أثارَ هَواها نُزّعاً تَشتَكي الوَجا

أثارَ هَواها نُزّعاً تَشتَكي الوَجا

سَنا بارِقٍ يهْدي الرّكائِبَ في الدُجا

سَنا بارِقٍ يهْدي الرّكائِبَ في الدُجا

Homesick camels, complaining of sore feet, had their longing stirred

Her passion stirred a yearning to complain of separation

by a lightning gleam guiding the mounts through darkness.

A gleaming blade guiding riders through the darkness

تألَّقَ خَفّاق الجَناحِ كأنّما

تألَّقَ خَفّاق الجَناحِ كأنّما

غَدا مُزْجياً ركْبَ السّحائِبِ مُزْعِجا

غَدا مُزْجياً ركْبَ السّحائِبِ مُزْعِجا

It flashed, its wing aflutter, as though

The fluttering wings shone as if

it were driving the cloud-caravan onward, urging it on.

In the morning escorting the passing clouds disturbingly

أنارَ وقد أخفَى الظّلامُ سَبيلَها

أنارَ وقد أخفَى الظّلامُ سَبيلَها

فأسْرَعَ للتأْويبِ منْ باتَ مُدْلِجا

فأسْرَعَ للتأْويبِ منْ باتَ مُدْلِجا

It shone when darkness had concealed their path,

It illuminated when darkness concealed its path

so those who had traveled by night hastened to the daytime march.

So it hastened to the incline, from one spent the night huddled

تقولُ حُداةُ العيسِ إذ غالَها السُّرَى

تقولُ حُداةُ العيسِ إذ غالَها السُّرَى

ألَمْ يانِ للإصْباحِ أن يتبَلّجا

ألَمْ يانِ للإصْباحِ أن يتبَلّجا

The drivers of the pale camels say, when night travel exhausts them:

The sentinels said when it overtook them at night

“Is it not time for morning to break bright?”

“Did the dawn not deign to shine?”

ألا يا خَليليَّ انزِلاها مَعاهِداً

ألا يا خَليليَّ انزِلاها مَعاهِداً

ومُرّا عليْها بالرِّكابِ وعرِّجا

ومُرّا عليْها بالرِّكابِ وعرِّجا

Ah, my two friends, alight there, at those familiar haunts;

Oh my friend, go down to meet it with a pact

and pass them with your mounts, and turn aside.

And pass by it on your mount, swerving

لعَهْدي بها والحيُّ في عَرَصاتِها

لعَهْدي بها والحيُّ في عَرَصاتِها

يُحَيّا بما يُهْدي جنىً وتأرُّجا

يُحَيّا بما يُهْدي جنىً وتأرُّجا

I remember them, with the tribe in their open spaces,

By my pact with it, the living one in its meadows

being greeted with offerings of fruit and fragrance.

Is greeted by what yields fruits and vegetation

وصَوْبُ الحَيا حلّ الحُبا في بِطاحِها

وصَوْبُ الحَيا حلّ الحُبا في بِطاحِها

فللّهِ ما أبْهى حُلاها وأبْهَجا

فللّهِ ما أبْهى حُلاها وأبْهَجا

And the downpour loosened its knee-bindings in their broad valleys;

How excellent is its fine appearance when the beloved camps in its dales

God! How splendid and delightful their adornments!

What splendid beauty and joyousness

كأنّ سَقيطَ الطّلِّ منْ قُضْبِ دوْحِها

كأنّ سَقيطَ الطّلِّ منْ قُضْبِ دوْحِها

مُرَدِّدُ لَفْظٍ من لسانٍ تَلَجْلَجا

مُرَدِّدُ لَفْظٍ من لسانٍ تَلَجْلَجا

As though the dew dripping from the boughs of their spreading trees

As if the dripping from its lofty stalks

were repeating a word from a stammering tongue.

Echoing words from an articulating tongue

مَعاهِدُ لا تُخْفي الصّبابةَ إذ غَدا

مَعاهِدُ لا تُخْفي الصّبابةَ إذ غَدا

نَسيمُ صَباها للغَرامِ مهيِّجا

نَسيمُ صَباها للغَرامِ مهيِّجا

Haunts that do not conceal yearning, now that

My friend, do not conceal your youth when

their east-wind breeze has become a stirrer of passion.

The morning breeze of your love stirs passion

وللوَخْدِ طِرْفٌ ما كَفَفْنا جِماحَهُ

وللوَخْدِ طِرْفٌ ما كَفَفْنا جِماحَهُ

فجالَ بمَيْدانِ التّصابي وهَمْلَجا

فجالَ بمَيْدانِ التّصابي وهَمْلَجا

And a noble steed for swift travel—we never curbed its wildness,

We have not curbed the flight of promises

so it roamed the field of youthful dalliance and paced smoothly.

So it raced in the field of rivals recklessly

ومائِسَةِ الأعْطافِ لم نَدْرِ قبْلَها

ومائِسَةِ الأعْطافِ لم نَدْرِ قبْلَها

بأنّ شُموسَ الأفْقِ يَحْلُلْنَ هوْدَجا

بأنّ شُموسَ الأفْقِ يَحْلُلْنَ هوْدَجا

And a woman with swaying limbs—before her, we did not know

We did not know about her bending branches

that the suns of the horizon could dwell in a howdah.

That the horizons' suns set raggedly

هيَ الشمسُ يُسْتَجْلى سَناها وقد غَدا

هيَ الشمسُ يُسْتَجْلى سَناها وقد غَدا

لها البدْرُ والجوزاءُ قُرْطاً ودُمْلُجا

لها البدْرُ والجوزاءُ قُرْطاً ودُمْلُجا

She is the sun whose brilliance is unveiled, while

She is the sun whose brilliance is unmatched

the full moon and al-Jawza have become her earring and armlet.

The moon and stars her jewelry and necklaces

فمَنْ لمْ يُشاهِدْ وجْهَها وقَوامَها

فمَنْ لمْ يُشاهِدْ وجْهَها وقَوامَها

فَما البدْرُ مُلْتاحاً ولا الغُصْنُ رَجْرَجا

فَما البدْرُ مُلْتاحاً ولا الغُصْنُ رَجْرَجا

For whoever has not seen her face and figure,

Whoever does not see her face and figure

the full moon does not gleam, nor does the bough sway.

The moon is not serene, nor is the branch quivering

ومَنْ هامَ بالحَسْناءِ من غيْرِ حيِّها

ومَنْ هامَ بالحَسْناءِ من غيْرِ حيِّها

فما القَدُّ مُرْتاحاً ولا اللّحْظُ أدْعَجا

فما القَدُّ مُرْتاحاً ولا اللّحْظُ أدْعَجا

And whoever loves a beauty from outside her tribe

Whoever desired the beauty without her quarter

finds no gracefully swaying form, no dark-eyed gaze.

The stature is not easeful, nor is the glance languorous

ومَنْ أمَّ بحْرَ الجودِ والعِلْمِ لا يُرَى

ومَنْ أمَّ بحْرَ الجودِ والعِلْمِ لا يُرَى

على غيْرِ مَولانا ابْن نصْرٍ معَرِّجا

على غيْرِ مَولانا ابْن نصْرٍ معَرِّجا

And whoever seeks the sea of generosity and learning is never seen

Whoever aspires to the sea of generosity and knowledge

turning aside to anyone but our lord Ibn Nasr.

None ascends higher than Ibn Nasr

هوَ اليوسُفيُّ الناصِرُ المَلكُ الذي

هوَ اليوسُفيُّ الناصِرُ المَلكُ الذي

عزائِمُهُ تُخْشى ورُحْماهُ تُرْتَجى

عزائِمُهُ تُخْشى ورُحْماهُ تُرْتَجى

He is al-Yusufi, al-Nasir, the king whose

He is the Josephine victorious king whom

resolves are feared and whose mercy is hoped for.

His resolutions are feared and his mercy hoped for

هوَ اليوسُفيُّ العالِمُ العَلَمُ الذي

هوَ اليوسُفيُّ العالِمُ العَلَمُ الذي

عوامِلُهُ شهْبٌ من النّقْعِ في دُجَى

عوامِلُهُ شهْبٌ من النّقْعِ في دُجَى

He is al-Yusufi, the learned one, the beacon whose

He is the knowledgeable Josephine scholar whom

spears are meteors shining out of the battle-dust's darkness.

His policies are rays of light in the darkness

ألا عَدِّ عنْ ذِكْرِ القَياصِرَة الألى

ألا عَدِّ عنْ ذِكْرِ القَياصِرَة الألى

لديهُ ودَعْ كِسْرى المُلوكِ متوَّجا

لديهُ ودَعْ كِسْرى المُلوكِ متوَّجا

Ah, leave off mention of the Caesars who are

Oh count not the praise of subordinate kings

before him, and leave the kings' Khusrau crowned.

For he surpasses crowned Kisra mightily

فهذا إمامٌ تابعٌ جدَّهُ الذي

فهذا إمامٌ تابعٌ جدَّهُ الذي

غَدا سيّدَ الأنْصار أوْساً وخزْرَجا

غَدا سيّدَ الأنْصار أوْساً وخزْرَجا

For this is a leader following his forefather, who

This is a follower whose grandfather

became lord of the Ansar, both Aws and Khazraj.

Became master of the Helpers; Aus and Khazraj

وهذا الذي مازالَ في الأرضِ أمنُهُ

وهذا الذي مازالَ في الأرضِ أمنُهُ

على الخلقِ ظِلاً في الهَواجِرِ سَجْسَجا

على الخلقِ ظِلاً في الهَواجِرِ سَجْسَجا

And this is he whose protection has always been, upon the earth,

This is he whom security for people

a temperate shade over all creatures in the midday heat.

Remains a shade for emigrants dispersed

وهذا الذي مازال في اللهِ سالِكاً

وهذا الذي مازال في اللهِ سالِكاً

سَبيلاً إلى النّصْرِ العزيز ومَنْهَجا

سَبيلاً إلى النّصْرِ العزيز ومَنْهَجا

And this is he who has always, for God's sake, followed

This is he who always travels the path to God

a path and a way toward mighty victory.

A route to mighty victory and guidance

شمائِلُه تحْكي الشمائِلَ رقّةً

شمائِلُه تحْكي الشمائِلَ رقّةً

وأمْداحُهُ زهْرَ الرّياضِ تأرُّجا

وأمْداحُهُ زهْرَ الرّياضِ تأرُّجا

His qualities resemble the north winds in gentleness,

His qualities narrate gentle qualities

and his praises, the garden flowers in fragrance.

And his praise is the blossoms of gardens, vegetation

رجَوْنا به نيْلَ المكارمِ والعُلى

رجَوْنا به نيْلَ المكارمِ والعُلى

فلمّا رأيْنا وجْهَهُ صدقَ الرَّجا

فلمّا رأيْنا وجْهَهُ صدقَ الرَّجا

Through him we hoped to attain noble deeds and high rank;

We hoped through him to gain honours and sublimity

when we saw his face, our hope proved true—

When we saw his face, hopes were fulfilled

فمِنْ عزْمَةٍ تكفي العِدَى وتكفُّها

فمِنْ عزْمَةٍ تكفي العِدَى وتكفُّها

ومنْ جودِ كفٍّ لا تُخيّبُ مَن رَجا

ومنْ جودِ كفٍّ لا تُخيّبُ مَن رَجا

through a resolve that suffices against foes and restrains them,

With a resolve that suffices to subdue enemies and curb them

and the bounty of a hand that never disappoints the hopeful.

And from a generous palm that does not disappoint hope

إذا ماجَ بحْرُ الرّوْعِ خاضَتْ غِمارَهُ

إذا ماجَ بحْرُ الرّوْعِ خاضَتْ غِمارَهُ

صوافِنُهُ تحْكي السّفينَ المُلَجِّجا

صوافِنُهُ تحْكي السّفينَ المُلَجِّجا

When the sea of terror surges, its depths are braved

If the sea of horrors rages, its tumult

by his poised steeds, like ships venturing into deep waters.

His ships narrate the ships heavily laden

وقد أسْمَعَتْ غرُّ الجيادِ صَهيلَها

وقد أسْمَعَتْ غرُّ الجيادِ صَهيلَها

وراقَتْ حَوالَيْها العَوالي توشُّجا

وراقَتْ حَوالَيْها العَوالي توشُّجا

The white-blazed steeds have made their neighing heard,

The neighing of the steeds has made its surroundings

and the tall lances, interlaced around them, delight the eye.

Tranquil mountains and heights calm

فتحْسِبُ أن الحرْبَ أبدَتْ حديقةً

فتحْسِبُ أن الحرْبَ أبدَتْ حديقةً

بها القُضْبُ مُلْداً والحمائمُ هُزَّجا

بها القُضْبُ مُلْداً والحمائمُ هُزَّجا

So you would think that war had revealed a garden

You would think war made it a meadow

where boughs are supple and doves sing.

With soft canes and doves murmuring

أمَوْلايَ إنّ اللهَ مازالَ مُلْهِماً

أمَوْلايَ إنّ اللهَ مازالَ مُلْهِماً

لأجْملِ صُنْعٍ جاءَ بالنّصرِ مُلْهِجا

لأجْملِ صُنْعٍ جاءَ بالنّصرِ مُلْهِجا

O my lord, God has always inspired you

My lord, God still inspires

to the finest work, bringing victory and prompting its acclaim.

The finest work, bringing victory inflamed

تعوجُ الأعادي عن لقائِكَ كلّما

تعوجُ الأعادي عن لقائِكَ كلّما

تُقوّمُهُ رُمْحاً وتعْلوهُ أعوَجا

تُقوّمُهُ رُمْحاً وتعْلوهُ أعوَجا

The enemies swerve from meeting you whenever

The enemies deviate from facing you whenever

you straighten a lance and mount an A'waj steed.

You straighten it as a lance and raise it bent

فأسْمرُك الخطّيُّ يلتاحُ نصْلُهُ

فأسْمرُك الخطّيُّ يلتاحُ نصْلُهُ

شِهابَ هُدىً ليْلَ العَجاجَة مُفْرِجا

شِهابَ هُدىً ليْلَ العَجاجَة مُفْرِجا

Your brown Khatti spear—its blade gleams

Your dark sword flashes brightly

as a meteor of guidance, dispelling the night of battle-dust.

A flame of guidance in the night of clamour

وكفُّكَ للعافينَ تندَى غمامةً

وكفُّكَ للعافينَ تندَى غمامةً

وسيفُك يُذكي جاحِماً متأجِّجا

وسيفُك يُذكي جاحِماً متأجِّجا

Your hand rains bounty on supplicants like a cloud,

Your palm that spares the innocent forms a cloud

and your sword kindles a blazing inferno.

While your sword kindles a fierce blaze

كذلكَ من شأنِ الغَمامِ انسكابُها

كذلكَ من شأنِ الغَمامِ انسكابُها

إذا ما تُريكَ البارِقَ المتوهّجا

إذا ما تُريكَ البارِقَ المتوهّجا

Such is the nature of clouds: they pour down rain

Thus is the flowing of the clouds when

when they show you blazing lightning.

The lightning shows you its flaming bursts

كأنّ مُثارَ النّقْعِ ليلٌ وفجْرُهُ

كأنّ مُثارَ النّقْعِ ليلٌ وفجْرُهُ

حُسامُك يبْدو خاضِباً متضرِّجا

حُسامُك يبْدو خاضِباً متضرِّجا

The rising battle-dust seems a night, and its dawn is

As if the stirring of sparks is night and its dawn

your keen sword, staining and stained with blood.

Your blade appears blood-stained and simmering

كأنّ ميادينَ الطّراد صَحيفةٌ

كأنّ ميادينَ الطّراد صَحيفةٌ

يُريكَ بها الخطّيُّ خطّاً مُثَبّجا

يُريكَ بها الخطّيُّ خطّاً مُثَبّجا

The fields of mounted combat seem a page

As if the battlefields are a script

on which the Khatti lance shows you a thickly scrawled line.

In which your dark one writes a resolute line

ولكنّهُ معْنى سُعودِكَ موضِحٌ

ولكنّهُ معْنى سُعودِكَ موضِحٌ

وضوحَ النّجومِ الزُهْرِ والليلُ قد سَجا

وضوحَ النّجومِ الزُهْرِ والليلُ قد سَجا

Yet it makes plain the meaning of your good fortune

But it illustrates the meaning of your good fortune

as clearly as bright stars when night has grown still.

Like the stars' radiance, the flowers, and the night has withdrawn

لكَ العزْمُ إنْ أمْضَيْتَ أحْكامَهُ ففي

لكَ العزْمُ إنْ أمْضَيْتَ أحْكامَهُ ففي

نُحورِ عُداةِ الدّينِ قد أصبحَتْ شَجا

نُحورِ عُداةِ الدّينِ قد أصبحَتْ شَجا

Yours is resolve: if you enforce its decrees, in

Yours is the resolve - if you execute its rules

the throats of the faith's enemies they become a choking obstruction.

The enemies' sucides at daybreak are cleft

لك العِلْمُ يَهْدي كُلَّ مَنْ ضلّ رُشدَهُ

لك العِلْمُ يَهْدي كُلَّ مَنْ ضلّ رُشدَهُ

وعاجَ عن النّهْجِ القويمِ وعرّجا

وعاجَ عن النّهْجِ القويمِ وعرّجا

Yours is the learning that guides everyone who has lost his way

Yours is the knowledge that guides all who lost their guidance

and strayed from the straight path, turning aside.

And were perplexed from the straight path, swerving

وقد عادَ عيدٌ كان منْ قبْلُ مُطْلِعاً

وقد عادَ عيدٌ كان منْ قبْلُ مُطْلِعاً

مُحيّاكَ وضّاحَ الأسرّةِ أبْلَجا

مُحيّاكَ وضّاحَ الأسرّةِ أبْلَجا

A festival has returned that formerly brought forth

A feast day has returned that once rose

your face, bright of brow and radiant.

Greeted you, dawning of dynasties, gleaming

فللهِ يومٌ قد أرانا حقيقةً

فللهِ يومٌ قد أرانا حقيقةً

منَ الطّلعةِ الغرّاءِ صُبْحاً تبلّجا

منَ الطّلعةِ الغرّاءِ صُبْحاً تبلّجا

God! What a day! It has truly shown us

By God, a day that showed us in reality

a dawn breaking bright from your radiant countenance.

From the sublime rising, a morning that sparkled

مدَدتَ لتقبيلِ الخلائِقِ راحةً

مدَدتَ لتقبيلِ الخلائِقِ راحةً

يفوقُ نداهَا الزّاخِرَ المُتمَوِّجا

يفوقُ نداهَا الزّاخِرَ المُتمَوِّجا

You extended a palm for all people to kiss,

You extended your palm for people to kiss

whose bounty surpasses the surging, billowing sea.

Surpassing ripples of the tumultuous sea

وهلْ بعْدَ أن قبّلْتُ كفَّك آمِلاً

وهلْ بعْدَ أن قبّلْتُ كفَّك آمِلاً

أكونُ إلى شيءٍ من الدّهْرِ مُحْوَجا

أكونُ إلى شيءٍ من الدّهْرِ مُحْوَجا

And after I have kissed your hand, full of hope,

After kissing your palm in hope

could I ever be left wanting anything in life?

Will I need anything in life?

رَدَدتَ سِهامَ الدّهر حتى تقصّدَتْ

رَدَدتَ سِهامَ الدّهر حتى تقصّدَتْ

وقد كان بابُ القَصْدِ دونيَ مُرْتَجا

وقد كان بابُ القَصْدِ دونيَ مُرْتَجا

You repelled fortune's arrows until they shattered,

You repelled the strokes of fate until you intended

when the gate to my goal had been barred against me.

And the door of purpose was beyond me, closed

فدونَكَ يا موْلَى الورَى من مدائِحي

فدونَكَ يا موْلَى الورَى من مدائِحي

ثَناءً كأزْهارِ الرياضِ مؤَرَّجا

ثَناءً كأزْهارِ الرياضِ مؤَرَّجا

Take, then, lord of humankind, from my praises

Before you, O Master of creation, my praises

an encomium fragrant as garden blossoms.

Are like garden blossoms, vegetation

أتيتُ بها كالزُّهْرِ والزَّهْرِ في الرُبَى

أتيتُ بها كالزُّهْرِ والزَّهْرِ في الرُبَى

فراقَتْ ورقّتْ بهجَةً وتأرُّجا

فراقَتْ ورقّتْ بهجَةً وتأرُّجا

I have brought it like bright stars and hillside flowers;

I came with them like flowers, and flowers in the meadow

it delights, delicate in beauty and fragrance.

Delighted and rustled joyfully

حياءً من التقْصير بالطِّرْسِ حُجِّبَتْ

حياءً من التقْصير بالطِّرْسِ حُجِّبَتْ

على أنها حسْناءُ تُبْدي التبرُّجا

على أنها حسْناءُ تُبْدي التبرُّجا

Ashamed of falling short, it is veiled by the page,

Ashamed of falling short, they veiled themselves

though it is a beauty displaying her finery.

Though they are a beauty exhibiting coquetry

فهُنِّئْتَهُ عيداً كريماً ومَوسماً

فهُنِّئْتَهُ عيداً كريماً ومَوسماً

جَميلَ المُحيّا رائِقَ الحُسْنِ مُبْهِجا

جَميلَ المُحيّا رائِقَ الحُسْنِ مُبْهِجا

May you be congratulated on it, a noble feast and a season

Congratulations on a generous feast and occasion

fair of face, lovely in beauty, bringing joy.

With beautiful greetings and fair beauty, delighting

وبُلِّغْتَ ما تَرْجوهُ بدْءاً وعَودةً

وبُلِّغْتَ ما تَرْجوهُ بدْءاً وعَودةً

ولازِلْتَ في الأمْلاكِ أكرَمَ مُرْتَجى

ولازِلْتَ في الأمْلاكِ أكرَمَ مُرْتَجى

May you attain what you hope for, at the outset and on its return,

You were conveyed what you hope for, beginning and return

and ever remain, among kings, the noblest one in whom hope is placed.

Remaining in realms the most noble aspiration