أَلا هَلَ اتاكَ وَالأَنباءُ تُنمى

أَلا هَلَ اتاكَ وَالأَنباءُ تُنمى

بِما لاقَت بَجيلَةُ بِالمَذارِ

بِما لاقَت بَجيلَةُ بِالمَذارِ

Lo, has word reached you—as tidings are passed on—

Has the news reached you, of what Bajila faced,

of what Bajīla met with at al-Madhār?

At the hands of spears, thrust with force at midday?

أُتيحَ لَهُم بِها ضَربٌ طِلَخفٌ

أُتيحَ لَهُم بِها ضَربٌ طِلَخفٌ

وَطَعنٌ صائِبٌ وَجهَ النَهارِ

وَطَعنٌ صائِبٌ وَجهَ النَهارِ

There they were dealt fierce blows,

It was as if a thundercloud had struck them,

and unerring spear-thrusts at day's beginning.

And drenched them thoroughly with heavy rain.

كَأَنَّ سَحابَةً صَعَقَت عَلَيهِم

كَأَنَّ سَحابَةً صَعَقَت عَلَيهِم

فَعَمَّتهُم هُنالِكَ بِالمَذارِ

فَعَمَّتهُم هُنالِكَ بِالمَذارِ

As though a cloud had struck them with lightning,

So give glad tidings to the followers of al-Mukhtar,

then engulfed them all there at al-Madhār.

Whenever you pass by al-Kufa and its youth.

فَبَشِّرِ شيعَةَ المُختارِ إِمّا

فَبَشِّرِ شيعَةَ المُختارِ إِمّا

مَرَرتَ عَلى الكُوَيفَةِ بِالصَغارِ

مَرَرتَ عَلى الكُوَيفَةِ بِالصَغارِ

So give al-Mukhtār's followers glad tidings, if

It gladdened my eyes, their fallen heroes,

you pass by al-Kuwayfa—tidings of humiliation.

A horde to be slain across the desert sands.

أَقَرَّ العَينَ صَرعاهُم وَفَلٌ

أَقَرَّ العَينَ صَرعاهُم وَفَلٌ

لَهُم جَمٌ يُقَتَّلُ بِالصَحاري

لَهُم جَمٌ يُقَتَّلُ بِالصَحاري

Their slain gladdened the eye, as did a routed remnant

And it is not that their ruin brought me joy,

of theirs, great in number, being slaughtered in the deserts.

Though they were your enemies of high renown.

وَما إِن سَرَّني إِهلاكُ قَومي

وَما إِن سَرَّني إِهلاكُ قَومي

وَإِن كانوا وَجَدِّكَ في خِيارِ

وَإِن كانوا وَجَدِّكَ في خِيارِ

And the destruction of my people did not delight me at all,

But I rejoiced at the humiliation Abu Is'haq now suffers,

even though, by your good fortune, they were among the best.

Total disgrace and shame cast over him.

وَلَكِنّي سُرِرتُ بِما يُلاقي

وَلَكِنّي سُرِرتُ بِما يُلاقي

أَبو إِسحاقَ مِن خِزيٍ وَعارِ

أَبو إِسحاقَ مِن خِزيٍ وَعارِ

But I was delighted at what befalls

Nor did I grieve for their rich and their poor,

Abū Isḥāq: disgrace and shame.

And what befell them in that violent fray.

وَما إِن ساءَني ما كانَ مِنهُم

وَما إِن ساءَني ما كانَ مِنهُم

لَدى الإعسارَ مِنهُم وَاليَسارِ

لَدى الإعسارَ مِنهُم وَاليَسارِ

Nor did what came from them distress me at all,

But I was glad, my sleep was sweet,

in their poverty or prosperity.

As their killing brought peace and comfort to my soul.

وَلَكِنّي فَرِحتُ وَطابَ نَومي

وَلَكِنّي فَرِحتُ وَطابَ نَومي

وَقَرَّ لَقَتلِهِم مِنّي قَراري

وَقَرَّ لَقَتلِهِم مِنّي قَراري

But I rejoiced, and my sleep was sweet,

and their slaughter set my mind at rest.