ماwhat بَينَbetween دَمعيmy tears المُسبَلِstreaming
ما بَينَ دَمعي المُسبَلِ
عَهدٌa covenant وَبَينَand between ثَرىearth عَليAli
عَهدٌ وَبَينَ ثَرى عَلي
What lies between my streaming tears
Between my falling tears and Ali's shrine,
And Ali's earth is a covenant:
Lies the covenant in Baqee's confine.
عَهدُcovenant البَقيعِal-Baqiʿ وَساكِنيand dwellers
عَهدُ البَقيعِ وَساكِني
هِits عَلىwith الحَياrain المُتَهَدِّلِgently descending
هِ عَلى الحَيا المُتَهَدِّلِ
The covenant of al-Baqiʿ and its dwellers
The tears are solace for distressed soul,
With the gently descending rain.
And comfort for the anguished and dole.
وَالدَمعُand tears مِروَحَةُfan الحَزيthe grieving one (continued)
وَالدَمعُ مِروَحَةُ الحَزي
نِending of 'grieving one' وَراحَةُand relief المُتَمَلمِلِthe restless one
نِ وَراحَةُ المُتَمَلمِلِ
And tears are the grieving one's fan
We pass away, while others will remain,
And the restless one's relief.
Joining the gone in their fair domain.
نَمضيwe pass on وَيَلحَقُand catches up مَنwhoever سُلاforgot
نَمضي وَيَلحَقُ مَن سُلا
فيamong الغابِرينَthe departed بِمَنwith the one who سُليwas forgotten
في الغابِرينَ بِمَن سُلي
We pass on, and the one who forgot joins,
So much earthly dust with blood imbued,
Among the departed, the one forgotten.
Upon the days poured out and strewed.
كَمhow much مِنof تُرابٍearth بِالدُموwith tears (continued)
كَم مِن تُرابٍ بِالدُمو
عِending of 'tears' عَلىthroughout الزَمانِtime مُبَلَّلِmoistened
عِ عَلى الزَمانِ مُبَلَّلِ
How much earth, with tears,
Like a grave unfilled with bone stark white,
Is moistened through the ages!
And remnants of what once saw life's light.
كَالقَبرِlike the grave ماwhat لَمnot يَبلَdecay فيin
كَالقَبرِ ما لَم يَبلَ في
هِit مِنَof العِظامِbones وَماand what بَليdecayed
هِ مِنَ العِظامِ وَما بَلي
Like this grave, with what has not decayed within it
Two meadows of glory that honour drew,
Of bones, and what has decayed,
Now shelter but stars when day is through.
رَيّانُbrimming مِنwith مَجدٍglory يَعِزis beyond reach (continued)
رَيّانُ مِن مَجدٍ يَعِز
زُending of 'is beyond reach' عَلىfor القُصورِpalaces مُوَثَّلِfirmly rooted
زُ عَلى القُصورِ مُوَثَّلِ
Brimming with glory beyond the reach
Their talk is musk's fragrance in the throngs,
Of palaces—a glory firmly rooted.
And perfume 'mid gathering's press and songs.
أَمسَتbecame جَوانِبُهُits sides قَراa resting place (continued)
أَمسَت جَوانِبُهُ قَرا
راًending of 'resting place' لِلنُجومِfor the stars الأُفَّلِthat have set
راً لِلنُجومِ الأُفَّلِ
Its sides have become a resting place
Say to Death: "You've let down with tears drawn,
For stars that have set.
The Patience' veil, though with care worn."
وَحَديثُهُمand tales of them مِسكُmusk النَدِيthe gathering (continued)
وَحَديثُهُم مِسكُ النَدِي
يِending of 'gathering' وَعَنبَرٌand ambergris فيin المَحفِلِthe assembly
يِ وَعَنبَرٌ في المَحفِلِ
And tales of them are musk in the gathering
Events descend on the days' flow and tide,
And ambergris in the assembly.
As though they'd never come and subside.
قُلsay لِلنَعيِّto the death-announcer هَتَكتَyou unveiled دَمtears (continued)
قُل لِلنَعيِّ هَتَكتَ دَم
عَending of 'tears' الصابِرِthe patient one المُتَجَمِّلِoutwardly composed
عَ الصابِرِ المُتَجَمِّلِ
Tell the death-announcer: you have unveiled the tears
With Abul Fadl's leaving, grief laden,
Of the patient man who keeps his composure,
I bear what I'd never borne unbidden.
المُلتَقيwho meets الأَحداثَcalamities إِنwhenever
المُلتَقي الأَحداثَ إِن
نَزَلَتbefell كَأَنas though لَمnot تَنزِلِbefall
نَزَلَت كَأَن لَم تَنزِلِ
Who meets calamities, whenever
Till I'm dazed - and who tastes the loss of most dear,
They fall, as though they had not fallen.
Will find himself in a daze most drear!
حَمَلَlaid الأَسىgrief بِأَبيfor Abu الفُتوal-Futuh (continued)
حَمَلَ الأَسى بِأَبي الفُتو
حِending of 'al-Futuh' عَلَيَّupon me ماwhat لَمnot أَحمِلِI bear
حِ عَلَيَّ ما لَم أَحمِلِ
Grief for Abu al-Futuh has laid
So I blame Fate in Fate's judgment hall,
Upon me what I had never borne,
For the decree made in Fate's call.
حَتّىuntil ذَهِلتُI was stunned وَمَنand whoever يَذُقtastes
حَتّى ذَهِلتُ وَمَن يَذُق
فَقدَloss الأَحِبَّةِloved ones يَذهَلِis stunned
فَقدَ الأَحِبَّةِ يَذهَلِ
Until I was stunned; whoever tastes
I yearn for that youth and time ahead,
The loss of loved ones is stunned.
And for friends when friendship has sped.
فَعَتِبتُso I reproached فيconcerning رُكنِa pillar القَضاjustice (continued)
فَعَتِبتُ في رُكنِ القَضا
ءِending of 'justice' عَلىagainst القَضاءِthe divine decree المُنزَلِsent down
ءِ عَلى القَضاءِ المُنزَلِ
So, over justice's pillar, I reproached
I yearn for features like the full moon gleaming,
The decree sent down.
'Twixt the splendor of youth and brooklets streaming.
لَهَفيmy anguish عَلىfor ذاكَthat الشَباyouth (continued)
لَهَفي عَلى ذاكَ الشَبا
بِending of 'youth' وَذاكَand that المُستَقبَلِfuture
بِ وَذاكَ المُستَقبَلِ
Alas for that youth
And the modesty of a face inclined,
And that future!
To Jesus' way and message kind.
وَعَلىand for المَعارِفِlearning إِذwhen خَلَتbecame bereft
وَعَلى المَعارِفِ إِذ خَلَت
مِنof رُكنِهاits pillar وَالمَوئِلِand refuge
مِن رُكنِها وَالمَوئِلِ
And for learning, now bereft
O you who 'neath the palm trees rest,
Of its pillar and refuge!
Free of sorrow and woes suppressed!
وَعَلىand for شَمائِلَqualities of character كَالرُبىlike hills
وَعَلى شَمائِلَ كَالرُبى
بَينَbetween الصَباthe east breeze وَالجَدوَلِand the brook
بَينَ الصَبا وَالجَدوَلِ
And for graces like hills
You robed in Minister's robes stately,
Between the east breeze and the brook,
Lie now garbed differently, sensibly.
وَحَياءِand modesty وَجهٍa face يُؤis related (continued)
وَحَياءِ وَجهٍ يُؤ
ثَرُending of 'is related' عَنof يَسوعَJesus المُرسَلِthe messenger
ثَرُ عَن يَسوعَ المُرسَلِ
And a face's modesty, such as is related
And you who on sand as your deathbed lie,
Of Jesus, the messenger.
After life's长quest built up high.
ياO راوِياًsated تَحتَbeneath الصَفيstone slabs (continued)
يا راوِياً تَحتَ الصَفي
حِending of 'stone slabs' مِنَwith الكَرىslumber وَالجَندَلِand rocks
حِ مِنَ الكَرى وَالجَندَلِ
O you, sated beneath the stone slabs
My thoughts turn to the faded youth,
With slumber and rocks,
In his bloom pictured, in truth.
وَمُسَربَلاًand robed حُلَلَvestments الوِزاministry (continued)
وَمُسَربَلاً حُلَلَ الوِزا
رَةِending of 'ministry' باتَpassed the night غَيرَnot مُسَربَلِrobed
رَةِ باتَ غَيرَ مُسَربَلِ
And you, robed in a minister's vestments,
And I pause torn between the real and myth,
Who passed the night unrobed,
Seeing time hastily by me flit.
وَمُوَسَّداًand pillowed حُفَرَhollows الثَرىearth
وَمُوَسَّداً حُفَرَ الثَرى
بَعدَafter البِناءِthe edifice الأَطوَلِthe tallest
بَعدَ البِناءِ الأَطوَلِ
And you, pillowed in hollows of earth
Days rushed ahead - would they had not sped!
After the loftiest edifice!
Destined for us at the pool to be led.
إِنّيindeed I اِلتَفَتُّI turned إِلىtoward الشَباyouth (continued)
إِنّي اِلتَفَتُّ إِلى الشَبا
بِending of 'youth' الغابِرِbygone المُتَمَثِّلِappearing vividly
بِ الغابِرِ المُتَمَثِّلِ
Indeed, I turned toward youth,
They vanished like dreams, with no cryptic key,
Bygone, now appearing before me,
While dreams harbor some mystery.
وَوَقَفتُand I stood ماthe space (with 'between') بَينَbetween المُحَقthe real (continued)
وَوَقَفتُ ما بَينَ المُحَق
قَقِending of 'the real' فيهِin it وَالمُتَخَيَّلِand the imagined
قَقِ فيهِ وَالمُتَخَيَّلِ
And stood between what was real
Our youth's shade generous by our side,
In it and what was imagined.
Spreads, not with the years of eventide.
فَرَأَيتُso I saw أَيّاماًdays عَجِلhurried (continued)
فَرَأَيتُ أَيّاماً عَجِل
نَthey (verb ending) وَلَيتَهاand would that they لَمnot تَعجَلِhurried
نَ وَلَيتَها لَم تَعجَلِ
So I saw days that hurried past—
We were neighbors in campus lodgings placed,
Would that they had not hurried!
Each at his window the other faced.
كانَتwere مُوَطَّأَةَsoftly prepared المِهاbeds (continued)
كانَت مُوَطَّأَةَ المِها
دِending of 'beds' لَناfor us عِذابَsweet المَنهَلِwatering place
دِ لَنا عِذابَ المَنهَلِ
Their beds were softly laid
Studying there with scholars mature,
For us, their watering places sweet.
And students excelling seeking their cure.
ذَهَبَتpassed كَحُلمٍlike a dream بَيدَexcept أَنthat (continued)
ذَهَبَت كَحُلمٍ بَيدَ أَن
نَending of 'that' الحُلمَthe dream لَمnot يَتَأَوَّلِbe interpreted
نَ الحُلمَ لَم يَتَأَوَّلِ
They passed like a dream, except that
Days sacrificing at knowledge fane
The dream was never interpreted.
As never sacrificed before or again.
إِذwhen نَحنُwe فيin ظِلِّshade الشَباyouth (continued)
إِذ نَحنُ في ظِلِّ الشَبا
بِending of 'youth' الوارِفِwide-spreading المُتَهَدِلِhanging low
بِ الوارِفِ المُتَهَدِلِ
When we were beneath youth's shade,
While youth remains ignored - how so,
Wide-spreading and hanging low,
When you from youth's pursuits didn't go?
جارانِtwo neighbors فيin دارِabode النَوىdistance from home
جارانِ في دارِ النَوى
مُتَقابِلانِboth facing one another بِمَنزِلِin a lodging
مُتَقابِلانِ بِمَنزِلِ
Two neighbors in a land far from home,
Had you but known life's total span,
Facing one another in our lodgings,
You'd have done what no other man.
أَيكيmy grove وَأَيكُكَand your grove ضاحِكاboth smiling (continued)
أَيكي وَأَيكُكَ ضاحِكا
نِdual ending of 'smiling' عَلىover خَمائِلِleafy thickets مونبِليMontpellier
نِ عَلى خَمائِلِ مونبِلي
My grove and your grove were smiling
None knows what the days hide away,
Over Montpellier's leafy thickets,
Except Allah planning our way.
وَالدَرسُand study يَجمَعُنيbrings me together بِأَفwith the finest (continued)
وَالدَرسُ يَجمَعُني بِأَف
ضَلِending of 'finest' طالِبٍstudent وَمُحَصِّلِand diligent learner
ضَلِ طالِبٍ وَمُحَصِّلِ
And study joined me to the finest
We wander through straits of the unknown and familiar,
Student and diligent learner,
Till we change while the covenant stays as it were.
أَيّامَin days when تَبذُلُyou gave فيin سَبيthe cause (continued)
أَيّامَ تَبذُلُ في سَبي
لِending of 'cause' العِلمِlearning ماwhat لَمnot يُبذَلِbe given
لِ العِلمِ ما لَم يُبذَلِ
In days when you gave, in the cause
Those days of youth so generous, so kind!
Of learning, what had never been given.
Whose shade enriched those left behind.
غَضَّwas tender الشَبابُyouth فَكَيفَhow then كُنwere (continued)
غَضَّ الشَبابُ فَكَيفَ كُن
تَyou (verb ending) عَنِfrom الشَبابِyouth بِمَعزِلِin seclusion
تَ عَنِ الشَبابِ بِمَعزِلِ
Youth was tender—how, then, were you
Who e'er missed youth's shade, unfurled,
Keeping yourself apart from youth?
Has lived in life bare and world.
وَإِذاand when دَعاكَcalled you إِلىto الهَوىlove
وَإِذا دَعاكَ إِلى الهَوى
داعيthe summons الصِباyouth لَمnot تَحفِلِyou heed
داعي الصِبا لَم تَحفِلِ
And when you were called to love
O you who left and your bounty remained,
By youth's summons, you paid no heed.
Bearing the hopes you self-contained!
وَلَوِand had اِطَّلَعتَyou looked عَلىinto الحَياlife (continued)
وَلَوِ اِطَّلَعتَ عَلى الحَيا
ةِending of 'life' فَعَلتَyou would have done ماwhat لَمnot يُفعَلِbe done
ةِ فَعَلتَ ما لَم يُفعَلِ
And had you looked into life,
The throngs of youth walked canopy topped,
You would have done what had never been done.
Weeping for the canopy lopped.
لَمnot يَدرِknew إِلّاexcept اللَهُGod ماwhat
لَم يَدرِ إِلّا اللَهُ ما
خَبَّأَتhid لَكَfor you الدُنياthe world وَليand for me
خَبَّأَت لَكَ الدُنيا وَلي
None but God knew what
So see if your bier flowed with tears' measure,
The world had hidden for you and me,
When farewell bade youth's treasure.
تَجريruns بِناwith us لِمُفَتَّحٍtoward what is opened
تَجري بِنا لِمُفَتَّحٍ
بَينَamong الغُيوبِunseen things وَمُقفَلِand what is closed
بَينَ الغُيوبِ وَمُقفَلِ
Carrying us toward what is opened
God - and a nation frail, weak.
Amid the unseen, and what is closed,
While you had a father bent, bleak.
حَتّىuntil تَبَدَّلناwe changed وَذاand that (continued)
حَتّى تَبَدَّلنا وَذا
كَending of 'that' العَهدُthe covenant لَمnot يَتَبَدَّلِchange
كَ العَهدُ لَم يَتَبَدَّلِ
Until we changed, yet that
He gives up the homesteads rich;
Covenant did not change.
But to whom returns their cache?
هاتيكَthose أَيّامُdays الشَباyouth (continued)
هاتيكَ أَيّامُ الشَبا
بِending of 'youth' المُحسِنِbeneficent المُتَفَضِّلِbountiful
بِ المُحسِنِ المُتَفَضِّلِ
Those were the days of youth,
Not rich is he who is without woe
Beneficent and bountiful.
And worry is spared to know.
مَنwhoever فاتَهُpassed him by ظِلُّshade الشَبيyouth (continued)
مَن فاتَهُ ظِلُّ الشَبي
بَةِending of 'youth' عاشَlived غَيرَnot مُظَلَّلِshaded
بَةِ عاشَ غَيرَ مُظَلَّلِ
Whoever misses the shade of youth
A noble lady 'mid tribes resting,
Lives without sheltering shade.
Her worries unsettling, distressing.
ياO راحِلاًdeparted one أَخلىleft empty الدِياdwellings (continued)
يا راحِلاً أَخلى الدِيا
رَending of 'dwellings' وَفَضلُهُand his virtue لَمnot يَرحَلِdepart
رَ وَفَضلُهُ لَم يَرحَلِ
O departed one, who left the dwellings empty,
The sheltered plunge in her dwell,
Yet whose virtue has not departed!
While the audacious in her cell.
تَتَحَمَّلُdepart الآمالُhopes إِثin the wake (continued)
تَتَحَمَّلُ الآمالُ إِث
رَending of 'in the wake' شَبابِهِhis youth المُتَحَمِّلِdeparting
رَ شَبابِهِ المُتَحَمِّلِ
Hopes depart in the wake
Breaking the comfortable's wings in injustice,
Of his departing youth.
Wounding the pampered's spirit in prejudice.
مَشَتِmarched الشَبيبَةُthe young جَحفَلاًas a great army
مَشَتِ الشَبيبَةُ جَحفَلاً
تَبكيweeps for لِواءَthe standard الجَحفَلِthe army
تَبكي لِواءَ الجَحفَلِ
The young marched as a great army,
As if your house is with anguish rife,
Weeping for the army's standard.
Of Mutamm and Murammal in life. [1]
فَاِنظُرso look سَريرَكَyour bier هَلquestion marker جَرىglided
فَاِنظُر سَريرَكَ هَل جَرى
فَوقَupon الدُموعِtears الهُطَّلِpouring
فَوقَ الدُموعِ الهُطَّلِ
So look at your bier: did it glide
Hussein's house in Karbala,
Upon the pouring tears?
Where worries can't be put far.
اللَهُGod (an appeal) فيfor وَطَنٍa homeland ضَعيweak (continued)
اللَهُ في وَطَنٍ ضَعي
فِending of 'weak' الرُكنِthe pillar واهيfrail المَعقِلِthe stronghold
فِ الرُكنِ واهي المَعقِلِ
God, have care for a homeland
You doffed youth to aid the troubled,
Weak in its pillar, frail in its stronghold,
And sacrificed it with woes redoubled.
وَأَبٍand a father وَراءَكَbehind you حُزنُهُhis grief
وَأَبٍ وَراءَكَ حُزنُهُ
لِنَواكَat your departure حُزنُgrief المُثكَلِa bereaved parent
لِنَواكَ حُزنُ المُثكَلِ
And a father left behind, whose sorrow
The sword, a kinder killer
At your departure is a bereaved parent's grief;
Than the illness worse and fuller.
يَهَبُhe would give الضِياعَestates العامِراflourishing (continued)
يَهَبُ الضِياعَ العامِرا
تِending of 'flourishing' لِمَنto whoever يَرُدُّreturns لَهُto him عَليAli
تِ لِمَن يَرُدُّ لَهُ عَلي
He would give flourishing estates
So go as Hussein went to better place,
To whoever returned Ali to him.
To God's bounty and beneficent grace.
لَيسَis not الغَنِيُّthe rich one مِنَamong البَرِيَّmankind (continued)
لَيسَ الغَنِيُّ مِنَ البَرِيَّ
ةِending of 'mankind' غَيرَother than ذيone possessing البالِa mind الخَليfree of care
ةِ غَيرَ ذي البالِ الخَلي
No one among mankind is rich
For you both are youth's adornment,
Except the one whose mind is free of care.
In gardens of God's contentment.
وَنَجيبَةٍand a noble woman بَينَamong العَقاhonored ladies (continued)
وَنَجيبَةٍ بَينَ العَقا
ئِلِending of 'honored ladies' هَمُّهاher grief لاnot يَنسَليis soothed
ئِلِ هَمُّها لا يَنسَلي
And a noble woman among honored ladies,
[1] Names signifying suffering and anguish
Whose grief finds no consolation;
دَخَلَتentered مَنازِلَهاher dwellings المَنوdeath (continued)
دَخَلَت مَنازِلَها المَنو
نُending of 'death' عَلىagainst الجَريءِthe fearless one المُشبِلِwith cubs
نُ عَلى الجَريءِ المُشبِلِ
Death entered her dwellings
Against the fearless one with cubs.
كَسَرَتbroke جَناحَwing مُنَعَّمٍone raised in comfort
كَسَرَت جَناحَ مُنَعَّمٍ
وَرَمَتand struck فُوادَheart مُدَلَّلِa pampered one
وَرَمَت فُوادَ مُدَلَّلِ
It broke the wing of one raised in comfort
And struck the heart of one indulged.
فَكَأَنَّso it is as though آلَكَyour family مِنconsisting of شَجٍa grief-stricken one
فَكَأَنَّ آلَكَ مِن شَجٍ
وَمُتَيَّمٍand a love-stricken one وَمُرَمَّلِand a widowed one
وَمُتَيَّمٍ وَمُرَمَّلِ
So it is as though your family—grief-stricken,
Love-stricken and widowed—
آلُthe family الحُسَينِHusayn بِكَربُلاat Karbala
آلُ الحُسَينِ بِكَربُلا
فيin كُربَةٍanguish لاnot تَنجَليlifts
في كُربَةٍ لا تَنجَلي
Were Husayn's family at Karbala,
In anguish that will not lift.
خَلَعَhe bestowed الشَبابَyouth عَلىupon القَناspears
خَلَعَ الشَبابَ عَلى القَنا
وَبَذَلتَهُand you gave it لِلمُعضِلِto the grievous affliction
وَبَذَلتَهُ لِلمُعضِلِ
He bestowed his youth upon the spears,
And you gave yours to a grievous affliction;
وَالسَيفُand the sword أَرحَمُmore merciful قاتِلاًas a killer
وَالسَيفُ أَرحَمُ قاتِلاً
مِنthan عِلَّةٍan illness فيin مَقتَلِa vital part
مِن عِلَّةٍ في مَقتَلِ
And the sword is a more merciful killer
Than disease in a vital part.
فَاِذهَبgo then كَماas ذَهَبَwent الحُسَيHusayn (continued)
فَاِذهَب كَما ذَهَبَ الحُسَي
نُending of 'Husayn' إِلىto الجِوارِcompany الأَفضَلِthe best
نُ إِلى الجِوارِ الأَفضَلِ
Go, then, as Husayn went,
To the best of company;
فَكِلاكُماfor both of you زَينُadornment الشَباyouth (continued)
فَكِلاكُما زَينُ الشَبا
بِending of 'youth' بِجَنَّةِin Paradise اللَهِGod العَليMost High
بِ بِجَنَّةِ اللَهِ العَلي
For you both are the adornment of youth
In the Paradise of God Most High.
Partial English translation: 95 of 112 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1