منحت بشير الخير بالخير والجد — Mufti Fathallah

مُنِحتَ بَشيرَ الخيرِ بِالخَيرِ والجَدِّ

وَنِلتَ سَنيَّ السّعدِ بِالسّعيِ وَالجدِّ

You have been blessed, Bashir of good tidings, with goodness and fortune;

and attained radiant happiness through effort and diligence.

لَكَ اللَّه مِن ساعٍ أَتَيت مُبشّراً

تُبَشّرُنا بِالخَيرِ عَن مظهرِ المَجدِ

God bless you, messenger—you came bearing glad tidings,

bringing us good news of the embodiment of glory.

فَأَكمدت مَن قَد كانَ خِدنَ عَداوَةٍ

وَأَصغَرت إِذ بَشّرتَنا أَعيُنَ الضدِّ

You plunged into grief whoever had been a companion of enmity,

and, in gladdening us, humbled the eyes of the foe.

وَصَيَّرت مِنّا كُلَّ عَينٍ قَريرة

وَرَطَّبت مِنّا كبد مُحتَرِقِ الكبدِ

You made every eye among us content,

and moistened the liver of everyone among us whose liver burned.

وَفَرَّحتَ مِنّا كلَّ قَلبٍ وَمُهجَةٍ

لَها أَوشَكَ التكديرُ لَولاكَ أَن يردي

You gladdened every heart and soul among us,

which distress, but for you, had nearly brought to ruin.

وَسار بِنا نورُ السّرورِ وَقَد بَدا

كَأَنّا بُدورُ الأُفقِ لِلنّورِ إِذ تُبدي

The light of joy bore us along once it appeared,

as though we were the horizon's full moons displaying their light.

وَطِرنا حُبوراً لا يُحاطُ بِوَصفِهِ

وَخِلنا نَطولُ البدرَ مَع غايَةِ البعدِ

We flew with a joy beyond all description,

and imagined we could reach the full moon despite its utmost distance.

وَرَقّصت قَدَّ الكَونِ مِن كلِّ جانِب

وَقَد سالَتِ الأَفراحُ مِن ذَلكَ القدِّ

You made the universe's form dance on every side,

while joys flowed from that form.

أَما حقَّ لِلأَكوانِ رقص قُدودِها

وَقَد ضاءَ في أَكنافِها كَوكَبُ السّعدِ

Was it not fitting for the worlds to dance their forms,

when the star of good fortune shone throughout their reaches?

وَحُقَّ عَلينا شُكرُ ما فيه جئتَنَا

لِربّي مَزيد الشّكرِ مَع أَبلَغِ الحمدِ

We owe thanks for what you came to bring us:

to my Lord, abundant thanks and the fullest praise.

وَبَشَّرتنا بشّرتَ بِالخَيرِ وَالهَنا

بِما نالَ عَبدُ اللَّه مِن غايَةِ القصدِ

You brought us glad tidings, announcing goodness and happiness,

of Abd Allah attaining his ultimate aim:

بِأَن صارَ في هَذي البِلاد وَزيرها

وَوالِيَها الخالي عَنِ الشِّبهِ والنِّدّ

that he has become this land's vizier

and its governor, without likeness or peer;

وَأَن صارَ في عِقدِ الوِزارَةِ دُرّةً

وَلَكِنّها وَاللَّهِ وَاسِطَة العِقدِ

and has become a pearl in the necklace of the vizierate—

but, by God, it is the necklace's centerpiece.

غَدَت وُزَراء الدّهرِ فيهِ جَواهِراً

وَما خِلتهُ فيهِم سِوى الجَوهَرِ الفردِ

The age's viziers have become jewels in that necklace,

yet among them I deem him the peerless jewel.

أَبو العَدلِ بَحرُ الحِلمِ يَمُّ مراحمٍ

أَخو اللّين ثمَّ الرّفق بِالحرِّ والعبدِ

Father of justice, ocean of forbearance, sea of mercies,

a brother to gentleness and kindness toward freeman and slave.

أَبو الحكمِ بِالتّدبيرِ في حُسنِ حِكمَةٍ

عَلى طَبْقِ شَرعِ اللَّه أَحكامهُ يُبدي

Master of judgment, governing with fine wisdom,

he delivers his rulings in accordance with God's law.

خَدين التّقى وَالخوفِ مِن خالِق السّما

فَفيما بِأَيدي النّاس يَنحو إِلى الزُّهدِ

A companion of piety and fear of heaven's Creator,

he inclines to renunciation of what others possess.

حَديد الذّكا وَالرّأي ربّ فَراسةٍ

بِنورِ إِلهِ الخلقِ يَنظرُ لِلرُّشدِ

Keen of intelligence and judgment, endowed with discernment,

by the light of creation's God, he sees the way to right guidance.

يَسوسُ الرّعايا في حَميدِ سِياسَةٍ

يُؤَيِّدها بِالعَدلِ وَالجودِ وَالرّفدِ

He governs his subjects with praiseworthy rule,

sustaining it with justice, generosity, and aid.

بُنيّ العُلى وَالمَجدِ في حجر سؤددٍ

لَهُ كانَتِ العَلياءُ مرتفع المَهدِ

A child of eminence and glory, cradled in nobility,

the lofty heights were where his cradle stood.

وَرَبّتْهُ أَبكار المَعالي بدَرِّها

وَيا فَخرَها رَبَّتْه كاعبة النّهدِ

The maidens of noble virtues nursed him with their milk;

and—how proud she was!—a budding-breasted maiden reared him.

هوَ الأَمجَدُ اِبن الماجِدِ المُعتلي السّهى

عَليّ السّجايا كَوكبُ العزِّ وَالمجدِ

He is the most glorious, son of the glorious one who rises above Suha,

lofty of character, a star of honor and glory.

كَفى شَرَفاً لَم يَحكِهِ شرفٌ بِأَن

بَدا مِنهُ هَذا البدرُ في جَبهَةِ السّعدِ

It is honor enough, unmatched by any honor, that

this full moon rose from him upon good fortune's brow.

فَفاقَ أَباهُ فَهوَ أَضْوَأُ سؤدداً

وَأَجملُ أَوصافاً تُصانُ عَنِ الحدِّ

He surpassed his father, more radiant in nobility,

and more beautiful in qualities beyond all bounds.

هُوَ الأَسدُ الرّئبالُ يَسطو وَمِثلهُ

عَديمُ وجودٍ في الضّياغِمِ وَالأسدِ

He is the lion, the fierce lion who pounces, and his like

does not exist among mighty lions and lions.

يُكافِئ كُلَّ الأُسد إِن لَو تَجَمَّعوا

فَيُفنيهِمُ إِنْ شاءَ بِالرُّمحِ وَالهِندي

He would match all lions, were they to gather,

and destroy them, if he wished, with spear and Indian sword.

أَروى الوَفا قَد تكافئ مِثلهُ

وَذلكَ بِالآلافِ يُحسبُ في العدِّ

Arwa of fidelity may match his like [wording unclear],

and that is counted by the thousands in reckoning.

يَقدُّ الهِزَبرَ الضّخمَ طولاً بِضَربةٍ

فَتُبصِرُه نِصفَينِ مِن ذَلكَ القدِّ

He cleaves the huge lion lengthwise with one blow,

and you see it in two halves from that cleaving.

إِذا قامَ يَعلو طِرفَه الوردَ راكباً

فَإِن الهِزبرَ الورد يَعلو عَلى الوردِ

When he rises to mount his chestnut steed,

the tawny lion rises above the chestnut horse.

وَإِن فَوقهُ يَعدو تَرى الطِّرف عادياً

عَلى الرّيحِ مثل البَرقِ يَصهلُ كالرَّعدِ

When he races upon it, you see the steed outstripping

the wind like lightning, neighing like thunder.

فَلَو رامَ أَخذَ النّجمِ مِن كَبد السّما

عَلَيهِ لَطالَ النّجمُ مِن ذَلكَ الكبدِ

If he sought to seize a star from the heart of heaven,

astride it, he would reach the star in that heart.

وَقور مَهيب في العُيونِ وَفي الحَشا

لِهَيبَتِهِ تَعنو الأُسودُ على بعدِ

Grave and awe-inspiring to the eyes and the heart,

his majesty makes lions bow even from afar.

تَزَلزل مِن ذِكراه دارَ عَدوِّهِ

فَتسقط أَو تَدنو مِنَ الهَدمِ وَالهدِّ

At mention of him, his enemy's house trembles,

and falls, or draws near to demolition and collapse.

وَتَخشاهُ في الآجامِ ذِكراً أُسودُها

فَيوشِكُ أَن يُفضي بِها الرّعب لِلفَقدِ

The lions in the thickets dread him at his mention,

and terror almost brings them to annihilation.

لَقَد طاعَتِ السّمرُ العَوالي لِأَمرِهِ

فَإِنْ يَنهَهَا كفَّتْ وَإِنْ حثّها تُردي

The tall brown spears have obeyed his command:

if he forbids them, they desist; if he urges them, they kill.

وَدَانَت لَهُ الأَسيافُ مِن كلِّ باتِر

لَقَد سالَتِ الأَرواحُ منهُ عَلى الحَدِّ

The swords submit to him, every cleaving blade;

indeed, souls have streamed from it along its edge.

فَلَو أَنّه مِنها تَقَلَّدَ صارِماً

لَسالَت سُيوفُ النّاسِ رُعباً مِن الغمدِ

Were he to gird himself with one of their sharp blades,

men's swords would spill from their sheaths in terror.

جَوادٌ يَفيضُ الجودُ مِن بَحرِ كفِّهِ

فَيَجعَلُ مَن يَحبوهُ في غايَةِ الجَدِّ

Generous, with bounty flowing from the ocean of his palm,

he brings whoever he gifts to the height of good fortune.

فَللّهِ تِلك الكفّ لا تَسأَمُ العَطا

وَللَّهِ ما أَسدَت وَللَّهِ ما تُسدي

What a hand, by God! It never tires of giving,

and, by God, what it has bestowed, and, by God, what it still bestows!

وَللَّهِ ذاكَ الشّهم مِن مُتَأهّل

إِلى الرّتبَةِ القَعساءِ مِن زَمَنِ المَهدِ

And, by God, what a noble man, fitted

for the unassailable rank since the days of his cradle,

وَلِلمَنصِبِ السّامي الَّذي الآنَ نالَهُ

عَلى رَغمِ آنافِ الحَواسِدِ وَالضدِّ

and for the lofty office he has now attained,

despite the noses of enviers and adversaries.

عَلَيهِ بِهِ مَنَّت مِنَ اللّطفِ دَولة

مُفَخّمة الأَنصارِ مَنصورة الجُندِ

A state graciously bestowed it upon him,

magnificent in its supporters, victorious in its armies,

مُشيّدة الأَركانِ عالِية الذّرى

وَمُحكَمة الإِتقانِ في الحلِّ وَالعقدِ

with firmly built pillars and lofty summits,

and perfect mastery of unbinding and binding.

هِيَ الدّولة الغرّاءُ نَرجو دَوامَها

فَنَدعو بِأَن تَبقى وَتتحفَ بِالخُلدِ

It is the radiant state whose endurance we hope for,

so we pray that it remain and be endowed with eternity.

هِيَ الدّولَةُ الحَسناءُ في غرَّةِ العُلى

تَسامَت عَلى العَلياءِ بِالعزِّ عَن نِدِّ

It is the beautiful state upon the brow of greatness,

rising in might above the loftiest heights, beyond all peers.

وَما هِيَ إِلّا الشّمس في دولِ الوَرى

وَلَم يَكُ مِثل الشّمسِ في الهَزلِ والجِدِّ

Among the states of humankind, it is nothing but the sun,

and there is no equal to the sun, in jest or earnest.

وَتِلكَ بَنو عُثمانَ أَضحَوا مُلوكَها

فَمن ملكِ فَرد إِلى مُلك فَردِ

And there, the sons of Uthman have become its kings,

from one peerless king to another's peerless reign.

وَسُلطاننا المَحمود إِنسان عَينِهم

تَحلّى بِعقد الملكِ ناهيكَ مِن عقدِ

Our Sultan Mahmud is the pupil of their eye,

adorned with sovereignty's necklace—what a necklace!

مَليك مُلوكِ الأَرضِ لا زالَ مُلكهُ

مَدى الدّهرِ بِالتّأبيدِ أَثبت مُمتَدِّ

King of the kings of the earth, may his reign never cease,

stretching through all time, forever firmly established.

تَكَرَّمَ إِحساناً بِصائِبِ فِكرَةٍ

عَلى ذَلكَ الشّهمِ العَزيزِ إِلى الرفدِ

With sound judgment he graciously bestowed beneficence

upon that noble man, honored with support.

فَأَولاهُ ما أَولاهُ مِن حُسنِ دَولةٍ

بِها العِزُّ لِلأَشرافِ وَالذلُّ لِلوغدِ

He bestowed what he bestowed: a splendid dominion,

where noble men are honored and the base are humbled.

تؤبَّدُ بِالتّوفيقِ وَالنّصرِ وَالعُلى

وَتحمدُ في الآفاقِ مَنشورة البَنْدِ

It is made everlasting by success, victory, and greatness,

and praised throughout the horizons, its banner unfurled.

تَمُدُّ ظِلالَ العَدلِ في كلِّ جانِبٍ

وَتَستَأصِلُ الإِجنافَ وَالجَورَ بِالهدِّ

It spreads the shade of justice on every side,

and roots out partiality and oppression by destroying them.

بِأَيّامِها البيضِ الحِسانِ عَنِ الهَوى

َتَصومُ الرّعايا مُخلِصي العَزمِ وَالقَصدِ

In its fair, bright days, from wayward desire

the subjects abstain, sincere in resolve and intention.

فَيا أَيّها المَولى الّذي أَنا عَبدُهُ

بِكَ الشّرف الأَعلى لِمثلِيَ ِمن عبدِ

O my lord, whose servant I am,

through you comes the highest honor to a servant such as me.

وَيا ذا الصِّفاتِ الغرِّ لَو رُمت عَدَّها

مُجرّدُ تعدادٍ عَجزتُ عَنِ العدِّ

O possessor of radiant qualities, were I to try to count them,

even by mere enumeration, I would fail to count.

وَيا مَن إِذا رُمْنا نَفوهُ بِذِكرِهِ

نبخِّرُ لِلأفواهِ بِالمِسكِ والنَّدِّ

O you, when we wish to speak your name,

we perfume our mouths with musk and aromatic incense.

تَهَنَّأ بِما أوتيتَ جَذلان باسِماً

وَمِنكَ يَسيلُ البشرُ مِن صَفحَةِ الخدِّ

Rejoice in what you have been granted, happy and smiling,

as joy streams from the surface of your cheek.

وَطِبت بِهِ نَفساً وَسرّ مؤرخ

وَطابَ فَهذا مَنصبُ المَجدِ وَالسّعدِ

May your soul delight in it; a chronicler rejoiced

and was pleased: this is the office of glory and good fortune.

وَإنّيَ فَتح اللَّه جِئت مهنّئاً

تَفاءل بِحُسن الفَتح من منزلِ الحَمدِ

I, Fath Allah, have come to congratulate you;

take a good omen from this fair opening, from the abode of praise.

وَبعدَ سُروري بِالّذي نلت يقتضي

عَليّ لَكَ الذّكرى وَعِندكَ قَد تُجدي

After my joy at what you attained, it is incumbent

upon me to offer you a reminder, which may benefit you.

عَلَيكَ بِتَقوى اللَّهِ في كلِّ لَمحَةٍ

وَفي كلِّ ما تُخفي وَفي كلِّ ما تُبدي

Be mindful of God at every moment,

in all you conceal and all you reveal.

وَرفق بِخَلقِ اللَّهِ مِن كلِّ كائِنٍ

فِداكَ ملاكُ الأَمرِ وَهوَ مِنَ الرّشدِ

And be gentle toward every creature God has made;

may I be your ransom: this is the heart of the matter and right guidance.

وَهاكَ أَخا العَلياءِ بِكراً خَريدةً

مُهَفّفة حَسناء مَمشوقَة القَدِّ

Here, brother of high greatness, take a virgin maiden,

slender-waisted, beautiful, graceful of stature.

تَموجُ مِياه الحسنِ في سمطِ نَظمِها

وَدُرّ مَعانيها كَما الحُسن في الوردِ

The waters of beauty surge in the pearl-strand of her verse,

and the pearls of her meanings are like beauty in roses.

بُنيّة لَيل صَوّر الفكر جِسمَها

وَمَدحك كانَ الروح يا بَهجَةَ المَجدِ

A little daughter of the night, her body shaped by thought,

and praise of you was her soul, O joy of glory.

أَتَتكَ إِلى الأَعتابِ تَرجو قَبولها

مُؤَمِّلةً أَن لا تعاملَ بِالطردِ

She has come to your threshold, hoping for acceptance,

hoping not to be treated with rejection.

وَدُم في أَمانِ اللَّهِ في حُسنِ سؤددٍ

لَهُ تَخدم العَلياء خِدمة ذي ودِّ

Remain in God's protection, in fair nobility,

served by high greatness with the service of a loving friend.

بِدَولَةِ عِزٍّ في سُرورٍ مؤبّد

عَلى حُسنِ تَوفيق وَفي العيشَةِ الرّغدِ

In a dominion of might and everlasting joy,

with fair success and a life of ease and plenty,

مَدى الدّهرِ ما هبّت نَسيم وَطيَّبت

بِطيبٍ كَطيبِ المِسكِ وَالعودِ والرّندِ

for all time, while breezes blow and scent the air

with a fragrance like musk, aloeswood, and bay,

وَما سَجَعَت وَرقاء صَدحاً وَغَرّدت

وَما كَوكبٌ يَزهو وَفي نورِهِ يَهدي

and while a gray dove coos aloud and sings,

and while a star shines proudly and guides by its light,

وَما لِبَشيرِ الخَيرِ قلتُ مُخاطِباً

منحتَ بَشيرَ الخَيرِ بِالخَيرِ والجدِّ

and while I address Bashir of good tidings, saying:

You have been blessed, Bashir of good tidings, with goodness and fortune.