سَقى مَنزِلاً بَينَ الشَقيقَةِ وَالضالِ
جَنا كُلِّ سَحّاحٍ مِنَ المُزنِ هَطّالِ
He watered a dwelling between the meadows and the lost,
Every rugged valley sang with delight,
وَحَيّا رُسومَ العامِرِيَّةِ بِاللَوى
تَحِيَّةَ لا سالٍ هَواها وَلا قالِ
And he greeted the relics of the flourishing with yearning,
A greeting that neither flows spontaneously nor says.
وَلَمّا وَقَفنا بِالدِيارِ بَدَت لَنا
أَوابِدُ مِن حيرانِ وَحشٍ وَآجالِ
And when we stood in the abodes they appeared to us
Desolations amid wild beasts and lairing places.
فَما خَدَعَتنا عَن حَوالٍ أَوانِسٍ
بِنافِرَةٍ مِن وَحشِ وَجرَةَ مِعطالِ
We were not beguiled from friendly gatherings
By an aversion to wild things and a deserted ruin.
أَلا حَبَّذا بِالبانِ مَغنىً وَمَلعَبٌ
عَصَيتُ بِهِ عَصرَ البَطالَةِ عُذّالي
Blessed are the cottages, a place of leisure and sport,
In which I while away the idleness of the unemployed.
فَكائِن لَنا مِن وَقفَةٍ في ظِلالِهِ
وَمِن غَدَواتٍ موبِقاتٍ وَآصالِ
We will have from halting in their shade
Distressing adventures and ruinous marches.
وَهَل تَشتَكي الأَوطانَ عَمَّن تُحِبُّهُ
وَما نَفعُ آثارٍ خَوالٍ وَأَطلالِ
Does a homeland complain of one whom you love?
What use are ruins, night travelers, and vestiges?
وَكَيفَ تَسَلَّينا بِقُضبانِ إِسحِلٍ
وَأَحقافِ رَملٍ عَن قُدودٍ وَأَكفالٍ
How could we be consoled by clubs of tamarisk
And sand dunes instead of fortresses and strongholds?
لَيالِيَ عودُ اللَهوِ فَينانُ مورِقٌ
وَوِردُ الهَوى صَفوٌ وَجيدُ الصِبى حالِ
Nights of mirth when the wine is passing round,
Pure wine is the tryst and the youths are in their prime.
فَلِلَّهِ ثَوبٌ مِن شَبابٍ سُلِبتُهُ
وَغودِرتُ في ثَوبٍ مِنَ الشَيبِ أَسمالِ
God’s garment of youth was stolen from me
And I was left in a coat of hoary age.
صَحِبتُ زَماني وَاِدِعَ البالِ قَلَّما
خَطَرتُ لِهَمٍّ أَو لِبُؤسٍ عَلى بالِ
I accompanied my time, bade farewell to adversity,
Rarely did a care or woe cross my mind,
جَديدَ سَرابيلِ الشَبيبَةِ رافِلاً
مِنَ العَيشِ في ضافي المَساحِبِ ذَيّالِ
My robe of youth fluttering anew
From a life of ease and flowing copiousness.
وَهأَنَذا مِن بَعدِ أَمنٍ وَصِحَّةِ
مُسامِرُ أَوجاعٍ مُشاوِرُ أَوجالِ
Yet here am I after safety and health
Aching, cleaving to pains and moaning,
أُرَقِّعُ عُمراً أَخلَقَتهُ بِكَرِّها
اللَيالي إِلى كَم يُرقَعُ الخَلَقُ البالي
Patching together a lifetime ruined by its nights
How much can a decrepit fabric be patched?
عَزَفتُ عَنِ الدُنيا فَما أَنا طامِحٌ
بِطَرفي إِلى وَفرٍ عَداني وَلامالِ
I turned aside from this world, no more aspiring
To glance at its plenty, possessing no goods or money,
وَأَعرَضتُ عَنها غَيرَ مُكتَرِثٍ لَها
وَسَيّانِ إِكثاري لَدَيَّ وَإِقلالي
And I turned away uncaring, indifferent to it,
Leveling and decreasing have no hold over me,
وَلَم يَبقَ لي عِندَ اللَيالي لُبانَةٌ
كَأَنِّيَ قَد ماتَت مَعَ الشَيبِ آمالي
I have no radiance left during the nights,
It is as though my hopes died with the grey hairs,
فَلَستُ أُبالي اليَومَ كَيفَ تَقَلَّبَت
عَلى عَقِبِ الأَيّامِ وَالدَهرِ أَدوالي
Today I care not how my days and fortunes
Have tossed and turned after their wont,
وَلَولا زَمانٌ أَخَّرَتني صُروفُهُ
لَطارَت بِرَحلي كُلُّ هَوجاءَ مِرقالِ
And had not time with its events kept me back
I would have taken flight from all desolate places,
أُجَشِّمَها الأَخطارَ في غَسَقِ الدُجى
وَأُقذِفُها رَأدَ الضُحى لُجَجِ الآلِ
Braving its perils in the gloom of night,
Hurling them into the dark dawn's surging waves,
وَما كُنتُ أَرضى بِالقُعودِ وَإِنَّما
خُطوبٌ رَمَتني مِن أَذاها بِأَهوالِ
I was not content to sit idle, but misfortunes
Cast me with their terrors into dire straits,
وَإِنِّيَ مِن جودِ الوَزيرِ لَواثِقٌ
بِأَن سَيَريشُ اليَومَ ما اِنحَطَّ مِن حالي
Yet I trust in the vizier's generosity,
That he will shower on me today what my state lacks,
فَيَبسُطُ آمالي وَيُنهِضُ عَثرَتي
وَيَغرَمُ ما قَد فاتَ مِن زَمَني الخالي
He will revive my hopes and raise me from my fall,
And favor what is missing from my faded years,
سَأَجعَلُهُ لي عُدَّةً وَذَخيرَةً
أَعِزُّ بِهِ وَالعِزُّ خَيرٌ مِنَ المالِ
I will make it my reserve and store,
Honoring myself, for honor is better than wealth,
أَصونُ بِهِ عِرضي وَأَمنَعُ جانِبي
وَمِثلُ جَلالِ الدينِ مَن صانَ أَمثالي
Protecting my virtue and guarding my side,
The like of Al-Malik Al-Adil, who guarded his peers,
وَإِن طَرَقَتني في الزَمانِ مُلِمَّةٌ
نَزَلتُ بِحاجاتي عَلَيهِ وَأَثقالي
If worries beset me in my time,
I will unload my burdens and packs onto him,
فَأَسرَحُ في رَوضِ السَماحِ رَكائِبي
وَأَسحَبُ في رَبعِ المَكارِمِ أَذيالي
I will release my mounts into the meadow of charity
And extend my robes in the quarter of noble deeds,
وَعِندَ عُبَيدِ اللَهِ ما أَقتَرَحتُهُ
عَلى الدَهرِ مِن فَضلٍ عَميمٍ وَإِفضالِ
With Obeidallah is what I have asked of Fate
In abounding grace and lavishing favor,
وَزيرٍ كَسا دَستَ الوِزارَةِ بَهجَةً
وَكانَ زَماناً عاطِلاً جيدُها الحالي
A vizier who clothed authority with splendor
When its time was fruitless and lacking fortune,
وَقامَ بِتَدبيرِ الأُمورِ فَلَم يَبِت
بِهِ بَينَ تَضيِيعٍ يُخافُ وَإِهمالِ
Who conducted affairs and did not pass
A night confused between neglect feared or planned,
لَئِن غَبَرَت حيناً مِنَ الدَهرِ حائِلاً
لَقَد طَرَّقَت بَعدَ الحِيالِ بِرِئبالِ
If at times clouds from fate obscured,
Afterwards it cleared with pouring rain,
بِأَغلَبَ مَسبوحِ الذِراعَينِ باسِلٍ
يُزَلزِلُ أَقدامَ العِدى أَيَّ زَلزالِ
With arms mighty to shake the enemies' steps,
However violent the earthquake and tremors,
يَخوضُ سَوادَ النَقعِ وَالبيضِ شُرَّعٌ
بِأَيدي مَغاويرٍ كُماةٍ وَأَبطالِ
He takes the black and white into the fray
With hands of young warriors, heroes and braves,
هُوَ الذائِدُ الحامي إِذا اِشتَجَرَ القَنا
وَإِن صَوَّحَت سَنهاءُ فَالهانِىءُ الطالي
He wards off peril when the cane thicket stirs,
And if the rabbits' tails bristle he is the shooer,
يَبيتُ عَزيزاً جارُهُ فَجِوارُهُ
لِمُغتَرِبٍ خَيرٌ مِنَ الأَهلِ وَالمالِ
His neighbor dwells in safety, for his neighborhood
Is better for the exile than family and riches,
هُوَ المُتبِعُ القَولَ الفِعالَ تَكَرُّماً
وَما كُلُّ قَوّالٍ سِواهُ بِفَعّالِ
He follows words with action magnanimously,
Not everyone who prates is like him in deeds,
لَهُ عَمَلٌ بِالعِلمِ يَزدادُ زينَةً
وَيا رُبَّ ذي عِلمٍ وَلَيسَ بِعَمّالِ
His knowledge is matched by deeds to grow more beautiful
O how many learned yet lack accomplishment!
بَلاهُ أَميرُ المُؤمِنينَ فَلمَ يَكُن
بِمُنحَرِفٍ عَن مَنهَجِ الحَقِّ مَيّالِ
The Commander of the Faithful tested him but found
No deviation from the path of truth or leaning,
وَحَمَّلَهُ أَعباؤَهُ فَأَقَلَّها
بِكاهِلِ عَزمٍ لِلعَظائِمِ حَمّالِ
And burdened him with his duties but he lightened them
With the shoulder of a will equal to great tasks.
لِيَهنِكُمُ يا قالَةَ الشِعرِ أَنَّكُم
نَزَلتُم عَلى عَذبِ المَوارِدِ سَلسالِ
You have descended, company of poets, upon
The sweetest springs, flowing copious and clear,
وَأَنَّكُمُ بَعدَ الإِياسِ سُقيتُمُ
ظِماءً بِنَوءٍ مِن عَطاياهُ مِفضالِ
After despair you were given to drink
A draught from his gifts, pure and fresh,
فَأَثرَيتُمُ مِن بَعدِ دَهرٍ وَضيقَةٍ
وَأَخصَبتُمُ مِن بَعدِ جَدبٍ وَإِمحالِ
You gained riches after want and hardship,
And fruitfulness after drought and bareness,
غَنيتُم بِهِ جَوبِ كُلِّ تَنوفَةٍ
بِكَلِّ المَطايا بَينَ حِلٍّ وَتِرحالِ
You all boast, roaming every region,
Between encamping and traveling with ease,
وَعَن بَرِمٍ ما زالَ يَبرَمُ بِالنَدى
وَيَشغَلُهُ المَدحُ الرَخيصُ عَنِ الغالي
While he who is uncouth, basely nourished,
His breast stained with sin, treachery his habit,
وَذي شَنَآنٍ مُشرَجاتٍ ضُلوعُهُ
عَلى الغِلِ مَطبوعٍ عَلى الغَدرِ مُحتالِ
Built his affair on delusion as though
Upon a dune of sand destined to collapse,
بَنا بِغُرورٍ أَمرَهُ فَكَأَنَّما
بَناهُ عَلى حِقفٍ مِنَ الرَملِ مُنهالِ
Unaware that fate's changes flow,
And the nights last not in a single state,
وَلَم يَدرِ أَنَّ الدَهرَ تَجري صُروفُهُ
وَأَنَّ اللَيالي لا تَدومُ عَلى حالِ
He followed a plan that would be his ruin
And ignited a fire that he would feed,
فَأَعمَلَ رَأياً كانَ فيهِ وَبالُهُ
وَأَوقَدَ ناراً عادَ وَهوَ لَها صالِ
Your excellent intention deluded him
O slowness which hastens the envious!
وَغَرَّتهُ مِن حُسنِ اِرتِيائِكَ وَنِيَّةٌ
وَيارُبَّ إِبطاءٍ كَفيلٍ بِإِعجالِ
You left no remnant of enemies, but only
Neglect and disregard remained of them,
وَما تَركُكَ الأَعداءَ بَقياً عَلَيهِمِ
وَلَكِنَّهُ تَركُ اِجتِيازٍ وَإِهمالِ
You are dressed in garments of brilliant fortune
Today you don the finest of raiment,
تَمَلَّيتَها مِن خِلعَةٍ ناصِرِيَةٍ
تَسَربَلتَ مِنها اليَومَ أَفضَلَ سِربالِ
Blended with light glancing from its brilliance
A ray like the sun's gleam dispelling sorrows,
فَمَمزوجَةٌ وَشيٌ بِها مِن ضِيائِها
شِعاعٌ كَبَرقِ الشَمسِ كاشِفَةُ البالِ
And a flowing sleeve underneath and a turban
Whose darkness amid fate's cheek is like a mole,
وَدَرّاعَةٌ مِن تَحتِها وَعِمامَةٌ
سَوادُهُما في وَجنَةِ الدَهرِ كَالخالِ
And the sheen of smooth composure, adorned,
The accustomed garb of kings who bequeathed it and others,
وَأَبيَضُ حالٍ بِالنُضارِ مُهَنَّدٌ
عَتادُ مُلوكٍ أَورَثوهُ وَأَقيالِ
A scion of the noble lineage of A'awaj, pure,
Generous forebears, kin, and family,
وَمُشتَرِفٌ مِن نَسلِ أَعوَجَ خالِصُ ال
نُجارِ كَريمُ الجَدِّ وَالعَمِّ وَالخالِ
Eyes delight to look upon him as though
He were a meadow of flowers, a slender doe,
تُسَرُّ بِمَرآهُ العُيونُ كَأَنَّهُ
عَقيلَةُ خِدرٍ كاعِبٌ ذاتُ خَلخالِ
He passes by the face of the earth which imagines
His gait to be droplets trickling smooth,
يَمُرُّ عَلى وَجهِ الثَرى فَتِخالُهُ
تَدَفَّقَ رَقراقٍ مِنَ الماءِ سَلسالِ
He sauntered inevitably toward you though it is
A gait of coquetry, not amorous overture,
تَبَختَرَ مَحتوماً إِلَيكَ وَإِنَّهُ
لَمَشيُ دَلالٍ لا تَبَختُرُ إِدلالِ
Wandering with a docile gray steed as though
Its crescents were before and behind,
يَتيهُ بِسَرجٍ عَسجَدِيٍّ كَأَنَّما
هِلالانِ مِنهُ في المُقَدَّمِ وَالتالي
Not as they supposed, mounted for splendor
But mounted for might and esteem,
وَلَيسَ كَما ظَنّوهُ مَركوبَ زينَةٍ
وَلَكِنَّهُ مَركوبُ عِزٍّ وَإِجلالِ
Accompanied by a dark polished mare
An Iraqi, Bahriyya, mother of children,
وَمُثقَلَةٌ بِالحَلِ سَوداءُ حُرَّةٌ
عِراقِيَّةٌ بَحرِيَةٌ أُمُّ أَطفالِ
Who, when they pace around her seeking her teats
Flow with provision which pours and runs,
إِذا مادَرَجنَ حَولَها يَرتَضِعنَها
جَرَينَ بِأَرزاقٍ تَدِرُّ وَآجالِ
Formidable such that every mailed warrior fears him
Silent, scorning all who prattle idly,
فَمِن حاسِرٍ يَخشاهُ كُلُّ مُدَجَّجٍ
وَمِن صامِتٍ يُزري عَلى كُلِّ قَوّالِ
With Indian blades that mock wild beasts
Sending every bronze knight astray,
وَمِن مُرهَفاتِ الحَدِّ تَهزَأُ بِالظُبى
وَيَفرَقُ مِنها كُلُّ أَسمَرَ عَسّالِ
So many around it seeking refuge,
Coming to it in delegations and requests!
فَكَم حَولَها مِن مُستَجيرِ وَعائِذٍ
وَكائِن لَدَيها مِن وُفودٍ وَسُؤالِ
You were granted, Abu al-Muzaffar, a rank
To which you ascended, lofty and sublime,
فَهُنِئتَها يا با المُظَفَّرِ رُتبَةً
تَبَوَّأتَ مِنها مَرقَبَ الشَرَفِ العالي
The possessions of the Muluk are still
Branded by your sword after disregard,
وَلازالَ مَعقولاً بِسَيفِكَ شارِدُ ال
مَمالِكِ مَوسوماً بِهِ بَعدَ إِغفالِ
Nor did its herds and horses diminish
Tribes of shepherds and governors over it,
وَلا عَدِمَت أَذوادُها وَسُروحُها
قَبائِلَ مِن راعٍ عَليها وَمِن والِ
You filled an Eid heralding by its return
Years which pass in cycles and seasons,
وَمُلّيتَ عيداً موذِناً بِوُفودِهِ
عَلَيكَ بِأَعوامٍ تَكُرُّ وَأَحوالِ
When its clothes and musk are remade
Change them with fresh honor and fortune!
إِذا خَلِقَت أَثوابُهُ وَبُرودُهُ
فَغَيِّر بِعِزٍّ مُستَجِدٍّ وَإِقبالِ
