ديارَ شعري سقاكِ السعد ماطرَه

ديارَ شعري سقاكِ السعد ماطرَه

ما أحسن الحيّ عادَ الأنس زائره

ما أحسن الحيّ عادَ الأنس زائره

O abodes of my poetry, may good fortune water you with its raincloud.

The rain of good fortune watered the abode of my poetry,

How lovely the dwelling—companionship has returned as its visitor!

How good is the living when intimacy returns as a visitor!

يا عائدين بمغناهم إلى أفقٍ

يا عائدين بمغناهم إلى أفقٍ

عوْدَ النجوم جلت عن دياجرَه

عوْدَ النجوم جلت عن دياجرَه

O you returning their abode to a horizon,

O you who return with their songs to the horizon,

as stars return, dispelling its deep darkness.

The stars shone brightly when you returned to its chambers.

محبّكم جامع الأشواق مالئةً

محبّكم جامع الأشواق مالئةً

أشواقه في صميم القلب فاطرَه

أشواقه في صميم القلب فاطرَه

Your lover gathers longings that fill

Your lover gathered longings overflowing

the heart's very core—his yearnings rending it.

His longings in the heart’s core that created them.

يا رُبَّ ليلٍ بطيءِ الصبح بعدكم

يا رُبَّ ليلٍ بطيءِ الصبح بعدكم

قد باتَ فيه صريع الجفن ساهره

قد باتَ فيه صريع الجفن ساهره

Ah, how many a night, slow to dawn after your departure,

O lord of a slow night after you

its sleepless watcher spent within it, slain by an eyelid!

In it, the eyelid’s captive remained awake.

أبلى له السقمُ لمَّا طالَ بعدكم

أبلى له السقمُ لمَّا طالَ بعدكم

جسماً أبى العهدُ أن يبلي سرائره

جسماً أبى العهدُ أن يبلي سرائره

Sickness wore away for him, when your absence grew long,

Sickness weakened him when you were long absent,

a body whose inward secrets the pledge refused to wear away.

A body that refused to age its secrets.

حتَّى غدا بخمارِ القربِ في طربٍ

حتَّى غدا بخمارِ القربِ في طربٍ

بعد البعاد الذي قد كان خامره

بعد البعاد الذي قد كان خامره

Until he grew joyous in the wine-haze of nearness,

Until he returned in joy with the wine of nearness

after the separation that had pervaded him.

After the separation that had worried him.

يا حبَّذا القلب خفَّاقاً بعشقتكم

يا حبَّذا القلب خفَّاقاً بعشقتكم

ما كانَ أيمنَ في العشَّاق طائره

ما كانَ أيمنَ في العشَّاق طائره

Ah, how lovely the heart, fluttering with love for you!

How wonderful a heart fluttering with love for you!

How auspicious among lovers was its omen-bird!

No bird was luckier among lovers in flight.

ما كان أولى بسبقِ الدَّمع يذكر لو

ما كان أولى بسبقِ الدَّمع يذكر لو

قد أخطرت لمعاتُ البرق خاطره

قد أخطرت لمعاتُ البرق خاطره

How fitting for tears to come first as it remembers, if

No tears were more deserving to flow in remembrance if

flashes of lightning have stirred its thoughts!

Flashes of lightning stirred his thoughts.

عشْ يا وزير التقى والبرّ محتوياً

عشْ يا وزير التقى والبرّ محتوياً

في الأجرِ والدكر أولاهُ وآخره

في الأجرِ والدكر أولاهُ وآخره

Live, O minister of piety and beneficence, encompassing

Live long, minister of piety and righteousness, fulfilled

the first and the last of reward and remembrance.

In reward and remembrance, he began and ended it.

ويا سليمانَ ملكٍ في سيادته

ويا سليمانَ ملكٍ في سيادته

لا ينبغي لسريٍّ أن يسايره

لا ينبغي لسريٍّ أن يسايره

And O Sulayman of a kingdom—in his sovereignty,

And O Solomon, sovereign in his rule

no nobleman can hope to keep pace with him.

To whom no secret dares to profess equality.

لو صوَّر الشام شخصاً كنت صاحبه

لو صوَّر الشام شخصاً كنت صاحبه

وجامع الشام وجهاً كنت ناظره

وجامع الشام وجهاً كنت ناظره

If al-Sham were pictured as a person, you would be his companion;

If Damascus were imagined as a person, you would be its companion,

and al-Sham's congregational mosque as a face, you would be its eye.

And the collector of Damascus, its overseer.

عمرت من ذا وذا صرحين قد شكرا

عمرت من ذا وذا صرحين قد شكرا

يقظان من ذا الذي لم يمس شاكره

يقظان من ذا الذي لم يمس شاكره

You restored from this and that two edifices that both thanked

You built two palaces, which offered thanks,

a vigilant man—who has not become grateful to him by nightfall?

Awake, who is this sleeper that no grateful one touched?

فمن رآكَ وآثاراً ظهرت بها

فمن رآكَ وآثاراً ظهرت بها

رأى سليمانَ واسْتجلى عمائره

رأى سليمانَ واسْتجلى عمائره

Whoever sees you and the works through which you have shone

Whoever sees you and the monuments made clear through you

sees Sulayman and clearly beholds his buildings.

Sees Solomon and beholds his buildings.

في جامع الشام أركانٌ مصدرةٌ

في جامع الشام أركانٌ مصدرةٌ

تملي الثنا واردَ المعنى وصادِرِه

تملي الثنا واردَ المعنى وصادِرِه

In al-Sham's congregational mosque stand pillars given pride of place,

In the Damascus Mosque are glistening pillars

dictating praise in every meaning that comes and goes.

That inspire poetry and initiate its meanings.

سعادة لحظت أركان مستلمٍ

سعادة لحظت أركان مستلمٍ

قد كادَ بعدك أن تدمي محاجره

قد كادَ بعدك أن تدمي محاجره

Good fortune has glanced at the corners of a sanctuary honored by touch,

Good fortune beheld the pillars of an establisher

whose eye-sockets nearly bled in your absence.

Who almost made its stones weep after you.

وفي المحاريب من نص التقى سيرٌ

وفي المحاريب من نص التقى سيرٌ

كادت ترنح من عجب منابره

كادت ترنح من عجب منابره

And in the prayer niches are accounts from piety's very text,

In the niches, the practice of piety has a tradition

that nearly set its pulpits swaying in wonder.

Its platforms almost swayed in awe.

وفي أعاليه سرجٌ من محامدكم

وفي أعاليه سرجٌ من محامدكم

قبل القناديل تستعلي منائره

قبل القناديل تستعلي منائره

And in its heights are lamps of your praiseworthy deeds,

In its heights, praise of you is a lamp

rising over its minarets before the lanterns do.

That ascends above the oil lamps.

وفي حمى الشام والدُّنيا لواحدها

وفي حمى الشام والدُّنيا لواحدها

ذكرٌ يعرّف عرف المسك ذاكره

ذكرٌ يعرّف عرف المسك ذاكره

And within al-Sham's precincts—the world belongs to its peerless one—

In protecting Damascus and the land, they are one,

is a remembrance that acquaints its reciter with the scent of musk.

A remembrance that reveals the scent of musk in its protector.

أرضى بها الله والسلطان ذو قلم

أرضى بها الله والسلطان ذو قلم

بالخير أعيى ابن سهل أن يحابره

بالخير أعيى ابن سهل أن يحابره

God and the sultan have been pleased there by a man of the pen,

May God and the Sultan, whose pen

whose goodness left Ibn Sahl unable to rival him.

Brought goodness, be pleased with it. Ibn Sahl cannot compete with it

حيث الرَّعية والديوان قد مدحا

حيث الرَّعية والديوان قد مدحا

ممدَّحاً خصَّت العليا مآثره

ممدَّحاً خصَّت العليا مآثره

Where subjects and chancery have both praised

Where people and government praised

a much-lauded man whose noble deeds lofty glory has singled out.

The one praised, his supreme qualities singled him out.

شمْ في العلى فضله والجود جعفره

شمْ في العلى فضله والجود جعفره

والنسك عمَّاره والعزم عامره

والنسك عمَّاره والعزم عامره

Discern his Fadl in eminence, his Ja'far in generosity,

Inhale in the Highest his excellence and generosity Jafar,

his Ammar in devotion, his Amir in resolve.

And the devotion of his reconstruction and determination its restoration.

كم باب نصرٍ وكم باباً إلى فرجٍ

كم باب نصرٍ وكم باباً إلى فرجٍ

فتحت يا فائزَ المسعى وظافرَه

فتحت يا فائزَ المسعى وظافرَه

How many a gate of victory, how many a gate to relief

How many doors of victory and doors to relief

have you opened, O winner in the endeavor and its victor!

You opened, O winner of the race and the one who attained it.

زكت عناصر مولانا وأردفها

زكت عناصر مولانا وأردفها

فضلٌ فأول ما زكى عناصره

فضلٌ فأول ما زكى عناصره

Our master's elements grew pure, and following them came

The elements of our Master were purified

excellence; foremost among what purified his elements was

And a favor followed them, so the first thing it purified was his elements.

تقوى مخافتها لله خوَّف من

تقوى مخافتها لله خوَّف من

ذكراه أسدَ الفيافي أن تجاوره

ذكراه أسدَ الفيافي أن تجاوره

piety, whose fear of God frightened, at

Fear of God frightened it, frightening

his mention, the desert lions, so they dared not approach him;

The lions of wastelands from settling near it.

وهمَّة ركبت شهب النجوم فما

وهمَّة ركبت شهب النجوم فما

يسطاع بهرام أفق أن يسايره

يسطاع بهرام أفق أن يسايره

and an ambition that rode the bright stars, so that not even

And an aspiration rode the meteors of stars, so

Bahram of the horizon can keep pace with him;

The horizons cannot equal it.

وجود كفَّين في سرٍّ وفي علنٍ

وجود كفَّين في سرٍّ وفي علنٍ

لا تجسر المزنُ أيضاً أن تكاثره

لا تجسر المزنُ أيضاً أن تكاثره

and the generosity of two hands, in secret and in public—

Generosity from two concealed and revealed hands

the rainclouds, too, dare not rival him in abundance.

Daring cannot compete with it.

ثنى عن العرضِ الأدنى به بصراً

ثنى عن العرضِ الأدنى به بصراً

ثنى إلى الجوهرِ الأعلى بصائره

ثنى إلى الجوهرِ الأعلى بصائره

Through it he turned his gaze from lowly worldly goods,

He averted his gaze from the lowest temptation

and turned his inward sight toward the higher essence.

And turned his insights to the highest essence.

فليهنه الذكر سيار المديح له

فليهنه الذكر سيار المديح له

إن قيلَ ما اخْترتَ منه قلتُ سائره

إن قيلَ ما اخْترتَ منه قلتُ سائره

May renown gladden him, with praise of him traveling far;

So let praise, the traveler of eulogy for him

if asked, 'What did you choose from it?' I say, 'All of it.'

Delight him. If asked what I chose from it, I say all of it.

والأجر كم جائع عار يقولُ لقد

والأجر كم جائع عار يقولُ لقد

أصلحتَ باطنَ ملهوفٍ وظاهره

أصلحتَ باطنَ ملهوفٍ وظاهره

And reward! How many a hungry, naked person says, 'Truly,

And how much hungry honor says you mended

you have set right a distressed man's inner and outer state.'

The inside and outside of an anxious one.

وكم صنائع معروفٍ تقول ألا

وكم صنائع معروفٍ تقول ألا

ما كانَ أربحَ في الصنفين تاجره

ما كانَ أربحَ في الصنفين تاجره

And how many acts of kindness say, 'Behold,

And how much good crafts say, is there not

how greatly its trader has profited in both kinds!'

More profitable merchandise among the two types than its merchant?

فلتهنه خلعٌ دامت مبشرة

فلتهنه خلعٌ دامت مبشرة

بيمنه منصباً أضحى مباشره

بيمنه منصباً أضحى مباشره

May robes of honor gladden him, ever bringing glad tidings

So let him be delighted by robes that remain

of his good fortune to the office he now administers,

Good omened through appointment which actualized it.

بيضاً وخضراً كأنَّ الطيلسان بها

بيضاً وخضراً كأنَّ الطيلسان بها

غيمٌ سقى الرَّوضَ فاسْتجلى أزاهره

غيمٌ سقى الرَّوضَ فاسْتجلى أزاهره

white and green, as though the mantle among them

White and green, as if the brocade by them

were a cloud that watered the garden and revealed its blossoms.

Were clouds that watered the garden and made its flowers shine.

شعار نعم وزير قد دعوه إلى

شعار نعم وزير قد دعوه إلى

نعم البيوت فوفَّاه شعائره

نعم البيوت فوفَّاه شعائره

The insignia of an excellent minister whom they have summoned to

The slogan of the minister’s blessings called him

the finest of houses, whose rites he then fulfilled.

To the blessed homes, so he completed its rituals.

مدَّ البنان بأقلامٍ لها نعمٌ

مدَّ البنان بأقلامٍ لها نعمٌ

لمثلها يعقد المثني خناصره

لمثلها يعقد المثني خناصره

He extended his fingers with pens that bestow blessings,

He extended his fingertips, which had blessings,

for whose like the praiser bends his little fingers.

To which the doubled join their wrists.

أغصان رزق لديه أو نجوم هدًى

أغصان رزق لديه أو نجوم هدًى

فقل أزاهره أو قل زواهره

فقل أزاهره أو قل زواهره

Branches of sustenance in his keeping, or stars of guidance:

Branches of sustenance with him, or stars of guidance,

call them his blossoms, or call them his shining stars.

So say its flowers, or say its shining stars.

يا فائض البحر من جودٍ ومن كرمٍ

يا فائض البحر من جودٍ ومن كرمٍ

أن شئت كامله أو شئت وافره

أن شئت كامله أو شئت وافره

O you whose sea overflows with bounty and generosity—

O overflowing sea of generosity and nobility,

its Kamil ('Complete'), if you wish, or its Wafir ('Abundant').

If you will, perfect it, or if you will, make it abundant.

يا ذا البراعة من أسعفت مدحته

يا ذا البراعة من أسعفت مدحته

لقد أعدْت إلى بحرٍ جواهره

لقد أعدْت إلى بحرٍ جواهره

O master of eloquence, whose praise I have supplied,

O you of skill, when I praised him in eulogy

I have indeed returned to a sea its jewels.

I prepared for a sea its pearls.

يا من تقول البرايا حين أمدحهُ

يا من تقول البرايا حين أمدحهُ

قد أفردَ الله ممدوحاً وشاعره

قد أفردَ الله ممدوحاً وشاعره

O one of whom all creatures say, whenever I praise him:

O you who say to the open country when I praise him

'God has made a praised man and his poet peerless.'

God singled out the praised and the poet.

خذها عجالة منْ نوَّرت في مدحٍ

خذها عجالة منْ نوَّرت في مدحٍ

بالنورِ أسطرَه والنوْر خاطره

بالنورِ أسطرَه والنوْر خاطره

Take this hasty offering from one you have illumined in praise:

Take it quickly from one who illuminated

his lines with light, and his mind with blossoms.

Its lines with light, and light his thoughts.

لئن نشرت على دهرِي قصائده

لئن نشرت على دهرِي قصائده

لقد طويت على حبٍّ ضمائره

لقد طويت على حبٍّ ضمائره

If indeed you have spread his odes across my lifetime,

If I publish his eulogies over my lifetime

you have surely folded his secret thoughts around love.

I have folded love for him in my conscience.