أَمّا الزَمانُ فَفي يَدَيكَ عِنانُهُ

أَمّا الزَمانُ فَفي يَدَيكَ عِنانُهُ

يا أَيُّها المَلِكُ المُعَظَّمُ شانُهُ

يا أَيُّها المَلِكُ المُعَظَّمُ شانُهُ

As for time, its reins are in your hands,

As for time, its reins are in your hands,

O king whose standing is exalted.

O honored king, exalted is his glory!

ذَلَّلتَ جامِحَهُ فَصارَ كَما تَرى

ذَلَّلتَ جامِحَهُ فَصارَ كَما تَرى

لا جَورُهُ يُخشى وَلا عُدوانُهُ

لا جَورُهُ يُخشى وَلا عُدوانُهُ

You tamed its unruly spirit, and it became as you see:

You have subdued its unruly ways, so now it is as you see,

neither its injustice nor its aggression is feared.

Its tyranny is no longer feared, nor its transgression.

وَأَرَيتَهُ السُنَنَ الحَميدَةَ رادِعاً

وَأَرَيتَهُ السُنَنَ الحَميدَةَ رادِعاً

عَن ضِدِّها فَتَقَلَّبَت أَعيانُهُ

عَن ضِدِّها فَتَقَلَّبَت أَعيانُهُ

You showed it praiseworthy ways, restraining it

And you have shown it the praiseworthy ways, holding it back

from their opposites, so its very features changed.

From its opposite, so its essence has changed.

إِن ذَمَّ سائِرَ مَن يَراهُ فَإِنَّهُ

إِن ذَمَّ سائِرَ مَن يَراهُ فَإِنَّهُ

يُثني عَلَيكَ وَلا يَكِلُّ لِسانُهُ

يُثني عَلَيكَ وَلا يَكِلُّ لِسانُهُ

Even if it censures everyone else who beholds it,

If it dispraises all others who behold it, it nevertheless

it praises you, and its tongue never tires.

Praises you unceasingly and its tongue does not tire.

لا غاضَ ذا المُلكُ العَقيمُ فَإِنَّهُ

لا غاضَ ذا المُلكُ العَقيمُ فَإِنَّهُ

بَحرٌ وَأَملاكُ الدُنا خُلجانُهُ

بَحرٌ وَأَملاكُ الدُنا خُلجانُهُ

May this kinless kingship never ebb, for it is

Let not this barren reign deceive you, for it is a sea,

a sea, and the kings of the worlds are its inlets.

While the delights of this world are but its billows.

طُلهُم فَإِنَّكَ مَعدِنُ الشَرَفِ الَّذي

طُلهُم فَإِنَّكَ مَعدِنُ الشَرَفِ الَّذي

أَخبارُهُ عَجَبٌ فَكَيفَ عِيانُهُ

أَخبارُهُ عَجَبٌ فَكَيفَ عِيانُهُ

Surpass them, for you are the mine of that nobility

Seek them, for you are the source of honor, reports of which

whose reports are a marvel—what, then, of seeing it firsthand?

Are wonders - so imagine beholding it!

أوتيتَ في أُفُقِ العَلاءِ مَحَلَّةً

أوتيتَ في أُفُقِ العَلاءِ مَحَلَّةً

لا يَدَّعي إِدراكَها كِيوانُهُ

لا يَدَّعي إِدراكَها كِيوانُهُ

You were granted a station on the horizon of exaltation

You have attained in the horizon of the exalted a station

that not even its Saturn claims to reach.

That no ambitious mind can claim to grasp.

فَاِسلَم لِمُلكٍ صِدقُ عَزمِكَ حِصنُهُ

فَاِسلَم لِمُلكٍ صِدقُ عَزمِكَ حِصنُهُ

وَعَلى سُيوفِكَ لا نَبَت إِحصانُهُ

وَعَلى سُيوفِكَ لا نَبَت إِحصانُهُ

So remain safe for a kingdom whose fortress is your steadfast resolve,

So surrender to a kingdom whose resolve is your bastion

and whose defense rests on your swords—may they never fail to strike.

And against whose swords no fortress can grow.

وَرَعِيَّةٍ أَنسَيتَها مُذ حُطتَها

وَرَعِيَّةٍ أَنسَيتَها مُذ حُطتَها

زَمَناً تَشيبُ لِهَولِهِ وَلِدانُهُ

زَمَناً تَشيبُ لِهَولِهِ وَلِدانُهُ

and for subjects whom, since you guarded them, you made forget

And a populace you have comforted since alighting among them

an age at whose terror its children turn gray.

An era ago, while their youth turn gray in its terror.

فَمَقيلُهُم بِفَناءِ دَوحٍ لَم يَزَل

فَمَقيلُهُم بِفَناءِ دَوحٍ لَم يَزَل

عَذباً جَناهُ ظَليلَةً أَفنانُهُ

عَذباً جَناهُ ظَليلَةً أَفنانُهُ

So their noonday rest is by a grove of spreading trees, ever

So their place of rest is not in the Meadow of Adha without

sweet in fruit and shady in its boughs.

Its freshness, its shade being delightful and its springs pure.

وَعَشيرَةٍ ظَنّوا خِلافَكَ فُرصَةً

وَعَشيرَةٍ ظَنّوا خِلافَكَ فُرصَةً

طَوعَ الهَوى فَأَضَلَّهُم شَيطانُهُ

طَوعَ الهَوى فَأَضَلَّهُم شَيطانُهُ

and for a clan who thought defying you an opportunity,

And a clan who thought opposing you an opportunity

in obedience to desire, so its devil led them astray.

That desire obeyed, so Satan led them astray.

وَدَواؤُهُم ما شاهَدوهُ وَداؤُهُم

وَدَواؤُهُم ما شاهَدوهُ وَداؤُهُم

إِنكارُ حَقٍّ واجِبٍ عِرفانُهُ

إِنكارُ حَقٍّ واجِبٍ عِرفانُهُ

Their cure is what they witnessed, and their sickness

While the cure for them is what they have witnessed, and their disease

is denial of a right whose acknowledgment is obligatory.

Is denying an obligatory recognition.

فَلَقَد أَطاعَكَ مَن أَحَبَّ حَياتَهُ

فَلَقَد أَطاعَكَ مَن أَحَبَّ حَياتَهُ

فَنَجا وَأَردى حائِناً عِصيانُهُ

فَنَجا وَأَردى حائِناً عِصيانُهُ

For indeed, whoever loved his life obeyed you

So one who loves his life has obeyed you

and so survived; a doomed man was destroyed by his disobedience.

And is saved, while defiance destroys the traitor.

وَلَوَ اِنَّهُم ذَلّوا لِعِزِّ مَليكِهِم

وَلَوَ اِنَّهُم ذَلّوا لِعِزِّ مَليكِهِم

لا زالَ يَقهَرُ مَن بَغى سُلطانُهُ

لا زالَ يَقهَرُ مَن بَغى سُلطانُهُ

And had they humbled themselves before their king's might—

And if only they had yielded to the power of their king,

may his power never cease to subdue whoever rebels—

His authority would still defeat any who rebelled.

لَمَحا ذُنوبَهُمُ وَجَمَّعَ شَملَهُم

لَمَحا ذُنوبَهُمُ وَجَمَّعَ شَملَهُم

بَعدَ الشَتاتِ حُنُوُّهُ وَحَنانُهُ

بَعدَ الشَتاتِ حُنُوُّهُ وَحَنانُهُ

their sins would have been erased and their ranks reunited,

He would overlook their sins and unite their ranks

after their scattering, by his kindness and tenderness.

After divisions - such is his affection and tenderness!

لا يَطمَعَن في حُسنِ عَفوِكَ طامِعٌ

لا يَطمَعَن في حُسنِ عَفوِكَ طامِعٌ

حَتّى يُماثِلَ سِرَّهُ إِعلانُهُ

حَتّى يُماثِلَ سِرَّهُ إِعلانُهُ

Let no aspirant hope for your gracious pardon

Let no ambitious man hope for your gracious pardon

until his public declaration matches his secret intent.

Until his secret matches his proclamation.

وَليَسلُهُ مَن لا يُفارِقُ غِلَّهُ

وَليَسلُهُ مَن لا يُفارِقُ غِلَّهُ

حَتّى يُفارِقَ روحَهُ جُثمانُهُ

حَتّى يُفارِقَ روحَهُ جُثمانُهُ

And let whoever will not relinquish his rancor forget it

And let the one stained with sin not feel secure

until his body parts from his soul.

Until his spirit separates from his body.

وَليَتبَعَنَّ رِضاكَ غَيرَ مُوارِبٍ

وَليَتبَعَنَّ رِضاكَ غَيرَ مُوارِبٍ

مَن في يَمينِكَ خَوفُهُ وَأَمانُهُ

مَن في يَمينِكَ خَوفُهُ وَأَمانُهُ

And let him pursue your approval without dissembling,

And let whoever is not deceitful resolutely follow your approval -

he whose fear and safety lie in your right hand.

For those under your protection have hope and safety.

فَلَأَنتَ مَن يَأبى النِفاقَ فَلَم يَعِش

فَلَأَنتَ مَن يَأبى النِفاقَ فَلَم يَعِش

في ظِلِّهِ مَن لَم تَمُت أَضغانُهُ

في ظِلِّهِ مَن لَم تَمُت أَضغانُهُ

For you are the one who rejects hypocrisy: none has lived

For you are one who abhors hypocrisy, so none can live

beneath your shade whose grudges have not died.

Under its shade but those whose grudges have not died.

وَغَناءُ مَن أَصبَحتَ عَنهُ مُعرِضاً

وَغَناءُ مَن أَصبَحتَ عَنهُ مُعرِضاً

كَغَناءِ رُمحٍ بانَ عَنهُ سِنانُهُ

كَغَناءِ رُمحٍ بانَ عَنهُ سِنانُهُ

The usefulness of one from whom you have turned away

And bereft is one from whom you have turned away -

is like that of a spear whose point has come off.

Like a spear whose tip is bent, gone its sharpness.

فَليُصحِبوا لَكَ رَغبَةً أَو رَهبَةً

فَليُصحِبوا لَكَ رَغبَةً أَو رَهبَةً

فَلَطالَما ضَرَّ الجَوادَ حِرانُهُ

فَلَطالَما ضَرَّ الجَوادَ حِرانُهُ

So let them submit to you from desire or fear:

So let them keep with you desire or awe,

how often a noble steed's balking has harmed it!

For the steed is long vexed by its bridle.

لَو أَنَّ غَيرَكَ رامَهُم لَتَصَعصَعَت

لَو أَنَّ غَيرَكَ رامَهُم لَتَصَعصَعَت

أَعوانُهُ وَتَضَعضَعَت أَركانُهُ

أَعوانُهُ وَتَضَعضَعَت أَركانُهُ

Had anyone but you assailed them, there would have faltered

Had another aspired to rule them, his supporters would crumble

his supporters, and his foundations would have crumbled.

And his pillars collapse.

وَهُمُ الأُلى ما أَشرَعوا صُمَّ القَنا

وَهُمُ الأُلى ما أَشرَعوا صُمَّ القَنا

في مَأزِقٍ إِلّا وَهُم فُرسانُهُ

في مَأزِقٍ إِلّا وَهُم فُرسانُهُ

They are those who never leveled their stout spears

For they are stalwarts who, when the pass was dangerous,

in the press of battle without being its horsemen.

Were its knights, never shrinking from the fray.

أَبطالُ صَعصَعَةٍ حُماةُ رَبيعَةٍ

أَبطالُ صَعصَعَةٍ حُماةُ رَبيعَةٍ

في حَيثُ يُزري بِالجِبانِ جَنانُهُ

في حَيثُ يُزري بِالجِبانِ جَنانُهُ

Heroes of Sa'sa'ah, defenders of Rabi'ah,

Heroes of Sa'sa'ah, defenders of Rabee'ah,

where a coward's own heart disgraces him.

Where the coward is disgraced even if with companions.

مِن كُلِّ مُختَبَرِ المَضاءِ مُجَرَّبٍ

مِن كُلِّ مُختَبَرِ المَضاءِ مُجَرَّبٍ

يَحمي حِماهُ ضِرابُهُ وَطِعانُهُ

يَحمي حِماهُ ضِرابُهُ وَطِعانُهُ

Each a tested man of mettle, tried and proven,

From every battlefield tested and proven -

whose sword-strokes and spear-thrusts defend his domain.

He whom they protect is kept safe by their blows and stabs.

مَن يَنثَني وَمِنَ النَجيعِ مُدامُهُ

مَن يَنثَني وَمِنَ النَجيعِ مُدامُهُ

طَرَباً وَما طَبَعَ القُيونُ قِيانُهُ

طَرَباً وَما طَبَعَ القُيونُ قِيانُهُ

One who turns back with fresh blood for his wine,

Those who straighten when others slouch, with posture erect,

in rapture, with the smiths' forgings as his singing girls.

While mounts sway not having that nature.

لَيثٌ وَفي خَلَلَ الوَشيجِ عَرينُهُ

لَيثٌ وَفي خَلَلَ الوَشيجِ عَرينُهُ

وَفَنيقُ حَربٍ وَالمَكَرُّ عِرانُهُ

وَفَنيقُ حَربٍ وَالمَكَرُّ عِرانُهُ

A lion, his den amid the interlaced spears,

Lions amidst the dense groves, their lair within,

and a prized war-camel, the charging-ground his nose-peg.

Artful warriors, while deceit their tool.

ما أَمَّ قَفراً لَم تَجَفَّل أَسدُهُ

ما أَمَّ قَفراً لَم تَجَفَّل أَسدُهُ

فَرَقاً كَما جَفَلَت بِهِ ظِلمانُهُ

فَرَقاً كَما جَفَلَت بِهِ ظِلمانُهُ

Never did he enter a wilderness without its lions scattering

They have never raided a barren wasteland

in terror, as its male ostriches scattered at his presence.

But that their assault makes it desolate.

غُرّوا بِأَن عَقّوا سِواكَ وَأَسرَفوا

غُرّوا بِأَن عَقّوا سِواكَ وَأَسرَفوا

وَعُقوقُ مِثلِكَ مُعوِزٌ إِمكانُهُ

وَعُقوقُ مِثلِكَ مُعوِزٌ إِمكانُهُ

They were deluded by having defied others besides you and gone too far;

They were deluded in defying you and exceeded bounds,

yet defiance of your like is beyond possibility.

Yet defying the likes of you strains the possible.

فَأَتَت عَزائِمُ لَو قَرَعنَ مُتالِعاً

فَأَتَت عَزائِمُ لَو قَرَعنَ مُتالِعاً

لَتَهافَتَت هَضَباتُهُ وَرِعانُهُ

لَتَهافَتَت هَضَباتُهُ وَرِعانُهُ

So came resolves—had they struck Mutali',

So firm resolutions came whose impact, if contiguous,

its plateaus and mountain-spurs would have crumbled—

Would shatter its plateaus and terrify its shepherds.

لِمُؤَيَّدِ الإِقدامِ بِالرَأيِ الَّذي

لِمُؤَيَّدِ الإِقدامِ بِالرَأيِ الَّذي

لَم يَأتِهِ عَمروٌ وَلا وَردانُهُ

لَم يَأتِهِ عَمروٌ وَلا وَردانُهُ

of one whose daring is strengthened by judgment that

For the champion of resolute daring with the view

neither Amr nor his Wardan ever attained;

That no Amr came to, nor hosts have reached.

وَنَصِيَّةِ البَيتِ الَّذي طالَ السُهى

وَنَصِيَّةِ البَيتِ الَّذي طالَ السُهى

وَعَلا الثُرَيّا صاعِداً بُنيانُهُ

وَعَلا الثُرَيّا صاعِداً بُنيانُهُ

and the choicest of the house that towered above Suha,

And the advocate of the house whose glory is long,

whose structure rose, ascending, above the Pleiades.

With its edifice lofty, its structure ascending.

أَوتادُهُ بيضُ الظُبا وَعِمادُهُ

أَوتادُهُ بيضُ الظُبا وَعِمادُهُ

بَعضُ الرِماحِ وَبَعضُها أَشطانُهُ

بَعضُ الرِماحِ وَبَعضُها أَشطانُهُ

Its pegs are gleaming sword-edges, and its poles

Its tent poles are the oryx's white thighs, its pillars

are some of the spears, while others are its guy-ropes.

Some spears, their shafts its columns.

مِن مَعشَرٍ لَم يُطوَ مُهرَقُ سُؤدُدٍ

مِن مَعشَرٍ لَم يُطوَ مُهرَقُ سُؤدُدٍ

إِلّا وَطَيِّبُ ذِكرِهِم عُنوانُهُ

إِلّا وَطَيِّبُ ذِكرِهِم عُنوانُهُ

From a people: no scroll of nobility was ever rolled up

From a folk whose honored abode's hearth flame was never

without their fair renown as its heading.

Extinguished but that their good name remains its lintel.

وَإِذا اِنتَهى دَهرٌ فَهُم أَعيانُهُ

وَإِذا اِنتَهى دَهرٌ فَهُم أَعيانُهُ

وَإِذا أَتى خَيرٌ فَهُم أَعوانُهُ

وَإِذا أَتى خَيرٌ فَهُم أَعوانُهُ

And when an age ends, they are its foremost men,

When an era passes, they are its essence,

and whenever good comes, they are its helpers.

When good comes, they are its aid.

وَإِذا أَتَوا بَلَداً جَديباً أَخصَبَت

وَإِذا أَتَوا بَلَداً جَديباً أَخصَبَت

فيهِ رُباهُ وَأُتئِقَت غُدرانُهُ

فيهِ رُباهُ وَأُتئِقَت غُدرانُهُ

And when they enter a barren land, fertile grow

When they come to a barren land, its greenery flourishes

its hills, and its pools are filled to the brim.

And its valleys narrow in their midst.

لَو لَم تَفُز بِهِمُ العُفاةُ لَما دَرى

لَو لَم تَفُز بِهِمُ العُفاةُ لَما دَرى

مُتَطَلِّبُ المَعروفِ أَينَ مَكانُهُ

مُتَطَلِّبُ المَعروفِ أَينَ مَكانُهُ

Had supplicants not prospered through them, there would be no knowing,

Had the riffraff not prevailed over them, the seeker

for the seeker of kindness, where it is found.

Of favor would not know where to find it.

لَم يَجحَدِ الأَعداءُ واضِحَ مَجدِهِم

لَم يَجحَدِ الأَعداءُ واضِحَ مَجدِهِم

كَيفَ الجُحودُ وَسابِقٌ بُرهانُهُ

كَيفَ الجُحودُ وَسابِقٌ بُرهانُهُ

Their enemies did not deny their manifest glory;

Foes do not deny their evident glory -

how could it be denied when its proof has gone before it?

How can there be denial when proof leads the way?

مَن خُصَّ بِالشَرَفِ الَّذي ظَنَّت بِهِ

مَن خُصَّ بِالشَرَفِ الَّذي ظَنَّت بِهِ

زُهرُ الكَواكِبِ أَنَّها جيرانُهُ

زُهرُ الكَواكِبِ أَنَّها جيرانُهُ

One singled out for such honor that

He was endowed with honor that the stars' blossoms supposed

the bright stars thought themselves his neighbors.

Was their own, so encircled him as neighbors.

مَمنوعَةٌ أَحوالُهُ مَتبوعَةٌ

مَمنوعَةٌ أَحوالُهُ مَتبوعَةٌ

أَقوالُهُ مُتَتابِعٌ إِحسانُهُ

أَقوالُهُ مُتَتابِعٌ إِحسانُهُ

His affairs are secure; heeded are

Guarded are his circumstances, emulated his words,

his words, and unceasing is his beneficence.

Successive his beneficence.

ما إِن يُغادي العِلمَ أَو يَحوي الغِنى

ما إِن يُغادي العِلمَ أَو يَحوي الغِنى

حَتّى يَفيضَ بَيانُهُ وَبَنانُهُ

حَتّى يَفيضَ بَيانُهُ وَبَنانُهُ

No sooner does he greet knowledge at dawn or acquire wealth

If he leaves scholarship or contains affluence,

than his eloquence and fingertips overflow.

His clarity and munificence overflow.

لا خابَ آمِلُهُ وَلا خَبَّ الرَدى

لا خابَ آمِلُهُ وَلا خَبَّ الرَدى

يَوماً إِلَيهِ وَلا خَبَت نيرانُهُ

يَوماً إِلَيهِ وَلا خَبَت نيرانُهُ

May none who hopes in him be disappointed, nor death come trotting

No aspirer to him has ever been frustrated,

toward him any day, nor his fires die out.

Nor one who sought refuge met with flames.

يا عَونَ مَن غَدَرَت بِهِ أَيّامُهُ

يا عَونَ مَن غَدَرَت بِهِ أَيّامُهُ

وَمُعينَ مَن تَنبو بِهِ أَوطانُهُ

وَمُعينَ مَن تَنبو بِهِ أَوطانُهُ

O help of one whose days have betrayed him,

O aide of one whose days have betrayed him

and helper of one whose homelands cast him out,

And supporter of one for whom homelands yearn!

أَغنَيتَ عَن مُرِّ السُؤالِ وَحُلوِهِ

أَغنَيتَ عَن مُرِّ السُؤالِ وَحُلوِهِ

بِنَدىً يَزيدُ عَلى الحَيا تَهتانُهُ

بِنَدىً يَزيدُ عَلى الحَيا تَهتانُهُ

you have removed the need for asking, bitter or sweet,

You have spared the bitterness of asking and its sweetness

with bounty whose downpour surpasses the rain.

With dew that exceeds the elixir of life in its exhilaration.

هُوَ كَالغَوادي لا تَمُنُّ إِذا هَمَت

هُوَ كَالغَوادي لا تَمُنُّ إِذا هَمَت

لا كَالغَمامِ تَباعَدَت أَحيانُهُ

لا كَالغَمامِ تَباعَدَت أَحيانُهُ

It is like morning showers, claiming no credit when they pour,

It is like a torrent that does not refuse when resolve alights,

not like clouds that appear at far-separated times.

Not like a cloud whose moments of rain are scattered.

لِمَ لا أُبالِغُ في مَديحِكَ مُطنِباً

لِمَ لا أُبالِغُ في مَديحِكَ مُطنِباً

وَالشِعرُ طِرفٌ خاطِري مَيدانُهُ

وَالشِعرُ طِرفٌ خاطِري مَيدانُهُ

Why should I not go far in praising you at length,

Why not exaggerate my praise of you prolixly

when poetry is a thoroughbred and my imagination its racecourse?

When poetry is an impulse and my mind its arena?

أُثني عَلَيكَ بِما أَنالَتني يَدٌ

أُثني عَلَيكَ بِما أَنالَتني يَدٌ

بِكرُ الغِنى مِن سَيبِها وَعَوانُهُ

بِكرُ الغِنى مِن سَيبِها وَعَوانُهُ

I praise you for what a hand has bestowed on me,

I praise you for the wealth your hand conferred on me liberally

whose bounty yields wealth in both its maiden and mature forms.

Of treasures making me needless of hoarding or aid.

فَليَعذِرِ المَولى الَّذي خالَفتُهُ

فَليَعذِرِ المَولى الَّذي خالَفتُهُ

فَأَذَعتُ جوداً رَأيُهُ كِتمانُهُ

فَأَذَعتُ جوداً رَأيُهُ كِتمانُهُ

So let the lord whom I disobeyed excuse me,

So forgive the patron I have breached the duty of

for I proclaimed a generosity he thought should be concealed.

By broadcasting widely views that his wisdom concealed.