خَلَعَ لرَبيعُ عَلى غُصونِ البانِ
حُلَلاً فَواضِلُها عَلى الكُثبانِ
Spring adorned the branches with robes, their laces upon the sand dunes.
The palms grew until they embraced the hillsides with their branches.
وَنَمَت فُروعُ الدَوحِ حَتّى صافَحَت
كَفَلَ الكَثيبِ ذَوائِبُ الأَغصانِ
The buds were crowned, speckling the gardens with anemones.
The gardens were carpeted in variety - blossoms of contrasting forms and hues,
وَتَتَوَّجَت هامُ الغُصونِ وَضَرَّجَت
خَدَّ الرِياضِ شَقائِقُ النُعمانِ
White, yellow, blue - vivid and red, bright.
Shadows stole between the arbors, branches swaying playfully,
وَتَنَوَّعَت بُسطُ الرِياضِ فَزَهرُها
مُتَبايِنُ الأَشكالِ وَالأَلوانِ
As if the boughs were a parade of dancing gazelles, chained with basil.
The sun gazed through their branches at the gardens with a covetous eye,
مِن أَبيَضٍ يَقَقٍ وَأَصفَرَ فاقِعٍ
أَو أَزرَقٍ صافٍ وَأَحمَرَ قاني
While the buds between their coverings were like maids unveiled for lovers.
The land wondered - how could it smile while life wept with constant sorrow,
وَالظِلُّ يَسرِقُ في الخَمائِلِ خَطوَهُ
وَالغُصنُ يَخطِرُ خِطرَةَ النَشوانِ
Until its smiles faded and the clouds cried heavy tears,
Then its gardens chided its passion, and it answered wordlessly.
وَكَأَنَّما الأَغصانُ سوقُ رَواقِصٍ
قَد قُيَّدَت بِسَلاسِلِ الرَيحانِ
Joy overwhelmed me until in its greatness it brought me to tears
So turn your cares to spring and its season - it is youth come again!
وَالشَمسُ تَنظُرُ مِن خِلالِ فُروعِها
نَحوَ الحَدائِقِ نَظرَةَ الغَيرانِ
For me, when Egypt's waters were dressed and its gardens shone,
And its valley grew verdant, its blossoms staring,
وَالطَلعُ في خَلَلِ الكِمامِ كَأَنَّهُ
حُلَلٌ تَفَتَّقُ عَن نُحورِ غَوانِ
The Nile within it like Kauthar's springs in Eden,
The towering palms were like banners held by outstretched hands,
وَالأَرضُ تَعجِبُ كَيفَ تَضحَك وَالحَيا
يَبكي بِدَمعٍ دائِمِ الهَمَلانِ
Or stalks of spears. They rose on wings of determination
As if, when marching, longing for flight.
حَتّى إِذا اِفتَرَّت مَباسِمُ زَهرِها
وَبَكى السَحابُ بِمَدمَعٍ هَتّانِ
The waters hurried faster when caressed by the gentle breeze -
Now cascading like a falcon's swoop, then rippling like a fawn's flank -
ظَلَّت حَدائِقُهُ تُعاتِبُ جَونَهُ
فَأَجابَ مُعتَذِراً بِغَيرِ لِسانِ
Until the flood was broken and its turbulent depths distributed to the streams.
It leveled the land, as gifts from the Sultan make equals of all.
طَفَحَ السُرورُ عَلَيَّ حَتّى إِنَّهُ
مِن عِظمِ ما قَد سَرَّني أَبكاني
Al-Nasir - King in whose time, wild deer thanked the artistry of hunters.
A King whose light, when it kohl'd the eyes of kings, bowed them in awe.
فَاِصرِف هُمومَكَ بِالرَبيعِ وَفَصلِهِ
إِنَّ الرَبيعَ هوَ الشَبابُ الثاني
When his name was mentioned among nations, his fame made lineage superfluous.
He was of a people who hoarded praise, and dispensed the rewards of sorrow.
إِنّي وَقَد صَفَتِ المِياهُ وَزُخرِفَت
جَنّاتُ مِصرَ وَأَشرَقَ الهَرمانِ
A people who saw favors as partners to the description of the One Bountiful.
They who stoked fires beneath cauldrons for the villages from the debris of walls.
وَاِخضَرَّ واديها وَحَدَّقَ زَهرُهُ
وَالنيلُ فيهِ كَكَوثَرٍ بِجِنانِ
If their vicious hounds were muted, they invited guests with tongues of flame.
Lions whose paws, on the day of fury, bloodied the maneed hyenas.
وَبِهِ الجَواري المُنشَآتُ كَأَنَّها
أَعلامُ بيدٍ أَو فُروعُ قِنانِ
They ripped through ringmail into the chests of armored men,
And into the bellies of men, again and again.
نَهَضَت بِأَجنِحَةِ القُلوعِ كَأَنَّها
عِندَ المَسيرِ تَهُمُّ بِالطَيَرانِ
The religion of Muhammad prevailed through him, ascending over creeds.
A king whose command was obeyed by kings, and so the states of every era.
وَالماءُ يُسرِعُ في التَدَفُّقِ كُلَّما
عَجِلَت عَليهِ يَدُ النَسيمِ الواني
Benevolence returned, and its people - it was as if the Messiah came again!
The birds sought refuge in his protection, for without it they feared the flood.
طَوراً كَأَسنِمَةِ القِلاصِ وَتارَةً
مُتَفَتِّلٌ كَأَكارِعِ الغِزلانِ
No fault in his boons, save that strangers forgot their homelands because of them.
I saw in him the wisdom of Luqman, and the justice of Kisra's court.
حَتّى إِذاكُسِرَ الحَليجُ وَقُسِّمَت
أَمواهُ لُجَّتِه عَلى الخُلجانِ
I saw in him a generosity and eloquence that loosed my hands and tongue.
O you whose magnanimity has preoccupied Time, deafening the ears of the young!
ساوى البِلادَ كَما تُساوي في النَدى
بَينَ الأَنامِ مَواهِبُ السُلطانِ
If your name were etched by swords and spears, it would suffice over thrusting and piercing.
A regiment whose portico the lame built upon the pillars of solid marble,
الناصِرُ المَلِكُ الَّذي في عَصرِهِ
شِكرَ الظِباءُ صَنيعَةَ السِرحانِ
Dust embroidered the steeds, conjoining with the embroidery of horsemen.
Blood at the fringes of shields was like anemones around a pond.
مَلِكٌ إِذا اِكتَحَلَ المُلوكِ بِنورِهِ
خَرّوا لِهَيبَتِهِ إِلى الأَذقانِ
When the tumult flared and the whites of blades sought the weak points of necks,
Your shields did then as mirages do for the bleary-eyed thirsty.
وَإِذا جَرى بَينَ الوَرى ذِكرُ اِسمِهِ
تُغنيهِ شُهرَتُهُ عَنِ اِبنِ فُلانِ
You surged out, the ranks recoiling from your roar like tongues of flame,
With a crooked spear - now disobeying, now relenting to your grip.
مِن مَعشَرٍ خَزَنوا الثَناءَ وَقَطَّعوا
بِغِنا النُضارِ جَوائِزَ الحُزّانِ
Its exercises had honed it until it seemed to gallop untethered,
Like a falcon in flight, a peacock in vainglory, a predator in ambush -
قَومٌ يَرَونَ المَنَّ عِندَ عَطائِهِم
شِركاً بِوَصفِ الواحِدِ المَنّانِ
Yearning for your love in the sky, imagining the galaxy as its racecourse.
If told "Ascend the heavens!" it would climb the chariots of high stars.
الموقِدونَ تَحتَ المَراجِلِ لِلقِرى
فَضَلاتِ ما حَطَموا مِنَ المُرّانِ
Or if told "Cross over Hell!", it would pace it with a crab's gait.
You blunted the edges of their crowds with blades that shudder eyelids.
إِن أَخرَسَت فِلَذُ العَقيرِ كِلابَهُم
دَعَوُا الضُيوفَ بِأَلسُنِ النيرانِ
Lost, they thought your tested weapons lofty turbans,
And the plunging hawks, monks.
أُسدٌ رَوَت يَومَ الهِياجِ أَكُفُّهُم
بِدَمِ الأُسودِ ثَعالِبَ الخِرصانِ
O you whose generosity has solicited praise, answered before my call -
You have tested me with kindness, then invited me,
قَصَفوا القَنا في صَدرِ كُلِّ مُدَرَّعٍ
وَالبيضَ في الأَبدانِ وَالأَبدانِ
So I withdraw from you - and I am not the first prudent man
To fear descending into the basin of the deluge.
قَد عَزَّ دينُ مُحَمَّدٍ بِسَمِيِّهِ
وَسَما بِنُصرَتِهِ عَلى الأَديانِ
My knowledge of Fate's caprice has emptied my abode of me,
And turned my reins about the lands.
مَلِكٌ تَعَبَّدَتِ المُلوكُ لِأَمرِهِ
وَكَذاكَ دَولَةُ كُلِّ رَبِّ قِرانِ
Sometimes the greedy seek increase, only to hasten loss.
So if I depart, I leave wonders that have robbed the seasons of their prime,
وافى وَقَد عادَ السَماحُ وَأَهلُهُ
رِمَماً فَكانَ لَهُ المَسيحَ الثاني
And a pearl that is uniquely beautiful. She is the strange one, yet native.
Familiar, she gifts her jewels as a burden upon equals and peers.
فَالطَيرُ تَلجَأُ بِالحُصونِ لِأَنَّها
بِنَداهُ لَم تَأمَن مِنَ الطَوفانِ
No fault in her, though her beauty witnesses her immodesty everywhere.
Rarely, though her rhetorical masterworks address you, and her eloquence enchants,
لا عَيبَ في نُعماهُ إِلّا أَنَّها
يَسلو الغَريبُ بِها عَنِ الأَوطانِ
For your works are the finest works, and your excellence, the most subtle meaning.
شاهَدتُهُ فَشَهِدتُ لُقمانَ الحِجى
وَنَظَرتُ كِسرى العَدلِ في الإيوانِ
وَرَأَيتُ مِنهُ سَماحَةً وَفَصاحَةً
أَعدى بِفَيضِهِما يَدي وَلِساني
يا ذا الَّذي شَغَلَ الزَمانَ بِنَفسِهِ
فَأَصَمَّ سَمعَ طَوارِقِ الحِدثانِ
لَو يَكتَبُ اِسمُكَ بِالصَوارِمِ وَالقَنا
أَغنى عَنِ التَضرابِ وَالتَطعانِ
وَكَتيبَةٌ ضَرَبَ العَجاجُ رِواقَها
مِن فَوقِ أَعمِدَةِ القَنا المُرّانِ
نَسَجَ الغُبارُ عَلى الجِيادِ مَدارِعاً
مَوصولَةً بِمَدارِعِ الفُرسانِ
وَدَمٌ بِأَذيالِ الدُروعِ كَأَنَّهُ
حَولَ الغَديرِ شَقائِقُ النُعمانِ
حَتّى إِذا اِستَعَرَ الوَغى وَتَتَبَّعَت
بيضُ الصِفاحِ مَكامِنَ الأَضغانِ
فَعَلَت دُروعُكَ عِندَها بِسُيوفِهِم
فِعلَ السَرابِ بِمُهجَةِ الظَمآنِ
وَبَرَزتَ تَلفِظُكَ الصُفوفُ إِلَيهِم
لَفظَ الزَنادِ سَواطِعَ النيرانِ
بَأَقَبَّ يَعصي الكَفَّ ثُمَّ يُطيعُهُ
فَتَراهُ بَينَ تَسَرُّعٍ وَتَوانِ
قَد أَكسَبَتهُ رِياضَةً سُوّاسُهُ
فَتَكادُ تَركُضُهُ بِغَيرِ عِنانِ
كَالصَقرِ في الطَيَرانِ وَالطاووسِ في ال
خَطَرانِ وَالخَطّافِ في الرَوغانِ
يَرنو إِلى حُبُكِ السَماءِ تَوَهُّماً
أَنَّ المَجَرَّةَ حَلبَةُ المَيدانِ
لَو قيلَ عُج نَحوَ السَماءِ مُبادِراً
وَطِئَت يَداهُ دَوابِرَ الدَبَرانِ
أَو قيلَ جُز فَوقَ الصِراطِ مُسارِعاً
لَمَشى عَليهِ مِشيَةَ السَرَطانِ
وَفَلَلتَ حَدَّ جُموعِهِم بِصَوارِمٍ
كَكَراكَ نافِرَةٍ عَنِ الأَجفانِ
ضَلَّت فَظَنَّت في مُقارِعَةِ العِدى
أَنَّ الغُمودَ مَعاقِدُ التيجانِ
صَيَّرتَ هاماتِ الكُماةِ صَوامِعاً
وَكَواسِرَ العِقبانِ كَالرَهبانِ
يا ذا الَّذي خَطَبَ المَديحَ سَماحُهُ
فَنَداهُ قَبلَ نِدايَ قَد لَبّاني
أَقصَيتَني بِالجودِ ثُمَّ دَعَوتَني
فَنَداكَ أَبعَدَني وَإِن أَدناني
ضاعَفتَ بِرَّكَ لي وَلو لَم تولِني
إِلّا القُبولَ عَطِيَّةً لَكَفاني
فَنَأَيتُ عَنكَ وَلَستُ أَوَّلَ حازِمٍ
خافَ النِزولَ بِمَهبِطِ الطوفانِ
عِلمي بِصَرفِ الدَهرِ أَخلى مَعهَدي
مِنّي وَصَرَّفَ في البِلادِ عِناني
وَلَرُبَّما طَلَبَ الحَريصُ زِيادَةً
فَغَدَت مُؤَدِّيَةً إِلى النُقصانِ
فَلَئِن رَحَلتُ فَقَد تَرَكتُ بَدائِعاً
غَصَبَت فُصولَ الحُكمِ مِن لُقمانِ
وَخَريدَةً هِيَ في الجَمالِ فَريدَةٌ
فَهِيَ الغَريبَةُ وَهيَ في الأَوطانِ
مُعتادَةً تَهَبُ الحَليلَ صَداقَها
فَخراً عَلى الأَكفاءِ وَالأَقرانِ
لا عَيبَ فيها وَهوَ شاهِدُ حُسنِها
إِلّا تَبَرَّجَها بِكُلِّ مَكانِ
قَلَّت وَإِن حَلَّت صَنائِعَ لَفظِها
لَكُم وَإِن نَطَقَت بِسِحرِ بَيانِ
فَجَميلُ صُنعِكُمُ أَجَلُّ صَنائِعاً
وَبَديعُ فَضلِكُمُ أَدَقُّ مَعانِ
