Sol 6.1

  1. وافاك نيشان عزٍّ أَنتَ جَوهَرهُ

    يا مَن يُصان عَن الأَعراض جَوهَرهُ

    An insignia of honor has come to you; you are its jewel.

    O you whose essence is guarded from accidental attributes!

  2. أَعلت بِهِ الدَولة العَلياءُ مَجدك يا

    مَن مَجدُهُ فَوق هام النجم مَفخرهُ

    The exalted state has thereby raised your glory, O

    you whose glory's pride rises above the stars' crowns.

  3. وَأَسعَدت بِكَ دَهراً أَنتَ زينتهُ

    حَتّى تَباهَت بِبَدر مِنكَ أَعصرهُ

    And through you it has gladdened an age whose adornment you are,

    until its eras gloried in you as their full moon.

  4. وَقارن السَعد تَوفيق العِناية مِن

    مَولاك وَالحَظّ قَد والاك أَوفَرهُ

    And good fortune joined the guiding grace of providence from

    your Lord, and fortune's fullest share has befriended you.

  5. حَتّى تَهلّل وَجه الدَهر وَاِبتَسَمَت

    أَيّامُهُ وَزَهَت بِالعزِّ أَشهرهُ

    Until time's face beamed, and smiling were

    its days, while its months shone with honor.

  6. في لَيلة يرفعُ المَولى الكَريم بِها

    مَن شاءَ وَالبَعض إِرغاماً يُحقّرهُ

    On a night when the generous Lord raises

    whomever He wills, and humbles others in abasement.

  7. في لَيلة مَن بِها المَولى يَقدّمه

    عَلى سِواه فَلا شَيءٌ يُؤَخّرهُ

    On a night when whomever the Lord advances

    above others, nothing can hold him back.

  8. في لَيلة قَدرها السامي يعادلها

    بِلَيلة القَدر لا بَل نَحنُ نُؤثرهُ

    On a night whose lofty worth makes it the equal

    of the Night of Decree—no, rather we prefer its worth.

  9. هَلّا وَقَد هَلّ لِلّه الحَجيج عَلى الس

    سفح البَهيج مُنيباً إِذ يَكبّرهُ

    Why not, when pilgrims have hailed God upon the

    joyous slope, turning to Him as they proclaim His greatness?

  10. أَلَيسَفَضلاً بِها يَقضي المُهيمن ما

    بِخاطر العَبد حسن الظَنّ يَخطرهُ

    Is it not by grace that on it the All-Watchful grants what

    good hope brings to the servant's mind?

  11. أَلَيسَ تَنزل أَملاك السَماء بِها

    تُسبّح اللَه شُكراً حينَ تَذكرهُ

    Do not the angels of heaven descend on it,

    praising God in gratitude when they remember Him?

  12. أَلَيسَ يَرقى بِها الروح الأَمين وَقَد

    زَها بِهِ مِن دُجا الأَفراح مقمرهُ

    Does not the Trustworthy Spirit ascend on it, while

    the moonlit part of joyous darkness glows through him?

  13. كَم بَشّرتنا لَهُ البُشرى بِعيد منىً

    يَفوق عيدَ مِنىً بِالبشر مَظهَرهُ

    How often glad tidings have heralded to us, for him, a feast of wishes,

    whose joyful appearance surpasses the feast at Mina!

  14. هَذا لعمركَ ما الدُنيا تزان بِهِ

    وَهَل سِوى مَن أَضَلّ اللَه يُنكرهُ

    This, by your life, is what adorns the world;

    and who denies it but one whom God has led astray?

  15. هَذا هُوَ الفَوز يا شَمس الكَمال أَما

    وَاللَه إِنَّ نَوال الفَوز أَيسَرهُ

    This is triumph, O sun of perfection! Indeed,

    by God, attaining triumph is its easiest part!

  16. وَإِنّ عِقد سُرور أَنتَ ناظمه

    لا شَيءَ إِلّا يَد الرَحمَن ينثرهُ

    And a necklace of joy that you string—

    nothing but the Merciful's hand can scatter it.

  17. فَاِبشر بِنَيل الأَماني دُمت بَدر على

    يا كَوكَباً ضاءَ بِالآفاق نيَّرهُ

    So rejoice in gaining your wishes; remain a full moon on high,

    O star whose light shone across the horizons!

  18. يا ذا المَناقب يا سامي المَناصب يا

    باهي المَراتب إِذ يَسمو تَوقّرهُ

    O man of virtues, O lofty in office, O

    splendid in rank, whose dignity rises high!

  19. ليرق مِثلك مَن يَعتَزّ في شَرف

    إِن غابَ مِنكَ بِغاب العزّ قسورهُ

    Let one like you rise, taking pride in honor,

    if the lion in you has hidden in glory's forest.

  20. لَيسَ الَّذي توّج الأعلاء هامته

    كَمَن تَختّم بِالعَلياء خنصرهُ

    He whose head the heights have crowned is not

    like one whose little finger wears eminence as a ring.

  21. كلّا وَلا مَن بِهِ تاج الفَخار زَها

    كَمَن بِذَيل العُلى أَزرى تَعثّرهُ

    No, nor is he through whom pride's crown has flourished

    like one whose stumbling has debased the hem of greatness.

  22. مَن لِلمَعالي بِأَن تَزهو مَعالمها

    لُطفاً بِرَوض بَهاءٍ أَنتَ أَنضَرهُ

    Who will make the landmarks of excellence flourish,

    in kindness to a garden of splendor whose freshest bloom you are?

  23. فَيا أَمير بَني العَلياءِ دُم بصفا

    عَيش مَدى الدَهر لا يَبدو تَكدُّرهُ

    O prince of the sons of eminence, remain in the serenity

    of a life that, throughout time, shows no clouding.

  24. وَيا لَيالي الهَنا عودي لَنا فَعَسى

    إِلَيكِ ما أَخفت الأَسرار تظهرهُ

    O nights of happiness, return to us; perhaps

    what secrets have concealed will be revealed to you.

  25. وَعم صَباحاً أَيا ربع الأَمين فَقَد

    تَهلّل البشر إِذ وافى مبشّرهُ

    And good morning, O dwelling of al-Amin; for

    joy beamed when its herald arrived.

  26. وَيا سَميريَ كَرّر لي مَدائحه

    فَالشَهد ألطف ما يَحلو مكرَّرهُ

    O companion of my evenings, repeat his praises to me,

    for honey is the finest thing whose repeated taste is sweet.

  27. وَيا أَراك الحمى ما لي أَراك إِذا

    هيّمتَ بلبل بلبالي تذكّرهُ

    O arak trees of the sanctuary, why do I see you, when

    you enrapture the nightingale of my unrest, reminding it of him?

  28. لا تَخش دَهراً مَتى جئت الأَمين فَقَد

    بَلَغت أَمنك مِمّا أَنتَ تَحذرهُ

    Fear no age of ill fortune: whenever you come to al-Amin, you have

    found safety from whatever you fear.

  29. وَيا نَسيم التَهاني هَل مَرَرت عَلى

    رَوض المَعالي وَهَل حَيّاك مزهرهُ

    O breeze of congratulations, have you passed over

    the garden of excellence, and did its blossoms greet you?

  30. وَهَل جررت بِهِ ذَيل الصَفاء عَلى

    بِساط سُندسه المَنسوج أَخضرهُ

    And did you trail there the hem of serenity over

    the green carpet of its woven silk?

  31. وَهَل هَصرت بِهِ غُصن المُنى فَغَدا

    داني الجنى سكّريّ العَصف مثمرهُ

    And did you bend there the branch of wishes, so that

    its fruit-bearing bough hung within reach, its leaves sweet as sugar?

  32. وَهَل تَبَسّم ثَغر الزَهر حينَ بَكى

    دَمع الحَيا عَبقريَّ النَشر عَبهرهُ

    And did the flowers' mouth smile as there wept

    the tears of rain—its narcissus wondrous in fragrance?

  33. وَهَل سَماء العُلى صينت بِشهب هناً

    إِذا تَمَرَّد ضدٌّ فَهيَ تَدحرَهُ

    And was the sky of eminence guarded by meteors of bliss,

    so that, when a foe rebels, it drives him away?

  34. وَهَل بَدا صُبح أَفراح المَلا فَزَها

    حَتّى تَبلَّج بِالأَنوار مسفرهُ

    And did the dawn of the assembly's joys appear and shine,

    until its bright face gleamed with lights?

  35. كَأَنَّما الفَجر جَيش الرُوم جرَّ عَلى

    زنج الدجى فَاِلتَجا لِلغَرب عَسكَرهُ

    As though dawn were an army of the Romans advancing against

    the Zanj of darkness, whose host fled to the west.

  36. كَأَنَّما رَكِبا مَتني مسوّمة

    لَم يَعدُ أَدهم ذا مِن ذاكَ أَشقَرهُ

    As though the two rode the backs of marked steeds,

    that one's chestnut not outstripping this one's black.

  37. أَرى حَمامَ الحِمى غَنَّت سَواجعه

    فَأَعرَبَت لَحن دَهر كادَ يضمرهُ

    I see the sanctuary's doves: their cooers sang,

    voicing a melody an age had almost kept concealed.

  38. كَأَنَّما الوُرق في الأَوراق صادِحَة

    تَتلو عَزائم أَسحار فَتسحرهُ

    As though the gray doves, singing among the leaves,

    recited spells of dawn and so enchanted it.

  39. ورقٌ إِذا صَدحت هام الدُجا صَدعت

    فَاِنشَقَّ عَن فَجرِهِ الكافور عَنبرهُ

    Gray doves that, when they sing, split the crowns of darkness,

    so its ambergris split apart to reveal its camphor dawn.

  40. فَهَل لِواء التَهاني ظَلَّ رافعه

    يَطوي بِهِ الهَمَّ عَنّا حينَ يَنشُرهُ

    Has the raiser of congratulations' banner kept

    folding sorrow away from us whenever he unfurls it?

  41. مَولىً تَولّى أُمور الناس وَهوَ عَلى

    نَهج السَداد بِما يَقضي تَبصّرهُ

    A lord who has taken charge of people's affairs, and is upon

    the path of rectitude in what his discernment decrees.

  42. يَقظان يَرعى الرَعايا مِنهُ طَرف تُقى

    يُراقب اللَه في أَمرٍ يُدبِّرهُ

    Wakeful, a pious eye in him watches over his subjects,

    mindful of God in every matter he administers.

  43. مَن يُخبر الصادق القَول الأَمين عَلى ال

    مَلا وَمَن لي بِأَنَّ الدَهر يُخبرهُ

    Who will tell the truthful speaker, al-Amin, before the

    assembly—and who can ensure for me that time tells him—

  44. بِأَنّ مَولى مُلوك الأَرض قاطِبَةً

    لَدَيهِ أَمسى لِسان الصدق يشُكرهُ

    that the lord of every king on earth

    has the tongue of truth before him, thanking him?

  45. أَلَيسَ داعي الهَنا يَدعو الأَنام إِلى

    بَسط الأَكُفّ بِأَنّ اللَه يَنصُرهُ

    Does not happiness's caller summon mankind to

    spread their palms in prayer that God may aid him?

  46. إِذ يمنح القَوس باريها وَلا عَجَب

    إِذا تَقَلّد قَوس الحَزم موترهُ

    For he gives the bow to its maker; and no wonder

    if the one who strings resolve's bow wears it.

  47. نيشانه العزّ وَالتَقوى بِضاعتهُ

    وَصَرفه العَدل حَيث الفَضل مَتجرهُ

    His insignia is honor, and piety his merchandise;

    his currency is justice, and virtue his marketplace.

  48. كَأَنَّما الخَير مَقرون بِطَلعتهِ

    لا نَنظُر البشر إِلّا حينَ نَنظرهُ

    As though goodness were bound to his appearance:

    we see joy only when we see him.

  49. يستكبر الضدّ إِخباراً مَناقبه

    وَطالَما اِستَصغر الأَخبار مُخبرهُ

    The foe deems his virtues too great in the telling,

    though his informant has often minimized the reports.

  50. بِالشُكر ضَمَّخ طَيبُ الذكر سُدَّته

    مِن حين ضَمَّ خَطيب المَجد منبرهُ

    With gratitude, the fragrance of remembrance perfumed his threshold

    from the moment glory's preacher embraced his pulpit.

  51. ماضي العَزيمة لا ماض يُضارعه

    جَزماً عَلى أَنّ وردَ الحَزم مَصدَرهُ

    Keen in resolve, no sharp blade can rival him,

    certain that resolve's watering place is his own source.

  52. تَدرَّع البأس فَاِعتَزَّت سَوابغه

    عَن أَن تنالَ لِأَنّ الحلم مغفرهُ

    He donned valor as armor, and its coats grew too strong

    to be reached, for forbearance is his helmet.

  53. سَل أَسمَر الخَطِّ كَم قَد خَطَّ طرس وَغىً

    عَن أَبيَض الحَظّ يُنبينا مسطّرهُ

    Ask the dusky spear of al-Khatt how often it has inscribed war's scroll:

    its writing tells us of one bright in fortune.

  54. كَأَنَّما البَرق في الظَلماء حينَ بَدا

    سَيف بِأَوجه مِن عاداه يشهرهُ

    As though lightning, when it appeared in darkness,

    were a sword he brandishes in the faces of his foes.

  55. كَأَنَّما المشرفيُّ العَضب في يَده

    كَأس يُخامر روح القرن مسكرهُ

    As though the keen Mashrafi sword in his hand

    were a cup whose intoxicant suffuses his opponent's soul.

  56. يا وَيح شانئهِ المَغرور لَو نَظَرت

    عَيناهُ كَيفَ يُريه الحَتف أَبتَرهُ

    Alas for his deluded hater, if only

    his eyes saw how his short sword shows him death!

  57. غَداة تَحتَ عَجاج النقع يَشهده

    بَدراً تمثَّل بِالديجور عتيرهُ

    On the morning when, beneath swirling battle dust, he sees him

    as a full moon, his sacrificial victim appearing in deep darkness.

  58. غَداة يَبدو صَهيل الصافِنات لَهُ

    كَأَنَّهُ قاصِفات الرَعد تذعرهُ

    On the morning when the neighing of noble steeds seems to him

    like thunderclaps that terrify him.

  59. يروي الحُسام عَن النُعمان في يَدِهِ

    وَإِن يُعانده ضدٌّ فَهوَ مُنذرهُ

    In his hand the sword recounts tales of al-Nu'man,

    and if a foe defies him, it is his warner.

  60. كَما رَوى الجود عَن ماء السَماء لَنا

    وَغَيره عَن إِياس راحَ يُؤثرهُ

    Just as generosity narrated to us from Ma' al-Sama',

    while another went on transmitting it from Iyas.

  61. غَيث السَخاء لَو اِنّ الغَيث شابهه

    يَوماً لَأَغرَق مَن في الأَرض مُمطرهُ

    A rain of generosity—if rain resembled him

    one day, its rain-giver would drown everyone on earth.

  62. كَأَنَّما هابَ جَدواه النضار وَلا

    رَيب فَقَد فَرَّ مَن كَفّيهِ أَصفَرهُ

    As though gold feared his bounty; and without

    doubt, its yellow metal fled from his hands.

  63. باهي الشَمائل مَأثور الفَضائل مو

    رود المَناهل للصادين كَوثَرهُ

    Splendid in character, renowned for virtues, with frequented

    watering places—his Kawthar is for the thirsty.

  64. كَم راحَ طائر مَدح في مَناقبهِ

    مُحَلِّقاً دون عَلياه مقصّرُهُ

    How often a bird of praise has flown among his virtues,

    soaring, yet falling short beneath his loftiness!

  65. وَكَم بَنينا لإِعراب الثَناء لَهُ

    بَيتاً سِوى جوده لا شَيءَ يعمرهُ

    And how often, to express praise for him, we have built

    a house of verse that nothing but his generosity inhabits!

  66. لا زالَ بُرد التَهاني في مَآثره

    مُحَبَّراً زانَهُ نَسجاً محرّرهُ

    May the robe of congratulations upon his glorious deeds remain

    richly patterned, its author adorning its weave.

  67. وَلا اِنبَرى الدَهر عَبداً تَحتَ طاعَتِهِ

    في كُلّ ما هُوَ يَنهاه وَيَأمرهُ

    And may time never rise up, a slave beneath his command,

    in all that he forbids it and commands it.

  68. ما فاحَ شَمأَل رَوض مِن شَمائلهِ

    يَروق لِلعَين مَعناهُ وَمَنظَرهُ

    As long as a garden's north wind wafts fragrance from his qualities,

    its meaning and appearance delighting the eye;

  69. أَوما بِخَير الهَنا نيشان عزّته

    وافى فَلَمّا أَنار المَجد نَيّرهُ

    or whenever his insignia of glory, bearing the best of bliss,

    arrives, and when its radiance lights up glory,

  70. قالَت لَهُ الرُتبة العليا مُؤرّخةً

    وافاكَ نيشان عزٍّ أَنتَ جَوهَرهُ

    the highest rank says to him, recording the date:

    An insignia of honor has come to you; you are its jewel.