زُرْvisit حيشَHish لاdo not تَلْوِturn aside النِّياقَthe she-camels لِحاساto Hass
زُرْ حيشَ لا تَلْوِ النِّياقَ لِحاسا
واسْتَجْلِand seek to behold منfrom مِضْمارهاits arena نبراسَاa beacon
واسْتَجْلِ من مِضْمارها نبراسَا
Visit Hish; do not turn the she-camels toward Hass.
Visit a place where there are no foxes to disturb you,
And seek a beacon from its arena.
And take inspiration from its racecourse,
واقْصُدْand make for رِحابَthe precincts of ابنson of الخِزامِal-Khizam عَليِّناour Ali
واقْصُدْ رِحابَ ابن الخِزامِ عَليِّنا
واملأْand fill بِمَدحِwith praise of جَنابهِhis noble person القِرْطاساthe paper
واملأْ بِمَدحِ جَنابهِ القِرْطاسا
And seek the precincts of Ibn al-Khizam, our Ali,
Aim for the spacious abode of Ibn Al-Khizam,
And fill the paper with praise of his noble person.
And fill your parchment with praise of his excellence,
واجْعَلْand make طَريقَthe path of جَنابهِhis noble person وسُلوكهُand his conduct
واجْعَلْ طَريقَ جَنابهِ وسُلوكهُ
أبَداًalways بأحكامِby the rules of السُّلوكِspiritual wayfaring أساساa foundation
أبَداً بأحكامِ السُّلوكِ أساسا
And make his path and his conduct
Make his path and conduct
Ever a foundation in the disciplines of spiritual wayfaring.
Always the foundation of proper behavior,
وإذاand when قَرأتَyou read منfrom الشَّريعةِthe Sacred Law نَصَّهاits text
وإذا قَرأتَ من الشَّريعةِ نَصَّها
خُذْtake منهُfrom him عنconcerning حالِthe state of الرَّسولِthe Messenger قِياساa measure
خُذْ منهُ عن حالِ الرَّسولِ قِياسا
And when you read the Sacred Law's text,
And when you read the texts of Islamic law,
Take from him a measure of the Messenger's state.
Take the example of the Messenger as your measure,
للهto God (exclamatory) رَوْضَتهُhis garden وجَلْجَلَهاand enfolded it الثَّرىthe earth
لله رَوْضَتهُ وجَلْجَلَها الثَّرى
وكأنَّهاand as though it قدalready رُصِّعَتْwas studded ألماساdiamonds
وكأنَّها قد رُصِّعَتْ ألماسا
How wondrous his garden, which the earth has enfolded,
God has blessed his garden, and the earth covers his tomb,
And it seems to have been studded with diamonds.
As if studded with diamonds,
يأتيcomes المُحِبُّthe lover لِبابهِto his door مُتَأدِّباًwith courtesy
يأتي المُحِبُّ لِبابهِ مُتَأدِّباً
ولَدَيهِand in his presence يَطْرَحُcasts off قَلبهُhis heart الوَسْواساwhispering doubts
ولَدَيهِ يَطْرَحُ قَلبهُ الوَسْواسا
The lover comes to his door with courtesy,
The loving visitor comes to his door with reverence,
And in his presence his heart casts off whispering doubts.
Laying down his restless heart before him,
فكأنَّهُso as though he للزَّائِرينَfor the visitors مُجالِسٌa sitting companion
فكأنَّهُ للزَّائِرينَ مُجالِسٌ
وبِحالهِand through his spiritual state قدindeed يُكْنِفُhe shelters الجُلاَّساthose seated
وبِحالهِ قد يُكْنِفُ الجُلاَّسا
So it is as though he sits with the visitors,
It's as if he is a gathering place for visitors,
And through his spiritual state he shelters those seated there.
Embracing all who sit with him,
فاحَتْwafted fragrance حَضيرَتهُhis precinct النَّدِيَّةُthe dew-fresh عَنْبَراambergris
فاحَتْ حَضيرَتهُ النَّدِيَّةُ عَنْبَرا
نَشَرَتْit spread بِساطاًa carpet فيin الرَّوابيthe hills آساmyrtle
نَشَرَتْ بِساطاً في الرَّوابي آسا
His dew-fresh precinct breathed ambergris;
His blessed precinct exudes ambergris,
It spread a carpet of myrtle over the hills.
Having spread out carpets in the countryside,
منof آلِthe family of بيتٍa house عنfrom أبيAbu (father of) العَبَّاسِal-Abbas قدindeed
من آلِ بيتٍ عن أبي العَبَّاسِ قد
وَرِثواthey inherited القُوىthe powers واسْتَبْسَمواand made smile العَبَّاساthe stern-faced man
وَرِثوا القُوى واسْتَبْسَموا العَبَّاسا
Of a household whose kin, from Abu al-Abbas, have
From the House of Abu Al-'Abbas they inherited
Inherited powers and made the stern-faced smile.
Strength and took on the burden of the 'Abbasids before them
النَّاسُthe people همْthey كمْhow many مَرَّةٍa time همْthey جَنْدَلواfelled
النَّاسُ همْ كمْ مَرَّةٍ همْ جَنْدَلوا
يومَon the day of الوَغىbattle بالخارِقاتِthrough miraculous feats أُناساpeople
يومَ الوَغى بالخارِقاتِ أُناسا
They are the men—how often have they struck down
How many times, when sedition erupted,
People, on the day of battle, through miraculous feats.
Did the people prove themselves courageous fighters?
رَدُّواthey turned إلىto الرَّحمنِthe All-Merciful هِمَّةَthe aspiration of سِرِّهمْtheir inner secret
رَدُّوا إلى الرَّحمنِ هِمَّةَ سِرِّهمْ
واسْتَحْقَرواand scorned فيin غَيرِهِanything besides Him الأفلاساthe small coins
واسْتَحْقَروا في غَيرِهِ الأفلاسا
They turned their secret's aspiration toward the All-Merciful,
They returned the ambition of their secret
And, in all besides Him, scorned mere coins.
And scorned all else as worthless,
اللهGod طَهَّرَهُمْpurified them وأبْعَدَand kept away عنهُمُfrom them
الله طَهَّرَهُمْ وأبْعَدَ عنهُمُ
فيin طينِهِمtheir clay ضمنَwithin العَماthe primordial cloud الأرْجاساdefilements
في طينِهِم ضمنَ العَما الأرْجاسا
God purified them and kept far from them
God purified them and kept them far
All defilement, while their clay was within the primordial cloud.
From the defilements that taint ordinary men,
فَلَقواthey cleft الدُّجاthe darkness بِعَزائِمٍwith resolves عَلَوِيَّةٍAlid
فَلَقوا الدُّجا بِعَزائِمٍ عَلَوِيَّةٍ
واسْتَحْسَنواand favored فيin النَّهْضَةِrising الأغْلاساthe predawn gloom
واسْتَحْسَنوا في النَّهْضَةِ الأغْلاسا
They cleft the darkness with Alid resolves,
They met hardships with lofty, Alid determination,
And favored predawn gloom when rising.
And considered tribulation a fine garment,
كمhow many مَرَّةٍa time قَلَبواthey turned النُّحاسَthe copper جَواهراًjewels
كم مَرَّةٍ قَلَبوا النُّحاسَ جَواهراً
ودَعواand left الجَواهِرَthe jewels بالصِّدامِthrough collision نُحاساcopper
ودَعوا الجَواهِرَ بالصِّدامِ نُحاسا
How often they turned copper into jewels,
How many times did they turn copper to gold
And, in the clash, left jewels as copper.
And leave mere gold battered by the blows?
عَمِّيmy uncle عَلِيٌّAli منamong صُدورِthe foremost of رُؤوسِهمْtheir chiefs
عَمِّي عَلِيٌّ من صُدورِ رُؤوسِهمْ
قدindeed قامَhe arose فيamong أهلِthe people of العُلىeminence مُرْتاساas a leader
قد قامَ في أهلِ العُلى مُرْتاسا
My uncle Ali is among the foremost of their chiefs;
My lord 'Ali rose from their breasts
He has risen as a leader among the people of eminence.
To stand tall among the sublime,
للهto God (exclamatory) مَظهرُهُhis presence الجَليلُthe majestic وطَوْرُهُand his manner
لله مَظهرُهُ الجَليلُ وطَوْرُهُ
حالاًin a spiritual state إذاwhen بالذِّكرِin remembrance يوماًone day ماساhe swayed
حالاً إذا بالذِّكرِ يوماً ماسا
How wondrous his majestic presence and his bearing,
God revealed his majestic self at times
In ecstasy, whenever he sways in remembrance.
When he invoked remembrance of Him,
خذtake ذَيْلَهُhis hem دِرْعاًas armor لكُلِّfor every مُلِمَّةٍcalamity
خذ ذَيْلَهُ دِرْعاً لكُلِّ مُلِمَّةٍ
واتْرُكْand leave إذاwhen قامَarises الوَغىbattle المِهْجاساthe fretful worrier
واتْرُكْ إذا قامَ الوَغى المِهْجاسا
Take his hem as armor against every calamity,
Take the train of his robe as armor against every calamity,
And forsake the fretful worrier when battle breaks out.
And leave behind, when war erupts, the coward's cloak.
سيفُthe sword of العِنايةِprovidential care منfrom ذُؤابَةِthe forelock of أحمدٍAhmad
سيفُ العِنايةِ من ذُؤابَةِ أحمدٍ
أعلىraised high لأصْحابِfor the practitioners of الخَوارِقِmiracles راساa head
أعلى لأصْحابِ الخَوارِقِ راسا
The sword of providence, from Ahmad's forelock,
The Sword of Divine Care, from the scabbard of Ahmad,
Has raised a head high for the workers of wonders.
Is the highest aspiration of the saintly warriors.
السَّيِّدُthe master الأُمِّيُّthe unlettered والأسَدُand the lion الَّذيwho
السَّيِّدُ الأُمِّيُّ والأسَدُ الَّذي
يلْويsubdues العَدُوَّthe enemy بِبأسهِwith his might إنif جاساhe prowls
يلْوي العَدُوَّ بِبأسهِ إن جاسا
The unlettered master and the lion who
The unlettered master, the lion whose might
Subdues the foe with his might, should the foe prowl.
Crushes the foe if he dares draw near,
اللهُGod سَرْبَلَclothed قَلْبَهُhis heart بِعنايةٍin providential care
اللهُ سَرْبَلَ قَلْبَهُ بِعنايةٍ
لَبَسَتْit donned منfrom الوَهْبِbounty العَليِّthe exalted الباساthe might
لَبَسَتْ من الوَهْبِ العَليِّ الباسا
God clothed his heart in providential care,
God clothed his heart with a special grace
Which donned might from exalted bounty.
That made him wear the garb of the Most High,
أسَدُthe lion of الكِفاحِcombat أبوAbu (father of) المَعارجِthe ascents (al-Ma'arij) بِأسُهُhis might
أسَدُ الكِفاحِ أبو المَعارجِ بِأسُهُ
فيin الغَيبِthe unseen كانَwas كَماas تَرىyou see إلباساa clothing; investiture
في الغَيبِ كانَ كَما تَرى إلباسا
Lion of combat, Abu al-Ma'arij—his might
Lion of striving, Abu Al-Ma'arij, his might
Was, in the unseen, a mantle, as you see.
In the unseen was like what you see in the visible realm,
بَحْرٌa sea طَمىswelled بِرَقائقٍwith subtleties قُدْسِيَّةٍsacred
بَحْرٌ طَمى بِرَقائقٍ قُدْسِيَّةٍ
جَمَعَتْgathered لأصحابِfor the people of الوَحاinspiration الأجناساthe kinds
جَمَعَتْ لأصحابِ الوَحا الأجناسا
A sea that swelled with sacred subtleties,
An ocean churning with holy subtleties
That gathered every kind for the people of inspiration.
That drew together saints of all religions,
نَظَمَhe strung together المَعانيthe meanings فيin بَديعِwondrous بَلاغةٍeloquence
نَظَمَ المَعاني في بَديعِ بَلاغةٍ
حَمَلَتْit bore علىupon طَبْعِthe nature of العَوامِthe common people جِناساwordplay
حَمَلَتْ على طَبْعِ العَوامِ جِناسا
He strung meanings together in wondrous eloquence,
He strung meanings into an eloquent beauty
That bore wordplay suited to the common people's nature.
That carried the minds of the masses into wordplay.
سَتَرىyou will see لِمَرْقَدِهِto his resting-place قُفولاًreturning caravans تَجْتَليdisplaying
سَتَرى لِمَرْقَدِهِ قُفولاً تَجْتَلي
عيساًpale camels ويُجْهِدُand exhausts بَعضُهاsome of them الأفْراساthe horses
عيساً ويُجْهِدُ بَعضُها الأفْراسا
You will see caravans returning to his resting-place, displaying
You will see riders coming to his tomb
Pale camels; some of them wear out the horses.
On their steeds racing with Jesus himself.
هذاthis العَطاءُthe gift لهُto him بِعلمِthrough knowledge of الغَيبِthe unseen قدindeed
هذا العَطاءُ لهُ بِعلمِ الغَيبِ قد
أوْلاهُbestowed it on him باريهِhis Creator فَخَلِّso leave النَّاساthe people
أوْلاهُ باريهِ فَخَلِّ النَّاسا
This gift to him, through knowledge of the unseen, has
This gift to him, this knowledge of the unseen,
Been bestowed by his Creator; so leave people be.
His Creator granted him, so leave other men be!
سَبَرَhe fathomed الحَقائِقَthe realities طائراًflying لِحَضيرةٍtoward a precinct
سَبَرَ الحَقائِقَ طائراً لِحَضيرةٍ
لمdid not يُبقِleave فيهاin it للرِّجالِfor men مَساساany access
لم يُبقِ فيها للرِّجالِ مَساسا
He fathomed the realities, flying toward a precinct;
He probed the truths, a bird in the precinct
He left no access there for men.
Where no man can reach out anymore,
قَبَسٌa flame منfrom النُّورِthe light المُلألإthe sparkling فيin طَوًىTuwa
قَبَسٌ من النُّورِ المُلألإ في طَوًى
قدindeed قامَhe arose عنْin place of آبائِهِhis forefathers مِقْباساas a torch
قد قامَ عنْ آبائِهِ مِقْباسا
A flame from the sparkling light in Tuwa,
A gleam from the Light that fills the Tabernacle,
He has risen in his forefathers' stead as a torch.
Rising above his noble ancestors,
أكرمْhow noble! بهhe is (exclamatory) خَلَفاًas a successor عَظيماًgreat قَدْرُهُhis stature
أكرمْ به خَلَفاً عَظيماً قَدْرُهُ
قدindeed نابَstood in for فيناamong us السَّادَةَthe masters الأكْياساthe discerning
قد نابَ فينا السَّادَةَ الأكْياسا
How noble he is as a successor, great in stature!
With it honor his mighty grandson,
He has taken the discerning masters' place among us.
Who succeeded the sayyids and the wise.
وألِيَّةٍand by an oath لمwas not يُقْصَkept away عنfrom آرابِهِhis desires
وألِيَّةٍ لم يُقْصَ عن آرابِهِ
منwhoever رامَsought منfrom إحْسانِهِhis beneficence الأنْفاساbreaths
من رامَ من إحْسانِهِ الأنْفاسا
And I swear: no one was denied his wishes
An elite whom none can prevent from his needs
Who sought breaths from his beneficence.
If he hopes for a breath of his kindness,
Sol 6.1