ألا يا أيّها الجَدِلُ المُعَنِّي

ألا يا أيّها الجَدِلُ المُعَنِّي

لنا ما نحنُ ويحَكَ والعَناءُ

لنا ما نحنُ ويحَكَ والعَناءُ

Listen, you contentious man who brings distress

O you who persists in futile argument!

to us—what have we, woe to you, to do with hardship?

We have what we have, so cease your vexation.

أتبصُر ما نقول وأنتَ كهلٌ

أتبصُر ما نقول وأنتَ كهلٌ

تَراك عليكَ من وَرَعٍ رِداءُ

تَراك عليكَ من وَرَعٍ رِداءُ

Do you grasp what we say, being a middle-aged man?

Do you see what we say, you who are aged?

You think yourself draped in a mantle of piety.

On you is a cloak of piety as your raiment.

ألا إنّ الأئمّةَ من قريشٍ

ألا إنّ الأئمّةَ من قريشٍ

ولاةُ الحقِّ أربعةٌ سواءُ

ولاةُ الحقِّ أربعةٌ سواءُ

Behold, the imams from Quraysh,

Behold! The Imams are of Quraysh,

the guardians of truth, are four, all equal:

Righteous leaders, four in number.

عليٌّ والثلاثةُ من بنيهِ

عليٌّ والثلاثةُ من بنيهِ

هم أسباطُه والأوصياءُ

هم أسباطُه والأوصياءُ

Ali and the three of his sons;

Ali and his three blessed sons,

they are his scions and the appointed successors.

His branches and successors.

فأنَّى في وَصيّته إليهمْ

فأنَّى في وَصيّته إليهمْ

يكونُ الشكُّ مِنّا والمِراءُ

يكونُ الشكُّ مِنّا والمِراءُ

How, then, concerning his testament to them,

Whence comes your doubt and dispute

could doubt and dispute arise from us?

Regarding his bequest to them?

بهم أوصاهُمُ ودعا إليهم

بهم أوصاهُمُ ودعا إليهم

جميعَ الخلقِ لو سَمِعَ الدُّعاءُ

جميعَ الخلقِ لو سَمِعَ الدُّعاءُ

He instructed the people concerning them, and summoned to them

He entrusted them and called all people to them,

all creation—if only the call were heard!

Had the call been heard by all creation!

فَسِبطٌ سِبطُ إيمانٍ وحِلمٍ

فَسِبطٌ سِبطُ إيمانٍ وحِلمٍ

وسبطٌ غَيَّبتْهُ كَرْبَلاءُ

وسبطٌ غَيَّبتْهُ كَرْبَلاءُ

So one scion is a scion of faith and forbearance,

A grandson of perfect faith and forbearance,

and one scion Karbala has hidden away.

And a grandson hidden by Karbala's sands.

سَقى جَدَثاً تضمّنه مُلِثٍّ

سَقى جَدَثاً تضمّنه مُلِثٍّ

هَتوفُ الرَّعد مُرْتَجِز رِواءُ

هَتوفُ الرَّعد مُرْتَجِز رِواءُ

May an unceasing rain-cloud water the grave that enfolds him,

He quenched a thirst from a sun-scorched field,

loud with thunder, rumbling, laden with rain.

Thunder applauding from swollen clouds.

تَظَلُّ مُظلّةً منها عَزالٍ

تَظَلُّ مُظلّةً منها عَزالٍ

عليه وتَغتدي أُخرى مِلاءُ

عليه وتَغتدي أُخرى مِلاءُ

Rain-spouts from it keep spreading a canopy

A shade covers him in lonely exile,

over him, while others come at dawn, brimful.

While another son seethes with rage.

وسبطٌ لا يذوقُ الموتَ حتى

وسبطٌ لا يذوقُ الموتَ حتى

يقودَ الخيلَ يَقْدُمها اللِّواءُ

يقودَ الخيلَ يَقْدُمها اللِّواءُ

And a scion who will not taste death until

And a grandson who tastes not death

he leads the cavalry, the banner going before them,

Until he leads the steeds with banner held high.

من البيتِ المحجَّبِ في سَراةٍ

من البيتِ المحجَّبِ في سَراةٍ

شُراةٍ لَفَّ بينهمُ الإخاءُ

شُراةٍ لَفَّ بينهمُ الإخاءُ

from the veiled House, amid noble men,

From the veiled house in Surra man Ra'a,

self-sacrificing warriors whom brotherhood has bound together.

Bonds of brotherhood encompass them.

عصائبُ ليسَ دونَ أغرَّ أجلى

عصائبُ ليسَ دونَ أغرَّ أجلى

بمكّةَ قائمٍ لهمُ انتهاءُ

بمكّةَ قائمٍ لهمُ انتهاءُ

Bands—nowhere short of a radiant-faced, high-foreheaded man

Champions without peer, the noblest lineage

standing in Mecca is a stopping-place for them.

Culminating in Mecca's guardian.