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The arrow of fate let out a groan of grief,

أرن سهم الردى إرنان منتحب

1. The arrow of fate let out a groan of grief,
And the face of the sword dripped with tears.

١. أَرَنَّ سَهْمُ الرَّدَى إِرْنَانَ مُنْتَحِبِ
وَسَالَ بِالدَّمْعِ وَجْهُ السَّيْفِ ذِي الشُّطَبِ

2. Does the iron grieve at parting with it,
The best companion in every field of glory?

٢. أَبالحَدِيدِ أَسىً مِنْ أَنْ يُفَارِقَهُ
فِي كُلِّ حَلْبَةِ فَخْرٍ خَيْرُ مُصْطَحِبِ

3. What did the antelope on the meadow of Asfan cry for?
Or the ferocious lion in his dreadful lair?

٣. مَاذَا شَجَا ظَبْيُ عَسْفَانٍ بِمَرْتَعِهِ
وَرَاعَ لَيْثَ الشَّرَى فِي غِيلِهِ الأَشِبِ

4. Fate called the Arab race to glory, so its arm reached heights
Where courage, not spears or arrows, was the best defense.

٤. دَهَى العُرُوبَة خَطْبٌ فَتَّ سَاعِدَهَا
مِنْ حَيْثُ لاَ يُتَّقَى بِالبَيْضِ واليَلَبِ

5. Al-Husayn went forth as its redeemer and savior,
So which heart is not torn apart by this separation?

٥. مَضَى الحُسَيْنُ مُفَدِّيَها وَمُنْقِذُهَا
فَأَيُّ قَلْبٍ لِهَذَا البَيْنِ لَمْ يَذُبِ

6. Did you ignore protecting it, you who were its guardians,
And were your eyes not alert in guarding it?

٦. أَأُغْضِيْتَ عَنْ حِمَاها عَيْنُ كَالِئِهَا
وَلَمْ تَنَمْ عَنْ حِمَاهَا أَعْيُنُ النُّوَبِ

7. Never! While the fire of zeal still burns
In the embers of its elite and the people's commons,

٧. كَلاَّ وَذِكْرَاهُ مَا دَامَتْ مُؤَجَّجَةً
نَارَ الحِمِيَّةِ فِي صُيَّابِهَا النُّخَبِ

8. While regiments of God's army still charge against
The legions of others, in the open country and the mountains,

٨. وَمَا أَهَابَتْ بِجُنْدِ اللهِ فَاصْطَدَمَتْ
كَتَائِبُ الغِيَرِ الدَّهْمَاءِ بِالشُّهُبِ

9. Every tyrant with an unjust injury has regained
His mettle that had been sapped by fear and dread.

٩. إِنْ يَحْتَجِبْ لَكَ وَجْهٌ يَا حُسَيْنُ فَقَدْ
تَرَكْتَ لِلرَّأْيِ وَجْهاً غَيْرَ مُحْتَجِبِ

10. It was a revival - the hearts of the nation danced for joy at it,
And a clear sign of truth appeared, to the dismay of truth’s enemies,

١٠. إِلَيْهِ مَرْجِعُهَا فِي كُلِّ مُعْضِلَةٍ
فَلَسْتَ عَنْ أَمْرِهَا المَشْهُودِ فِي الغَيْبِ

11. Things turned out contrary to what they had wanted,
And reality went against what they had imagined as play.

١١. أَجْدَرْ بِهَا أَنْ تَظَلَّ الدَّهْرَ وَاعِيَةً
ذِكْرَى أَعزَّ مَلِيكٍ أَوْ أَبَرِّ أَبِ

12. So they broke their pact regarding peace and resolved
To undo what they had agreed on openly in front of all.

١٢. حَرَّرْتَهَا وَأَذَقْتَ البَأْسَ مُورِدَهَا
بِبَأْسِهِ المُتَمَادِي مَوْرِدَ العَطَبِ

13. They harbored evil schemes against you, and you found through them
In security what you had not found in open war.

١٣. يَفِيضُ بِالصَّابِ قِرْطَاسٌ أَخُطُّ بِهِ
مِنَ المَظَالِمِ مَا سِيمَتْ مَدَى حِقَبِ

14. You were true to your promise to them, while they
Did not keep their promises, not one bit.

١٤. فَمَنْ يَكُنْ نَاسِياً أَوْ جَاهِلاً لِيَسَلْ
عَنْهُمْ أُولِي اذِكْرِ أَوْ يَرْجِعْ إِلَى الكُتُبِ

15. Your concern was not to hold power and rule,
Or earnestness on the heights and vainglory down below,

١٥. أَيَّامَ أَصْبَحَ سِتْرُ الضَّادِ مُنْتَهِكَاً
مُهَلْهِلاً وَحِمَاهَا مَرْتَعَ الجُنُبِ

16. But to aid the Arabs in a right that was acknowledged for them -
Judicial authority gives strength to the rule of might.

١٦. وَشَمْلُهَا فِي بَوَادٍ بَادَ آهِلُهَا
وَفِي الحَوَاضِرِ شَمْلاً جِدَّ مُنْشَعِبِ

17. You never failed to seek that right,
And how can a goal be achieved without seeking?

١٧. تَقْذَى عُيُونُ الأُولَى يَغْشَوْنَ أَرْبُعَهَا
بِكُلِّ عَارِي الشَّوَى فِي مَسْكَنٍ خَرِبِ

18. They compared al-Husayn to others - their insight
Regarding him was incorrect; they missed the mark.

١٨. تَأذَّنَتْ بِانْقِرَاضٍ بَعْدَ مَنْعَتِهَا
وَنُفِّرَتْ عَنْ حِيَاضِ العِلمِ وَالأَدَبِ

19. Those who strive toward power are different
From those who lead the nation and continue the march.

١٩. لاَ تَسْطَعُ الشَّمْسُ إِلاَّ خَلْفَ غَاشِيَةٍ
مِنَ الأسَى بمُحْيّا كَاسِفٍ شَحِبِ

20. They thought him over-eager for the crown and willing
To forgo anything beyond it, so he cast the crown away.

٢٠. وَلاَ يَسِيْلُ أَصِيلٌ فِي سَحَائِبِهِ
إِلاَّ بِدَمْعٍ صَبِيبٍ أَوْ دَمٍ سَرِبِ

21. But the innate disposition of the Arabs, descendants of Hashim,
Has a meaning beyond the meanings of power and rank.

٢١. يَا مُنْقِذاً جَاءَ بَعْدَ الأَلْفِ مِنْ حِجَجٍ
يُعِيدُ مَا فَاتَ مِنْ مَجْدٍ وَمِنْ حَسَبِ

22. Where are the riches they claimed he was carrying,
And where is the burden of gold that weighed down the camel-litters?

٢٢. هَلْ ضَمَّ غَيْرُ الرَّسُولِ المُصْطَفَى قِدَماً
تلكَ العَزَائِمَ والآمَالَ مِنْ شَعَبِ

23. Today they saw what his trove really held:
Purity, loyalty - not goods, not treasures.

٢٣. أَمْرٌ يَضِيقُ بِهِ الذَرْعُ انْتَدَبْتَ لَهُ
وَأَنْتَ إِنْ ضَاقَ ذَرْعٌ خَيْرُ مُنْتَدِبِ

24. Those virtues are not for one who takes by force
Or seizes booty; they suit not the plunderer, the despoiler.

٢٤. صَرَّفْتَ رَأْيَكَ فِيهِ فَاضْطَلَعْتَ بِهِ
مُؤَيَّدَ الرَّأْيِ بِالأَرْمَاحِ والقُضُبِ

25. The foe may feel excused for his rancor at one
Who stands between the robber's hand and his prey.

٢٥. فِي كُلِّ مُرْعِدَة بَأْساً وَمُبْرِقَةٍ
مِنَا الجَحَافِلِ بَيْنَ الوَرْيِ واللَّجَبِ

26. But what excuse does a group have when it is gripped
By the rage that evil aroused in those events?

٢٦. عَادَتْ بِهَا كُلُّ آبِي الضَّيْمِ نَخْوَتُهُ
مِنْ حَيْثُ أُبْطِلَ سِحْرُ الخَوْفِ وَالرُّعُبِ

27. You abandoned a house in which you had lived
By inheritance since the time of Abraham and the ancients.

٢٧. فَكَانَ بَعْثٌ قُلُوبُ الأُمَّةِ ارْتَقَصَتْ
لَهُ وَأَعْطَافُهَا اهْتَزَّتْ مِنَ الطَّرَبِ

28. You lodged among terraces where the mountain goats went down
And were not swept away by the currents of the gulf's waves.

٢٨. وَبَشَّرَتْ آيَةٌ لِلحَقِّ ظَاهِرَةٌ
بِوَحْدَةٍ لِخُصُومِ الحَقِّ لَمْ تَطِبِ

29. The dwellings drew close to its meadow, green and fresh,
And clustered around it for the sake of its pleasant breeze.

٢٩. بَدَتْ عَلَى غَيْرِ مَا رَامُوَا بَوَادِرُهَا
وَخَالَفَ الجِدُّ مَا خَالُوهُ لِلَّعِبِ

30. You resided therein, without ample provision,
And found life among its protectors uncomfortable, like one estranged.

٣٠. فَأَجْمَعُوا أَمْرَهُمْ فِي السِّلْم وَاعْتَزَمُوا
نَقْضاً لِمَا أَبْرَمُوا فِي سَاحَةِ الرَّهَبِ

31. You endured being there in exile until you were carried
To a home from the farthest Mosque strongly bound.

٣١. وَأَضْمَرُوا لَكَ عُدْوَاناً وَجَدْتَ بِهِ
فِي الأَمْنِ مَا لَمْ تَجِدْ فِي الحَرْبِ مِنْ حَرَبِ

32. It was as though your Lord commanded you to neighbor it
To rest close by it as long as you were in that lofty station.

٣٢. أَيْنَ الَّذِي سَجَّلُوهُ فِي رَسَائِلِهِمْ
وَرَدَّدُوهُ مِنَ الأَيمَانِ فِي الخُطَبِ

33. The Trustworthy Spirit looks after your grave and keeps
The paths to you from being blocked from your noble visitors.

٣٣. لَوْلاَ مَعُونَةُ ذَاكَ الحِلفِ لاَنْقَلَبوا
دُونَ الَّذِي أَمَّلُوهُ شَرَّ مُنْقَلَبِ

34. Goodness will gather those who preserve great deeds from
The various clans into the presence of that smooth-cheeked father.

٣٤. نَصَرْتَهُمْ صَادِقَاً فِيما وَعَدْتَ ولَمْ
تَخَلْ مَوَاعِيدَهُمْ ضَرْباً مِنَ الكَذِبِ

35. Who could have known, when hope focused on protecting it,
That the second sanctuary would be guarded, so that hope was not dashed?

٣٥. مَا كَانَ هَمُّكَ مُلْكاً تَسْتقِلُّ بِهِ
وَالجّدُّ فِي صَعَدٍ والمَجْدُ فِي صَبَبِ

36. Surely before man grants good, He does not confirm
Whether man will fulfil it or fall short of duty!

٣٦. بَلْ نُصْرَةَ العُرْبِ فِي حَقٍ أُقِرَّ لَهُمْ
تُؤَيِّدُ الشَّرْعَ فِيهِ حُجَّةُ الغَلَبِ

37. O Sons of Yarbû! Here is a history that has unfolded
For you, its great realities removed from their covers:

٣٧. فَمَا أَلَوْتَ لِذَاكَ الحَقِّ عَنْ طَلَبٍ
وَكَيْفَ يُدْرَكُ مَطْلُوبٌ بِلاَ طَلَبِ

38. A book of redemption whose pages
Hold the most wondrous chapters, causing surprise and wonder.

٣٨. قَاسُوا الحُسَيْنَ إِلى غَيْرِ الحُسَيْنِ فَلَمْ
تَصْدُقْ فِرَاسَتُهُمْ فِيهِ وَلَمْ تُصِبِ

39. The first gave their lives in the way of God or were killed
In zeal for their homelands, going to extremes in jealousy.

٣٩. شَتانَ فِيمَنْ تَوَلَّى أَمْرَ أُمَّتِهِ
مَا بَيْنَ مُعْتَقِبٍ أَوْ غَيْرِ مُعْتَقِبِ

40. By it they have life - though you do not sense it -
And they conversed secretly with spirits in adversity.

٤٠. ظَنُّوهُ بِالتَّاجِ يَرْضَى غَيْرَ مُكْتَرِثٍ
لِمَا عَدَاهُ فَأَلْقَى التَّاجَ وَهْوَ أَبِي

41. Honoring Ibn ‘Ali is for you to have his traces as a lesson
Joined together, its links extended and coherent.

٤١. سَجِيَّةُ العَرَبِيِّ الهَاشِمِيِّ لَهَا
مَعْنَى وَرَاءَ مَعَانِي الجَاهِ وَالرُّتَبِ

42. Learn sincerity and loyalty despite
The hardship and affliction that follow in their wake. Take from his overflowing store of knowledge for his nation's sake

٤٢. أَيْنَ الكُنُوزُ الَّتِي خَالُوهُ يَحْمِلُهَا
وأَيْنَ مَا أَثْقَلَ الأَسْفَاطَ مِنْ ذَهَبِ

43. With the balanced, economic wisdom of one preparing for the sake of God.
Learn to defend a right that ennobles

٤٣. تَبَيَّنُوا اليَوْمَ مَا كَانَتْ خَبِيئَتُهُ
مَنْ عِفّةٍ وَوَفَاءٍ لاَ مِنْ النَّشَبِ

44. A self-sacrificing soul refusing what is forbidden.
Learn the strength of faith through exertion -

٤٤. تِلكَ الفَضَائِلُ مَا كانَتْ لِمُكْتَسِبٍ
كَابي الضَّمِيرِ وَمَا كانت لِمُغْتَصِبِ

45. The strength of faith depends on exertion.
Learn patience, or your determination will be shattered,

٤٥. لِلْخَصْمِ فِي ثَلبِهَا عذْرُ الحَنِيقِ عَلَى
مَنْ حَالَ بَيْنَ يَدِ السَّلاَّبِ والسَّلَبِ

46. As you need determination at first, as at the last.
Learn that this life is a journey travelled stage by stage -

٤٦. مَا عُذْرُ طَائِفَةٍ مِنْ قَوْمِهِ أُخِذَتْ
بِمَا أَثَارَ العِدَى مِنْ ذَلِكَ الشَّغَبِ

47. No lofty plateau is reached without fatigue and hardship.
Learn that the skill of archers lies in kneeling and bending

٤٧. زَايَلتَ بَيْتَاً عَتِيقاً أَنْتَ سَادِنُهُ
بِالإِرْثِ مِنْ عَهْدِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ والنَّسَبِ

48. When they wish to hit the target, and wish to succeed.
Al-Husayn knelt until he made his attacker lean

٤٨. إِلى صَفَاةٍ عَلَى الدَّأْمَاءِ قَدْ رَسَخَتْ
وَلَمْ تُسِغْهَا لَهَاةُ البَحْرِ ذِي العُبُبِ

49. Until the time of the stalker on the road was ripe.
If his shadow tilts, the spirit still lies in wait

٤٩. تَشَبَّهَتْ رَوْضُهَا بِالرَّوْضِ وائْتَنَسَتْ
مِنْهَا القُرَى بِدِعَابِ الأَخْضَرِ الصَّحِبِ

50. For the decisive moment when its summons will respond.
Your consolation, O people of a house whose pillars

٥٠. حَلَلتَ فِيهَا وَمَا بِالزَّادِ مِنْ سَعَةٍ
وَعِشْتَ بَيْنَ رُبَاهَا عَيْشَ مُغْتَرِبِ

51. Were destroyed, is a rightly-guided sovereign whether he refuses or relents,
A father who turned away from the trappings of rule

٥١. فَكُنْتَ ِي النَّفْيِ والأَرْدَانُ طَاهِرَةٌ
مَا لَمْ تَكُنْ فِي ثِيَابِ العِزَّةِ القُشُبِ

52. Without sadness, just as he had assumed them without greed,
With peerless qualities, whether titled ruler or not;

٥٢. صَبَرْتَ صَبْرَ كَرِيمٍ غَيْرِ مُبْتَئِسٍ
وَلاَ مَلُولٍ وَلاَ شَاكٍ عَلَى وَصَبِ

53. And from a prince who founded a state towering nobly,
Established on the pillars of its glory and continuity

٥٣. حَتى حُمِلْتَ وَقَدْ حُمَّ القَضَاءُ إِلى
دَارٍ مِنَ المَسْجِدِ الأَقْصَى على كَثَبِ

54. In the highest knowledge and conduct, so refined;
And from a handsome youth of brilliant descent who raced with the virtuous always,

٥٤. كَأَنَّ رَبَّكَ أَوْحَى أَنْ تُجَاوِرَهُ
حَتّى تَقَرَّ بِهِ فِي مُزْدَجَى القُرَبِ

55. And won the contest's prize through his great forefathers;
Straightforward by his nature, adhering to the path of his kin

٥٥. يَرْعَى مَزَارَكَ بِالرُّوحِ الأَمِينِ وَلاَ
تَنْأَى بِهِ السُّبْلُ عَنْ أَعْقَابِكَ النُّجُبِ

56. Of immaculate tongue and soul, pure without blemish.
Whoever counts you must follow in your tracks

٥٦. وَيَجْمَعُ البِرُّ حُفَّاظَ المَآثِرِ مِنْ
شَتَّى العَشَائِرِ حَوْلَ الوَالِدِ الحَدِبِ

57. And tread the paths your great ones trod, unobstructed.
Leave your grief behind, hear the voice that calls out to you -

٥٧. مَنْ كَانَ يَدْرِي وَقَدْ نَاطَ الرَّجَاءُ بِهِ
صِيَانَةَ الحَرَمِ الثَّانِي فَلَمْ يَخِبِ

58. Al-Husayn died, so the community of Arabs lives!

٥٨. إِنَّ المَآبَ إِلَيْهِ وَالثَّوَابَ بِهِ
هَلْ قَدَّمَ الخَيْرَ مَخْلُوقٌ وَلَمْ يُثَبِ

٥٩. أَبْنَاءَ يَعْرُبَ هَذِي سِيرَةٌ بَرَزَتْ
لَكُمْ حَقَائِقُهَا الكُبْرَى مِنَ الحُجُبِ

٦٠. كِتَابُ تَفْدِيَةٍ أَوْعَتْ صَحَائِفُهُ
أَدْعَى الفُصُولِ إِلى الإِعْجَابِ وَالعَجَبِ

٦١. إِنَّ الأُولَى اسْتُشْهِدُوا فِي اللهِ أَوْ قُتِلُوا
فِيمَا غَلَوْا فِيهِ لِلأَوْطَانِ مِنْ أَرَبِ

٦٢. لَهُمْ حَيَاةٌ وَمَا إِنْ تَشْعُرُونَ بِهَا
إِلاَّ وَقَدْ نَاجَوْا الأَرْوَاحَ في الكُرَبِ

٦٣. كَرَامَةُ ابْنِ عَلِيٍّ أَنْ تَكُونَ لَكُمْ
آثَارُهُ عِظَةً مَوْصُولَةَ السَّبَبِ

٦٤. تَعَلَّمُوا الصِّدْقَ مِنْهُ وَالوَفَاءَ عَلَى
مَا يُعْقِبَانِ مِنَ الحِرْمَانِ وَالنَّصَبِ

٦٥. تَعَلَّمُوا نَضْحَةُ عَنْ ذُخرِ أُمَّتِهِ
بِحَزْمِ مُقْتَصِدٍ للهِ مُرْتَقِبِ

٦٦. تعَلَّمُوا الذَّوْدَ عَنْ حَقٍّ تَطِيبُ لَهُ
عَنْ كُلَّ مَا هُوَ غَالٍ نَفْسَ مُحْتَسِبِ

٦٧. تَعَلَّمُوا قُوَّةَ الإِيمَانِ فِي دَأَبٍ
فَإِنَّمَا قُوَّةُ الإِيمَانِ بِالدَّأَبِ

٦٨. تَعَلَّمُوا الصَّبْرَ أَوْ تُقْضَى لُبَانَتُكُمْ
وَالعَزْمُ فِي بَدْئِهَا كَالعَزْمِ فِي العَقِبِ

٦٩. تَعَلَّمُوا أَنَّ هذا العُمْرَ مَرْحَلَةٌ
لاَ تُرْتَقَى هَضْبَةٌ فِيهَابِلاَ تَعَبِ

٧٠. تَعَلَّمُوا أَنَّ مِنْ حِذْقِ الرُّمَاةِ بِهَا
لِيُدْرِكُوا النَّصْرَ أَنْ يَجْثُوا عَلَى الرُّكَبِ

٧١. سَجَا الحُسَيْنُ وَقَدْ وَرَّى مُسَاجِلَهُ
حَتّى يَئِينَ أَوَانُ الصَّائِدِ الدَّرِبِ

٧٢. فَإِنْ ضَحَا ظِلُّهُ فَالرُّوحُ مُرْصَدَةٌ
لِلْمَوْقِفِ الفَصْلِ مَنْ يَهْتِفْ بِهَا تُجِبِ

٧٣. عَزَاءَكُمْ يَا بَنِيهِ الصِّيدِ مِنْ مَلِكٍ
مُسَدَّدِ الرًّأْيِ إِنْ يَمْنَعْ وَإِنْ يَهَبِ

٧٤. وَمِنْ أَبِيٍّ تَوَلَّى عَنْ أَرِيكَتِهِ
بِلاَ شَجىً إِذْ تَوَلاَّهَا بِلاَ رَغَبِ

٧٥. لَهُ مِنَ الشِّيَمِ الغَرَّاءِ مَمْلَكَةٌ
إِنْ كَانَ ذَا لَقَبٍ أَوْ غَيْرَ ذِي لَقَبِ

٧٦. وَمِنْ أَمِيرٍ بَنَاهَا دَوْلَةً أُنُفاً
قَامَتْ عَلَى أَثَرٍ مِنْ مَجْدِهَا تَرِبِ

٧٧. فِي العِلْمِ وَالأَدَبِ العَالِي يَكَادُ إِذَا
سَاقَ الأَحَادِيثَ يَسْقِيكَ ابنَةَ العِنَبِ

٧٨. وَمِنْ فَتىً أَلمَعِيٍّ كُلُّ مَحْمَدَةٍ
جَارَى السَّوَابِقَ فِيهَا فَازَ بِالقَصَبِ

٧٩. مَاضٍ بِفِطْرَتِهِ فِي نَهْجِ عِتْرَتِهِ
عَفِّ اللِّسَانِ نَقِيِّ النَّفْسِ مِنْ رِيَبِ

٨٠. مَنْ عَدَّكُمْ عَدَّ فِي إِثْرِ مُنْجِبِكًمْ
خُطَى كِبَاراً مَدَاهَا غَيْرُ مُقْتَضَبِ

٨١. دَعُوا الأَسى وَاسْمَعُوا صَوتاً يُهِيبُ بِكُم
مَاتَ الحُسَيْنُ فَعَاشَتْ أُمَّةُ العَرَبِ