هناء وإسعاد وعز مؤبد — Omar Onsi

هَناءٌ وَإِسعادٌ وعزٌّ مُؤَبَّد

وَيمنٌ وَإِقبالٌ وَفَوزٌ مخلَّدُ

Felicity, joy bestowed, and everlasting honor,

Good fortune, prosperity, and immortal triumph,

وَحمدٌ وَتَوفيق وَمَجد وَرفعة

وَبشر وَأفراح وَسَعد وَسُؤددُ

Praise, success, glory, and exalted rank,

Gladness, rejoicing, happiness, and eminence.

لِمَن هَذِهِ إِن قُلت قالَت لَكَ العُلى

مَقالة صدقٍ وَالمَآثر تَشهَدُ

If you ask, 'For whom are these?' Eminence answers you

With words of truth, and noble deeds bear witness:

لِمَن هُوَ في أَهل المَراتب واحِدٌ

لَهُ الفَخر في أَقرانِهِ وَالتَفرّدُ

For him who stands alone among men of rank,

Whose are pride and distinction among his peers.

لِمَن جمعت شَملَ المَكارم كَفُّهُ

عَلى أَن شملَ المال فيها مُبدَّدُ

For him whose hand has gathered the noble virtues together,

Though in it the wealth he holds is scattered.

لِمَن لَو دَعا المَجدُ المُروءةَ وَالنَدى

للبّاهُ مِنهُ طاهر الذَيل أَصيدُ

For him who, were Glory to summon chivalry and generosity,

Would answer its call, proud and with an unstained hem.

فَتىً يَصنَع المَعروف لا لاِكتِسابه

ثَناءً وَلَكن طَبعهُ البرُّ وَاليدُ

A young man who does good not to gain

Praise, but goodness and a giving hand are his nature.

خَبيرٌ بِأَحوال الأَنام مهذَّب

حَليم لَهُ نور الفراسة مُرشدُ

Well versed in people's circumstances, refined,

Forbearing, guided by the light of discernment.

تَدابير ذي لُبٍّ وَحكمة عارفٍ

تُؤسّس بُنيان العلى وَتُشيّدُ

The plans of a man of intellect and the wisdom of one who knows

Lay the foundations of eminence and build it high.

وَهمّةُ مِقدام وَسَطوةُ قسوَرٍ

هصورٍ إِذا ما قابل الأُسد ترعدُ

And the resolve of a bold champion, and the might of a lion,

Crushing in strength: when he confronts lions, they tremble.

هُوَ الجَوهَر الفَرد الَّذي قَد تَعدّدت

مَزاياه فَضلاً وَهوَ لا يَتَعدّدُ

He is the unique jewel whose

Merits are manifold in excellence, though he cannot be multiplied.

عَزيزُ مثال لا لقلّة مَن نَمَت

مَعارفهم بَل مِثلهُ لَيسَ يوجَدُ

Rare is his match—not for lack of men whose

Knowledge has grown, but because his like does not exist.

مهيبٌ مَتى ما تلقه تَلقَ فارِساً

يُقابل جَمعاً بَأسه وَهوَ مُفردُ

Awe-inspiring: whenever you meet him, you meet a knight

Whose might confronts a host while he stands alone.

تَقلّد سَيفَ الحلم حَزماً وَطالَما

تفيدُ النُهى ما لا يُفيدُ المُهَنَّدُ

He girded on the sword of forbearance with resolve, and often

Reason achieves what the Indian-forged blade cannot.

رَفيع مَقام دونَ غايَته السُها

فَما فَوقَهُ نَسرٌ وَنجم وَفَرقَدُ

Lofty in station: Suha lies below his summit,

And no Nasr, star, or Farqad stands above him.

كَسَت مَجدهُ أَخلاقه حُللَ الثَنا

عَلى أَنَّهُ مِن كُلِّ شَينٍ مُجَرّدُ

His character has clothed his glory in robes of praise,

Though he is stripped of every blemish.

شَمائل لَو أَلقَت سَناً مِن شُعاعها

عَلى عَبد رقٍّ لاِنثنى وَهوَ سَيّدُ

Such qualities that, if they cast a gleam of their radiance

Upon a slave in bondage, he would return a lord.

فَللّهِ مِنهُ ماجِدٌ لَيسَ هَمُّهُ

مِن الكسب إِلّا ما بِهِ الذكر يخلدُ

So, by God, what a noble man, whose concern

In gain is nothing but what makes remembrance everlasting.

أَغَرّ إِذا مَدَّ الظَلام رواقه

بِطَلعَتِهِ تُهدى السراة وَتُرشدُ

Radiant-browed: when darkness spreads its canopy,

By his countenance the night travelers are guided and shown the way.

مَناقبهُ آيات حَقٍّ عَلى المَلا

متى تُليت كادَت لَها الهام تسجدُ

His virtues are verses of truth before all,

When recited, heads almost fall in prostration before them.

وَأَخلاقُهُ في كُلِّ شَرقٍ وَمَغربٍ

حَديثٌ عَن المَجدِ المُؤثّلِ مُسنَدُ

And his character, in every east and west,

Is an attested account of deeply rooted glory.

حُسامٌ يُرجّى عَفوه وَهوَ مصلتٌ

وَتَخشى الأَعادي بَأسَهُ وَهوَ مغمدُ

A sword whose pardon is hoped for while drawn,

And whose might enemies fear while sheathed.

تَكاد إِذا ما عايَنتهُ دِماؤُها

تَسيلُ وَيَزدادُ الخُشوعُ فتجمدُ

When they behold him, their blood almost

Flows; then awe increases, and it freezes.

تَعوَّدَ زجر الخَيل مُذ كانَ يافِعاً

وَقامَ بِأَعباء العُلى وَهوَ أَمرَدُ

He grew used to urging horses on while still a youth,

And bore the burdens of eminence while still beardless.

حَليف تُقىً مِن عُصبَةٍ هاشِميّةٍ

عَلى مِثلِها أولى الخَناصر تُعقدُ

An ally of piety, of a Hashimite band

Such as merits the first little finger bent in counting.

قَساور مضّاؤون في كُلّ مَوطنٍ

إِذا أَتهم الشوسُ القَساور أَنجَدوا

Lions, resolute in every field;

When the fierce lions descend to Tihama, they ascend to Najd.

يَطولُ ثَنائي إِذ أعدّد فَضلَهم

وَيقصرُ عَن إحصائِهِ المُتَعمّدُ

My praise grows long as I recount their excellence,

Yet even one intent on counting falls short of numbering it.

فَيا أَيُّها المَولى الَّذي شاعَ ذِكرهُ

فَغَنّى بِهِ حادٍ وَأَطرَبَ مُنشدُ

O lord whose fame has spread,

Of whom the camel-driver sings, and the reciter delights his hearers,

مَكانك فَوقَ النيّرين تَرفّعاً

فَحَتّى مَتى تَعلو إِلى أَينَ تصعدُ

Your station is exalted above the two luminaries;

How long will you keep rising? How far will you ascend?

أَرى الدَولة العَلياء إِذ كُنت سَيفَها

بِوَجه العِدا إيّاك قامَت تجرّدُ

I see the exalted state, since you were its sword,

Rise to unsheathe you in the face of the foe.

حبتك بِنيشان المَعالي فَلَم يَزَل

عَلامة مجدٍ بِالصَداقةِ تَشهدُ

It bestowed on you the decoration of high honors, which remains

A mark of glory bearing witness to friendship.

وَما قَلَّدتك العزَّ فيهِ وَإِنَّما

لَهُ بِكَ عزّ الفَخر أَمسَت تُقلّدُ

It did not invest you with honor through it; rather,

Through you it invested the decoration with the honor of glory.

فَإِن يَك مرتاباً بِقوليَ جاهل

فَلا عَجَباً أَن لا يَرى الشَمسَ أَرمَدُ

If an ignorant man should doubt my words,

It is no wonder that one with inflamed eyes cannot see the sun.

وَلا بدع أن كدتَ الحَسود تَلطّفا

فَقَد يَغمر الماء السَعير فَتخمدُ

Nor is it strange that you have foiled the envious man with gentleness;

Water may engulf a blaze, and so it dies out.

فَقُل لِلعِدى يا بُهمُ موتوا بِغيظِكُم

فَلا عَيشكم صافٍ وَلا الدَهر مسعدُ

Tell the foes, 'You brutes, die in your rage!'

Neither is your life serene nor does time bring you joy.

أَبالجهلِ يَبغي الحاسِدون خَديعَةً

وَفي وَجهِهم ماءُ الريا يَتَرَدّدُ

Do the envious seek deception through ignorance,

While the water of hypocrisy ripples upon their faces?

تَنَزَّه شِعري عَن أَسافل كُلَّما

يَمُرُّ بِفكري ذِكرها أتَنَهّدُ

My verse keeps clear of base folk; whenever

Their mention crosses my mind, I sigh.

نَوالي لَها في مَوطن البرّ مُطلَق

وَقَلبي بِحَمل الضَيم عَنها مُقيَّدُ

My giving to them in the realm of kindness is unrestrained,

And my heart is bound by bearing their oppression.

فَلولا رعائي حرمة الجار بَينَهُم

لَغادرتهم وَالصُبح كَاللَيل أَسوَدُ

Were it not for my regard for the sanctity of neighborliness among them,

I would have left them with morning black as night,

بِكُلِّ جَوادٍ مُكتَسي المَجد تحته

جَوادٌ مِن النجب السَلاهب أَجرَدُ

With every generous man clothed in glory, beneath him

A sleek-coated steed of noble, long-limbed stock.

أَنا الرُمح وَالسَهم المُسدّد لِلعِدى

وَدرع المَعالي وَالحسام المُجرّدُ

I am the spear and the arrow aimed at the foe,

The shield of high honors and the unsheathed sword.

وَما أَنا إِلّا كل ما أَنا قائِلٌ

وَما قُلت إِلّا بَعض ما فيّ يعهدُ

I am nothing but all that I say I am,

And I have spoken only some of what is known of me.

وَبي نَفس حُرٍّ لا تراب بحطّةٍ

مِن الخسفِ إِلّا أَوشَكَت تَتَصعّدُ

Within me is a free man's soul, never troubled by a lowering

Into humiliation without being ready to soar.

عِصاميَّةٌ عزَّت فَلاقَت مِن الأَسا

مِنَ الدَهر ما لا يَمتريهِ التجلّدُ

Self-made and proud, it has met such sorrow

From time as endurance itself cannot doubt.

تحدّثني بِالخطب وَاللَيل مِثلُهُ

فَتوقظُ عَزمي وَالخليّون هُجَّدُ

It speaks to me of calamity while the night resembles it,

And wakes my resolve while the carefree sleep.

وَلَست بِمَن يَشكو الزَمان وَإِنَّما

أَفوهُ بِهِ مِن حَيث لا أَتَعَمَّدُ

I am not one to complain of time; rather,

I speak of it without intending to.

تَعرَّضت لِلتَعريض في أَمر معشر

وَلَست أُبالي أن يُراب المفنّدُ

I ventured into allusion concerning a certain company,

And I do not care if the faultfinder is unsettled.

فمن يَكُ ذا طَبع حرونٍ فَإنَّني

بِما قُلتهُ إِيّاه أَعني وأقصدُ

For whoever has a stubborn nature, I

Mean and intend him by what I have said.

وَمَن كانَ ذا قَلبٍ سليم فَإِنَّهُ

بَريءٌ وَشرّ الجاهِلين المُعربدُ

And whoever has a sound heart

Is innocent; the worst of the ignorant is the brawler.

أَلا أَيُّها النائي عَن العَين إنَّني

أَراك بِقَلبي حَيثما أتفقّدُ

O you who are far from sight, I

See you in my heart wherever I look.

لَئن كُنت عَنّي قَد بَعدت فَقَد حَوَت

سَجاياك فَضلاً وَصفه مِنكَ أَبعَدُ

Though you have grown distant from me, there dwells

In your character an excellence whose description is more distant than you.

وَما زِلت تَرقى رتبة بَعد رُتبَةٍ

إِلى أَن غَدَت شَمس الضُحى لَكَ تحسدُ

You have continued to rise, rank after rank,

Until the morning sun itself has come to envy you.

هَنيئاً ألا يا وارد المنهل الَّذي

لِظمأى الأَماني مِنهُ يعسر موردُ

Congratulations! O you who come to the watering place

Whose approach is hard for thirsty hopes.

أَراك طَروباً كُلَّما اِهتَزَّتِ القَنا

كَما أَطرَب النَشوى الرَحيقُ المُبرَّدُ

I see you thrilled whenever the lances quiver,

As chilled pure wine delights an intoxicated woman.

خَلَعنا عَلى الأَيّام مِن حُلل الثَنا

بُروداً وَقُمنا لِلتَهاني نجدِّدُ

We bestowed upon the days, from the robes of praise,

Striped mantles, and rose to renew our congratulations.

وَهيّمني قَول البَشير لَكَ الهَنا

كَما هيّم الصَبَّ الحمامُ المغرِّدُ

The herald's cry, 'Felicity be yours,' enraptured me,

As singing doves enrapture the lovesick man.

فأنشأتها بكراً عروباً فَأَعربَت

بِحَمد عَلَيهِ لي أَرى الناس تحمدُ

So I fashioned her a loving virgin, and she voiced

Praise for which I see people praising me.

وَقامَت بِشُكر اللَه في باب ماجدٍ

عَلَيهِ لِواءُ النَصر ما زال يعقدُ

She rose to give thanks to God at a noble man's door,

Above whom the banner of victory is ever tied.

فَهاكَ عَروساً كُلَّما جليت عَلى

عُيونك كادَت بِالعَرائس تزهدُ

Here, take a bride: whenever she is unveiled before

Your eyes, she almost makes you forsake other brides.

رَبيبة خدر قَد ربت في رُبى النهى

لَها الفَضل أَصلٌ وَالشَهامة محتدُ

A maiden of the curtained chamber, grown on the heights of reason,

With excellence for her root and gallantry for her lineage.

بنت فَأَجادَت كلّ بَيت جَواهراً

وَما كُلُّ ما يبنى مِن الشعر جيّدُ

She built, finely fashioning every house of verse from jewels,

And not everything built of poetry is good.

فَلو أَنّ بلقيساً رَأَت مِن بيوتها

لَقالَت مِن الياقوت صرح ممرَّدُ

Had Bilqis seen some of her houses,

She would have said, 'A smoothly wrought palace of rubies!'

وَلَو تليت يَوماً عَلى من أَجنّهُ

بِعادُكَ خِلنا ماردَ الهمّ يطردُ

And were she recited one day to someone maddened

By your absence, we would think the demon of sorrow driven out.

فَثِب دَرجات العزّ يا مَن سميّهُ

لَهُ نسبٌ فيهِ يتمُّ التَشهّدُ

So leap up the ranks of honor, O you whose namesake

Has a lineage in which the profession of faith is completed.

وَثق بِالَّذي تَرجو إِذا قُمت داعياً

تُخاطبه بالذكر إِيّاكَ نَعبُدُ

Trust in Him whom you hope in when you stand praying,

Addressing Him in remembrance: 'You alone we worship.'

فَإِنّ الَّذي أَعطى سُليمان سُؤلهُ

سَيُعطيك ما أَمّلتهُ يا محمّدُ

For He who granted Sulayman his request

Will grant you what you have hoped for, O Muhammad.

فَخض كُلّ لجٍّ وَاِلتقط دُرر الثَنا

وَعُد راشداً بِالفوز فالعود أحمَدُ

Plunge into every deep sea and gather the pearls of praise,

And return rightly guided with triumph: the return is more praiseworthy.