سِيراTravel, you two إِذاُthen لنwill not تسيراyou two travel
سِيرا إِذاُ لن تسيرا
عِيراًa caravan تُنَاقِلconveys عِيراa caravan
عِيراً تُنَاقِل عِيرا
Travel, then; you two will not travel
Visit them if you will not visit,
as one caravan conveying another,
Carrying the camel litters of visitation,
محمَّلاتٍladen ظهوراًbacks
محمَّلاتٍ ظهوراً
وَمُوقَراتٍand heavily laden نُذوراvotive offerings
وَمُوقَراتٍ نُذورا
with backs laden,
With backs laden,
and heavily burdened with votive offerings.
And vows consecrated,
زوراVisit, you two بيثربَin Yathrib قبراًa grave
زورا بيثربَ قبراً
وبالعراقِand in Iraq قبوراgraves
وبالعراقِ قبورا
Visit a grave in Yathrib,
Visit, though Bethlehem be but a grave,
and graves in Iraq.
And Iraq but graves,
زوراVisit, you two ولاand do not تسأماyou two grow weary ماas long as
زورا ولا تسأما ما
حُيِّيتماyou two are granted life أَنْof; to تزوارyou two visit
حُيِّيتما أَنْ تزوار
Visit, and do not tire, as long as
Visit, and do not cease to visit
you both live, of visiting.
As long as you are greeted
زوراVisit, you two النبيَّthe Prophet وزوراand visit, you two
زورا النبيَّ وزورا
وصيَّهhis appointed successor والوزيراand the minister
وصيَّه والوزيرا
Visit the Prophet, and visit
Visit the Prophet and visit as well
his appointed successor and minister.
His successor and the vizier,
زوراVisit, you two الشموسَthe suns شموسَthe suns of الthe
زورا الشموسَ شموسَ ال
أيامdays زُوراVisit, you two البدوراthe full moons
أيام زُورا البدورا
Visit the suns, the suns of the
Visit the suns, suns of the days,
days; visit the full moons:
Visit the full moons.
محمداًMuhammad وعليّاًand Ali
محمداً وعليّاً
وشبَّراًand Shabbar وشبيراand Shabbir
وشبَّراً وشبيرا
Muhammad and Ali,
Muhammad and Ali,
and Shabbar and Shabbir.
Shabbar and Shabir,
صلَّىmay He bless الإلهُGod علىupon منhim who
صلَّى الإلهُ على من
أَتىcame بَشيراًa bearer of glad tidings نَذيراa warner
أَتى بَشيراً نَذيرا
May God bless him who
May God pray upon him who brought glad tidings and warnings,
came bearing glad tidings, a warner,
And upon him who passed away, the seal of prophecy and the shining lamp,
ومنand him who مضىpassed away خاتَمthe seal of الرُّسْthe messengers (partial)
ومن مضى خاتَم الرُّسْ
لِcompletion of 'the messengers' والسراجَand the lamp المنيراshining
لِ والسراجَ المنيرا
and him who departed, the seal of the
And upon him by whom He brought good news of the blessed one of Quraysh,
messengers and the shining lamp,
And increased Fatima in purity each day.
ومنand him whom بهconcerning him بشَّرannounced glad tidings الركthe caravan (partial)
ومن به بشَّر الرك
بَcompletion of 'the caravan' منfrom قريشٍQuraysh بحيراBahira
بَ من قريشٍ بحيرا
and him whose coming was announced to the caravan
O eye, send comfort to them
from Quraysh by Bahira.
And send them your early visitations,
وزادand may He increase فاطمةَFatima الطُّهpurity; the Pure (partial)
وزاد فاطمةَ الطُّه
رَcompletion of 'purity; the Pure' كلَّevery يومٍday طَهُوراin purity
رَ كلَّ يومٍ طَهُورا
And may He grant Fatima, the Pure,
Send to Hamza or al-Abbas
greater purity each day.
A streaming visitation,
ياO عينُeye فيضيpour forth رَواحاًat evening
يا عينُ فيضي رَواحاً
لهمْfor them وفيضيand pour forth بُكُوراat dawn
لهمْ وفيضي بُكُورا
O eye, pour forth at evening
To their two uncles whom He clothed in light upon light
for them, and pour forth at dawn.
Quenchers of the heat of war without it and the blaze within it.
فيضيpour forth لحمزةَfor Hamza أوor للfor al-
فيضي لحمزةَ أو لل
عبَاسِAbbas فيضاًan outpouring غزيراabundant
عبَاسِ فيضاً غزيرا
Pour forth for Hamza, or for
And I have not ceased since the affairs clashed around me
al-Abbas, an abundant outpouring—
To be stirred by the memory of the day of the band
عَمَّيْهhis two paternal uncles زادهماmay He increase them both مَنْHe who
عَمَّيْه زادهما مَنْ
كساهماclothed them both النورَin light نوراmore light
كساهما النورَ نورا
his two paternal uncles; may He who
I say - and the saying remains -
clothed them in light increase their light:
After lifetimes, lifetimes,
المُطْفِئَيْنِthe two who extinguished لظَىthe blaze of الحرwar (partial)
المُطْفِئَيْنِ لظَى الحر
بِcompletion of 'war' دونهin his defense والسَّعيراand the raging fire
بِ دونه والسَّعيرا
the two who quenched the blaze of
The cycles of time and cycles
war in his defense, and its raging fire.
In which visitation was revived.
ولمand have not أزلْceased منذsince خاضَتْplunged
ولم أزلْ منذ خاضَتْ
بيَtaking me الأُموُرevents أموراinto ordeals
بيَ الأُموُر أمورا
And I have never ceased, since events plunged
How many mountains you contained
me into one ordeal after another,
And how many seas you contained!
يَهيجنيstirs me ذكرُthe memory of يومِthe day of الطal-Tayyar, the Flyer (partial)
يَهيجني ذكرُ يومِ الط
يّارِcompletion of 'al-Tayyar, the Flyer' حتىuntil أطيراI fly
يّارِ حتى أطيرا
to be stirred by the memory of the day of
Guidance lies in tombs
al-Tayyar—the Flyer—until I fly.
Shut up within them.
أقولُI say والقولُand speech يبقىendures
أقولُ والقولُ يبقى
بعدَafter الدهورِthe ages دهوراfor ages
بعدَ الدهورِ دهورا
I say—and words endure
I have given the Fatimids
for ages after ages—
Sorrow and sighing,
دُورَO dwellings of الغريِّal-Ghari ودوراًand dwellings
دُورَ الغريِّ ودوراً
بالطفِّat al-Taff حُيِّيتِmay you be greeted دُوراdwellings
بالطفِّ حُيِّيتِ دُورا
O dwellings of al-Ghari, and dwellings
The best in jihad
at al-Taff, greetings to you, O dwellings!
And the best supporters,
كمhow many قدindeed حويتyou have contained جبالاًmountains
كم قد حويت جبالاً
وكمand how many حويتِyou have contained بحوراseas
وكم حويتِ بحورا
How many mountains you have held,
The fasting, praying purifiers
and how many seas you have held!
Bowed down in prayer;
أضحىhas come to be الهُدَىguidance فيin قبورٍgraves
أضحى الهُدَى في قبورٍ
ضُمِّنْتهاyou were made to contain them مقبوراburied
ضُمِّنْتها مقبورا
Guidance now lies in graves
Those who feed the orphan
entrusted to you, buried.
And feed the prisoner;
مُلِّيتmay you be granted long life للفاطمييfor Fatima's descendants (partial)
مُلِّيت للفاطميي
نcompletion of 'Fatima's descendants' لوعةًburning grief وزفيراand sighing
ن لوعةً وزفيرا
Long may you endure for Fatima's
The glorious people of the mantle,
descendants, in anguish and sighing—
Pulpit and bed;
الأفضلينَthe most excellent جِهاداًin striving
الأفضلينَ جِهاداً
والأفضلينَand the most excellent نصيراin support
والأفضلينَ نصيرا
the most excellent in striving,
Those never left by Gabriel
and the most excellent in support;
As their protection and support;
الصائمينَthose who fast المصلِّيthose who pray (partial)
الصائمينَ المصلِّي
نplural ending: 'those who pray' طُهِّرواwere purified تَطْهيراwith thorough purification
ن طُهِّروا تَطْهيرا
those who fast and pray,
My craving for them is the craving of a lion
purified with thorough purification;
My craving for them is that of eagles
والمنطوينَand those drawn inward بُطوناًas to their bellies
والمنطوينَ بُطوناً
والمنحنينَand those bent ظُهوراas to their backs
والمنحنينَ ظُهورا
and those with hollow bellies,
An obstinate camel craved to harm them
and those with bent backs;
A camel led by donkeys craved against them
والمطعمينand those who feed يتيماًan orphan
والمطعمين يتيماً
والمطعمينَand those who feed أسيراa captive
والمطعمينَ أسيرا
and those who feed an orphan,
And he was always deficient since he was
and those who feed a captive;
Deficient, maimed.
أَهلُthe People of الكساءِthe Cloak الأَجلّthe noblest (partial)
أَهلُ الكساءِ الأَجلّ
ينَplural ending: 'the noblest' منبراًin pulpit وسريراand throne
ينَ منبراً وسريرا
the People of the Cloak, the noblest
The day of Husayn for the faith
on pulpit and throne,
You were a harsh day.
منthose for whom لمhas not يزلceased جبرئيلٌGabriel
من لم يزل جبرئيلٌ
ردءاًa support لهمْfor them وظهيراand a helper
ردءاً لهمْ وظهيرا
for whom Gabriel has always been
By God, Karbala, you filled hearts with agony.
a support and a helper.
As if I see the mill of war about to turn,
لهفيmy grief عليهمfor them ليوثاًas lions
لهفي عليهم ليوثاً
لهفيmy grief عليهمْfor them صقوراas falcons
لهفي عليهمْ صقورا
Alas for them, those lions!
And the swords striking the Fatimids like birds,
Alas for them, those falcons!
And the Fatimid women slaughtered
بغىoppressed عليهمْthem حمارٌan ass
بغى عليهمْ حمارٌ
باغٍa tyrant يسوسُgoverning حميراasses
باغٍ يسوسُ حميرا
An ass oppressed them,
With pouring tears,
a tyrant governing asses.
A band who did not fear their God
وكانand he was ينقصُdwindling مذever since كاhe was (partial)
وكان ينقصُ مذ كا
نcompletion of 'he was' ناقصاًdeficient مَبْتُوراcut off
ن ناقصاً مَبْتُورا
And he kept dwindling, since he was
To do wrong!
deficient and cut off.
A band who did not heed His Book
يومَO day of الحسينِHusayn علىupon الديthe faith (partial)
يومَ الحسينِ على الدي
نِcompletion of 'the faith' كنتَyou were يوماًa day عسيراgrievous
نِ كنتَ يوماً عسيرا
O day of Husayn, for the faith
Written out straightforward!
you were a grievous day!
Was not carrying Husayn's head
ملأتِyou filled واللهِby God كرباًwith anguish
ملأتِ واللهِ كرباً
ياO كربلاءُKarbala الصٌّدوراthe hearts
يا كربلاءُ الصٌّدورا
You filled with anguish—by God—
A grave thing?
the hearts, O Karbala!
Was depriving him of water
كأَننيas though I بِرَحىat the millstone of الحرwar (partial)
كأَنني بِرَحى الحر
بِcompletion of 'war' أوشكتْwas about أنto تدوراturn
بِ أوشكتْ أن تدورا
As though I stood by the millstone of war,
A small matter?
just as it was about to turn,
You who forbid Husayn the Euphrates water out of injustice
والفاطميّونَand Fatima's descendants تقريserve as a feast
والفاطميّونَ تقري
همُthem السيوفُthe swords الطيوراthe birds
همُ السيوفُ الطيورا
and Fatima's descendants are served up
And give the camel drink!
by swords as a feast for birds;
Tomorrow you will wish you had never swum
والفاطمياتُand Fatima's women يُنْحَرْare slaughtered (partial)
والفاطمياتُ يُنْحَرْ
نَfeminine plural ending: 'are slaughtered' بالدُّموعِby tears النُّحوراthe throats
نَ بالدُّموعِ النُّحورا
and Fatima's women are slaughtered
In the Prophet's Pool.
at their throats by tears.
O people what did the people gain by being destroyed?
ياO عصبةًa band لمdid not تًخفْfear مِنof
يا عصبةً لم تًخفْ مِن
إلههاits God أَنْthat; to تجوراact unjustly
إلهها أَنْ تجورا
O band that did not fear
Was violating the sanctuary of Husayn a trivial thing?
its God as it acted unjustly!
Was beating his lips with a rod a little matter?
ياO عصبةًa band لمdid not تراقبْheed
يا عصبةً لم تراقبْ
قرآنَهُHis Qur'an المسْطُوراwritten
قرآنَهُ المسْطُورا
O band that paid no heed
Glory to Him who through His patience holds back the earth from sinking down!
to His written Qur'an!
You committed against his father and grandfather
ألمwas it not يكنْbe حملُcarrying رأسِthe head of الthe
ألم يكنْ حملُ رأسِ ال
حسينِHusayn خَطْباًan enormity كبيراgreat
حسينِ خَطْباً كبيرا
Was carrying the head of
A forbidden thing.
Husayn not a great enormity?
You took vengeance on the people of Badr
ألمwas it not يكنْbe منعُهُdenying him الماwater (partial)
ألم يكنْ منعُهُ الما
ءَcompletion of 'water' كانwas شيئاًa thing نكيراmonstrous
ءَ كان شيئاً نكيرا
Was denying him
When you found the opportunity.
water not a monstrous thing?
My soul, keep the love of Kullthum from evil and wickedness.
ياO منyou who يذودُdrive away حسيناًHusayn
يا من يذودُ حسيناً
عنfrom الفراتthe Euphrates فجوراwickedly
عن الفرات فجورا
O you who drive Husayn away
If only her followers today were present
from the Euphrates in wickedness,
They would be crying aloud,
تذودyou drive away عنهfrom it حسيناًHusayn
تذود عنه حسيناً
بغياًtyrannically وتسقيand give drink to البعيراthe camel
بغياً وتسقي البعيرا
you drive Husayn away from it
And gaping wide their mouths,
in tyranny, yet give drink to the camel.
And organizing against the enemies
غداًtomorrow تطورُyou approach بحوضِat the pool of الthe
غداً تطورُ بحوضِ ال
نبيِّProphet لاno أَنْthat; to تَطُوراyou approach
نبيِّ لا أَنْ تَطُورا
Tomorrow you will approach the pool of the
Raids at dawn and by night;
Prophet—no, you shall not approach!
And slaughtering Yazid
ياO قومpeople ماذاwhat جنىperpetrated القوthe people (partial)
يا قوم ماذا جنى القو
مcompletion of 'the people' دُمِّرواmay they be destroyed تدميراutterly
م دُمِّروا تدميرا
O people, what have those people done?
A slaughtering of stiff-necked ones.
May they be utterly destroyed!
أكانwas it هتكُviolating حريمِthe womenfolk of الthe
أكان هتكُ حريمِ ال
حسينِHusayn أمراًa matter حقيراtrivial
حسينِ أمراً حقيرا
Was violating the sanctity of
Husayn's womenfolk a trifling thing?
أكانَwas it قَرْعُstriking ثناياfront teeth
أكانَ قَرْعُ ثنايا
هُhis بالقضيبِwith the rod يَسيراa slight matter
هُ بالقضيبِ يَسيرا
Was striking his front teeth
with a rod a slight matter?
سبحانَglory be to مَنHim whose يُمْسِكُholds back الأرthe earth (partial)
سبحانَ مَن يُمْسِكُ الأر
ضَcompletion of 'the earth' حِلْمُهُHis forbearance أنْlest تَمُوراit heaves
ضَ حِلْمُهُ أنْ تَمُورا
Glory to Him whose forbearance holds the
earth still, lest it shake!
أبحتمُyou made lawful منof; from أبيهhis father
أبحتمُ من أبيه
وجدِّهِand his grandfather محظوراwhat was inviolable
وجدِّهِ محظورا
You profaned what was inviolable in his father
and his grandfather.
ثأرتمُyou avenged أهْلَthe people of بدرٍBadr
ثأرتمُ أهْلَ بدرٍ
لماwhen وجدتمْyou found ثُؤوراblood-debts
لما وجدتمْ ثُؤورا
You avenged the people of Badr
when you found blood-debts to avenge.
نفسيmy soul تقيmay it shield أُمَّUmm كُلثوKulthum (partial)
نفسي تقي أُمَّ كُلثو
مٍcompletion of 'Kulthum' الرَّدىdeath والشُروراand evils
مٍ الرَّدى والشُرورا
May my soul shield Umm Kulthum
from death and evils.
لوif أَنَّindeed شيعتَهاher followers اليوtoday (partial)
لو أَنَّ شيعتَها اليو
مَcompletion of 'today' أمسِyesterday كانواhad been حُضوراpresent
مَ أمسِ كانوا حُضورا
If only her followers today
had been present yesterday,
إِذنْthen لظُّلواthey would have kept يُضاهوmatching (partial)
إِذنْ لظُّلوا يُضاهو
نَplural ending: 'they match' بالزئيرِwith roaring الزئيراthe roar
نَ بالزئيرِ الزئيرا
then they would have kept matching
roar with roar,
فيكلمونَthen they would wound كُلوماًwounds
فيكلمونَ كُلوماً
وَيَثْغَرُونَand make breaches ثغوراbreaches
وَيَثْغَرُونَ ثغورا
inflicting wounds,
and making breaches,
وينظمونand string together نُحوراًthroats
وينظمون نُحوراً
منof; from العِدَىthe enemies وَسُحوراand lungs
من العِدَى وَسُحورا
and stringing together throats
and lungs of the enemy,
وينحرونand slaughter يزيداًYazid
وينحرون يزيداً
نَحْرَas the slaughtering of الحجيجِthe pilgrims الجَزُوراa camel for slaughter
نَحْرَ الحجيجِ الجَزُورا
and slaughtering Yazid
as pilgrims slaughter a camel.
Partial English translation: 87 of 110 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1