1. سقى حلب المزن مغنى حلب

    فكم وكلت طرباً بالطرب

    May the clouds' milk water Aleppo's dwelling.

    How often I was bound, in rapture, to rapture!

  2. وكم مستطاب من العيش لي

    لديها غذ العيش لم يستطب

    And how much delightful living was mine

    there, when life offered no delight.

  3. إذا نشر الزهر أعلامه

    بها ومطارده والعذب

    When the blossoms unfurled their banners

    there, and their lances and tassels,

  4. غدا وحواشيه من فضة

    ترفُ وأوساطه من ذهب

    they appeared with edges of silver,

    fluttering, and centers of gold.

  5. تلاعبه الريح صدر الضحى

    فيجلي علينا جلاء اللعب

    The wind toys with them at the start of forenoon,

    so they are unveiled before us as dolls are unveiled.

  6. متى ما تغنت قماريه

    وأنشد أو خطب

    Whenever its turtledoves sang

    and there was recitation or oratory,

  7. ندبت ونحت بني أحمد

    ومثلي ناح ومثلي ندب

    I lamented and wailed for Ahmad's descendants,

    and one like me wailed, and one like me lamented.

  8. بني المصطفى خاتم الأنبياء

    والمنتجب المنتخب

    The descendants of the Chosen One, the seal of the prophets,

    and the elect, the chosen.

  9. فما سار مسراه إلا به

    وما مسه في السرى من تعب

    For he made his night journey only through him,

    and no weariness touched him on that night journey.

  10. أم القمر انشق إلا له

    ليقضي ما قد قضى من إرب

    Or did the moon split for anyone but him,

    to fulfill the purpose he fulfilled?

  11. ولا يد سيح فيها الحصى

    سوى يده في جميع الحقب

    And in no hand did the pebbles sing praises

    save his hand, throughout all the ages.

  12. وفي تفلة رد عين الوص

    ي إلى حال صحتها إذ أحب

    And with a drop of spittle he restored the designated successor's eye

    to its sound state, when he wished.

  13. أخوه وزوج أحب الورى

    إليه ومسعده في النوب

    His brother, and husband of the dearest of all people

    to him, and his helper in calamities.

  14. له ردت الشمس حتى قضى

    الصلاة وقام بما قد وجب

    For him the sun was returned until he performed

    the prayer and fulfilled what was required.

  15. وزكى بخاتمه راكعاً

    رجاء المجازاة في المنقلب

    And he gave alms with his ring while bowing,

    hoping for recompense at the final return.

  16. أبو حسن والحسين اللذين

    كانا سراجي سراج العرب

    The father of Hasan and Husayn, who

    were the twin lamps of the Arabs' lamp.

  17. هما خير ماشٍ مشى جدة

    وجدا وأزكاه أما وأب

    Of all who have walked, they have the best grandmother

    and grandfather, and the purest mother and father.

  18. أنيخا بنا العيس في كربلا

    مناخ البلاء مناخ الكرب

    You two, make the pale camels bearing us kneel at Karbala,

    the halting-place of affliction, the halting-place of anguish,

  19. نشم ممسك ذاك الثرى

    ونلثم كافور تلك الترب

    so we may smell that musk-perfumed earth,

    and kiss the camphor of that soil,

  20. ونقضي زيارة قبر بها

    فأن زيارته تستحب

    and pay a visit to a grave there,

    for visiting it is recommended.

  21. سآسي لمن فيه كل الأسى

    وأسكب دمعي له ما انسكب

    I shall grieve with all sorrow for the one within it,

    and pour out my tears for him as long as they flow,

  22. لمن مات من ظما والفرا

    ت يرمي بامواجه من كثب

    for the one who died of thirst while the Euphrates

    cast its waves close by.

  23. يروم اقتراباً فيحمونه ال

    وصول إليه إذا من نصب

    He seeks to draw near, but they deny him

    access to it when he is worn with toil.

  24. وقد أنصبَ الفاطميات ما

    يعانيه تحت الوغى من نصب

    And what has wearied the women of Fatima's line is

    the hardship he suffers amid battle's din.

  25. إذا هو ودعهن انتج

    ن من حر توديعه وانتحب

    When he bade them farewell, they sobbed

    from the burning pain of his farewell, and he wailed.

  26. أيابن الرسول ويا ابن البتو

    ل يا زينة العلم زين الأدب

    O son of the Messenger, and O son of the Chaste One,

    O adornment of learning, adornment of refinement!

  27. كأني بشمر مكباً علي

    ك وبلٌ لشمرٍ على من أكب

    It is as though I see Shimr bending over you;

    woe to Shimr for the one over whom he bent!

  28. ومهرك ماض مخلى العنان

    خطيب اللباب خضيب اللبب

    And your colt goes on, its rein left loose,

    an orator to hearts, its breast stained.

  29. وقد أجلت الحرب عن نسوة

    سقتها يد الحرب كأس الحرب

    And battle has cleared to reveal women

    whom the hand of war made drink the cup of loss.

  30. يلاحظن وجهك فوق القنا

    ة ويذهبن باللحظ أني ذهب

    They gaze at your face atop the spear,

    and follow with their gaze wherever it goes.

  31. فبوركت مرثية خليت

    من الحلي بالمنتقى المنتجب

    So blessed be an elegy adorned

    with the choicest, most select of jewels.

  32. إلى ضبة الكوفة الاكرمين

    تنسب أكرم بهذا النسب

    To the most noble Dabba of Kufa

    it is ascribed—how noble this lineage!—

  33. إلى القائمين بحق الوصى

    عند الرضاء وعند الغضب

    to those who uphold the designated successor's right

    in contentment and in anger.