عطفbent الدلcoquetry قدهhis figure فتأودso it swayed
عطف الدل قده فتأود
فانثنىso it bent الغصنthe bough وهوwhile it يثنيoffers praise علىof القدthe figure
فانثنى الغصن وهو يثني على القد
Coquetry bent his figure, and it swayed;
His gentle bending as the branches bend,
the bough bowed, praising his figure.
Swaying gracefully to his slender waist.
انif روتrelates بانةa bān tree حديثa tale التثنيof swaying
ان روت بانة حديث التثني
فإلىthen to قدهhis figure المهفهفslender يسندit is attributed
فإلى قده المهفهف يسند
If a bān tree recounts a tale of swaying,
If the whisper of his swaying was heard,
the tale is traced back to his slender figure.
He leans for support on his bending shape.
نفثتbreathed forth مقلتاهhis two eyes سحراًmagic حلالاlawful
نفثت مقلتاه سحراً حلالا
فيinto قلوبhearts بشعرby the hair of صدغيهhis two temples تعقدare knotted
في قلوب بشعر صدغيه تعقد
His two eyes breathed forth lawful magic
His glances poured magic oh so sweet,
into hearts knotted by the hair at his temples.
Into hearts enchained by his smooth cheeks.
ماwhat الذيthat which ينقمfind fault with العواذلthe reproachers فيin حبlove for
ما الذي ينقم العواذل في حب
مليحa handsome youth غضtender الشبيبهyouth أغيدsupple
مليح غض الشبيبه أغيد
What fault do the reproachers find in loving
What do the passionate blame in love
a handsome youth, tender in youth and supple?
For a beautiful, youthful, tender bud?
أشقيقis it the anemones of الخدودthe cheeks أمor نرجسthe narcissi of الأجفانthe eyelids
أشقيق الخدود أم نرجس الأجفان
أمor أقحوانthe chrysanthemum of ثغرa mouth منضدneatly arrayed
أم أقحوان ثغر منضد
Is it the anemones of his cheeks, or the narcissi of his eyelids,
Is it the apple cheeks or the narcissus lids,
or the chrysanthemum of his neatly arrayed mouth?
Or the mouth like pearls finely lined?
ثعليThu‘ali الجفونof eyelids كمhow many منof قتيلa slain man
ثعلي الجفون كم من قتيل
قدindeed رماهhe shot him بنبلهنwith their arrows فاقصدso killed outright
قد رماه بنبلهن فاقصد
A Thu‘ali archer in his eyelids—how many a victim
Many a slain victim of the eyelids
has he shot with their arrows and struck dead!
Struck down by their arrows of glance.
رشأa fawn ينتميbelongs إلىto العربthe Arabs لكنbut
رشأ ينتمي إلى العرب لكن
سيفthe sword of الحاظهhis glances المراضlanguid مهندIndian-forged
سيف الحاظه المراض مهند
A fawn belonging to the Arabs, yet
A branch belonging to Arabs but
the sword of his languid glances is Indian-forged.
The keen sword of passion shreds.
عجباًhow strange! للعيونat the eyes تجرحwound لبىmy inmost heart
عجباً للعيون تجرح لبى
ولهاand for them القلبthe heart بالملاحهto beauty يشهدbears witness
ولها القلب بالملاحه يشهد
How strange that eyes should wound my inmost heart,
Wondrous are the eyes that wound a heart
while my heart bears witness to their beauty!
While it witnesses their glances.
قدindeed أراقتspilled دميmy blood وشاهدand the witness to قتليmy killing
قد أراقت دمي وشاهد قتلي
خدهhis cheek الناظرwatchful الصقيلpolished المورّدrose-tinted
خده الناظر الصقيل المورّد
They have spilled my blood, and the witness to my killing is
They shed my blood and witnessed my murder
his watchful cheek, polished and rose-red.
The smooth cheek of the watcher, reddened.
ياO كثيرfrequent in الصدودturning away صلgrant union to مستهاماًa love-crazed man
يا كثير الصدود صل مستهاماً
ليسdoes not يقوىhave strength علىagainst جفائكyour coldness والصدand rejection
ليس يقوى على جفائك والصد
O you who turn away so often, grant a lovesick man reunion;
O oft resistant, make peace submissively
he cannot endure your coldness and rejection.
For none can withstand your disdain.
واطفand quench ياO كاملperfect in المحاسنbeauties حرthe heat of
واطف يا كامل المحاسن حر
الوجدlonging فيwith نهلةa draught of الرضابsaliva المبردcooling
الوجد في نهلة الرضاب المبرد
And quench, O you perfect in beauty, the heat
Be gentle, O perfect in beauty, ardour
of longing with a draught of your cooling saliva.
Quenched in the valley of pleasure cooled.
وارثand take pity ياO ناعسdrowsy الجفونeyelids لصبon a lovesick lover
وارث يا ناعس الجفون لصب
ليلهhis night مثلlike حبهhis love لكfor you سرمدendless
ليله مثل حبه لك سرمد
And pity, O drowsy-eyed one, a passionate lover
Awaken, O sleepy-eyed, to a night
whose night, like his love for you, is endless.
Of love for you, everlasting.
ليتwould that عينيكyour two eyes وهيwhile they تعديtransmit سقاماًsickness
ليت عينيك وهي تعدي سقاماً
برقادwith slumber تعديwould infect الكئيبthe sorrowful one المسهدsleepless
برقاد تعدي الكئيب المسهد
Would that your eyes, which transmit sickness,
Would that your eyes which bring ruin
would infect the sorrowful, sleepless lover with slumber!
In slumber, avoid the gloomy enchained.
كادhe nearly يقضيdied منfrom الصبابةardent longing ولاand not (likely intended: 'but for')
كاد يقضي من الصبابة ولا
بشرthe joy of يومa day بهon which تجلىshone forth محمدMuhammad
بشر يوم به تجلى محمد
He nearly died of longing—[but for]
Youth almost passed with no good tiding,
the joy of the day on which Muhammad shone forth.
Till the day Muhammad appeared.
ازهرتblossomed روضةthe garden of البشائرglad tidings فيهon it
ازهرت روضة البشائر فيه
وبهاand in it طائرthe bird of المسرّةhappiness غردsang
وبها طائر المسرّة غرد
The garden of glad tidings blossomed on that day,
The garden of tidings bloomed through him,
and in it the bird of happiness sang.
The bird of joy sang through him.
جاءhe came والعيدand the feast مقبلينboth approaching جميعاًtogether
جاء والعيد مقبلين جميعاً
وكلاand both الطالعينthe arrivals سرgladdened وأسعدand made happy
وكلا الطالعين سر وأسعد
He and the feast came approaching together,
He came and the feast came together,
and both arrivals brought delight and happiness.
Both rising, secret and most blessed.
قدindeed زكاwas pure محتداin lineage وقدand indeed طابwas goodly فرعاًas a branch
قد زكا محتدا وقد طاب فرعاً
بوركتblessed are you منamong فروعthe branches of مجدglory ومحتدand noble stock
بوركت من فروع مجد ومحتد
He was pure in lineage and goodly as a branch;
His virtue manifested, his branch now wholesome,
blessed are you among the scions of glory and noble stock!
Blessed among branches of glory and belief.
ماجدa noble man تجمعgather المكارمnoble qualities فيهin him
ماجد تجمع المكارم فيه
فهوso he فيin جمعهhis gathering of المكارمnoble qualities مفردis peerless
فهو في جمعه المكارم مفرد
A noble man in whom noble qualities gather,
Majid in whom all virtues convene
he is peerless in gathering them.
So he in his gathering of virtues is unparalleled.
لوif حكىimitated واكفthe pouring rain of السحابthe clouds نداهhis generosity
لو حكى واكف السحاب نداه
كانwould be صوبthe downpour of الحياrain نضاراpure gold وعسجدand gold
كان صوب الحيا نضارا وعسجد
If the pouring clouds could imitate his generosity,
If soft clouds told of his voice,
the rain's downpour would be pure gold and precious gold.
It would face life, blossoming, branching.
ينظمis strung into verse الحمدpraise فيfor علاهhis eminence ولكنbut
ينظم الحمد في علاه ولكن
فيin الندىgenerosity شملthe gathered whole of وفرهhis wealth يتبددis scattered
في الندى شمل وفره يتبدد
Praise is strung into verse for his eminence, yet
He composes praise in his exaltation but
through generosity his gathered wealth is scattered.
In dew, his encompassing bounty disperses.
آلthe house of زينZayn ('adornment') العبادal-‘Ibad ('the worshippers') أكرمthe noblest آلhouse
آل زين العباد أكرم آل
ورثواthey inherited الفضلnobility اصيداًone proud lord بعدafter اصيدanother proud lord
ورثوا الفضل اصيداً بعد اصيد
The house of Zayn al-‘Ibad is the noblest house;
The House of Zainalabidin is the noblest house
they inherited nobility, proud lord after proud lord.
That inherited merit, one after another.
البهاليلthe magnanimous chiefs انif تفاقمgrows grave خطبa crisis
البهاليل ان تفاقم خطب
والمقاويلand the eloquent spokesmen انif تجمّعgathers محشدan assembly
والمقاويل ان تجمّع محشد
Magnanimous chiefs when a crisis grows grave,
When misfortunes gather intensity,
and eloquent spokesmen when an assembly gathers.
And multitudes of armies converge,
علماءscholars جاؤاthey brought بفصلwith decisiveness of خطابdiscourse
علماء جاؤا بفصل خطاب
ارأيتhave you seen السيوفthe swords حينwhen تجرّدthey are unsheathed
ارأيت السيوف حين تجرّد
Scholars who brought decisive discourse—
Scholars who pronounced discourse
have you seen swords when they are unsheathed?
Have you seen swords when they are unsheathed?
فيin سماءthe sky of العلاءeminence لاحواthey shone بدوراًas full moons
في سماء العلاء لاحوا بدوراً
مشرقاتradiant ضياؤهاtheir light يتوقدblazes
مشرقات ضياؤها يتوقد
In the sky of eminence they shone as full moons,
In the sky of the exalted, mansions shine
radiant, their light ablaze.
Whose radiance is everlit.
نعمexcellent is مستعصمthe refuge of الأنامmankind حسينHusayn
نعم مستعصم الأنام حسين
فبهfor through him ايدتwas strengthened شريعةthe law of أحمدAhmad
فبه ايدت شريعة أحمد
What an excellent refuge for mankind is Husayn!
Yes, al-Musta’sim, the protector of mankind
For through him the law of Ahmad was strengthened,
Through whom Ahmad’s law was supported.
وبهand through him مهدتwere firmly laid قواعدthe foundations of شرعa sacred law
وبه مهدت قواعد شرع
إذنgave permission اللهGod فيهfor it انto يتمهدbe firmly established
إذن الله فيه ان يتمهد
and through him the foundations of a sacred law were laid,
Through whom the foundations of canon were laid
which God gave leave to be firmly established.
By God’s permission to be founded.
شيدhe built up الدينthe faith فاستقامso it stood firm وماand not انemphatic particle
شيد الدين فاستقام وما ان
يستقيمstands firm البناءthe building مالمunless يشيدit is built up
يستقيم البناء مالم يشيد
He built up the faith, and it stood firm; no
He established religion so it straightened
building stands firm unless it is built up.
And no building stands unless first founded.
طوقadorned اللهGod خلقهHis creatures طوقwith a necklace of نعمىblessing
طوق الله خلقه طوق نعمى
حينwhen اضحىbecame بهاwith it الامامthe Imam المقلدthe one invested
حين اضحى بها الامام المقلد
God adorned His creatures with a necklace of blessing
God graced him with a cloak of favor
when the Imam came to be invested with it.
When the imam wore it, distinguished.
علمthe banner of الرشدsound judgment والهدىand guidance مستقيمupright
علم الرشد والهدى مستقيم
أيهاO you المهتدىthe guided one هلمcome لترشدto be rightly guided
أيها المهتدى هلم لترشد
The banner of sound judgment and guidance stands upright;
The guidance of integrity upright,
O seeker of guidance, come and be rightly led.
O guided one, come so you are guided.
وعليand Ali of العلاءhigh glory نعمexcellent is المحاميthe defender
وعلي العلاء نعم المحامي
بشباwith the keen edges of عزمهhis resolve ورأيand judgment مسددwell-directed
بشبا عزمه ورأي مسدد
And Ali of high glory—what an excellent defender,
And Ali is the best advocate for the exalted,
with the keen edges of his resolve and well-directed judgment!
With his resolute wisdom and sound judgement.
قادhe led صعبthe unruly steed of العلاglory فاسلسso it grew docile طوعاًwillingly
قاد صعب العلا فاسلس طوعاً
فيin يديهhis two hands منهof it زمامa rein ومقودand a lead-rope
في يديه منه زمام ومقود
He led the unruly steed of glory, and it willingly grew docile;
He led the difficult ascents with ease,
its rein and lead-rope lay in his hands.
The reins and guiding rope in his hands.
أيهاO you المبتغيwho seek نظيرthe equal of عليAli
أيها المبتغي نظير علي
خلناspare us منfrom طلابpursuing ماwhat ليسis not يوجدfound
خلنا من طلاب ما ليس يوجد
O you who seek an equal to Ali,
O seeker, none compares to Ali,
spare us the pursuit of what cannot be found.
Spare us seeking what cannot be found!
انif تقلyou say ليثa lion of غابةa forest قلتI say اجرىswifter
ان تقل ليث غابة قلت اجرى
أوor تقلyou say غيثthe rain of مزنةa raincloud قلتI say اجودmore generous
أو تقل غيث مزنة قلت اجود
If you say, 'A forest lion,' I say, 'Swifter still';
If you say a lion in a jungle, I say charging.
or you say, 'A raincloud's shower,' I say, 'More generous still.'
Or you say a torrential rain, I say pouring.
Sol 6.1