يا معتلي من فوق صهوة عبيان — Shibli Al Atrash

يا مُعتلي مِن فُوق صَهوة عبيان

أَدهم رُجوع الرأس سرجو يماني

O rider mounted on Abayyan's back,

A jet-black horse, his head drawn back, his saddle Yemeni,

مضمر سَريع الجري بالكون لَو شان

مخبا لحزات اللقا من زَماني

Lean and swift of stride in battle whenever he wishes,

Long kept in reserve for the moments of battle.

خُذ لي كِتابي لعمدة جَبل حُوران

مَناصب عربي وَعرمان كُل العَياني

Take my letter for me to the chief of Mount Hauran,

To the dignitaries of Arabi and Arman, all the notables.

ميل عَلى دار شبلي بك بديوان

حي وعزي أَهلها عَن لِساني

Turn toward Shibli Bey's house, to the reception hall,

Greet and console its people on my behalf.

قُلهم لَو مات شبلي ركن الدار عمران

حُبي جَناب البيك يَحبى المكاني

Tell them: though Shibli has died, Imran is the house's pillar.

My love for the Bey's person brings honor to the place.

مَنصب يضاهي إِمارة بَني نَبهان

سلم عدد ما غَرد الكيرواني

A rank rivaling the emirate of Banu Nabhan.

Offer greetings as often as the curlew sings.

حيي مَناصب رِجال الهوش فُرسان

بيض العَمايم وَالعلم أَصبهاني

Salute the dignitaries, men of battle, horsemen,

White-turbaned, with an Isfahani banner.

شلفاتهم حيروا الدكتور لقمان

تَخشى الأُسود لَو جَردوا الهندوان

Their spears bewildered Luqman the physician.

Lions grow fearful if they draw their Indian swords.

طعناتهم دُوم تلسع ثُعبان

بِالدرع يعبر كعبها وَالسناني

Their thrusts always sting like a serpent,

Their butt-ends and spearpoints pass through armor.

غزوا عنزي وَشمر وابن شعلان

وصلوا لفعال عنتر وَهاني

They raided Anazi, Shammar, and Ibn Shaalan,

They attained the exploits of Antar and Hani.

كان قيدومهم راعي الشويمان

شبلي أَبو محمود رُكن اليماني

Their leader was the rider of Shuwayman,

Shibli, Abu Mahmoud, pillar of the Yamani.

مِن قبل ما ضمت الخرسا ملتومان

من عام بان لي الفعل ما خَفاني

Before the mute earth embraced him, shrouded,

A year ago the deed became clear to me; it did not escape me.

شفت الشبل منقطع بالغاب عيان

جاحت عليه الأُسود أَول وثاني

I saw the lion cub, stranded and ailing in the forest.

Lions swept down upon him, first one, then another.

شفت كوكب هبط وَالفجر بالقان

ادعا جبال الشامخا سمهداني

I saw a star fall while dawn was bright,

Leaving the lofty mountains stunned.

ركن السويده انهدم وبراج عمران

بيت الكبير وَصهره القهرماني

Suwayda's pillar collapsed, and the towers of Imran,

The house of the great man and his heroic son-in-law.

أَضحى عرين الأسد بالشرق خرمان

تشتتوا الأَشبال بالصحصحاني

The lion's den in the East became ruined,

The lion cubs scattered across the open plains.

يا حيف سبع البَوادي غط ما بان

حامي الحِمى ساطي عَلى كُل عاني

Alas! The lion of the deserts vanished and was seen no more,

Protector of the domain, prevailing over every challenger.

سنجق بني مَعروف عامود حوران

كانت قُلوب الضد منو مَلاني

Standard of Banu Maruf, pillar of Hauran,

His enemies' hearts were filled with fear of him.

بِالشَرق ما ربت متلو بنات بدوان

وَلا بَنات الكرج وَلا التركماني

In the East, Bedouin women never raised his equal,

Nor Georgian women, nor Turkmen women.

منصب وَمنهل يَروي كُل عَطشان

في مَقر الطرشان ناصب وَباني

A dignitary, a spring quenching every thirsty soul,

Established and building at the seat of the Atrash clan.

يا دار ياما لفاكي وزر وَأَعيان

وَياما التجا ليكي موكب مهاني

O house, how often ministers and notables came to you!

And how often a humbled retinue sought refuge with you!

يا دار كُنتي لَجا السركس وَسكمان

يلطي بظلك كل مجرم وَجاتي

O house, you were a refuge for the Circassians and Sekman,

Every criminal and offender sheltered in your shade.

تلقي خطاطير الضحى وَالدار عمران

قوم تهني وَقَوم تَطلب أَعاني

You receive the midmorning visitors, and the house is thriving,

Some offer congratulations, others seek help.

صُور صلخد وَقَلعة الذردخان

ارتج ركن الدار هَل كان عُمراني

The wall of Salkhad and the fortress of al-Dhardakhan—

The house's pillar shook—was it once flourishing?

تَبكيك زَينب يا حسن وَلد سرحان

نَديمة السادات ام المَعاني

Zaynab weeps for you, O Hasan, son of Sarhan,

Companion of the lords, mother of meanings.

يا باني القاعة عَلى عشر عمدان

فاقَت عَلى قَلعة علي وَالترشحاني

O builder of the hall upon ten pillars,

It surpassed the fortress of Ali and al-Tarshahani.

مفرشها نسج حياك من خراسان

سجادها غالي الثَمَن أَصبهاني

Its covering was woven by a weaver from Khurasan,

Its costly carpets were Isfahani.

وَستورها منظمة أَشكال وَأَلوان

من أَفخر الديباج وَالأَرجواني

And its curtains were arranged in patterns and colors,

Of the finest brocade and purple cloth.

لوزرتها ظَنيتها دار سُلطان

دِيوان كِسرى صاحب الصولجان

Had you visited it, you would have thought it a sultan's house,

The court of Kisra, wielder of the scepter.

مهباجها ما يبطل دُوم رنان

يَطحن بِيوم وَلَيل أَربَع ثَماني

Its coffee mortar never stops, forever ringing,

It grinds by day and night—four, eight [quantity unclear].

البن وَالهيل ضمن الدار ما ينزان

عَنبر وَجوز الطيب ملوا الجراني

Coffee and cardamom in the house are not weighed out,

Ambergris and nutmeg filled the mortars.

نجمة الصُبح تسكب مية فُنجان

سَكب العجم أَرباب أَهل الأَمان

The morning star pours a hundred cups,

As the Persians pour, masters among the trustworthy.

ضَيفها مَكروم مِن لَحم خرفان

وَمن الرز النَقي وَالزعفراني

Its guest is honored with lamb meat,

And with pure rice and saffron.

خدام تَسقي شَراب أَشكال وَأَلوان

في قاعها ياما تكسر قناني

Servants serve drinks of many kinds and colors,

On its floor, how many bottles were broken!

صَهوة دروز مرجه جَنة بُستان

جَنه عَدَن وَجَنة البرهجاني

Sahwat Druz—its meadow a paradise, a garden,

The Garden of Eden and the garden of al-Barhajani.

أَشجارها عنب وَتين وَرُمان

وَالخُوخ وَالتُفاح وَالبردقاني

Its trees are grapevines, figs, and pomegranates,

And peaches, apples, and oranges.

خزام عتر وورد وَزنبق وَيهمان

زَهر القرنفل مَع عتر شاني

Lavender, scented geranium, roses, lilies, and yihman,

Carnation blossoms with Shani geranium.

وَطَير النيا غَنى أَشكال وَلوان

طير الكَريم وَالدر والكيرواني

And the world's birds sang in many kinds and colors,

Noble birds, parakeets, and curlews,

ديك الحبش بَط أَرنَب وَغُزلان

وَالوز وَالطاووس وَالفرقداني

Turkeys, ducks, rabbits, and gazelles,

And geese, peacocks, and farqadani.

في وَجه شبلي يموجوا في كُل أَمان

حامي الحِمى بِسَيف الرَهيف اليَماني

Under Shibli's protection they roamed in complete safety,

Protector of the domain with a slender Yemeni sword.

وَاليَوم أَضحى غراب البين غنمان

بنالو فَوق نجم الثريا مَكاني

And today the raven of parting has become triumphant,

They built him a place above the star of the Pleiades.

وَاليَوم كوطر نحو جَنة رضوان

دار البَقا فَردوس أَهل الأَماني

And today he departed toward the garden of Ridwan,

The everlasting abode, paradise for those who hope.

يا بيك دق النظر في الشرح وَمعان

قَبل سقاك البَين كاسك سَقاني

O Bey, look closely at the account and its meanings.

Before parting made you drink your cup, it made me drink it.

وَبعدك يا بيك أَهل الدار يتمان

صُروف الليالي لا يَزهو بِها مَكاني

And after you, O Bey, the household are orphans.

No dwelling flourishes amid the nights' vicissitudes.

أَحذرك من الدَهر فَالدَهر خوان

ياما دور هادمها وَباني

I warn you against time, for time is treacherous.

How many houses it has demolished and built!

دُنياك ما دامَت لكسرا وَكنعان

خانَت بذي القرنين فَرد زَماني

Your world did not endure for Kisra and Kanaan.

It betrayed Dhu al-Qarnayn, peerless in his age.

مَن يَرتَجي بِها دوم خَسران

لا يَخضع إلى دار الشَقا وَالأَماني

Whoever places hope in it is always losing.

Let him not bow to the abode of misery and wishes.

صاحب الغانمي لا شَك رَبحان

جاها وَمَعروفا باقي غَير فاني

The man of noble deeds is doubtless a winner,

Honor and good deeds endure, never perishing.