حَيِّ المَنابِرَ بِالسَلامِ
أَعلى وَداعٍ أَو لِمامِ
Greet the pulpits with a salutation of peace,
The highest farewell, or a fleeting embrace.
لَم يَبقَ مِنكَ وَمِنهُمُ
غَيرُ الجُلودِ عَلى العِظامِ
Nothing remains of you, nor of them,
Save skins stretched tight over bones.
وَلَقَد سَكِرتُ مِنَ الهَوى
سُكرَ الغَوِيِّ مِنَ المُدامِ
For I have become intoxicated with passion,
Like the drunkard’s stupor from wine.
فَالقَلبُ مُضطَرِبُ الحَشا
وَالعَينُ نافِرَةُ المَنامِ
The heart is tumultuous within the chest,
And the eye shies away from sleep.
فَإِذا عَزَمتَ فَأَمضِ هَمَّ
كَ بَينَ مَحمودٍ وَذامِ
If you resolve, then execute your intent,
Whether it falls between praise or blame.
وَدَعِ النَوافِخَ في البُرى
يَسبَحنَ في بَحرِ الظَلامِ
Let the panting camels blow through their nose-rings,
As they swim through the sea of darkness,
وَيَخُضنَ أَسرابَ الفَلا
قوداً أَعَنَّتُها سَوامِ
And wade through the mirages of the wild,
Led on, with reins swinging free.
مُتَسَربِلاتٍ بِالحَمي
مِ مُعَمَّماتٍ بِاللُغامِ
Clad in garments of searing heat,
Turbaned with the foam of their mouths,
مِن كُلِّ خَرقاءِ اليَدَي
نِ عَلى اِنقِضابٍ وَاِنجِذامِ
From every beast with flailing forelegs,
Moving with cutting speed and haste.
يَهمِسنَ في هَمسِ القَطا
وَيَخِدنَ في وَخدِ النَعامِ
They whisper with the rustle of sandgrouse,
And trot with the stride of the ostrich.
كَم قَد هَتَكنَ مِنَ الرَجا
وَمَضَينَ بَينَ صَدىً وَهامِ
How many horizons have they torn through,
Passing between thirst and wandering spirits,
حَتّى رَجَعنَ مِنَ السُرى
مِثلَ الأَهِلَّةِ في الحِزامِ
Until they returned from the night journey,
Like crescent moons curved within their girths.
لَم يَبقَ غَيرُ نَواظِرٍ
مِنها وَأَخفافٌ دَوامي
Nothing remains of them but staring eyes,
And foot-pads bleeding from the trek.
يَتبَعنَ وَخدَ شِمِلَّةٍ
وَجَناءَ تُفسِحُ في الزِمامِ
They follow the trot of a swift she-camel,
Strong-cheeked, giving slack to the rein.
فَمَضَت تَزِفُّ أَمامَهُ
نَّ كَما تَوَلّى سَهمُ رامِ
She hastened, gliding ahead of them,
Just as an archer’s arrow flies away.
وَإِلى أَميرِ المُؤمِني
نَ مُحَمَّدٍ خَيرِ الأَنامِ
Towards the Commander of the Faithful,
Muhammad, the best of all mankind.
جَمَعَ الخِلافَةَ وَالسَما
حَةَ وَالشَجاعَةَ في نِظامِ
He combined the Caliphate and magnanimity,
And courage, in one harmonious order.
مَلِكٌ ضَريبَةُ رَأيِهِ
أَمضى مِنَ السَيفِ الحُسامِ
A King whose decisive judgment strikes,
Sharper than the cutting sword.
يَقضي أُمورَ المُؤمِني
نَ بِرَأيِ حَزمٍ وَاِعتِزامِ
He decrees the affairs of the believers,
With wisdom of prudence and resolve.
قالَت قُرَيشٌ كُلُّها
وَهمُ الكِرامُ بَنو الكِرامِ
All of the tribe of Quraysh have declared—
And they are the noble ones, sons of the noble,
وَخَيارُ مِن وَطىءِ الحَصى
مِن بَينِ كَهلٍ أَو غُلامِ
The best of those who tread the pebbles,
Whether among elders or youths—
فَضَلَ المُلوكَ مُحَمَّدٌ
فَضلَ الحَلالِ عَلى الحَرامِ
"Muhammad has surpassed all kings,
As the lawful surpasses the forbidden."
فَاِسلَم أَميرَ المُؤمِني
نَ فَأَنتَ رَهنٌ بِالسَلامِ
So live in safety, O Commander of the Faithful,
For you are the pledge of peace.
مَلِكُ المَكارِمِ كُلِّها
في دارِ ظَعنٍ أَو مُقامِ
King of all noble virtues,
In the land of travel or of stay.
أَمِنَ الحَوادِثَ مِن تَعَلَّ
قَ ذِمَّةَ المُلكِ الهُمامِ
Safe from misfortune is he who clings,
To the protection of the heroic King.
يا خَيرَ مِن ضَمَنتَ يَداهُ
كَم في يَدَيكَ مِنَ الذِمامِ
O best of those whose hands grant surety,
How many protections lie within your hands!
كَم في يَدَيكَ مِنَ النَدى
وَضُروبِ أَلوانِ الحِمامِ
How much generosity lies within your hands,
And various hues of destined death!
خَوضُ الخَليفَةِ بِالنَدى
يَشفي الغَليلَ مِنَ الأَوامِ
The Caliph’s immersion in generosity,
Cures the burning thirst of desire.
إِنَّ الخَليفَةَ في يَدَي
هِ سَجالُ عَفوٍ وَاِنتِقامِ
Verily, in the hands of the Caliph,
Are overflowing buckets of pardon and vengeance.
