عَذيرِيَmy vindicator مِنagainst صَرفِthe vicissitudes of اللَياليthe nights الغَوادِرِtreacherous
عَذيرِيَ مِن صَرفِ اللَيالي الغَوادِرِ
وَوَقعِand the impact of رَزاياcalamities كَالسُيوفِlike swords البَواتِرِcleaving
وَوَقعِ رَزايا كَالسُيوفِ البَواتِرِ
Who will plead my cause against the turns of treacherous nights,
and the blows of calamities like cleaving swords,
وَسَيرِand the departure of النَدىgenerosity إِذwhen بانَit departed مِنّاfrom us مُوَدِّعاًbidding farewell
وَسَيرِ النَدى إِذ بانَ مِنّا مُوَدِّعاً
فَلاso may not يَبعَدَنhe ever be far away مِنas a مُستَقِلٍّdeparting one وَسائِرِand a traveler
فَلا يَبعَدَن مِن مُستَقِلٍّ وَسائِرِ
and the departure of generosity, when it left us in farewell?
So may that departing traveler never be far away!
أَجِدَّكَare you in earnest? ماnever تَنفَكُّyou cease تَشكوcomplaining of قَضِيَّةًa case
أَجِدَّكَ ما تَنفَكُّ تَشكو قَضِيَّةً
تُرَدُّis referred إِلىto حُكمٍa judgment مِنَfrom الدَهرِTime جائِرِunjust
تُرَدُّ إِلى حُكمٍ مِنَ الدَهرِ جائِرِ
In earnest, do you never cease lamenting a case
referred to an unjust judgment of Time?
يَنالُattains الفَتىa man ماwhat لَمdid not يُؤَمِّلhope for وَرُبَّماand sometimes
يَنالُ الفَتى ما لَم يُؤَمِّل وَرُبَّما
أَتاحَتprovided لَهُfor him الأَقدارُthe fates ماwhat لَمdid not يُحاذِرِfear
أَتاحَت لَهُ الأَقدارُ ما لَم يُحاذِرِ
A man attains what he never hoped for, and sometimes
the fates bring him what he never feared.
عَلىdespite أَنَّهُthe fact that لاno مُرتَجاًone to place hopes in كَمُحَمَّدٍlike Muhammad
عَلى أَنَّهُ لا مُرتَجاً كَمُحَمَّدٍ
وَلاnor سَلَفٌa predecessor فيamong الذاهِبينَthe departed كَطاهِرِlike Tahir
وَلا سَلَفٌ في الذاهِبينَ كَطاهِرِ
Yet there is none to set one's hopes on like Muhammad,
nor among the departed a predecessor like Tahir:
سَحاباtwo clouds of عَطاءٍbounty مِنof مُقيمٍone abiding وَمُقلِعٍand one departing
سَحابا عَطاءٍ مِن مُقيمٍ وَمُقلِعٍ
وَنَجماand two stars of ضِياءٍradiance مِنof مُنيفٍone aloft وَغائِرِand one setting
وَنَجما ضِياءٍ مِن مُنيفٍ وَغائِرِ
two clouds of bounty, one abiding and one departing,
and two stars of radiance, one aloft and one setting.
فَلِلَّهِso, how wondrous قَبرٌa grave فيin خُراسانَKhurasan أَدرَكَتreached
فَلِلَّهِ قَبرٌ في خُراسانَ أَدرَكَت
نَواحيهِits bounds أَقطارَthe farthest reaches of العُلاeminence وَالمَآثِرِand noble deeds
نَواحيهِ أَقطارَ العُلا وَالمَآثِرِ
How wondrous a grave in Khurasan, extending
its bounds to the farthest limits of glory and noble deeds!
تُطارُare sent flying عَراقيبُthe hocks of الجِيادِnoble steeds إِزاءَهُbefore it
تُطارُ عَراقيبُ الجِيادِ إِزاءَهُ
وَيُسقىand it is watered with صُباباتِtrickles of الدِماءِblood المَوائِرِsurging
وَيُسقى صُباباتِ الدِماءِ المَوائِرِ
The hocks of noble steeds are sent flying before it,
and it is watered with trickles of surging blood.
مُقيمٌdwelling بِأَدنىon the nearer side of أَبرَشَهرَAbarshahr وَطولُهُand his bounty
مُقيمٌ بِأَدنى أَبرَشَهرَ وَطولُهُ
عَلىupon قَصوِthe farthest extent of آفاقِthe horizons of البِلادِlands الظَواهِرِoutlying
عَلى قَصوِ آفاقِ البِلادِ الظَواهِرِ
He dwells on the near side of Abarshahr, while his bounty
reaches the farthest horizons of outlying lands.
جَرىhave run ضونَهُpast him (unclear form) العَصرانِday and night تَسفيsweep تُرابَهاtheir dust
جَرى ضونَهُ العَصرانِ تَسفي تُرابَها
عَلَيهِover him أَعاصيرُthe whirlwinds of الرِياحِwinds الخَواتِرِtreacherous
عَلَيهِ أَعاصيرُ الرِياحِ الخَواتِرِ
Day and night have run past him; their dust is swept
over him by the whirlwinds of treacherous winds.
سَقىmay water جودَهُhis bounty جودُthe bounty of الغَمامِrainclouds وَمَنand who رَأىhas seen
سَقى جودَهُ جودُ الغَمامِ وَمَن رَأى
حَياًlife-giving rain ماطِراًpouring تَسقيهِwaters it ديمَةُthe steady shower of ماطِرِa raincloud
حَياً ماطِراً تَسقيهِ ديمَةُ ماطِرِ
May the rainclouds' bounty water his bounty—and who has seen
a pouring rain watered by a raincloud's steady shower?
صَوائِبُfalling showers of مُزنٍrainclouds تَغتَديbecome مِنamong شَبائِهٍlikenesses
صَوائِبُ مُزنٍ تَغتَدي مِن شَبائِهٍ
لِأَخلاقِهِof his character فيin جودِهاtheir bounty وَنَظائِرِand counterparts
لِأَخلاقِهِ في جودِها وَنَظائِرِ
Showers from rainclouds, becoming likenesses
and counterparts to his character in their bounty,
يَصُبنَthey pour عَلىupon عَهدٍa season مِنَof الدَهرِTime صالِحٍhappy
يَصُبنَ عَلى عَهدٍ مِنَ الدَهرِ صالِحٍ
تَقَضّىhas passed وَفَينانٍand luxuriant abundance مِنَof العَيشِlife ناضِرِflourishing
تَقَضّى وَفَينانٍ مِنَ العَيشِ ناضِرِ
pour upon a happy season of Time
now past, and upon a luxuriant, flourishing life.
فَتىًa man لَمdid not يُغِبَّlet lapse الجودَgenerosity رِقبَةَfor fear of عاذِلٍa reproacher
فَتىً لَم يُغِبَّ الجودَ رِقبَةَ عاذِلٍ
وَلَمnor يُطفِإِquench الهَيجاءَwarfare خَوفَfor fear of الجَرائِرِdire consequences
وَلَم يُطفِإِ الهَيجاءَ خَوفَ الجَرائِرِ
A man who never let his bounty lapse for fear of a reproacher,
nor quenched warfare for fear of its dire consequences;
وَلَمnor يُرَwas he seen يَوماًever قادِراًpowerful غَيرَwithout being صافِحٍforgiving
وَلَم يُرَ يَوماً قادِراً غَيرَ صافِحٍ
وَلاnor صافِحاًpardoning عَنfor زَلَّةٍa lapse غَيرَwithout being قادِرِpowerful
وَلا صافِحاً عَن زَلَّةٍ غَيرَ قادِرِ
nor was he ever seen powerful yet unforgiving,
nor forgiving a lapse without the power to punish.
أَحَقّاًis it true? بِأَنَّthat اللَيثَthe lion بَعدَafter اِبتِزازِهِhis snatching away
أَحَقّاً بِأَنَّ اللَيثَ بَعدَ اِبتِزازِهِ
نُفوسَthe lives of العِدىfoes مِنfrom شاسِعٍthe distant وَمُجاوِرِand the neighboring
نُفوسَ العِدى مِن شاسِعٍ وَمُجاوِرِ
Can it be true that the lion, after snatching away
the lives of foes both distant and nearby,
مُخِلٌّneglectful بِتَصريفِof handling الأَعِنَّةِthe reins طارِكٌforsaking (unclear form)
مُخِلٌّ بِتَصريفِ الأَعِنَّةِ طارِكٌ
لِقاءَfacing الزُحوفِadvancing hosts وَاِقتِيادَand leading العَساكِرِarmies
لِقاءَ الزُحوفِ وَاِقتِيادَ العَساكِرِ
neglects the handling of reins, forsaking
the encounter of battle-hosts and the leading of armies,
وَمُنصَرِفٌand turning away عَنِfrom المَكارِمِnoble deeds وَالعُلاand eminence
وَمُنصَرِفٌ عَنِ المَكارِمِ وَالعُلا
وَقَدand already شَرَعَتhave stretched forth فَوتَbeyond العُيونِthe eyes النَواظِرِthat gaze
وَقَد شَرَعَت فَوتَ العُيونِ النَواظِرِ
and turns away from noble deeds and glory,
though they had stretched beyond the sight of gazing eyes?
كَأَنas though لَمnever يُنِفhe surmounted نَجدَthe heights of المَعاليglory وَلَمnor تُغِرraided
كَأَن لَم يُنِف نَجدَ المَعالي وَلَم تُغِر
زَراياهُhis raiding bands (unclear form) فيin أَرضِthe land of العَدُوِّthe enemy المُغاوِرِgiven to raiding
زَراياهُ في أَرضِ العَدُوِّ المُغاوِرِ
As though he had never surmounted glory's heights, nor had
his raiding bands struck the land of the raiding foe;
وَلَمnor يَتَبَسَّمsmile لِلعَطاياupon giving فَتَنبَريso there spring forth
وَلَم يَتَبَسَّم لِلعَطايا فَتَنبَري
مَواهِبُgifts أَمثالُlike الغُيوثِrains البَواكِرِearly-coming
مَواهِبُ أَمثالُ الغُيوثِ البَواكِرِ
nor smiled upon giving, whereupon there sprang forth
gifts like the early rains;
وَلَمnor يَدَّرِعdon as armor وَشيَthe patterned weave of الحَديدِiron فَيَلتَقِيand then meet
وَلَم يَدَّرِع وَشيَ الحَديدِ فَيَلتَقِي
عَلىastride شَابِكِinterlocking الأَنيابِfangs شاكيsharp of الأَظافِرِclaws
عَلى شَابِكِ الأَنيابِ شاكي الأَظافِرِ
nor donned iron's patterned weave and faced the foe,
sharp-clawed, astride a mount with interlocking fangs.
عَلىfor مَلِكٍa king مااِنفَكَّnever ceased to be شَمسَthe sun of أَسِرَّةٍthrones
عَلى مَلِكٍ مااِنفَكَّ شَمسَ أَسِرَّةٍ
تُعارُare lent بِهِthrough him ضَوءًlight وَبَدرَand the full moon of مَنابِرِpulpits
تُعارُ بِهِ ضَوءً وَبَدرَ مَنابِرِ
Ah, for a king who was ever the sun of thrones,
to which he lent light, and the full moon of pulpits!
أَزالَتremoved حِجابَthe veil of المُلكِkingship عَنهُfrom him رَزِيَّةٌa calamity
أَزالَت حِجابَ المُلكِ عَنهُ رَزِيَّةٌ
تَهَجَّمُstorms أَخياسَthe lairs of الأُسودِlions الخَوادِرِsheltering in their dens
تَهَجَّمُ أَخياسَ الأُسودِ الخَوادِرِ
A calamity stripped the veil of kingship from him,
storming the lairs of sheltering lions.
مُسَلَّطَةٌunleashed لَمdid not يَتَّإِرavenge himself لِوُقُوعِهاfor its stroke
مُسَلَّطَةٌ لَم يَتَّإِر لِوُقُوعِها
بِساعٍthrough a champion وَلَمnor يُنجَدwas he aided عَلَيهاagainst it بِناصِرِby a helper
بِساعٍ وَلَم يُنجَد عَلَيها بِناصِرِ
Unleashed—he won no vengeance for its stroke
through any champion, nor was he aided against it by any helper.
يُؤَسّيconsoles الأَدانيthose nearest عَنهُfor his loss أَنthat لَيسَthere is not عِندَهُمat their disposal
يُؤَسّي الأَداني عَنهُ أَن لَيسَ عِندَهُم
نَكيرٌprotest سِوىexcept سَكبِpouring الدُموعِtears البَوادِرِrushing forth
نَكيرٌ سِوى سَكبِ الدُموعِ البَوادِرِ
It consoles those nearest him in their loss that they have
no protest but the shedding of rushing tears.
يُبَكّيhe makes weep بِشَجوِwith the grief of الأَكرَمينَthe noblest تَسَلَّبَتdonned mourning garments
يُبَكّي بِشَجوِ الأَكرَمينَ تَسَلَّبَت
عَليهِfor him أَعِزّاءُthe mighty among المُلوكِkings الأَكابِرِthe greatest
عَليهِ أَعِزّاءُ المُلوكِ الأَكابِرِ
He moves the noblest to tears of grief; mourning robes are donned
for him by the mighty among the greatest kings.
تَخَوَّنَهُpreyed upon him خَطبٌa calamity تَخَوَّنَhad preyed upon قَبلَهُbefore him
تَخَوَّنَهُ خَطبٌ تَخَوَّنَ قَبلَهُ
حُسَينَHusayn of النَدىgenerosity وَالسُؤدَدِand eminence المُتَواتِرِunceasing
حُسَينَ النَدى وَالسُؤدَدِ المُتَواتِرِ
A calamity preyed upon him, as before him it had preyed upon
Husayn of generosity and unbroken eminence,
عَميدَthe chief of خُراسانَKhurasan اِنبَرىrose up لَهُماagainst them both الرَدىdeath
عَميدَ خُراسانَ اِنبَرى لَهُما الرَدى
بِعامِدَتَينِwith two aimed strokes مِنfrom صُنوفِthe kinds of الدَوائِرِmisfortunes
بِعامِدَتَينِ مِن صُنوفِ الدَوائِرِ
the chief of Khurasan; death rose against them both
with two aimed strokes from the many kinds of misfortune.
بَنيO sons of مُسعَبٍMus'ab هَلcan تُقرِنونَyou cope لِحادِثِاتwith onsets of
بَني مُسعَبٍ هَل تُقرِنونَ لِحادِثِات
نَوائِبِcalamities أَوor تُغنونَyou avert حَتفَdeath المَقادِرِfate's decrees
نَوائِبِ أَو تُغنونَ حَتفَ المَقادِرِ
O sons of Mus'ab, can you withstand the onsets
of calamities, or avert the death decreed by fate?
وَهَلand is there فيin تَماديthe persistence of الدَمعِtears رَجعٌa return لِذاهِبٍfor one departed
وَهَل في تَمادي الدَمعِ رَجعٌ لِذاهِبٍ
إِذاonce فاتَhe is lost أَوor تَجدِيدُrenewal of عَهدٍa bond لِداثِرِwith one vanished
إِذا فاتَ أَو تَجدِيدُ عَهدٍ لِداثِرِ
And can the ceaseless flow of tears bring back one departed,
once he is lost, or renew a bond with one vanished?
وَهَلand did تَرَكَspare الدَهرُTime الحُسَينَal-Husayn بنَson of مُصعَبٍMus'ab
وَهَل تَرَكَ الدَهرُ الحُسَينَ بنَ مُصعَبٍ
فَيَبقىso should survive عَلىthroughout الدَهرِTime الحُسَينُal-Husayn بنُson of طاهِرِTahir
فَيَبقى عَلى الدَهرِ الحُسَينُ بنُ طاهِرِ
And did Time spare al-Husayn son of Mus'ab,
that al-Husayn son of Tahir should endure forever?
وَماand not أَبقَتِhave left الأَيّامُthe days وَجداًgrief لِواجِدٍfor one grieving
وَما أَبقَتِ الأَيّامُ وَجداً لِواجِدٍ
كَماjust as أَنَّهاthat they لَمdid not تُبقِleave صَبراًpatience لِصابِرِfor one patient
كَما أَنَّها لَم تُبقِ صَبراً لِصابِرِ
The days have left the grieving no grief to spend,
just as they have left the patient no patience.
أُسىًsorrows كَثُرَتmultiplied حَتّىuntil اِطمَأَنَّgrew at ease لَهاwith them الجَوىanguish
أُسىً كَثُرَت حَتّى اِطمَأَنَّ لَها الجَوى
وَأَرزاءُand losses of فَجعٍbereavement قَدحُهاtheir striking of sparks فيwithin الضَمائِرِhearts
وَأَرزاءُ فَجعٍ قَدحُها في الضَمائِرِ
Sorrows have multiplied till anguish has made its home with them,
and shattering bereavements whose sparks are struck deep within hearts.
Sol 6.1