دُموعٌ أَجابَت داعِيَ الحُزنِ هُمَّعُ

دُموعٌ أَجابَت داعِيَ الحُزنِ هُمَّعُ

تَوَصَّلُ مِنّا عَن قُلوبٍ تَقَطَّعُ

تَوَصَّلُ مِنّا عَن قُلوبٍ تَقَطَّعُ

Streaming tears have answered sorrow's call,

Tears responded to the caller of sorrow in anguish

bearing word from us, from hearts that break apart.

Extending from hearts torn apart

عَفاءٌ عَلى الدُنيا طَويلٌ فَإِنَّها

عَفاءٌ عَلى الدُنيا طَويلٌ فَإِنَّها

تُفَرِّقُ مِن حَيثُ اِبتَدَت تَتَجَمَّعُ

تُفَرِّقُ مِن حَيثُ اِبتَدَت تَتَجَمَّعُ

Long-lasting ruin upon the world! For it

Patience over the world is long, for it

separates things where it had begun to gather them.

Separates from where it began to gather

تَبَدَّلَتِ الأَشياءُ حَتّى لَخِلتُها

تَبَدَّلَتِ الأَشياءُ حَتّى لَخِلتُها

سَتَثني غُروبَ الشَمسِ مِن حَيثُ تَطلَعُ

سَتَثني غُروبَ الشَمسِ مِن حَيثُ تَطلَعُ

Things have changed so much that I thought they

Things have changed until I found them

would turn the sun's setting to where it rises.

Except the sunset from where it rises

لَها صَيحَةٌ في كُلِّ روحٍ وَمُهجَةٍ

لَها صَيحَةٌ في كُلِّ روحٍ وَمُهجَةٍ

وَلَيسَت بِشَيءٍ ما خَلا القَلبَ تُسمِعُ

وَلَيسَت بِشَيءٍ ما خَلا القَلبَ تُسمِعُ

It has a cry in every spirit and soul,

It has a scream in every soul and passion

yet it makes nothing hear it except the heart.

And it makes no sound except what the heart hears

أَإِدريسُ ضاعَ المَجدُ بَعدَكَ كُلُّهُ

أَإِدريسُ ضاعَ المَجدُ بَعدَكَ كُلُّهُ

وَرَأيُ الَّذي يَرجوهُ بَعدَكَ أَضيَعُ

وَرَأيُ الَّذي يَرجوهُ بَعدَكَ أَضيَعُ

O Idris, all glory was lost after you,

Oh Idris, all glory is lost after you

and the judgment of one who hopes for it after you is more astray.

And the view that one hopes for after you is most lost

وَغودِرَ وَجهُ العُرفِ أَسوَدَ بَعدَما

وَغودِرَ وَجهُ العُرفِ أَسوَدَ بَعدَما

يُرى وَكَأَنَّهُ كَعابٌ تَصَنَّعُ

يُرى وَكَأَنَّهُ كَعابٌ تَصَنَّعُ

And the face of kindness was left black, after

And the face of virtue went black after it was seen

once seeming a young maiden adorning herself.

As if it were affectation and pretense

وَأَصبَحَتِ الأَحزانُ لا لِمَبَرَّةٍ

وَأَصبَحَتِ الأَحزانُ لا لِمَبَرَّةٍ

تُسَلِّمُ شَزراً وَالمَعالي تُوَدِّعُ

تُسَلِّمُ شَزراً وَالمَعالي تُوَدِّعُ

And sorrows now, with no kind intent,

And sorrows have become endless

greet with sidelong looks, while noble virtues bid farewell.

Relinquishing no embers and no glories left behind

وَضَلَّ بِكَ المُرتادُ مِن حَيثُ يَهتَدي

وَضَلَّ بِكَ المُرتادُ مِن حَيثُ يَهتَدي

وَضَرَّت بِكَ الأَيّامُ مِن حَيثُ تَنفَعُ

وَضَرَّت بِكَ الأَيّامُ مِن حَيثُ تَنفَعُ

And through your loss the seeker strayed where he once found his way,

The guided was lost with you from where he is guided

and through your loss the days brought harm where they brought benefit.

And days were detrimental with you from where they benefit

وَأَضحَت قَريحاتُ القُلوبِ مِنَ الجَوى

وَأَضحَت قَريحاتُ القُلوبِ مِنَ الجَوى

تُقاظُ وَلَكِنَّ المَدامِعَ تُربَعُ

تُقاظُ وَلَكِنَّ المَدامِعَ تُربَعُ

And hearts wounded by burning grief are now

And the talents of hearts have become from ardour

in summer's heat, while tearful eyes are in spring.

Awake, but the tears encamp

عُيونٌ حَفِظنَ اللَيلَ فيكَ مُجَرَّماً

عُيونٌ حَفِظنَ اللَيلَ فيكَ مُجَرَّماً

وَأَعطَينَهُ الدَمعَ الَّذي كانَ يُمنَعُ

وَأَعطَينَهُ الدَمعَ الَّذي كانَ يُمنَعُ

Eyes kept vigil for you throughout the whole night,

Eyes that kept vigil over the night remembering you

and gave it the tears that were once withheld.

And gave it the tears that were forbidden

وَقَد كانَ يُدعى لابِسُ الصَبرِ حازِماً

وَقَد كانَ يُدعى لابِسُ الصَبرِ حازِماً

فَقَد صارَ يُدعى حازِماً حينَ يَجزَعُ

فَقَد صارَ يُدعى حازِماً حينَ يَجزَعُ

And once the man clothed in patience was called prudent,

And he who wore the garb of patience was once called resolute

but now he is called prudent when he gives way to grief.

Now he is called resolute when he grieves

وَقالَت عَزاءً لَيسَ لِلمَوتِ مَدفَعٌ

وَقالَت عَزاءً لَيسَ لِلمَوتِ مَدفَعٌ

فَقُلتُ وَلا لِلحُزنِ لِلمَوتِ مَدفَعُ

فَقُلتُ وَلا لِلحُزنِ لِلمَوتِ مَدفَعُ

And she said in consolation, 'There is no warding off death.'

And she said in consolation, death has no deterrence

So I said, 'Nor is there warding off grief over death.'

So I said, nor does sorrow for death have deterrence

لِإِدريسَ يَومٌ ماتَزالُ لِذِكرِهِ

لِإِدريسَ يَومٌ ماتَزالُ لِذِكرِهِ

دُموعٌ وَإِن سَكَّنتَها تَتَفَرَّعُ

دُموعٌ وَإِن سَكَّنتَها تَتَفَرَّعُ

Idris has a day at whose remembrance there are always

For Idris there is a day where tears for his memory still

tears that well up, even if you quiet them.

Flow, and if you subdue them, they branch out

وَلَمّا نَضا ثَوبَ الحَياةِ وَأَوقَعَت

وَلَمّا نَضا ثَوبَ الحَياةِ وَأَوقَعَت

بِهِ نائِباتُ الدَهرِ ما يُتَوَقَّعُ

بِهِ نائِباتُ الدَهرِ ما يُتَوَقَّعُ

And when he shed the garment of life, and there befell

And when the garb of life was removed and

him, through time's calamities, what was expected,

The vicissitudes of fate afflicted him with the unexpected

غَدا لَيسَ يَدري كَيفَ يَصنَعُ مُعدِمٌ

غَدا لَيسَ يَدري كَيفَ يَصنَعُ مُعدِمٌ

دَرى دَمعُهُ في خَدِّهِ كَيفَ يَصنَعُ

دَرى دَمعُهُ في خَدِّهِ كَيفَ يَصنَعُ

a destitute man no longer knew what to do;

He who destroys awoke not knowing what to do

his tears knew what to do upon his cheek.

While his tears on his cheek knew not what to do

وَماتَت نُفوسُ الغالِبِيّينَ كُلِّهِم

وَماتَت نُفوسُ الغالِبِيّينَ كُلِّهِم

وَإِلّا فَصَبرُ الغالِبِيّينَ أَجمَعُ

وَإِلّا فَصَبرُ الغالِبِيّينَ أَجمَعُ

And the souls of all the Ghalibiyyin died,

And the souls of all the victors died

or, if not, all the Ghalibiyyin's patience did.

Except the patience of the victors altogether

غَدَوا في زَوايا نَعشِهِ وَكَأَنَّما

غَدَوا في زَوايا نَعشِهِ وَكَأَنَّما

قُرَيشٌ قُرَيشٌ يَومَ ماتَ المُجَمِّعُ

قُرَيشٌ قُرَيشٌ يَومَ ماتَ المُجَمِّعُ

They stood at the corners of his bier, as though

They came around his bier as if

they were Quraysh—Quraysh when al-Mujammiʿ died.

It were Quraysh, the day the unifier died

وَلَم أَنسَ سَعيَ الجودِ خَلفَ سَريرِهِ

وَلَم أَنسَ سَعيَ الجودِ خَلفَ سَريرِهِ

بِأَكسَفِ بالٍ يَستَقيمُ وَيَظلَعُ

بِأَكسَفِ بالٍ يَستَقيمُ وَيَظلَعُ

And I have not forgotten Generosity hastening behind his bier,

And I did not forget the pursuit of generosity behind his bier

in deepest dejection, now walking straight, now limping,

With the humiliation of an unfortunate load that wanders and roams

وَتَكبيرُهُ خَمساً عَلَيهِ مُعالِناً

وَتَكبيرُهُ خَمساً عَلَيهِ مُعالِناً

وَإِن كانَ تَكبيرَ المُصَلّينَ أَربَعُ

وَإِن كانَ تَكبيرَ المُصَلّينَ أَربَعُ

and its loudly proclaiming 'God is greatest' over him five times,

And his pronouncing Allah Akbar over him five times

though those praying said it four times.

Although the tasbih of those praying is only four times

وَما كُنتُ أَدري يَعلَمُ اللَهُ قَبلَها

وَما كُنتُ أَدري يَعلَمُ اللَهُ قَبلَها

بِأَنَّ النَدى في أَهلِهِ يَتَشَيَّعُ

بِأَنَّ النَدى في أَهلِهِ يَتَشَيَّعُ

And I had not known—God knows—before that

And I did not know, may God know, that beforehand

that Generosity embraces Shiism among its own people.

Dew falls upon his family and is dispersed

وَقُمنا فَقُلنا بَعدَ أَن أُفرِدَ الثَرى

وَقُمنا فَقُلنا بَعدَ أَن أُفرِدَ الثَرى

بِهِ ما يُقالُ في السَحابَةِ تُقلِعُ

بِهِ ما يُقالُ في السَحابَةِ تُقلِعُ

And we stood and said, after the earth was left alone

And we stood up and said, when he was alone in the ground

with him, what is said of a cloud as it clears:

What is said about a dispersing cloud:

أَلَم تَكُ تَرعانا مِنَ الدَهرِ إِن سَطا

أَلَم تَكُ تَرعانا مِنَ الدَهرِ إِن سَطا

وَتَحفَظُ مِن آمالِنا ما يُضَيَّعُ

وَتَحفَظُ مِن آمالِنا ما يُضَيَّعُ

Did you not guard us against time when it assailed,

Were you not sheltering us from the days of tribulation

and preserve those of our hopes that would be lost,

And protecting our hopes from being lost

وَتَلبَسُ أَخلاقاً كِراماً كَأَنَّها

وَتَلبَسُ أَخلاقاً كِراماً كَأَنَّها

عَلى العِرضِ مِن فَرطِ الحَصانَةِ أَدرُعُ

عَلى العِرضِ مِن فَرطِ الحَصانَةِ أَدرُعُ

and clothe yourself in noble traits, as though they

And wearing noble morals as if

were coats of mail over your honor, so great their protection,

You were armored from excessive chastity

وَتَبسُطُ كَفّاً في الحُقوقِ كَأَنَّما

وَتَبسُطُ كَفّاً في الحُقوقِ كَأَنَّما

أَنامِلُها في البَأسِ وَالجودِ أَذرُعُ

أَنامِلُها في البَأسِ وَالجودِ أَذرُعُ

and stretch forth a hand to fulfill rightful claims, as though

And extending a hand in rights as if

its fingers, in valor and generosity, were arms,

Its fingers in valor and generosity were outstretched

وَتَربُطُ جَأشاً وَالكُماةُ قُلوبُهُم

وَتَربُطُ جَأشاً وَالكُماةُ قُلوبُهُم

تَزَعزَعُ خَوفاً مِن سُيوفٍ تَتَزَعزَعُ

تَزَعزَعُ خَوفاً مِن سُيوفٍ تَتَزَعزَعُ

and steady your heart, while the warriors' hearts

And you tied your loins while the cowardly hearts

quaked in fear of swords that quivered?

Trembled in fear of unsheathed swords that clattered

وَأُمنِيَّةُ المُرتادِ تُحضِرُكَ النَدى

وَأُمنِيَّةُ المُرتادِ تُحضِرُكَ النَدى

فَيَشفَعُ في مِثلِ المَلا فَيُشَفَّعُ

فَيَشفَعُ في مِثلِ المَلا فَيُشَفَّعُ

And the seeker's wish brings Generosity before you,

And the wish of the guided brought you moisture

so it intercedes for something as vast as the open plain, and its plea is granted.

So it interceded like a fulfilled wish intercedes

فَأُنطِقَ فيها حامِدٌ وَهوَ مُفحَمٌ

فَأُنطِقَ فيها حامِدٌ وَهوَ مُفحَمٌ

وَأُفحِمَ فيها حاسِدٌ وَهوَ مِصقَعُ

وَأُفحِمَ فيها حاسِدٌ وَهوَ مِصقَعُ

Thus a praiser was made to speak of them, though tongue-tied,

So the fault-finder was rendered speechless while he is confounded

and an envier was silenced concerning them, though an eloquent orator.

And the envier was rendered speechless while he is muzzled

أَلا إِنَّ في ظُفرِ المَنِيَّةِ مُهجَةً

أَلا إِنَّ في ظُفرِ المَنِيَّةِ مُهجَةً

تَظَلُّ لَها عَينُ العُلى وَهيَ تَدمَعُ

تَظَلُّ لَها عَينُ العُلى وَهيَ تَدمَعُ

Behold, in death's claw lies a soul

Lo! Verily in the grasp of death there is anguish

for which the eye of greatness keeps weeping.

That makes the eyes of the sublime weep as they overflow

هِيَ النَفسُ إِن تَبكِ المَكارِمُ فَقدَها

هِيَ النَفسُ إِن تَبكِ المَكارِمُ فَقدَها

فَمِن بَينِ أَحشاءِ المَكارِمِ تُنزَعُ

فَمِن بَينِ أَحشاءِ المَكارِمِ تُنزَعُ

It is the soul: if noble virtues weep its loss,

It is the soul, if the generous weep for its loss

then it is torn from the midst of noble virtues' entrails.

Then it is plucked from between the intestines of the generous

أَلا إِنَّ أَنفاً لَم يَعُد وَهوَ أَجدَعٌ

أَلا إِنَّ أَنفاً لَم يَعُد وَهوَ أَجدَعٌ

لِفَقدِكَ عِندَ المَكرُماتِ لَأَجدَعُ

لِفَقدِكَ عِندَ المَكرُماتِ لَأَجدَعُ

Behold, a nose that has not come away mutilated

Lo! A nose that did not return, and it is severed

at your loss is truly mutilated in the sight of noble deeds.

Is severed for your loss during generous deeds

وَإِنَّ اِمرِءاً لَم يُمسِ فيكَ مُفَجَّعاً

وَإِنَّ اِمرِءاً لَم يُمسِ فيكَ مُفَجَّعاً

بِمَجلودِهِ في عَقلِهِ لَمُفَجَّعُ

بِمَجلودِهِ في عَقلِهِ لَمُفَجَّعُ

And any man not stricken by your loss

And a man was not touched by you while grieving

in his fortitude is surely stricken in his reason.

With his hide whipped, in his mind whipped