Sol 6.1

  1. ما عَسَى تَبلُغُ شُكراً مَا عَسَى

    مَن حَمَى الدِّينِ وأحيا الأنفُسا

    How far can you go in thanks—how far—

    to one who protected the faith and revived souls?

  2. فَتَحَ اللهُ لَهُ الفَتحَ الَّذِي

    شَمَلَ الدُّنيا فَدَع أندَلُسا

    God granted him the victory that

    embraced the world, let alone al-Andalus.

  3. أسبَغَ النُّعمَى فَطَابَت جَنّة

    وَجلا البُشرَى فَقَامَت عُرُسَا

    He lavished blessing, and it became a lovely garden;

    he unveiled glad tidings, and it stood forth a bride.

  4. جَفّ ماءُ الغُصنِ مَحلاً فَهَمَى

    وَتَشَكَّى الثَّغرُ شجّاً فأسى

    The branch's sap dried in drought; then he poured down rain;

    the frontier complained of a wound, and he healed it.

  5. يَربَأُ النَّجمُ لَهُ عَسكَرَهُ

    وَيُغيرُ الصُّبحُ عَنهُ والمَسَا

    The star keeps watch over his army for him,

    and dawn and evening raid on his behalf.

  6. لَم يُثر خَيلاً إِلَى نَيلِ مَدىً

    فَأصَابَت دَونَهُ مَا حُبِسَا

    He never roused cavalry to attain a goal

    only to attain, short of it, what had been withheld.

  7. لَو أتَت بَحراً فَعَزّت سُفُنٌ

    أوجَدَت فِيهِ طَرِيقاً يَبَسا

    Had they reached a sea where ships were scarce,

    they would have made a dry path through it.

  8. أو سَمَا فِي السُّحبِ عنهَا مَطلَبٌ

    عَلّقَت مِن كُلِّ هُدبٍ مَرَسا

    Or had a quarry risen above them into the clouds,

    they would have hung ropes from every cloud-fringe.

  9. ضَحِكَ الدّهرُ لنا بِشراُ بِهِ

    بَعدَ مَا كَانَ عَلَينَا عَبَسَا

    Time smiled joyfully upon us through him,

    after it had frowned upon us.

  10. طَالَما كُنَّا سَواماً هَمَلاً

    نُهزَةَ الذِّئبِ إذا ما افتَرَسا

    Long had we been grazing herds left untended,

    easy prey for the wolf whenever it attacked.

  11. فَرَعَانَا رَعيةً لا نَتّقي

    مَعَها ذُعراً ولا نَطوِي أَسَى

    Then he tended us with care that leaves us needing no defense

    against terror, nor harboring sorrow.

  12. وَبَنَى سورَ قَناً يَكنُفُنَا

    أَطلَعَ الخُرسَانَ فيهِ حَرَسَا

    He built a wall of spears enclosing us,

    raising the mute spears upon it as guards.

  13. مَلِكٌ يَحسِبُهُ مُبصِرُهُ

    مَلَكاً شاكَلَ هَذَا الأنَسَا

    A king whom his beholder takes for

    an angel in the likeness of humankind.

  14. أيُّهَا الوَفدُ ادخُلوا حَضرَتَهُ

    وَتَرَاءَوا نُورَهَأ المُقتبَسَا

    O delegation, enter his presence,

    and behold its borrowed light.

  15. وَانزَعوا الأخفافَ مِن أقدَامِكُم

    كَي تلاقِي تُربَهَا المُقَدَّسا

    Remove the boots from your feet,

    so that they may touch its hallowed soil.

  16. وَخُذُوا مِن تَحتِ نَعلَيهِ الثَّرَى

    فاخَروا عِلقَ الشِّفاءِ المُنفِسَا

    Take the dust from beneath his sandals:

    boast of that precious treasure of healing.

  17. تُكحلُ العَينُ بِهِ إِن رَمِدَت

    يَنطِق الطِّفلُ بِهِ أن خرِسا

    The eye is anointed with it if inflamed;

    through it the child speaks if mute.

  18. تَصلُحُ الحَالُ بِهِ إِن فَسَدَت

    يَنعَشُ الجَدّ بِهِ إن تَعِسا

    One's condition is restored through it if spoiled;

    good fortune revives through it if it falters.

  19. تَنشَطُ النَّفسُ بِهِ إِن سَئِمَت

    يَرطُبُ العَيشُ بِهِ إِن يَبسا

    The soul grows lively through it if weary;

    life grows moist through it if parched.

  20. يا إمَامَ الدِّين هُنِّئتَ بِهِ

    فَرَحاً فِيهَا ولا مُختَنِسَا

    O imam of the faith, may you be congratulated for it,

    joyful in it, and not skulking.

  21. غَزوَةٌ جاهَرتَ عَنهَا لَم تَكُن

    مُلغِزاً فِيهَا ولا مُختَنِسَا

    A campaign you proclaimed openly—you were not

    speaking in riddles about it, nor skulking.

  22. شُزّباً قُدتَ صَحيحَاتِ الشَّوَى

    ضُمَّرَ الخَصرِ سَلِيمَاتِ النَّسَا

    You led lean steeds, sound of limb,

    slender-waisted, with thigh-sinews intact.

  23. حَمَلَت أنصَارَ دِينٍ كَرُمُوا

    مشَهَداً فِيهِ وَطَابُوا أنفُسَا

    They bore champions of a faith, noble

    in their stand there, and pure of soul.

  24. أُسدُ حَربٍ تَحتَهَا الفُتخُ حَمَت

    كُنُساً لَمّا أبَاحَت كُنُسَا

    War-lions, with broad-winged eagles beneath them, guarded

    lairs when they laid churches open.

  25. ثَبَتُوا لِلهَولِ فِي ظِلِّ القَنَا

    يَتَسَاقَونَ المَنَايَا أَكُؤسَا

    They stood firm before terror in the shade of spears,

    passing cups of death to one another.

  26. يَا عُيوناً حَضَرَت مَاذَا رَأت

    يَا نُفوساً عَايَنَت مَا أنفَسَا

    O eyes that were there—what they saw!

    O souls that witnessed—how precious it was!

  27. غُرَّ أَدفُونشُ بِمَا أمَلَى لَهُ

    مِن أمَانِي غَبّه مَن وَسوَسَا

    Adfunsh was deceived by what was dictated to him

    of his deluded wishes by the whisperer.

  28. سَنَّهَا سُوقَ وَغيً لَكِنَّهُ

    كُلّما بَايَعَ غَيّه مَن وَسوسَا

    He made it a market of war, yet he

    whenever the whisperer traded in his folly—

  29. سَنَّهَا سُوقَ وَغَىً لَكِنَّهُ

    كُلّما بَايَعَ فِيهَا وُكِسَا

    He made it a market of war, yet he

    lost whenever he traded there.

  30. فَأَتَى البَاطِلُ لَيلاً مُدجِناً

    وَأتَى الحَقُّ نَهَاراً مُشمِسَا

    Then falsehood came as a cloud-darkened night,

    and truth came as a sunlit day.

  31. فَرَأى بَدرَ العُلَى كَيفَ سَرَى

    وَرَأَى طَودَ الحِجَا كَيفَ رَسَا

    So he saw how the full moon of high glory journeyed by night,

    and saw how the mountain of wisdom stood firm.

  32. وبَدَا بَرقُ الظُّبَا مُختَطِفاً

    فِي غَمَامِ العَبَرَاتِ الأَرؤُسَا

    The lightning of sword-edges appeared, snatching

    heads amid clouds of tears.

  33. غَرَسَ الفِتنَةَ إِذ خَانَكُمُ

    فَجَنا مُرَّ جَنَى مَا غَرَسَا

    He planted discord when he betrayed you,

    so he reaped the bitter fruit of what he planted.

  34. وَنَضَا عِزّتَهُ فِي حَربِكُمُ

    فَاكتَسَى مِن ذلّةٍ مَا أُلبِسَا

    He shed his might in warring against you,

    then wore the humiliation in which he was clothed.

  35. خٍِلعَةٌ لا فَارَقَت لابسَهَا

    شَرٌّ أهلِ الأرضِ فِي شَرِّ الكِسَا

    A bestowed robe—may it never leave its wearer!

    The worst of earth's people, in the worst of garments.

  36. صَارِ مَرءُوساً لَدَيهِم بَعدَمَا

    رَشَّحُوهُ لِعَميد الرُّؤَسَا

    He became subordinate among them, after

    they had nominated him chief of chiefs.

  37. نَبَشُوا الحَربَ فَقَامَت حَيّةً

    بَعدمَا كَانَت صَدىً قَد رُمِسَا

    They dug up war, and it rose alive,

    after it had been a corpse already buried.

  38. عَرَضوا زَهواً لأطرَافِ القَنَا

    خَطرَة اللِّصِّ أَثَارَ العَسَسَا

    They proudly exposed themselves to the spear-tips,

    like a thief's foray that roused the night-watch.

  39. وَتَّرُوا قَوسَ مُنىً كَاذِبَةٍ

    لَم توافِق سِيَةٌ مِنهَا المَعجِسا

    They strung a bow of false hopes,

    whose tip did not align with its grip.

  40. كُلَّمَا سَدّد رَامٍ سَهمَهَا

    عَادَ فِي لِبَّتِهِ مُنتَكِسَا

    Whenever an archer aimed its arrow,

    it returned reversed into the hollow of his throat.

  41. وَرِمَاحٍ خَالَطَت أحشَاءَهُم

    عَانَقُوا مِنهَا قُدُوداً مُيَّسا

    And spears mingled with their entrails—

    they embraced their slender, swaying forms.

  42. فَانثَنَوا بَعدَ مِصاعٍ صَادقٍ

    كَسَّرَ الدَّرعَ وَفَضَّ القَونَسَا

    Then they retreated after earnest sword-fighting

    that shattered armor and split helmet-crests.

  43. غَادَرُوا بِالأركِ مِن قَتلاهُم

    مَوعِظاتٍ لِسِوَاهُم وَأُسَى

    At al-Ark they left, among their slain,

    warnings and examples for others.

  44. وَلَقَوا فِي حِصِنِهَا مُمتَنَعاً

    رَيثَمَا يَستَرجِعُونَ النَّفَسَا

    They found a defensible refuge in its fortress,

    while they recovered their breath.

  45. مَعقلٌ قالَ لَهُ النَّصرُ ألا

    كُن عِقَالاً لَهُمُ أَو مَحبِسَا

    A stronghold to which Victory said, 'Lo,

    be their fetter or their prison.'

  46. فَهَووا مِنهُ عَلَى حكم رضىً

    لإمَامٍ بذَلُوا مَا التَمَسَا

    So they descended from it, accepting the judgment

    of an imam, and gave what he requested.

  47. وَمضَى غَاوِيهِمُ تُرهِقُهُ

    خَشيَة المَوت صَعُوداً شَمِسا

    Their errant leader fled, driven hard

    by fear of death up an unyielding, steep ascent.

  48. طَردَتهُ رَهبَةٌ أَوجَسَ فِي

    نَفسِهِ مِن أمرِهَا مَا أَوجَسَا

    Terror drove him off; he sensed within

    himself, concerning it, what he sensed.

  49. رَكِب ابنَ العَيرِ في فرَّتِهِ

    رُبَّما استَحيَا ركُوباً فَرَسَا

    In his flight he rode an ass's offspring;

    perhaps he was ashamed to ride a horse.

  50. لِمَ يَعلُو سَرجَهُ مَن لَم يَقُم

    فِي بَدَادَيهِ ضَرُوباً مِدعَسَا

    Why should one mount its saddle who never stood

    firm between its saddle-pads, striking and thrusting?

  51. أسلَمَ القَلعَةَ وَهيَ الأَرضُ فِي

    مَنعَةٍ تُعيِي النُّجُومَ الخُنّسا

    He surrendered the fortress, though its ground had

    a strength that baffled the receding stars.

  52. لُوِيَت خُلجانُهَا أسوِرَةً

    حَصَّنت مِعصَمَهَا أَن يُلمَسَا

    Its waterways were wound into bracelets,

    shielding its wrist from being touched.

  53. قَلَّ أَن يُوجِفَ جَيشُ نَحوَهَا

    أَو تشنّ الخَيلُ فِيهَا غَلَسَا

    Seldom did an army gallop toward it,

    or cavalry be unleashed upon it in the predawn gloom.

  54. وَجَلا عَن كَركُويٍ أهلُه

    وقتَ جُنح اللّيلِ لَمَّا عَسعَسَا

    And its people departed from Karkuy

    at nightfall, as the darkness deepened.

  55. يَرهَبُون الدّجنَ إِن لاحَ بِهِ

    بَارِقٌ وَالصُّبحَ إِذ مَا نَفّسَا

    They feared the gloom if there flashed within it

    lightning, and the dawn whenever it breathed.

  56. بُقَعٌ طَهَّرَها التَّوحِيدُ مِن

    أُمَمٍ كَانَت عَلَيهَا نَجَسَا

    Lands that monotheism cleansed of

    peoples who had been a defilement upon them.

  57. يَا أَمِيرَ المُؤمِنِينَ المُرتَجَى

    عَطفُهُ إِن جَارَ خَطبٌ أَو قَسَا

    O Commander of the Faithful, looked to for

    compassion when calamity is unjust or harsh;

  58. يَا سَلِيلَ الخُلَفَاء السَّادَة ال

    مُظهِرِين العَدلَ لَمَّا طَمسا

    O scion of the caliphs, the lords, the

    revealers of justice when it had been effaced;

  59. نَشَرُوا الإِحسَانَ مِن أرمَاسِهِ

    وَأبَانُوا نَهجَهُ إِذ دَرَسَا

    they resurrected beneficence from its graves,

    and revealed its path when it had faded.

  60. فَاحَتِ الأَرضُ بِهِم مِمَّا زَكَت

    وَتَنَدَّى الصَّخرُ حَتَّى انبَجَسا

    The earth grew fragrant through them as it flourished,

    and rock grew dewy until water gushed from it.

  61. عُمِّرت دَولَتُكُم بِالِغَةً

    سمع عِيسَى يَومَ يَأتِي المَقدِسَا

    May your dynasty long endure, reaching

    the ears of Jesus on the day he comes to the Holy City.

  62. وَبَقِيتم زِينَة العَالَمِ لا

    تُخلِقُ الأَزمَانُ مِنهُ مَا اكتَسَى

    And may you remain the world's adornment, with no

    age wearing out any of what it has donned.