عَادَReturnedالسُّرُورُjoyإِلَيْكَto youفِيinالْأَعْيَادِthe feasts
Joy returned to you in the feasts
وَسَعِدْتَand you were happyمِنfromدُنْيَاكَyour worldly lifeبِالْأَسْعَادِwith happiness
and you were happy in your worldly life with happiness
رِفْقاًGentlenessبِشُكْرٍin gratitudeجَلّfor what has become greatمَاof whatأَوْلَيْتَهُyou bestowed
Be gentle in gratitude for what you bestowed
رِفْقاًgentlenessفَقَدْfor indeedأَثْقَلْتَهُyou have burdened itبِأَيَادِيwith favors
gentleness, for you have burdened it with favors
مَلَأَHe filledالنُّفُوسَthe soulsمَهَابَةًwith aweوَمَحَبَّةًand love
He filled the souls with awe and love
بَدْرٌa full moonبَدَاthat appearedمُتَغَمِّراًbathedبِسَوَادِin darkness
a full moon that appeared bathed in darkness
مَاnotإِنْindeedأَرَىI seeلَكَfor youمُشَبِّهاًa likenessفِيمَنْamong those whomأَرَىI see
I do not see a likeness for you among those whom I see
أُمُّthe motherالْكِرَامِof the nobleقَلِيلَةُhas fewالْأَوْلَادِoffspring
the mother of the noble has few offspring
وَلِآخَرَAnd for another
And for another:
إِذَاWhenمَاeverأَتَاهُcame to himالسَّائِلُونَthe petitionersتَوَقَّدَتْkindled
Whenever the petitioners came to him, kindled
عَلَيْهِupon himمَصَابِيحُthe lampsالطَّلَاقَةِof cheerfulnessوَالْبِشْرِand gladness
upon him were the lamps of cheerfulness and gladness
لَهُFor himفِيinذُرَىthe heightsالْمَعْرُوفِof kindnessنُعْمَىis a blessingكَأَنَّهَاas if it were
For him in the heights of kindness is a blessing as if it were
مَوَاقِعُthe falling placesمَاءِof the waterالْمَزْنِof rain cloudsفِيinالْبَلَدِthe landالْقَفْرِbarren
the falling places of rain water in the barren land
مَحَاسِنُMahasinصِلَاتِgifts ofالشُّعَرَاءِthe poets
[The Beauties of Poets' Gifts]
قِيلَIt was saidدَخَلَenteredجَرِيرٌJarirعَلَىuponعَبْدِAbdالْمَلِكِal-Malikبْنِson ofمَرْوَانَMarwan
It was said: Jarir entered upon Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan
وَقَدْwhileأَوْفَدَهُhad sent himإِلَيْهِto himالْحَجَّاجُal-Hajjajبْنُson ofيُوسُفَYusuf
while al-Hajjaj ibn Yusuf had sent him to him
فَدَخَلَand enteredمُحَمَّدُMuhammadبْنُson ofالْحَجَّاجِal-Hajjajفَقَالَand said
and Muhammad ibn al-Hajjaj entered and said:
يَاOأَمِيرَCommanderالْمُؤْمِنِينَof the Faithfulهَذَاthis isجَرِيرٌJarirمَادِحُكَpraisemaker of youوَشَاعِرُكَand your poet
O Commander of the Faithful, this is Jarir, your praisemaker and poet
فَقَالَHe saidبَلْratherمَادِحُpraisemaker ofالْحَجَّاجِal-Hajjajوَشَاعِرُهُand his poet
He said: Rather, the praisemaker of al-Hajjaj and his poet
فَقَالَSo saidجَرِيرٌJarirإِنْIfرَأَىseesأَمِيرُthe Commanderالْمُؤْمِنِينَof the Faithful
So Jarir said: If the Commander of the Faithful sees
أَنْtoيَأْذَنَgrant permissionلِيto meفِيinإِنْشَادِهِreciting to himمِدْحَةًa panegyricفِيهِabout him
fit to permit me to recite a panegyric about him
قَالَHe saidهَاتِBring itابْدَأْStartبِالْحَجَّاجِwith al-Hajjaj
He said: Bring it, start with al-Hajjaj
قَالَHe saidبَلْRatherبِكَwith youيَاOأَمِيرَCommanderالْمُؤْمِنِينَof the Faithful
He said: Rather with you, O Commander of the Faithful
فَقَالَSo he saidهَاتِBring itابْدَأْStartبِالْحَجَّاجِwith al-Hajjaj
So he said: Bring it, start with al-Hajjaj
فَأَنْشَدَهُSo he recited to him
So he recited to him:
صَبَرْتَYou enduredالنَّفْسَthe soulيَاOابْنَson ofعَقِيلٍAqil
You restrained the soul, O son of Aqil
مُحَافَظَةًprotectingفَكَيْفَso howتَرَىdo you seeالثَّوَابَاthe reward
protecting [faith], so how do you see the reward?
وَلَوْAnd hadلَمْnotتَرْضَpleasedرَبَّكَyour Lordلَمْwould notيُنَزِّلْhave sent down
And had you not pleased your Lord, He would not have sent down
مَعَwithالنَّصْرِvictoryالْمَلَائِكَةَthe angelsالْغِضَابَاwrathful
with victory the wrathful angels
إِذَاWhenشَعَلَignitedالْخَلِيفَةُthe caliphنَارَthe fireحَرْبٍof war
When the caliph ignited the fire of war
رَأَىhe sawالْحَجَّاجَal-Hajjajأَثْقَبَهَاits most blazingشِهَابَاmeteor
he saw al-Hajjaj as its most blazing meteor
فَقَالَHe saidصَدَقْتَYou spoke the truthكَذَاكَthusهُوَhe is
He said: You spoke the truth, thus he is
ثُمَّThenقَالَhe saidلِلْأَخْطَلِto al-AkhtalقُمْRiseفَهَاتِand bringمَدِيحاًpraise
Then he said to al-Akhtal: Rise and bring praise
فَقَامَSo he roseفَأَنْشَدَand recitedوَأَجَادَand excelledوَأَبْلَغَand spoke eloquently
So he rose and recited and excelled and spoke eloquently
فَقَالَHe saidأَنْتَYou areشَاعِرُنَاour poetوَأَنْتَand you areمَادِحُنَاour praisemaker
He said: You are our poet and you are our praisemaker
قُمْRiseفَارْكَبْهُand mount him
Rise and mount him
فَأَلْقَىSo castالنَّصْرَانِيُّthe Christianثَوْبَهُhis garmentوَقَالَand said
So the Christian cast his garment and said:
خُبّTrot fastيَاOابْنَson ofالْمُرَاغَةِal-Muragha
Trot fast, O son of al-Muragha!
فَسَاءَSo it displeasedذَلِكَthatمَنْwhoحَضَرَwas presentمِنْfromمُضَرَMudar
That displeased those who were present from Mudar
وَقَالُواand they saidيَاOأَمِيرَCommanderالْمُؤْمِنِينَof the Faithful
and they said: O Commander of the Faithful
إِنَّindeedالنَّصْرَانِيَّthe Christianلَاdoes notيَرْكَبُmountالْحَنِيفَthe trueالْمُسْلِمَMuslim
the Christian does not mount the true Muslim!
فَاسْتَحْيَاSo felt ashamedعَبْدُAbdالْمَلِكِal-Malikوَقَالَand said
So Abd al-Malik felt ashamed and said:
دَعْهُLeave him
Leave him.
قَالَSaidجَرِيرٌJarirفَانْصَرَفْتُSo I departedأَخْزَىthe most humiliatedخَلْقِcreationاللَّهِof God
Jarir said: So I departed as the most humiliated creation of God
حَتَّىuntilإِذَاwhenكَانَit wasيَوْمُthe dayالْوَدَاعِof farewell
until when it was the day of farewell
دَخَلْتُI enteredلِأُوَدِّعَهُto bid him farewellفَأَنْشَدْتُهُand I recited to him
I entered to bid him farewell and I recited to him:
أَلَسْتُمْAre you notخَيْرَthe bestمَنْof those whoرَكِبَmountedالْمَطَايَاthe riding mounts
Are you not the best of those who mounted riding camels
وَأَنْدَىand the most generousالْعَالَمِينَof the worldsبُطُونَin palmsرَاحِof hands
and the most generous of the worlds in palms of hands?
فَقَالَHe saidبَلَىIndeedنَحْنُwe areكَذَلِكَsoأَعِدْrepeat
He said: Indeed we are so, repeat
فَأَعَدْتُSo I repeatedوَأَسْفَرَand brightenedلَوْنُهُhis complexionوَذَهَبَand departedمَاwhatكَانَwasفِيinقَلْبِهِhis heart
So I repeated, and his complexion brightened, and what was in his heart departed
فَالْتَفَتَThen he turnedإِلَىtoمُحَمَّدِMuhammadبْنِson ofالْحَجَّاجِal-Hajjajفَقَالَand said
Then he turned to Muhammad ibn al-Hajjaj and said:
أَتَرَىDo you seeأُمَّUmmحَزْرَةَHazrahيَرْوِيهَاprovides for herمِائَةٌa hundredمِنَofالْإِبِلِcamels
Do you think a hundred camels would satisfy Umm Hazrah?
فَقُلْتُSo I saidنَعَمْYesيَاOأَمِيرَCommanderالْمُؤْمِنِينَof the Faithful
So I said: Yes, O Commander of the Faithful
إِنْifكَانَتْit wereمِنْfromفَرَائِضِobligatory sharesكَلْبٍof Kalb
even if it were from the obligatory shares of Kalb
فَلَمْand ifيَرْوِهَاit did not satisfy herفَلَاthen mayأَرْوَاهَاGod not satisfy herاللَّهُGod
and if it does not satisfy her, then may God not satisfy her
فَأَمَرَSo he orderedلِيfor meبِمِائَةٍwith a hundredمِنَofالْإِبِلِcamels
So he ordered a hundred camels for me
وَحَدَّثَنَاAnd narrated to usالْمَدَائِنِيُّal-Mada'iniعَنْfromكَيْسَانَKaysanعَنِfromالْهَيْثَمِal-Haythamقَالَwho said
And al-Mada'ini narrated to us from Kaysan from al-Haytham, who said:
حَجَّPerformed pilgrimageعَبْدُAbdالْمَلِكِal-Malikبْنُson ofمَرْوَانَMarwanوَمَعَهُand with him wasالْفَرَزْدَقُal-Farazdaq
Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan performed pilgrimage, and al-Farazdaq was with him
فَبَيْنَاSo whileهُوَheقَاعِدٌwas sittingبِمَكَّةَin Makkahفِيinالْحِجْرِal-Hijr
So while he was sitting in Makkah in al-Hijr
إِذْwhenمَرَّpassedبِهِby himعَلِيِّAliبْنِson ofالْحُسَيْنِal-Husaynبْنِson ofعَلِيِّAliبْنِson ofأَبِيAbiطَالِبٍTalib
Ali ibn al-Husayn ibn Ali ibn Abi Talib passed by him
وَعَلَيْهِand upon him wasمِطْرَفُa cloakخَزٍّof silk
and upon him was a silk cloak
فَقَالَSo saidعَبْدُAbdالْمَلِكِal-MalikمَنْWhoهَذَاis thisيَاOفَرَزْدَقُal-Farazdaq?
So Abd al-Malik said: Who is this, O al-Farazdaq?
فَأَنْشَأَSo he beganيَقُولُreciting
So he began reciting:
هَذَاThis isالَّذِيthe one whoseتَعْرِفُknowsالْبَطْحَاءُthe valley of al-Bathaوَطْأَتَهُfootstep
This is the one whose footstep the valley of al-Batha knows
وَالْبَيْتُand the Houseيَعْرِفُهُknows himوَالْحِلُّand the secular areaوَالْحَرَمُand the sanctuary
and the House knows him, and the sanctuary and the sacred precinct
هَذَاThis isابْنُthe son ofخَيْرِthe bestعِبَادِof the servantsاللَّهِof Godكُلِّهِمُall of them
This is the son of the best of all God's servants
هَذَاthis isالتَّقِيُّthe piousالنَّقِيُّthe pureالطَّاهِرُthe immaculateالْعَلَمُthe renowned
this is the pious, pure, immaculate, renowned one
إِذَاWhenرَأَتْهُsaw himقُرَيْشٌQurayshقَالَsaidقَائِلُهَاtheir speaker
When Quraysh saw him, their speaker said:
إِلَىtoمَكَارِمِthe noble traitsهَذَاof this oneيَنْتَهِيendsالْكَرَمُgenerosity
To the noble traits of this one does generosity end
يَكَادُAlmostيُمْسِكُهُgrasps himعِرْفَانُrecognitionرَاحَتِهِof his palm
Almost does the recognition of his palm grasp him
رُكْنُthe pillarالْحَطِيمِof al-Hatimإِذَاwhenمَاeverجَاءَhe comesيَسْتَلِمُto touch the Black Stone
the pillar of al-Hatim whenever he comes to touch it
يَنْمِيHe traces backإِلَىtoذُرْوَةِthe peakالْعِزِّof gloryالَّتِيwhichقَعَدَتْfell short
He traces back to the peak of glory which fell short
عَنْofنَيْلِهَاattaining itعَرَبُthe Arabsالْإِسْلَامِof Islamوَالْعَجَمُand the non-Arabs
of attaining it, the Arabs of Islam and the non-Arabs
مُشْتَقَّةٌDerivedمِنْfromرَسُولِthe Messengerاللَّهِof Godنَبْعَتُهُis his origin
Derived from the Messenger of God is his origin
طَابَتْpureعَنَاصِرُهُare his elementsوَالْخِيمُand his natureوَالشِّيَمُand his traits
pure are his elements, his nature, and his traits
فِيInكَفِّهِhis palmخَيْزُرَانٌis a caneرِيحُهُwhose fragranceعَبِقٌis sweet
In his palm is a cane whose fragrance is sweet
مِنْfromكَفِّthe palmأَرْوَعَof a valiant manفِيinعُرُنِينِهِhis bridge of the noseشَمَمٌis nobility
from the palm of a valiant man in whose bridge of the nose is nobility
يَنْشَقُّSplits apartنُورُthe lightالدُّجَىof darknessعَنْfromنُورِthe lightغُرَّتِهِof his forehead
The light of darkness splits apart from the light of his forehead
كَالشَّمْسِlike the sunتَنْجَابُdispellingعَنْfromإِشْرَاقِهَاits radianceالظُّلَمُthe darknesses
like the sun dispelling the darknesses from its radiance
يُغْضِيHe lowers his gazeحَيَاءًout of shynessوَيُغْضَىand is gazed down uponمِنْout ofمَهَابَتِهِawe of him
He lowers his gaze out of shyness, and people lower their gaze out of awe of him
فَمَاsoيُكَلَّمُhe is spoken toإِلَّاexceptحِينَwhenيَبْتَسِمُhe smiles
so he is not spoken to except when he smiles
مِنْFromمَعْشَرٍa folkحُبُّهُمْloving themدِينٌis religionوَبُغْضُهُمْand hating them
From a folk whose love is religion and their hatred
كُفْرٌis disbeliefوَقُرْبُهُمْand drawing near to themمَنْجًىis salvationوَمَعْصَمُand a refuge
is disbelief, and drawing near to them is salvation and a refuge
يُسْتَدْفَعُIs repelledالسُّوءُevilوَالْبَلْوَىand trialبِحُبِّهِمْby loving them
Evil and trial are repelled by loving them
وَيُسْتَرْبُand is soughtبِهِtherebyالْإِحْسَانُgoodnessوَالنِّعَمُand blessings
and goodness and blessings are sought thereby
لَاDoes notيَسْتَطِيعُbe ableجَوَادٌa generous personبُعْدَthe distanceغَايَتِهِمْof their goal
A generous person cannot reach the distance of their goal
وَلَاnorيُدَانِيهِمْcan approach themقَوْمٌany peopleوَإِنْeven ifكَرُمُواthey were noble
nor can any people approach them, even if they were noble
إِنْIfعُدَّare countedأَهْلُthe peopleالنَّدَىof generosityكَانُواthey wereأَئِمَّتَهُمْtheir leaders
If the people of generosity are counted, they were their leaders
أَوْorقِيلَit is saidمَنْwhoخَيْرُis the bestأَهْلِof the peopleالْأَرْضِof the earthقِيلَit is saidهُمْthey
or if it is said: Who is the best of the people of the earth? It is said: They
مُقَدَّمٌPut forwardبَعْدَafterذِكْرِthe mentionاللَّهِof Godذِكْرُهُمْis their mention
Put forward after the mention of God is their mention
فِيinكُلِّeveryبِرٍّrighteousnessوَمَخْتُومٌand concludedبِهِwith itالْكَلِمُare words
in every righteousness, and with it are words concluded
قَالَHe said
He said:
فَلَمَّاWhenفَرَغَhe finishedمِنْfromشِعْرِهِhis poemقَالَsaidلَهُمْto themعَبْدُAbdالْمَلِكِal-Malik
When he finished his poem, Abd al-Malik said to them:
أَرَافِضِيٌّAre you a RafidiأَنْتَyouيَاOفَرَزْدَقُal-Farazdaq?
Are you a Rafidi, O al-Farazdaq?
فَقَالَHe saidإِنْIfكَانَit isحُبُّloveأَهْلِfor the peopleالْبَيْتِof the HouseرَفْضاًRafdفَنَعَمْthen yes
He said: If love for the people of the House is Rafd, then yes.
فَحَرَمَهُSo he withheld from himعَبْدُAbdالْمَلِكِal-Malikجَائِزَتَهُhis reward
So Abd al-Malik withheld his reward from him
فَتَحَمَّلَand intercededعَلَيْهِfor himبِأَهْلِwith membersبَيْتِهِof his houseفَأَبَىbut he refusedأَنْtoيُعْطِيَهُgive it to him
and members of his household interceded for him, but he refused to give it to him.
فَقَالَSaidلَهُto himعَبْدُAbdullahاللَّهِibnبْنِJa'farجَعْفَرِibnبْنِAbiأَبِيTalibطَالِبٍto him
Abdullah ibn Ja'far ibn Abi Talib said to him:
مَاWhatكُنْتَwere youتُؤُمِّلُhopingأَنْthatيُعْطِيَكَhe would give you?
What were you hoping he would give you?
قَالَHe saidأَلْفَA thousandدِينَارٍdinarsفِيinكُلِّeveryسَنَةٍyear
He said: A thousand dinars in every year.
قَالَHe saidفَكَمْhow muchتُؤُمِّلُdo you hopeأَنْtoتَعِيشَlive?
He said: How long do you hope to live?
قَالَHe saidأَرْبَعِينَFortyسَنَةًyears
He said: Forty years.
قَالَHe saidيَاOغُلَامُboyعَلَيَّbring to meبِالْوَكِيلِthe agent
He said: O boy, bring the agent to me.
فَدَعَاهُSo he called himإِلَيْهِto himوَقَالَand said
So he called him to him and said:
أَعْطِGiveالْفَرَزْدَقَal-Farazdaqأَرْبَعِينَfortyأَلْفَthousandدِينَارٍdinars
Give al-Farazdaq forty thousand dinars.
فَقَبَضَهَاSo he received itمِنْهُfrom him
So he received it from him.