حَيّا النَدامى بِشَمس الراح مُصطَبِحا
بَدر الهَنا أَم بِمَعسول اللَمى سَمحا
The repentant were revived by the rising sun,
Was it the full moon of delight or the sweet honeyed wine that healed them?
وَطاف ذاكَ الطَلا يَسعى بِكَأس طِلاً
أَم راحَ يَلوي الطُلا مِن جيدهِ مرحا
That slender form went around offering cups generously,
Or did the neck curve to sip the wine gracefully?
وَباتَ يَجلو محيّاه لَنا قَدحاً
مِن السلافة أَم زِند الجَوى قَدحا
His radiant face shone on us last night like a goblet,
Filled with limpid wine or a candle lit with desire.
شَجت بِماء الحَيا ظُلماً وَلَو مُزجت
بِالظلم لاحَت بِنجم الكاس شَمس ضُحى
The wine mixed with water of life was dark, but if mixed,
With darkness, it would shine like a star in the goblet at dawn.
رَقَّت فَلَولا شباك الدُرِّ تُمسكها
كادَت تَطير بِها أَقداحنا فَرَحا
If not for the net of pearls holding it back,
Our goblets would have flown away in joy.
يُديرها بَينَ أَرباب النُهى قَمَرٌ
لَو رامَ بَدر الدُجا يَحكيهِ لاِفتضحا
The moon circulates them among the chaste lords,
If the shameless full moon tried to mimic it, he would be exposed.
إِذا سَجا لَيل فرع مِن غَدائرهِ
أراكَ صُبح الهَنا مِن وَجهِهِ اِتَّضَحا
When the locks of night fall,
I see you at dawn, your face glowing.
يَفترّ عَن حَببٍ في ثَغر ذي شَنَبٍ
لَو شامَ مِنهُ الثَنايا البَرقُ ما لَمحا
A dimpled smile reveals a beloved with a moustache,
If lightning flashed from it, the hiding places would not see it.
وَقامَ يَخطر مِن عجبٍ بِذي هَيفٍ
لَو عادَلوه بِبانات اللِوى رَجحا
Amazed, a tall stature sways,
If the bent branches competed, they would lose.
وَهَزَّ قامة عَسّالٍ يَذود بِهِ
عَن رَشف مَعسوله إِن جَدَّ أَو مَزَحا
A swaying form of a honey-seller wards him off,
Lest he greedily snatches his sweet honey.
وَباتَ يَشحذ مِن جفنيهِ ذا دَعَجٍ
فَكَم أَراقَ دَم القَتلى وَكَم سَفحا
With sleepy eyes, many were killed, and much blood spilt,
By the one whose eyelids are swords.
مَن لي بِأَغيدَ وَسنان فتنت بِهِ
لحا الهَوى مَن لِأَرباب الغَرام لحا
Who will lend me tender words and a lance,
To gently pierce the hearts of lovers?
إن يَجرح اللَحظ وَهماً خَدّه فَلَكم
مِن مُهجَةٍ لَحظهُ بِالعَمد قَد جرحا
If a glance wounds pride,
Then many glances have willfully wounded.
تِلكَ الجُروح قَصاصٌ وَالهَوى حكمٌ
وَفي القَصاص حياة للذي اِجتَرَحا
These wounds are retribution, and love the judge,
And in retribution is life for the aggressor.
لا تعتباني عَلى حَمل الأَسى فَلَقَد
عَرّضت نَفسي للبلواء مُجترحا
Do not blame me for carrying sorrow,
I have exposed myself to tribulation willingly.
لي نَفس مُضنىً بِغَير السقم ما طَمعت
وَطَرف صَبٍّ لِغَير السُهد ما طَمحا
I have a weary soul, though not ill, nor wishing,
And a pouring eye, not by choice looking up.
لا تُنكرا دَمعيَ المَسفوح مِن شَكلٍ
فَإِنّ طَير الكَرى في مُقلَتي ذبحا
Do not deny my pouring tears because of my form,
The bird of anxiety has been slaughtered in my eyelids.
ماذا عَلَيك فَدتك الروح من رشأٍ
لَو أَنّ طَيفك لي جنح الدُجا جنحا
What is it to you if my soul is sacrificed out of love?
If only your phantom would carry me on wings.
أَو بيع وَصلك لِلعاني بِمهجتهِ
فَإِنَّهُ بِالِّذي يُرضيك قَد سَمَحا
Or the sale of your affection to a lover,
Surely he would be content with what pleases you.
أَو لا فَعَذّب بِما تَهوى أَخا شَجَنٍ
يعدّ من محن الشَكوى لَكُم منَحا
Or torture a brother of longing,
Counting his love's afflictions as gifts to you.
لا أَتّقي مِنكَ غَير الصَدّ مُنتَبِذاً
عَهد الهَوى وَزِمامَ الودّ مطّرحا
I do not fear from you except rejection,
Abandoning the pact of love and its reins discarded.
وَيا خَليليَّ صَفحاً عَن ملامكما
وَخلّيا عَتب هَذا الدَهر وَاِنشَرحا
O my friend, forgive and forget the blame,
Leave the rebuke of time, and be of open heart.
إِنّ الزَمان الَّذي عمَّ الفَساد بِهِ
بِصالح الدَولة العَلياء قَد صَلُحا
The days that were filled with corruption,
Have been reformed by the exalted state.
سميّ أَشرَف مَخلوق عَلى خُلق
عَلَيهِ أَثنى إلهُ العَرش وَاِمتَدَحا
Name the most noble of creatures,
Whose virtues the Lord of the Throne has extolled.
مُحمّد قَد تَسمّى صالِحاً فَسما
باِسمَي نَبيّين كُلٌّ طيبهُ نَفحا
Muhammad was rightly named the reformer,
Two prophets named, in both names a sweet scent blows.
ما زالَ تَكسوه تَقواه حلى شَرف
حَتّى اِرتَدى بِكَمالِ الفَضل وَاِتّشحا
The jewel of honor always adorns him,
Until he wore the perfection and mantle of virtue.
مَن لي بِتعداد أَوصاف إِذا ذكرت
قالت ليَ اِستبح الصَهباء وَاِصطَبحا
Who can count his traits? When mentioned,
The horizons say to me, dawn and wake!
لِلّه آيات حلم مِنهُ قَد ظَهَرت
بِنورِها ظُلمة الجَهل الذَميم مَحا
By its light, the darkness of vile ignorance vanished,
And many doors of injustice and gloom were barred.
كَم سَدّ مِن باب عدوان وَمظلمة
عَدلاً وَكَم باب حَقٍّ لِلمَلا فَتَحا
Many doors of rights were opened for the deserving,
With justice he rewards the transgressors with the sword of deterrence.
يَجزي البغاةَ بِسَيف الزَجر مُنتَقِماً
حَتّى إِذا رَجَعَت عَن غيِّها صَفحا
Until when they desist from their waywardness, he pardons.
He mounts no reckless opinions,
لا يَمتَطي صَهوات الرأي غَير فَتى
يولي العَواقب زِنداً مِنهُ مُقتَدحا
But one mindful of consequences, a burning match.
His eyes tend the flock, while the lowly slumber in secure shade,
تَرعى الرَعيّة عَيناه وَقَد هَجعت
في ظلّ أَمن إِذا قرح الرَدى قرحا
If the corrupt wound, he quickly heals the wound.
Mightier in power than any counselor if gesturing,
أَعظم بِبأس مشيرٍ لَو أَشار إلى
مُطهّمِ الفلك الدوّار ما جمَحا
To the revolving celestial sphere, it would not bend.
Firm in his resolve, he consults none but,
ماضٍ عَلى حَزمه لا يَستَشير سِوى
ماضٍ إِذا ما اِستشارته العلى نَصَحا
Firmness, when the Most High consults him, advising well.
When the polished blade is drawn from him, it becomes,
إِذا اِنتَضى مِنهُ مَصقول الفرند غدا
كَأَنّه مُجّ بِالفرصاد أَو نضحا
As if furnished with bits or newly forged.
He serves the brave the cups of annihilation in succession,
يَسقي الكماة كُؤوس الحتف مترعة
حَتّى إِذا أَسكَر القرن العَتيد صحا
Until the noble studs are fully intoxicated.
By the hands of a hero the reins of glory,
لِلّه سُمر العَوالي في يَدَي بَطل
إِنسان عَين المَعالي نَحوَهُ كَدحا
While the eyes of the sublime cast longing glances toward him.
Where the hems danced for him, imagine him
تَخاله حَيث أَعطاف القَنا رَقصت
لَهُ خلاعة ذي وَجدٍ إِذا شَطحا
In the mantle of ecstasy if it swings.
Never did he unfurl a battle flag,
ما خَطَّ بِالخَطِّ يَوماً طرس مَعركةٍ
إِلّا وَعَن حَظِّهِ سَطر العُلى شَرحا
Except that the Most High inscribed for him good fortune.
Rather than be content with any detested pact,
كلّا وَلا راضَ متناً مِن مسوَّمة
يَوم الكَريهة إِلّا صَدرَها شرحا
On the day of hatred, he tore it open.
With a swimmer, if you saw him plunging
بِسابحٍ لَو تَراه حينَ خاضَ بِهِ
بَحر العَجاج لَشمت البَرق قَد سبحا
Into tumultuous seas, you would hear lightning crack.
With determination he repels formidable events,
وَهمّة يَدفَع الخطب الجَسيم بِها
غَداة دارَت بأَيدي المُزعِجات رحى
When the grinding stones turn in the hands of afflictions.
Who will inform the rain that the valley is its attainment,
مَن يُخبر الغَيث أَنّ اليمّ نائله
أو يُنذر اللَيث مِن خَطب بِهِ فَدحا
Or warn the lion if events roar around him?
His hands and might are hoped for and feared,
تُرجى وَتُخشى أَياديهِ وَسَطوته
لَكن لَديهِ دَليل الفَوز قَد رجحا
But the proof of success is evidently in his favor.
Like the sea, many were lost in it,
كَالبَحر كَم مِن أُناس فيهِ قَد خَسرت
وَكَم فَتىً بِاِلتقاط الدُرّ قَد رَبِحا
While others luckily gained pearls.
The tears of the bereft are a lesson, yet many,
كَفى بِدَمع الغَوادي عبرة فَلَكم
مِن صيّبٍ بِنَدى كَفّيهِ قَد فضحا
Were exposed by the dew in their palms.
No wonder if his enemies deny his merits,
لا بدع لَو أَنكَر الأَعدا مَناقبهُ
فَطالَما أَنكر الخفّاش شمس ضُحى
The bat has long denied the sun at dawn.
But his merits witnessed with additional virtue,
لَكنَّها بِمَزيد الفَضل قَد شَهدت
لِأَنّ صبح علاهُ لِلمَلا اِتَّضحا
That his brilliant dawn had appeared for the people.
By his reign, times have become radiant,
أَضحت بِدَولته الأَوقات مُشرِقَةً
وَطالَما كانَ وَجه الدَهر قَد كلحا
While the face of time had long been barren.
He watered the lips of Beirut with delight,
سَقى الهَنا ثَغر بَيروت بِهِ فَغَدا
يَفترّ عَن رَغدة العَيش الذي اِنفسحا
Grinning contently with the life of comfort that blossomed.
With the aromatic southern breezes sighing,
فَلا اِنبَرَت نَسمات اليمنِ عاطرة
فَتيقة النَشر بِالبشر الَّذي سَنَحا
The relief for mankind bloomed beautifully.
Our advisor’s determination never waned,
مُشيرنا لا برحتَ الدَهر ذا هِمَمٍ
تَسمو السماك وَحلمٍ بحره طَفحا
His ambitions transcending the heavens, an ocean of wisdom overflowing.
If you aid God, He will aid you, and he whose state,
إِن تَنصروا اللَه يَنصركم وَمن قرنت
بِالنَصر دَولته العليا فَقَد نَجَحا
Joined victory, has surely succeeded.
O pillar of wisdom and patron for whom,
يا وامق الحلم وَالمَولى الَّذي اِنطَلَقَت
لَدَيهِ ألسن حَمدي تنظمُ المدحا
Tongues of praise unleash poems eulogizing.
To you flows poetry’s finest,
إِلَيكها مِن بَديع النظم جارية
رقّت فَراقَت فَجاءَت تَنثَني مَرَحا
Softly marching to bend and sway playfully.
My friend heaped prolific praise on me with it,
أَمَّت مَديد ثَنا شهم عليّ بِها
مِن البَسيط لعلياه قَد اِقتَرَحا
Suggesting the meter for my exalted ode.
Can tongues that fall short praising and singing his glory,
وَهَل تَفي بِعُلاه ألسن قصرت
عَن مَدحه وَثَناه أعجز الفصحا
Match his sublime merits, the most eloquent perplexed?
He remains the holy shrine of our hopes,
لا زال كَعبة آمال لَنا حَرَماً
أَمناً يَطوف بِها الراجي وَلا بَرحا
A secure refuge, with the hopeful one circling, not moving away.
The breezes of generosity never shook a branch of honor,
ما رنّحت نَسمات الفضل غصن ذرى
مَجد عَلَيهِ حَمام الشكر قَد صَدحا
Without the pigeons of gratitude cooing on it.
Or did a pleasant time pass without him singing to us,
أَو ما صَفا وَقت أنسي وَهوَ يُنشدنا
حيا النَدامى بِشَمس الراح مُصطبحا
The repentant were revived by the rising sun.
