أهاجتك ذكرى من خليط ومعهد — Ibn Alkhatib

أَهاجَتْكَ ذِكْرى منْ خَليطٍ ومَعْهَدِ

سمَحْتَ لَها بالدّمْعِ في كلِّ مَشْهَدِ

Has remembrance of companions and a familiar haunt stirred you?

You yielded it your tears at every scene.

وعادَكَ عِيدٌ منْ تذَكُّرِ جِيرَةٍ

نأَوْا بالذي أسْأَرْتَهُ منْ تجَلُّدِ

And a recurring pang revisited you as you remembered neighbors

who departed with what remained of your fortitude.

حَنانَيْكَ في نَفْسٍ شَعاعٍ ومُهْجَةٍ

إذا لمْ يحِنْ منْ بعْدِهِمْ فكأنْ قَدِ

Have mercy on a scattered soul and a heart

that, if not yet dead since their departure, is as though it were.

فكَمْ دونَهُمْ منْ مَهْمَةٍ ومَفازَةٍ

وأثْباجِ بحْرٍ زاخِرِ اللُّجِّ مُزْبِدِ

How many a trackless waste and desert lies between you and them,

and broad reaches of a sea with swelling depths and foam.

كأنْ لم يكُنْ منْ قبْلِ يومِكَ عاشِقٌ

ولا واقِفٌ بالرَّبْعِ وقْفَةَ مُكْمَدِ

As though before your day there had been no lover,

nor anyone standing at the dwelling in grief,

ولا سألَ الأطْلالَ بعْدَ قَطينِها

فعيّتْ جَواباً بعْدَ طولِ ترَدُّدِ

nor anyone questioning the ruins after their inhabitants had gone,

only for them to fail to answer after long repeated visits.

ومُسْتَنْصَرٍ منْ دَمْعِهِ غيْرُ ناصِرِ

ومُسْتَنْجَدٍ منْ ضُرِّه غيْرُ مُنْجِدِ

And one appealed to for aid among his tears offers no help,

and one summoned against his distress offers no rescue,

سوى عَبْرَةٍ تحْدو ثِقالَ سَحابِها

إذا ما ونَتْ ريحُ الزّفيرِ المُصَعّدِ

save a tear that drives its laden clouds

when the wind of the rising sigh grows faint.

أسَى النّفْسِ لا يَقْوى على ردِّ فائِتٍ

فإنْ شِئْتَ فلْتُقْلِلْ وإنْ شِئْتَ فازْدَدِ

The soul's sorrow cannot bring back what is lost;

lessen it if you wish, or increase it if you wish.

وما رَجُلُ الدّنْيا سوى متَقَطِّنٍ

لنَكْرانِها ماضٍ مَضاءَ المُهَنَّدِ

A man of the world is only one alert

to its faithlessness, resolute as an Indian-forged sword.

إذا أقْبَلَتْ بالخيْرِ لمْ تسْتَفزَّهُ

وإنْ كان معْتَدّاً بهِ ضُرَّ مُعْتَدي

When it approaches with good fortune, it does not unsettle him,

though it be highly valued, the harm of an aggressor.

فَلا تَقْنَ ما يَجْني علَيْكَ ذَهابُهُ

وإنْ كان مُعْتَدّاً بهِ ضُرَّ مُعْتَدي

So do not acquire what, when lost, inflicts upon you,

though it be highly valued, the harm of an aggressor.

وخُذْ ما بِهِ جادَ الزّمانُ مُسامِحاً

ولا تَتْرُكْ يوْمَ السّرورِ الى غَدِ

And take what time has freely bestowed,

and do not defer the day of joy until tomorrow.

وسِرْ في مَراحِ اللهِ مُقْتَصِرَ الخُطى

وكُنْ لنَوالِ اللّهِ مُنْبَسِطَ اليَدِ

Walk in God's pastures, keeping your steps measured,

and be openhanded with God's bounty.

وإنْ راعَ دهْرٌ أو تنَكّرَ حادِثٌ

فلُذْ بحِمى منْ عامِرِ بْنِ محمَّدِ

If time terrifies you or an event turns hostile,

seek the protection afforded by 'Amir ibn Muhammad,

فتَى الحَيّ منْ هِنْتاتَةٍ جيرَةِ الهُدى

وخيرَةِ أصْحابِ الإمامِ المُوَحِّدِ

the champion of the tribe of Hintata, neighbors of guidance

and the choicest companions of the Almohad imam.

وكوْكَبُ أفْقِ الغَرْبِ لمْ يَبْقَ بعْدَهُ

وبعْدَ ابْنِهِ منْ كوْكَبٍ متوقِّدِ

The star of the western horizon—after him there remained,

and after his son, no brightly burning star.

رَحيبُ مَجالِ الفَضْلِ يَكْلَفُ بالعُلى

فَما هوَ بالمُصْغي لقَوْلِ المُفَنِّدِ

Vast is his realm of excellence; he is enamored of high deeds,

and never listens to the words of a detractor.

ويَطْوي بُرودَ الُلْكِ فوقَ خلائِقٍ

تُناسبُ خُلْقَ النّاسِكِ المتزهِّدِ

He wraps the robes of kingship around virtues

that match the character of an ascetic devoted to abstinence.

ومُشْتَغِلٍ بالحَزْمِ يَقْدَحُ زَنْدُهُ

إذا اشْتَغَلَ الأمْلاكُ باللّهْوِ والدَّدِ

He is occupied with resolve, his fire-stick striking sparks,

when kings occupy themselves with diversion and play.

وضافِي لِباسِ المَجْدِ بالفَضْلِ مُكْتَسٍ

وبالفَخْرِ مُعْتَمٍّ وبالحَمْدِ مرْتَدي

Ample is his garment of glory; he is clothed in excellence,

with pride his turban and praise his cloak.

وتَحْتَمِلُ الرُّكْبانُ طيبَ حَديثِهِ

فيأتيكَ بالأخبارِ مَنْ لم تُزَوِّدِ

Riders carry abroad the sweetness of his renown,

and news comes to you from one you did not provision.

ومُرْتَقِبُ الإقْبالِ في كلِّ وجْهَةٍ

وأمْرٍ ولِلصّنْعِ الجَميلِ معوَّدِ

He can expect good fortune in every direction

and undertaking, accustomed to gracious favor.

فوَاللّهِ ما نَدْري أيُمْنُ نَقيبَةٍ

ترِفُّ علَيْهِ أمْ سَعادةُ موْلِدِ

By God, we do not know whether the good fortune of his nature

flutters over him, or the felicity of his birth.

تُساسُ بهِ الأقْطارُ بعْدَ ارْتِجاجِها

وتَدْنو لهُ الأوْطارُ بعْدَ تبَعُّدِ

Through him the lands are governed after their upheaval,

and goals draw near to him after being distant.

لهُ جبَلٌ في مُلْتَقَى الهوْلِ عاصِمٌ

يُناولُ مَنْ يحْتَلّهُ النّجْمَ باليَدِ

He has a mountain that shelters where terrors meet,

placing a star in the hand of whoever occupies it.

ورأيٌ إذا ما جُهِّزَتْ عنْهُ رايَةٌ

كَفى سعْدُها عنْ كُلِّ جُنْدٍ مجَنَّدِ

And judgment such that, whenever a banner is sent forth by it,

the banner's good fortune dispenses with every mustered army.

يَرى الأمْرَ في أعْجازِهِ وصُدورِهِ

بعيْنِ البَصيرِ الألْمَعيِّ المُسَدَّدِ

He sees a matter in its endings and beginnings,

with the eye of one perceptive, keen-witted, and unerring.

ألَيْسَ منَ القوْمِ الذينَ عُلاهُمُ

مُخلَّدَةٌ واسْتَشْهِدِ الكُتْبَ تَشْهَدِ

Is he not of the people whose lofty deeds

are immortal? Call the books as witnesses: they will testify.

مآثِرُهُمْ في الدّينِ غيْرُ خَفيّةٍ

فهُمْ كالنّجومِ الزّاهِراتِ لمُهْتَدي

Their achievements in religion are no secret;

they are like shining stars to one seeking guidance.

خَلائِفُ عبْدِ المؤْمِنِ المَلِكِ الذي

بسِرٍّ من المَهْديِّ قدْ كانَ يهْتَدي

Successors of 'Abd al-Mu'min, the king who

was guided by a secret from al-Mahdi,

ودوّخَ أكْنافَ البَسيطَةِ بعْدَهُ

وأعْلَنَ بالتّوْحيدِ في كُلِّ مسْجِدِ

and subdued the reaches of the earth after him,

and proclaimed God's oneness in every mosque.

فأبْناؤهُ منْ بعْدِهِ أعْمَلوا الظُّبى

وأمْضَوْا سُيوفَ اللّهِ في كلِّ مُلْحِدِ

His sons after him set their sword-edges to work,

and drove God's swords into every heretic.

فسَلْ إنْ أرَدْتَ الأرْكَ إذ غصّتِ الرُّبى

بكُلِّ عَميدٍ بالرَّغامِ موَسَّدِ

Ask Alarcos, if you wish, when its hills were choked

with every chieftain pillowed upon the dust.

فمَنْ ذالَهُ كالقوْمِ إنْ شِئْتَ في نَدىً

وبأسٍ وفي فضْلٍ وفي صِدْقِ مَشْهَدِ

Who, then, has their like, if you seek generosity,

or valor, or excellence, or steadfastness in the field?

لَئِنْ زيّنوا الدُّنْيا بزُهْرِ وُجوهِهِمْ

لقدْ زيّنوا بالذِّكْرِ كلَّ مُجلَّدِ

If they adorned the world with their radiant faces,

they surely adorned every volume with their remembrance.

وأبْقَوْا ثَناءً عاطِراً فكأنّما

نَسيمُ الصَّبا هبّتْ على الزّهْرِ النّدي

They left fragrant praise behind, as though

the east wind's breeze had blown over dew-fresh flowers.

أبا ثابِتٍ لازالَ سَعْدُكَ ثابِتاً

وجودُكَ يَرْوي وِرْدُهُ غُلّةَ الصّدِي

Abu Thabit, may your good fortune ever remain steadfast,

and your generosity's waters quench the burning thirst of the parched.

ولازِلْتَ قُطْباً تَسْتَديرُ بهِ العُلى

كما دارَتِ الأفْلاكُ حوْلَ المُحَدَّدِ

May you remain a pole around which high deeds revolve,

as the celestial spheres revolve around the fixed point.

رفَعْتَ بِناءَ المُلْكِ لمّا تَمايَلَتْ

دَعائِمُهُ فوْقَ الأساسِ الموطَّدِ

You raised the edifice of kingship when they began to sway:

its pillars above the firmly laid foundation.

وأصْرَخْتَهُ لمّا دَعاكَ على النّوى

وواصَلَ ترْجيعَ النِّداءِ المَرَدَّدِ

You came to its rescue when it called to you across the distance

and kept repeating its echoing call,

بكُلِّ صَقيلِ المتْنِ سالَ خَليجُهُ

ولكنّ حُكْمَ القَيْنِ قال لهُ اجْمُدِ

with every polished-backed blade whose current once flowed,

until the smith's command told it: 'Congeal!'

يُري بنُحولِ الحَدِّ شيمَةَ عاشِقٍ

ويُكْذِبُ خَدّاهُ بخَدٍّ مُورَّدِ

Its slender edge displays a lover's trait,

yet its two cheeks belie that with a rose-red cheek.

ومُلْتَفِتٍ عنْ أزْرَقِ اللّحْظِ قدْ حَكى

بهِ العَلَقُ المُحْمَرُّ مُقْلَةَ أرْمَدِ

And a blade turned from its blue-eyed gaze, now imitating,

through reddened blood upon it, the eye of one with sore eyes.

شَكا مَرَهَ الألْحاظِ في حوْمَةِ الوَغى

فوافاهُ مُلْتَفُّ الغُبارِ بإثْمِدِ

It complained that its eyes lacked kohl in the thick of battle,

so swirling dust came to it with antimony kohl.

وكُلُّ شَهيرِ العِتْقِ أشْرَفَ جيدُهُ

وقامَ على مَلْمومَةٍ منْ زَبَرْجَدِ

And every horse famed for noble breeding, its neck rising high,

standing upon a compact mass of chrysolite.

تألّقَ عنْ بَرْقِ الدُّجنّة كلّما

تبسَّمَ في قِطْعٍ منَ اللّيلِ أرْبَدِ

It gleamed like lightning through dark clouds whenever

it smiled in a dusky fragment of night.

إذا ما تغنّى بالصّهيلِ مرَجِّعاً

سمِعْتَ بهِ صوْتَ الغَريضِ ومَعْبَدِ

When it sang in trilling neighs,

you heard in it the voice of al-Gharid and Ma'bad.

وجدّدْتَ نصْرَ الجِدِّ في ابْنِ ابْنِهِ الذي

رعَيْتَ لهُ حقَّ الذِّمامِ المؤَكَّدِ

You renewed the aid given the grandfather in his grandson, whose

right to a firmly pledged bond you upheld.

ولمْ تأتِ بِدْعاً بالوَفاءِ وإنّما

شفَعْتَ الذي أسْلَفْتَ في القوْمِ منْ يَدِ

Your loyalty was no new departure; rather,

you added another to the favor you had bestowed upon the people.

ويأبَى لكَ المجْدُ الذي أنْتَ أهْلُهُ

على الدّهْرِ إلا أنْ تُتَمِّمَ ما بُدِي

The glory of which you are worthy allows you,

throughout time, nothing but to complete what was begun.

وعُدْتَ يجُرُّ المُلْكُ خلْفَكَ ذَيْلَهُ

وفي حُكْمِكَ العُلْيا تَروحُ وتَغْتَدي

You returned with kingship dragging its train behind you,

while high honor goes out evening and morning under your command.

ويَعْتَدُّ منْكَ المُلْكُ والدِّينُ والوَرى

بكافِي الدّواهِي والهُمامِ المؤيَّدِ

Kingship, religion, and humankind reckon you

one who wards off calamities, an aided champion.

وسوّغكَ العَقْدُ السّعيدُ مسَرّةً

وهنّأَكَ الإمْلاكُ أعْذَبَ موْرِدِ

The happy marriage contract granted you joy,

and marriage made the sweetest spring delightful to you.

شَدَدْتَ بصِهْرِ المُلْكِ أزْرَ مَجادَةٍ

تَوارَثْتَها عنْ أوْحَدٍ بعْدَ أوْحَدِ

Through marriage into royalty, you strengthened a glory

inherited from one peerless forebear after another.

ومِثْلُكَ مَنْ يَرْمي بهمَّتِهِ العُلى

ويَرْفَعُ أعْلامَ الثّناءِ المُجَدَّدِ

One like you aims his ambition at the heights

and raises the banners of renewed praise.

ويُحْيي منَ التّوْحيدِ رسْماً يُعيدُهُ

لخَيْرِ اجْتِماعِ الشّمْلِ بعْدَ تبدُّدِ

He revives a vestige of the Almohad cause, restoring it

to the finest reunion after dispersal.

عَقيلَةُ مُلْكٍ فُزْتَ منْها بطائِلٍ

عَزيزٍ على نفْسِ الكَريمِ المُمَجَّدِ

A noble lady of royalty: from her you gained a boon

precious to the soul of a noble, glorified man.

يُزرُّ علَيْها هوْدَجُ المُلْكِ هالَةً

يَدورُ علَيْها كُلُّ غَفْرٍ وفَرْقَدِ

The royal howdah closes around her like a halo,

around her revolving every Ghafr and Farqad star.

فلوْ أنْصَفَتْ فوْقَ العُيونِ ابْتَغَوْا لَها

طَريقاً فتَمْشي فوْقَ صَرْحٍ مُمَرَّدِ

Had fairness prevailed, they would have sought for her, above all eyes,

a path, so she might walk upon a smooth-polished terrace.

وفي نِسْبَةِ الأشْياءِ يظْهَرُ حُسْنُها

موحَّدَةٌ زفّتْ لخَيْرِ موَحِّدِ

In the relation of things their beauty is revealed:

an Almohad woman brought as bride to the finest Almohad.

فهنّأكَ اللهُ الإيابَ ولا انْقَضَتْ

سُعودُكَ تَتْرى بيْنَ مَثْنى ومَوْحَدِ

May God make your return joyous, and may they never end—

your good fortunes, arriving successively, in twos and singly.

وقابِلْ صَنيعَ اللّهِ فيكَ بشُكْرِهِ

وراقِبْهُ حالَ السِّرِّ والجَهْرِ تُحْمَدِ

Meet God's kindness to you with gratitude to Him,

and heed Him in private and openly: you will be praised.

فَيا هَضْبَةَ العُلْيا ويا مُزْنَةَ النّدى

ويا مَفْخَرَ الدُّنْيا ويا قَمَرَ النّدي

O mountain of high honor, O raincloud of generosity,

O pride of the world, O moon of the assembly,

ويا عُدّةَ المُلْكِ المَرينيِّ كلّما

اسْتَجارَ بهِ في الأمْسِ واليوْمِ والغَدِ

O mainstay of Marinid kingship whenever

it seeks his protection, yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

ركَضْتُ إليْكَ الجُرْدَ أفْلي بها الفَلا

وأذْرَعُ منْها فَدْفَداً بعْدَ فَدْفَدِ

I spurred the sleek steeds toward you, scouring the wastes with them,

measuring out one barren plain after another.

يَطيرُ بِها الشّوقُ الحَثيثُ فيَنْبَري

لمثْواكَ فيها كلُّ سَهْمٍ مُسَدَّدِ

Impetuous longing makes them fly, so there darts

toward your abode, among them, every well-aimed arrow.

ولوْ هاجَ عزْمي منْ سِواكَ وصاحَ بي

لآثَرْتُ سِيما العاجِزِ المُتَبَلِّدِ

Had someone other than you roused my resolve and called to me,

I would have preferred the bearing of one helpless and dull.

وما كُنْتُ أرْضى أنْ أنالَ ذَريعَةً

أُكِدُّ لها نَفْسي وأُكْذِبُ مَقْصَدي

I would not have consented to gain a mere means to an end

by exhausting myself for it and betraying my purpose,

وأقْتَحِمُ الأخْطارَ والأرضُ تلْتَظي

وألْتَهِمُ الأقْطارَ والهَوْلُ يغْتَدي

plunging into dangers while the earth blazes,

and devouring lands while terror sets out at dawn,

ولوْ أنّ شمْسَ الجوِّ أو قَمَر الدُّجى

يعودانِ لي هَضْبَيْ نُضارٍ وعسْجَدِ

even if the sun of the sky or the moon of darkness

became for me two mountains of gold and pure gold.

ولكنّهُ وُدٌّ وحُسْنُ تَخيُّرٍ

قضى لكَ منّي بالثّناءِ المُخَلَّدِ

Rather, it was affection and sound choice

that decreed undying praise for you from me.

جعلْتُكَ بيْنَ النّاسِ حظّي الذي سمَتْ

لإحْرازِهِ نفْسي وطَبْعيَ مُنْجِدي

I made you my portion among men, toward which aspired

my soul, seeking to secure it, with my nature lending me aid.

وحرَّكَ عزْمي أنْ أزورَكَ قاعِداً

على فُرُشِ العِزِّ الأصيلِ المُجَدَّدِ

My resolve was stirred to visit you seated

upon the cushions of ancestral, renewed honor.

ليَخْلُصَ تأمِيلي إلَيْكَ ووِجْهَتي

ويَبْرأُ عزْمي منْ سِواكَ ومَقْصَدي

So that my hope and direction might be devoted solely to you,

and my resolve and purpose be free of anyone else.

فلا تَنْسَ لي هَذا الذِّمامَ فإنّهُ

لَخيْرُ ذِمامٍ قد وصَلْتُ به يَدي

So do not forget this bond of mine, for it is

the finest pledge with which I have extended my hand.

أجازَ عُلاكَ اللهُ منْ كُلِّ حادِثٍ

ولازِلْتَ في سَعْدٍ على الدّهْرِ مُسْعِدِ

May God carry your eminence safely past every calamity,

and may you ever enjoy fortune that brings happiness through time.

وأحْيَى أبا يَحْيَى لعَيْنِكَ قُرّةً

قَريعُكَ في حَزْمٍ وعزْمٍ وسُؤدَدِ

May He keep Abu Yahya alive as a joy to your eyes,

your peer in prudence, resolve, and lordship,

مؤمَّلَ أبْنائي ومَظْهرَ دعْوَتي

ولوْلا اتّقائي عتْبَهُ قُلْتُ سيّدي

the hope of my children and the manifestation of my prayer;

were I not wary of his rebuke, I would call him my lord.

ولازِلْتَ تجْني كلّما اشْتَجرَ الوَغى

جنَى النّصْرِ منْ غرْسِ القَنا المُتقصِّدِ

May you keep harvesting, whenever battle flares,

the fruit of victory from planted, splintered spears.

وكثّرَ منْ حُسّادِكَ اللّهُ إنّهُ

إنِ اللّهُ أنْمى خيْرَهُ لكَ تُحْسَدِ

May God increase your enviers, for indeed,

if God makes His bounty grow for you, you will be envied.