1. خلل السحايبِ لَوْ يُعَمِّر حُسْنُها

    لَغَلَتْ على مُبْتاعِها أثْمانُها

    The gaps in the clouds—if their beauty endured—

    their prices would soar for their buyer.

  2. غضنَّى عليها الخازِبازُ تَطَرُّباً

    فِعلَ القِيانِ تَجاوَبَتْ ألْحانُها

    The khazbaz flies sang over them in rapture,

    like singing slave-girls whose melodies answered one another.

  3. أليس مَنْ حَلّ منه في أُخُوَّتِهِ

    مَحلَّ هارونَ مِنْ مُوسَى بنِ عمرانِ

    Is he not the one who, in brotherhood with him, held

    Harun's place with Musa son of Imran?

  4. رُدّتْ لهُ الشمْسُ في أفْلاكِها فَقَضَى

    صَلاتَه غَيْرَ ماساهٍ ولا واني

    The sun was turned back for him in its orbits, and he performed

    his prayer, neither heedless nor remiss.

  5. وشَافَعَ المَلِكَ الرّاجي شَفَاعَتَهُ

    إذْ جاءهُ مَلَكٌ في خَلْقِ ثُعبانِ

    And he interceded for the king who hoped for his intercession,

    when an angel came to him in the form of a serpent.

  6. أخِي حَبيبٌ حَبيبُ اللهِ لا كَذِبٌ

    وابْناهُ لِلمُصطفَى المُستخلَصِ ابْنانِ

    My brother is beloved, beloved of God—no lie—

    and his two sons are sons of the Chosen, the Elect One.

  7. صَلَّى إلى القِبلَتينِ المُقتَدَى بِهما

    والنَّاس عَنْ ذاكَ صُمٍّ وعُميانِ

    He prayed toward the two qiblas that are followed,

    while the people were deaf and blind to that.

  8. ما مِثْلُ زَوجَتِهِ أُخرى يُقاسُ بِها

    ولا يُقاسُ إلى سِبْطَيْهِ سِبطانِ

    No other is like his wife, to be compared with her,

    nor can two grandsons be compared with his two grandsons.

  9. فَمُضْمِرُ الحُبِّ في نُورٍ يُخَصُّ بِهِ

    ومُضمِرُ البُغضِ مَخصوصٌ بنيرانِ

    So whoever harbors love is in a light reserved for him,

    and whoever harbors hatred is singled out for fires.

  10. هذا غداً مالِكٌ في النَّارِ يَمْلِكُهُ

    وذاكَ رِضْوانٌ يَلقاهُ بِرِضوانِ

    Tomorrow Malik will hold this one in his power in the Fire,

    and that one Ridwan will greet with favor.

  11. قالَ النَّبيُّ لَهُ أشقى البَرِيَّةِ يا

    عَلِيُّ إن ذُكر الأشقى شقيَّان

    The Prophet said to him: “The most wretched of creation, O

    Ali—if the most wretched are named—are two wretches:

  12. هذا عَصَى صالِحاً في عَقْرِ ناقَتِهِ

    وذاكَ فيكَ سيَلقاني بِعِصيانِ

    this one disobeyed Salih by hamstringing his she-camel,

    and that one, on your account, will meet me in disobedience.

  13. لَيَخضِبَنْ هَذِهِ مِنْ ذا أبا حَسَنٍ

    في حينِ يَخضُبُها مِنْ أحمرٍ قاني

    He will surely dye this with what comes from this, O Abu Hasan,

    when he dyes it with a deep crimson red.”

  14. نِعْمَ الشَّهيدانِ رَبُّ العرشِ يَشهدُ لي

    والخَلْقِ أنَّهما نِعْمَ الشّهيدان

    Excellent are the two martyrs! The Lord of the Throne bears witness for me,

    and creation too, that they are excellent martyrs.

  15. مَن ذا يُعزِّي النَّبيَّ المُصطفى بِهِما

    مَنْ ذا يُعزّيهِ من قاصٍ ومِنْ داني

    Who is there to console the Chosen Prophet over them both?

    Who, among those far and near, is there to console him?

  16. مَنْ ذا لفاطِمَةَ اللَّهفَى يُنَبِّئُها

    عَنْ بَعْلِها وابْنِها أنْباءَ لَهفانِ

    Who is there to tell anguished Fatima

    of her husband and son—the tidings of one in anguish:

  17. مَن قابضِ النَّفسِ في المحرابِ مُنتَصباً

    وقابِضِ النَّفس في الهَيْجاء عَطشانِ

    one who gave up his soul standing in the prayer niche,

    and one who gave up his soul thirsty amid battle?

  18. نَجْمانِ في الأرضِ بلْ بدرانِ قد أفَلا

    نعَم وشَمسانِ إمَّا قُلْتَ شَمسانِ

    Two stars on earth—nay, two full moons that have set;

    yes, and two suns, if you call them two suns.

  19. سَيْفانِ يُغْمدُ سَيْفُ الحَربِ إنْ بَرَزا

    وفي يَمِنَيهما لَلحَرْبِ سَيْفانِ

    Two swords—war's sword is sheathed if they come forth,

    and in their right hands are two swords for war.