أيرجع عهد بالشقيقة سالف

سقى العهد منهل من الغيث واكف

Will a bygone time at al-Shaqiqah return?

May copious, dripping rain water that bygone time.

خليلي هذا موقف الوجد والأسا

وخير الخليلين المعين المساعف

My two friends, this is a place of longing and grief;

the better of two friends is the helpful, obliging one.

فعوجا عليه بالدموع فانما

تحيته منا الدموع الذوارف

So turn toward it with tears, for

our greeting to it is flowing tears.

منازل كانت للنعيم معرّسا

وكانت بها للعاشقين مواقف

Dwellings once the lodging-place of bliss,

where lovers once had their meeting-places.

ترف الأقاحي وهي فيها مباسم

وتثنى بها الاغصان وهي معاطف

The daisies quiver there as smiling mouths,

and the branches sway there as curving waists.

فلا تنكرا بالدار فرط صبابتي

فما كل قلب بالصبابة عارف

So do not deem strange my overflowing longing at this dwelling;

not every heart knows passionate love.

فلا ذعرت يا دار ارامك التي

بها المظباء الآنسات معارف

May your white antelopes, O dwelling, never be frightened—

with whom the gentle gazelles are acquainted.

الفن الحسان الغانيات فأكرمت

وتكرم من اجل الأليف الألاف

They befriended the beautiful, naturally lovely women and were honored;

companions are honored for the beloved companion's sake.

لئن جرعتني الحزن اطلال دارهم

فكم ارشفتني الراح فيها المراشف

Though the ruins of their dwelling made me swallow sorrow,

how often lips there had made me sip wine!

وان تعف بعد الظاعنين ربوعهم

فقلبي منها آهل الربع آلف

And though their quarters fade after those who departed,

my heart's quarter is still peopled by them, still attached.

وقفت به والدمع يجري كأنني

وان جل رزء الطف بالطف واقف

I stood there with tears flowing, as though I were—

though al-Taff's calamity is immense—standing at al-Taff,

على مربع روت دماء بني الهدى

ثراه ولم ترو القلوب اللواهف

at an abode where the blood of guidance's sons watered

the soil, but did not slake yearning hearts.

فكم غيبت فيه نجوماً وحجبت

بدو رعلا فيها المنايا الخواسف

How many stars were buried there, how many hidden

moons of glory—by deaths that eclipsed them there.

إلى الطف من أرض الحجاز تطلعت

ثنايا المنايا ماثنتها المخاوف

From the land of Hijaz toward al-Taff they climbed

the passes of death; no fears turned them back.

ترحل أمن الخائفين عن الحمى

مخافة ان لا يأمن البيت خائف

The frightened people's refuge departed from the sanctuary,

lest a frightened soul find no safety in the House.

وقد كان شمساً والحجاز بنوره

مضئ فامسى بعده وهو كاسف

He had been a sun, and Hijaz by his light

was radiant; after him it lay eclipsed.

وصوح بعد الغيث نبت رياضه

وقلص ظل بالمكارم وارف

After the rain, the growth of its gardens withered,

and the shade once spread by noble deeds shrank.

قد استصرخته بالعراق عصابة

تحكم فيها جائر الحكم عاسف

A band in Iraq had cried to him for help,

ruled by a tyrant, unjust and oppressive.

فانجدهم غوث اللهيف وشيمة

الكريم إذا داع دعاه يساعف

He came to their aid, the refuge of the distressed; it is the way

of a noble man to help when someone calls upon him.

سرى والمنايا تستحث ركابه

إلى موقف تنسى لديه المواقف

He traveled by night, while deaths urged on his mounts,

toward a stand beside which all other stands are forgotten.

تحف به الخيل الكرام وفوقها

من الهاشميين الكرام الغطارف

Noble horses surrounded him, and upon them

were the noble, highborn Hashemites.

بنو مطعمي طير السماء سيوفهم

لهن مقاري في الوغى ومضائف

Sons of those who fed the birds of heaven—their swords

offered hospitality and banquets in the fray.

إذا اعتقلوا سمر الرماح تضيقت

يعاسيبها العقبان فهي عواكف

When they couched their tawny spears, eagles crowded

their spearheads, lingering over them.

بهم عرف المعروف والبأس والندى

وفاضت على المسترفدين العوارف

Through them kindness, valor, and generosity became known,

and gifts poured forth upon those seeking aid.

وقد نازلوا الكرب الشديد بكربلا

وكل بحد السيف للكرب كاشف

They faced fierce anguish at Karbala,

and each dispelled anguish with the sword's edge.

فدارت بابناء النبي محمد

عصائب ابناء الطليق الزعانف

Then around the sons of the Prophet Muhammad gathered

the rabble bands of the freed captive's sons.

وما اجتمعت الا لتطفئ عنوة

مصابيح نور الله تلك الطوائف

Those factions gathered only to extinguish by force

the lamps of God's light.

وما كان كتب القوم الا كتائبا

تمج دماً فيها القني الرواعف

Their letters were nothing but battalions

in which blood-dripping spears spat blood.

وقد اخذ الميثاق منهم فما وفى

أخو موثق منهم ولا برّ حالف

Their covenant had been taken, yet no

pledged man among them kept faith, nor any oath-swearer.

ابى الله والنفس والأبية ضيمه

فمات كريماً وهو للضيم عائف

God and his proud soul refused his humiliation;

he died noble, spurning humiliation.

ونفس علي بين جنبي سليله

فلله هاتيك النفوس الشرائف

The soul of Ali dwelt between his descendant's ribs;

by God, how noble those souls!

وراموا على حكم الدعي نزوله

فقال على حكم النزال التناصف

They sought his submission to the pretender's judgment;

he said, 'Fair dealing lies in the judgment of combat.'

نفوس أبت إلا نفائس مفخر

إليها انتهى مجد تليد وطارف

Souls that accepted nothing but the choicest glory,

in whom inherited and newly won honor reached its summit.

بنفسي من احيى شريعة جدّه

على حين قد كادت تموت العواطف

My life be the ransom of him who revived his grandfather's law,

when compassion had almost died.

أبوه الذي قد شيد الدين سيفه

وهذا ابنه والشبل لليث واصف

His father was he whose sword built up the faith;

and this is his son—the cub portrays the lion.

أمير المنايا ذو الفقار بكفه

إذا ما قضى أمراً فليست تخالف

Master of death, Dhu al-Fiqar in his hand;

whenever he decreed a thing, death would not disobey.

ويجري به بحر وفي الكف جدول

تمر على من ذاق منه المراشف

A sea carried him onward, and in his hand was a stream

whose draughts turned bitter for whoever tasted it.

طوى بصفيح الهند نشر جموعهم

كما طويت بالراحتين الصحائف

With Indian steel he folded up their outspread hosts,

as pages are folded between two palms.

وقل البغاة الماردين كأنه

سليمان لكن المهند آصف

He swept away the defiant rebels, as though he were

Solomon—but the Indian blade was Asif.

يكر على جمع العدى وهو بينهم

فريد فترفض الجموع الزواحف

He charged the enemy host, though among them he was

alone; their advancing masses scattered.

جناحهم من خيفة الصقر خافق

وقلبهم من سطوة الليث راجف

Their wings fluttered in fear of the falcon,

and their hearts trembled at the lion's might.

يفل قراع الدارعين حسامه

فيحمل فيهم وهو بالعزم سائف

The clash with armored warriors blunted his sword;

still he charged among them, wielding resolve as his blade.

وقائمه ما بارح الكف في الوغى

إلى ان خبا برق من السيف خاطف

Its hilt never left his hand in battle,

until the sword's flashing lightning died away.

صريعا يفدى بالنفوس وسيفه

كسير تفدّيه السيوف الرهائف

Slain—may souls ransom him—and his sword,

broken—may keen-edged swords ransom it.

قضى عطشا دون الفرات فلا جرى

بورد ولا بل الجوى منه راشف

He died thirsty beside the Euphrates—may it never flow

for drinkers, nor may one who sips it soothe his burning thirst.

وظمأن لكن من نجيع فؤاده

تروى المواضي والرماح الدوالف

And thirsty, yet from his heart's blood

the keen blades and advancing spears drank their fill.

ومرتضع بالسهم اضحى فطامه

فذاق حمام الموت والقلب لاهف

And a suckling, whose weaning came by an arrow,

tasted death's doom, while the heart ached.

اتى ابن رسول الله مستسقياً له

فما عطفت يوماً عليه العواطف

The son of God's Messenger came seeking water for him,

but no feelings of mercy ever inclined toward him.

فاهوت على الجيد المخضب أمه

تقبّله والطرف بالدمع واكف

His mother bent down over his blood-stained neck,

kissing him, her eye streaming tears.

جعلتك لي يا منية النفس زهرة

ولم ادر ان السهم للزهر قاطف

'I made you a flower for myself, O my soul's desire,

not knowing the arrow was a plucker of flowers.'

فلله مقدام على الهول ماله

سوى المرهف الماضي عضيد محالف

By God, what a champion against terror, with no

supporting ally but the keen, cutting blade.

إذا اشتد كرب زاد بشراً وبهجة

كان المنايا بالأماني تساعف

When anguish grew fiercer, his cheer and joy increased,

as though deaths were granting his wishes.

وفي الأرض صرعى من بنيه ورهطه

وفي الخدر منه المحصنات العفائف

On the ground lay the slain of his sons and kin,

and in the women's quarters were the sheltered, chaste women of his house.

فلا هو من خطب يلاقيه ناكل

ولا هو فيما قد مضى منه آسف

He did not shrink from any calamity he faced,

nor regret what had already passed from him.

واعظم ما قاسى خدور عقائل

بها لم يطف غير الملائك طائف

The hardest thing he endured was the noble women's secluded chambers,

around which none but angels had ever passed.

وعز عليه ان تهاجمها العدى

وهن بحامي خدرهن هواتف

It grieved him that the enemy should assault them,

while they cried out for the defender of their chambers.

ينوء ليحمي الفاطميات جهده

فيكبوبه ضعف القوى المتضاعف

With all his strength he struggled to rise to guard the women of Fatimah's line,

but mounting weakness made him stumble.

لأن عاد مسلوب الثياب مجردا

فللحمد ابراد له ومطارف

Though he lay stripped of clothing, utterly bare,

praise had robes and mantles for him.

فلم ير احلى من سليب قد اكتسى

من الطعن ما تكسو الجروح النوا

No sight was sweeter than that stripped man, now clothed

by spear-thrusts, in what wounds bestow [text incomplete].

وفي السبي من آل النبي كرائم

نمتها إلى المجد الاثيل الخلائف

And in captivity were noble women of the Prophet's house,

whose lineage the caliphs had raised to deep-rooted glory.

يسار بها من منهل بعد منهل

وتطوى على الاكوار فيها التنائف

They were driven from one watering place to another,

and desert wastes were crossed with them upon camel-saddles.

وليس لها من رهطها وحماتها

لدى السير الا ناحل الجسم ناحف

Of their kinsmen and defenders they had none

on the march but one gaunt, wasting man.

تمثلها العين المنيرة للعدى

ويسترها جفن من الليل واطف

The radiant eye exposed them to the foe,

and a thick-lashed eyelid of night concealed them.

وهن بشجو للدموع نواثر

وهن بندب للفريد رواصف

In sorrow they scattered tears,

and wove laments for the one left alone.

هواتف يبكين الحسين إذا بكت

هديلا حمامات الغصون الهواتف

Calling out, they wept for Husayn whenever

the calling doves upon the branches wept their cooing.

وفوق القنا تزهو الرؤس كأنها

ازاهير لكن الرماح القواطف

Above the spears the heads shone, as though they were

flowers—but the spears were their pluckers.

وما حملت فوق الرماح رؤسهم

ولكنما فوق الرماح المصاحف

It was not their heads that were borne above the spears,

but, above the spears, copies of the Qur'an.