تَمَنَّت شيعَةُ الهَجَرِيَّ نَصراً

تَمَنَّت شيعَةُ الهَجَرِيَّ نَصراً

لَعَلَّ الدَهرَ يَسهُلُ فيهِ حَزنُ

لَعَلَّ الدَهرَ يَسهُلُ فيهِ حَزنُ

Al-Hajari’s followers longed for victory,

The followers of al-Hajari wished for victory,

Perhaps, with time, the rough road will grow smooth.

Perhaps in time rough ground would grow smooth.

وَقَد أَضحَت جَماعَتُهُم شَريداً

وَقَد أَضحَت جَماعَتُهُم شَريداً

فَلا يَفنى لَهُم أَسَفٌ وَحُزنُ

فَلا يَفنى لَهُم أَسَفٌ وَحُزنُ

Yet now their company has become scattered,

And their community has already been driven into exile,

So neither their regret nor their sorrow ever dies away.

So their grief and sorrow never end.

وَقالوا إِنَّها سَتَعودُ يَوماً

وَقالوا إِنَّها سَتَعودُ يَوماً

فَيَنبُتُ ما سَقى الآفاقَ مُزنُ

فَيَنبُتُ ما سَقى الآفاقَ مُزنُ

They said their company would return one day,

And they said: it will return one day,

And all that rainclouds watered across the horizons would sprout.

Then it will sprout as long as rain clouds water the horizons.

وَبَيتُ الشِعرِ قُطِّعَ لا لِعَيبٍ

وَبَيتُ الشِعرِ قُطِّعَ لا لِعَيبٍ

وَلَكِن عَنَّ تَصحيحٌ وَوَزنُ

وَلَكِن عَنَّ تَصحيحٌ وَوَزنُ

A line of verse was divided into feet—not because of a flaw,

And a line of poetry was scanned, not because of a flaw,

But because correction and meter happened to call for it.

But correction and meter came to mind.

إِذا أوتيتَ مالاً فَاِبذُلنَهُ

إِذا أوتيتَ مالاً فَاِبذُلنَهُ

فَما يُبقيهِ تَوفيرٌ وَخَزنُ

فَما يُبقيهِ تَوفيرٌ وَخَزنُ

If you are given wealth, then spend it freely;

When you are given wealth, give it freely,

For neither thrift nor hoarding will make it last.

For neither saving nor hoarding will preserve it.