حَلَلتَ حُلولَ الغَيثِ في البَلَدِ المَحلِ

حَلَلتَ حُلولَ الغَيثِ في البَلَدِ المَحلِ

وَإِن جَلَّ ما تولي يَداكَ عَنِ المِثلِ

وَإِن جَلَّ ما تولي يَداكَ عَنِ المِثلِ

You alighted like rain upon a drought-stricken land,

You settled like rain pouring down in the homeland

though what your two hands bestow is beyond comparison.

Though your eminent deeds have kept you from ideals

وَفارَقتَ أَرضَ الشَأمِ لا عَن مَلامَةٍ

وَفارَقتَ أَرضَ الشَأمِ لا عَن مَلامَةٍ

وَلا أَنَّ فيها عَن فِراقِكَ ما يُسلي

وَلا أَنَّ فيها عَن فِراقِكَ ما يُسلي

You left the land of al-Sham not because of reproach,

You left the land of Syria, not out of blame

nor did it have anything to console it for your departure,

Nor because being away from you brought solace there

وَلَكِن لِيَستَشفي البِلادُ وَأَهلُها

وَلَكِن لِيَستَشفي البِلادُ وَأَهلُها

بِفَضلِكَ مِن داءِ الجَهالَةِ وَالبُخلِ

بِفَضلِكَ مِن داءِ الجَهالَةِ وَالبُخلِ

but so that the lands and their people might find healing

But so the country and its people could gain

through your excellence from the disease of ignorance and stinginess.

From your grace, be cured of ignorance and stinginess

فَيَأخُذُ كُلٌّ مِن لِقائِكَ حَظَّهُ

فَيَأخُذُ كُلٌّ مِن لِقائِكَ حَظَّهُ

وَما زِلتَ بِالقِسطاسِ تَحكُمُ وَالعَدلِ

وَما زِلتَ بِالقِسطاسِ تَحكُمُ وَالعَدلِ

So each takes his share from meeting you,

Thus each would get their share from seeing you

and you have always judged with the balance and with justice.

While you kept the balance of justice and fairness

وَما كُنتَ إِلّا العارِضَ الجونَ

وَما كُنتَ إِلّا العارِضَ الجونَ

جَلجَلَت رَواعِدُهُ فَاِنحَلَّ في الحَزنِ وَالسَهلِ

جَلجَلَت رَواعِدُهُ فَاِنحَلَّ في الحَزنِ وَالسَهلِ

You were nothing but the dark rain-cloud:

You were but a towering pillar

its thunders resounded, and it poured over rugged ground and plain.

Whose foundations crumbled, so it collapsed in grief and the valley

وَقالوا رَسولٌ أَعجَزَتنا صِفاتُهُ

وَقالوا رَسولٌ أَعجَزَتنا صِفاتُهُ

فَقُلتُ صَدَقتُم هَذِهِ صِفَةُ الرُسلِ

فَقُلتُ صَدَقتُم هَذِهِ صِفَةُ الرُسلِ

They said, "A messenger whose qualities defy our description!"

They said a messenger whose qualities overwhelmed us

I said, "You speak truly: this is the mark of messengers."

And I said you speak truly, such are the traits of messengers

جَمالٌ إِلى المَولى الكَمالِ اِنتِسابُهُ

جَمالٌ إِلى المَولى الكَمالِ اِنتِسابُهُ

وَبارِعُ فَضلٍ بارِعٍ مِن أَبي الفَضلِ

وَبارِعُ فَضلٍ بارِعٍ مِن أَبي الفَضلِ

Jamal, whose lineage leads to the lord al-Kamal,

A beauty stemming from the Absolute Perfection is his lineage

and foremost in splendid merit, sprung from Abu al-Fadl.

And a shining virtue from the Father of Excellence

بِكُم أَيَّدَ اللَهُ المَمالِكَ فَاِغتَدَت

بِكُم أَيَّدَ اللَهُ المَمالِكَ فَاِغتَدَت

مَوَطَّدَةَ الأَكنافِ مَجموعَةَ الشَملِ

مَوَطَّدَةَ الأَكنافِ مَجموعَةَ الشَملِ

Through you God strengthened the kingdoms, and they became

Through you God fortified the kingdoms, so they became

secure on every side, united as one.

United in alliance, gathered in oneness

فَمِن سائِسٍ لِلمُلكِ فيها مُدَبِّرٍ

فَمِن سائِسٍ لِلمُلكِ فيها مُدَبِّرٍ

وَمِن عالِمٍ حَبرٍ وَمِن حاكِمٍ عَدلِ

وَمِن عالِمٍ حَبرٍ وَمِن حاكِمٍ عَدلِ

Among you is a statesman administering kingship there,

Thus there was one to run the kingdom wisely

and an erudite scholar, and a just judge.

A scholar, a judge, and one to rule justly

فَلا طَمِعَت ما دُمتُمُ مِن حُماتِها

فَلا طَمِعَت ما دُمتُمُ مِن حُماتِها

يَدُ الدَهرِ في طَردٍ لَهُنَّ وَلا وَشلِ

يَدُ الدَهرِ في طَردٍ لَهُنَّ وَلا وَشلِ

Never, while you remain among their defenders,

So long as you remain, no time can hope

may the hand of time seek to drive them out or diminish them.

To expel them or divide them with its hand

وَعِشتُم لِدَهرٍ أَنتُمُ حَسَناتُهُ

وَعِشتُم لِدَهرٍ أَنتُمُ حَسَناتُهُ

وَمَجدُكُمُ حَليٌ لِأَيّامِهِ العُطلِ

وَمَجدُكُمُ حَليٌ لِأَيّامِهِ العُطلِ

And may you live through an age whose good deeds you are,

You lived an age whose goodness you were

your glory an ornament for its unadorned days.

And your glory was its adornment in days of emptiness

وَأُنشِرَ أَمواتُ المَكارِمِ مِنكُمُ

وَأُنشِرَ أَمواتُ المَكارِمِ مِنكُمُ

بِكُلِّ جَوادٍ يُتبِعُ القَولَ بِالفِعلِ

بِكُلِّ جَوادٍ يُتبِعُ القَولَ بِالفِعلِ

And may dead noble virtues be resurrected through you,

The deceased virtues were revived through you

by every generous man who follows words with deeds.

With every generosity matching words with deeds

فَأَنتُم بُناةُ المَجدِ بِالبيضِ وَالقَنا

فَأَنتُم بُناةُ المَجدِ بِالبيضِ وَالقَنا

وَأَنتُم وُلاةُ العَقدِ في الناسِ وَالحَلِّ

وَأَنتُم وُلاةُ العَقدِ في الناسِ وَالحَلِّ

You are builders of glory with bright swords and spears,

You build glory with clarity and spear

and among men you wield the power to bind and loose.

You rule people's necks, arbitrating disputes

تُجيرونَ مِن صَرفِ اللَيالي فَجارُكُم

تُجيرونَ مِن صَرفِ اللَيالي فَجارُكُم

عَزيزٌ إِذا ما الجارُ أُسلِمَ لِلذُلِّ

عَزيزٌ إِذا ما الجارُ أُسلِمَ لِلذُلِّ

You grant refuge from the nights' reversals, so your neighbor

Your neighbors gain security against the nights' twists and turns

is honored when another neighbor is abandoned to abasement.

For the neighbor is mighty when he submits to humiliation

يَحِلُّ البَعيدُ الدارِ وَالأَهلِ فيكُم

يَحِلُّ البَعيدُ الدارِ وَالأَهلِ فيكُم

فَيُلهى عَنِ الجيرانِ وَالدارِ وَالأَهلِ

فَيُلهى عَنِ الجيرانِ وَالدارِ وَالأَهلِ

The man far from home and family settles among you,

The distant one feels at home with kin through you

and is drawn away from thoughts of neighbors, home, and family.

Forgetting other neighbors, home, and family

خُلِقتَ أَبا العَباسِ لِلبَأسِ وَالنَدى

خُلِقتَ أَبا العَباسِ لِلبَأسِ وَالنَدى

وَلِلغارَةِ الشَعواءِ وَالقَولَةِ الفَصلِ

وَلِلغارَةِ الشَعواءِ وَالقَولَةِ الفَصلِ

You were created, Abu al-Abbas, for valor and bounty,

Abu Al-Abbas you were created for valor and high resolve

for the all-sweeping raid and the decisive word.

For fierce raids and conclusive words

فَنَدعوكَ في الهَيجاءِ ياقاتِلِ العِدى

فَنَدعوكَ في الهَيجاءِ ياقاتِلِ العِدى

وَنَدعوكَ في اللَأواءِ يا قاتِلِ المَحلِ

وَنَدعوكَ في اللَأواءِ يا قاتِلِ المَحلِ

In battle we call you, "O slayer of foes!"

We call upon you in turmoil, slayer of enemies

and in hardship we call you, "O slayer of drought!"

We call upon you in battle, slayer of the pretentious

لَقَد ناطَ نورُ الدينِ مِنكَ أُمورَهُ

لَقَد ناطَ نورُ الدينِ مِنكَ أُمورَهُ

بِأَغلَبَ شَثنِ الكَفِّ ذي ساعِدٍ عَبلِ

بِأَغلَبَ شَثنِ الكَفِّ ذي ساعِدٍ عَبلِ

Nur al-Din indeed entrusted his affairs, in you,

Indeed, the light of faith entrusted its matters to you

to a lion, rough-palmed, with a massive forearm.

Relying on the most decisive grip of a strong-armed one

وَأَلقى مَقاليدَ الأُمورِ مُفَوِّضاً

وَأَلقى مَقاليدَ الأُمورِ مُفَوِّضاً

إِلَيكَ فَأَضحى المُلكُ في جانِبٍ بَسلِ

إِلَيكَ فَأَضحى المُلكُ في جانِبٍ بَسلِ

He handed over the keys of affairs, entrusting them

And handed over the reins of command, deputizing

to you; thus the kingdom stood on a dauntless side.

You, so the kingdom was set aside

فَقُمتَ بِما حُمِّلتَهُ مِنهُ ناهِضاً

فَقُمتَ بِما حُمِّلتَهُ مِنهُ ناهِضاً

وَقَد ضَعُفَت عَنهُ قُوى الجِلَّةِ البُزلِ

وَقَد ضَعُفَت عَنهُ قُوى الجِلَّةِ البُزلِ

You rose to bear the charge he laid upon you,

You took up what was entrusted to you energetically

though the strength of mighty, full-grown camels had failed beneath it.

Though it exhausted the strength of the weak

وَحَمَّلَ أَعباءَ الرِسالَةِ ناصِحاً

وَحَمَّلَ أَعباءَ الرِسالَةِ ناصِحاً

أَمينَ القُوى خالي الضُلوعِ مِنَ الغِلِّ

أَمينَ القُوى خالي الضُلوعِ مِنَ الغِلِّ

He entrusted the burdens of the mission to a sincere counselor,

You carried the burdens of the message sincerely

dependable in strength, his ribs free of rancor.

A trustee of strength, pure of treachery

تَخَيَّرَهُ أَمضى الأَنامِ عَزيمَةً

تَخَيَّرَهُ أَمضى الأَنامِ عَزيمَةً

وَأَحمَلَهُم يَومَ الكَريهَةِ لِلثِقلِ

وَأَحمَلَهُم يَومَ الكَريهَةِ لِلثِقلِ

He chose him, the most resolute of mankind,

He chose you as the most resolute of people

and the best at bearing burdens on the day of battle.

And on the day of hardship, carried the heaviest loads

تَخَيَّرَ مَنصورَ السَرايا مُؤَيَّداً

تَخَيَّرَ مَنصورَ السَرايا مُؤَيَّداً

خَواطِرُهُ تُملي عَلى الغَيبِ ما يُملي

خَواطِرُهُ تُملي عَلى الغَيبِ ما يُملي

He chose one victorious in his expeditions, upheld,

He chose Mansur the victorious commander, supporting

whose thoughts dictate to the unseen what it would dictate.

Him so his thoughts could dictate the unseen

مَلَكتَ قُلوبَ الناسِ وَدّاً وَرَغبَةً

مَلَكتَ قُلوبَ الناسِ وَدّاً وَرَغبَةً

بِأَخلاقِكَ الحُسنى وَنائِلِكَ الجَزلِ

بِأَخلاقِكَ الحُسنى وَنائِلِكَ الجَزلِ

You won people's hearts in love and eager longing,

You won people's hearts through love and desire

through your fine character and lavish gifts.

With your excellent character and abundant giving

غَفَرتُ لِدَهري ما جَنَتهُ خُطوبُهُ

غَفَرتُ لِدَهري ما جَنَتهُ خُطوبُهُ

بِقُربِكَ وَالأَيّامُ في أَوسَعِ الحِلِّ

بِقُربِكَ وَالأَيّامُ في أَوسَعِ الحِلِّ

I forgave my age what its calamities had wrought,

I forgave the days their afflictions in your presence

through nearness to you, and the days are wholly absolved.

As time flowed in its most expansive condition

وَوَجَّهتُ آمالي إِلَيكَ وَقَلَّما

وَوَجَّهتُ آمالي إِلَيكَ وَقَلَّما

شَدَدتُ عَلى غَيرِ المُنا قَبلَها رَحلي

شَدَدتُ عَلى غَيرِ المُنا قَبلَها رَحلي

I turned my hopes toward you; seldom

I directed my hopes to you, and scarcely ever

before had I fastened my saddle on anything but wishes.

Moved my camels' necks except heading toward you

فَقَد عِشتُ دَهراً ما تُمَدُّ لِنائِلٍ

فَقَد عِشتُ دَهراً ما تُمَدُّ لِنائِلٍ

يَدايَ وَلا تَسعى إِلى آمِلٍ رِجلي

يَدايَ وَلا تَسعى إِلى آمِلٍ رِجلي

For I lived an age when no bounty drew forth

For I lived an age where my hands reached out to none

my hands, nor did my foot hasten toward a hopeful man.

And my feet strode toward no hopeful person

أَصونُ عَنِ الجُهّالِ شِعري تَرَفُّعاً

أَصونُ عَنِ الجُهّالِ شِعري تَرَفُّعاً

وَأُشفِقُ مِن مَدحِ البَخيلِ عَلى فَضلي

وَأُشفِقُ مِن مَدحِ البَخيلِ عَلى فَضلي

I keep my poetry from the ignorant, out of self-respect,

I guarded my poetry from the ignorant disdainfully

and fear for my merit if I praise a miser.

And feared praising the stingy would stain my merit

فَأَذوي وَلا أُبدي لِخلَّةٍ شِكايَتي

فَأَذوي وَلا أُبدي لِخلَّةٍ شِكايَتي

وَأَعيا وَلا أُلقي عَلى أَحَدٍ ثِقلي

وَأَعيا وَلا أُلقي عَلى أَحَدٍ ثِقلي

So I wither, yet never voice my complaint of want,

So I faded away, not revealing my complaints to anyone

and grow weary, yet lay my burden on no one.

And I suffered without placing my burden on anyone

حَليماً عَلى صَحوِ الزَمانِ وَسُكرِهِ

حَليماً عَلى صَحوِ الزَمانِ وَسُكرِهِ

وَقوراً عَلى جَدِّ النَوائِبِ وَالهَزلِ

وَقوراً عَلى جَدِّ النَوائِبِ وَالهَزلِ

Forbearing through time's sobriety and drunkenness,

Clement in the drunkenness and sobriety of time

dignified before adversity's earnestness and jest,

Dignified in the intensity of catastrophes and frivolity

أَبِيّاً عَلى الرَواضِ لا يَستَفِزُّني

أَبِيّاً عَلى الرَواضِ لا يَستَفِزُّني

ذَواتُ القُدودِ الهيفِ وَالأَعُينِ النُجلِ

ذَواتُ القُدودِ الهيفِ وَالأَعُينِ النُجلِ

unyielding to tamers; I am not stirred

Disdainful in meadows, not aroused by

by women of slender figures and wide eyes.

Beasts with scowling faces and glancing eyes

فَلا يَملِكُ المُسني العَطِيَّةِ مِقوَدي

فَلا يَملِكُ المُسني العَطِيَّةِ مِقوَدي

وَلا يَطمَعُ البيضُ الرَعابيبُ في وَصلي

وَلا يَطمَعُ البيضُ الرَعابيبُ في وَصلي

Thus no lavish giver holds my rein,

So neither the wealthy have power over my reins

nor do fair, tender beauties hope for union with me.

Nor do the rabble hope for my connection

وَمالي هَوىً أَسمو إِلَيهِ سِوى العُلى

وَمالي هَوىً أَسمو إِلَيهِ سِوى العُلى

وَلا سَكَنٌ يُمسي ضَجيعي سِوى الفَضلِ

وَلا سَكَنٌ يُمسي ضَجيعي سِوى الفَضلِ

I have no passion toward which I soar except high glory,

I have no passion I aspire to but the Sublime

nor any companion to share my bed at night except excellence.

No home where I lay to rest but Merit

وَلَولا السَماحُ الشَهرَزورِيُّ لَم تَبِت

وَلَولا السَماحُ الشَهرَزورِيُّ لَم تَبِت

عَقائِلُ أَشعاري تُزَفُّ إِلى بَعلِ

عَقائِلُ أَشعاري تُزَفُّ إِلى بَعلِ

But for Shahrazuri generosity, no night would see

Were it not for generous Samah Sharzuri

the noble maidens of my poems escorted to a husband.

My poetry's knots would not be sent to a husband

وَعِندَ عِمادِ الدينِ لي ما اِقتَرَحتُهُ

وَعِندَ عِمادِ الدينِ لي ما اِقتَرَحتُهُ

عَطاءٌ بِلا مَنٍّ وَوَدٌّ بِلا غِلِّ

عَطاءٌ بِلا مَنٍّ وَوَدٌّ بِلا غِلِّ

With Imad al-Din I have whatever I request:

With Imam Al-Din I found what I sought

giving without reminders of favors, and love without rancor.

Giving without stinting, affection without malice

هُوَ المَرءُ يُثني عَن كَريمِ نَجارِهِ

هُوَ المَرءُ يُثني عَن كَريمِ نَجارِهِ

شَمائِلُهُ وَالفَرعُ يُثني عَنِ الأَصلِ

شَمائِلُهُ وَالفَرعُ يُثني عَنِ الأَصلِ

He is the man whose noble stock is praised

He is the man whose traits excuse his noble roots

by his character, as the branch praises the root.

As the branch excuses the origin

طَويلُ نَجادِ السَيفِ في حَومَةِ الوَغى

طَويلُ نَجادِ السَيفِ في حَومَةِ الوَغى

رَحيبُ مَجالِ الباعِ وَالهَمِّ في الأَزلِ

رَحيبُ مَجالِ الباعِ وَالهَمِّ في الأَزلِ

Long is his sword-baldric in the thick of battle,

Long in generous sacrifice in battlefields

broad the scope of his arm's reach and purpose amid hardship.

Vast in breadth and care since time immemorial

تَعَرَّضَ لِلجَدوى وَكُلُّ أَخي نَدىً

تَعَرَّضَ لِلجَدوى وَكُلُّ أَخي نَدىً

إِذا هُوَ لَم يُسأَل تَعَرَّضَ لِلبَذلِ

إِذا هُوَ لَم يُسأَل تَعَرَّضَ لِلبَذلِ

He comes forward with bounty; every man endowed with generosity,

He took the initiative, though every brother is a helper

when not asked, comes forward to give.

If he is not asked, he takes the initiative to give

وَحَنَّت إِلى أَن يَبذُلَ العُرفُ كَفَّهُ

وَحَنَّت إِلى أَن يَبذُلَ العُرفُ كَفَّهُ

كَما حَنَّتِ الأُمُّ الرَقوبُ إِلى الطِفلِ

كَما حَنَّتِ الأُمُّ الرَقوبُ إِلى الطِفلِ

His hand yearned to bestow kindness,

He yearned to extend his palm, like

as a bereaved mother yearns for a child.

A compassionate mother yearning toward her child

تَمَلَّ بِها يُصبى الحَليمُ بِحُسنِها

تَمَلَّ بِها يُصبى الحَليمُ بِحُسنِها

فَلا بانَةَ الوادي وَلا ظَبيَةَ الرَملِ

فَلا بانَةَ الوادي وَلا ظَبيَةَ الرَملِ

Delight in her for long; her beauty beguiles even the sober-minded—

With it, the forbearing one is dyed, neither desert doe

not the valley's ban-tree, nor the gazelle of the sands.

Nor gazelle of the sands can match it

وَراعِ لَها ما أَسلَفَت مِن مَوَدَّةٍ

وَراعِ لَها ما أَسلَفَت مِن مَوَدَّةٍ

وَما أَحكَمَتهُ مِن ذِمامٍ وَمِن إِلِّ

وَما أَحكَمَتهُ مِن ذِمامٍ وَمِن إِلِّ

Honor for her the affection she has offered before,

Guard the affection she engendered and the reins

and the bonds of obligation and covenant she has secured.

And ropes she fastened tightly

وَلا تَنسَها إِن جَدَّ بَينٌ وَحاذِها

وَلا تَنسَها إِن جَدَّ بَينٌ وَحاذِها

عَلى البُعدِ حَذوَ النَعلِ في الوَدِّ بِالنَعلِ

عَلى البُعدِ حَذوَ النَعلِ في الوَدِّ بِالنَعلِ

Do not forget her if separation comes; match her

If the distance comes between you, keep her pace

even far away, in love, as sandal matches sandal.

Step-for-step, like strapped sandals in the valley

فَحاشا لِعَهدٍ مِن وَلاءٍ عَقَدتَهُ

فَحاشا لِعَهدٍ مِن وَلاءٍ عَقَدتَهُ

بِمَدحِكَ يُمسي وَهوَ مُنجَذِمُ الحَبلِ

بِمَدحِكَ يُمسي وَهوَ مُنجَذِمُ الحَبلِ

Far be it that a pledge of loyalty you have sealed

It would be a disgrace for a pact of loyalty you tied

through praise of you should reach evening with its cord severed.

With your praise to fade and unravel

وَلا زِلتَ مَرفوعَ العِمادِ لِآمِلٍ

وَلا زِلتَ مَرفوعَ العِمادِ لِآمِلٍ

يُرَجّيكَ مَسكوبَ النَدى وَارِفَ الظِلِّ

يُرَجّيكَ مَسكوبَ النَدى وَارِفَ الظِلِّ

May you ever stand with tent-pole raised for one who hopes,

You remain the pillar for a hopeful one

who looks to you, your bounty pouring and your shade spreading wide.

Who seeks you, poured drink and extending shade