خَلا طَرفُه بالسُّقم دُوني يُلازِمُه

خَلا طَرفُه بالسُّقم دُوني يُلازِمُه

إلى أن رَمَى سَهماً فصِرتُ أساهِمُه

إلى أن رَمَى سَهماً فصِرتُ أساهِمُه

His eye withdrew with sickness, apart from me, and kept it company,

His gaze was alone with sickness, keeping it company without me,

until it loosed an arrow—and I came to share its portion.

Until he loosed an arrow, and I came to share his sickness.

فأصبَحَ بي ما لَستُ أدري أمِثلُهُ

فأصبَحَ بي ما لَستُ أدري أمِثلُهُ

بجَفنَيهِ أم لا يَعدلُ السُّقمَ قاسِمُه

بجَفنَيهِ أم لا يَعدلُ السُّقمَ قاسِمُه

Then I came to suffer what I cannot tell whether the like of it

So I bore an affliction, not knowing whether its like

lies in his eyelids, or sickness’s divider has dealt unfairly.

Was in his eyelids, or sickness's divider apportioned it unequally.

لئِن كانَ أخفَى الصَّدرُ صَدّاً مِنَ الجَوى

لئِن كانَ أخفَى الصَّدرُ صَدّاً مِنَ الجَوى

فَفِي العَينِ عُنواناتُهُ وتَراجِمُه

فَفِي العَينِ عُنواناتُهُ وتَراجِمُه

Though the breast may conceal the pain caused by passion,

Though the breast concealed it, turning away from love's anguish,

the eye displays its signs and interpreters.

Yet its signs and explanations are in the eye.

ولم يُخفه أنَّ الهَوى خفَّ حَملُهُ

ولم يُخفه أنَّ الهَوى خفَّ حَملُهُ

ولكن لأنَّ اللَّومَ ليسَ يُلائِمُه

ولكن لأنَّ اللَّومَ ليسَ يُلائِمُه

He did not hide it because love’s burden had grown light,

It did not hide it because love's burden was light,

but because reproach was no fitting companion for him.

But because reproach did not suit it.

ويا ربَّ ليلٍ قصَّر الذكرُ طُولَه

ويا ربَّ ليلٍ قصَّر الذكرُ طُولَه

فَما طَلَعت حتَّى تَجلَّت غَمائِمُه

فَما طَلَعت حتَّى تَجلَّت غَمائِمُه

Many a night had remembrance shortened, though it was long;

And oh, many a night whose length remembrance shortened—

the sun did not rise until its clouds had cleared.

The sun did not rise until its clouds had cleared.

وما نِمتُ فيه غَير أن لَو سَألتَني

وما نِمتُ فيه غَير أن لَو سَألتَني

من الشُغلِ عَنه قلتُ ما قالَ نائِمُه

من الشُغلِ عَنه قلتُ ما قالَ نائِمُه

I did not sleep through it—yet, had you asked me

And I did not sleep through it; yet, had you asked me,

what distracted me from it, I would have answered as its sleeper did.

Absorbed elsewhere, I would have answered like one who slept through it.

ولكنَّه ألَقى عَلى الصُّبح لَونَهُ

ولكنَّه ألَقى عَلى الصُّبح لَونَهُ

فَوالاهُ يَومٌ شاحِبُ الوَجهِ ساهِمُه

فَوالاهُ يَومٌ شاحِبُ الوَجهِ ساهِمُه

Yet it cast its color over the dawn,

But it cast its color upon the dawn,

and there followed it a day pale-faced and hollow-eyed—

And a day followed it, pale-faced and wan.

كما جاءَ يومٌ في المُحرَّمِ واحدٌ

كما جاءَ يومٌ في المُحرَّمِ واحدٌ

خَبا نُورُه لمَّا استُحلَّت مَحارِمُه

خَبا نُورُه لمَّا استُحلَّت مَحارِمُه

just as there came a day in Muharram

Like one day that came in Muharram,

whose light went out when its sanctities were violated.

Whose light faded when its sanctities were violated.

طَغَت عبدُ شمسٍ فاستَقلَّ محلِّقاً

طَغَت عبدُ شمسٍ فاستَقلَّ محلِّقاً

إلى الشَّمسِ من طُغيانِها مُتراكمُه

إلى الشَّمسِ من طُغيانِها مُتراكمُه

ʿAbd Shams grew tyrannous, and from its tyranny a mass

ʿAbd Shams ran rampant, and there rose, soaring

towered, heaped high toward the sun.

Toward the sun, the accumulated mass of its tyranny.

فمن مبلغٌ عنِّي أُميَّةَ أنَّني

فمن مبلغٌ عنِّي أُميَّةَ أنَّني

هَتفتُ بِما قَد كنتُ عَنها أُكاتِمُه

هَتفتُ بِما قَد كنتُ عَنها أُكاتِمُه

Who will carry word from me to Umayya that I

Who, then, will tell Umayya on my behalf that I

have cried aloud what I had long concealed from her?

Have proclaimed what I once concealed from it?

مضَت أعصُرٌ مُعوجَّةٌ باعوِجاجِكُم

مضَت أعصُرٌ مُعوجَّةٌ باعوِجاجِكُم

فَلا تُنكرُوا إن قوَّم الدَّهرَ قائِمُه

فَلا تُنكرُوا إن قوَّم الدَّهرَ قائِمُه

Ages passed, warped crooked by your crookedness;

Ages passed, crooked through your crookedness;

so do not protest if the age’s upholder now sets it straight.

So do not object if time's upholder has set it straight,

وجدَّد عَهدَ المُصطَفى بعضُ أهلِهِ

وجدَّد عَهدَ المُصطَفى بعضُ أهلِهِ

وحُكِّمَ في الدِّينِ الحَنِيفيِّ حاكِمُه

وحُكِّمَ في الدِّينِ الحَنِيفيِّ حاكِمُه

One of the Chosen One’s own household renewed his covenant,

And one of the Chosen One's kin has renewed his covenant,

and over the pure Hanifian faith its rightful ruler rules.

And its ruler has been empowered in the upright faith.

فَيا أيُّها الباكُونَ مصرعَ جَدِّه

فَيا أيُّها الباكُونَ مصرعَ جَدِّه

دعوا جَده تَبكي عَليهِ صَوارِمُه

دعوا جَده تَبكي عَليهِ صَوارِمُه

O you who weep where his forefather fell,

O you who weep for his grandfather's fall,

leave his forefather’s mourning to his keen-edged swords.

Leave his grandfather: let his sharp swords weep over him.

أيَّتها الثَّكلَى الَّتي من دُمُوعِها

أيَّتها الثَّكلَى الَّتي من دُمُوعِها

إذا هيَ ناحَت للقَتيل مآتِمُه

إذا هيَ ناحَت للقَتيل مآتِمُه

O bereaved woman, from whose tears,

O bereaved mother, from whose tears

whenever she laments, assemblies arise to mourn the slain—

Come the slain man's mourning gatherings whenever she wails:

لقَد خَسِرَ الدَّارَينِ مَن صَدَّ وجهَهُ

لقَد خَسِرَ الدَّارَينِ مَن صَدَّ وجهَهُ

فَلا أنتَ مُبقِيهِ ولا اللَّهُ راحِمُه

فَلا أنتَ مُبقِيهِ ولا اللَّهُ راحِمُه

whoever turns his face away has lost both worlds:

Whoever turned his face away has indeed lost both worlds;

neither will you spare him, nor will God show him mercy.

So neither will you spare him, nor will God show him mercy.

حَرِيصاً عَلى نارِ الجَحِيم كأنَّه

حَرِيصاً عَلى نارِ الجَحِيم كأنَّه

يَخافُ عَلى أبوابِها مَن يُزاحِمُه

يَخافُ عَلى أبوابِها مَن يُزاحِمُه

Greedy for the fire of Hell, as though

Eager for the fire of Hell, as though he

he feared that someone might crowd him away from its gates.

Fears someone might jostle him at its gates.

إلى مَن تَراهُ فوَّضَ الأمرَ غَيركُم

إلى مَن تَراهُ فوَّضَ الأمرَ غَيركُم

إذا أنتُمُ أركانُه ودَعائِمُه

إذا أنتُمُ أركانُه ودَعائِمُه

To whom, other than you, do you suppose command was entrusted,

To whom but you do you think he entrusted authority,

when you are its pillars and supporting columns?

When you are its pillars and supports?

فيا لَكَ مِنها دَولةً عَلويَّةً

فيا لَكَ مِنها دَولةً عَلويَّةً

تَبدَّت بسَعدٍ خاتَمُ الدَّهرِ خاتِمُه

تَبدَّت بسَعدٍ خاتَمُ الدَّهرِ خاتِمُه

What an Alid state it is—

Oh, what an Alid state it is!

revealed beneath good fortune, its seal the seal of the age.

It emerged with good fortune, whose seal is time's own signet.

إذا نزلَ الأستاذُ منها بجانِبٍ

إذا نزلَ الأستاذُ منها بجانِبٍ

فمِن جانبٍ آراؤهُ وعَزائِمُه

فمِن جانبٍ آراؤهُ وعَزائِمُه

When its master descends upon one of its two sides,

When the Master alights in one quarter of it,

his counsels and firm resolves stand upon the other.

Then from another quarter come his counsels and resolutions.

ومَهما اقتَضَى تَدبِيرُها كانَ ماضِياً

ومَهما اقتَضَى تَدبِيرُها كانَ ماضِياً

عَلى النَّاسِ إمَّا بَأسُه أو مَكارِمُه

عَلى النَّاسِ إمَّا بَأسُه أو مَكارِمُه

Whatever its governance requires proceeds inexorably

Whatever its governance requires is brought to bear

among the people—whether through his might or his noble largesse.

Upon the people—either his might or his generous deeds.

بَناها عَلى ما شاءَ فَليَبنِ غيرُهُ

بَناها عَلى ما شاءَ فَليَبنِ غيرُهُ

عَلى غيرِها ما شاءَ فالسَّيفُ هادِمُه

عَلى غيرِها ما شاءَ فالسَّيفُ هادِمُه

He built it as he wished; let another build

He built it as he wished; let another build

elsewhere whatever he wishes—the sword will tear it down.

Whatever he wishes elsewhere—the sword will tear it down.

وكافلُها رأيَ الرَّئيسِ فَلم تَضع

وكافلُها رأيَ الرَّئيسِ فَلم تَضع

لأنَّ كفيلَ الشَّيءِ إن ضاعَ غارِمُه

لأنَّ كفيلَ الشَّيءِ إن ضاعَ غارِمُه

The chief’s judgment stood guarantor for it, so it was not lost;

And the chief's judgment is its guarantor, so it has not been lost,

for if a guaranteed thing is lost, its guarantor must pay.

For if a thing is lost, its guarantor must pay for it.

إذا اجتَمعَت في المُلكِ كلُّ عَظيمةٍ

إذا اجتَمعَت في المُلكِ كلُّ عَظيمةٍ

فأنهضُ من تُلقَى عَليه عَظائِمُه

فأنهضُ من تُلقَى عَليه عَظائِمُه

When every grave undertaking gathers in the realm,

When every grave matter gathers in the kingdom,

the readiest to rise is he upon whom its mighty burdens fall.

He is the ablest of those on whom its great burdens are laid.

وما بالُ باسِيلٍ تَولَّى مُشَمِّراً

وما بالُ باسِيلٍ تَولَّى مُشَمِّراً

أحينَ بدَت مِن كلِّ جَيشٍ ضَراغِمُه

أحينَ بدَت مِن كلِّ جَيشٍ ضَراغِمُه

What ails a valiant warrior, that he turned and fled,

And what ails Basil, that he turned away in haste—

just when the lions of every army came into view?

Just when the lions of every army appeared?

فألا أتاها وقفَةً دَوقَسِيَّةً

فألا أتاها وقفَةً دَوقَسِيَّةً

يَروحُ بها أعلاجُهُ وغَنائِمُه

يَروحُ بها أعلاجُهُ وغَنائِمُه

Why did he not face them in a fierce, lion-like stand,

Why did he not face it with a stand like Dawqas's,

with which his foreign retainers and his spoils would depart?

In which his barbarians and his spoils would be carried off?