وَفى لِيَ فيكَ الدَمعُ إِذ خانَني الصَبرُ
وَأَنجَدَ فيكَ النَظمُ إِذ خُذِلَ النَصرُ
My tears were true to me when patience betrayed me,
And poetry supported me when victory was lost.
وَأَضحَت تَقولُ الناسُ وَالدِستُ وَالعُلى
كَذا فَليَجَلُّ الخَطبُ وَليَفدَحِ الأَمرُ
The elite and the common now say,
"Let this be so! Let matters unfold and the affair explode!"
تُوُفِّيَتِ الآمالُ بَعدَ مُحَمَّدٍ
وَأَصبَحَ في شُغلٍ عَنِ السَفَرِ السَفرُ
Hopes were fulfilled after Muhammad,
And travel now busies itself from travel.
وَزالَت حَصاةُ الحِلمِ عَن مُستَقَرِّها
وَأَصبَحَ كَالخَنساءِ في قَلبِهِ صَخرُ
The rocks of patience have left their resting place,
And their hearts became like Al-Khansa’s - solid stone.
وَساوى قُلوبَ الناسِ في الحُزنِ رُزؤُهُ
كَأَنَّ صُدورَ الناسِ في حُزنِها صَدرُ
His sadness has made all hearts equal.
It's as if all chests in their sadness are one chest.
فَإِن أَظلَمَت أَرضُ الشَآمِ لِحُزنِهِ
فَلَم يَخلُ مِن ذاكَ الصَعيدُ وَلا مِصرُ
If the land of Syria darkens in sadness,
Neither that plain nor Egypt remains unaffected.
قَضى الناصِرُ السُلطانُ مِن بَعدِ ما قَضى
فُروضَ العُلى طُرّاً وَسالَمَهُ الدَهرُ
The victorious Sultan fulfilled, after fulfilling,
The duties of the High in a pure and wholesome manner.
وَلَم يُغنِ عَنهُ الجَأشُ وَالجَيشُ وَاللُهى
وَفَرطُ النُهى وَالحُكمُ وَالنَهيُ وَالأَمرُ
Neither the army, the troops, the revelry,
Nor the excess of prohibitions, ruling, forbidding, and commanding helped him.
وَلا الخَيلُ تَجري بَينَ آذانِها القَنا
لِحَربِ العِدى وَالدُهمُ مِن دَمِهِم حُمرُ
Nor did the horses race between the ears
To the war of enemies while their blood is red.
لَدى مَعرَكٍ خاضَت بِهِ الخَيلُ في الوَغى
مِنَ الدَمِ فيما خاضَتِ البيضُ وَالسُمرُ
In a battle in which the horses plunged into the fray
Amist blood while the white and red mud mixed.
كَأَن لَم يَقُدها في الهِياجِ عَوابِساً
بِكُلِّ كَميٍّ ضَمَّ في قَلبِهِ الصَدرُ
As if he did not lead them ferociously in excitement,
Each resolute one whose heart contained his chest.
وَلَم تَرجِعِ البيضُ الصِفاحُ مِنَ العِدى
مُخَضَّبَةً وَالبَرُّ مِن دَمِهِم بَحرُ
Nor did the white swords return from the enemy
Blood-stained, while the innocent blood was a sea.
وَلَم يَترُكِ الأَبطالَ صَرعى وَغِسلُها
دَماها وَأَحشاءُ النُسورِ لَها قَبرُ
Nor did he leave the heroes slain with their blood washing them,
While the innards of eagles were their graves.
وَلا صَنَعَت فيها ظُباهُ مَآدِباً
فَأَصبَحَ مِن أَضيافِهِ الذِئبُ وَالنَسرُ
Nor did the hyenas make feasts of them,
So that the wolves and eagles became their guests.
وَلا أَخَذَت مِنهُ المُلوكُ لِسِلمِهِ
زِمامَ الرِضى مِمّا يُقَلقِلُها الذُعرُ
Nor did the kings take the reins of satisfaction from him
To calm them for what sets their nerves on edge.
وَلا مُهِّدَ الإِسلامُ عِندَ اِضطِرابِهِ
فَأَصبَحَ مَشدوداً بِهِ ذَلِكَ الأَزرُ
Nor did his palms heal in every city
Great generosity that their breaking cannot mend.
وَلا قَلَّدَ الأَعناقَ مِن فَيضِ جودِهِ
قَلائِدَ بِرٍّ لا يَقومُ بِها الشُكرُ
Verily, in the path of glory lies the struggle of the glorious one,
Glory and pride share our sadness with him.
وَلا جَبَرَت كَفّاهُ في كُلِّ بَلدَةٍ
كَبيرَ كِرامٍ ما لِكَسرِهِمُ جَبرُ
A generous one from whom time gained morals,
So his days were adorned and distinguished from him.
أَلا في سَبيلِ المَجدِ مُهجَةُ ماجِدٍ
يُشارِكُنا في حُزنِهِ المَجدُ وَالفَخرُ
He awes the armies of tribulations; remembering him terrifies them.
And eliminates the enemies before his swords do.
كَريمٌ أَفادَ الدَهرُ مِنهُ خَلائِقاً
فَأَيّامُهُ مِنهُ مُحَجَّلَةٌ غُرُّ
The kings hasten to his door, but if they transgress,
Slaughter, plunder, and captivity befall them.
يَروعُ جُيوشَ الحادِثاتِ يَراعُهُ
وَيُفني الأَعادي قَبلَ أَسيافِهِ الذِكرُ
The people of the kingdoms have witnessed
That he is a king with a decree higher than theirs.
إِلى بابِهِ تَسعى المُلوكُ فَإِن عَدَت
تَعَدّى إِلَيها القَتلُ وَالنَهبُ وَالأَسرُ
Powerful when they weaken, swift when they crawl,
Resolute when they attack, steadfast when they flee.
لَقَد شَهِدَت أَهلُ المَمالِكِ أَنَّهُ
مَليكٌ لَهُ مِن فَوقِ قَدرِهِمُ قَدرُ
It is as if the vast earth was tailored to his name,
For in every direction the mention of him is sprinkled.
قَوِيٌّ إِذا لانوا سَريعٌ إِذا وَنوا
صَؤولٌ إِذا كَرّوا ثَبوتٌ إِذا فَرّوا
His wrap circles the countries as if
It were a belt and the regions were his waist.
كَأَنَّ أَديمَ الأَرضِ قُدَّ مِنِ اِسمِهِ
فَما وُجِدَت إِلّا وَفيها لَهُ ذِكرُ
None who sought his generosity knew
Which was the sea, his generosity or the sea itself?
يَجولُ ثَناهُ في البِلادِ كَأَنَّهُ
وِشاحٌ وَمَجموعُ البِقاعِ لَهُ خَصرُ
The keys to the sustenance of the servants are in his palm,
So he gestures good fortune with it and ill fortune.
وَما كانَ يَدري مَن تَيَمَّمَ جودَهُ
وَنَكَّبَ لُجَّ البَحرِ أَيَّهُما البَحرُ
A young man whose might and munificence were like time’s -
From him benefit and harm were hoped for and feared.
مَفاتِحُ أَرزاقِ العِبادِ بِكَفِّهِ
فَيُمنى بِها يُمنٌ وَيُسرى بِها يُسرُ
A young man whose generosity covered the vast earth,
So in every drop of his clouds lies a droplet.
فَتىً كانَ مِثلَ الدَهرِ بَطشاً وَبَسطَةً
يُرَجّى وَيُخشى عِندَهُ النَفعُ وَالضُرُّ
A young man whose words and opinion and grant
Came extemporaneously without troubling the mind.
فَتىً طَبَّقَ الأَرضَ البَسيطَةَ جودُهُ
فَفي كُلِّ قُطرٍ مِن نَداهُ بِها قَطرُ
A young man whose compassion loftiness did not stiffen,
And from some of what he attained comes loftiness.
فَتىً لَفظُهُ مَع رَأيِهِ وَنَوالِهِ
يَجيءُ اِرتِجالاً لا يُغَلغِلُهُ الفِكرُ
A young man who disliked falling short such that you'd think
Shortcoming was prohibited to him, and so was aggregation.
فَتىً لَم تُرَنِّح نَشوَةُ الكِبرِ عِطفَهُ
وَمِن بَعضِ ما قَد نالَهُ يَحدُثُ الكِبرُ
A young man who left no regret in the struggle of glory,
Throughout time except that his life be prolonged.
فَتىً يَكرَهُ التَقصيرَ حَتّى تَظُنَّهُ
يَكونُ حَراماً عِندَهُ الجَمعُ وَالقَصرُ
A young man who hoarded good deeds so his actions resulted
In good consequences, for hoarding benefits.
فَتىً لَم يَدَع في مُهجَةِ المَجدِ حَسرَةً
مَدى الدَهرِ إِلّا أَن يَطولَ لَهُ العُمرُ
Poetry falls short of describing his calamity.
He is so majestic that describing him exhausts poetry.
فَتىً ذَخَرَ الحُسنى فَأَعقَبَ فِعلُهُ
عَواقِبَهُ الحُسنى فَقَد نَفَعَ الذُخرُ
The earth covered him after he ennobled
The earth with his steps, and the carpets, the court, and the palaces.
تَقاصَرَتِ الأَشعارُ عَن وَصفِ رُزئِهِ
لَقَد جَلَّ حَتّى دَقَّ عَن وَصفِهِ الشِعرُ
We have not seen a full moon set in the earth before him,
Nor a towering mountain the grave embraced before him.
طَواهُ الثَرى مِن بَعدِ ما شَرُفَ الثَرى
بِوَطأَتِهِ وَالتَختُ وَالدِستُ وَالقَصرُ
The belly of the earth used to envy its surface that it was over him,
So the belly came to envy the back.
وَلَم نَرَ بَدراً قَبلَهُ غابَ في الثَرى
وَلَم نَرَ طَوداً قَبلَهُ ضَمَّهُ القَبرُ
The physicians crowded around him seeking his cure,
And minds were confused and secrets preoccupied.
وَقَد كانَ بَطنُ الأَرضِ يَغبِطُ ظَهرَها
عَلَيهِ فَأَمسى البَطنُ يَحسُدُهُ الظَهرُ
They tried all sorts of medicines to cure him,
But can the perfumer mend what time has corrupted?
أَحاطَ بِهِ الآسونَ يَبغونَ طِبَّهُ
وَقَد حارَتِ الأَفهامُ وَاِشتَغَلَ السِرُّ
And how can medicine repeal a predetermined decree
When that decree is from He who decrees?
وَراموا بِأَنواعِ العَقاقيرِ بُرأَهُ
وَهَل يُصلِحُ العَطّارُ ما أَفسَدَ الدَهرُ
Of that which brings consolation to the soul is the propriety of his passage -
In a modest shroud no burdens can be tied to.
وَكَيفَ يَرُدُّ الطِبُّ أَمراً مُقَدَّراً
إِذا كانَ ذاكَ الأَمرُ مِمَّن لَهُ الأَمرُ
And we have after him, from his progeny,
A king with whom patience over his loss is seemly.
وَمِمّا يُسَلّي النَفسَ حُسنُ اِنتِقالِهِ
عَفيفَ إِزارٍ لا يُناطُ بِهِ وِزرُ
So if that full moon disappeared from the horizon of his realm,
Radiant stars have risen from his heir.
وَإِنَّ لَنا مِن بَعدِهِ مِن سَليلِهِ
مَليكاً بِهِ عَن فَقدِهِ يَحسُنُ الصَبرُ
And the Most High was pleased with what the people heard of them,
And the creation said the reports have proven true.
فَإِن غابَ ذاكَ البَدرُ عَن أُفقِ مُلكِهِ
فَقَد أَشرَقَت مِن نَجلِهِ أَنجُمٌ زُهرُ
So if time brandished its blade after Muhammad,
It has unsheathed a sword through which the outstanding one can be reached.
وَسَرَّ العُلى ما أَسمَعَ الناسَ عَنهُمُ
وَقالَ الوَرى قَد صَدَّقَ الخَبَرَ الخُبرُ
And if it brought about a slip with the victorious king,
The excusing king rose to defend it.
فَإِن فَلَّتِ الأَيّامُ حَدَّ مُحَمَّدٍ
فَقَد جَرَّدَت سَيفاً بِهِ يُدرَكُ الوِترُ
O palm tree of glory that when it flourished and grew,
Its branches flourished and turned green in glory!
وَإِن أَحدَثَت بِالناصِرِ المَلكِ زَلَّةً
فَبِالمَلِكِ المَنصورِ قامَ لَها العُذرُ
May God reward you for how you adorned us with necklaces of favor -
They are like drops of rain, endless.
فَيا دَوحَةَ المَجدِ الَّذي عِندَما ذَوَت
سَمَت وَنَمَت في المَجدِ أَغصانُها الخُضرُ
Affluence became dear to us after finding you,
Just as poverty was abased to us before losing you.
لَكَ اللَهُ كَم قَلَّدتَنا طَوقَ مِنَّةِ
فَتِلكَ كَعَدَّ القَطرِ لَيسَ لَهُ حَصرُ
Sorrows became layered within you in degrees,
While the number of my patience lies between them, zero.
لَقَد عَزَّ فينا بَعدَ وُجدانِكَ الغِنى
كَما ذَلَّ فينا قَبلَ فِقدانِكَ الفَقرُ
And when I strung poetry for you into necklaces,
The stars of night wished they were that poetry!
تَرَتَّبَتِ الأَحزانُ فيكَ مَراتِباً
بِقَلبي وَرَقمُ الصَبرِ مِن بَينِها صِفرُ
I will lament you in poetry until when withering,
The threading of verse pearls aids me with prose.
وَلَمّا نَظَمتُ الشِعرَ فيكَ قَلائِداً
تَمَنَّت نُجومُ اللَيلِ لَو أَنَّها شِعرُ
Upon you is God’s peace for as long as your name is mentioned,
And that is between people until the final resurrection.
سَأَبكيكَ بِالأَشعارِ حَتّى إِذا وَهَت
سُلوكُ عُقودِ النَظمِ أَنجَدَني النَثرُ
عَليكَ سَلامُ اللَهِ ما ذُكِرَ اِسمُكُم
وَذَلِكَ بَينَ الناسِ آخِرُهُ الحَشرُ
