1. هَل لِلخَليطِ المُستَقِلِّ إِيابُ

    أَم هَل لِأَيّامٍ مَضَت أَعقابُ

    Will the departing company ever return?

    Or can days gone by ever come again?

  2. سَرَتِ النَوائِبُ عَنكَ رَونَقَ مَن سَرى

    وَاِستَحقَبَت لَذّاتِكَ الأَحقابُ

    Calamities stripped from you the radiance of those who departed,

    And the ages packed your pleasures away.

  3. ما بالُ طَيفِ المالِكيَّةِ مُعرِضاً

    وَلَقَد عَهِدنا طَيفَها يَنتابُ

    Why does al-Malikiyya's dream-phantom turn away,

    When we have known her phantom to visit?

  4. أَلِرِقبَةِ الواشينَ أَوجَسَ ريبَةً

    فَاِرتاعَ أَم بِوِدادِنا يَرتابُ

    Did the slanderers' watch arouse its misgivings,

    So it took fright, or does it doubt our love?

  5. يامَيُّ هَل لِدُنُوِّ دارِكِ رَجعَةٌ

    أَم لِلعِتابِ لَدَيكُمُ إِعتابُ

    O Mayy, will your dwelling ever be near again?

    Or will our reproach find redress with you?

  6. لا أَرتَجي يَوماً سُلُوّاً عَنكُمُ

    هَيهاتَ سُدَّت دُونَهُ الأَبوابُ

    I never hope for a day of forgetting you;

    Far from it—the doors to that have been shut.

  7. أَوصابُ جِسمي مِن جِنايَةِ بُعدِكُم

    وَالصَبرُ صَبرٌ بَعدَكُم أَو صابُ

    My body's ailments are the injury your distance inflicted;

    And patience after you is bitter aloe or spurge.

  8. دامَت سَحابَةُ تَحتَ ظِلِّ سَحابَةٍ

    وَجَرى عَلى دارِ الرَبابِ رَبابُ

    May Sahaba remain beneath a cloud's shade,

    And may clouds stream over al-Rabab's dwelling.

  9. وَسَقى بِقاعَ الجونِ جَونٌ مُرزِمٌ

    ما لِلذَهابِ الغَمرِ عَنهُ ذَهابُ

    May a rumbling dark cloud water al-Jawn's tracts,

    With copious rain that never leaves it.

  10. فَلَقَد عَهِدتُ بِها مَعاهِدِ لِلصِبا

    مَأهولَةً تَحتَلُّها الأَحبابُ

    For there I knew haunts of youth,

    Inhabited, with loved ones dwelling in them.

  11. وَأَما وَما عَهِدوا إِلَينا إِنَّهُ

    عَهدٌ يُحَقُّ لِحَقِّهِ الإيجابُ

    By what they pledged to us—indeed, it is

    A covenant whose rightful claim demands fulfillment—

  12. لا خَامَرَ السُلوانُ قَلبَ مُتَيَّمٍ

    هاجَت لَهُ في إِثرِهِم أَطرابُ

    May forgetfulness never enter a love-enslaved heart,

    Whose passions were stirred in their wake,

  13. كاسٍ مِنَ الأَسقامِ جُرِّعَ لِلنَوى

    كَأساً لَهُ ريقُ الحُبابِ حَبابُ

    Clothed in ailments, forced by separation to drink

    A cup whose froth is serpents' venom.

  14. وَتَعاوَرَتهُ نَوائِبٌ بِنُيوبِها

    إِن كَلَّ نابٌ نابَ عَنهُ نابُ

    Calamities took turns upon him with their fangs;

    When one fang grew blunt, another took its place.

  15. جابَ الفَيافي المُؤيِداتِ وَآلُهُ

    آلٌ تَمَكَّنَ فيهِ قَلبٌ جابُ

    He crossed the wearying deserts, his form

    A mirage in which a fearful heart had lodged.

  16. قَصَرَ الزَمانُ يَدي وَطالَت هِمَّتي

    فَالعَزمُ لي دونَ الرِكابِ رِكابُ

    Time shortened my reach, but my aspiration grew;

    Resolve is my mount in place of riding camels.

  17. لَم أُكثِرِ الإِضرابَ عَن تَركِ العُلى

    إِلّا لِيَقعُدَ دونِيَ الأَضرابُ

    I persisted in refusing to forsake high rank

    Only so my peers would lag behind me.

  18. لا أَيأَسُ الإِترابَ مُذ نَطَقَت بِهِ

    عِندَ المُظَفَّرِ أَنعُمٌ أَترابُ

    I do not despair of riches, since they were promised

    By kindred blessings in al-Muzaffar's presence.

  19. مَلِكٌ إِذا ما الجَودُ غَبَّ هُمولُهُ

    فَلَدَيهِ جودٌ ما لَهُ إِغبابُ

    A king: when generosity's downpour becomes intermittent,

    His generosity never knows an interval.

  20. سَهُلَت خَلائِقُهُ لِباغي نَيلِهِ

    لَكِنَّهُنَّ عَلى العَدُوِّ صِعابُ

    His manners are gentle toward those seeking his bounty,

    But harsh against the enemy.

  21. تُمضى الوَسائِلُ في ذَراهُ لِطالِبِ ال

    جَدوى وَتُقضى عِندَهُ الآرابُ

    Petitions succeed in his shelter for the seeker of

    Bounty, and desires are fulfilled in his presence.

  22. بِشرٌ يُبَشِّرُ مَن يَرومُ نَوالَهُ

    وَالبِشرُ مِن قَبلِ الثَوابِ ثَوابُ

    A cheerful face gives good news to those seeking his gifts,

    And cheerfulness is a reward before the reward.

  23. تُرجى مَواهِبُهُ وَيُضحي خَوفُهُ

    وَلَهُ بِأَلبابِ الوَرى إِلبابُ

    His gifts are hoped for, and fear of him dawns

    And holds fast within the minds of humankind.

  24. مُتَبايِنُ الأَوصافِ أَمّا عِرضُهُ

    فَحِمىً وَأَمّا مالُهُ فَنِهابُ

    Contrasting in his qualities: as for his honor,

    It is protected ground; as for his wealth, it is free spoil.

  25. غَدَتِ الأَماني وَالمَنونُ بِكَفِّهِ

    فَالأَريُ فيها بِالسِمامِ يُشابُ

    Hopes and death have come to rest in his palm,

    So honey there is mixed with venom.

  26. يُقني وَيُفني وَعدُهُ وَوَعيدُهُ

    هَذا جَنىً عَذبٌ وَذاكَ عَذابُ

    His promise enriches, his threat destroys;

    The one is sweet fruit, the other torment.

  27. وَإِذا يُهابُ الخَطبُ عِندَ حُلولِهِ

    فَبِهِ لِدَفعِ النائِباتِ يُهابُ

    When a crisis is feared at its arrival,

    Through him one commands fear, to repel calamities.

  28. سالٍ عَنِ البيضِ الحِسانِ فَما لَهُ

    إِلّا هَوى البيضِ القَواضِبِ دابُ

    Unmoved by fair, beautiful women, he has

    No constant passion but for bright, keen-cutting swords.

  29. لَيثٌ أَظافِرِهُ الأَسِنَّةُ وَالقَنا

    عِرّيسُهُ وَلَهُ الظُبى أَنيابُ

    A lion whose claws are spearheads, while the lances

    Are his thicket, and sword-edges are his fangs.

  30. إِن بانَ بانَ المَوتُ في نَظَراتِهِ

    أَو غابَ فَالسُمرُ الشَواجِرُ غابُ

    If he appears, death appears in his glances;

    If he is hidden, the tangled brown spears are his forest.

  31. خِرقٌ إِذا كَتَبَت إِلَيهِ كَتيبَةٌ

    مَرَقَت فَليسَ سِوى السُيوفِ جَوابُ

    A bold man: if a battalion writes to him,

    Having rebelled, swords alone give answer.

  32. وَإِذا حَمى الأَصحابُ نَفسَ مُمَلَّكٍ

    فَبِسَيفِهِ يَستَعصِمُ الأَصحابُ

    When companions shield the person of a king,

    His companions seek protection in his sword.

  33. بِفَتى أَميرِ المُؤمِنينَ وَسَيفِهِ

    عَمِرَت بِلادُ اللَهِ وَهيَ خَرابُ

    Through the Commander of the Faithful's champion and sword,

    God's lands, once ruined, have flourished.

  34. نَزَلَت كِلابٌ بِالجَنابِ وَأَتهَمَت

    طَيٌّ وَعَزَّت في ذَراهُ جَنابُ

    Kilab settled in al-Janab, while toward Tihama went

    Tayy, and Janab grew mighty beneath his protection.

  35. وَلِمُصطَفى المُلكِ اِعتِزامُ المُصطَفى

    لَمّا أَحاطَ بِيَثرِبَ الأَحزابُ

    The chosen one of kingship has the Chosen One's resolve

    When the confederates encircled Yathrib.

  36. فَتحانِ يَومَ الأَربَعاءِ كِلاهُما

    لِلكُفرِ عَن حَرَمِ الهُدى إِذهابُ

    Two victories, both on a Wednesday,

    Each driving unbelief from guidance's sacred precinct.

  37. يَومانِ لِلإِسلامِ عَزَّ لَدَيهِما

    دينُ الإِلَهَ وَزَلَّتِ الأَعرابُ

    Two days for Islam: in them rose in glory

    God's religion, and the Bedouins stumbled.

  38. ذا لِلنَبِيِّ وَذا لِمُنتَجَبِ اِبنِهِ

    رَدّا مَشيبَ الحَقِّ وَهوَ شَبابُ

    One for the Prophet, one for his son's chosen champion;

    Both drove back Truth's gray age while it was still young.

  39. وَصَلَت عِداتُكَ لِلإِمامِ بِصِدقِها

    فَتَقَطَّعَت بِعُداتِكَ الأَسبابُ

    Your promises reached the Imam in all their truth,

    So every avenue was cut off for your enemies.

  40. وَدَعاكَ عُدَّتَهُ فَكُنتَ ذَخيرَةً

    يُنفى بِها ضِيمٌ وَيُدفَعُ عابُ

    He called you his support, and you became a reserve

    That banishes oppression and repels disgrace.

  41. أَلهَيتَ عَن يَومِ الكُلابِ بِوَقعَةٍ

    شَقيَت بِها عِندَ اللِقاءِ كِلابُ

    You eclipsed the Day of al-Kulab with a battle

    In which Kilab suffered misery at the encounter.

  42. وَرُموا بِداهِيَةٍ لِبَكرٍ عِندَها

    بِكرُ الخُطوبِ وَلِلضِبابِ ضِبابُ

    They were struck by a calamity: for Bakr it held

    A first-born calamity, and for al-Dibab, a fog.

  43. طَلَبوا العِقابَ لِيَسلَموا بِنُفوسِهِم

    فَاِبتَزَّهُم دونَ العِقابِ عُقابُ

    They sought the mountain passes to escape with their lives;

    But before those passes an eagle snatched them away.

  44. وَاِستَشعَروا نَصراً فَكانَ عَلَيهِمُ

    وَتَقَطَّعَت دونَ المُرادِ رِقابُ

    They felt assured of victory, but it turned against them,

    And necks were severed before their goal was reached.

  45. كانوا حَديداً في الوَغى لَكِنَّهُم

    لَمّا اِصطَلوا نارَ المُظَفَّرِ ذابوا

    They were iron in battle, yet

    When they endured al-Muzaffar's fire, they melted.

  46. نارٌ تُنيرُ لِطارِقيهِ عَلى النَدى

    وَشَرَارُها عِندَ الحُروبِ حِرابُ

    A fire that lights the way for his night visitors seeking bounty,

    Whose sparks in war are spears.

  47. لَم يَبلِغِ الآرابَ فيكَ مَعاشِرٌ

    أَجسامُهُم غِبَّ الوَغى آرابُ

    Peoples did not achieve their aims against you;

    Their bodies, after battle, were severed limbs.

  48. فَلُحومُهُم لِلحائِماتِ مَطاعِمٌ

    وَدِمائُهُم لِلمُرهَفاتِ شَرابُ

    Their flesh was food for circling birds,

    And their blood a drink for keen-edged blades.

  49. وَحُماتُهُم قَتلى وَجُلُّ مَتاعِهِم

    نَهبٌ وَكُلُّ سِلاحِهِم أَسلابُ

    Their defenders were slain, most of their possessions

    Were plunder, and all their weapons spoils.

  50. في مَأزِقٍ تُجري القَنا فيهِ قِنىً

    حُمراً لَها مُهَجُ الكُماةِ عِذابُ

    In a tight battleground, where spears set channels flowing,

    Red, with warriors' lifeblood as their sweet water.

  51. كَاللَيلِ لا بَرقُ الأَسِنَّةِ خُلَّبٌ

    فيهِ وَلا لَمعُ النُصولِ سَرابُ

    Like night: the spearheads' lightning is no empty flash

    Within it, nor is the blades' gleam a mirage.

  52. وَتَماطَرَت خَيلُ اللِقاءِ كَأَنَّها

    غَيثٌ تَصَوَّبَ وَالقَتامُ سَحابُ

    The battle-horses rained down as though they were

    Rain pouring down, with the dust a cloud.

  53. لَم يَبدُ لِلأَعداءِ إِلّا عَسكَرٌ

    أَو عِثيَرٌ عَن عَسكَرٍ مُنجابُ

    The enemy saw nothing but an army,

    Or a dust-cloud lifting to reveal an army.

  54. أَردَت سُيوفُكَ صالِحاً فَأَقامَ في

    دارِ البِلى وَحَديثُهُ جَوّابُ

    Your swords struck Salih dead, and he stayed in

    The abode of decay, while news of him roams abroad.

  55. لَم تَحمِهِ الأَصحابُ حينَ اِقتَدَتهُ

    وَلَهُ إِلى حَوضِ الرَدى إِصحابُ

    His companions could not protect him when you led him,

    And he yielded on his way to death's pool.

  56. غادَرتَ بِالزُرقِ الرِهافِ إِهابَهُ

    وَعَلَيهِ مِن قاني النَجيعِ إِهابُ

    With keen blue spearheads you left his skin

    Covered in a hide of crimson gore.

  57. فَبَلَغتَ أَمراً لَو سِواكَ يَرومُهُ

    لَثَناهُ طَعنٌ دونَهُ وَضِرابُ

    You accomplished what, had another sought it,

    Thrusts and sword-blows along the way would have turned him back.

  58. وَأَبى المُهَنَّدُ أَن يُفَلَّلَ حَدُّهُ

    وَاللَيثُ أَن تَعدو عَلَيهِ ذِئابُ

    The Indian blade refused to have its edge blunted,

    And the lion refused to let wolves assail him.

  59. صَفَحَت صِفاحُكَ عَن أُناسٍ أَيقَنوا

    أَنَّ الهَزيمَةَ مِن سُطاكَ صَوابُ

    Your sword-blades spared people who knew for certain

    That flight from your onslaught was wise.

  60. فَمَضَت لِطِيَّتِها قَبائِلُ طَيِّئٍ

    فَرَقاً وَحَشوُ صُدورِهِم إِرهابُ

    So Tayy's tribes went toward their destination,

    In fear, their breasts filled with terror.

  61. وَاِستَنفَقَ الرَكضُ الجِيادَ فَخَيلُهُم

    مَهرِيَّةٌ وَسُروجُهُم أَقتابُ

    Galloping exhausted their steeds, so their horses became

    Mahri camels, and their saddles camel-packsaddles.

  62. وَاِنقادَ بَعضُ المارِقينَ إِلى الهُدى

    بَعدَ الضَلالِ فَطِبتَ لَمّا طابوا

    Some of the rebels submitted to guidance

    After straying; you were gracious when they mended their ways.

  63. حَقَّقتَ ظَنَّهُمُ الجَميلَ وَزِدتَهُم

    أَضعافَ ما أَمِلوهُ حينَ أَنابوا

    You fulfilled their fair expectations and gave them

    Many times what they had hoped for when they repented.

  64. هَذي المَفاخِرُ لا مَفاخِرُ تُدَّعى

    مَيناً وَيَحجُزُ دونَها أَسبابُ

    These are true glories, not glories claimed

    Falsely, with barriers standing in their way.

  65. مَن مُبلِغُ الأَتراكِ أَنَّ أَميرَهُم

    بِفَعالِهِ تَتَجَمَّلُ الأَنسابُ

    Who will tell the Turks that their emir

    Adorns lineages through his deeds?

  66. وَالمَرءُ مَن كَسَبَ العُلى لَم تَرفَعِ ال

    أَنسابُ مَن لَم تَرفَعِ الأَحسابُ

    A man is one who earns high rank; never has

    Lineage exalted one whom personal merit has not exalted.

  67. يا أَيُّها المَلِكُ الَّذي هانَت بِهِ

    نُوَبُ الزَمانِ وَعَزَّتِ الآدابُ

    O king through whom

    Time's calamities grew slight, and letters gained honor,

  68. أَدعوكَ لِلخَطبِ المُبَرِّحِ عالِماً

    أَنَّ النِداءَ إِلى نَداكَ يُجابُ

    I call on you in grievous distress, knowing

    That a call to your bounty is answered.

  69. في حَيثُ تَحجُبُني عُلاكَ مِنَ الرَدى

    كَرَماً وَما دونَ الثَراءِ حِجابُ

    Where your loftiness shields me from death,

    Generously, with no barrier to riches.

  70. اِمنَح مَقالي سَمعَ مِثلِكَ إِنَّهُ

    شَرَفي فَأَنتَ المانِحُ الوَهّابُ

    Grant my words the hearing of one such as you; it is

    My honor, for you are the bestower, the lavish giver.

  71. وَاِسعَد بِتَشريفِ الإِمامِ فَإِنَّ أَد

    ناهُ إِلى أَعلى المَراتِبِ بابُ

    Rejoice in the Imam's distinction, for even its least

    Is a gate to the highest ranks.

  72. خِلَعٌ لَبِستَ بِها المَفاخِرَ وَاِكتَسَت

    بِكَ فَوقَ ما أَلبَسنَكَ الأَثوابُ

    Robes of honor: in them you wore glory, and they were arrayed

    By you in greater glory than the garments had given you.

  73. وَسَوابِقٌ حُمِّلنَ مِنكَ يَلَملَماً

    عَجَباً لِطِرفٍ تَمتَطيهِ هِضابُ

    And swift steeds, bearing in you a Yalamlam—

    Marvel at a charger ridden by mountains!

  74. وَجَواهِرٌ غَمَرَ النُضارَ شُعاعُها

    فَعَلَيهِ مِن أَنوارُها جِلبابُ

    And jewels whose rays flooded the gold,

    Draping it in a cloak of their light.

  75. عَفّى عَلى الإِطنابِ وَصفُ مَناقِبٍ

    لِخَيامَها فَوقَ السُهى أَطنابُ

    The description of virtues has outstripped all elaboration,

    Their tents' ropes stretching higher than Suha.

  76. حَسُنَت أَحاديثُ الأَميرِ فَحَسَّنَت

    ما أَلَّفَ الشُعَراءُ وَالكُتّابُ

    The emir's tales were fine, and so made fine

    What poets and writers composed.

  77. فَوقَ المَنابِرِ نَثرُها وَبِنَظمِها

    يَتَعَلَّلُ السارونَ وَالشُرّابُ

    Their prose is spoken from pulpits; their verse

    Delights night travelers and drinkers.

  78. وَمِنَ الثَنا عَرَضٌ وَمِنهُ جَواهِرٌ

    وَمنَ الجَواهِرِ جامِدٌ وَمُذابُ

    Some praise is mere appearance, and some is jewels;

    And among jewels, some are solid, others molten.

  79. رَوَّيتَ تِربَ المَجدِ تُربَ مَدائِحٍ

    لِسُهولِها وَوُعورِها إِعشابُ

    You watered, O peer of glory, the soil of praises,

    Making their plains and rugged slopes grow green.

  80. وَالأَرضُ تُجدِبُ حينَ يَهجُرُها الحَيا

    وَيُصابُ فيها الخِصبُ حينَ تُصابُ

    Earth grows barren when the rain forsakes it,

    And fertility is found there when rain strikes it.