Sol 6.1

  1. هَل بَعدَ فَتحِكَ ذا لِباغٍ مَطمَعُ

    لِلَّهِ هَذا العَزمُ ماذا يَصنَعُ

    After this conquest of yours, is there any hope for a rebel?

    God be praised for this resolve—what it achieves!

  2. ما زالَ يَرفَعُ لِلخِلافَةِ سَيفَها

    مُنذُ اِنتَضَتهُ رايَةً لا توضَعُ

    It has ever raised the caliphate's sword,

    since it unsheathed him—a banner never lowered.

  3. بِالجِدِّ تَثني الحادِثاتِ فَتَنثَني

    وَالجِدُّ يَقتادُ الحَرونَ فَيَتبَعُ

    Through resolve you bend calamities, and they bend;

    resolve leads the balking steed, and it follows.

  4. لا يَأمَنَنَّ سُطاكَ ذو جَهلٍ بِها

    ما لِلقَضاءِ وَلا لِأَمرِكَ مَدفَعُ

    Let no one ignorant of your might feel safe from it:

    there is no defense against fate, nor against your command.

  5. باغي النُجومِ مُبَيَّنٌ عَن عَجزِهِ

    وَمُصارِعُ اللَيثِ الغَضَنفَرِ يُصرَعُ

    The seeker of the stars stands exposed in his helplessness,

    and whoever wrestles with the mighty lion is thrown.

  6. في قَتلِكَ الأَسَدَ الَّذي راعَ الوَرى

    لَولا سَفاهَةُ شِبلِهِ ما يَردَعُ

    In your slaying of the lion who terrified mankind

    was a deterrent, but for his cub's folly.

  7. وَأَرى اِبنَ صالِحٍ اِستَغَرَّ بِجَهلِهِ

    إِنَّ الجَهالَةَ في المَكارِهِ توقِعُ

    I see that Ibn Salih was deluded by his ignorance;

    indeed, ignorance casts men into calamities.

  8. لَم يَلقَ عَنها وازِعاً مِن رَأيِهِ

    حَتّى اِنبَرَت أَعضاؤُهُ تَتَوَزَّعُ

    He found in his judgment nothing to restrain him from it,

    until his limbs began to be scattered.

  9. فَلَئِن أَبى أَن يَستَجيرِكَ نَخوَةً

    فَلَقَد أَتى وَلَهُ قِيادٌ طَيِّعُ

    If pride kept him from seeking your protection,

    he has come at last, his leading-rein obedient:

  10. رَأسٌ تُراعُ لَهُ العُيونُ وَلَم تَزَل

    قَبلَ العُيونِ بِهِ القُلوبُ تُرَوَّعُ

    a head that terrifies the eyes; and always,

    before the eyes, hearts had been terrified by him.

  11. وَرَأى التَخَلِّيَ عَن حَماةَ شَناعَةً

    وَمُقامُ جُثَّتِهِ عَلَيها أَشنَعُ

    He thought abandoning Hama disgraceful,

    yet his corpse's remaining there is more disgraceful.

  12. مُتَخَطَّفٌ لَم يُغنِ عَنهُ قَومُهُ

    شَيئاً بَلِ اِندَفَعوا وَقَد قيلَ اِدفَعوا

    Snatched away, his people could avail him

    nothing; instead, they rushed away when told, 'Repel them!'

  13. وَثَنى شَبيباً عَنهُ صِهرٌ خانَهُ

    فَإِذا الصَهارَةُ عِندَهُ لا تَنفَعُ

    An in-law who betrayed him turned Shabib away from him;

    thus kinship by marriage proved of no avail to him.

  14. مَن رامَ مُعتَصِماً سِواكَ فَجَمعُهُ

    مُتَصَعصِعٌ وَبِناؤُهُ مُتَضَعضِعُ

    Whoever seeks refuge in anyone but you, his host

    is shaken, his structure tottering.

  15. أَذكَيتَها بِالسُمرِ تَعسِلُ شُرَّعاً

    وَالبيضِ تَلمَعُ وَالمَذاكي تَمزَعُ

    You kindled it with brown spears, quivering and levelled,

    with gleaming white blades and galloping full-grown steeds—

  16. هَيجاءَ لَم تُثكِل عَجائِزَ عامِرٍ

    إِلّا وَأُمُّ المَوتِ فيها مُتبِعُ

    a battle that did not bereave the old women of Amir

    without Death's own mother being bereaved there too.

  17. ما إِن تَخاذَلَتِ الجَماجِمُ وَالطُلى

    حَتّى تَناصَرَتِ الظُبى وَالأَدرُعُ

    The skulls and necks did not forsake each other

    until blades and coats of mail joined forces.

  18. كانَت صَلاةً وَالشِعارُ إِقامَةً

    وَالهامُ تَسجُدُ وَالصَوارِمُ تَركَعُ

    It was a prayer, the battle cry its summons;

    heads prostrated themselves, and keen swords bowed.

  19. إِذ هامُهُم كَالطَيرِ لاقَت مَشرَعاً

    بَعضٌ مُحَلِّقَةٌ وَبَعضٌ وُقَّعُ

    Their heads were like birds finding a watering place:

    some soaring, others settled down.

  20. ظَنّوا وَميضَ البَرقِ بارِقَ نُجعَةٍ

    ما تَحتَ كُلِّ وَميضِ بَرقٍ مَرتَعُ

    They thought the lightning's flash a herald of fresh pasture;

    beneath every lightning flash there is not a pasture.

  21. قَد أَسمَعَت هَذي الظُبى مَن لا يَرى

    آثارَها وَأَرَينَ مَن لا يَسمَعُ

    These blades have made themselves heard by those who cannot see

    their traces, and made those who cannot hear see.

  22. لَولا تَقادُمُها لَقُلنا إِنَّها

    لا شَكَّ مِن عَزمِ المُظَفَّرِ تُطبَعُ

    Had they not existed so long, we would have said

    they were surely forged from al-Muzaffar's resolve.

  23. لَمّا جَعَلتَ صَليلَها عَذلاً لَهُم

    إِنَّ المُلامَ بِغَيرِها لا يَنجَعُ

    When you made their ringing a rebuke to them—

    indeed, reproach by anything else avails nothing.

  24. وَلَّوا وَأَكثَرُ قَولِ مَن فاتَ الوَغى

    ما في الحَياةِ لِعامِرِيٍّ مَطمَعُ

    They fled; most who escaped the battle said,

    'No man of Amir can hope to live.'

  25. مِن كُلِّ مَسلوبِ البَصيرَةِ خانَهُ

    حُسنُ العَزاءِ وَلَم تَخُنهُ الأَدمُعُ

    Each was stripped of discernment and deserted by

    steadfast endurance, though tears did not desert him.

  26. نَعَمٌ تَقَسَّمَها الفَيافي وَالرَدى

    نَفياً وَعَقراً وَالعَوالي شُرَّعُ

    Herds, divided between the deserts and death,

    driven out or hamstrung, while tall spears stood levelled.

  27. فَلِمَن مَضى زَجرٌ بِأَلسِنَةِ القَنا

    مِنهُم وَلِلثاوي مُناخٌ جَعجَعُ

    Those who fled were goaded by the tongues of spears;

    those among them who stayed found a cramped resting place.

  28. وَفَشَت جِراحٌ كانَ أَخطَرَ مَوقِعاً

    مِنها وَأَنكى ما تُجِنُّ الأَضلُعُ

    Wounds spread; yet more perilous in their effect

    and more grievous than these was what the ribs concealed.

  29. كَفَلَت لِكُلِّ تَنوفَةٍ مَرّوا بِها

    أَلّا تَجوعَ ذِئابُها وَالأَضبُعُ

    They guaranteed every wilderness they passed through

    that its wolves and hyenas would not go hungry.

  30. سُلِبوا بِهَبّاتِ الجَهالَةِ مُلكَهُم

    إِنَّ الهِباتِ بِكُفرِها تُستَرجَعُ

    Ignorance's gusts stripped them of their dominion;

    gifts are reclaimed for ingratitude toward them.

  31. فَليَذهَبوا في الأَرضِ أَو فَليَرجِعوا

    فَالأَرضُ واسِعَةٌ وَعَفوُكَ أَوسَعُ

    Let them roam the earth, then, or let them return:

    the earth is wide, but your pardon wider.

  32. ما أَزمَعوا هَرَباً وَلا فُلّوا شَباً

    إِلّا وَأَنتَ عَلى التَرَجُّلِ مُزمِعُ

    They never resolved to flee, nor were their edges blunted,

    without your already being resolved to dismount.

  33. وَالعَزمُ إِلّا ما عَزَمتَ مُفَلَّلٌ

    وَالمُلكُ إِلّا ما حَفِظتَ مُضَيَّعُ

    All resolve but yours is blunted;

    all dominion but what you guard is lost.

  34. أَبَني كِلابٍ إِنَّ عِزَّكُمُ وَهى

    فَخُذوا بِأَحكامِ المَذَلَّةِ أَو دَعوا

    O sons of Kilab, your might has weakened;

    accept humiliation's decrees—or refuse.

  35. أَعَنِ الرَشادِ تَلَوُّمٌ وَتَأَخُّرٌ

    وَإِلى الفَسادِ تَقَدُّمٌ وَتَسَرُّعُ

    Do you hesitate and lag behind sound guidance,

    yet press forward and rush toward corruption?

  36. طالَ العُرامُ بِكُم أَلَمّا تَعلَموا

    أَنَّ العَرامَةَ بِالصَرامَةِ تُقدَعُ

    Long has unruliness possessed you; have you not yet learned

    that unruliness is curbed by severity?

  37. وَنَحَت نُمَيرُكُمُ فَأَلّا دافَعَت

    وَالمَوتُ فيكُم طاعِمٌ لا يَشبَعُ

    Your Numayr withdrew; why did they not defend you,

    while Death feeds among you and is never sated?

  38. مَنَعَتهُمُ مِن وَصلِهِم أَرحامَكُم

    رُؤياهُمُ أَوصالَكُم تَتَقَطَّعُ

    They were kept from honoring their kinship with you by

    the sight of your limbs being cut apart.

  39. حَتّى إِذا أَسَرَ الخَميسُ رِجالَكُم

    وَمَضى نَعامٌ في الهَزائِمِ مُسرِعُ

    Until, when the army took your men captive,

    and ostriches sped away amid the routs,

  40. أَخَذَ الوَثاقَ وَهُم بِهِ ميثاقَهُم

    أَلّا يُجيبوا المُستَغيثَ إِذا دُعوا

    their fetters, while they lay bound, exacted their pledge

    never to answer anyone calling for help.

  41. يَتَخَيَّلُ البَطَلُ الكَمِيُّ إِذا رَأى

    إِقدامَ جَيشِكَ أَنَّهُ ما يَشجُعُ

    The armored champion imagines, when he sees

    your army's advance, that he has no courage.

  42. عَوَّدتَهُم فَرسَ الكُماةِ لَدى الوَغى

    فَأَقَلُّ مَن فيهِم هُمامٌ أَروَعُ

    You have accustomed them to rending champions in battle;

    even the least among them is a bold, awe-inspiring hero.

  43. وَبَنو عَدِيٍّ حينَ خالَطَتِ الظُبى

    وَاليَومُ مِن نَقعِ الحَوافِرِ أَسفَعُ

    And the sons of Adi, when the blades mingled—

    the day darkened by the dust of hooves—

  44. ضاقَت مَسالِكُها فَأَشرَعَتِ القَنا

    إِنَّ الوَشيجَ لِمُشرِعيهِ مُوَسِّعُ

    found their paths constricted, so they levelled their spears:

    spear-shafts make room for those who level them.

  45. وَبِبَعضِ ما بَلَغَت مَساعي رافِعٍ

    تُحوى النَباهَةُ وَالمَحَلُّ الأَرفَعُ

    With but a fraction of what Rafi's striving achieved,

    distinction and the loftiest station are won.

  46. مَنَعَ اِبنُ جَوشَنٍ الذِمارَ بِحَيثُ لا

    يَحوي عِنانَ العِزِّ مَن لا يَمنَعُ

    Ibn Jawshan defended all he was bound to protect, where none

    can grasp the rein of glory unless he defends.

  47. وَحَماهُ مِن كَلَبِ العَدُوِّ وَقَد عَلا

    رَجُلٌ تَكادُ لَهُ الجِبالُ تَصَدَّعُ

    It was shielded from the enemy's fury, at its height, by

    a man before whom mountains nearly split—

  48. وَثَباتُهُ وَالخَوفُ قَد قَصَرَ الخُطى

    وَثَباتُهُ حينَ الذُرى تَتَزَعزَعُ

    his leaps, when fear has shortened strides,

    and his steadfastness when the summits quake.

  49. جَرَّدتَهُ عَضباً سَواءٌ عِندَهُ

    يَومَ الكَريهَةِ حاسِرٌ وَمُدَرَّعُ

    You unsheathed him as a keen sword, to whom alike

    on battle's day are the unarmored and the mail-clad.

  50. فَإِذا رَمَيتَ بِهِ عِدىً في مَأزِقٍ

    فَبِغَيرِ رَأسِ عَظيمِهِم لا يَرجِعُ

    When you hurl him at foes in a narrow strait,

    he returns with nothing less than their chief's head.

  51. أَوَ كَيفَ لا يَمضي الحُسامُ بِكَفِّ مَن

    ما زالَ يَضرِبُ بِالكَهامِ فَيَقطَعُ

    And how should a keen sword fail to cut in the hand of one

    who has always struck with blunt blades and cut through?

  52. نالَت جَنابٌ في جَنابِكَ سُؤلَها

    فَلَها مَصيفٌ في ذَراكَ وَمَربَعُ

    Janab has won its desire in your protection;

    it has a summer pasture in your shelter, and a spring pasture.

  53. لا تَشتَكي جَدباً وَرَوضُكَ مُمرِعٌ

    كَلّا وَلا ظَمَأً وَحَوضُكَ مُترَعُ

    It cannot complain of drought while your meadow is lush;

    no, nor of thirst while your basin is brimming.

  54. وَلَقَد أَبانَت طَيِّئٌ عَن رُشدِها

    وَاليَومَ تَخفِضُ بِالفَعالِ وَتَرفَعُ

    Tayyi has indeed shown its sound judgment;

    and today you abase and exalt through deeds.

  55. ما ضَرَّهُم لُقيا القَنا بِجُلودِهِم

    وَعَلَيهِمُ مِن حُسنِ رَأيِكَ أَدرُعُ

    Meeting spears with their skins did them no harm,

    for your sound judgment clothed them in armor.

  56. إِذ ظَلَّ غَلّابٌ يَذودُ حُماتَهُم

    إِنَّ التَقَرُّبَ مِن رِضاكَ يُشَجِّعُ

    When Ghallab kept driving back their defenders—

    drawing near your favor makes men brave.

  57. وَغَداً تَرى حَسّانَ يَفعَلُ فِعلَهُ

    إِن كانَ فيهِم لِلأَسِنَّةِ مَشرَعُ

    Tomorrow you will see Hassan do as he did,

    if there is a watering place for spearheads among them.

  58. فَأَبٌ بِعَفوِكَ يَقتَفي أَثَرَ اِبنِهِ

    وَاِبنٌ لِوالِدِهِ بِسَيفِكَ يَتبَعُ

    A father, through your pardon, follows his son's track,

    and a son, through your sword, follows his father.

  59. هَذا هُوَ الشَرَفُ الَّذي لا يُرتَقى

    أَبَداً وَذا المَجدُ الَّذي لا يُفرَعُ

    This is the honor none can climb to,

    ever; this is the glory none can overtop.

  60. ظَلِّل بِسُحبِكَ طَيِّئاً لِتَجودَها

    مِن جودِ كَفِّكَ ديمَةٌ لا تُقلِعُ

    Shade Tayyi with your clouds, so that it may be watered

    by a steady rain from your giving hand that never ceases.

  61. عَرَبٌ مَضَت أَحكامُ عِزِّكَ فيهِمُ

    طَوراً تُفَرِّقُهُم وَأُخرى تَجمَعُ

    Arabs among whom the decrees of your might have run,

    now scattering them, now gathering them.

  62. مَرَنَت عَلى خَطمِ المَوارِنِ عِندَما

    رَأَتِ الخَناجِرَ في خِلافِكَ تُجدَعُ

    They grew accustomed to having their soft noses haltered when

    they saw long noses lopped off for opposing you.

  63. لَم يَخلُ مِن فَرَحٍ بِنَصرِكَ فَليَدُم

    قَلبٌ وَلا مِن ذِكرِ فَتحِكَ مَوضِعُ

    Never has joy in your victory—may it endure—been absent

    from a heart, nor mention of your conquest from a place.

  64. فَتحٌ جَليلٌ في النُفوسِ وَإِنَّهُ

    سَيَقِلُّ عِندَ وُقوعِ ما يُتَوَقَّعُ

    A conquest mighty in men's souls, yet it

    will seem small when what is expected comes to pass.

  65. في بَعضِ ما بَلَغَ اِعتِزامُكَ مَقنَعٌ

    لَو أَنَّ هِمَّتَكَ العَلِيَّةَ تَقنَعُ

    In part of what your resolve has attained lies sufficiency,

    if only your lofty ambition could be content.

  66. لَكَ عَزمَةٌ كَالسَيفِ بَل أَمضى شَباً

    مِن رُتبَةٍ كَالشَمسِ بَل هِيَ أَرفَعُ

    Yours is a resolve like a sword, yet keener-edged,

    from a station like the sun, yet higher still.

  67. حاوِل بِها أَيَّ المَمالِكِ شِئتَهُ

    إِنَّ الطَريقَ إِلى اِبتِغائِكَ مَهيَعُ

    With it, seek whichever kingdom you desire;

    the road to your goal is broad and clear.

  68. وَاِنظُر إِلى حَلَبٍ بِناظِرِ رَحمَةٍ

    فَشَفيعُها عِندَ المُلوكِ مُشَفَّعُ

    Look upon Aleppo with an eye of mercy;

    its intercessor is one whose plea kings accept.

  69. أَرضٌ يُطِلُّ عَلى المَمالِكِ رَبُّها

    فَيَضُرُّ مِنها ما يَشاءُ وَيَنفَعُ

    A land whose lord looks down upon the kingdoms,

    from which he harms or benefits whatever he wills.

  70. فَاِنهَض إِلَيها نَهضَةً عَضُدِيَّةً

    ما مِثلُ رَأيِكَ بِالزَخارِفِ يُخدَعُ

    So march upon it with an Adudi advance;

    a judgment like yours is not deceived by gilded pretenses.

  71. لا تَتَّخِذ رُسُلاً سِوى بيضِ الظُبى

    فَشِفارُها أَبَداً بِأَمرِكَ تَصدَعُ

    Take no messengers but white blades;

    their edges forever proclaim your command.

  72. فَهُناكَ أَبصارٌ تَظَلُّ شَواخِصاً

    شَوقاً إِلَيكَ وَأَنفُسٌ تَتَطَلَّعُ

    There eyes remain fixed,

    longing for you, and souls look expectantly.

  73. تَفديكَ لا مُمتَنَّةً بِنُفوسِها

    مِن كُلِّ حادِثَةٍ تَجِلُّ وَتَفظُعُ

    They would ransom you with their lives, claiming no favor,

    from every calamity, however grave and dreadful.

  74. أُمَمٌ إِذا رَغِبوا فَأَنتَ المُجتَدى

    فيهِم وَإِن رَهِبوا فَأَنتَ المَفزَعُ

    Peoples who, when they seek bounty, turn to you;

    for them, when they fear, you are the refuge.

  75. أَمَّنتَهُم وَقَتَلتَ مَن ريعوا بِهِ

    فَلِذاكَ مالَهُمُ الغَداةَ مُرَوِّعُ

    You gave them safety and killed the one who terrified them;

    thus no one frightens them this morning.

  76. مَلِكَ المُلوكِ وَمَن أَحَقُّ بِدَعوَتي

    مِمَّن تَذِلُّ لَهُ المُلوكُ وَتَخضَعُ

    King of kings! Who is more deserving of my address

    than he before whom kings humble themselves and submit?

  77. قَد ظَلَّ في الآفاقِ ذِكرُكَ نافِذاً

    فَمَواقِعُ الأَقدارِ حينَ تُوَقِّعُ

    Your renown has carried authority throughout the horizons;

    when you sign, your decrees are the strokes of fate.

  78. لَو كُنتَ في الزَمَنِ القَديمِ وَإِن شَأى

    بِالمُعجِزاتِ السابِقُ المُستَتبَعُ

    Had you lived in ancient times, even though

    the foremost leader outstripped all with wonders,

  79. لَأَقَمتَ مِن حُجّابِ قَصرِكَ قَيصَراً

    وَلَكانَ مِن أَتباعِ مُلكِكَ تُبَّعُ

    you would have appointed Caesar among your palace chamberlains,

    and Tubba would have been among your realm's followers.

  80. تَزدادُ مَجداً كُلَّما قالَ الوَرى

    لَم يَبقَ في قَوسِ السِيادَةِ مَنزِعُ

    You grow in glory whenever mankind says,

    'No further draw remains in the bow of sovereignty.'

  81. وَعَلى الخِلافَةِ مِن مَآثِرِ سَيفِها

    تاجٌ بِدُرِّ المَكرُماتِ مُرَصَّعُ

    And on the caliphate, from its sword's great deeds, rests

    a crown studded with pearls of noble acts.

  82. مَن ذا يُطَمِّعُ نَفسَهُ بِفَضيلَةٍ

    وَإِلَيكَ تَنتَسِبُ الفَضائِلُ أَجمَعُ

    Who would set his heart on claiming any virtue,

    when all virtues trace their lineage to you?

  83. وَالهِمَّةُ البِكرُ الَّتي لَم تُفتَرَع

    خَصَّتكَ بِالشَرَفِ الَّذي لا يُفرَعُ

    And virgin ambition, never yet deflowered,

    has singled you out for honor none can overtop.

  84. يا مَن تَفَرَّدَ بِالعُلى فَصِفاتُهُ

    لا تُدَّعى وَصَفاتُهُ لا تُقرَعُ

    O you who alone hold eminence, whose qualities

    none can claim, whose rock none can strike!

  85. إِن كانَ في الدُنيا ثَناءٌ خالِدٌ

    يَبقى عَلَيكَ فَما أَقولُ وَتَسمَعُ

    If in this world there is eternal praise

    to endure in your honor, it is what I say and you hear.

  86. فَبَقيتَ تُبدِعُ في الفَعالِ فَإِنَّني

    في القَولِ يا شَرَفَ المَعالي أُبدِعُ

    Live on, creating marvels in deeds, for I,

    in speech, O glory of the heights, create marvels.