِلْتَهُ مِنْ هِمَّة وَفَضَائِلِ
And worthiest of what the exalted attain for an achiever
Is what you have gained of ambition and virtues
عَنْ كابِرَيْنِ مِن الأُصُولِ كِبارِ
مَا لِي وَمَا لأَبِيكَ أُطْرِئُهُ فَمَا
From two great ancestors
I have nothing to attribute to myself or your father - that
هِي شِيمَتِي وَأَبُوكَ لا يَعْنِيه مَا
يَثْنِيه عَنْهُ مُخْبِرُو الأَخْبَارِ
Is not my trait, and your father cares not
For what the narrators embellish
وَهُوَ السَّعيدُ بِأَنْ أُمَّك أَهْلُهُ
أَلمُزْدَهِي عَجْباً بِأَنَّك نجْلُهُ
He is happy that your mother is his family
Isn't it wonder enough that you are his son
وكفَاهُ مُلْكُ رِضىً وتَاجٌ فَخارِ
فَسُرُورُ كلِّ مُهَنإٍ بِكَ لَمْ يَكنْ
And the kingdom of contentment and a glorious crown suffice him
Thus every well-wisher's joy in you has not been
إِلاَّ بِذاتِكَ إِنْ تعِزَّ وَإِنْ تَهُنْ
يَا طِفْلُ فِي مُسْتَقْبِلِ الأَدْهَارِ
Except in your essence, whether you are mighty or weak
O child of the future of ages
يرْجُون أَنْ تحْيا وإِنْ لَمْ تَنْبُغِ
لا يَبْتَغُونَ لكَ الَّذي قَدْ تَبْتَغِي
They hope you live even if you do not excel
They do not seek for you what you may seek
فِيمَا يَليِ مِنْ بَاذِخِ الأَخْطَارِ
أُمْنِيَة الآبَاءِ لا يعْدُونهَا
In what follows of perilous risks
The wish of fathers exceeds not
وَهْي الَّتِي لِلطِّفلِ يَسْتَهُدْونَهَا
مِنْ فَضْلِ خَالِقِهِ بِلا اسْتِكْثارِ
That which for the child they seek
Of the bounty of his Creator without limit
وَسِوَى الحَيَاةِ مِنَ المُنَى يَدْعُونَهُ
لِلّه يَقْضِي فِي الوَليِد شُؤُونَهُ
Besides life versus death they invoke Him
To decree in the infant his affairs
نَحْساً وَإِسْعَاداً قَضَاءَ خِيَارِ
فهُوَ الَّذي يُعْلِي العَلِيَّ القَادِرَا
For good or ill, the decree of the Best
He who elevates the sublime, Able
وَهُو الذي يَضَعُ الوَضِيعَ الصاغِرَا
لُطْفاً لِمَا يَبْغِي مِنَ الأَوْطَارِ
And He who debases the lowly, insignificant
Graciously, for what He wills of fates
إِنْ شَاءَ جَاءَ الطِّفلُ فِي مِيقَاتهِ
فَشَأَى بَنِي أَوْطَانهِ وَلِداتهِ
If He wills, the child comes in his time
And distinguishes the children of his homeland and birth
وَسَمَاهُمُ وَأَضَاءَ كالسيَّارِ
أَوْ شَاءَ خالَفَ وَقْتَهُ فَذُكَاؤُهُ
And elevates them, illuminating like comets
Or He wills otherwise, and his intelligence
كَلَظَى الحرِيقِ شُبُوبُهُ وَضِيَاؤُهُ
لِلسُّوءِ لا لِقِرى وَلا لِمُنَارِ
Like a raging fire, its youth and brilliance
For evil, not for villages or minarets
ولَقَدْ شَفَى مِنَّا قُدُومُكَ حَسْرَةً
وَأَقَرَّ أَعْيُنَ وَالِدَيْكَ مَسَرَّةً
Your arrival has surely relieved an anguish in us
And gladdened the eyes of your parents with joy
إِنْ كَان فِي مُتفَتَّح النَّوَّارِ
حَيثُ الرِّيَاضُ تَظَاهَرَت بَهَجَاتُهَا
If it was in the season of blossoming flowers
Where gardens have gathered their delights
فتَفتَّقتْ مَسْرُورَةً مُهَجَاتُهَا
عَنْ غُرِّ أَزْهَارٍ وَغُرِّ ثِمَارِ
Their passions blooming with joy
For the pride of flowers and fruits
فَجَمِيعُكُمْ مُتَهَلِّلٌ فِي كِمِّهِ
مُتَنَاوِلٌ أَلْبَانَهُ مِنْ أُمِّه
You are all elated in spirit
Partaking its milk from its mother
سُمَحَاءُ بَيْنَ مَرَاضِعٍ وَصِغَارِ
أَلأُم تغْذُو طِفْلَهَا مِنْ ضِرْعِهَا
Amicable between wet nurses and infants
Does a mother not feed her child from her breast
وَالأَرْضُ تَغْدُو أُمَّه مِنْ زَرْعِهَا
والكوْنُ عَيْلَةُ رَازِقٍ غَفَّارِ
And the earth nourish it like a mother from her crops
And the universe is sustenance from a Forgiving Sustainer
فَعَلامَ مِنْ دُونِ الأَزَاهِرِ أُتْهِمَا
أَبَوَاكَ يَا هَذَا الصَّبيُّ وَإنْ هُمَا
Why, besides blossoms, would they accuse
Your parents, O boy - though they are not
إِلاَّ كَهَذَا النَّبتِ فِي الأَزْهَارِ
أَيُّ القُسُوسِ أَتَى النَّباتَ فَزَوَّجَا
Except like this growth among the flowers
What clergyman came to the plants and wed
بَعْضاً بِبَعْضٍ مِنْهُ كَيْما يُنْتِجَا
بِدُعَائه نَسْلاً مِنَ الأَخْيَارِ
Some to others of them so they reproduce
With his prayer offspring from the virtuous
هَلْ سَاجِعُ الأَيْكَاتِ حِينَ يُغَرِّدُ
فِي ذَلِكَ الرِّيشِ المُلَوَّنِ سَيِّدُ
Does the nightingale, when it warbles
In that colorful plumage, sing
يَشْدُو لِيَجْعَلَهَا مِنَ الأَبْرَارِ
وَهَلِ الرِّياحُ يَعِيبُهَا أَنْ تَحْمِلا
To make them among the righteous
Do the winds find fault that they carry
نَسَمَ الهَوى الدَّوْرِيَّ مِنْ ذكَرٍ إِلى
أُنْثَى تُلَقِّحهَا مِنَ الأَشْجَارِ
The circling breath of love from male to
Female to pollinate her among the trees
وَمَن الذي يَرْمِي السَّوَابِحَ بِالخَنَا
وَيَرَى مُنَاسَلَةَ السِّباعِ مِنَ الزِّنا
And who casts blame on the swimming creatures for their intercourse
And sees the mating of beasts as adultery
وَمُوَلَدَاتِ الطيْرِ فِي الأَوْكَارِ
هُنَّ اسْتَبَحْنَ إنَاثَهُنَّ بِلا نُهَى
And the births of birds in nests
They have permitted their females without prohibition
وَالمَرءُ فرَّقَ بِاخْتِيَارِ بَيْنهَا
لِيَكُونَ صَاحِبَ أُسْرَةٍ وَذرَارِي
Yet man makes distinction by choice between them
To become head of a family and offspring
سَنَّ العَفافَ كمَا ارْتآهُ فضِيلةً
وَدَعَا الخلافَ نقِيصةً وَرَذِيلةَ
He instituted chastity as he saw it a virtue
And called its contrary decadence and disgrace
فِيمَا اقْتضاهُ خُلْقُ الاسْتِئْثارِ
ناطَ الزَّوَاجَ بِصِيغةٍ تتعَدَّدُ
In what was required by possessive tendency
He based marriage on a formula with variations
أَشْكالُهَا عَددَ الطَّوَائفِ يُقْصَدُ
حِفظُ النِّظامِ بِهَا وَصَوْنُ الدارِ
Its forms as numerous as communities, intended
To preserve order through it and protect the home
فإِذا اصْطفى ما شاءَ مِن أَعْرَاضِهَا
وَجَرَى عَلى المَرْعِيِّ مِن أَغرَاضِهَا
So when he chooses what traits of it he pleases
And follows the course he desires of its purposes
أَصْلاً فَأَيُّ مَعرَّة وَخَسَارِ
قالُوا أَتَى نُكْراً وَنُكْرٌ قَوْلُهُمْ
How can there be any depravity or loss
They say he came to an alien - and alien is their claim
لَوْلا تَبَجُّحهُمْ وَلوْلا طَوْلُهَا
مَا خَيَّمتْ رِيَبٌ عَلى أَطْهَارِ
Were it not for their insolence and vileness
Suspicion would not have clouded the pure
دَفَعَ ادِّعَاءَهُمُ وَأَبْطَلَ زعْمَهُمْ
زمَنٌ طوَى تَحْتَ الغَبَاوَةِ ظُلْمَهُمْ
Their allegation is refuted and their notion voided
By a time which buried their injustice beneath heedlessness
وَأَمَاطَ ستْرَ الزُّهْد عَنْ تُجَّارِ
يَا طِفْلُ قَلِّبْ طَرْفكَ المُترَدِّدَا
And uncovered the façade of asceticism from traders
O child, turn your glancing eye
أَوَ مَا تَرَى شَبَحاً عبُوساً أَسْوَدَا
مُتَجسِّساً لكَ مِنْ وَرَاءِ سِتَارِ
Can you not see a frowning, gloomy phantom
Lurking behind a screen, spying on you
هَذَا أَسَاءَ إِلَيْكَ قَبْلَ المَوْلدِ
وَجنَى عَلَيْكَ جِنَايَةَ المُتَعَمِّدِ
This one did you wrong before birth
And committed against you the offense of one who means harm
ومِن السَّماءِ دعَاكَ صَوْبَ النَّارِ
زعَمَ الإِلهَ يُريدُ مِثْلَكَ مُذْنِباً
And from heaven called you to hell
Claiming God wants you a sinner
مِنْ يَوْمهِ وَمُعَاقَباً وَمُعَذَّبَاً
فِي الغَيْبِ قَبْلَ مَظِنَّة الإِسْفَارِ
Since your day, punished and tormented
In the unseen before the occasion of departure
تَاللّه إِنْ تَنظُرْهُ نَظْرَةَ مُغْضَبِ
تُرْهِقْهُ إِرْهَاقَ الشِّهابِ لِغَيْهَبِ
By God, if you look at him with angry gaze
To overwhelm him like the shooting star in oblivion
فَيُوَلِّ عَنْكَ مُمَزَّقاً بِشَرَارِ
لَكِنْ أَرَاك تَبَشُّ بَشَّة سَامِحِ
He would flee from you torn to shreds
But I see you smile with gracious smile
وَأَرَاكَ تَرْمُقُهُ بِعَيْنِ الصَّافحِ
مَا لِلهِلالِ وَلِلسَّحاب السَّارِي
And glance at him with friendly eye
What fault in the crescent or passing clouds
رُسْلَ المَسِيحِ الشَّارِبِينَ دِمَاءَهُ
الآكِلِينَ بِلا تُقىً أَحْشَاءَهُ
The apostles of Jesus who drank his blood
Ate his flesh without piety
أَلمُولِمِينَ عَلَيْهِ كُلَّ نَهَارِ
أَفذَبْحُكُمْ ذَاكَ الذبِيحَ لِفِدْيَةٍ
Oppressing him all day long
Is your slaughter of that sacrifice an atonement
أَمْ تِلْكَ مَأْسَاةٌ تُعَادُ لِكُدْيَةٍ
أَمْ ذَاكَ مُصْطَبَحٌ وَرَشْفُ عُقَارِ
Or is that tragedy repeated for vengeance
Or is that a ritual and quaffing of potions
مَا أَجْمَلَ الصُّلاَّحَ مِنْكُمْ خَلَّةً
مَا أَبْشَعَ الظُّلاَّمَ مِنْكُمْ فِعْلةً
How beautiful is your reconciling
How ugly is your injustice when enraged
إِذْ يَنْقِمُونَ وَمَا لهُمْ مِنْ ثارِ
اللّه أَوْحَى فِكْرَةً هِيَ دِينُهُ
As they retaliate though no vengeance is theirs
God revealed an idea which is His religion
فَمَنِ اهْتَدَى هِيَ نُورُهُ وَيَقِينُهُ
أَوْ ضَلَّ فَليُبْحِرْ بِغَيْرِ مَنارِ
Whoever is guided - it is his light and certainty
Or goes astray - so sail without beacons
نَزَلَتْ عَلى الفَادِي الأَمِينِ الشَّافعِ
كَلِماً ثَلاثاً تَحْتَ لَفْظٍ جَامعِ
It descended upon the Trustworthy Intercessor
Three words in an inclusive term
قُدْسِيَّة النفَحَاتِ وَالآثَارِ
أَلحُبُّ فِي المَعْنَى العَمِيمِ الكَامِلِ
Sacred in essence and effects
The meaning of all-encompassing mercy and redemption
مَعْنَى المَرَاحِمِ وَالفِدَاءِ الشامِلِ
بِالبِرِّ لِلأَعْداءِ وَالأَنْصَارِ
With kindness to enemies and allies
And justice to pay tax to Caesar
وَالعَدْلُ يَقْضِي بِالخَرَاجِ لِقَيْصَرَا
وَالصَّفحُ عَنْ كُلٍ يُسِيءُ مِنَ الوَرَى
And pardon all who do evil among people
This is His faith without denial
هَذي دِيَانَتُهُ بِلا إِنْكَارِ
أَلْقَى مَبَادِئَهَا وَكُلاًّ خَوَّلا
He laid down its principles and entrusted
Its teaching, and denied supremacy and loftiness
تَعْلِيمَهَا وَنفَى الرِّئَاسَةَ والْعُلى
مِنْهَا وَنَزهَّها عَنِ الأَسْرَارِ
From it, and absolved it of mysteries
And intended you to teach and give good tidings
وَأَرَادَكُمْ لِتُعَلِّمُوا وتُبَشِّرُوا
وَأَرَادَكُمْ لِتُسَامِحُوا وَلِتَغْفِرُوا
And intended you to forgive and pardon
And invited the young to Himself preferentially
وَدَعَا الصِّغارَ إِليْه بِاسْتِئْثَارِ
فَنَذَرْتُمُ لِلّه بَطْناً مُشْبِعَاً
You then vowed to God a satiated stomach
And a hand which, when extended, is to seize
وَيَداً إِذَا مُدَّتْ فَكيما تَجْمَعا
وَعَقِيرَةً لِلشجْبِ وَالإِنْذَارِ
And a rooster's cry as alarm and warning
You eschewed anything besides what you approve
وَزَهِدْتُمُ فِي غَيْرِ مَا ترْضَونَهُ
وَرغِبْتُمُ عَنْ كُلِّ ما تأْبوْنَهُ
And were averse to all you dislike
Except to the extent of ostentation
إِلاَّ عَلى قَدَرٍ مِنَ الإِظْهَارِ
وَقسَمْتُمُ دِينَ المَسيحِ مَذَاهِبَاً
You divided the faith of Jesus into sects
Multiplying ranks and positions
تَسْتَكْثِرُونَ مَرَاتِباً وَمَنَاصِباً
فَأُضِيعَ بَيْنَ تَشَتُّت الأَفْكَارِ
So it was lost amid confusion of ideas
You went astray until you reached
وَمَضيْتُمُ فِي الغَيِّ حَتى نِلْتم
فِي بَعْضِ وَهْمِكُمُ الجَنِينَ وَقُلْتُمُ
In some of your delusion the embryo, and said
This innocent is hostage to shame
هَذَا الْبَرِيءُ رَهِينَةٌ لِلعَارِ
فَلئِنْ يَكنْ فِي الخَلْقِ خَلْقٌ طَاهِرُ
If there is in creation an immaculate being
Then the child is the image of manifest chastity
فَالطِّفلُ تِمْثَالُ العَفَافِ الظَّاهِرُ
فِي عَالمِ الآثامِ وَالأَوْزَارِ
In the world of sins and burdens
Is it not enough that the hostage for perdition
أَفَمَا كفى ذَاكَ الرَّهِينةُ لِلرَّدَى
مَا سَوْفَ يَلْقَاهُ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا غَدَا
Is what he will encounter in the world tomorrow
Until he is disgraced and afflicted with spear
حَتَّى يُذالَ وَيُبْتَلى بِشَنَارِ
يَا مَنْ عَرَفْتُ وَكَانَ قَسّاً صَالِحاً
O you I knew as just and righteous
Equitable as Jesus would approve, forgiving
عَدْلاً كَمَا يَرْضى المَسِيحُ مُسَامِحَاً
مُتَبَتِّل الإِعْلانِ والإِسْرَارِ
Disclosing and concealing in parity
Detached from his prestige, youth
مُتَجرِّداً عَنْ عِزِّهِ وَشَبَابِهِ
وَهَنَاءِ عِيشَتهِ وَلَهْوِ صِحَابِهِ
And comfort of his life and frivolity of his comrades
Delighting in asceticism and poverty
مُتَنَعِّماً بِالزُّهْدِ وَالإِعْسَارِ
يَهْدي الأَنَامَ بِقَوْلهِ وَبِفِعْلهِ
Guiding people in word and deed
Seeking in perplexity the wisdom of his mind
مُسْتَرْشِداً فِي الرَّيْبِ حِكْمَةَ عَقْلهِ
لِيَرَى مُؤَدَّى النَّص بِاسْتِبْصَارِ
To see the implication of the text through insight
Avoiding prohibition in it wherever
مُتَجَنِّب التَّحرِيمِ فِيهِ حَيْثُمَا
تَنْبُو قُوَى الإِدْرَاكِ عَنْهُ فربَّما
The powers of comprehension indicate it, though it may
Lead to provocation and resentment
أَفْضَى إِلى التَّنفِيرِ والإِيغَارِ
مُتَوَفِّراً لِلخَيْرِ جُهْدَ نَشَاطِهِ
Exerting the utmost of his vitality for good
He perishes but does not destroy his investigative powers
يَفْنَى وَلا يُفْنِي قُوَى اسْتِبْاَطِهِ
لِبُلُوغِ قَدْرٍ فَائِقِ الأَقْدارِ
To attain an outstanding extent
Plunging into dense, thorny massage
مُتَرَدِّياً مِسْحاً كَثِيفاً شَائِكَاً
مُخْشَوْشِناً يَجِدُ اللَّذَاذةَ فَارِكا
Finding ecstasy in its wound and seeing
Treachery as the nature of money
وَيَرَى الخِيَانَةَ طَبْعَةَ الدِّينَارِ
قُمْ مِنْ ضَرِيحِكَ بِالبِلى مُتَلَفِّفا
Arise from your worn shroud
And rebuke the corrupting tyrants, and say enough
وَاخْزِ الطُّغاةَ المُفْسِدينَ وَقُلْ كَفى
سَرَفاً بِهَذَا البَغْيِ وَالإِصْرَارِ
To this insolence and insistence
Do not unravel a home as it forms
لا تَنْقُضُوا بَيْتاً لَدَى تَكْوِينهِ
وَحَذَارِ مِنْ يُتْمِ الصَّغيرِ بِدينهِ
And beware of orphaning the young of his faith
And beware of the despair of the aggrieved, beware
وَحذَارِ مِنْ يَأْسِ الهَضِيمِ حَذارِ
هَذي المَذاهِبُ كُلهَا دِينُ الْهُدَى
These creeds are all the religion of right guidance
Like rays of the sun which separate into expanse
كَأَشِعَّة الشَّمسِ افْتَرَقْنَ إِلى مَدَى
وَالمُلْتَقَى فِي مَصْدَرِ الأَنْوَارِ
And the convergence is in the source of light
O child, you are a temple of virtue
يا طِفْلُ إِنَّك لِلفَضِيلَة مَعْبَدُ
فَلَدَيْكَ أَرْكَعُ بِالضَّميرِ وَأَسْجُدُ
So I bow to you in conscience and prostrate
To the Maker, Glorious and Compeller
لِلصَّانِعِ المُكَبِّرِ الجَبارِ
أَجْثُو وَأَرْجُو ضَارِعاً مُتَخَشِّعاً
I kneel and plead fervently, imploring
A smile from you to glean, to peel away
مِنْكَ ابْتِسَاماً أَجْتَلِيهِ لِيُقْشِعا
عَنِّي مَكَايِدَ دَهْرِيَ الغَدَّارِ
From me the schemes of my treacherous fate
You have forgiven - and they persisted only
فَلَقَدْ صفَحْتَ تَكَرُّهاً وَتَطوُّلاً
عَمَّن أَبَوْا إِلاَّ الأَذَى لَكَ وَالقِلى
In harm to you and torment - to the point they confused
The forgiving of the Creator
حتى أَرَابُوَ فِي سَمَاحِ البارِي
