1. أَمّا الخَيالُ فَإِنَّهُ لَم يَطرُقِ

    إِلّا بِعَقبِ تَشَوُّفٍ وَتَشَوُّقِ

    As for the apparition, it did not visit by night

    except after eager watching and yearning.

  2. قَد زارَ مِن بِعدٍ فَبَرَّدَ مِن حَشاً

    ضَرِمٍ وَسَكَّنَ مِن فُؤادٍ مُقلِقِ

    It came from afar and cooled a breast

    ablaze, and soothed a restless heart.

  3. وَلَرُبَّما كانَ الكَرى سَبَباً لَنا

    بَعدَ الفِراقِ إِلى اللِقاءِ فَنَلتَقي

    How often sleep has served us as a means,

    after separation, to meet—and we meet,

  4. مُتَذاكِرانِ عَلى البِعادِ فَما يَنى

    يُهدي الغَرامَ مُغَرِّبٌ لِمُشَرِّقِ

    remembering each other despite distance; unceasingly

    one in the west sends passion to one in the east.

  5. صَدَقَت مَحاسِنُهُ فَصارَت فِتنَةً

    لِلناظِرينَ وَوَعدُهُ لَم يَصدُقِ

    His beauties proved true and became a temptation

    to onlookers, though his promise proved untrue.

  6. أَأُفيقُ مِن شَجَنٍ لِعَقلِيَ خابِلٍ

    وَأَصُدُّ عَن سَكَنٍ بِقَلبِيَ مُلصَقِ

    Shall I recover from sorrow that deranges my mind,

    and turn away from a beloved bound to my heart?

  7. قَد رابَني هَرَبُ الشَبابِ وَراعَني

    شَيبٌ يَدِبُّ بَياضُهُ في مَفرَقي

    The flight of youth has disquieted me, and alarmed me

    gray hair whose whiteness creeps through my parting.

  8. إِمّا تَرَينِيَ قَد صَحَوتُ مِنَ الصِبا

    وَمَشَيتُ في سَنَنِ المُبِلِّ المَفرِقِ

    If you see me recovered from youthful folly,

    and walking the path of one recovered, free of fever,

  9. وَذَكَرتُ ما أَخَذَ المَشيبُ فَأَرسَلَت

    عَينايَ واكِفَ ديمَةٍ مُغرَورَقِ

    and recalling what graying stole, then there poured

    from my eyes a brimming shower of steady rain.

  10. فَلَقَد أَراني في مَخيلَةِ عاشِقٍ

    حَسَنِ المَكانَةِ في الحِسانِ مُعَشَّقِ

    For I once saw myself with a lover's proud bearing,

    high in favor among beauties, much beloved,

  11. أَغدو فَأَسحَبُ في البِطالَةِ مِئزَري

    وَكَذاكَ مَن يُصبِح بِبَثٍّ يُغبِقِ

    going out at dawn, trailing my waistcloth in idle pleasure;

    thus one who starts with sorrow at dawn drinks it at dusk.

  12. إِن كُنتَ ذا عَزمٍ فَشَأنَكَ وَالسُرى

    قَصدَ الإِمامِ عَلى عِتاقِ الأَينَقِ

    If you have resolve, take to night travel,

    bound for the Imam on highbred she-camels.

  13. لا تَرهَبَنَّ دُجى الحَنادِسِ بَعدَما

    صَدَعَت خِلافَتُهُ بِنورٍ مُشرِقِ

    Never fear the murk of pitch-dark nights, now that

    his caliphate has split them with radiant light.

  14. لِلَّهِ مُعتَمِدٌ عَلى الِلَّهِ اِكتَفى

    باللَّهِ وَالرَأيِ الأَصيلِ الأَوثَقِ

    God be praised for one relying on God, content

    with God and with sound, most trustworthy judgment.

  15. لَهِجٌ بِإِصلاحِ الأُمورِ يَروضُها

    تَدبيرُهُ في مَنهَجٍ مُستَوسِقِ

    Intent on setting affairs right, he guides them

    by his governance along a well-ordered path.

  16. مَلِكٌ تَدينُ لَهُ المُلوكُ وَتَقتَدي

    لُجُجُ البِحارِ بِسَيبِهِ المُتَدَفِّقِ

    A king to whom kings submit, while

    the ocean depths take his surging bounty as their model.

  17. فَرَعى سَوادَ المُسلِمينَ بِناظِرٍ

    مُتَفَقِّدٍ وَحِياطِ صَدرٍ مُشفِقِ

    He tended the mass of Muslims with an eye

    watchful, and the guarding care of a compassionate heart.

  18. أَوفى فَأَضمَرَتِ القُلوبُ مَهابَةً

    لِمُوَقِّرِ اللَحَظاتِ فَخمِ المَنطِقِ

    He appeared, and hearts harbored awe

    for one grave of glance and stately in speech.

  19. وَتَهَلَّلَت لِلراغِبينَ أَسِرَّةٌ

    يَضحَكنَ في وَجهٍ كَثيرِ الرَونَقِ

    And brow-lines brightened for petitioners,

    smiling in a face of abundant radiance.

  20. يَتَقَيَّلُ المُعتَزُّ فَضلَ جُدودِهِ

    بِخِلالِ مَحمودِ الخِلالِ مُوَفَّقِ

    Al-Mu'tazz emulates his forefathers' excellence

    with the qualities of one praiseworthy in character, blessed with success.

  21. وَيَظَلُّ يُخشى في الإِلَهِ وَيُتَّقى

    فيهِ كَما يَخشى الإِلَهُ وَيَتَّقي

    He remains feared in God's cause and held in awe

    therein, just as he fears God and is mindful of Him.

  22. ضَربٌ كَنَصلِ السَيفِ أُرهِفَ حَدُّهُ

    وَأَضاءَ لامِعُ رَأيِهِ المُتَرَقرِقِ

    Lean as a sword-blade whose edge is honed,

    and bright shines the gleam of his shimmering judgment.

  23. وَمُهَذَّبُ الأَخلاقِ يَعطِفُهُ النَدى

    عَطفَ الجَنوبِ مِنَ القَضيبِ المورِقِ

    Refined in character, generosity sways him

    as the south wind sways a leafy bough.

  24. طَلقٌ فَإِن أَبدى العُبوسَ تَطَأطَأَت

    خوسُ الرِجالِ وَخَفَّضَت في المَنطِقِ

    Open-faced; but if he shows a frown, down bow

    men's deep-set eyes, and their voices grow hushed.

  25. مُتَغَمِّدٌ يَهَبُ الذُنوبَ وَعَهدُها

    لَم يَستَطِل وَجَديدُها لَم يُشلِقِ

    Forgiving, he pardons sins when their occurrence

    is not yet distant, their freshness not yet frayed.

  26. يَغشى العُيونَ الناظِراتِ إِذا بَدا

    قَمَرٌ مَتالِعُهُ رِباعُ الجَوسَقِ

    He dazzles gazing eyes when he appears,

    a moon whose rising places are al-Jawsaq's courts.

  27. اللَهُ جارُكَ تَبتَغي ما تَبتَغي

    في المَكرُماتِ وَتَرتَقي ما تَرتَقي

    God be your protector as you seek what you seek

    in noble deeds, and rise as high as you rise.

  28. فَلَقَد وَليتَ فَكُنتَ خَيرَ مُجَمِّعٍ

    إِذ كانَ مَن ناواكَ شَرُّ مُفَرِّقِ

    For you took power and proved the finest uniter,

    when your opponent was the worst divider.

  29. وَلَقَد رَدَدتَ النائِباتِ ذَميمَةً

    وَفَسَحتَ مِن كَنفِ الزَمانِ الضَيِّقِ

    You sent calamities back disgraced,

    and widened time's constricted shelter.

  30. وَعَفَوتَ عَفواً عَمَّ أُمَّةَ أَحمَدٍ

    في الغَربِ مِن أَوطانِهِم وَالمَشرِقِ

    You granted a pardon embracing Ahmad's community

    in their homelands west and east.

  31. وَلَقَد رَدَدتَ عَلى الأَنامِ عَقولَهُم

    بِهَلاكِ سُلطانِ الرَكيكِ الأَحمَقِ

    You restored mankind's reason to them

    by the downfall of the feeble fool's rule.

  32. وَالقَومُ خَرقى ما تُطُلِّبَ رُشدُهُم

    وَأُديرَ أَمرُهُم بِعَزمَةِ أَخرَقِ

    A people are foolish while their guidance is sought

    and their affairs are steered by a fool's resolve.

  33. كَيفَ اِهتِداءُ الرَكبِ في ظَلمائِهِم

    وَدَليلُهُم مُتَخَلِّفٌ لَم يَلحَقِ

    How can the caravan find its way in their darkness,

    when its guide lags behind and has not caught up?

  34. أَولَتكَ آراءُ المَوالي نُصرَةً

    بِسُيوفِهِم وَالمُلكُ جِدُّ مُمَزَّقِ

    Your retainers' counsels brought you support

    through their swords, while the kingdom was utterly torn.

  35. مِن ناصِرٍ بِحُسامِهِ وَمُخَذِّلٍ

    عَنكَ العَدُوَّ بِرَأيِهِ المُستَوثَقِ

    One aids you with his sharp sword, another weakens

    the enemy's resolve against you through his steadfast counsel.

  36. كُلٌّ رِضاً وَأَرى ثَلاثَتَهُم كَفَوا

    قَسرَ المُمانِعِ وَاِفتِتاحِ المُغلَقِ

    All are worthy; I see the three have sufficed

    to subdue the defiant and open what was shut.

  37. لَهُمُ اِحتِياطُ المُعتَني وَمُقاوِمُ ال

    كافي وَرَفرَفَةُ النَصيحِ المُشفِقِ

    They have the watchfulness of the attentive, the resolve of the

    capable, and the hovering care of a compassionate counselor.

  38. فَاِسلَم لَهُم وَليَسلَموا لَكَ إِنَّهُم

    لَكَ جُنَّةٌ مِن كُلِّ خَطبٍ موبِقِ

    May you remain safe for them, and they for you; they

    are your shield against every deadly crisis.

  39. سَبتٌ وَنَوروزٌ وَنَجدَةُ سَيِّدٍ

    ما خابَ بَهجَةُ خُلقِهِ بِتَخَلُّقِ

    Sabt, Nawruz, and Najda, a lord

    whose character's charm has never failed through affectation.

  40. وَأَرى البِساطَ وَفي غَرائِبِ نَبتِهِ

    أَلوانُ وَردٍ في الغُصونِ مُفَتَّقِ

    And I see the carpet, among whose wondrous growth

    are colors of roses opening on branches.

  41. شَجَرٌ عَلى خُضَرٍ تَرِفُّ غُصونُهُ

    مِن مُزهِرٍ أَو مُثمِرٍ أَو مورِقِ

    Trees against greenery, their branches fluttering,

    some flowering, some fruiting, some in leaf.

  42. وَكَأَنَّ قَصرَ الساجِ خُلَّةُ عاخِقٍ

    بَرَزَت لِوامِقِها بِوَجهٍ مونِقِ

    And the Teak Palace seems a lover's beloved,

    appearing to her adorer with a lovely face.

  43. قَصرٌ تَكامَلَ حُسنُهُ في قَلعَةٍ

    بَيضارَ واسِطَةٍ لِبَحرٍ مُحدِقِ

    A palace whose beauty is perfected within a citadel,

    white, centered in an encircling sea.

  44. داني المَهَلَّ فَلا المَزارُ بِشاسِعٍ

    عَمَّن يَزورُ وَلا الفِناءُ بِضَيِّقِ

    Near at hand: its site is not far

    from those who visit, nor is its courtyard narrow.

  45. قَدَّرتَهُ تَقديرَ غَيرِ مُفَرِّطٍ

    وَبَنَيتَهُ بُنيانَ غَيرِ مُشَفِّقِ

    You planned it as one who neglects nothing,

    and built it without apprehension.

  46. وَوَصَلتَ بَينَ الجَعفَرِيِّ وَبَينَهُ

    بِالنَهرِ يَحمِلُ مِن جُنوبِ الخَندَقِ

    You linked al-Ja'fari with it

    by a river bearing water from the moat's sides.

  47. نَهرٌ كَأَنَّ الماءَ في حَجَراتِهِ

    إِفرِندُ مَتنِ الصارِمِ المُتَأَلِّقِ

    A river whose water within its channels

    is the watered pattern of a gleaming sword's blade.

  48. وَإِذا الرِياهُ لَعِبنَ فيهِ بَسَطنَ مِن

    مَوجِن عَلَيهِ مُدَرَّجٍ مُتَرَقرِقِ

    And when the winds play upon it, they spread

    across it tiered, shimmering waves.

  49. أَلحِقهُ يا خَيرَ الوَرى بِمَسيلِهِ

    وَاِمدُد فُضولَ عُبابِهِ المُتَدَفِّقِ

    Join it, best of mankind, to its watercourse,

    and extend the surplus of its surging flood.

  50. فَإِذا بَلَغتَ بِهِ البَديعَ فَإِنَّما

    أَنزَلتَ دِجلَةَ في فِناءِ الجَوسَقِ

    When you bring it to al-Badi', you will in effect

    have brought the Tigris into al-Jawsaq's courtyard.

  51. لِلمَهرَجانِ يَدٌ بِما أَولاهُ مِن

    هَطلانِ وَسمِيَّ السَحابِ المُغدِقِ

    Mihrjan has shown it kindness by bestowing

    the autumn downpour of rain-laden clouds.

  52. ما إِن تَرى إِلّا تَعَرُّضَ مُزنَةٍ

    مُخضَرَّةٍ أَو عارِضٍ مُتَأَلِّقِ

    You see nothing but an approaching raincloud,

    green-hued, or a gleaming cloudbank.

  53. فَسعَد أَميرَ المُؤمِنينَ مُمَتَّعاً

    بِالعِزِّ ما عَمِرَ الزَمانُ وَما بَقي

    So rejoice, Commander of the Faithful, enjoying

    glory as long as time endures and remains.

  54. هَل أَطلُعَنَّ عَلى الشَآمِ مُبَجَّلاً

    في عِزِّ دَولَتِكَ الجَديدِ المونَقِ

    Shall I yet appear in Syria, held in honor,

    in the fresh, fair glory of your reign,

  55. فَأَرُمَّ خَلَّةَ ضَيعَةٍ تَصِفُ اسمَها

    وَأُلِمَّ ثَمَّ بِصِبيَةٍ لي دَردَقِ

    and mend the want of an estate true to its name,

    and visit there my little children?

  56. شَهرانِ إِن يَسَّرتَ إِذنِيَ فيهُما

    كَفَلا بِأُلفَةِ شَملِيَ المُتَفَرِّقِ

    Two months, if you make my leave possible,

    would guarantee my scattered household's reunion.

  57. قَد زادَ في شَوقِ الغَمامُ وَهاجَني

    زَجَلُ الرَواعِدِ تَحتَ لَيلٍ مُطرِقِ

    The clouds have increased my longing, and I am stirred by

    the thunder's rumble beneath a brooding night.

  58. لَمّا اِستَطارَ البَرقُ قُلتُ لِنائِلٍ

    كَيفَ السَبيلُ إِلى عِنانٍ مُطلِقِ

    When lightning flashed abroad, I said to Na'il,

    "How may I gain a free rein?"