أيا هجرٌ ذكراكِ هيَّجَ ما بيا

أيا هجرٌ ذكراكِ هيَّجَ ما بيا

وأجَّجَ ناراً وَقدُها في فؤاديا

وأجَّجَ ناراً وَقدُها في فؤاديا

O Hajar, remembrance of you stirred what ails me,

Oh separation, remembering you stirred up what was dormant in me,

and kindled a fire whose blaze is in my heart.

And ignited a fire, fueling it in my heart,

وزاد غرامي ذكر مَن كان قاطناً

وزاد غرامي ذكر مَن كان قاطناً

بها من أصَيحابي وأهل وِداديا

بها من أصَيحابي وأهل وِداديا

Remembrance of those who dwelt there increased my longing—

And increased my love for those who once dwelled in it,

my dear companions and those I held dear.

My friends and those dear to my heart.

ألا مَن لصحب شتَّت البين شملهم

ألا مَن لصحب شتَّت البين شملهم

وصيَّر منهم مربَع الفضل خاليا

وصيَّر منهم مربَع الفضل خاليا

Ah, who will aid companions whose unity parting shattered,

If only there was someone who could reunite those whose company was scattered,

leaving virtue's abode empty of them?

And make them again an exemplar group, empty of defects.

رعى الله أياماً تقضَّين مَعهمُ

رعى الله أياماً تقضَّين مَعهمُ

ووادٍ به كانوا رعى الله واديا

ووادٍ به كانوا رعى الله واديا

May God bless the days that passed with them,

May God watch over the days I spent with them,

and the valley where they dwelt—may God bless that valley!

And the valley in which they dwelt—may God watch over that valley.

لأشكر ليلاتٍ مضينَ بقربهم

لأشكر ليلاتٍ مضينَ بقربهم

ومِن بعدها لا أشكرنَّ اللَّياليا

ومِن بعدها لا أشكرنَّ اللَّياليا

I shall surely thank the nights that passed near them,

I would be thankful for the nights that passed near them,

but after those, I shall never thank the nights:

While after them I cannot thank the nights.

ليالٍ غدى سُمّارها كلُّ فاضلٍ

ليالٍ غدى سُمّارها كلُّ فاضلٍ

وفيٍّ لعهدٍ ليس للخِلِّ جافيا

وفيٍّ لعهدٍ ليس للخِلِّ جافيا

nights whose companions in evening talk were all men of virtue,

Nights whose mornings brought every virtuous man,

faithful to a pledge, never cold toward a friend.

Loyal to a covenant, not unfaithful and insensitive.

صحبتهمُ في الله دهراً وإنهم

صحبتهمُ في الله دهراً وإنهم

لفي القلب ليلى أسكنوا وفؤاديا

لفي القلب ليلى أسكنوا وفؤاديا

I kept their company for God's sake for an age; indeed, they

I accompanied them for a time in God, and they

have lodged Layla in the heart and in my own heart.

Remain in my heart and soul, having settled there.

أخلاّء صدقٍ من كرام أعزةٍ

أخلاّء صدقٍ من كرام أعزةٍ

لئن بعدوا لم يرحلوا عن فؤاديا

لئن بعدوا لم يرحلوا عن فؤاديا

True friends among generous, noble men—

Sincere, honorable friends—though they are far,

though they have gone far, they have not left my heart.

They have not departed from my soul.

أولئك إخوان الصفاء فبعدَهم

أولئك إخوان الصفاء فبعدَهم

تكدَّرَ عيشي لا أرى الماءَ صافيا

تكدَّرَ عيشي لا أرى الماءَ صافيا

Those are brothers of pure affection; after them,

They are brothers of purity—after them

my life grew clouded; I do not see the water clear.

My life grew troubled, I see no water clear.

لعلَّ اجتماعاً بعدَ بينٍ وربما

لعلَّ اجتماعاً بعدَ بينٍ وربما

ولكن قضى الرحمن ألاَّ تلاقيا

ولكن قضى الرحمن ألاَّ تلاقيا

Perhaps a reunion after parting; perhaps—

Perhaps we will reunite after this separation, but

but the All-Merciful decreed there would be no meeting.

The Merciful has decreed that we not meet again.

ولا كمصاب الطفٍّ أعظِم بوقعةٍ

ولا كمصاب الطفٍّ أعظِم بوقعةٍ

بها انهدَّ في الإسلام ما كان راسيا

بها انهدَّ في الإسلام ما كان راسيا

Nothing compares to the calamity of al-Taff—how tremendous a battle,

My grief is no greater than the shock

through which what had stood firm in Islam collapsed!

That shook Islam, toppling all its pillars.

كأني بمولاي الحسين وقد غدا

كأني بمولاي الحسين وقد غدا

وحيداً ولم يلفِ هناك محاميا

وحيداً ولم يلفِ هناك محاميا

I seem to see my master Husayn, now become

It is as if I see my master al-Husayn, who went

alone, finding no defender there.

Alone, no defender beside him there.

ينادي بصوتٍ يصدع الصخر هل فتىً

ينادي بصوتٍ يصدع الصخر هل فتىً

يحامي فيلقى الله في الحشر جازيا

يحامي فيلقى الله في الحشر جازيا

He calls in a voice that splits rock: “Is there a young man

He cried in a voice that split the rocks: “Is there a noble youth

to defend me, and find God rewarding him at the Gathering?”

Who will defend Allah and be rewarded in the final judgment?”

ولما أباد الله مَن باد منهمُ

ولما أباد الله مَن باد منهمُ

دعا السبطَ أعظِم بالإله مناديا

دعا السبطَ أعظِم بالإله مناديا

And when God had destroyed those among them who perished,

And when Allah destroyed those who were destroyed among them,

He called the grandson—how mighty is God as a caller—

He called upon the greatest youth to call out:

إليه فلبَّاه فخرَّ على الثرى

إليه فلبَّاه فخرَّ على الثرى

قتيلاً فديت ابنَ البتولة ظاميا

قتيلاً فديت ابنَ البتولة ظاميا

unto Himself; he answered Him and fell upon the dust,

“To me!”—and he rushed forth and fell upon the ground,

slain—may I ransom the Chaste One's thirsty son!

Slain—I ransom the son of Batool, wronged!

فديتُ له فوق الصعيد مجدَّلا

فديتُ له فوق الصعيد مجدَّلا

وتصهره شمس الهواجر عاريا

وتصهره شمس الهواجر عاريا

May I be ransom for him, laid low upon the bare earth,

I ransom him lying atop the plain, bloodstained,

as the sun of scorching noons melts him, naked.

While the sun of the emigrants melts him, bare.

وأدبر ينعاه الجواد إلى النسا

وأدبر ينعاه الجواد إلى النسا

فأبصرنه من خيرة الخلق خاليا

فأبصرنه من خيرة الخلق خاليا

The steed departed toward the women, announcing his death;

The noble horse turned back, returning to the women,

they saw it bereft of the finest of creation.

And they saw him, the best of creation, empty.

فشقَّقن منهنَّ الجيوبَ صوارخاً

فشقَّقن منهنَّ الجيوبَ صوارخاً

وجئنَ حسيناً وهو يفحص داميا

وجئنَ حسيناً وهو يفحص داميا

They tore open the necks of their garments, screaming,

They tore their clothes, screaming,

and came to Husayn as he scrabbled at the ground, bleeding.

And came to Husayn while he probed his own blood.

فأبصرنَه وهو الكريمُ معفراً

فأبصرنَه وهو الكريمُ معفراً

على صدره كان الضبابّي جاثيا

على صدره كان الضبابّي جاثيا

They saw him, the noble one, covered in dust;

They saw him—the noble one—dusty,

upon his chest al-Dababi was kneeling.

Collapsed upon his chest which had been bloodied.

وقلن لشمرٍ ويك يا شمرُ خَلِّهِ

وقلن لشمرٍ ويك يا شمرُ خَلِّهِ

ترى عنك رب العرش في الحشر راضيا

ترى عنك رب العرش في الحشر راضيا

They said to Shimr: “Woe to you, Shimr! Leave him be;

And they said to Shimr: “Woe to you, Shimr! Leave him be!

you will find the Lord of the Throne pleased with you at the Gathering.

Surely God, before His throne, will be pleased with you.”

أيا شمر هذا ابن البتولة فاطم

أيا شمر هذا ابن البتولة فاطم

وبضعة مَن من قد بات لله داعيا

وبضعة مَن من قد بات لله داعيا

O Shimr, this is the son of the Chaste One, Fatimah,

“Oh Shimr, this is the son of Batool Fatimah,

and a part of whom? Of him who spent the night calling to God.

And a piece of one who through the night called to God.

أيا شمر هذا خير ماشٍ وراكبِ

أيا شمر هذا خير ماشٍ وراكبِ

وخير فتىً لله قد طاف ساعيا

وخير فتىً لله قد طاف ساعيا

O Shimr, this is the best of walkers and riders,

Oh Shimr, this is the best walker and rider

and the finest youth who made the circuit for God, striving.”

And the best youth who ever circumambulated the Kaaba.”

ومَيَّز رأسَ السبط لا متأثّماً

ومَيَّز رأسَ السبط لا متأثّماً

وأركبه سمر اللّدان العواليا

وأركبه سمر اللّدان العواليا

He severed the grandson's head without feeling guilt,

Without hesitation, he severed the head of the grandson,

and mounted it upon tall, supple, brown-shafted spears.

And mounted it atop the lofty spearheads.