أَصبَحوا يفرقونَ مِن إِفراقي

أَصبَحوا يفرقونَ مِن إِفراقي

فاستَعانوا في نكسَتي بالفِراقِ

فاستَعانوا في نكسَتي بالفِراقِ

They have come to fear my recovery,

They began to part from my parting,

so they used separation to bring about my relapse.

So they aided in my defeat with parting.

ما صَبَرتُم لقَد بخِلتُم عَلى المُد

ما صَبَرتُم لقَد بخِلتُم عَلى المُد

نفِ حَقاً حتَّى بطولِ السِّياقِ

نفِ حَقاً حتَّى بطولِ السِّياقِ

You did not wait; indeed, you begrudged the gravely ill man

You did not have patience - you were stingy with extending,

even, in truth, a lingering death.

A right, even with prolonging the context.

راحَةٌ ما اعتَمدتُموها بقَتلي

راحَةٌ ما اعتَمدتُموها بقَتلي

رُبَّ خَيرٍ أَتى بغَير اتِّفاقِ

رُبَّ خَيرٍ أَتى بغَير اتِّفاقِ

A relief you did not intend by killing me—

A rest which you did not depend on by killing me,

many a good thing has come unplanned.

How much good has come without agreement.

سَوفَ أمضي وتَلحَقون ولا عِل

سَوفَ أمضي وتَلحَقون ولا عِل

مَ لكُم ما يكونُ بعدَ اللِّحاقِ

مَ لكُم ما يكونُ بعدَ اللِّحاقِ

I shall depart, and you will follow, knowing nothing

I will pass, and you will follow, without any knowledge,

of what will happen after you follow.

Of what will happen after joining.

حَيثُ لا يجمعُ القَضيَّةَ من يَج

حَيثُ لا يجمعُ القَضيَّةَ من يَج

مَعُ بَينَ الخَصمَينِ ماضٍ وباقِ

مَعُ بَينَ الخَصمَينِ ماضٍ وباقِ

Where no case is heard by one who brings together

Where the case cannot be gathered by one who ga-

two adversaries, one departed and one still alive.

thers between the two opponents, one gone and one remaining.

ما لَهم لا خلقت فيهم فَما أَغ

ما لَهم لا خلقت فيهم فَما أَغ

فَل قَومي عن الدَّمِ المُهراقِ

فَل قَومي عن الدَّمِ المُهراقِ

What ails them? Would I had not been born among them! How heedless

They have no ethics, so I have no duty to

my people are of the blood that has been spilled!

turn away my people from spilled blood.

ربَّ ظَهرٍ قلبتُه مثلَما يُق

ربَّ ظَهرٍ قلبتُه مثلَما يُق

لَبُ ظهرُ المجنِّ لِلأرشاقِ

لَبُ ظهرُ المجنِّ لِلأرشاقِ

Many a back have I turned, just as

How many backs have I overturned, like the back of

the back of a shield is turned to meet arrow volleys.

the twisting snake is overturned for the archers.

بعدَ ما قادَني فَلَم أَدرِ حتَّى

بعدَ ما قادَني فَلَم أَدرِ حتَّى

صِرتُ ما بَينَ مُلتَقى الأَحداقِ

صِرتُ ما بَينَ مُلتَقى الأَحداقِ

After he had led me, I did not realize until

After it led me, I did not know until

I found myself where the gazes met.

I became between the meeting of the eyeballs.

وأَراني أَسيرَ عينَيكَ مِنهن

وأَراني أَسيرَ عينَيكَ مِنهن

نَ فَماذا تَراهُ في إِطلاقِي

نَ فَماذا تَراهُ في إِطلاقِي

And among them I see myself captive to your two eyes;

And it makes me a prisoner of your eyes,

so what do you think of setting me free?

So what do you see in my release?

مسَّةٌ من هَواكَ بي لا مِن الجن

مسَّةٌ من هَواكَ بي لا مِن الجن

نِ فَهَل مِن مُعَزِّمٍ أَور راقِ

نِ فَهَل مِن مُعَزِّمٍ أَور راقِ

The touch upon me is from love for you, not from the jinn—

A touch from your love is upon me, not from

is there an exorcist or a charm-healer?

the Jinn, so is there a determined and pure comforter.

غَيرَ أَن يُبرِدَ احتِراقي بوَصلٍ

غَيرَ أَن يُبرِدَ احتِراقي بوَصلٍ

أَو بِوَعدٍ أَو أَن يبلَّ اشتِياقي

أَو بِوَعدٍ أَو أَن يبلَّ اشتِياقي

Except by cooling my burning with union,

Other than one who cools my burning with a union,

or with a promise, or by moistening my longing,

Or a promise, or makes my yearning gush.

أَو يُعيدَ الكَرى كَما كانَ لا يو

أَو يُعيدَ الكَرى كَما كانَ لا يو

حِشُني مِن خَيالِكَ الطرَّاقِ

حِشُني مِن خَيالِكَ الطرَّاقِ

or by restoring sleep as it was, without

Or returns the times like it did not make me

depriving me of your night-visiting phantom.

lonely from your fanciful imagination.

ما لِنَومي كأنَّه كانَ في أَو

ما لِنَومي كأنَّه كانَ في أَو

وَلِ دَمعي جَرى مِن الآماقِ

وَلِ دَمعي جَرى مِن الآماقِ

What ails my sleep? As though, with my first

What is sleep to me, as if it was in the

tears, it flowed from the corners of my eyes.

beginning, and my tears flowed from the depths.

غيرُ مُستَرجَع فيُرجَى وهَل تَر

غيرُ مُستَرجَع فيُرجَى وهَل تَر

جِعُ لِلعَينِ أَدمعٌ في سِباقِ

جِعُ لِلعَينِ أَدمعٌ في سِباقِ

Irretrievable, beyond hope—and do

Nothing else to be regained, so it is hoped. And can

tears racing forth ever return to the eye?

tears be returned to the eye in a race?

بِأَبي شادِنٌ توثَّقتُ بِالأَي

بِأَبي شادِنٌ توثَّقتُ بِالأَي

مانِ مِنه مِن قَبلِ شدِّ وَثاقِي

مانِ مِنه مِن قَبلِ شدِّ وَثاقِي

My father be ransom for a fawn—I took assurances by

By my father taken, I trusted the covenants,

oaths from him before my bonds were tightened.

From him, from before my binding and fastening.

فَهوَ إلا يَكن لحربٍ فَحربٌ

فَهوَ إلا يَكن لحربٍ فَحربٌ

علَّمتهُ خِيانَةَ الميثاقِ

علَّمتهُ خِيانَةَ الميثاقِ

So, if he is not Harb's, then war

So it is either for war, so it is war,

taught him to betray the covenant.

It taught him betrayal of the covenant.

نَفَرٌ مِن أُميَّةٍ نَفَر الإِس

نَفَرٌ مِن أُميَّةٍ نَفَر الإِس

لامِ مِن بَينهم نُفور إِباقِ

لامِ مِن بَينهم نُفور إِباقِ

A band from Umayya: Islam fled

A number from Umayyah, the number of Is-

from their midst, like an escaping slave.

lam turned away from them, fleeing wickedly.

أَنفَقوا في النِّفاقِ ما غَصَبوه

أَنفَقوا في النِّفاقِ ما غَصَبوه

فاستَقامَ النِّفاقُ بِالإِنفاقِ

فاستَقامَ النِّفاقُ بِالإِنفاقِ

They spent on hypocrisy what they had usurped;

They spent in hypocrisy what they usurped,

so hypocrisy stood firm through spending.

So hypocrisy became upright with spending.

وهيَ دارُ الغُرورِ قَصر بِاللو

وهيَ دارُ الغُرورِ قَصر بِاللو

وامِ فيها تَطاولُ العُشاقِ

وامِ فيها تَطاولُ العُشاقِ

And it is the abode of delusion; the reproachers are outstripped

And it is the house of delusion, a palace with

there by the lovers' lofty ambitions.

injustices in it, the lovers extend.

وأَراها لا تَستَقيمُ لذي الزُّه

وأَراها لا تَستَقيمُ لذي الزُّه

دِ إِذا المالُ مالَ بالأَعناقِ

دِ إِذا المالُ مالَ بالأَعناقِ

And I see it does not favor the ascetic

And I see it cannot be made right for one of repute,

when wealth bends necks.

When the money leans with the necks.

فلِهذا أبناءُ أحمَدَ أبنا

فلِهذا أبناءُ أحمَدَ أبنا

ءُ عَليٍّ طَرايد الآفاقِ

ءُ عَليٍّ طَرايد الآفاقِ

Thus Ahmad's sons, the sons

So for this, the sons of Ahmad, sons

of Ali, are hunted exiles across the horizons.

of Ali, prey of the horizons.

فقراءُ الحجازِ بَعدَ الغِنى الأَك

فقراءُ الحجازِ بَعدَ الغِنى الأَك

بَرِ أَسرى الشآم قَتلى العِراقِ

بَرِ أَسرى الشآم قَتلى العِراقِ

Poor in the Hijaz after the greatest riches,

The poor of Hejaz, after great wealth,

captives in al-Sham, slain in Iraq.

Captives of Levant, killed in Iraq.

جانبَتهم جَوانبُ الأَرضِ حتَّى

جانبَتهم جَوانبُ الأَرضِ حتَّى

خلت أنَّ السماءَ ذات انطِباقِ

خلت أنَّ السماءَ ذات انطِباقِ

The reaches of the earth shunned them, until

Its sides avoided them until it seemed

I thought the sky was closing in.

the sky has folding.

أن أقصِّر يا آلَ أحمَدَ أَو أغ

أن أقصِّر يا آلَ أحمَدَ أَو أغ

رقَ كانَ التَّقصيرُ كالإغراقِ

رقَ كانَ التَّقصيرُ كالإغراقِ

Whether I fall short, O family of Ahmad, or exaggerate,

That I fall short, O family of Ahmad, or exaggerate,

falling short would be like exaggeration.

was a shortcoming like flooding.

لَستُ في وَصفِكُم بِهَذا وهَذا

لَستُ في وَصفِكُم بِهَذا وهَذا

لاحِقاً غَيرَ أن تَروا إِلحاقِي

لاحِقاً غَيرَ أن تَروا إِلحاقِي

In describing you, by this or that, I cannot

I am not in describing you with this and that,

catch up, unless you see fit to include me.

Following, other than you see my joining.

إِنَّ أَهلَ السَّماءِ فيكُم وأهلَ ال

إِنَّ أَهلَ السَّماءِ فيكُم وأهلَ ال

أَرضِ مادامَتا لأهل افتراقِ

أَرضِ مادامَتا لأهل افتراقِ

Indeed, regarding you, heaven's inhabitants and the inhabitants of

Indeed the people of the sky are among you, and the people

earth remain divided as long as both endure.

of the earth, as long as they are people of separation.

عَرفَت فَضلَكُم مَلائِكَةُ ال

عَرفَت فَضلَكُم مَلائِكَةُ ال

لَهِ فَدانَت وقومُكم في شِقاقِ

لَهِ فَدانَت وقومُكم في شِقاقِ

God's angels recognized your excellence

The angels of God knew your merit so they submitted,

and submitted, while your people are in discord.

while your people are in conflict.

يَستَحِقُّونَ حَقّكم زَعموا

يَستَحِقُّونَ حَقّكم زَعموا

ذلكَ سُحقاً لَهم من استِحقاقِ

ذلكَ سُحقاً لَهم من استِحقاقِ

They claim that they deserve your rightful due;

They claim your right, they alleged,

perdition to them for that claim of entitlement!

damn them from entitlement.

وأَرى بعضَهم يُبايعُ بَعضاً

وأَرى بعضَهم يُبايعُ بَعضاً

بانتِظامٍ من ظُلمِهم واتِّساقِ

بانتِظامٍ من ظُلمِهم واتِّساقِ

And I see some of them pledge allegiance to others,

And I see some of them pledging allegiance to some,

in the order and concord of their oppression.

with organization from their injustice and harmony.

واستَثاروا السُّيوفَ فيكُم فقُمنا

واستَثاروا السُّيوفَ فيكُم فقُمنا

نَستَثيرُ الأقلامَ في الأوراقِ

نَستَثيرُ الأقلامَ في الأوراقِ

And they roused the swords against you, so we rose

And they provoked the swords against you, so we

to rouse the pens upon the pages.

provoke the pens in the pages.

أيُّ غَبنٍ لَولا القِيامَةُ والمَر

أيُّ غَبنٍ لَولا القِيامَةُ والمَر

جوُّ فيها مِن قُدرة الخَلاقِ

جوُّ فيها مِن قُدرة الخَلاقِ

What injustice, were it not for the Resurrection and what is hoped

What loss, if not for the Day of Judgement, and the hope

there from the Creator's power!

in it from the Power of the Creator.

فَكَأنِّي بِهم يَودُّونَ لَو أنَّ ال

فَكَأنِّي بِهم يَودُّونَ لَو أنَّ ال

خَوالي مِن اللَّيالي البَواقي

خَوالي مِن اللَّيالي البَواقي

So I can almost see them wishing that the

So it is as if I see them wishing if only

bygone nights were among the nights still remaining,

the remaining nights from the years would repent.

ليَتوبُوا إِذا يُذادونَ عَن أَك

ليَتوبُوا إِذا يُذادونَ عَن أَك

رَم حَوضٍ عَليه أكرمُ ساقِ

رَم حَوضٍ عَليه أكرمُ ساقِ

to repent when they are driven away from the noblest

When they are pushed away from the most generous basin,

pool, where the noblest cupbearer presides.

upon it the most generous of legs.

وَإِذا ما التَقَوا تَقاسَمَت النا

وَإِذا ما التَقَوا تَقاسَمَت النا

رُ عَليّاً بالعَدلِ يَوم التَّلاقي

رُ عَليّاً بالعَدلِ يَوم التَّلاقي

And when they meet, the Fire will share them with

And when they meet, the fire will distribute to

Ali, in justice, on the Day of Meeting.

Ali with justice, the day of meeting.

قيلَ هَذا بِما كَفَرتُم فذُوقوا

قيلَ هَذا بِما كَفَرتُم فذُوقوا

ما كَسَبتُم يا بُؤسَ ذاكَ المَذاقِ

ما كَسَبتُم يا بُؤسَ ذاكَ المَذاقِ

It will be said: “This is for your disbelief, so taste

It will be said, “This is for what you disbelieved, so taste

what you have earned!” How wretched that taste!

what you have earned, oh misery of that taste.”