هذا العقيقُ وهذهِ أقمارُهُ

هذا العقيقُ وهذهِ أقمارُهُ

فإلامَ قلبُك لا يقرُّ قرارهُ

فإلامَ قلبُك لا يقرُّ قرارهُ

This is al-Aqiq, and these are its moons.

This ruby and its moons,

How long, then, will your heart find no repose?

Why does your heart not settle in its abode?

يقضي الظلامُ وان تطاول عمرهُ

يقضي الظلامُ وان تطاول عمرهُ

وبسُمرهِ لا تنقضي أسماره

وبسُمرهِ لا تنقضي أسماره

Darkness passes, however long its life may last;

Darkness will pass, no matter how long its life,

Yet amid its dusky beauties, its nightly conversations never end.

And its gloom cannot extinguish its lights.

ما هاج منك البرقُ دانٍ لمعُهُ

ما هاج منك البرقُ دانٍ لمعُهُ

إلا لناءٍ شطَّ عنك مزاره

إلا لناءٍ شطَّ عنك مزاره

No lightning whose gleam is near has stirred you

The lightning that struck you was not to harm,

Except for one far away, whose visiting-place lies distant from you.

But to remove disease that afflicted you.

شامواَ حياهُ وفي جفونك ماؤهُ

شامواَ حياهُ وفي جفونك ماؤهُ

وخَبا سناهُ وفي ضلوعك ناره

وخَبا سناهُ وفي ضلوعك ناره

They watched for its rain, while its water filled your eyelids;

The life of youth is in your eyelids,

Its radiance faded, while its fire remained within your ribs.

And its water is in them.

آها لجفنٍ لاتجفُّ دموعُهُ

آها لجفنٍ لاتجفُّ دموعُهُ

وقتيل وجدٍ ليس يُدرَك

وقتيل وجدٍ ليس يُدرَك

Alas for an eyelid whose tears never dry,

Its radiance has faded,

And one slain by longing, beyond all reach.

And its fire is in your ribs.

مظلومُ بينٍ لا يُرجَّن عدلُهُ

مظلومُ بينٍ لا يُرجَّن عدلُهُ

وأسير حبٍ لا يُفَكُّ إِساره

وأسير حبٍ لا يُفَكُّ إِساره

A victim of separation, with no hope of justice,

Alas for an eyelid whose tears do not dry,

And a captive of love whose bonds are never undone.

And a slain passion that cannot be revived.

في طاعةِ البُرَحاء قولةُ مكمَدٍ

في طاعةِ البُرَحاء قولةُ مكمَدٍ

قلبٌ أُصيبتْ بالنَّوى أَعشاره

قلبٌ أُصيبتْ بالنَّوى أَعشاره

In agony's thrall is the utterance of one grief-stricken:

An oppressed one whose justice cannot be restored,

A heart whose ten portions have been struck by separation.

And a prisoner of love whose shackles cannot be undone.

في نازجٍ للبدر سُنَّةُ وجههِ

في نازجٍ للبدر سُنَّةُ وجههِ

والظبيِ سحرُ جفونهِ ونفارُه

والظبيِ سحرُ جفونهِ ونفارُه

For one far away, whose face has the full moon's likeness,

In obeying the most generous, the words of Muhammad

And whose eyelids' enchantment and shy flight are the gazelle's.

Whose heart was pierced with arrows.

يُثَنى على مثلِ القضيبِ وشاحهُ

يُثَنى على مثلِ القضيبِ وشاحهُ

وتُحلُّ عن شمس الضُّحى أزراره

وتُحلُّ عن شمس الضُّحى أزراره

His sash is folded around a branchlike form;

The full moon borrowing the sun’s splendor,

His buttons are undone to reveal the morning sun.

The gazelle’s spell is in its eyes and shyness.

متجلببٌ ليلَ القلوب لصونهِ

متجلببٌ ليلَ القلوب لصونهِ

ما زارَ إلا والظَّلام إِزارُه

ما زارَ إلا والظَّلام إِزارُه

He cloaks himself in the night of hearts for his protection;

His mantle folds over a slender form,

He visits only with darkness for his wrap.

And the stars of dawn are loosened from his breast.

ويقل للقمر المنيع حجابهُ

ويقل للقمر المنيع حجابهُ

ولو أنَّ دارةَ كل بدر دارُه

ولو أنَّ دارةَ كل بدر دارُه

And for this unapproachable moon, his veil is too scant,

Covered in the garb of hearts’ darkness to protect it,

Even were every full moon's halo his abode.

None visited him but with darkness as his mantle.

دِعصٌ ردفهُ وقوامهُ

دِعصٌ ردفهُ وقوامهُ

صُبحٌ وليلٌ خَدُّه وِعذاره

صُبحٌ وليلٌ خَدُّه وِعذاره

His haunch is a sand-dune, and his stature—

And he says to the inaccessible proud moon to veil itself,

His cheek is morning, and his cheek-down night.

As if the house of every full moon is his abode.

نشوانُ من خمر الشباب فداؤهُ

نشوانُ من خمر الشباب فداؤهُ

ما غارَ من بأن العقيق وغارهُ

ما غارَ من بأن العقيق وغارهُ

Drunk on youth's wine—may his ransom be

A leader whose guide and stature,

The bān and laurel of al-Aqiq that envy him.

Are the morn and eve, his cheek and crown.

من لي بهِ والدهرُ عدلٌ حكمهُ

من لي بهِ والدهرُ عدلٌ حكمهُ

لا الظُّلم شيمتهُ ولا إيثارُه

لا الظُّلم شيمتهُ ولا إيثارُه

Who will secure him for me, when Time's judgment is just,

He bows to the like of a rod yet his mantle,

Neither injustice nor partiality being its nature?

Flows from the sun of dawn, unfastening its buttons.

يجلوه في حُلل الجمالِ وحَليهِ

يجلوه في حُلل الجمالِ وحَليهِ

زمنٌ تساوى ليلُهُ ونهارهُ

زمنٌ تساوى ليلُهُ ونهارهُ

He is revealed in beauty's robes and ornaments

Intoxicated by the wine of youth—his ransom—

By a season whose night and day are equal.

No ruby envied him his cave.

ريَّانُ نمَّ على الحيا نمأَمهُ

ريَّانُ نمَّ على الحيا نمأَمهُ

فَينان يبهرُ رندهُ وبهارُه

فَينان يبهرُ رندهُ وبهارُه

Well-watered—its marjoram tells of the rain;

Who can rebuke fate whose rule is justice,

Luxuriant—its laurel and oxeye blossoms dazzle.

Not oppression his trait, nor favor his wont?

وقد اعتصمت بظلّ أروع باتكِ ال

وقد اعتصمت بظلّ أروع باتكِ ال

عزَمات جارَ على الحوادث جارُه

عزَمات جارَ على الحوادث جارُه

And I have sought refuge in the shade of a splendid man, decisive in

Time adorned him in garbs and jewelry,

Resolve, whose protégé overmasters calamities.

An era whose night equals its day.

من كان مُنجدَهُ على أعدائه

من كان مُنجدَهُ على أعدائه

نصر فغيرُ قليلةٍ أنصاره

نصر فغيرُ قليلةٍ أنصاره

Whoever has as his helper against his enemies

A sapling nurtured in the bosom of life,

Nasr—his supporters are anything but few.

A branch whose bloom and spring dazzle.

وكذاك من خطبَ المعالي فليكن

وكذاك من خطبَ المعالي فليكن

كفتى علّيٍ فرعُهُ ونجارُه

كفتى علّيٍ فرعُهُ ونجارُه

And likewise, let whoever courts high honors be

I sought refuge in the shade of your wonderful night,

Like a youth whose branch and stock are lofty.

Whose resolve defied the vicissitudes of fate.

ما البحر والطَّودُ الاشمُّ إذا احتبى

ما البحر والطَّودُ الاشمُّ إذا احتبى

في الدَّست إلا جودهُ ووقارُه

في الدَّست إلا جودهُ ووقارُه

The sea and towering mountain, when he sits with knees drawn up

He who finds his aid against his enemies,

On the seat of honor, are but his generosity and dignity.

In a victory, few are his supporters.

راضَ الزمانَ فأصبحت أيامه

راضَ الزمانَ فأصبحت أيامه

طوعاً وتضاءَلت أقداره

طوعاً وتضاءَلت أقداره

He tamed Time, and its days became

And so it is for one who woos glory,

Obedient, while its decrees dwindled.

Let him be like the valiant ‘Ali, his descendant and carpenter.

فالدّين عارٍ حلُهُ وحرامهُ

فالدّين عارٍ حلُهُ وحرامهُ

والملكُ عالٍ سمكهُ ومنارهُ

والملكُ عالٍ سمكهُ ومنارهُ

Thus religion's lawful and forbidden are laid bare,

Neither the sea nor the towering mountains,

And kingship's height and beacon stand high.

Save by its generosity and dignity when grasped.

قيلٌ كتائبه سطورُ كتابهِ

قيلٌ كتائبه سطورُ كتابهِ

فكأنما أطلابهُ أسطارهُ

فكأنما أطلابهُ أسطارهُ

A sovereign whose battalions are the lines of his book;

It burst through the sky and transcended its spheres,

So his troop formations seem its written lines.

Fate moves as it determines.

في الجدب غيثٌ ليس تقلع سُحبهُ

في الجدب غيثٌ ليس تقلع سُحبهُ

والخوفِ ذمرٌِ لا يباح ذمارُه

والخوفِ ذمرٌِ لا يباح ذمارُه

In drought, a rain whose clouds never clear;

Its vestiges in both worlds are beautiful,

In fear, a champion whose sanctuary none can violate.

As beautiful as clouds are their traces.

فرَعَ السماءَ وجازَ عن أفلاكها

فرَعَ السماءَ وجازَ عن أفلاكها

فلقدرهِ تجري بما يختارُه

فلقدرهِ تجري بما يختارُه

He surmounted the sky and passed beyond its spheres;

The numerous bounties of its vigil,

So his greatness sets them coursing as he chooses.

And so few at night rest their eyes.

آثارُه في العالمينَ جميلةٌ

آثارُه في العالمينَ جميلةٌ

أن َّ السحاب جميلة آثارهُ

أن َّ السحاب جميلة آثارهُ

His deeds in all the worlds are beautiful;

A moon that lights, its unborn radiance

Indeed, the clouds' effects are beautiful.

Illuminates the earth, its dust never rising.

يقظان ظل كثيرة آلاؤه

يقظان ظل كثيرة آلاؤه

فلذاك بات قليةً أنظارُه

فلذاك بات قليةً أنظارُه

Wakeful, he spends the day with abundant favors;

Its actions are visible signs, its generosity

So he passes the night with few equals.

Related legends, its tales flowing.

قمر يضئ يضي الأرض نور جنينه

قمر يضئ يضي الأرض نور جنينه

وجواد مجد لا يشق غباره

وجواد مجد لا يشق غباره

A moon that shines, lighting the earth with the radiance of his brow;

It adamantly disobeys he who bars it from dew,

And a steed of glory whose dust none can break through.

And willingly complies, the dew being its guide.

ففعاله مرئية آياته

ففعاله مرئية آياته

وسخاؤهُ مروية أخباره

وسخاؤهُ مروية أخباره

The signs of his deeds are visible;

It gathered him into its right and its left,

The tales of his generosity are recounted.

While days darkened and people their sides.

يعصي إباءً مَن نهاه عن النَّدى

يعصي إباءً مَن نهاه عن النَّدى

ويدين طوعاً والندى أَماره

ويدين طوعاً والندى أَماره

He proudly defies whoever forbids him generosity,

The days have but their time, and people

And willingly obeys, with generosity his commander.

Nothing but their souls, the earth their abode.

مَن أَمَهُ فيمينهُ ويسارُهُ

مَن أَمَهُ فيمينهُ ويسارُهُ

والعامُ اغبرَ يُمنهُ ويساره

والعامُ اغبرَ يُمنهُ ويساره

For whoever seeks him, his right hand and his left—

Without it every horizon would shift

Though the year is dust-gray—are his blessing and his plenty.

And the drops of clouds pour, flooding its regions.

ما للدَّهر إلا يومهُ والخلقُ إلـ

ما للدَّهر إلا يومهُ والخلقُ إلـ

ـا نفسهُ والأرض دارُه

ـا نفسهُ والأرض دارُه

Time has no day but his, and creation is nothing

Nobility overlooking the sky, dignity

But his own self; the earth is his abode.

Like dawn, denying which the enemy cannot.

لولاهُ أَمحلَ كلَّ أفق واجتدتْ

لولاهُ أَمحلَ كلَّ أفق واجتدتْ

قطر الغمام جديبة أقطاره

قطر الغمام جديبة أقطاره

But for him, every horizon would dry up, and would beg

A full moon is its bounties, so if

For the clouds' rain—its parched regions.

Events unfold, its resolve and mansion endure.

شرف اطل على السماك وسؤددٌ

شرف اطل على السماك وسؤددٌ

كالصبح لا يسعُ العدى إنكاره

كالصبح لا يسعُ العدى إنكاره

Nobility that towers over al-Simak, and lordliness

The sword of any fading state,

Like morning, which his enemies cannot deny.

How often did events make its blade fail?

بدر مواهبهُ البدورُ فإن سطا

بدر مواهبهُ البدورُ فإن سطا

خطبٌ ثناهُ عزمهُ وبدارهُ

خطبٌ ثناهُ عزمهُ وبدارهُ

A full moon whose gifts are full moons; should there rage

But time is not spared, saving its own,

A calamity, his resolve and swift action turn it back.

A triumph saving its claws a long toil.

وحسامُ أَية دولة شاذيةٍ

وحسامُ أَية دولة شاذيةٍ

كم فل غربَ الحادثات غراره

كم فل غربَ الحادثات غراره

And the sword of a Shadhid dynasty—what a dynasty!

O essence of dew! Without your generosity

How often its blade has blunted calamities' edge!

There would only be flaw, feared, and scar.

ما ناب ناب الخطب إلا فلَّهُ

ما ناب ناب الخطب إلا فلَّهُ

ظفرٌ نفاه كليلةً أظفاره

ظفرٌ نفاه كليلةً أظفاره

No fang of calamity attacks without being blunted

You are the king, all creation bears witness,

By victory, which drives it away with dulled claws.

In awe of you, your refuge, and sanctuary.

يا لبن النَّدى لولا سماحك لم يكن

يا لبن النَّدى لولا سماحك لم يكن

لا شوبهُ يخشى ولا أكداره

لا شوبهُ يخشى ولا أكداره

O milk of bounty, but for your generosity it would not exist;

A dual defense shields your enemies,

Neither its admixture nor its murk is feared.

Your nations delivered, its corners bounded.

والملك أنت وكل خلقٍ شاهدٍ

والملك أنت وكل خلقٍ شاهدٍ

وهابه مناعه مغواره

وهابه مناعه مغواره

And kingship is you; every creature bears witness:

You left the house of wealth a wasteland,

Its lavish giver, its staunch defender, its bold raider.

And ruins flourished, inhabited once again.

مثنَّيةٌ أعداؤه محميةٌ

مثنَّيةٌ أعداؤه محميةٌ

أوطانه مقضيهُ أوطاره

أوطانه مقضيهُ أوطاره

His enemies are turned back; protected are

Time was ungracious in its rulings,

His homelands, and fulfilled his desires.

Until it relented, its excuses paved.

غادرت بيت المال قفراً فاغتدت

غادرت بيت المال قفراً فاغتدت

مأهولةً اطلاله قفاره

مأهولةً اطلاله قفاره

You left the treasury desolate, and so it became

Innocent, lifting the injustice of sorrows,

Peopled—its ruins and its barren spaces.

His face shone like the dawn, unveiling the gloom.

ولقد أساء الدهر في أحكامه

ولقد أساء الدهر في أحكامه

حتى استقال فمُهّدتْ أعذاره

حتى استقال فمُهّدتْ أعذاره

Time indeed did wrong in its judgments,

His sight saved the nearby from misery,

Until it sought pardon, and a way was paved for its excuses.

And news from afar cured the worried.

بُرءٌ جلا ظُلَم الهموم كما بدا

بُرءٌ جلا ظُلَم الهموم كما بدا

وجهُ الضُّحى فجلا الدجى إسفاره

وجهُ الضُّحى فجلا الدجى إسفاره

A recovery dispelled the darkness of cares, as there appeared

Why does none defend your family zealously,

The face of morning, whose brightness cleared the gloom.

Measuring his events and how far they reached?

نجَّى برؤيتهِ القريبَ من الأسى

نجَّى برؤيتهِ القريبَ من الأسى

وشفى البعيدَ من الجوى أخباره

وشفى البعيدَ من الجوى أخباره

Its sight saved those nearby from sorrow,

In its fear, darkness, and transformations,

And its tidings healed those far away of heartache.

Are its lions, lands, and seas.

لم لا يدافعُ عن علائك وازعاً

لم لا يدافعُ عن علائك وازعاً

أحداثه وبكم علا مقداره

أحداثه وبكم علا مقداره

Why should it not defend your eminence, warding off

They eclipsed you like the moon of the darkened night,

Its calamities, when through you its stature rose?

No, your lights are not obscured.

في خوفهِ وظلامهِ ومحولهِ

في خوفهِ وظلامهِ ومحولهِ

آسادُهُ وبدورُهُ بحارُه

آسادُهُ وبدورُهُ بحارُه

In its fear, its darkness, and its droughts,

You rose like its rising, none contested

You are its lions, its full moons, its seas.

The depiction, except its time and method.

حجبوكَ مثلَ أخيك بدرِ التمً

حجبوكَ مثلَ أخيك بدرِ التمً

لا بل أنت غير خفَّيةٍ أنواره

لا بل أنت غير خفَّيةٍ أنواره

They veiled you like your brother, the full moon—

Not another approached its splendor and perfection,

No, rather you are one whose lights are not concealed.

For none matched its setting and mystery.

وطلعتَ مثلَ طلوعه ما خا

وطلعتَ مثلَ طلوعه ما خا

لفَ التشبيهَ إلا وقتهُ وشعاره

لفَ التشبيهَ إلا وقتهُ وشعاره

And you rose as it rises; nothing contradicted

If you depart mounted, the stars flung in handfuls,

The likeness except its timing and its guise.

You would not return except as their spread.

ما إن عداك ضياؤهُ وكمالهُ

ما إن عداك ضياؤهُ وكمالهُ

فعدا علاك أفوله وسراره

فعدا علاك أفوله وسراره

Its radiance and fullness did not pass you by;

The sincerity of your generosity made it merchandise,

But its setting and dark phase passed your eminence by.

That a questioner may acquire and glean.

لو يستطيع وقد ركبت مسلماً

لو يستطيع وقد ركبت مسلماً

ماعُدتَ إلا والنجوم نثاره

ماعُدتَ إلا والنجوم نثاره

If it could, when you rode forth to offer greetings,

It conquered aridity—its decree cannot be reversed—

You would return only with the stars as its scattered gifts.

Enriched people—their prosperity cannot be surpassed.

نهنه صفَّي الدين جودك سلعةً

نهنه صفَّي الدين جودك سلعةً

كيما يصادف سائلاً يمتاره

كيما يصادف سائلاً يمتاره

Hold back your bounty as merchandise, Safi al-Din,

You brought renown to my name through the land,

So it may meet a beggar who will draw provisions from it.

Unveiling its clarity, its lines now longer.

قهرَ الجُدوبَ فما يردُ قضاؤهُ

قهرَ الجُدوبَ فما يردُ قضاؤهُ

أغنى الأنام فما يُراد نضاره

أغنى الأنام فما يُراد نضاره

It conquered droughts; its decree cannot be repelled;

I did not aspire in my words about you, but

It enriched mankind, so its gold is no longer sought.

To gentle them and pave their ruggedness.

نوَّهتَ باسمي في البلاد فأسفرتْ

نوَّهتَ باسمي في البلاد فأسفرتْ

أوضاحهُ وتطاولت أسطاره

أوضاحهُ وتطاولت أسطاره

You made my name renowned throughout the lands, and there shone forth

So the light of sadness hymned the life of morn

Its bright markings, while its lines grew lofty.

With its dew, and its flowers then flourished.

ما رُمت فيك القول إلا لان لي

ما رُمت فيك القول إلا لان لي

ليانهُ وتسهلت أوعاره

ليانهُ وتسهلت أوعاره

Whenever I sought to speak of you, there yielded to me

A priceless pearl and the narrators its merchants,

Its smooth ground, and its rugged places grew easy.

A torrent came and hearts its harbor.

فثناي نور الحزن باكره الحيا

فثناي نور الحزن باكره الحيا

بنطافهِ فتأرَّجت ازهاره

بنطافهِ فتأرَّجت ازهاره

So my praise is upland blossom, visited early by rain

Its verses recited, its times attended,

With its drops, making its flowers fragrant.

Its seasons engaged, and maidens promised.

سيل أتٌي والقلوب قرارهُ

سيل أتٌي والقلوب قرارهُ

درٌ ثمين والرواةُ تجاره

درٌ ثمين والرواةُ تجاره

A surging torrent, with hearts as its resting-place;

No company masked its destination from your land,

Precious pearls, with reciters as their merchants.

No caravan departed in your days without light.

متلوَّةٌ آياته مشهودةٌ

متلوَّةٌ آياته مشهودةٌ

أوقاته مخطوبةٌ أبكاره

أوقاته مخطوبةٌ أبكاره

Its verses are recited; witnessed are

You remained forever immortalized in praise,

Its occasions, and its virgin poems are courted.

For praise has lengthened lives.

لا خفّ يوماً عن ديارك ركبهُ

لا خفّ يوماً عن ديارك ركبهُ

لا جفّ في أيّامكم نوّاره

لا جفّ في أيّامكم نوّاره

May its caravan never depart from your dwellings;

May its blossoms never dry in your days.

وبقيتَ عمرَ المدح فيك مخلَّداً

وبقيتَ عمرَ المدح فيك مخلَّداً

أن المديحَ طويلةٌ أعماره

أن المديحَ طويلةٌ أعماره

And may you remain immortal as long as praise of you lives;

Indeed, praise has long lifetimes.