إِذا كانَ مَدحٌ فَالنَسيبُ المُقَدَّمُ

إِذا كانَ مَدحٌ فَالنَسيبُ المُقَدَّمُ

أَكُلُّ فَصيحٍ قالَ شِعراً مُتَيَّمُ

أَكُلُّ فَصيحٍ قالَ شِعراً مُتَيَّمُ

If there is praise, the love-prelude comes first.

If praise is the theme, the love-prelude comes first; / Yet is every eloquent man who recites verse truly enslaved by love?

Is every eloquent man who composes verse enslaved by love?

Love for Ibn Abd Allah is more fitting, for with him / The mention of beauty begins and with him it ends.

لَحُبُّ اِبنِ عَبدِ اللَهِ أَولى فَإِنَّهُ

لَحُبُّ اِبنِ عَبدِ اللَهِ أَولى فَإِنَّهُ

بِهِ يُبدَءُ الذِكرُ الجَميلُ وَيُختَمُ

بِهِ يُبدَءُ الذِكرُ الجَميلُ وَيُختَمُ

Love for Ibn Abd Allah is surely worthier: he is the one

I obeyed the fair maidens before my gaze aspired / To a vision beside whom they seem small, while he is vast.

With whom noble praise begins and ends.

Sayf al-Dawla has confronted the entirety of Time, / Striking at its very joints, unyielding in resolve.

أَطَعتُ الغَواني قَبلَ مَطمَحِ ناظِري

أَطَعتُ الغَواني قَبلَ مَطمَحِ ناظِري

إِلى مَنظَرٍ يَصغُرنَ عَنهُ وَيَعظُمُ

إِلى مَنظَرٍ يَصغُرنَ عَنهُ وَيَعظُمُ

I obeyed fair women before my gaze aspired

So his authority has passed even over the sun, / And upon the full moon, his brand is clearly seen.

To a sight beside which they shrink, while it grows great.

It is as if the enemies, in their own lands, are his deputies: / If he wills, they gather wealth; if he wills, they surrender it.

تَعَرَّضَ سَيفُ الدَولَةِ الدَهرَ كُلَّهُ

تَعَرَّضَ سَيفُ الدَولَةِ الدَهرَ كُلَّهُ

يُطَبِّقُ في أَوصالِهِ وَيُصَمِّمُ

يُطَبِّقُ في أَوصالِهِ وَيُصَمِّمُ

Sayf al-Dawla assailed Time in its entirety,

He holds no correspondence but the Mashrafiyah swords, / And no messengers but the vast, tumultuous army.

Severing its joints and cleaving its bones.

No one with a hand is ever left without his aid, / And no one with a mouth is ever left without his praise.

فَجازَ لَهُ حَتّى عَلى الشَمسِ حُكمُهُ

فَجازَ لَهُ حَتّى عَلى الشَمسِ حُكمُهُ

وَبانَ لَهُ حَتّى عَلى البَدرِ مَيسَمُ

وَبانَ لَهُ حَتّى عَلى البَدرِ مَيسَمُ

Thus his command held sway even over the sun,

No wood of a pulpit is empty of his names, / Nor is any dinar, nor any dirham found void of him.

And even on the full moon a brand of his appeared.

A striker of blows when the space between swords is narrow, / Sharp-sighted when the dust between heroes is dark.

كَأَنَّ العِدا في أَرضِهِم خُلَفاؤهُ

كَأَنَّ العِدا في أَرضِهِم خُلَفاؤهُ

فَإِن شاءَ حازوها وَإِن شاءَ سَلَّموا

فَإِن شاءَ حازوها وَإِن شاءَ سَلَّموا

As though his foes were his deputies in their own land:

His horses race the shooting stars every night— / Stars of his own, some roan-colored, some dark as night.

If he wishes, they keep it; if he wishes, they surrender.

They trample heroes whom they never carried, / And shatter lances that could not be straightened.

وَلا كُتبَ إِلّا المَشرَفِيَّةُ عِندَهُ

وَلا كُتبَ إِلّا المَشرَفِيَّةُ عِندَهُ

وَلا رُسُلٌ إِلّا الخَميسُ العَرَمرَمُ

وَلا رُسُلٌ إِلّا الخَميسُ العَرَمرَمُ

With him, there are no letters but Mashrafi swords,

With the wolves in the wilds, they are swift lances, / And with the whales in the water, they are swimmers.

And no envoys but the vast army.

With the gazelles in the valley, they lie in ambush, / And with the eagles on the peaks, they hover high.

فَلَم يَخلُ مِن نَصرٍ لَهُ مَن لَهُ يَدٌ

فَلَم يَخلُ مِن نَصرٍ لَهُ مَن لَهُ يَدٌ

وَلَم يَخلُ مِن شُكرٍ لَهُ مَن لَهُ فَمُ

وَلَم يَخلُ مِن شُكرٍ لَهُ مَن لَهُ فَمُ

So no one with a hand has failed to give him aid,

When men bring forth hollow spears for war, he / Smashes them with these steeds and upon their chests.

Nor has anyone with a mouth failed to thank him.

By his blaze he is known in war, peace, and wisdom, / In the giving of gifts, in praise, and in glory.

وَلَم يَخلُ مِن أَسمائِهِ عودُ مِنبَرٍ

وَلَم يَخلُ مِن أَسمائِهِ عودُ مِنبَرٍ

وَلَم يَخلُ دينارٌ وَلَم يَخلُ دِرهَمُ

وَلَم يَخلُ دينارٌ وَلَم يَخلُ دِرهَمُ

Nor has a pulpit's timber lacked his names,

Even he who loves him not admits his merit, / And he who reads no stars decrees his good fortune.

Nor has a dinar lacked them, nor a dirham.

He has tyrannized the Days, until I imagined / The ancient tribes of 'Ad and Jurhum demanding restitution.

ضُروبٌ وَما بَينَ الحُسامَينِ ضَيِّقٌ

ضُروبٌ وَما بَينَ الحُسامَينِ ضَيِّقٌ

بَصيرٌ وَما بَينَ الشُجاعَينِ مُظلِمُ

بَصيرٌ وَما بَينَ الشُجاعَينِ مُظلِمُ

A relentless striker, though the space between two swords is narrow;

Misguided is this wind—what does it desire? / And guided is this torrent—what goal does it seek?

Keen-sighted, though the space between two brave men is dark.

Did the downpour that sought to turn us back not ask / So the notched iron blades could tell it of you?

تُباري نُجومَ القَذفِ في كُلِّ لَيلَةٍ

تُباري نُجومَ القَذفِ في كُلِّ لَيلَةٍ

نُجومٌ لَهُ مِنهُنَّ وَردٌ وَأَدهَمُ

نُجومٌ لَهُ مِنهُنَّ وَردٌ وَأَدهَمُ

Racing the shooting stars on every night

And when the clouds met you with their rain, / One higher of heel and more noble met them in turn.

Are stars of his, among them bay and black.

It touched a face that lances have long caressed, / And dampened clothes that blood has long drenched.

يَطَأنَ مِنَ الأَبطالِ مَن لا حَمَلنَهُ

يَطَأنَ مِنَ الأَبطالِ مَن لا حَمَلنَهُ

وَمِن قِصَدِ المَرّانِ ما لا يُقَوَّمُ

وَمِن قِصَدِ المَرّانِ ما لا يُقَوَّمُ

They trample heroes—may they never carry such men—

It followed you—as some rains follow others— / From Syria, as a clever student follows the master.

And splinters of spear-shafts that cannot be straightened.

It visited the grave your horses visited with you, / Burdened by the longing that you yourself bore.

فَهُنَّ مَعَ السيدانِ في البَرِّ عُسَّلٌ

فَهُنَّ مَعَ السيدانِ في البَرِّ عُسَّلٌ

وَهُنَّ مَعَ النينانِ في الماءِ عُوَّمُ

وَهُنَّ مَعَ النينانِ في الماءِ عُوَّمُ

So with wolves on land they lope,

And when you reviewed the army, its splendor lay / Upon the horseman with the trailing turban-end.

And with fish in water they swim.

Around him surged a sea of armor-clad steeds, / Carried forward by a wild, stampeding charge.

وَهُنَّ مَعَ الغِزلانِ في الوادِ كُمَّنٌ

وَهُنَّ مَعَ الغِزلانِ في الوادِ كُمَّنٌ

وَهُنَّ مَعَ العِقبانِ في النيقِ حُوَّمُ

وَهُنَّ مَعَ العِقبانِ في النيقِ حُوَّمُ

And with gazelles in the valley they lie concealed,

Through him the regions were leveled, as if he / Were gathering scattered mountains and stringing them together.

And with eagles at the summit they wheel.

Every youth made for war bears upon his brow / A line of script from the sword, punctuated by spear-points.

إِذا جَلَبَ الناسُ الوَشيجَ فَإِنَّهُ

إِذا جَلَبَ الناسُ الوَشيجَ فَإِنَّهُ

بِهِنَّ وَفي لَبّاتِهِنَّ يُحَطَّمُ

بِهِنَّ وَفي لَبّاتِهِنَّ يُحَطَّمُ

When men bring forth their spears, the shafts are

A lion stretches his hands within the chainmail, / And from beneath the helmet, the eyes of a serpent watch.

Shattered by these steeds and in their chests.

Like their breeds are their banners and their slogans, / And what they wear, and the poisoned weaponry.

بِغُرَّتِهِ في الحَربِ وَالسِلمِ وَالحِجا

بِغُرَّتِهِ في الحَربِ وَالسِلمِ وَالحِجا

وَبَذلِ اللُها وَالحَمدِ وَالمَجدِ مُعلَمُ

وَبَذلِ اللُها وَالحَمدِ وَالمَجدِ مُعلَمُ

By his bright brow, in war, in peace, in wisdom,

Long fighting has schooled them, so his glance / Signals to them from afar, and they understand.

In giving gifts, in praise and glory, he is distinguished.

They answer him with deeds, knowing no spoken word, / And he commands them with a look, saying nothing.

يُقِرُّ لَهُ بِالفَضلِ مَن لا يَوَدُّهُ

يُقِرُّ لَهُ بِالفَضلِ مَن لا يَوَدُّهُ

وَيَقضي لَهُ بِالسَعدِ مَن لا يُنَجِّمُ

وَيَقضي لَهُ بِالسَعدِ مَن لا يُنَجِّمُ

Those who do not love him acknowledge his excellence,

They veer away from the right, as if they / Feel tenderness for Mayyafariqin and mercy.

And those who read no stars declare him fortunate.

Yet had they crowded it with their shoulders in the press, / It would have known which of its walls was weak and ruined.

أَجارَ عَلى الأَيّامِ حَتّى ظَنَنتُهُ

أَجارَ عَلى الأَيّامِ حَتّى ظَنَنتُهُ

تُطالِبُهُ بِالرَدِّ عادٌ وَجُرهُمُ

تُطالِبُهُ بِالرَدِّ عادٌ وَجُرهُمُ

He offered refuge against Time, until I imagined

Upon every lean steed is a lean rider, as if / He is given blood to drink or fed upon flesh.

Ad and Jurhum demanding their return from him.

In the tumult, they wear the guise of knights, / For every horse is armored and veiled in mail.

ضَلالاً لِهَذي الريحِ ماذا تُريدُهُ

ضَلالاً لِهَذي الريحِ ماذا تُريدُهُ

وَهَدياً لِهَذا السَيلِ ماذا يُؤَمِّمُ

وَهَدياً لِهَذا السَيلِ ماذا يُؤَمِّمُ

Perdition to this wind! What does it want?

This is not out of stinginess with lives against spears, / But the collision of iron against iron is more decisive.

And guidance to this torrent! What does it aim for?

Do the white blades of India think your origin is theirs, / And that you are of them? How poorly they imagine!

أَلَم يَسأَلِ الوَبلُ الَّذي رامَ ثَنيَنا

أَلَم يَسأَلِ الوَبلُ الَّذي رامَ ثَنيَنا

فَيُخبِرَهُ عَنكَ الحَديدُ المُثَلَّمُ

فَيُخبِرَهُ عَنكَ الحَديدُ المُثَلَّمُ

Did the downpour that sought to turn us back not ask,

If we named you 'Sword,' we would fancy our blades / Smiling within their scabbards out of pride.

So that notched steel might tell it of you?

We have never seen a king addressed by something less than himself / And be pleased—but they are ignorant, and you are forbearing.

وَلَمّا تَلَقّاكَ السَحابُ بِصَوبِهِ

وَلَمّا تَلَقّاكَ السَحابُ بِصَوبِهِ

تَلَقّاهُ أَعلى مِنهُ كَعباً وَأَكرَمُ

تَلَقّاهُ أَعلى مِنهُ كَعباً وَأَكرَمُ

And when the cloud met you with its downpour,

You have seized every mountain pass against the enemy; / From life you give to whom you wish, and withhold.

One higher in rank and more generous than itself met it.

There is no death but that which is feared from your spear, / And no sustenance but that which your right hand divides.

فَباشَرَ وَجهاً طالَما باشَرَ القَنا

فَباشَرَ وَجهاً طالَما باشَرَ القَنا

وَبَلَّ ثِياباً طالَما بَلَّها الدَمُ

وَبَلَّ ثِياباً طالَما بَلَّها الدَمُ

So it touched a face that had often met spears,

And soaked garments that blood had often soaked.

تَلاكَ وَبَعضُ الغَيثِ يَتبَعُ بَعضَهُ

تَلاكَ وَبَعضُ الغَيثِ يَتبَعُ بَعضَهُ

مِنَ الشَأمِ يَتلو الحاذِقَ المُتَعَلِّمُ

مِنَ الشَأمِ يَتلو الحاذِقَ المُتَعَلِّمُ

It followed you, as one rain follows another,

From al-Sham, as a learner follows a master.

فَزارَ الَّتي زارَت بِكَ الخَيلُ قَبرَها

فَزارَ الَّتي زارَت بِكَ الخَيلُ قَبرَها

وَجَشَّمَهُ الشَوقُ الَّذي تَتَجَشَّمُ

وَجَشَّمَهُ الشَوقُ الَّذي تَتَجَشَّمُ

So it visited her whose grave the horses had visited with you,

And longing made it endure the hardship you endure.

وَلَمّا عَرَضتَ الجَيشَ كانَ بَهاؤُهُ

وَلَمّا عَرَضتَ الجَيشَ كانَ بَهاؤُهُ

عَلى الفارِسِ المُرخى الذُؤابَةَ مِنهُمُ

عَلى الفارِسِ المُرخى الذُؤابَةَ مِنهُمُ

And when you reviewed the army, its splendor lay

Upon the horseman among them with his lock of hair let down.

حَوالَيهِ بَحرٌ لِلتَجافيفِ مائِجٌ

حَوالَيهِ بَحرٌ لِلتَجافيفِ مائِجٌ

يَسيرُ بِهِ طَردٌ مِنَ الخَيلِ أَيهَمُ

يَسيرُ بِهِ طَردٌ مِنَ الخَيلِ أَيهَمُ

Around him surged a sea of horse armor,

Carried onward by a headlong herd of horses.

تَساوَت بِهِ الأَقطارُ حَتّى كَأَنَّهُ

تَساوَت بِهِ الأَقطارُ حَتّى كَأَنَّهُ

يُجَمِّعُ أَشتاتَ الجِبالِ وَيَنظِمُ

يُجَمِّعُ أَشتاتَ الجِبالِ وَيَنظِمُ

With it, the regions became level, until it seemed to

Gather scattered mountains and string them together.

وَكُلُّ فَتىً لِلحَربِ فَوقَ جَبينِهِ

وَكُلُّ فَتىً لِلحَربِ فَوقَ جَبينِهِ

مِنَ الضَربِ سَطرٌ بِالأَسِنَّةِ مُعجَمُ

مِنَ الضَربِ سَطرٌ بِالأَسِنَّةِ مُعجَمُ

And every young warrior has above his brow

A line scored by blows and dotted by spearheads.

يَمُدُّ يَديهِ في المُفاضَةِ ضَيغَمٌ

يَمُدُّ يَديهِ في المُفاضَةِ ضَيغَمٌ

وَعَينَيهِ مِن تَحتِ التَريكَةِ أَرقَمُ

وَعَينَيهِ مِن تَحتِ التَريكَةِ أَرقَمُ

Within the ample mail, a lion stretches out his hands,

And from beneath the helmet, a speckled serpent extends its gaze.

كَأَجناسِها راياتُها وَشِعارُها

كَأَجناسِها راياتُها وَشِعارُها

وَما لَبِسَتهُ وَالسِلاحُ المُسَمَّمُ

وَما لَبِسَتهُ وَالسِلاحُ المُسَمَّمُ

As varied as its peoples are its banners and battle-cry,

The clothes it wears, and its poisoned weapons.

وَأَدَّبَها طولُ القِتالِ فَطَرفُهُ

وَأَدَّبَها طولُ القِتالِ فَطَرفُهُ

يُشيرُ إِلَيها مِن بَعيدٍ فَتَفهَمُ

يُشيرُ إِلَيها مِن بَعيدٍ فَتَفهَمُ

Long fighting has schooled it; his glance

Signals to it from afar, and it understands.

تُجاوِبُهُ فِعلاً وَما تَعرِفُ الوَحى

تُجاوِبُهُ فِعلاً وَما تَعرِفُ الوَحى

وَيُسمِعُها لَحظاً وَما يَتَكَلَّمُ

وَيُسمِعُها لَحظاً وَما يَتَكَلَّمُ

It answers him with deeds, though it knows no speech,

And he makes it hear by a glance, though he does not speak.

تَجانَفُ عَن ذاتِ اليَمينِ كَأَنَّها

تَجانَفُ عَن ذاتِ اليَمينِ كَأَنَّها

تَرِقُّ لِمِيّافارِقينَ وَتَرحَمُ

تَرِقُّ لِمِيّافارِقينَ وَتَرحَمُ

It veers away from the right-hand side, as though it

Feels tenderness for Mayyafariqin and shows mercy.

وَلَو زَحَمَتها بِالمَناكِبِ زَحمَةً

وَلَو زَحَمَتها بِالمَناكِبِ زَحمَةً

دَرَت أَيُّ سورَيها الضَعيفُ المُهَدَّمُ

دَرَت أَيُّ سورَيها الضَعيفُ المُهَدَّمُ

Yet had it jostled her once with its shoulders,

She would have known which of her two walls was weak and shattered.

عَلى كُلِّ طاوٍ تَحتَ طاوٍ كَأَنَّهُ

عَلى كُلِّ طاوٍ تَحتَ طاوٍ كَأَنَّهُ

مِنَ الدَمِ يُسقى أَو مِنَ اللَحمِ يُطعَمُ

مِنَ الدَمِ يُسقى أَو مِنَ اللَحمِ يُطعَمُ

On every lean steed beneath a lean rider, as though it

Were given blood to drink, or flesh to eat.

لَها في الوَغى زِيُّ الفَوارِسِ فَوقَها

لَها في الوَغى زِيُّ الفَوارِسِ فَوقَها

فَكُلُّ حِصانٍ دارِعٌ مُتَلَثِّمُ

فَكُلُّ حِصانٍ دارِعٌ مُتَلَثِّمُ

In battle the steeds wear the garb of the horsemen above them,

So every stallion is mail-clad and face-veiled.

وَما ذاكَ بُخلاً بِالنُفوسِ عَلى القَنا

وَما ذاكَ بُخلاً بِالنُفوسِ عَلى القَنا

وَلَكِنَّ صَدمَ الشَرِّ لِلشَرِّ أَحزَمُ

وَلَكِنَّ صَدمَ الشَرِّ لِلشَرِّ أَحزَمُ

Nor is this a grudging of lives to the spears,

But pitting harm against harm is more prudent.

أَتَحسِبُ بيضُ الهِندِ أَصلَكَ أَصلَها

أَتَحسِبُ بيضُ الهِندِ أَصلَكَ أَصلَها

وَأَنَّكَ مِنها ساءَ ما تَتَوَهَّمُ

وَأَنَّكَ مِنها ساءَ ما تَتَوَهَّمُ

Do India's bright swords think your origin is theirs,

And that you are one of them? A wretched fancy!

إِذا نَحنُ سَمَّيناكَ خِلنا سُيوفَنا

إِذا نَحنُ سَمَّيناكَ خِلنا سُيوفَنا

مِنَ التيهِ في أَغمادِها تَتَبَسَّمُ

مِنَ التيهِ في أَغمادِها تَتَبَسَّمُ

When we name you, we imagine our swords

Smiling with pride within their scabbards.

وَلَم نَرَ مَلكاً قَطُّ يُدعى بِدونِهِ

وَلَم نَرَ مَلكاً قَطُّ يُدعى بِدونِهِ

فَيَرضى وَلَكِن يَجهَلونَ وَتَحلُمُ

فَيَرضى وَلَكِن يَجهَلونَ وَتَحلُمُ

Nor have we ever seen a king called by a lesser title

And pleased with it; but they are ignorant, and you are forbearing.

أَخَذتَ عَلى الأَعداءِ كُلَّ ثَنِيَّةٍ

أَخَذتَ عَلى الأَعداءِ كُلَّ ثَنِيَّةٍ

مِنَ العَيشِ تُعطي مَن تَشاءُ وَتَحرِمُ

مِنَ العَيشِ تُعطي مَن تَشاءُ وَتَحرِمُ

You have seized every pass against your enemies

Of life: you give to whom you wish and withhold.

فَلا مَوتَ إِلّا مِن سِنانِكَ يُتَّقى

فَلا مَوتَ إِلّا مِن سِنانِكَ يُتَّقى

وَلا رِزقَ إِلّا مِن يَمينِكَ يُقسَمُ

وَلا رِزقَ إِلّا مِن يَمينِكَ يُقسَمُ

So no death is feared except that from your spearpoint,

And no sustenance is apportioned except from your right hand.