هي سامراء قد فاح شذاها

هي سامراء قد فاح شذاها

وترآى نور أعلام هداها

وترآى نور أعلام هداها

It is Samarra: her fragrance has wafted abroad,

This is Samarra: its fragrance has spread,

and the light of her guiding standards has appeared

and the light of the standards of its guidance has appeared.

بالسهى من بلدة طيبةٍ

بالسهى من بلدة طيبةٍ

تربها مسك وياقوت حصاها

تربها مسك وياقوت حصاها

at al-Suhā, from a blessed city

By al-Suhā [reading uncertain]—what a goodly town,

whose soil is musk and whose pebbles are rubies.

its soil is musk, its pebbles rubies.

حبذا عصر قضيناه بها

حبذا عصر قضيناه بها

بلغت أنفسنا فيه مناها

بلغت أنفسنا فيه مناها

How lovely an age we spent within her,

How lovely the time we spent there,

when our souls attained their desire!

when our souls attained their desires.

وربوع كمل الأنس لنا

وربوع كمل الأنس لنا

والهنا فيها فسقياً لثراها

والهنا فيها فسقياً لثراها

In her abodes our fellowship was perfected,

And abodes where fellowship was complete for us,

and joy was ours there—may rain forever bless her soil.

and happiness there—may rain bless its soil!

وهوى قد شغف الناس هوى

وهوى قد شغف الناس هوى

وصباً ترجع للنفس صباها

وصباً ترجع للنفس صباها

A passion whose love has enthralled all hearts,

And a love that pierced people's hearts with passion,

and an east wind that restores the soul's youth;

and a yearning that restores the soul's youth;

وأزاهير رياض أحدقت

وأزاهير رياض أحدقت

بجنان غضةٍ دان جناها

بجنان غضةٍ دان جناها

blossoms from gardens encircled her,

and garden blossoms surrounding

amid tender groves whose fruit hung low;

lush orchards whose fruit hangs within reach;

ومياه صرح بلقيس حلت

ومياه صرح بلقيس حلت

بصفاها إذ جرت فوق صفاها

بصفاها إذ جرت فوق صفاها

and the waters of Bilqis's palace came,

and waters that adorned Bilqis's palace

flowing in their purity over her smooth flagstones.

with their clarity, as they flowed over its smooth stones;

وهضاب زانها حصباؤها

وهضاب زانها حصباؤها

مثلما زينت الشهب سماها

مثلما زينت الشهب سماها

Her hills were adorned with their pebbles,

and hills made beautiful by their pebbles,

as shooting stars adorn her sky.

just as the bright stars adorned its sky.

صاح إن شاهدت أسمى قبة

صاح إن شاهدت أسمى قبة

لا يداني الفلك الأعلى علاها

لا يداني الفلك الأعلى علاها

Companion, if you behold the loftiest dome,

O friend, if you behold the loftiest dome,

whose height the highest firmament cannot approach,

whose height the highest celestial sphere cannot approach,

فاحطط الرحل بأسنى حضرةٍ

فاحطط الرحل بأسنى حضرةٍ

فاز من ألقى عصاه بفناها

فاز من ألقى عصاه بفناها

then set down your traveling gear at the most radiant shrine:

set down your baggage at the most radiant sanctuary:

blessed is whoever casts down his staff in her courtyard.

he who lays down his staff in its courtyard has triumphed.

حضرة قد أشرقت أنوارها

حضرة قد أشرقت أنوارها

بمصابيح هدىً من آل طه

بمصابيح هدىً من آل طه

A Presence whose lights have shone forth

A sanctuary whose lights have shone forth

with lamps of guidance from the House of Ṭā Hā;

through lamps of guidance from the House of Taha.

حضرة عز ملوك الأرض لو

حضرة عز ملوك الأرض لو

عفرت في عفرها منها الجبلها

عفرت في عفرها منها الجبلها

a Presence before which earthly kings would be exalted if

A sanctuary—earth's kings would gain honor if

their foreheads were rubbed in her dust;

their [foreheads?] were rubbed in its dust.

حضرة تهوى السماوات العلى

حضرة تهوى السماوات العلى

أنها تصبح أرضاً لسماها

أنها تصبح أرضاً لسماها

a Presence for which the highest heavens yearn

A sanctuary—the lofty heavens long

to become mere earth beneath her sky;

to become the earth beneath its sky.

حضرة ودت نجوم الأفق لو

حضرة ودت نجوم الأفق لو

كن في ساحتها بعض حصاها

كن في ساحتها بعض حصاها

a Presence whose horizon-stars wish

A sanctuary—the stars of the horizon wish

they were but pebbles in her courtyard;

they were some of the pebbles in its courtyard.

حضرة لو أن للشمس سنا

حضرة لو أن للشمس سنا

نورها ما حجب الليل سناها

نورها ما حجب الليل سناها

a Presence—had the sun a radiance

A sanctuary—if the sun possessed the radiance

drawn from her light, night could never veil its splendor;

of its light, night would not veil the sun's brilliance.

حضرة تهوى قصور الخلد أن

حضرة تهوى قصور الخلد أن

ترتقي في العز أدنى مرتقاها

ترتقي في العز أدنى مرتقاها

a Presence that the palaces of eternity yearn

A sanctuary—the palaces of eternity long

to ascend in glory even to her lowest station;

to climb in glory to its lowest station.

حضرة لو تستطيع الكعبة ال

حضرة لو تستطيع الكعبة ال

حج حجت كل عامٍ لحماها

حج حجت كل عامٍ لحماها

a Presence—if the Kaaba could perform the

A sanctuary—if the Kaaba could go on

pilgrimage, each year it would pilgrimage to her sanctuary;

pilgrimage, it would come each year to its precinct.

حضرة يأمل أن يستلم ال

حضرة يأمل أن يستلم ال

حجر الأسعد أركان علاها

حجر الأسعد أركان علاها

a Presence whose lofty pillars the most blessed

A sanctuary—longing to touch

Stone itself hopes to touch.

the pillars of its grandeur is the most blessed Stone.

فاستلم أعتابها مستعبراً

فاستلم أعتابها مستعبراً

باكياً مستنشقاً طيب ثراها

باكياً مستنشقاً طيب ثراها

Then touch her thresholds, shedding tears,

So touch its thresholds, shedding tears,

weeping and breathing in the fragrance of her soil,

weeping, breathing in the fragrance of its soil,

لائذاً بالعسكريين التقيي

لائذاً بالعسكريين التقيي

ين أوفى الخلق عند اللَه جاها

ين أوفى الخلق عند اللَه جاها

seeking refuge in the two pious al-Askari Imams—

seeking refuge with the two devout al-ʿAskaris,

the two most eminent of creation before God in rank;

foremost of creation in standing before God.

خازني علم رسول اللَه من

خازني علم رسول اللَه من

قد أبى فضلهما أن يتناهى

قد أبى فضلهما أن يتناهى

the two treasurers of the Messenger of God's knowledge, whose

Guardians of the Messenger of God's knowledge, whose

merit has ever refused to find an end;

excellence refuses to have an end;

فرقدي أفق الهدى بل قمري

فرقدي أفق الهدى بل قمري

فلك العلياء بل شمس ضحاها

فلك العلياء بل شمس ضحاها

the two Pole Stars of guidance's horizon—rather, its two moons;

the two Farqad stars of guidance's horizon—nay, the two moons

the firmament of glory—rather, the sun of its bright forenoon;

of glory's sphere—nay, the sun of its morning brightness;

عيني اللَه تعالى لم يزل

عيني اللَه تعالى لم يزل

بهما يرقى البرايا مذ رعاها

بهما يرقى البرايا مذ رعاها

the two eyes of God Most High, through whom He has never ceased

God's two eyes—exalted is He—through whom He has ever

to raise creation, ever since He tended it;

raised creation since He first tended it;

ترجماني وحيه مستودعي

ترجماني وحيه مستودعي

سره أصدق من بالصدق فاها

سره أصدق من بالصدق فاها

the two interpreters of His revelation, the two repositories

interpreters of His revelation, custodians of

of His secret—the truest of all who ever spoke truth;

His secret, the truest of those who have spoken truth;

عمدي سمك العلى من بهما

عمدي سمك العلى من بهما

قامت الأفلاك في أوج علاها

قامت الأفلاك في أوج علاها

the two pillars of loftiness's edifice, through whom

the two pillars of the lofty vault, through whom

the celestial spheres stand at the zenith of their height;

the celestial spheres stand at the summit of their height;

من بني فاطمة الغر الألى

من بني فاطمة الغر الألى

بهم قد بأهل اللَه وباهي

بهم قد بأهل اللَه وباهي

among Fatima's radiant descendants, those with whom

from among Fatima's radiant sons, those

God invoked the Mubāhala and in whom He gloried.

through whom God invoked mutual imprecation and took pride.

فإذا ما اكتحلت عيناك من

فإذا ما اكتحلت عيناك من

روية الميل وقد لاح تجاها

روية الميل وقد لاح تجاها

Then, when your eyes are graced

And when your eyes are lined as with kohl by

by sight of the minaret gleaming before her,

the sight of the marker as it appears ahead,

فاخلعن نعليك تعظيماً وسر

فاخلعن نعليك تعظيماً وسر

خاضعاً تزدد به عزاً وجاها

خاضعاً تزدد به عزاً وجاها

take off your sandals in reverence and proceed

take off your sandals in reverence, and walk

humbly: thereby you will grow in might and rank.

humbly: through this you will gain honor and standing.

واستجر بالقائم الذائد عن

واستجر بالقائم الذائد عن

حوزة الإسلام والحامي حماها

حوزة الإسلام والحامي حماها

Seek protection with al-Qā'im, the defender

And seek protection with al-Qa'im, who defends

of Islam's domain and guardian of its sanctuary:

Islam's domain and guards its precinct;

حجة اللَه الذي قوم من

حجة اللَه الذي قوم من

قنوات الدين من بعد التواها

قنوات الدين من بعد التواها

God's Proof, who set upright some

God's Proof, who straightened some

of the faith's supporting shafts after they had bent;

of religion's spear-shafts after they had bent;

قطب آل اللَه بل قطب رحى

قطب آل اللَه بل قطب رحى

سائر الأكوان بل قطب سماها

سائر الأكوان بل قطب سماها

the Pole of God's household—rather, the pivot of the millstone

the pole of God's House—nay, the axle of the mill

of all creation—rather, the pole of its heaven;

of all the worlds—nay, the pole of their heaven;

ذو النهى رب الحجى كهف الورى

ذو النهى رب الحجى كهف الورى

بدر أفلاك العلى شمس هداها

بدر أفلاك العلى شمس هداها

possessor of wisdom, lord of discernment, refuge of humankind;

possessor of wisdom, master of reason, humankind's sheltering cave,

full moon of glory's spheres, sun of their guidance;

full moon of the spheres of glory, sun of their guidance;

عصمة الدين ملاذ الشيعة ال

عصمة الدين ملاذ الشيعة ال

غر منجي هلكها فلك نجاها

غر منجي هلكها فلك نجاها

safeguard of the faith and refuge of the radiant...

religion's safeguard, refuge of the Shi'a—the

Shi'a, savior of their doomed, ark of their salvation;

radiant ones—rescuer of their doomed, ark of their salvation;

منقذ الفرقة من أيدي العدى

منقذ الفرقة من أيدي العدى

مطلق الأمة من أسر عناها

مطلق الأمة من أسر عناها

deliverer of the community from the hands of its foes,

deliverer of the community from the hands of foes,

liberator of the nation from the captivity that afflicted it;

liberator of the nation from the bondage of its affliction;

مدرك الأوتار ساقي واتري

مدرك الأوتار ساقي واتري

عترة المختار كاسات رداها

عترة المختار كاسات رداها

avenger of blood-debts, who will make those who wronged

avenger of blood-debts, pouring for those who wronged

the Chosen One's progeny drink cups of their ruin.

the Chosen One's kin cups of their doom.

يا ولي اللَه هل من رجعةٍ

يا ولي اللَه هل من رجعةٍ

تشرق الأرض بأنوار سناها

تشرق الأرض بأنوار سناها

O Friend of God, shall there be a Return

O friend of God, is there a return

by whose radiant lights the earth will shine,

whose radiant lights will make the earth shine,

ويعود الدين ديناً واحداً

ويعود الدين ديناً واحداً

لا يرى فيه التباساً واشتباها

لا يرى فيه التباساً واشتباها

when the faith will again become one united faith

and religion become a single faith again,

in which no confusion or doubt is seen?

with no confusion or ambiguity seen in it?

ليت شعري أو لم يأن لما

ليت شعري أو لم يأن لما

نحن فيه من لسىً إن يتناهى

نحن فيه من لسىً إن يتناهى

Would that I knew: has the time not yet come for

Would that I knew—has the time not come for

the blaze we endure to reach its end?

the [sorrow?] we endure to come to an end?