سجدت لكعبة قدك الأغصان — Shehab Al Din Al Khalouf

سَجَدَتْ لكعبة قَدَك الأغْصَانُ

وَسَهَتْ لِسَاحرِ طرفكَ الغزلاَنُ

The branches bowed to the Kaaba of your stature.

And gazelles grew dazed before the magic of your glance.

وَبَرَزْتَ فِي أفُقِ الملاَحَةِ كَامِلاً

فَلِذَا اعْتَرَى قَمَرَ الدجَى النُّقْصَانُ

You appeared, perfect, on beauty's horizon;

and so the moon of darkness began to wane.

أمُعَذّبِي هَلْ أنْتَ بَدرٌ مُقْمِرٌ

أمْ جُؤْذرٌ أمْ رَبْرَبٌ وَسْنَانُ

O my tormentor, are you a radiant full moon,

or a wild-ox calf, or a drowsy herd of gazelles?

أمْ أنْتَ مِنْ حُورِ الجِنَانِ فَرَرْتَ أمْ

ملكٌ كَرِيمٌ أنْتَ أمْ إنْسَانُ

Or have you fled from the houris of Paradise, or

are you a noble angel, or a human being?

وَأسيلُ خدك أمْ رِيَاضٌ مُونِقٌ

أم ذَاكَ نُعْمَانٌ بِهِ نُعْمَانُ

And is that your smooth cheek, or delightful gardens?

Or is that Nu‘man, with anemones within it?

أمْ رَوْضَةٌ غَنَّا تفتَّحَ وَرْدُهَا

أمْ جَنَّةٌ فَيْحَا بِهَا رِضْوَانُ

Or a luxuriant garden whose roses have opened,

or a spacious paradise with Ridwan there?

وَعِذَارُكَ المُخْضَر أمْ نَمْلٌ غَدَا

مُتَرَدّداً فِي السَّيْرِ أمْ خيلاَنُ

And is your green cheek-down ants that have begun

wandering to and fro, or beauty spots?

أمْ ظِل صُدْغٍ مَدَّ حَاشِيَةً عَلَى

شَاطِي غَدِيرِ الخَد أمْ رَيْحَانُ

Or the shadow of a temple-lock spreading its fringe over

the bank of the cheek's pool, or basil?

أمْ هُدْبُ جفنٍ لاَحَ في مِرْآة خَدّ

كَ أمْ لَهِيبٌ قَدْ عَلاَهُ دخانُ

Or lashes appearing in the mirror of your cheek,

or a flame over which smoke has risen?

أمْ غَيْهَبٌ سُدِلَتْ حَوَاشِيهِ عَلَى

شَفَقٍ كَأنَّ أدِيمَهُ عِقْيَانُ

Or deep darkness whose edges are draped over

a twilight whose surface seems pure gold?

أمْ كَاتِبٌ قَدْ خَطَّ لاَمَاتٍ عَلَى

صَفَحَاتِ خَدّ صَاغَهُ الرَّحْمَانُ

Or a scribe who has inscribed letters lam upon

the pages of a cheek fashioned by the Merciful One?

وَقَوَامُكَ المَيَّاسُ أمْ هُوَ شَمْعَةٌ

أمْ غُصْنُ بَانٍ فَوْقَهُ بُسْتَانُ

And your swaying figure—is it a candle,

or a ban-tree branch with a garden above it?

أمْ ذَاكَ عَسَّاكٌ لَهُ مِنْ طرفك ال

وَسْنَانِ يَا غُصْنَ الأرَاكِ سِنَانُ

Or is that a spear whose point comes from your

drowsy gaze, O branch of the arak tree?

يَا جُؤذراً من لحظه وَقَوَامِهِ

تَتَعَلَّمُ الأغْصَانُ وَالغزلاَنُ

O wild-ox calf, from whose glance and figure

the branches and gazelles learn!

الخد روضٌ وَالعِذَارُ بَنَفْسَجٌ

وَالوَجْهُ شَمْسٌ وَالقَوَامُ البَانُ

The cheek is a garden, the cheek-down violets;

the face is a sun, the figure a ban-tree.

وَهَضِيمَةِ الكَشْحَيْنِ هَزّ قَوَامُهَا

مَا لَمْ يَهُزَّ الأسْمَرُ المُرَّانُ

And a beauty slender at both flanks, whose figure stirred

what the dark ashwood spear could not stir.

مَا كُنْتُ أدْرِي قَبْلَ فَتْكِ جفونِهَا

فِي مُهْجَتِي أنْ للِظُّبَى أجْفَانُ

Before her eyelids' deadly assault, I never knew

within my lifeblood, that sword blades had eyelids.

تالله إنّ خدُودَهَا قَدْ أضْرَمَتْ

فِي القَلْبِ مَا لاَ تُضْرِمُ النِّيرَانُ

By God, her cheeks have kindled

in the heart what fires cannot kindle.

وَالدَّمْعُ يَبْسط فِي الخُدُودِ مَطارِفاً

فَتُجَر مِنْ جرائِهِ الأرْدَانُ

And tears spread bordered cloaks across the cheeks,

so their sleeves trail in its wake.

يَا دمعُ قِفْ عَنْ طُولِ جريك وَاتَّئِدْ

بَلْ فِضْ فَإنَّكَ هَامِلٌ هَتَّانُ

O tears, cease your endless running and slow down!

Rather, pour forth: you flow freely and steadily.

يَا رَبَّةَ الجَفْنِ المُعيرِ سقَامَهُ

جِسْمِي أمَا لِشِفَائِهِ إبَّانُ

O mistress of the eyelid that lends its sickness

to my body—is there no season for its cure?

أسَقِيمُ جَفْنِكِ أمْ صحيحُ جَفَاكِ قد

ترك الفُؤَادَ تَرُوعُهُ الأجْفَانُ

Is it your ailing eyelid or your healthy rejection that has

left the heart terrified of eyelids?

مَا عذرُ مثلي فِي هَوَاك وقَدْ دَعَا

قَلْبِي المُطِيعَ جَمَالُكِ الفَتَّانُ

What excuse has one like me for loving you, when

your bewitching beauty has summoned my obedient heart?

تَوْرِيدُ خَدِّكِ مُورِدُ الأهْوَا كَمَا

فتاكُ طرفكِ لِلْوَرَى فَتَّاُن

Your cheek's rose-redness brings desires, just as

the deadly power of your gaze bewitches humankind.

فَإذَا سفرتِ فبدرُ تَمٍّ طَالٍعٌ

وَإذَا نَفَرْتِ فشادنٌ ظَمْآنُ

When you unveil, a complete full moon rises;

and when you shy away, you are a thirsty gazelle fawn.

إنِّي لَتُعْجِبُنِي مَعَاطِفُكِ الَّتِي

فِي بَانِهَا التفاحُ وَالرمَّانُ

Your curves truly delight me,

whose ban-tree holds apples and pomegranates.

ويروقني وَرْدٌ بِخَدّكِ يَانِعٌ

فِي وَسْطِ جَمْرٍ حَفَّهُ سُوسَانُ

And a blooming rose on your cheek delights me,

amid embers encircled by lilies.

وَتَسُرّنِي النسمَاتُ مِنْكِ وَإنَّمَا

يَزْدَادُ فِي قَلْبِي بِهَا الخَفَقَانُ

And the breezes from you delight me, though

they only quicken my heart's beating.

وَأهُزُّ مِنْ فَرْطِ السرُور معَاطفِي

حَتَّى كَأنِّي شَاربٌ نشْوَانُ

And from overflowing joy I sway my limbs,

until I seem an intoxicated drinker.

وَأُسِرُّ حُبِّكِ وَالدمُوِعُ تُذِيعُهُ

أمَعَ المَدَامِعِ يَنْفَعُ الكِتْمَانُ

I conceal my love for you, while tears proclaim it;

with tears, can concealment avail?

سُقْياً لأيَّامٍ مَضَيْنَ كَأنَّهَا

رُوحٌ يُرِيحُ لَهَا المُنَى جُثْمَانُ

May rain bless the days gone by, as though they were

a soul whose body gives its wishes rest.

إذْ كَانَ ظِل سُتُورِ أنْسِكِ مُورِقاً

وَالعَيْشُ عيَشُ والزَّمَانُ زَمَانُ

When the shade of your companionship's curtains was leafy,

and life was truly life, and time was truly time.

وَعرُوس ذَاكَ الروض قُلِّدَ جيدُهَا

عِقْداً لَهُ دُرّ السحَاب جُمَانُ

And the bride of that garden had her neck adorned

with a necklace whose beads were the clouds' pearls.

وَالقُضْبُ تَرْفُلُ في غَلاَئِلِ سندُسٍ

صِيغَتْ أزَاهِرُهَا لَهَا تِيجَاُن

And branches trailed luxuriantly in robes of fine silk,

their blossoms fashioned into crowns for them.

وَالنَّهْرُ كَالهنديّ أوْ هُوَ مِعْصَمٌ

فِي حلة خضْرَاء أوْ ثعبَانُ

And the river was like an Indian sword, or a wrist

in a green robe, or a serpent.

وَالفَجْرُ رَاكِبُ أشْهَبٍ يَتْلُو بِهِ

جيشَ الظَّلاَمِ كَأنَّه سُلْطَانُ

And dawn rides a gray steed, pursuing upon it

the army of darkness, as though a sultan.

مَوْلاَي عثمانُ المليكُ المالكُ ال

عدل الحليم الكامل الإنسانُ

My lord Uthman, the king, the sovereign,

the just, the forbearing, the perfect human being;

الأعظم الأعلى الأعزُّ الشامخ ال

مولى الكَرِيم العَادل اليقظَانُ

the greatest, the highest, the mightiest, the lofty,

the lord, the generous, the just, the vigilant.

ملكٌ إذَا هَزَّ الحسَامَ بِكَفِّهِ

خرَّتْ لبَارق رعده الخُرْصَانُ

A king who, when he brandishes the sword in his hand,

makes spears fall before the lightning of his thunder.

لَوْ فُرّقَتْ عزمَاته وهبَاته

فِي النَّاسِ لَمْ يَكُ بَاخلٌ وَجبَانُ

If his resolves and gifts were distributed

among humankind, no miser or coward would remain.

متيقِّظٌ عُصِمَتْ بوَادرُ أمْره

بعزَائمٍ يَقْتَادُهَا العِرْفَانُ

Vigilant, the impulses of his rule are kept in check

by resolves guided by discernment.

مُسْتَعْبِدٌ حُرَّ الأمُورِ يَقُودهَا

رأيٌ بِخَطْمِ الخَطْبِ منهُ عِنانُ

He subjugates untamed affairs, which are led

by judgment—his rein upon calamity's muzzle.

ويَرَى العَوَاقِبَ فِي صَحِيفَةِ فِكْرِهِ

فَكَأنَمَا أفْكَاره كُهَّانُ

He sees outcomes on the page of his thought,

as though his thoughts were soothsayers.

مَلأتْ مَوَاقِفُةُ القُلُوبَ مَهَابَةً

فِيهَا اسْتَوَى الإسرَارُ وَالإعْلاَن

His appearances have filled hearts with awe,

an awe alike in secret and in the open.

وكَأنَّمَا صُوَر الوُقُوفِ أمَامَهُ

صُوَر الدمَى فَمَوَاثلٌ خُرْسَانُ

And the figures standing before him seem

images of statues: motionless, mute forms.

وكَأنَّ رَاحَتَهُ وَأنْمُلَ كَفِّهِ

بحر تُمَدُّ لَهَا بِهِ خِلْجَان

And his palm and the fingers of his hand seem

a sea with inlets stretching into it.

مِنْ مَعْشرٍ هُمْ في الندَى سُحُبٌ وَفي

ليل الحُرُوب هُمُ هُمُ الشُّبْهَان

From a people who are clouds in generosity, and in

the night of wars they are the very meteors.

قَوْمٌ إلَى الفروق نستهم فَلاَ

بعْلُو كمَالَ فَخَارِهِمْ نُقْصَانُ

A people whose lineage traces to al-Faruq; no

diminution overtops the perfection of their glory.

لهمُ الفِنَاءُ الرحْبُ وَالبيت الَّذِي

خَضَعَتْ لبهجة عزّهِ الأكْوَانُ

The spacious court is theirs, and the house before whose

splendid might all creation has bowed.

وَافَى أخِيراً بَعْدَهُمْ فَكَأنَّهُ

فِي الطِّرْسِ بَسْمَلَةٌ وَهُمْ عُنْوَانُ

He came last after them, yet seems

the page's 'In God's name,' while they are its heading.

قُلْ لِلَّذِي قَدْ رَاحَ يُنْكِرُهُ لَقَدْ

قَامَ الدَّلِيلُ عَلَيْكَ وَالبُرْهَانُ

Tell him who has set out to deny him: indeed,

the evidence and proof stand against you.

وَرِثَ الخِلاَفَةَ عن أبي حفصٍ فلاَ

يُرْتَابُ فِيهِ لأنَّهُ عثْمَانُ

He inherited the caliphate from Abu Hafs, so

there is no doubting him, for he is Uthman.

ملكٌ إذَا ضحكتْ مَبَاسمُ بِيضِهِ

فِي الحَرْبِ عَبَّسَ وَجْهَهُ المُرَّانُ

A king—when the mouths of his bright swords smile

in battle, the ashwood spear makes his face frown.

إنْ صَالَ فِي الأعدَا فَمَا مُرَّانُهُ

ذَرِبٌ وَلاَ عَسَّالُهُ مَلْسَانُ

If he charges against foes, his ashwood lance is not

sharp-tongued, nor his quivering spear glib.

لَمْ يَثْنِ فِي طَلَبٍ أعِنَّةَ خيله

إلاَّ اعترى مَهْزُومَهَا الخذلانٌ

Never does he turn his horses' reins in pursuit

without abandonment overtaking those they rout.

ذُو رتبةٍ رَجَحَتْ بِآفَاقِ العُلَى

مِنْ قَبْلِ أنْ رُصِدَتْ لَهَا المِيزَان

Possessed of a rank that tipped the scales in the horizons of eminence

before the Balance was stationed there to weigh it;

وَمَكَانَةٍ فَوْقَ العَلاَءِ مكينةٍ

مَا فَوْقَهَا لِلْمُرْتَقِينَ مَكَان

and a firmly established station above all heights,

above which no climber can find a place;

وَفُتُوَّةٍ جمع التُّقَى أطْرَافَهَا

وَسَجِيَّة مِنْ شَأنِهَا الغفرَان

and chivalry whose every part is gathered in by piety,

and a nature whose way is forgiveness;

وَعَزِيمَةٍ لوْ أنّهَا لِمُثَقَّفٍ

مَا فَلَّ مِنْهُ فِي الدروع سنَانُ

and a resolve that, were it given to a straightened spear,

its point would never blunt against armor.

فِيهِ الشَّجَاعَةُ وَالبَرَاعَة وَالتُّقَى

وَالعَدْل وَالمَعْرُوف والإحْسَانُ

In him are courage, excellence, and piety,

justice, beneficence, and kindness.

ترتَاح أعطَافُ العباد لِذِكْرِهِ

وَتَحِس من طَرَبٍ لَهُ البُلْدَانُ

People's limbs rejoice at the mention of him,

and lands feel joyful rapture for him.

خرق العَوَائِد في الندَى فنوَاله

غيثٌ عَلَى حُكْمِ المُنَى هَتَّانُ

He broke generosity's conventions; his bounty is

rain pouring steadily at the command of wishes.

تُعْزَى إلَى الغَيْثِ السَّكُوبِ هباته

هَيْهَاتَ أيْنَ الغَيْثُ وَالطوفَانُ

His gifts are likened to pouring rain;

how far apart are rain and the deluge!

لاَ عَيْبَ فِي نُعْمَاهُ إلاَّ أنَّهَا

لرِقَابِ أحرَارِ الْوَرَى أثْمَانُ

No fault lies in his favors, except that they are

the purchase price of free people's necks.

يصغي الزَّمَانُ لأمْرِهِ وَلِنَهْيِهِ

وَتُطِيعُ الأنسُ لحُكمه وَالجَانُ

Time listens to his command and prohibition,

and humans and jinn obey his rule.

وَافيتُ مجلسَه الشَّرِيفَ لِكَيْ أرَى ال

مجدَ الَّذِي سَارَتْ بِهِ الركبَانُ

I came to his noble assembly to behold

the glory borne far and wide by riders.

وَدَنَوْتُ ألثم كفَّه فَرَأيْت كي

ف تفجَّرُ الخِلْجَانُ والوديَانُ

And I drew near to kiss his palm, and saw how

channels and valleys burst forth.

يَا رُبَّ جيشٍ نقعُه وَجيَادُه

نَارٌ عَلاَهَا بِالقَتَادِ دخانُ

Oh, how many an army whose dust and steeds

are fire, with thornwood smoke rising above it!

نقعٌ بِهِ العِقْبَانُ آلَفَتِ الفَنَا

فَكَأنَّهَا وُرْقُ الحِمَى وَالبَانُ

Dust in which eagles have grown familiar with destruction,

as though they were gray doves of the preserve and ban-tree.

وَالأرْضُ خَدٌّ بِالنجيع مُضَرَّجٌ

وَالْحَيْنُ فِيهِ كَأنَّهَا خِيلاَنُ

And the earth is a cheek smeared with blood,

and death upon it seems like beauty spots.

خيلٌ كَأمْثَالِ السهَام وَفِتْيَةٌ

كَالْبِيضِ لاَحَ لِبرْقِهَا لَمَعَانُ

Horses like arrows, and young men

like bright swords whose lightning flashes.

زُهْرٌ إذَا اشتعلت بهم شُعَلَ الظُّبَى

هَزُّوا القَنَا فَتَسَاقَطَ الشّجعَانُ

Radiant men: when the blades' flames flare in their hands,

they shake their spears, and the brave fall.

عَجَبّا لَهَا إذْ جَاوَرَتْ بِأكُفِّهِمْ

بَحْراً وَلَمْ تُطْفَأ لَهَا نِيرَان

How wondrous those flames, bordering in their palms

a sea, yet their fires are not extinguished!

أُسْدٌ مخَالبُهَا الرمَاحُ يَقُودهَا

أسَدٌ يُرِيكَ الأسْدَ كيف تُهَانُ

Lions whose claws are spears, led by

a lion who shows you how lions are humbled.

يَغْشَى الطِّعَانَ فَلاَ يَرُدُّ حُسَامَهُ

لِجَفِيرِهِ وَمِنَ العِدَى إنْسَانُ

He enters spear-fighting and does not return his sword

to its scabbard while a single enemy remains.

مَلِكٌ يَزِيُن مَدِيحُهُ مُدَّاحَهُ

وَبِذِكْرِهِ ذَاكَ المدِيح يُزَانُ

A king whose praise adorns his panegyrists,

and by mentioning him that praise is adorned.

شَرَفٌ أُتِيهِ وَبَيْتُ مُلْكٍ شامخ

فَوْقَ السِّمَاكِ غَدَا لَهُ إيوَانُ

Honor bestowed on him, and a lofty royal house

whose hall has risen above al-Simak.

تلقَاه أنَّي حَلّ يَبْسُطُ للقِرَى

بُسُطاً يُظَلِّلُهَا القَنَا الريَّانُ

Wherever he alights, you find him spreading for hospitality

carpets shaded by well-watered spears.

وَتَرَاهُ مَا بَيْنَ الأسنَّةِ سَافراً

كَالْبَدْرِ دَارَتْ حَوْلَهُ الشُهْبَانُ

You see him unveiled amid the spearheads,

like the full moon with stars circling around it.

يَابْنَ المُلُوكِ الشَّائِدينَ حِمَى الهدى

بصوَارمٍ خَرَّتْ لَهَا الأذْقَانُ

O son of kings who built the sanctuary of guidance

with sharp swords before which chins fell low,

وَالرَّافعينَ مَنَارَهُ بِأسِنَّةٍ

رَكَعَتْ لكعبة زُرْقِهَا الفُرْسَانُ

and raised its beacon with spearheads

before whose blue-steel Kaaba horsemen bowed,

وَالمُرْتَقِينَ عَلَى العُلَى بِعَزَائِمٍ

لَمْ يَحْوِهَا كِسْرَى وَلا النُّعْمَان

and ascended the heights with resolves

possessed by neither Kisra nor al-Nu‘man!

أنْتَ الإمَامُ وَمَنْ عَدَاكَ رَعِيَّةٌ

أنْتَ المُقَدَّمُ وَالوَرَى أعْوَانُ

You are the imam, and everyone besides you a subject;

you are the foremost, and humankind your helpers.

بَرزَتْ جيَادُك لِلطِّرَادِ كَأنَّهَا

سِرْبُ القَطَا وَرِمَاحُكَ الأغْصَانُ

Your steeds emerged for the charge, as though they were

a flock of sandgrouse, and your spears were branches.

وَكَأنَّمَا تِلْكَ السرُوجُ أرَائِكٌ

وَكَأنَّمَا أصْوَاتُهَا ألْحَانُ

And those saddles seem couches,

and their sounds seem melodies.

بِاللَّهِ شُحَّ عَلَى حَيَاتِكَ إنَّهَا

سَبَبٌ بِهِ يَحْيَا الوَرَى وَيُزَانُ

By God, guard your life jealously, for it is

a means through which humankind lives and is adorned.

أُيِّدْتَ من فصلِ الخطَاب بحِكمةٍ

لم يُؤْتَهَا قُسٌّ وَلاَ سَحْبَانُ

You were strengthened in decisive speech by wisdom

never bestowed on Quss or Sahban.

فَإذَا رَمَقْتَ فَوَحْيُ أمْرِكَ مُنْزَلٌ

وَإذَا نَطَقْتَ فَإنَّهُ تِبْيَانُ

When you glance, the revelation of your command descends;

and when you speak, it is clear exposition.

وَإذَا سَألْتَ فَلاَ لأنَّكَ مُحْوَجٌ

وَإذَا كَتَمْتَ وَشَى بِكَ الإحْسَانُ

And when you ask, it is not because you are needy;

and when you conceal, beneficence gives you away.

مَا كَانَ أرْفَعَ مَوْضِعِي لَوْ أنَّ لِي

فِي بَابِ عِزِّكَ يَا هُمَامُ مَكَانُ

How high my station would be, if I had

a place at the gate of your glory, O valiant one!

اللَّهُ يُولِيكَ الَّذِي لَمْ يُولِهِ

بَشَراً وَلَمْ يَبْلُغْ مَدَاهُ لِسَانُ

May God grant you what He has never granted

a human, and whose extent no tongue has reached;

وَبَقِيتَ للمُدَّاِح يَا ملك الوَرَى

مَا دَامَتِ الأكْوَانُ وَالازْمَانُ

and may you remain for the panegyrists, O king of humankind,

as long as creation and the ages endure.