بارك الله للأمير أبي العباس — Abu Bakr Al Suli

بَارَكَ اللهُ لِلأَمِيرِ أَبِي الْ

عَبَّاسِ خَيْرِ الْمُلُوكِ فِي النَّيْرُوزِ

May God bless the emir Abu al-

ʿAbbas, best of kings, at Nowruz.

وَأَرَاهُ أَوْلاَدَهُ الْغُرَّ أَجْدَا

داً بِمُلْكٍ نَامٍ وَعِزٍّ عَزِيزِ

And let him see his illustrious children become grand-

fathers, with a growing kingdom and mighty honor.

فَهُوَ أَوْلَى بِهِ وبَالْجُودِ فِيهِ

مِنْ ابْرِويزَ وَمِنْ فَيْرُوزِ

For he is worthier of it, and of generosity at it,

than Abarwiz and Firuz.

لَهُمُ فِي الْهِلالِ هُرْمُزُروزٍ

وَلَنَا الدَّهْرِ فِيكَ هُرْمُزُرُوزِ

For them, at the new moon, comes Hormuz-ruz;

for us, through you, all time is Hormuz-ruz.

فَاقْتَبِلْ جِدَّةَ الزَّمَانِ بِعَامٍ

بَارِزٍ بِاللُّجِيْنِ وَلابْرِيزِ

So welcome time's renewal with a year

resplendent in silver and pure gold.

ضَاحِكَاتٍ أَيَّامُهُ طَائِعَاتٍ

طَاعَةَ الْحبِّ بَعْدَ طُولِ النّشُوزِ

Its days are smiling and obedient,

with a beloved's obedience after long estrangement.

وَاقْضِ حَقَّ النَّيْرُوزِ فيه بِكَأْسِ

مُزْعَجٍ سَقْيُهَا بكَأْسٍ وَكُوزِ

And fulfill Nowruz's due in it with a cup—

a rousing draught, served by cup and jug.

فِيهِ نَقْشٌ مُلَوَّنُ مِنْ يَدَيْ مَنْ

لَمْ تَشُبْهُ مَعَايِبُ التَّلْوِيزِ

On it is a colored design, from the hands of one

whom the faults of talwiz have not tainted [term unclear].

طَلَعَتْ شَمْسُ وَجْهِهِ تَحْتِ دَاجِيَ ال

شَّعَرِ الْجَعْدِ صِبْغَةَ الشِّيرُوزِ

The sun of his face rose beneath the dark—

curly hair, with the hue of Shiruz.

مِنْ عُقَارٍ تَرَى الْفَتِيَّةَ مِنْهَا

عَجَزَتْ عَنْ كَمَالِ حُسْنِ الْعَجُوزِ

Of wine whose youthful vintage you see

fall short of the old one's perfect beauty.

يَشْتَكِي كَرْمُهَا الأُوَامَ لَدَى الْقَطْ

فِ وَمَا زَالَ كَارِعاً في البُرُوزِ

Its vine complains of thirst at the har-

vest, though it has always drunk in the open.

وعَلَى مُقْبِلٍ مِنَ السَّعْدِ مَحْجُو

بٍ عَنِ النَّحْس والأَذَىَ مَحْجُوزِ

And to approaching good fortune, screened—

from ill luck and kept from harm.

بِالزَّبَيْدِيَّةِ الْمُشَهَّرَةِ الْحُسْ

نِ وَحَوْزِ الَّلَذَاذَةِ الْمَاحُوزِ

At al-Zubaydiyya, famed for its beau-

ty, that enclosed domain of delight.

وصُنَوفٍ مِنَ الْجَوَاهِرِ تَبْدُو

كُلَّ يَوْمٍ مِنْ كَنْزِهَا المَكْنُوزِ

And kinds of jewels appear

every day from its stored treasure.

يَاسَمِينَ حكَى قُرَاضَةَ تِبْرٍ

فَتَقُوا طِيبَهُ بِمَرْمَاحُوزِ

Jasmine resembling filings of gold:

they blended its perfume with marmaḥuz.

يَضْحَكُ الْوَرْدُ عْنْدَهُ بَيْن نِسْرِي

نَ وَبُسْتَانُ لعنُهم آيْرُوز

The rose smiles beside it, among nas-

rin and bustan ... Ayruz [wording unclear].

ورِياحٍ مِنَ الرِّياحِين أدَّتْ

نشرَ مِسْكٍ بعَنْبر مَعْرُوز

And breezes from the fragrant herbs convey

the scent of musk mixed with ambergris.

وبها من حَمَاحمٍ هَامُ رَنْجٍ

مُشْرفات الطُّلَى على سينيز

There, too, are bugloss blossoms, heads of ranj [term unclear],

their necks rising above Siniz.

ومياهٍ يَشْكو الْجَداول أَبْساً

لم تَمَزِّقْهُ حادثاتُ النُّزُورِ

And waters whose channels complain of dryness,

untorn by the mishaps of scarcity.

وبنا رِنْجِها المَحَمَّلِ تِبْراً

ومياه منْ آسها الْمَجزُوزِ

And its bitter-orange trees, laden with gold,

and waters from its clipped myrtle.

ونخيلٍ ترفَّع النَّوْعُ منها

عن حِوار الأَنْفَالِ والشَّهْرِيز

And palms whose variety rises

beyond rivalry with Anfal and Shahriz.

وبها الطَّلْعُ مثْلُ بِيضِ أَكُفٍّ

بَرَزَتْ من مَخَصَّرات القُزُوز

There the palm blossoms resemble white hands

emerging from close-fitting silken garments.

وتجافَتْ عَنْها الجُفوفُ فشُبِّهْ

ن كَمَاماً مفَتَّقات الدُّرُوز

Their spathes pull away, and they are likened

to sleeves with their seams split open.

كَمْ زمانٍ مضَى بها مُسْتَلَذٍّ

لَيْلنُا فيه مثلُ لَيْل الحَزِيز

How many delightful times have passed there,

our night like a night of al-Haziz.

قَبْلَ أَن تَرْحَلَ البوارحُ عنَّا

وتُحَطَّ الرِّحَالُ من تَمَّوز

Before the summer winds depart from us

and the baggage from Tammuz is set down.

رضِيَ الرَّاضِيَ الإِلهُ لمُلْك

عَزَّزَ الدَّينَ أيَّما تعزيز

God approved al-Radi for a kingship

that strengthened religion most powerfully.

فهُوَ بالله في مَحَلِّ أَمانٍ

تَحتَ حِرْزٍ من القَضاء حَريز

Through God, he is in a place of safety,

beneath secure protection against fate.

أَيَّد اللهُ مُلكَه بنَصيحٍ

رازَ منه الزَّمانَ أَذكى مَروز

God strengthened his kingdom with a faithful counselor,

in whom time assayed the keenest of tested men.

بوَزير مؤَيَّد الرَّأْي قَدْ حا

زَ بيُمْن التَّدبير خَيْرَ مَحُوز

With a minister of well-supported judgment, who has won—

through fortunate management, the best of prizes.

فكنُوزُ الآباءِ ثابتَةٌ منْهُ

كُلُّ يوم مُجَدَّدٍ يكنُوزِ

Thus ancestral treasures are firmly secured by him;

every renewed day, he stores up treasure.

قَلَمٌ يملكُ الوَرَى فهو أَمْضى

من حُسامٍ على الأَعادي جَرُوز

A pen rules humankind, and it is sharper

than a sword that devours enemies,

ومن السَّهْمِ حينَ يَسْتَلِبُ الْعُمْ

رَ اخْتِطافاً وعاملٍ مَجْلُوزِ

and than an arrow when it snatches life—

in a flash, or a leather-bound spear.

حَتَفَ اللهُ مَرْدَواجَ بحدّ

منْهُ في أَنْفُس الوَرَى مَرْكُوز

God brought Mardawaj to death with an edge

of it, embedded in the souls of humankind.

كم عَدْوٍّ أَبادَهُ غيْرَ مَقْبُو

نٍ بَمَرْدَى الرَّدَى ولا مَجْنُوز

How many foes he destroyed, without their being cast down—

by death's missile or laid in a grave.

وكذا يَسْتَمرُّ في كُلِّ عاصٍ

وَنَبِيطٍ لهُمْ عُتاةٍ وخُوز

Thus he continues against every rebel,

and their defiant Nabit and Khuz.

عَرُزُوا كالْجَرَادِ نَسْلَ فسادٍ

مَحَقَ الله ذاكَ منْ تَغْرِيزِ

They swarmed like locusts, a brood of corruption;

may God blot out that planting.

فهو كالشَّهدِ للنَّصيحِ المُوَالِي

وَكَسَيْفٍ عَلَى العِدَا مَهْزُوزِ

He is like honey to the faithful ally,

and like a sword brandished against enemies.

لم يَضقْ بالأُمور صَدْراً ولا أَصْ

بَحَ فيها كحائر مَلْهُوز

His heart never narrowed under affairs, nor did he become—

amid them, like a bewildered, harried man.

وعَليٌّ كذاك غَيْرُ ظنِينٍ

في مُراعاتَه ولا مَلْمُوز

And ʿAli likewise is not suspect

in his care for him, nor subject to reproach.

بَلْ يُنادِي الأَعْدَاءَ منْهُ برَأْي

غَيْرِ مُسْتَنْقَصٍ ولا مَغْمُوز

Rather, he challenges the enemies with a judgment of his own,

neither disparaged nor impugned.

فَرِداءُ الشَّباب ضَافٍ عَلَيْهِ

وهو ذو حُنْكَة ورأيٍ مَريز

The robe of youth hangs amply upon him,

yet he possesses experience and tested judgment.

كم عدُوٍّ يبيتُ منهُ على ص

حَّةِ جسمٍ بلَيْلَةٍ الْمَنْكُوز

How many foes of his pass the night in sound—

bodily health, but with a stung man's night.

يا أَجلَّ المُلوك عَقْلاً وعلْماً

مفَرَدَ السبق غَيْرَما مَلْزُوز

O noblest of kings in intellect and knowledge,

alone in the lead, without a rival pressing close.

لَكَ عَبْدٌ كَساكَ فاخِرَ مَدْحٍ

رَائِقِ لُبْسُهُ لِبَاسَ الخُزُوز

You have a servant who clothed you in splendid praise,

lovely to wear, a garment of silk-and-wool brocade.

لم يَشِنْهُ ذكُر السَّبَاسِبِ والوَصْ

فُ لعيسِ تَحْتَ الرِّحال جَمُوز

No mention of wastelands has marred it, nor descriptions—

of pale camels, fleet beneath their saddles.

من قوافٍ علَى سِواهُ صِعَاب

سُبَّقِ الْجَرْي ظاهرات البُرُوز

Made of rhymes difficult for anyone else,

foremost in the race, plainly out in front.

خَطَرْت نَحْوَكَ القَوَافِي بِمَدْحٍ

غيرِ مُسْتَهْجَنٍ ولا مَكْزُوز

The rhymes have strutted toward you bearing praise,

neither objectionable nor cramped.

بَيْن صادٍ وبَيْن ضادٍ وسينٍ

ثُمَّ زايٍ مُبينةٍ التَّبْريز

Between ṣad, and ḍad, and sin,

then zay, clearly displaying excellence.

سائلُ الطَّبْع مُشْرقُ اللَّفْظ سَهْلٌ

ما تُغَشِّيه ظُلْمَةُ التَّكْزيز

Flowing naturally, bright in wording, and easy,

uncovered by the darkness of stiffness.

فائضٌ ماؤُه يجيءُ مُطيعاً

غيرَ مُسْتَجْلَب ولا مَنْحَوز

Its water overflows and comes obediently,

neither summoned with effort nor forced along.

يَرْجعُ الشِّعْرُ عَنْهُ حِين يُسامِي

هِ بأَنفٍ مُجَدَّعٍ مَحْزُوز

Other poetry retreats from it when it vies—

with it, its nose mutilated and slashed.

مَن يَرُمْ نَسْجَ مثْله تَخْتَطفْهُ

لامعاتٌ من ذلك التَّطْريز

Whoever tries to weave its like is snatched away

by flashes from that embroidery.

قَصَّرَ الْمُخْلِفُ المُعَلَّمُ عَنْ فَيْ

ض صَيُودٍ مُعاوِدِ التَّكْزيز

The marked promise-breaker fell short of the outpouring—

of a ṣayud repeatedly returning to constriction [image unclear].

وكذا لاَ يُقاسُ بَيْنَ خَسِيفٍ

فائضٌ عِدُّهَا بِبِئْرٍ نَكُوز

Nor can comparison be made between a deep spring

with overflowing perennial water and a dried-up well.

جُزْتُ فيه مَيْدَان قَوْمٍ أَراهُمْ

شُعَراءً بالْخَطِّ والتَّجْوِيز

In it I crossed the arena of men whom I consider

poets only on paper and by courtesy.

يَسْتَمِيزُونَ لَفْظَ غَيْرهم في

ه غِلاباً كَغَارة التَّكْليز

They select other people's wording within—

it by force, like a raid of takliz [term unclear].

بقَوَافٍ مَدُوسَةٍ ومَعانٍ

مَخْلِقاتٍ ومَنْطِقٍ مَرْمُوز

With trampled rhymes and meanings

worn threadbare, and cryptic speech.

وَكَزُوهُ ليَلْحقُوهُ فَآبُوا

بِقَصِيرٍ عنِ المَدَى مَوْكُوز

They prodded it to make it catch up, but returned

with something prodded yet short of the goal.

حُرِموا الطَّبْعَ صاغرينَ فَسَارُوا

منْ طَريق إليَهْ غيرِ مَجُوزِ

Denied natural talent and humbled, they traveled

toward it by an impassable road.

عَجَبٌ والقَضادُ يَقْعِد ذا الْقُ

وَّةِ عَنْ خُطْوِةِ الضَّعِيفِ الْعَجِيز

Strange! Rough ground keeps the strong—

from matching the feeble cripple's step.

كيف يحوِي التَّجْويدَ صاحبُ قَلْبٍ

مُوَجعٍ من تَأَسُّفٍ مَوْحُوز

How can mastery belong to someone whose heart

is pained by regret and stricken?

لا أَرَى كارعاً لَهُمْ في إناء

لا ولا في بحارِهِمْ ذا نُهُوز

I see no drinker at any vessel of theirs,

no, nor anyone dipping into their seas.

ليس لي غَلَّةٌ تَحَصَّلُ ممَّا

في موازينهم ولا في قَفيز

I have no yield obtained from what

is in their scales or in their grain measure.

لاَ وَلاَ في أَرضهم قِيدُ شِبْرٍ

في وِهادٍ لَهُمْ ولا في نُشُوز

No, nor a handspan in their land,

whether in their hollows or on high ground.

دَرَّةُ العُزْرِ هامِيَاتٌ عَلَيْهِمْ

وَلَنَا دَرَّةُ القَطُوعِ الْعَزُوز

The abundant milk-flow pours down upon them;

ours is the flow of a milk-stinting, tight-teated beast.

غَرَّزُوا أَرجُلَ الطَّمَاعَةِ فِي رُكْ

بٍ أَخَسَّتْ مِقْدَارَهُمْ وغُرُوزِ

They planted the feet of greed in stir-

rups and leather foot-loops that debased their standing.

لَوْ يكونُ التَّجْويدُ دارَ ثَوَاءٍ

لَمْ يَجوزُوا منها مدى الدَّهْلِيْزِ

If excellence were a dwelling-house,

they would not pass beyond its entrance hall.

قُلْتُ إِذْ جُوِّزَتْ بغَيْر انْتِقَاب

لَكِ حَظٌّ الْقِنَاعِ فِينا فجُوزي

I said, when she was let through unveiled:

You have the veil's share among us, so pass through.

فازَ مْنُهْم جَمَاعَةٌ بأَناسٍ

واتِّكَالِي عَلَيْكَ في التَّفْويز

A group of them succeeded through certain people;

my reliance is upon you to grant success.

لَسَتُ أَرْجُو سواكَ بعدَ إلهي

عِنْدَ تَقْصِيدِهِمْ ولا التَّرجِيز

I hope in none but you, after my God,

when they compose qasidas or rajaz,

وَوَزِيرَيْنِ جَهَّزِانِي بجُودٍ

تَعَّشَانِي بذَلِكَ التَّجْهِيزِ

and two ministers who furnished me generously,

who sustained me with that provision [reading uncertain].

حِينَ عَيَّ الزَّمانُ عن ذِكْرِ حَظِّي

جَبَرَاً فاقَتِي بِجَودٍ وجِيز

When time was unable to mention my good fortune,

the two relieved my poverty with a swift gift.

أَنتَ أَدْرَى بالشِّعْر من قائلِيهِ

فاقضِ فِيهِ بالْحَزْم والتَّعْجيز

You know poetry better than those who utter it;

so judge it decisively and expose incapacity.

وكذا العِلْمُ بالمحرَّكِ والسَّا

كِنِ في نَحْوِهِمْ وبالمَهْمُوز

And likewise, knowledge of vowelled and unvowelled—

letters in their grammar, and of hamzated ones.

لَيْس إلاَّ الَّذي يَضُمُّهُمُ المَجْ

لِسُ للإِنْتِحالِ والتَّمْييز

There is only what the assembly brings them together for—

claiming authorship and distinguishing merit.

فَهُمُ قَوْقَ مَنْ يَرَى قَوْلَ حَقٍّ

غيرَ مُسْتَنْكَرٍ ولا مَنْهُوز

Thus they are [unclear word] to one who recognizes a statement of truth,

neither rejected nor attacked.

فأَجِزْنِي بِقَدْرِ علمِكَ بالأَشْ

عار يا خَيْرَ مُنْعِمٍ ومُجيز

So reward me according to your knowledge of po-

etry, O best of benefactors and rewarders.

بِدَنانِيرَ لا أَحَالُ على الْجِهْ

بِذِ فيهَا وَلاَ عَلَى كتُبْ رُوز

With dinars for which I am not referred to the money-

changer, nor to daily account-books.

وَرَغِيفُ النَّدِّ الَّذي عَصَبُوني

هِ وأَكْرِمْ بِذَاكَ مِنْ مَجْنُوز

And the cake of nadd perfume which they allotted me—

and how noble a stored treasure it was!

غَلَبَتْني عَلَيْهِ أَيْدِي نِهَابٍ

نَهزَتْهُ بحَظِّهَا المَنْهُوز

Plundering hands overcame me for it;

they seized it as their snatched share.

سَبَقَتْني إليه سَبْقَ ذئابٍ

خاطِفَاتٍ بِهِزَّةٍ وأَزِيزِ

They outstripped me toward it like wolves,

snatching with a shake and a buzz.

كان خَتْلاً منهم كَخْتَل الحَواريِّ

سَيْفِ الله ذِي الرَّدى جُرْمُوز

It was their trickery, like the treacherous slaying of the devoted companion—

God's sword, bearer of death—by Jarmuz.

لو خَشِينَا الْبِدَارَ مِنهُمْ لَعِثْنا

فيهِم كاللُّيُّوثِ فِي الأَمْعُوزِ

Had we feared their rushing ahead, we would have ravaged

among them like lions among herds of goats.

ثُمَّ آبوا بجانِبٍ طَيِّب النَّشْ

رِ وَأُبْنا بِجانِبٍ مَحْبوز

Then they returned with a sweet-scented portion—

and we returned with a battered side.

لَهْفَ نفسي عليه مُلْقىً كَتُرْسٍ

وافرِ الحَرْف مُشْرفٍ التَّفْريز

Alas, my soul, for it, lying like a shield

with ample rim and raised edging.

فَدُموعي من التَّأَسُّف تَجْري

جَرْيَ وَفْرَاءَ وافياتِ الخُرُوز

My tears flow from regret,

like a capacious waterskin with fully sewn seams.

جَمَزَتْنِي فَوايِتُ الحظِّ منْهُ

وابلاَئِي منْ حَظِّيَ الْمجمُوز

The shares of it that escaped me have swept me away;

oh, my misery over the share that sped past me!

قَدْ رَأَى سَيِّدِي وُقُوفِيَ حَيْرا

نَ كَمُصْمِي الرَّمْيَةِ الْمَتْرُوز

My lord has seen me standing bewildered—

like one transfixed by a killing shot.

فابْقَ يَا سَيِّدي بَقاءَ ثَبِيرٍ

غَيْرَ ما مَزْعِجٍ ولاَ مَحْقُوز

May you endure, my lord, as Thabir endures,

neither disturbed nor driven onward.

وتَمَلَّ السُّرُورَ سائِرَ مُلْكٍ

غَيْرَ مُسْتَنْقَصٍ ولاَ مَبْرُوز

Enjoy happiness throughout your reign,

neither diminished nor exposed.

تَتَخطَّى مداسَ كلِّ إِمامٍ

قاهرَ العزِّ غَيْرَ مَا مَعزُوز

Outstripping the footsteps of every ruler,

overpowering might, never overpowered.