ماذا دهاك من النوائب — أحمد الكاشف

What calamities have befallen you,

O sovereign of the conquering people?

Death has overtaken Victoria,

and the earth is dark on every side.

It trembles with grief for

a woman of glorious deeds and virtues;

it rends open a breast to reveal a hea—

—rt melted by the flame of longing.

Alas for her! While her soul

lingered between collarbones and ribs,

her family stood around her bed,

all tearful-eyed and lamenting.

They are kings who ru—

—le foreigners and Arabs alike,

each one grim-faced, lion—

—like in claws and talons;

yet before death they lost their courage,

and death is the mightiest conqueror.

O best of rulers, whose judgment

illuminated the darkest depths!

O most devoted mother, who bequeathed

the highest gifts to her children!

You have left lonely a people who, among the peo—

—ples, struck with the sword of your judgment.

During your radiant

days, they attained their many aims.

They spread the banner of your justice

between East and West.

Yours were the cities and the shi—

—ps, the fortresses and the battalions.

At your name, every seafarer

felt safe from the dangers of the sea.

Yours were abundant treasu—

—res, over which every reckoner grew bewildered.

A crown mourns you, fashioned from

the wondrous pearls of loving hearts.

A throne mourns you, which in your ti—

—me rose proud and lofty.

A sword mourns you, which in

your right hand inspired hope in battle.

Your heart was not unyielding

toward your hostile, troublesome foes;

but preserving the realm requi—

—res readiness for calamities,

and confronting whoever transgresses—with what

the vigilant and wary cannot do without.

Victory ever accompanies

the army you prepared;

thus it wins from any aggressor

whatever gains you desire,

and earnestly disciplines him

until he returns to you repentant.

How many a nation has had vani—

—ty lead its wisdom down the worst of paths!

It then oppressed its neighbors,

yielding to deceitful dreams;

but you frightened it, and it withdrew

its ambitions for fear of ruin.

How many a grave calamity hurled

its arrow at you, only to recoil defeated!

You were safe from a plot that cre—

—pt as scorpions creep,

until today an unerring blow from the hand of

remorseless death struck you,

after eighty years

filled with experience.

You left your army in the fray,

the enemy's claw sunk into it.

Its hands cannot

bear spears and cutting swords.

How can it fight, now that the

death notice has carried off the army's fortitude?

Woe to your army, after lo—

—sing you, for the hardships it must endure!

Will they stand firm before them,

or submit to every assailant?

I see the days turning a—

—way and fortune's star setting;

and I fear what tomo—

—rrow may bring of formidable hardships.

I wish for your people a rule

pure and untainted,

and I would love for a—

—ll humanity to be their friends.

They have done my homeland a kind—

—ness that must be gratefully remembered:

they have lightened our bur—

—dens, injustices, and taxes;

indeed, they have made clear the path of succe—

—ss, along which every person strives.

They restored the rebellious one to

us, and now he returns obediently.

What excellent coun—

—sels did you leave for what lies ahead?

Do they include an order that your peo—

—ple depart—a demand we make by its authority?

For we have learned to con—

—ciliate both peaceful men and warriors.

Time has refined us, and so we have lo—

—ved those far away and those close to us.

We have a prince who diligently strives to eleva—

—te our lives.

He has spared the country any guaran—

—tor, for he desires the sovereign's deliverance.

True honor cannot emerge unsca—

—thed from attacks and reproaches

until the blood of the deare—

—st is shed around it on every side.

Is there any other course

for those whose ambitions multiply—

those covetous men who aspi—

—re to leadership and high office?