يا عينُ أَمّا لِهذا الحادثِ الجَلَل

يا عينُ أَمّا لِهذا الحادثِ الجَلَل

شقّي غَمَامَكِ عن مُسْترسِل هَطلِ

شقّي غَمَامَكِ عن مُسْترسِل هَطلِ

O eye—as for this grievous calamity,

O eye, for this momentous tragedy

split your cloud to release an unceasing downpour.

Rend your clouds for the pouring rain,

وفجّري مِنْ يَنابيع الدّموع إذاً

وفجّري مِنْ يَنابيع الدّموع إذاً

بحراً ولا تَقْنعي مِنْهنّ بالوشلِ

بحراً ولا تَقْنعي مِنْهنّ بالوشلِ

And from the springs of tears let burst forth, then,

And burst springs of tears forthwith

a sea; do not be content with their trickle.

Into an ocean, do not be content with a little.

والنّوم لا تصليه واهْجريه أَسىً

والنّوم لا تصليه واهْجريه أَسىً

فَالسُّهْدُ في مِثلهِ فرضٌ على المقَل

فَالسُّهْدُ في مِثلهِ فرضٌ على المقَل

And do not embrace sleep; shun it in sorrow,

Sleep, do not pray it nor forsake it in grief,

for sleeplessness in such a calamity is a duty upon the eyes.

For wakefulness in the like thereof is incumbent on the wretched.

وأنتَ يا قَلبُ إن لم تَنْصدعْ أسفاً

وأنتَ يا قَلبُ إن لم تَنْصدعْ أسفاً

بينَ الضّلوع فَسِرْ عَنْهنَّ وانتقِلَ

بينَ الضّلوع فَسِرْ عَنْهنَّ وانتقِلَ

And you, O heart, if you do not split with sorrow

O heart, if you do not split in anguish

between the ribs, leave them and depart.

Between the ribs, then depart from them and move on.

وأنتَ يا صبرُ ولّي الظّهرَ مُنْهَزِماً

وأنتَ يا صبرُ ولّي الظّهرَ مُنْهَزِماً

فَقَدْ أتتكَ جيوشُ الحُزْنِ عَنْ كَملِ

فَقَدْ أتتكَ جيوشُ الحُزْنِ عَنْ كَملِ

And you, O patience, turn your back in defeat,

And you, O patience, turn your back defeated,

for the armies of grief have come upon you in full strength.

For armies of sorrow have come to you from all sides.

فقد رُزينا بمَنْ هُدَّتْ لِمَصْرعها

فقد رُزينا بمَنْ هُدَّتْ لِمَصْرعها

شُمّ الشوامخ وانْهدّت ذُرى القُلَلِ

شُمّ الشوامخ وانْهدّت ذُرى القُلَلِ

For we have been bereaved of one at whose death were shattered

We have been afflicted with the loss of one whose loftiness

the lofty, towering mountains, and the crests of the peaks collapsed.

Was the zenith of all summits and the utmost of heights.

شمسُ الظهيرة إلا أنّها أَبداً

شمسُ الظهيرة إلا أنّها أَبداً

ما استوطنَتْ قطٌ إلا دارة الحملِ

ما استوطنَتْ قطٌ إلا دارة الحملِ

A noonday sun, except that she always

A midday sun, but eternally

dwelt nowhere but within the circle of Aries.

She settled nowhere but the abode of the Haml.

غابَت فأصْبحَ ظلّ الجود مُنتقلاً

غابَت فأصْبحَ ظلّ الجود مُنتقلاً

وهل سمعتَ بظلٍّ غيرِ مُنتقل

وهل سمعتَ بظلٍّ غيرِ مُنتقل

She set, and the shade of generosity began to depart;

She is gone, so the shade of generosity has moved on,

and have you heard of any shade that does not depart?

And have you ever heard of a shade that does not move?

وأسْعَرتْ إذ تولّت في جوانحنا

وأسْعَرتْ إذ تولّت في جوانحنا

حَرْبا تُحدِّث عن صفين والجمل

حَرْبا تُحدِّث عن صفين والجمل

And when she departed, she kindled within our breasts

And when she turned in our breasts, kindled

a war that speaks of Siffin and the Camel.

A war that tells of (the battles of) Siffin and Jamal.

وقامَ كلّ نبيهِ القدْرِ يندبُها

وقامَ كلّ نبيهِ القدْرِ يندبُها

بكلّ مُبْتَكَر الأَلفاظ مُرتَجلِ

بكلّ مُبْتَكَر الأَلفاظ مُرتَجلِ

And everyone of distinguished standing rose to lament her

And every eloquent voice began to mourn her

with every fresh turn of phrase, improvised.

With all kinds of spontaneous metaphors.

مَنْ لِلأرامِلِ والأيتام يوسعُهْم

مَنْ لِلأرامِلِ والأيتام يوسعُهْم

بذْلاً إذا ضنّ كفُّ الغيث بالْبَلَلِ

بذْلاً إذا ضنّ كفُّ الغيث بالْبَلَلِ

Who is there for widows and orphans, to lavish on them

Who will be openhanded to the widows and orphans

gifts when the hand of rain begrudges moisture?

When the raincloud's palm is miserly with its droplets?

ومن يجير طريد الحادثات ومَنْ

ومن يجير طريد الحادثات ومَنْ

يُرجَى لِتصديقِ حُسنِ الظنّ والأملِ

يُرجَى لِتصديقِ حُسنِ الظنّ والأملِ

And who will shelter the outcast of calamities, and who

And who will protect the victims of misfortunes, and who

is looked to for fulfilling good expectations and hope?

Can be hoped to believe in good omens and aspirations?

ومن يجود على العافين إن وقفوا

ومن يجود على العافين إن وقفوا

مِن رسم إحسانَها العافي على طَلَلِ

مِن رسم إحسانَها العافي على طَلَلِ

And who will give to seekers of bounty, if they stand

And who will be generous to the prosperous if they paused

at a ruined vestige of her effaced beneficence?

At the ruins of its benevolence, ruined and desolate?

كَمْ لوعةٍ أودعَتْ إذ ودّعَتْ وأسىً

كَمْ لوعةٍ أودعَتْ إذ ودّعَتْ وأسىً

يزولُ منها ثبيرٌ وهيَ لم تَزَل

يزولُ منها ثبيرٌ وهيَ لم تَزَل

How much anguish and grief she left when she bade farewell—

How much anguish did she deposit when she bade farewell,

enough to dislodge Thabir, yet the anguish has not ceased.

And a sorrow from which recovering is endless!

بكتْ عيونُ المعاني بعدَها حزناً

بكتْ عيونُ المعاني بعدَها حزناً

وكشّر الدهر عن أنيابه العُظُلِ

وكشّر الدهر عن أنيابه العُظُلِ

The eyes of meanings wept in sorrow after her,

After her the eyes of meaning cried in grief

and Time snarled, baring its massive fangs.

As fate bared its teeth in a sinister grin,

فانْفِ المنامَ وقل للدّهر نَمْ فَلَقدْ

فانْفِ المنامَ وقل للدّهر نَمْ فَلَقدْ

رميتَ يا دهر كفَّ المجد بالشّلل

رميتَ يا دهر كفَّ المجد بالشّلل

So banish sleep, and tell Time: "Sleep! For indeed

So deny sleep, and say to fate, "Sleep, for you, O fate,

you have stricken glory's hand with paralysis, O Time.

Have paralyzed the palm of glory with paralysis."

وقد فتكتَ بشمسٍ لو تُقاسُ بها

وقد فتكتَ بشمسٍ لو تُقاسُ بها

شمسُ الظهيرة لم تنحط عن زُحَلِ

شمسُ الظهيرة لم تنحط عن زُحَلِ

And you have slain a sun: compared with her,

For you have slain a sun, compared to which

the noonday sun would not descend below Saturn.

The midday sun would not descend below Saturn.

وروضة لم تحاذرْ بطشَ حارسها

وروضة لم تحاذرْ بطشَ حارسها

وطالما مُنعتْ بالْبيض والأَسَل

وطالما مُنعتْ بالْبيض والأَسَل

And a garden that never feared its guardian's violence,

And a meadow that did not fear the tyranny of its guard,

and had long been defended with gleaming swords and spears.

And was often inaccessible, blocked by trench and fence.

وقد تعمدتَ إرغامَ الأنوفِ بما

وقد تعمدتَ إرغامَ الأنوفِ بما

أبديتَ من خطأٍ محضٍ ومن خطَلِ

أبديتَ من خطأٍ محضٍ ومن خطَلِ

And you deliberately ground noses into the dust with

You have deliberately forced faces into

the sheer error and folly you displayed."

What you have manifested of pure error and stumbling.

جليلة القَدرِ فازتْ عند خالِقها

جليلة القَدرِ فازتْ عند خالِقها

بِحُسْنِ ما ادّخرَتْ مِن صالحِ العملِ

بِحُسْنِ ما ادّخرَتْ مِن صالحِ العملِ

Noble in rank, she found favor with her Creator

Noble in status, she succeeded with her Creator

through the good she had stored up in righteous deeds.

Because of the good she stored of righteous deeds,

وأُسْكِنَتْ جنّة الفردوسِ خالدةً

وأُسْكِنَتْ جنّة الفردوسِ خالدةً

تميسُ في حبرِ الرّضوان والحُلَلَ

تميسُ في حبرِ الرّضوان والحُلَلَ

And she was settled in the Garden of Paradise, abiding forever,

And was settled in Paradise, eternal,

swaying gracefully in the patterned garments of divine favor and fine robes.

Swimming in the ink of pleasure and bliss.

عقيلة المجد ما بين النبيّ زكتْ

عقيلة المجد ما بين النبيّ زكتْ

أصلاً وبين أمير المؤمنين عَلي

أصلاً وبين أمير المؤمنين عَلي

Glory's noble lady, ennobled in descent from the Prophet

The chaste one of glory, pure in lineage between the Prophet, and after him the Seal of Messengers,

and from the Commander of the Faithful, Ali.

And the Commander of the Faithful, Ali.

أم الحسين الذي سارتْ مكارمُه

أم الحسين الذي سارتْ مكارمُه

في الخافقين مسيرَ الشمس والمثلِ

في الخافقين مسيرَ الشمس والمثلِ

Mother of al-Husayn, whose noble deeds traveled

Mother of Hussein, whose nobilities

across the two horizons like the sun and proverbial sayings.

Traversed the horizons like the sun and the exemplar.

مَلكٌ لديه عهودُ الجودِ مُحكمةٌ

مَلكٌ لديه عهودُ الجودِ مُحكمةٌ

يحولُ صبغ اللَّيالي وهي لم تَحُل

يحولُ صبغ اللَّيالي وهي لم تَحُل

A king whose covenants of generosity are firmly secured;

An angel in her possession contracts of generosity,

the color of nights changes, yet they have not changed.

That transform the hue of nights though they are not [yet] nights.

تُقصّر الصّيدُ عن إدراكِ غايتهِ

تُقصّر الصّيدُ عن إدراكِ غايتهِ

سَعياً ويُدركُها مَشْياً بلا عَجلِ

سَعياً ويُدركُها مَشْياً بلا عَجلِ

Proud nobles fall short of reaching his goal

The hunt falls short of attaining its goal

even running, while he reaches it walking, without haste.

In effort, but attains it easily without haste.

إن تَلْقَهُ تُحْظَ منه ف ينَدىً ورديً

إن تَلْقَهُ تُحْظَ منه ف ينَدىً ورديً

بالزّاخرِ العذب أَو بالفارسِ البطَلِ

بالزّاخرِ العذب أَو بالفارسِ البطَلِ

If you meet him, in bounty and mortal peril you will be favored by him

If you meet her, you are endowed with dew and flowers

with a brimming, sweet sea or a valiant horseman.

Of the freshest and sweetest, or with the gallant knight.

مِن معشرٍ ثاقبي الأَحساب هِمّتُهمْ

مِن معشرٍ ثاقبي الأَحساب هِمّتُهمْ

بلوغُ غاية مَجد السَّادة الأولِ

بلوغُ غاية مَجد السَّادة الأولِ

From a people radiant in ancestral honor, whose ambition

Of a company penetrating in intellect, their ambition

is to attain the utmost glory of the lords of old.

Is to attain the utmost peak of the glory of the first masters.

مِن سائري الذِكّر في شامٍ وفي يَمَنٍ

مِن سائري الذِكّر في شامٍ وفي يَمَنٍ

من باذلي الجودِ في حافٍ ومُنْتعِلِ

من باذلي الجودِ في حافٍ ومُنْتعِلِ

Among those whose renown travels through al-Sham and Yemen,

Of the traveler in recollection throughout Syria and Yemen,

among those lavishing bounty on the barefoot and the shod;

The open-handed in Haf and Mintaqil.

مِن حافِظي الدين مِن رأي الغُلاةِ وما

مِن حافِظي الدين مِن رأي الغُلاةِ وما

عَسَاهُ ينجُمُ مِن زِيغٍ ومنْ زلَلِ

عَسَاهُ ينجُمُ مِن زِيغٍ ومنْ زلَلِ

among those guarding the faith from extremists' opinions and whatever

Of the keepers of the faith from the opinion of extremists and what

may emerge of deviation and error;

May sprout thereof in deviance and pitfalls.

مِنْ كاشفي ظُلَم الجُلَّى برأْيهمُ

مِنْ كاشفي ظُلَم الجُلَّى برأْيهمُ

إذا تجهَّم وجهُ الحادثِ الجلَلِ

إذا تجهَّم وجهُ الحادثِ الجلَلِ

among those dispelling the darkness of great calamity with their judgment

Of those who dispel the shadows of dark events with their counsel

when the face of grievous calamity scowls;

When the face of fate frowns with gravity.

مِنْ قائدي الجيش مِثل البَحْرِ مُلْتَطِماً

مِنْ قائدي الجيش مِثل البَحْرِ مُلْتَطِماً

مسيرُهُ من غمام النَّصْر في ظُلَلِ

مسيرُهُ من غمام النَّصْر في ظُلَلِ

among those leading an army like a surging sea,

Of the leaders of armies, like the sea, crashing,

its march beneath canopies of victory's clouds;

Their advance from clouds of victory into shadows.

مِن واهبي البيضِ والسّمر الذَّوابلِ قد

مِن واهبي البيضِ والسّمر الذَّوابلِ قد

ضمّتْ إليها كرام الخيلِ والإِبلِ

ضمّتْ إليها كرام الخيلِ والإِبلِ

among givers of gleaming swords and slender brown spears,

Of those who bestow eggs and chestnut steeds coupled

with noble horses and camels joined to them;

To which are joined the generosity of horses and camels.

مِن مَالكي الملكِ في الدّنيا بأجمعها

مِن مَالكي الملكِ في الدّنيا بأجمعها

فما لَهم فيه بعدَ الله من مَثَلِ

فما لَهم فيه بعدَ الله من مَثَلِ

among those holding sovereignty throughout the whole world,

Of the rulers of all the kingship in the world,

so that, after God, they have no equal in it;

Who have none equal to them after Allah.

مِنْ مُوردي بيضهمْ هام الكماةِ فما

مِنْ مُوردي بيضهمْ هام الكماةِ فما

تنفكّ في عَلَلٍ مِنْها وَفي نَهَلِ

تنفكّ في عَلَلٍ مِنْها وَفي نَهَلِ

among those letting their gleaming swords drink at champions' heads, so they

Of those whose eggs pour onto the ardent gamblers, ceaselessly,

never cease drinking from them, in repeated draughts and first draughts;

In illnesses and in soft sands.

مِنْ مُصْدري سُمرهمْ عوجَ الكعوبِ بما

مِنْ مُصْدري سُمرهمْ عوجَ الكعوبِ بما

تَفُضُّ من حلَق الأَدراع في الوهَلِ

تَفُضُّ من حلَق الأَدراع في الوهَلِ

among those drawing out their brown spears with joints bent by

Of those whose chestnut steeds nurse the curved shanks with that

the rings of mail they shatter amid the terror;

Which spills from the water-bags in the desert.

لَكِنّهم كَفِلُوا تَثْقِيفها أَبَداً

لَكِنّهم كَفِلُوا تَثْقِيفها أَبَداً

إذَا انْثَنَتْ بلظىً لِلْحرب مُشتعلِ

إذَا انْثَنَتْ بلظىً لِلْحرب مُشتعلِ

yet they undertake always to straighten them,

But they guaranteed educating it forever,

whenever they bend, with war's blazing fire.

If it recoiled ferociously to war aflame.

قومٌ أقَامُوا حُدودَ الله وابتَدَروا

قومٌ أقَامُوا حُدودَ الله وابتَدَروا

بالمشْرفيّةِ والعسَّالةِ الذُّبُلِ

بالمشْرفيّةِ والعسَّالةِ الذُّبُلِ

A people who upheld God's ordinances and hastened forth

A people who established the laws of God and forestalled

with Mashrafi swords and slender, quivering spears.

With good omens and the scattering of sweet basil.

يَسْتَوطنونَ ظِلالَ النّقعِ يومَ وَغىً

يَسْتَوطنونَ ظِلالَ النّقعِ يومَ وَغىً

ويصحبون القَنا فيهِ بِلاَ مَلَلِ

ويصحبون القَنا فيهِ بِلاَ مَلَلِ

They make their home in the shadows of dust on the day of battle,

They inhabit the shade of pasture on a day of tumult

and keep company with spears that day, without weariness.

And accompany the lutes therein without boredom.

رُجْحٌ كأنّهمُ لَم يَعْرِفوا أَبَداً

رُجْحٌ كأنّهمُ لَم يَعْرِفوا أَبَداً

مِن الكلام سِوى خُذْ مَا تَشَا وسَلِ

مِن الكلام سِوى خُذْ مَا تَشَا وسَلِ

Men of sound judgment, as though they had never known

Tilting, as if they never knew of speech

any words but "Take what you wish, and ask."

Other than take what you desire and set forth.

تُضيءُ في دُوَلِ الإِسلامِ دولتُهْم

تُضيءُ في دُوَلِ الإِسلامِ دولتُهْم

كأنّها غُرّةٌ في جَبْهة الدّولِ

كأنّها غُرّةٌ في جَبْهة الدّولِ

Their dynasty shines among the dynasties of Islam,

Their dynasty illuminates the lands of Islam

like a white blaze on the forehead of dynasties.

As if it were the new moon in the brow of dynasties.

وكم بدَوْلَتِهم مِنْ دَولةٍ نُسِخَتْ

وكم بدَوْلَتِهم مِنْ دَولةٍ نُسِخَتْ

كأنَّها مِلّة الإِسْلام في المِلَلِ

كأنَّها مِلّة الإِسْلام في المِلَلِ

And how many dynasties have been abrogated by theirs,

And through their dynasty, many a dynasty was abolished,

as though theirs were the creed of Islam among the creeds.

As if it were the nation of Islam amongst nations.

وجدْتُ فيهم مكانَ القَولِ ذا سِعَةٍ

وجدْتُ فيهم مكانَ القَولِ ذا سِعَةٍ

فإِن وجدتَ لِسانَا قائِلا فَقُلِ

فإِن وجدتَ لِسانَا قائِلا فَقُلِ

I found in them ample room for speech;

I found with them ample space for speech,

so if you find a tongue able to speak, speak.

So if you find a tongue that speaks, then say:

لِمْ لاَ نُشارِكهم في الحادِثاتِ وقد

لِمْ لاَ نُشارِكهم في الحادِثاتِ وقد

صِرنا نُشاركُهم في المالِ والخَولِ

صِرنا نُشاركُهم في المالِ والخَولِ

Why should we not share in their calamities, when

Why do we not partake with them in events when we

we have come to share in their wealth and servants?

Have partaken with them in wealth and ponies?

صَلَّى الإِلَهُ عليهم ما سَرى قَمَرٌ

صَلَّى الإِلَهُ عليهم ما سَرى قَمَرٌ

في الأفُق بَعْدَ أبيهم خاتمِ الرُّسُلِ

في الأفُق بَعْدَ أبيهم خاتمِ الرُّسُلِ

May God bless them for as long as a moon travels

May God pray upon them as long as stars

across the horizon, after blessing their father, the Seal of the Messengers.

Traverse the horizon after their father, the Seal of Messengers.