لِعِزَّةِ هَذِي اللاهِيَاتِ النَّوَاعِمِ
تَذِلُّ عَزِيزَاتُ النُّفُوسِ الْكَرَائِمِ
For the honor of these gentle beauties
The noble souls are humbled
فَمَا كُنْتُ لَوْلاهُنَّ تَهْتَاجُنِي الصَّبَا
أَصِيلاً وَيُشْجِينِي هَدِيرُ الْحَمَائِمِ
Had it not been for them, the morning breeze
Would not have stirred me, nor the cooing of doves
وَلا شَاقَنِي بَرْقٌ تَأَلَّقَ مَوْهِنَاً
كَزَنْدٍ تُوَالِي قَدْحَهُ كَفُّ ضَارِمِ
No flashing lightning dazzled me
Like the sparks from a clashing sword
وَبَيْضَاءَ رَيَّا الرِّدْفِ مَهْضُومَةِ الْحَشَا
يُقِلُّ ضُحَاهَا جُنْحَ أَسْوَدَ فَاحِمِ
A white gazelle with a fawn-colored flank
Darkened by the shadow of a soaring eagle
مِنَ الْعِينِ يَحْمِي خِدْرَهَا كُلُّ ضَيْغَمٍ
بَعِيد مَشَقِّ الْجَفْنِ عَبْلِ الْمَعَاصِمِ
Its languid eyelids shaded by long lashes
Far from the blinking of feeble eyes
فَلَوْلا هَوَاهَا مَا تَغَنَّتْ حَمَامَةٌ
بِغُصْنٍ وَلا انْهَلَّتْ شُؤُونُ الْغَمَائِمِ
Without passion for them, no dove would have sung
On a branch, nor would the clouds have poured
وَلا الْتَهَبَ الْبَرْقُ اللَّمُوعُ وَلا غَدَتْ
تَحِنُّ مَطَايَانَا حَنِينَ الرَّوَائِمِ
No lightning would have flared, nor would
Our pacing steeds have whinnied for past camps
أَمَا وَهِلالٍ فِي دُجُنَّةِ طُرَّةٍ
يَلُوحُ وَدُرٍّ فِي عَقِيقِ مَبَاسِمِ
As the new crescent peers from dusky clouds
Revealing pearls in red cornelian
لَقَدْ أَوْدَعَ الْبَيْنُ الْمُشِتُّ بِمُهْجَتِي
نُدُوبَاً كَأَثْرِ الْوَشْمِ مِنْ كَفِّ وَاشِمِ
The separation has left its wounds
On my heart, like tribal markings on a dark palm
وَكَمْ لَيْلَةٍ سَاوَرْتُهَا نَابِغِيَّةٍ
سَقَتْنِي بِمَا مَجَّتْ شِفَاهُ الأَرَاقِمِ
How many nights I spent with a beloved
Who quenched my thirst with her sweet lips
كَأَنَّ الثُّرَيَّا كَفُّ عَذْرَاءَ طفْلَةٍ
بِهِ رَعْشَةٌ لِلْبَيْنِ بَادِي الْخَوَاتِمِ
Her hand trembles like that of a young maiden
As she gives it to one marked by separation
إِذَا اضْطَرَبَتْ تَحْتَ الظَّلامِ تَخَالُهَا
دُمُوعَ الْعَذَارَى فِي حِدَادِ الْمَآتِمِ
When she is troubled in the dark, I imagine
The tears of virgins mourning the deceased
وَبَرْقٍ يَمَانِيٍّ أَرِقْتُ لِوَمْضِهِ
يَطِيرُ بِهُدَّابٍ كَثِيرِ الزَّمَازِمِ
I was sleepless because of the Yemeni lightning
Flying about wildly like fearful birds
كَأَنَّ اصْطِخَابَ الرَّعْدِ فِي جَنَبَاتِهِ
هَدِيرُ فُحُولٍ أَوْ زَئِيرُ ضَرَاغِمِ
As if the thunder in its ribs
Were the roar of stallions or the howl of lionesses
تَخَالَفتِ الأَهْوَاءُ فِيهَا فَعَاذِرٌ
هَوَايَ الَّذِي أَشْكُو وَآخَرُ لائِمِي
Passions conflicted within her, mine that complains,
And another that blames me
وَنَافَسَنِي فِي حُبِّهَا كُلُّ كَاشِحٍ
يَلُفُّ عَلَى الشَّحْنَاءِ عُوجَ الْحَيَازِمِ
And every ardent lover competed against me
Circling about the slender waisted beauty
فَكَمْ صَاحِبٍ أَلْقَاهُ يَحْمِلُ صَدْرُهُ
فُؤَادَ عَدُوٍّ فِي ثِيَابِ مُسَالِمِ
How many a friend have I defeated
Bearing in his chest the heart of a foe dressed in peace
أُغَالِطُهُ قَوْلِي وَأَمْحَضُهُ الْوَفَا
كَأَنِّي بِمَا فِي صَدْرِهِ غَيْرُ عَالِمِ
I pretend affection towards him and profess loyalty
As if unaware of the hatred in his heart
وَمَنْ لَمْ يُغَالِطْ فِي الزَّمَانِ عَدُوَّهُ
وَيُبْدِي لَهُ الْحُسْنَى فَلَيْسَ بِحَازِمِ
Whoever in this age does not pretend in front of his foe
And show him goodwill is not wise
فَيَا رَبَّةَ الْخَالِ الَّتِي هَدَرَتْ دَمِي
وَأَلْقَتْ إِلَى أَيْدِي الْفِرَاقِ شَكَائِمِي
O lady of the moles who spilled my blood
And handed my miserable state to separation
إِلَيْكِ اسْتَثَرْتُ الْعَيْنَ مَحْلُولَةَ الْعُرَا
وَفِيكِ رَعَيْتُ النَّجْمَ رَعْيَ السّوَائِمِ
To you I have surrendered my tearful eyes
And in you I have pastured the star, like grazing beasts
فَلا تَتْرُكي نَفْسِي تَذُوبُ وَمُهْجَتِي
تَسِيلُ دَمَاً بَيْنَ الدُّمُوعِ السَّوَاجِمِ
Do not let my soul melt away or my love
Flow out as bloody tears amidst pouring tears
أَقُولُ لِرَكْبٍ مُدْلِجِينَ هَفَتْ بِهِمْ
رِيَاحُ الْكَرَى مِيلِ الطُّلَى وَالْعَمَائِمِ
I say to the travelling people the winds
Have confused with dusks and turbans
تَجِدُّ بِهِمْ كُومُ الْمَهَارِي لَوَاغِباً
عَلَى مَا تَرَاهُ دَامِيَاتِ الْمَنَاسِمِ
The pile of luggage sways over the camels
Yearning for the return route, as if missing an old friend
تُصِيخُ إِلَى رَجْعِ الْحُدَاءِ كَأَنَّهَا
تَحِنُّ إِلَى إِلْفٍ قَدِيمٍ مُصَارِمِ
And jinn follow in fear of the whip
Emerging disheveled from narrow mountain paths
وَيَلْحَقُهَا مِنْ رَوْعَةِ السَّوْطِ جِنَّةٌ
فَتَمْرُقُ شُعْثاً مِنْ فِجَاجِ الْمَخَارِمِ
The camels glance back at the driver, one tiring,
Another speeding up, another slowing down
لَهُنَّ إِلَى الْحَادِي الْتِفَاتَهُ وَامِقٍ
فَمِنْ رَازِحٍ مُعْيٍ وَآخَرَ رَازِمِ
O people the journey has galvanized
By every hero pierced by separation's arrows
أَلا أَيُّهَا الرَّكْبُ الَّذِي خَامَرَ السُّرَى
بِكُلِّ فَتَىً لِلْبَيْنِ أَغْبَرَ سَاهِمِ
Wait for me a little and see me quench
My thirst with pebbles amidst the twisted sands
قِفَا بِي قَلِيلاً وَانْظُرَا بِيَ أَشْتَفِي
بِلَثْمِ الْحَصَى بَيْنَ اللِّوَى فَالنَّعَائِمِ
How many times true friendship has passed
On rushing legs without the slumber of a sleeper waking
فَكَمْ عَهْدِ صِدْقٍ مَرَّ فِيهِ وَأَعْصُرٍ
تَوَلَّتْ عِجَالاً دُونَ تَهْوِيمِ نَائِمِ
I spend the nights with sleepless eyes
Lying on the ground, red eyed, eyelids unblinking
أَبِيتُ لَهَا دَامِي الْجُفُونِ مُسَهَّدَاً
طَرِيحَ الثَّرَى مُحْمَرَّ طَرْفِ الأَبَاهِمِ
And nothing stirs me but the warbling
Of a garden on a meadow of the lovely exile
وَمَا هَاجَنِي إِلَّا عُصَيْفِيرُ رَوْضَةٍ
عَلَى مَلْعَبٍ مِنْ دَوْحَةِ الضَّالِ نَاعِمِ
It calls out - so I know not if for a departed companion
Dear noble minded one, or singing for a new arrival
يَصِيحُ فَمَا أَدْرِي لِفُرْقَةِ صَاحِبٍ
كَرِيمِ السَّجَايَا أَمْ يُغَنِّي لِقَادِمِ
As if the warbler’s heart flutters with joy
For the Lord of great boons and noble deeds
كَأَنَّ الْعُصَيْفِيرَ اسْتُطِيرَ فُؤَادُهُ
سُرُوراً بِرَبِّ الْمَكْرُمَاتِ الْجَسَائِمِ
The father of glory, son of generosity, uncle of his time
Brother of pride, Ismail, treasure of virtues
أَبُو الْمَجْدِ نَجْلُ الْجَوْدِ خَالُ زَمَانِهِ
أَخُو الْفَخْرِ إِسْمَاعِيلُ خِدْنُ الْمَكَارِمِ
Old yet wise, mature of sound judgment, combining
Various heights of glory in a resolute heart
قَشِيبُ الصِّبَا كَهْلُ التَّدَابِيرِ جَامِعٌ
صُنُوفَ الْعُلا وَالْمَجْدِ فِي صَدْرِ جَازِمِ
Wisdom, valor and brilliance are joined in him
With no rival to contest his glorious abode
تَجَمَّعُ فِيهِ الْحِلْمُ وَالْبَأْسُ وَالنَّدَى
فَلَيْسَ لَهُ فِي مَجْدِهِ مِنْ مُزَاحِمِ
Intellect of Aristotle with the patience of Ahnaf
Ambition of Amr in the generosity of Hatim
ذَكَاءُ أَرِسْطَالِيسَ فِي حِلْم أَحْنَفٍ
وَهِمَّةُ عَمْرٍو فِي سَمَاحَةِ حَاتِمِ
Beneath the veil of the unseen and above it
Are eyes that see all things, neither deluded nor deluding
لَهُ تَحْتَ أَسْتَارِ الْغُيُوبِ وَفَوْقَهَا
عُيُونٌ تَرَى الأَشْيَاءَ لا وَهْمُ وَاهِمِ
His vision is revelation and dwelling in his heart
Is the spirit of a knowledgeable speaker of wonders
فَنَظْرَتُهُ وَحْيٌ وَسَاكِنُ صَدْرِهِ
فُؤَادُ خَبِيرٍ نَاطِقٍ بِالْعَظَائِمِ
The angels nearly fly to perch
Upon his shoulders like hovering birds
تَكَادُ لِعلْيَاهُ الْمَلائِكُ تَرْتَمِي
عَلَى كَتِفَيْهِ كَالطُّيُورِ الْحَوَائِمِ
I see him and grandeur effaces me, I recoil
Confusing my own thoughts, though not a dreamer
أَرَاهُ فَيَمْحُونِي الْجَلالُ وَأَنْتَحِي
أَغَالِطُ أَفْكَارِي وَلَسْتُ بِحَالِمِ
And my lying self misleads me into ignorance
Verily delusions are the paths of the sinful
وَتُوهِمُنِي نَفْسِي الْكِذَابَ سَفَاهَةً
أَلا إِنَّمَا الأَوْهَامُ طُرْقُ الْمَآثِمِ
He is a sword, soft and firm
Meeting him is sweet, though bitter to the taste
هُوَ السَّيْفُ فِي حَدّيْهِ لِينٌ وَشِدَّةٌ
فَتَلْقَاهُ حُلْوَ الْبِشْرِ مُرَّ الْمَطَاعِمِ
You will find him in perilous situations
Courageous, firm, resolute, undaunted
تَرَاهُ لَدَى الْخَطْبِ الْمُلِمِّ مُجَمِّعاً
عُرَا الْحِلْمِ ثَبْتَ الْجَأْشِ مَاضِي الْعَزَائِمِ
He looks with narrowed eyes then shows acceptance
To help the wronged and subjugate the oppressor
لَهُ النَّظْرَةُ الشَّزْرَاءُ يَعْقُبُهَا الرِّضَا
لإِسْعَافِ مَظْلُومٍ وَإِرْغَامِ ظَالِمِ
Without the light of his palms his might
Would have ignited the edges of swords and spears
فَلَوْلا نَدَى كَفَّيْهِ أَوْقَدَ بَأْسُهُ
لَدَى الرَّوعِ أَطْرَافَ الظُّبَا وَاللَّهَاذِمِ
Without his wisdom, my right hand would have caused
Pens to wither and justice to yellow
وَلَوْلا ذَكَاهُ أَعْشَبَتْ بِيَمِينِهِ
قَنَا الْخَطِّ وَاخْضَلَّت طُرُوسُ الْمَظَالِمِ
He has a house of glory whose roof
Is held aloft by soaring pillars
لَهُ بَيْتُ مَجْدٍ رَفْرَفَتْ دُونَ سَقْفِهِ
حَمَامُ الدَّرَارِي مُشْمَخِرُّ الدَّعَائِمِ
So let my poems be for one who seeks him
Like ladders scaling to his summit
فَمَنْ رَامَهُ فَلْيَتَّخِذْ مِنْ قَصَائِدِي
سُطُوراً إِلَى مَرْقَاهُ مِثْلَ السَّلالِمِ
O son of great families who ruled the lands
And reached the full heights before lifting banners
فَيَا بْنَ الأُلَى سَادُوا الْوَرَى وَانْتَهَوْا إِلَى
تَمَامِ الْعُلا مِنْ قَبْلِ نَزْعِ التَّمَائِمِ
I congratulate you on a rule whose glory
Has endured with your honor to the house of bliss
أُهَنِّيكَ بِالْمُلْكِ الَّذِي طَالَ جِيدُهُ
بِعِزِّكَ حَتَّى حَلَّ بَيْتَ النَّعَائِمِ
You have blackened it with pride so its face has whitened
With the brown complexioned and white swords
لَسَوَّدْتَهُ بِالْفَخْرِ فَابْيَضَّ وَجْهُهُ
بِأَسْمَرَ خَطِّيٍّ وَأَبْيَضَ صَارِمِ
You saved it before when it almost vanished
Due to the overbearing flow of time
تَدَارَكْتَهُ مِنْ قَبْلِ أَنْ كَادَ يَنْمَحِي
لِفَرْطِ تَبَارِيحِ الدُّهُورِ الْغَواشِمِ
It cried for ages and dust covered it until you came
So it returned cheerful, smiling beautifully
بَكَى زَمَناً وَاغْبَرَّ حَتَّى أَتَيْتَهُ
فَعَادَ رَحِيبَ الصَّدْرِ طَلْقَ الْمَبَاسِمِ
And you have watered the land with justice until
The everlasting long neck of time has yearned for you
وَسُسْتَ الْوَرَى بِالْعَدْلِ حَتَّى تَشَوُّقَاً
إِلَيْكَ الْتَوَى جِيدُ الدُّهُورِ الْقَدَائِمِ
And you came like the emerging full moon extending
Its beams over the horizon amidst approaching visitors
وَجِئْتَ مَجِيءَ الْبَدْرِ مَدَّ شُعَاعَهُ
عَلَى أُفُقٍ بِالْجَوْنِ وَحْفِ الْقَوَادِمِ
Your opinion is like sunlight - its image
A relentless outpouring in the sheaths of swords
بِرَأْيٍ كَخَيْطِ الشَّمْسِ نُوراً تَخَالُهُ
فِرِنْداً تَمَشَّى فِي خُدُودِ الصَّوَارِمِ
If Egypt knew, it would have sent you its Nile
To meet you under wings of the darkest night
فَلَوْ مِصْرُ تَدْرِي أَرْسَلَتْ لَكَ نِيلَهَا
لِيَلْقَاكَ فِي جُنْحٍ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ قَاتِمِ
And the pyramids would have come to you racing, yearning
To the abode of Constantine with the pace of breeze
وَجَاءَتْ لَكَ الأَهْرَامُ تَسْعَى تَشَوُّقاً
إِلَى دَارِ قُسْطَنْطِينَ سَعْيَ النَّسَائِمِ
You were blessed with rule, inheriting its protection
And immortalizing it in a lineage of generous nobles
فَبُورِكْتَ فِي مُلْكٍ وَرِثْتَ ذَمَاءَهُ
وَخَلَّدْتَهُ فِي نَسْلِ مَجْدٍ أَكَارِمِ
Through them every hand extends to the heights
Created in us for the giving of virtues
بِهِمْ كُلُّ غِطْرِيفٍ يَمُدُّ إِلَى الْعُلا
يَداً خُلِقَتْ فِينَا لِبَذْلِ الْمَكَارِمِ
Wandering like lightning and horses nearly flying
At its edges in narrow passes thronging
يَجُولُ مَجَالَ الْبَرْقِ وَالْخَيْلُ تَرْتَمِي
بِأَعْطَافِهَا فِي الْمَأْزِقِ الْمُتَلاحِمِ
What blossomed garden singing the youth of its dawn
Is not lit by lightning reddened in unsheathing
فَمَا رَوْضَةٌ غَنَّاءُ بَاكَرَهَا الْحَيَا
بِأَوْطَفَ سَاجٍ أَشْعَلِ الْبَرْقِ سَاجِمِ
The diffusing fragrance is gathered therein
Shared among us by the most generous palms
يَصُوعُ بِهَا نَشْرُ الْعَبِيرِ فَتَغْتَدِي
تَقَاسَمُهُ فِينَا أَكُفُّ النَّوَاسِمِ
When the sun glimpses through its shades
It shines upon the ground like scattered coins
إِذَا الشَّمْسُ لاحَتْ مِنْ خِلالِ ظِلالِهَا
عَلَى الأَرْضِ لاحَتْ مِثْلَ دُورِ الدَّرَاهِمِ
A flock of ostriches takes rest therein, safe
Among the tufted plants and bending branches
يَقِيلُ بِهَا سِرْبُ الْمَهَا وَهْوَ آمِنٌ
فَمِنْ أَرْبَدَ سَاجٍ وَأَحْوَرَ بَاغِمِ
Of finer nature and qualities than them
When the lute is clasped by foreign hands
بِأَلْطَفَ مِنْ أَخْلاقِهِمْ وَصِفَاتِهِمْ
إِذَا الْعُودُ ضَمَّتْهُ أَكُفُّ الْعَوَاجِمِ
Poetry is not my habit, nor am I a poet
Nor is it normal to describe houses and landmarks
وَمَا الشِّعْرُ مِنْ دَأْبِي وَلا أَنَا شَاعِرٌ
وَلا عَادَتِي نَعْتُ الصُّوَى وَالْمَعَالِمِ
But his generosity has provoked me to awake
To describe his monumental towering virtues
وَلَكِنْ حَدَانِي جُودُهُ فَاسْتَثَارَنِي
لِوَصْفِ مَعَالِيهِ الْعِظَامِ الْجَسَائِمِ
And how could they find my determination turned into
A hackneyed old she-camel roused to compose poetry
وَكَيْفَ وَجَدْوَاهُ ثَنَتْ ضَبْعَ هِمَّتِي
وَهَزَّتْ إِلَى نَظْمِ الْقَرِيضِ قَوَادِمِي
Can that be a family or springtime whose blossoms
Have bloomed like flowers, or the work of an arranger
فَتِلْكَ لآلٍ أَمْ رَبِيعٌ تَفَتَّحَتْ
أَزَاهِرُهُ كَالزُّهْرِ أَمْ نَظْمُ نَاظِمِ
It is nothing but a string of praise I have composed
For his towering glory during seasons
وَمَا هُوَ إِلَّا عِقْدُ مَدْحٍ نَظَمْتُهُ
لِجِيدِ عُلاهُ فِي صُدُورِ الْمَوَاسِمِ
So live long as the doves have sung in thickets
And as long as the glance of lightning seeks its witness
فَعِشْ مَا تَغَنَّتْ بِالأَرَاكِ حَمَامَةٌ
وَمَا اتَّجَهَتْ لِلْبَرْقِ نَظْرَةُ شَائِمِ
Yours are good fortune and awe, and the embodiment
Of glory, triumph, in the service of an attendant
لَكَ السَّعْدُ خِدْنٌ وَالْمَهَابَةُ صَاحِبٌ
وَشَخْصُ الْعُلا وَالنَّصْرِ فِي زِيِّ خَادِمِ
