وسواس حليك أم هم الرقباء — Ibn Alkhatib

وَسْوَاسُ حَلْيِكِ أمْ هُمُ الرُّقَبَاءُ

لِلْقَلْبِ نَحْوَ حَدِيثِهمْ إِصْغَاءُ

Is that the tinkling of your jewels, or the watchers?

The heart listens closely to their talk.

وَوَمِيضُ ثَغْرِكِ أم تَأَلُّقُ بَارِقٍ

وَشِهَابُ شُنْفِكِ ذَا أَمِ الْجَوْزَاءُ

And is it your mouth's gleam, or a flash of lightning?

And is this your earring's blaze, or al-Jawza?

يَا بَانَةً وَرَقُ الشَّبَابِ ظِلاَلُهَا

وَكَأَنَّ قَلْبِي بَيْنَهَا وَرْقَاءُ

O ban tree, whose shade is the foliage of youth,

my heart within it seems a gray dove.

يَا بَدْرَ تِمَّ يَهْتَدِي بِضِيَائِهِ

سَاري الفَلاَةِ وَلَيْلَتِي لَيْلاَءُ

O full moon, by whose light is guided

the wilderness's night-traveler, while my night is pitch-dark.

أَشْكُوكِ أَمْ أَشْكُو إِلَيْكِ صَبَابَتِي

أَنْتِ الدَّوَاءُ وَمِنْكِ كَانَ الدَّاءُ

Shall I complain of you, or tell you of my longing?

You are the cure, and from you came the ailment.

مَا لَجَّ دَاءٌ أَوْ تَفَاقَمَ مُعْضِلٌ

إلاَّ وَفِي يُمْنَى يَدَيْهِ شِفَاءُ

No ailment persisted, nor any stubborn affliction worsened,

without a cure in his right hand.

إِنْ رَامَ بِالْتَدْبِيرِ حِيلَةَ بُرْئِهَا

أُبْدَتْ مَنَافِعَهَا لَهُ الأَعْضَاءُ

If through careful treatment he seeks a means to heal them,

the organs disclose their benefits to him.

حَتَّى إَذَا سَئِمْتْ نُفُوسُهُمُ الرَّدَى

وَاعْتَاضَ مُصْطَبَرٌ وَعَزَّ عَزَاءُ

Until, when their souls grew weary of destruction,

and the steadfast sought an alternative, and solace grew scarce,

وَافَوْا وَقَدْ جَعَلُوا الدُّرُوعَ ضَرَاعَةً

إذا لم يكن غير الخضوع وفاء

they came, having made their armor humble entreaty,

when there was no fidelity except submission.

وتبوأوا دار الخلافة ملجأً

فَلَهُمْ بِعَقْوَةِ بَابِها اسْتِجْدَاءُ

And they took the house of the caliphate as their refuge,

begging in the forecourt of its gate.

فَعُيُونُهُمْ صُورٌ وَوَقْعُ حَدِيْثِهِمْ

هَمْسٌ وَرَجْعُ كَلاَمِهِمْ إِيمَاءُ

Their eyes were averted, and the sound of their speech

was a whisper, and the echo of their words mere gestures,

رَهَباً فَعَافٍ شَاقَهُ بَذْلُ النَّدَى

رَاجٍ وَطَاغٍ سَاقَهُ اسْتِعْفَاءُ

out of fear: a petitioner enticed by generous giving

was hopeful; and a rebel was driven by seeking pardon.

عَلِمُوا مَوَاقِع ذَنْبِهِمْ مِنْ عَفْوِهِ

فَاسْتَشْعَرُوا الإِحْسَانَ حِينَ أَسَاءُوا

They learned the weight of their offense from his pardon,

and sensed his kindness even as they did wrong.

لا يَحْسَبَنَّ الرُّومُ سِلْمَكَ رَهْبَةً

فَالزِّنْدُ لِلنِّيرَانِ فِيهِ ثَوَاءُ

Let the Rum never mistake your peace for fear;

for fire has a dwelling within the fire-stick.

لَمْ تُغْمَدِ الأَسْيَافُ مِنْ وَهَنٍ بِهَا

لِكِنْ نُفُوسٌ أُجِّلَتْ وَدِمَاءُ

The swords were not sheathed from any weakness in them,

but lives and blood were granted a reprieve.

نَامَتْ عَلَى شِبَعٍ وَقَدْ سَالَمْتَهُمْ

وَعِلاَجُ فَرْطِ البِطْنَةِ الإِغْفَاءُ

They slept sated, now that you had made peace with them,

and sleep is the remedy for excessive fullness.

يَا نَيِّراً لَوْلاَ تَوُقُّدُ نُورِهِ

هَفَتِ الحُلُومُ وَفَالَتِ الآرَاءُ

O radiant one, but for the blazing of your light,

minds would falter, and judgments go astray.

لَوْ أَنَّ بَأْسَكَ وَالْجُمُوعُ زَوَاحِفٌ

فِي مَجْمَعِ البَحْرَيْنِ غِيضَ الْمَاءُ

If your might, with the armies advancing,

were where the two seas meet, the water would be drained away.

لَوْ أَنَّ مِنْ مُسْتَنِّ عَزْمِكَ هَبَّةً

فِي الرِّيْحِ مَا نُسِبَتْ لَهُنَّ رُخَاءُ

If a gust from your resolve's rushing course

were in the wind, the winds would never be called gentle.

لِلَّهِ سَيْفُكَ وَالْقُلُوبُ بَوَالِغٌ

ثُغَرَ الحَنَاجِرِ والنُّفُوسُ ظِمَاءُ

How wondrous your sword, when hearts are reaching

the openings of throats, and souls are thirsty!

تَتَزَاحَمُ الأَرْوَاحُ دُونَ وُرُودِهِ

فَكَأَنَّمَا هُوَ نُطْفَةٌ زَرْقَاءُ

Souls jostle before coming to drink from it,

as though it were a drop of blue water.

لِلَّهِ قَوْمُكَ آلُ نَصْرٍ وَالْقَنَا

قِصَدٌ وَأَجْسَامُ العِدَى أَشْلاَءُ

How wondrous your people, the House of Nasr, when the lances

are splintered, and the foes' bodies dismembered!

الطَّاعِنُونَ الْخَيْلَ يَوْمَ المُلْتَقَى

وَالْمُطْعِمُونَ إِذَا عَدَتْ شَهْبَاءُ

They who spear the horses on the day of battle,

and give food when an ash-gray year of famine strikes.

سِيمَاهُمُ التَّقْوَى أَشِدَّاءٌ عَلى الْ

كُفَّرِ فِيمَا بَيْنَهمرُحَمَاءُ

Their mark is piety; stern toward the

unbelievers, merciful among themselves.

نَصَرُوا الْجَزِيرَةَ أَوَّلاً وَنَصِيرُهَا

ضَاقَتْ عَلَيْهِ بِرَحْبِهَا الأَنْحَاءُ

They first aided the Peninsula, while its defender

was hemmed in by its regions, despite its breadth.

وَأَتَوْا وَدِينُ اللهِ لَيْسَ بِأَهْلِهِ

إِلاَّ أَلِيلٌ خَافِتٌ وَذَمَاءُ

They came when God's religion among its people was

no more than a faint moan and a last flicker of life.

قَمَعُوا بِهَا الأَعْدَاءَ حَتَّى أَذْعَنُوا

وَالْبِيضُ مِنْ عَلَقِ النَّجيعِ رِوَاءُ

There they subdued the enemies until they submitted,

and the bright swords were sated with clots of fresh blood.

فَكَأَنَّمَا حُمْرُ البُنُوْدِ خَوَافِقاً

مِنْهَا قُلُوبٌ شَفَّهُنَّ عَنَاءُ

As though the red banners, fluttering

among them, were hearts worn thin by anguish.

لَمْ يَأْمَنُوا مَكْرَ الإِلاَهِ وَإِنَّمَا

إِمْهَالُهُمْ عَنْ وِرْدِهِ إِمْلاَءُ

They were not safe from God's stratagem; rather,

their respite from drinking of it was only a postponement.

إِنْ أَبْرَمُوا أَمْراً فَرَبُّكَ مُبْرَمٌ

أمْراً وَإِنَّهُمْ هُمُ السُّفَهَاءُ

If they settle a matter, your Lord settles

a matter, and surely they are the fools.

وَاللهُ جَلَّ اسْماً لِمُلْكِكَ حزبه

وَاللهُ فِيهِ كِفَايَةٌ وَكِفَاءُ

And God—exalted be His name—is the ally of your rule;

and in God are sufficiency and strength to match.

فَمَنِ المُدَافِعُ والمَلاَئِكُ حِزْبُهُ

وَاللهُ رِدْءٌ وَالْجُنُودُ قَضَاءُ

Who, then, can resist, when the angels are his host,

and God is his support, and the armies are destiny?

وَإِذا هُمُ عَادُوا لِمَا عَنْهُ نُهُوا

فَغِرَارُ سَيْفِكَ لِلْعُصَاةِ جَزَاءُ

And if they return to what they were forbidden,

the edge of your sword is the rebels' recompense.

مَزِّقْ جُفُونَ الْبِيضِ عَنْ أَلْحَاظِهَا

لِتَسِيْلَ فَوقَ شِفَارِهَا الحَوْبَاءُ

Tear the bright swords' eyelids from their glances,

so that the soul may flow across their edges.

وَاهْزُرْ غُصُونَ السُّمْرِ وَهْيَ ذَوَابِلٌ

تَسْقُطْ عَلَيْكَ الْعِزَّةُ القَعْسَاءُ

And shake the branches of the brown spears, though withered,

and unassailable glory will fall upon you.

يَا أَيُّهَا الْمَلِكُ الَّذِي مِنْ رَأْيِهِ

جُنْدٌ لَهُ النَّصْرُ العَزِيزُ لِوَاءُ

O king, from whose counsel comes

an army whose banner is mighty victory,

يَهْنِيْكَ أَسْعَدُ وَافِدٍ مَا تَنْقَضِي

أَيَّامُهُ وَسَعَادَةٌ وَبَقَاءُ

may the most blessed visitor gladden you, with never-ending

days, and happiness and lasting life.

عِيدٌ أَعَدْتَ الدّهْرَ فِيهِ يَافِعَاً

طَلْقَاً تَلُوحُ بِوَجْهِهِ السَّرَّاءُ

A feast on which you made Time youthful again,

beaming, with delight shining on his face.

لَمَّا بَرَزْتَ إلَى المُصَلَّى مَاشِياً

وَدَّتْ خَدُودٌ أَنَّهَا حَصْبَاءُ

When you went forth on foot to the prayer ground,

cheeks wished that they were pebbles.

وَسَمَتْ إلَى لُقْيَاكَ أَبْصَارُ الوَرى

حَتَّى كَأَنَّ جَمِيعَهُمْ حِرْبَاءُ

And people's eyes rose to meet you,

until they all seemed chameleons.

حَتَّى إذَا اصْطَفُّوا وَأَنْتَ وَسِيلَةٌ

وَسَمَا إلَى مَرْقَى الْقَبُولِ دُعَاءُ

Then, when they stood in ranks, with you their means of approach,

and a prayer rose to the height of acceptance,

مُلِئَتْ صُدُورُ المُسْلِمِينَ سَكِينَةً

إذْ ذَاكَ وانْتَاشَ القُلُوبَ رَجَاءُ

the Muslims' breasts were filled with tranquility

at that moment, and hope rescued their hearts.

وَتَيَقَّنُوا الغُفْرَانَ فِي زَلاَّتِهِمْ

مِمَّنْ لَدَيْهِ الْخَلْقُ وَالإنْشَاءُ

And they became certain of pardon for their failings

from Him in whose power are creation and origination.

قَسَماً بِرَبِّ البُزْلِ وَهْيَ طَلاَئِحٌ

نَحَتَتْ مَنَاسِمَ سُوقِهَا الْبَيْدَاءُ

I swear by the Lord of the mature camels, exhausted,

whose legs' foot-pads the wilderness has worn down,

مِنْ كُلِّ نِضْوِ الآلِ يَسْتَفُّ الفَلاَ

سَيْراً تَقَلَّصُ دُونَهُ الأَرْجَاءُ

each a mirage-worn mount, swallowing the wilderness

in a march before which vast expanses shrink,

عُوجاً كَأَمْثَالِ القِسِيِّ ضَوَامِراً

أَغْرَاضُهُنَّ الرُّكْنُ وَالْبَطْحَاءُ

bent like bows, gaunt,

their goals the Corner and al-Batha.

يَحْمِلْنَ كُلَّ مَسَهَّدٍ أَضْلاَعُهُ

صًيْفٌ وَفِي الآمَاقِ مِنْهُ شِتَاءُ

They bear each sleepless one whose ribs

are summer, while his eye-corners hold winter.

لَرَفَعْتَ ظِلَّ الأَمْنِِ خَفَّاقاً فَقَدْ

كَادَتْ تَسِيرُ مَعَ الذِّئَابِ الشَّاءُ

You have indeed raised safety's fluttering shade, for

the sheep almost walk alongside wolves.

وَكَفَفَتْ كَفَّ الجَوْرِ فِي أَرْجَائِهَا

وَعَمرْتَ رَبْعَ العَدْلِ وَهْوَ خَلاَءُ

And you restrained tyranny's hand throughout its regions,

and made justice's abode flourish when it was deserted.

وَعَفَفْتَ حَتَّى عَنْ خَيَالٍ طَارِقٍ

وَوَهَبْتَ حَتَّى أَعْذَرَ اسْتِجْدَاءُ

And you abstained even from a phantom visiting at night,

and gave until begging had reached its utmost limit.

قَسَماً لأَنْتَ مَلاَذ كُلِّ رَعِيبَةٍ

وَمَأَمَّ مَنْ ضَاقَتْ بِهِ الغَبْراءُ

I swear, you are a refuge in every frightful ordeal,

and the resort of those whom the dusty earth hems in.

وَلأَنْتَ ظِلُّ اللهِ بَيْنَ عِبَادِهِ

وَبِلاَدِهِ إِنْ عُدِّدَ الأَفْيَاءُ

And surely you are God's shade among His servants

and throughout His lands, if shades are counted.

أَمُؤَمَّلَ الإسْلاَمِ إِنَّ وَسَائِلي

هُنَّ الشُّمُوسُ فَمَا بِهِنَّ خَفَاءُ

O hope of Islam, my means of approach

are the suns: nothing about them is hidden.

مَا لِي سِوَى حُبِّي لِمُلْكِكَ مَذْهَبٌ

وَلَرُبَّمَا تَتَحَالَفُ الأَهْوَاءُ

I have no path but love for your rule,

and often passions join in alliance.