هذا الختان وقد دعوه طهورا — Al Wargi

هَذا الخِتانُ وَقَدْ دَعَوهُ طُهُوراً

ة خَلَعَ الزَّمَانَ بِهِ عَلَيكَ سُرُوراً

This is circumcision, which they have called purification;

through it, time has clothed you in joy.

فَرَحٌ يَخُصُّكَ بِالكَرامَةِ أوَّلاً

وَبَهَا يَعُمُ الخّيِرِينَ أخِيراً

A joy that singles you out for honor first,

and through that honor embraces the virtuous in the end.

وَعَلَى المَنَازِلِ مِنْ بَهَاهُ بَشَاشَةٌ

كَالنَّازِلِينَ فَهَلْ وَجَدْتَ شُعُوراً

Upon the dwellings lies gladness from its splendor,

as upon their inhabitants—have you sensed it?

أخْفَيْتَهُ تَبَعاُ لِقَولَةِ صَادِقِ

اُخْفُوا الخِتَانَ وَمَا اتّخَذتَ مُشِيراً

You concealed it, following a truthful man's saying:

"Conceal circumcision"; and you sought no counselor.

فَزَكَتْ مَحَاسِنُهُ عَلَى إخفَائِهِ

كَالْمِسكِ زَادَ مَعَ الخَفَاءِ ظُهوراً

Yet its beauties flourished despite its concealment,

like musk, whose presence grows more apparent when hidden.

وَلِمِثلِهِ مِنْ كُلّ مَا تُعنَى بِهِ

خَطَرٌ كَمَا قَدْ كُنتَ أنْتَ خَطِيراً

And such a thing, among all you attend to,

has eminence, just as you yourself have been eminent.

عَجَبَاً لَهُ مِنْ مَعْرَكٍ خَضَعَتْ بِهِ

نَفْسُ الشَّجِيعِ وَقَدْ رَأتْهُ يَسِيرَا

How wondrous a battlefield in which was humbled

the brave man's soul, though it had deemed it easy.

ذَكَرَتْ به الأرحَامُ يَومَ وِلاَدِهَا

فَغَدَتْ تَجَاذَبُ حِدَّةً وفُتُورَا

Through it, wombs recalled the day they gave birth,

and came to sway between intensity and exhaustion.

وَزَمَانُهُ إنْ طَالَ كَانَ دَقِيقَةً

وَيَكَادُ يَبلُغُ فِي الخَيَالِ شُهُورَا

Its duration, even if prolonged, was but a minute,

yet in imagination it almost amounts to months.

ما لِلمُزَيِّنِ فيهِ كَيْفَ تَنَاوَلَتْ

كَفَّاهُ فِي فَلَكِ البَهَاء بُدُورَا

What possessed the barber here—how did

his two hands grasp full moons in beauty's sphere?

أخَذَتْ بِجُزْءٍ لَو يُقاسُ بِمِثلِهِ

مُلكُ القَيَاصِرِ كَانَ بَعْدُ قَصِيرَا

They took a portion; if measured against its like,

the empire of the Caesars would still fall short.

وَيَعُدُّ هَيكَلُهُ لِكُلّ عُيونِهِمْ

أهلُ المَشارِقِ والمَغَارِبِ نُورَا

And his form, for all their eyes, is deemed

by the people of East and West a light.

أفَلاَ اتَّقَى مِنْ دُونِ ذَاكَ ثَوَاقِباُ

تُذْكِي عَلَيهِ مِنَ الجِهَاتِ سعِيرَا

Did he not beware, before that, of piercing gazes

that kindle a blaze against him from every direction?

لَولاَ الخَلِيل لَعَاقَهُ عَنْ أخْذِهِ

حَرْبٌ يَشِيبُ لَهُ الوَلِيدُ صَغِيرَا

Had it not been for al-Khalil, he would have been kept from taking it

by a war that would turn an infant gray while still young.

لَكِنْ سُلَيمَانُ المُعّوَّذُ بِاسْمِهِ

سَبَقَ النِّداء إلى النِّزَالِ سَرِيرَا

But Sulayman, safeguarded by his name,

went gladly to the contest before the summons.

فَتَخَلَّلَ الأوجَال ثُمَّ أزَاحَهَا

وَألان مَا قَدْ كَانَ قَبْلُ عَسِيرَا

He passed amid the fears, then dispelled them,

and made easy what had previously been difficult.

وَكَفَاهُ فِي ذَاكَ المَجَالِ مُحَمَّدٌ

فَأمَاطَ عَنْ وَجْهِ الخَلاصِ سُتُورَا

And Muhammad met his need in that arena,

and swept veils from the face of deliverance.

وَدَعَوا بِمَحْمُودٍ فَجَدَّ إجَابَةً

وَتَلاَهُ إسمَاعِيلٌ بَعْدُ نَصِيرَا

They called for Mahmud, and he hastened to answer,

and Isma'il followed him afterward as a helper.

فَتَظَاهَرُوا بِبَنِي شَقِيقِِ أبِيهِمُ

حَتَّى يَكُونُوا فِي المَآلِ ظَهِيرَا

They joined forces with the sons of their father's full brother,

so that in the end they might be a supporting force.

وَقَضُوا عَلَى وَفْقِ المُرَاد مَآرِباً

كَانَتْ تَتُوقُ لَهَا النُّفُوسُ دُهُورَا

They fulfilled wishes in keeping with what was desired,

for which souls had yearned for ages.

وَقَضيتَ مَا لِلَّه عِندَكَ حَقَّهُ

إنْ لَمْ تَكُنْهُ فمنْ يكون شكورَا

And you discharged God's rightful claim upon you;

if you are not the grateful one, who could be?

فَوَصَلَتْ رَحْمَكَ رأفَةً وَأقَمْتَها

أعلَى مَقَامٍ فِي الجِنَانِ كَبِيراً

You compassionately joined your kin and raised them

to the highest, most exalted station in the gardens of Paradise.

وَأضَفْتَ فِي ذَاتِ الإلَهِ لِهَذِهِ

أمَماً أفَضْتَ لَهَا النَّوَالَ نَمِيرَا

And for God's sake you added to these

multitudes, for whom you poured out sweet, pure bounty.

فَبَذَلْتَ فِي تَحسِينِ بِزَّةِ جَمعِهِمْ

مَالاً يَعِزُّ عَلَى المُلُوكِ غَزِيرَا

You spent on improving the attire of their company

abundant wealth, hard even for kings to spare.

وَبَلَغَتْ فِي إبلاَغِ خَيرِك لِلوَرَى

حَتَّى مَلأتَ مِنَ السُّرُورِ قُبُورَا

And you went so far in conveying your goodness to humankind

that you filled graves with joy.

فلأنتَ أشْجَعْ مِنْ رأته كَريَهةً

وَإذا حَلَفتُ فَلاَ أقُولُ فُجُورَا

For you are the bravest man a dire ordeal has seen,

and if I swear to it, I utter no falsehood.

منْ ذَا يُجَادِلُ نَفْسَه فَيَرُدُهَا

نَحْوَ المَلِيح عَنِ القَبيحِ غَيُورَا

Who is it that argues with his own soul and turns it

toward the fair, away from the foul, with zeal?

قَدْ كَانَ ذَلِكَ وَالحِجَارَةُ رَطْبَةٌ

وَالآنْ يُوجَدُ فِي الكِتاب سُطُورَا

That was once done when stones were still moist,

and now it is found as lines in a book,

حَتَّى بُعِثْتَ مُجَدّداً لِمَآثِرٍ

لَبِثَتْ عَلَى طُولِ الزَّمان دُثُورَا

until you were raised up to renew noble deeds

that had long remained effaced by time.

أحْيَيتَهَا وَفَعَلْتَ ما تُنسِي بِهِ

أجَلاً ويُكْثِرُ فِي المَعَادِ أجُورَا

You revived them and did what makes one forget

death and multiplies rewards in the life to come.

تِلْكَ الشَّجَاعَةُ لاَ جَرَاءَةُ فَاتِكٍ

يَدْعُو لهَا عِنْدَ القِصَاصِ ثُبُورَا

That is courage, not the audacity of a ruthless killer

who calls down ruin on it when retribution comes.

فَارْبَحْ إذنْ يا ابنَ الحُسَينِ وكلُّنا

يَلقَى بِرِبحِكَ رَوضَةً وَغَدِيرَا

Profit, then, O son of al-Husayn, for all of us

find in your profit a meadow and a pool.

فَهْوَ المُنَى أخَذَ الوَدُودُ بِحَظِّهِ

مِنهُ وَبَاتَ بِهِ الحَسُودُ ضَرِيرَا

For it is all we wish: the loving friend has taken his share

of it, and the envious man has spent the night blinded by it.

بَعَثَتْ يَدُ الإقبَالِ لَمَّا أنْ بَدَا

وَجْهُ الفُتُوحِ بِهِ إليَكَ بَشِيرَا

The hand of good fortune sent, when there appeared

through it the face of victory, a bearer of glad tidings to you.

كَمْ بعد يْومِكَ ذا المُبارَكِ مِنْ جَنَى

تَجنِيهِ مِنْ هَذا الغِرَاسِ نَضِيرَا

How much fruit, after this blessed day of yours,

you will gather fresh from this planting!

فَالآنَ حِينَ تَوَصَّلُوا لِمَنَازِلٍ

قَطَعُوا لَهَا مُنذُ الوِلادَِ وُعُورَا

Now, when they have reached stations

for which, since birth, they have crossed rugged ways,

وَتَطَاوَلَتْ خِطَطُ الإمَارَةِ نَحوَهُمْ

وَلَهُمْ أعِدَّتْ رُتبَةً وَسَرِيرَا

and the offices of rulership have reached out toward them,

and rank and a throne have been prepared for them,

فَالخَيلُ مُصِيخَةً لَهُمْ آذَانُهَا

تَبغِي لَهُمْ جِهَةَ النَّجَاحِ عُبُورَا

the horses have their ears pricked toward them,

seeking for them a passage toward success.

فَرِحَتْ لهذا النُّوبُ فِي أشطَانِهَا

فَرَحاً وَشَدَّتْ لِلظُّهُورِ ظُهُورَا

The old she-camels rejoiced at this in their tethers,

with joy, and braced their backs for the public appearance.

وَمَعَاقِدُ التِّيجَانِ قَدْ عُقِدَتْ لَهُمْ

وَبَهِمْ تُفَاخِرُ غَيْبَةً وَشُهُورَا

And the bindings of crowns have been fastened for them,

and boast of them, in absence and in public view.

وَمِنَ الطُّبُولِ تَحَفُّزُّ لِبُرُوزِهِمْ

إذْ يَفْزَعُ الدَّاعِي لِذَاكَ نَفِيرَا

And from the drums comes eagerness for their appearance,

when the herald hastens to sound that call to arms.

وَمِنْ البُنُودِ تَطَلُّعٌ لِمَسِيرِهِمُ

حَتَّى تَسِيرَ مَعَ التَّمَامِ نُسُورَا

And the banners eagerly await their march,

so they may advance in full array, like eagles.

فَاليَومَ قد صَدَرَتْ بشائرُ سَعدِهِمْ

وَغَداً تَرَاهُمْ فِي الصُّفُوفِ صُدُورَا

Today the glad tidings of their good fortune have gone forth;

tomorrow you will see them leading the ranks.

أعبَاءُ مَجدٍ أنتَ وَحدَكَ حُزتَهُمْ

كَذَبَ المُنازِعُ هَل يَعُدُّ نَظِيرَا

Burdens of glory—you alone have gained them;

the rival lies—can he reckon an equal?

بِهِمُ أنَمْتَ المُلكَ نَومَةَ مُعرِسٍ

وَبَهِمْ أدَرْتَ عَلَى الإيَالَةِ سُورَا

Through them you lulled the kingdom to a bridegroom's sleep,

and through them you ringed the realm with a wall.

وَبِهِمْ لأمرِكَ نَهْضَةٌ وَلِصَونِهِمْ

مَنَعُوا النَّواهِي أنْ تُفِيدَ نَقِيرَا

Through them your rule is uplifted, and to safeguard them

they kept prohibitions from availing even a date-stone's speck.

مَا فَردُهُمْ مَهْمَا اخْتَبَرْتَ بِواحِدٍ

بَلْ هُوَ ألفٌ أوْ يَزيدُ كَثِيرَا

No single one of them, however you test him, is only one;

rather, he is a thousand, or many more.

كُلٌّ يَفِيضُ عَلَى أخِيهِ تَحَنُّنَا

وَلِوالِدَيْهِ مَهَابَةً وَبُرُورَا

Each pours affection upon his brother,

and reverence and filial devotion upon his parents.

طُبِعُوا كَمَا طُبِعَ الكَرِيمُ أبُوهُمُ

كَرَمَاً يُعَدُّ لَهُ الغَمَامُ حَقِيرَا

They were fashioned as their noble father was fashioned,

with generosity beside which clouds are deemed paltry,

وَسِياسَةً جَذَبَتْ حَبَائِلُ لُطْفِهَا

قَلبَ الكَفورِ عنْ أنْ يكونَ كَفُورَا

and statecraft whose gentle snares have drawn

the ungrateful heart away from being ungrateful.

يَا سَيِّدَا طَلَعَتْ طَلاَئِعُ وُدّهِ

فَسَعَى لَهَا دَاعِي المَدِيحِ سَفِيرَا

O master, whose affection's advance guards have appeared,

the herald of praise has hastened to them as an envoy.

هَذِي بُنَيَّةُ خَاطِرٍ أهدَيْتُهَا

شَرَحَتْ إلَيكَ مِنَ الوِدَادِ ضَمِيرَا

This little daughter of thought, which I have offered,

has revealed to you affection's innermost heart.

تُحْظَى فَيَقْصُرُ يَومُهَا لِحَدِيثِهَا

وَتَكُونُ فِي غَلَسِ الظَّلاَمِ سَمِيرَا

She enjoys favor, and her day grows short with her conversation,

and in the predawn gloom of darkness she is a companion for night talk.

قَصَرْتَ عَلَيْكَ مَلاَبِساً مِنْ غَزْلِهَا

لَكِنْ تَخَافُ إذَا نَظَرْتَ قُصُورَا

You reserved for yourself garments from her spinning,

but she fears shortcomings when you look.

وَلَرُبَّ بَعْضِ شُويَعِرٍ يَرْنُو لَهَا

شَزَرَاً وَيُكْثِرُ فِي الخَلاءِ زَئِيرَا

And perhaps some petty poet looks at her

askance, and does much roaring in solitude,

حَسَداً يُشَكِّكُ فِي تَحَقُقِِ حَملِهَا

مِنْ حُبّ ذَاتِكَ مَا يُحَمِّلُ عِيرَا

out of envy, doubting that she truly carries

enough love for your very self to load a caravan.

وَيَظَلُّ يَخْبِطُ فِي مَدَى أغرَاضِهَا

لاَ عَنْ هُدىً وَمَتَى يَكُونُ بَصِيرَا

He keeps blundering within the range of her aims,

without guidance—and when could he be discerning?

وَلَوِ اسْتَبَانَ مِنَ الضَّآلَةِ مَرَّةً

لَمَنَحْتُهُ عِوَضَ الزَّئِيرِ زَفِيرَا

Had he once emerged from insignificance,

I would have given him sighing instead of roaring.

لَكِنْ تَركْتُ حَدِيثَهُ وَأرَاحَنِي

عِلْمِي بِكَوْنِكَ بِالصَّحِيحِ خَبِيرَا

But I left his talk aside, and found relief

in knowing that you are an expert in what is sound.

فَمِحَكُّ نَقْدِكَ ليس يبقى دونهُ

بَينَ الهِدَايَةِ والضَّلالَةِ زُورَا

For before the touchstone of your criticism there survives no

falsehood between guidance and error.

فَلَكَ الهَنَا وَلِكُلِّكُمْ وَلَنَا بِكُمْ

مَا صَافَحَتْ شَمْسُ النَّهارِ ثَبِيرَا

So joy be yours and all of yours, and ours through you,

as long as the sun of day shakes hands with Thabir.