أيا رنة الناعي عبثتِ بسمعي

أيا رنة الناعي عبثتِ بسمعي

فأججتِ نارَ الحُزنِ ما بينَ أضلُعي

فأججتِ نارَ الحُزنِ ما بينَ أضلُعي

O cry of the death-announcer, you have played havoc with my hearing,

O mourner, you have disturbed my hearing

and kindled grief's fire between my ribs.

And kindled the fire of sorrow in my ribs

وأخرستِ منّي مِقولاً ذا براعةٍ

وأخرستِ منّي مِقولاً ذا براعةٍ

يصُوغُ أفانينَ القريضِ المُوشّعِ

يصُوغُ أفانينَ القريضِ المُوشّعِ

You have struck dumb the eloquent tongue within me,

And made me speechless of eloquent words

which fashions varied strains of ornamented verse.

That compose the melodies of embellished poetry

نعيتِ اليَّ الجودَ والباسَ والحِجا

نعيتِ اليَّ الجودَ والباسَ والحِجا

فأوقفتِ آمالي وأجريتِ أدمُعي

فأوقفتِ آمالي وأجريتِ أدمُعي

You announced to me the death of generosity, valor, and wisdom,

You mourned to me generosity, courage and protection

and halted my hopes and set my tears flowing.

So you stopped my hopes and let my tears flow

رويداً فقد فاجأتِني بقطيعةٍ

رويداً فقد فاجأتِني بقطيعةٍ

يضيقُ بها صدرُ الفضاءِ المُوسّعِ

يضيقُ بها صدرُ الفضاءِ المُوسّعِ

Gently! You have startled me with a parting

Slowly, for you surprised me with a separation

that makes even the breast of boundless space grow narrow.

That squeezes the expanse of my broadened chest

أبا جعفرٍ يا باني المجدِ بعدما

أبا جعفرٍ يا باني المجدِ بعدما

تهدَّمَ ركنُ المجدِ في كلِّ موضعِ

تهدَّمَ ركنُ المجدِ في كلِّ موضعِ

Abu Ja'far, O builder of glory after

O Abu Ja'far, O builder of glory after

glory's pillar had crumbled in every place;

The pillar of glory was destroyed everywhere

ويا كافلَ الاسلامِ في كلِّ موطنٍ

ويا كافلَ الاسلامِ في كلِّ موطنٍ

وراعي رعاةِ الدّينِ في كلِّ مجمعِ

وراعي رعاةِ الدّينِ في كلِّ مجمعِ

O guardian of Islam in every land,

And O guardian of Islam in every homeland

and shepherd of faith's shepherds in every assembly;

And shepherd of the shepherds of religion in every gathering

ومن كنتُ أرجو أنَّني في زمانهِ

ومن كنتُ أرجو أنَّني في زمانهِ

أُبادرُ ايامَ الزّمانِ المضيَّعِ

أُبادرُ ايامَ الزّمانِ المضيَّعِ

and you, in whose time I had hoped

I hoped that in his time

to race against the days of squandered time,

I would start the days of the lost era

فأستدرِكُ الماضي بفضلِ تضرُّعٍ

فأستدرِكُ الماضي بفضلِ تضرُّعٍ

واستقبلُ الآتي بدرعِ تورُّعِ

واستقبلُ الآتي بدرعِ تورُّعِ

and make up for the past through the merit of supplication,

So I would make up for the past with pleading

and greet the future in the armor of piety.

And face the future with the shield of devoutness

أحقاً طوتكَ الحادثاتُ كما طَوت

أحقاً طوتكَ الحادثاتُ كما طَوت

قروناً مَضت مشن عهدِ كسرى وتُبّعِ

قروناً مَضت مشن عهدِ كسرى وتُبّعِ

Is it true that calamities have folded you away, as they folded away

Indeed, incidents folded you as

generations gone since the age of Kisra and Tubba'?

Past centuries folded the era of Chosroes and Tubba

وغالك ريبُ الدهرِ والدهرُ جائرٌ

وغالك ريبُ الدهرِ والدهرُ جائرٌ

اذا صالَ لا يُبقى وان حال لا يعي

اذا صالَ لا يُبقى وان حال لا يعي

And have time's vicissitudes slain you? Time is unjust:

And the turns of fate betrayed you, and fate is unjust

when it attacks, it spares nothing, and when it changes, it heeds nothing.

If it changes, it does not remain, and if it stays, it does not last

فأيأس آمالا تدانى غناؤها

فأيأس آمالا تدانى غناؤها

فراحت بفقرٍ من رجائِكَ مُدقعِ

فراحت بفقرٍ من رجائِكَ مُدقعِ

It drove to despair hopes whose prosperity had drawn near,

So hopes, whose wishes were approaching, despaired

and they departed in abject poverty, bereft of hope in you.

And went away in poverty from hoping in you

دعا باسمكَ الناعي على حينِ غفلةٍ

دعا باسمكَ الناعي على حينِ غفلةٍ

فأصمى سويداءَ الفؤادِ المصدَّعِ

فأصمى سويداءَ الفؤادِ المصدَّعِ

The death-announcer cried your name at an unsuspecting hour,

The mourner called your name suddenly

and fatally pierced the core of the shattered heart.

Deafening the lucid heart

فقلتُ وانِّي في الفصاحةِ قسُّها

فقلتُ وانِّي في الفصاحةِ قسُّها

مقالةُ مسلوبِ الرويّةِ ألكَع

مقالةُ مسلوبِ الرويّةِ ألكَع

Then I said—though I am eloquence's Quss—

So I said, though I am no eloquent speaker

the words of a fool bereft of judgment:

My words are like those of one whose tongue is split

أيا دهرُ قد أمّنتني كلَّ خيفةٍ

أيا دهرُ قد أمّنتني كلَّ خيفةٍ

فلستُ لِميتٍ بَعدهُ بِمُفجّعِ

فلستُ لِميتٍ بَعدهُ بِمُفجّعِ

O Time, you have made me safe from every fear;

O fate, you have secured me from every fear

I shall not be stricken with grief for anyone who dies after him.

So I am no longer in anguish over the dead after him

فغُل كل مأمورٍ وكلَّ مُؤمّرٍ

فغُل كل مأمورٍ وكلَّ مُؤمّرٍ

وخُذ بعده يا دهرُ من شِئت أودعِ

وخُذ بعده يا دهرُ من شِئت أودعِ

So slay every subordinate and every commander,

So take every appointed one and every appointer

and take whom you will after him, O Time, or leave them.

And after him take, O fate, whoever you want to take

ولو كانَ خطبُ الموت يقبلُ فديةً

ولو كانَ خطبُ الموت يقبلُ فديةً

ويدفعُهُ سعيُ الكميِّ المدرعِ

ويدفعُهُ سعيُ الكميِّ المدرعِ

If the calamity of death could accept a ransom,

And if death would accept a ransom

and an armored warrior's efforts could repel it,

And be warded off by the efforts of the armored warrior

فديتُكَ بالنفسِ النفيسةِ طائعاً

فديتُكَ بالنفسِ النفيسةِ طائعاً

ودافعتُ بالجيشِ اللُّهامِ الممنَّعِ

ودافعتُ بالجيشِ اللُّهامِ الممنَّعِ

I would willingly ransom you with my precious life,

I would ransom you willingly with my precious soul

and defend you with a vast, impregnable army:

And defend with an army, strong and unassailable

بضربِ طليقِ الكفِّ حرّانَ ثائرٍ

بضربِ طليقِ الكفِّ حرّانَ ثائرٍ

وطعنِ ربيطِ الجأشُ في الرَّوعِ أروعِ

وطعنِ ربيطِ الجأشُ في الرَّوعِ أروعِ

with the blows of one whose hand is free, burning with rage and vengeance,

With the strikes of nimble hands raging

and the thrusts of one steadfast of heart, fearsome amid terror;

And the stabs of courageous lances on the fearful necks

ببيضٍ تقُدُّ البيضُ من حَرِّ وقعِها

ببيضٍ تقُدُّ البيضُ من حَرِّ وقعِها

وسُمرٍ ترُدُّ القِرنَ قاني المُقنّعِ

وسُمرٍ ترُدُّ القِرنَ قاني المُقنّعِ

with gleaming swords that cleave helmets through the heat of their blows,

With whites whose striking dazzles

and dark spears that send the foe back with crimson headgear;

And browns whose thrust repels the mailed warrior

وكلِّ فتىً يلقى المنايا بصدرِهِ

وكلِّ فتىً يلقى المنايا بصدرِهِ

بقلبٍ ثبُوتٍ لا بقلبٍ مُزعزعِ

بقلبٍ ثبُوتٍ لا بقلبٍ مُزعزعِ

and every youth who meets death with his breast,

And every young man who meets death with his chest

with a steadfast heart, not a shaken one.

With a steadfast, not wavering, heart

يقضُّون بُنيانَ المقانبِ في الوغى

يقضُّون بُنيانَ المقانبِ في الوغى

بكبّاتِ آسادٍ مشابيلَ جُوّعِ

بكبّاتِ آسادٍ مشابيلَ جُوّعِ

They demolish the squadrons' edifice in the fray

They would destroy the towers of adversaries in battle

with the charges of famished lions with cubs.

With roaring lions and hungry wolves

ولكنَّه من لا يُنافي ويلتقي

ولكنَّه من لا يُنافي ويلتقي

ببذلِ فداءٍ أو بأطرافِ شُرّعِ

ببذلِ فداءٍ أو بأطرافِ شُرّعِ

But death is one that cannot be resisted or confronted

But one who does not confront and meet

by offering ransom or by the points of leveled spears.

With self-sacrifice or with unveiled spears

لقد كنتَ لي حصناً حصيناً من العدى

لقد كنتَ لي حصناً حصيناً من العدى

اليه التفاتي في الخطوبِ ومفزعي

اليه التفاتي في الخطوبِ ومفزعي

You were indeed a secure fortress for me against my foes,

You were indeed a strong fortress protecting me from harm

to which I turned amid calamities, my refuge;

To which I resorted in hardships and troubles

وعارِضَ جودٍ منه أستنزلُ النّدا

وعارِضَ جودٍ منه أستنزلُ النّدا

فأُسقى بغيثٍ من عطاياهُ مُمرِعِ

فأُسقى بغيثٍ من عطاياهُ مُمرِعِ

and a cloud of bounty from which I called down dew,

A generous cloud from which I draw rain

and was watered by a rain of its gifts that brought lush growth.

So I am quenched with a pouring from his gifts

فأضحي ومِن بحرِ المكارمِ مَشربي

فأضحي ومِن بحرِ المكارمِ مَشربي

وأمسي وفي روضِ المواهب مَرتَعي

وأمسي وفي روضِ المواهب مَرتَعي

Thus I passed my mornings, drinking from the sea of noble deeds,

Thus I start my day drinking from the sea of virtues

and my evenings, grazing in the garden of gifts.

And end it grazing in the meadow of favors

سأبكيهِ أيامَ الحياةِ وان أمت

سأبكيهِ أيامَ الحياةِ وان أمت

بَكتهُ عِظامي في قرارةِ مَضجعي

بَكتهُ عِظامي في قرارةِ مَضجعي

I shall weep for him throughout my life's days, and if I die,

I will lament him all my life and if I die

my bones will weep for him in the depths of my resting-place.

My bones will cry for him in the stillness of my grave

وأشكرُهُ شكرَ الثّرى لسمائهِ

وأشكرُهُ شكرَ الثّرى لسمائهِ

بِدُرٍّ من اللَفظِ البليغِ المُرصّعِ

بِدُرٍّ من اللَفظِ البليغِ المُرصّعِ

And I shall thank him as the earth thanks its sky,

And I will thank him with the thanks of earth for its rain

with pearls of eloquent, jewel-studded speech.

With a pearl of eloquent embellished words

وما كِلفٌ بالشيْ مثلُ مكلفٍ

وما كِلفٌ بالشيْ مثلُ مكلفٍ

ولا داعياتُ الطبعِ مثلُ التطبُّعِ

ولا داعياتُ الطبعِ مثلُ التطبُّعِ

One enamored of a thing is not like one compelled to it,

And not everyone tasked with something is like one volunteering

nor are nature's impulses like affectation.

Nor are natural inclinations like affectations

ولا كلُّ من يُولي جميلاً بشاكرٍ

ولا كلُّ من يُولي جميلاً بشاكرٍ

ولا كلُّ من يُدعى خطيباً بمِصقعِ

ولا كلُّ من يُدعى خطيباً بمِصقعِ

Nor is everyone shown kindness grateful,

Nor is everyone who does a favor a thankful one

nor is everyone called an orator truly eloquent.

Nor is everyone called an orator an eloquent speaker

هو المرءُ أدناني فأبعدَ غايتي

هو المرءُ أدناني فأبعدَ غايتي

ووسَّع في ذَرعي وطوّلَ أذرُعي

ووسَّع في ذَرعي وطوّلَ أذرُعي

He is the man who drew me close and extended my reach,

He who brought my goal nearer and widened

and widened my capacity and lengthened my arms.

My reach and lengthened my outstretched arms

فتىً بدأ الاحسانَ حيّاً وميِّتاً

فتىً بدأ الاحسانَ حيّاً وميِّتاً

بفرطِ اصطناعٍ لا بفرطِ تَصنُّعِ

بفرطِ اصطناعٍ لا بفرطِ تَصنُّعِ

A youth who offered kindness first, in life and in death,

A young man who started benevolence, alive and dead

through lavish beneficence, not lavish pretense;

With sincere goodwill, not insincere pretense

بإسداءِ معروفٍ وألغاءِ مُنكرٍ

بإسداءِ معروفٍ وألغاءِ مُنكرٍ

وتسكينِ مسلوبِ الجنانِ مُروَّعِ

وتسكينِ مسلوبِ الجنانِ مُروَّعِ

by bestowing kindness and abolishing wrong,

By doing good and forbidding evil

and calming a terrified man robbed of composure;

And comforting the frightened dispossessed soul

وتسليمهُ تاجَ الخلافةِ بعده

وتسليمهُ تاجَ الخلافةِ بعده

الى خيرِ مدعوٍّ وأوثقِ مُودعِ

الى خيرِ مدعوٍّ وأوثقِ مُودعِ

and by handing on the crown of the caliphate after him

And handing over the crown of the caliphate after him

to the best man to call upon, the surest bearer of trust.

To the best trustee and most entrusted one

هَوى قمرُ العلياءِ من بُرجِ سعدِه

هَوى قمرُ العلياءِ من بُرجِ سعدِه

فأطلعَ شمسَ المجدِ من خيرِ مَطلعِ

فأطلعَ شمسَ المجدِ من خيرِ مَطلعِ

The moon of eminence fell from its house of good fortune,

The moon of the elite set from its horizon of fortune

and brought the sun of glory up from the finest horizon,

So the sun of glory rose from the best rising place

بِفرعٍ نَما مِن دوحةٍ ظاهريَّةٍ

بِفرعٍ نَما مِن دوحةٍ ظاهريَّةٍ

نَما عَرفُها عن طيبِها المتضوَّعِ

نَما عَرفُها عن طيبِها المتضوَّعِ

through a branch grown from a spreading Zahiri tree,

With a branch that grew from an evident Arab trunk

whose scent arose from its wafting perfume:

Whose fragrance is known by the anointed

بمستعصمٍ باللَه منتصرٍ له

بمستعصمٍ باللَه منتصرٍ له

بِحزمِ التأني لا بحزم التسرُّعِ

بِحزمِ التأني لا بحزم التسرُّعِ

through al-Musta'sim bi-Allah, championing His cause,

Al-Mu'tasim billah, supporter of God, victorious through him

with the resolve of deliberation, not the resolve of haste.

With the wisdom of deliberation, not the haste of recklessness

أقامَ منارَ الملكِ بعدَ اعوجاجهِ

أقامَ منارَ الملكِ بعدَ اعوجاجهِ

وشيّدَ واهي الدّينِ بعدَ التضعضعِ

وشيّدَ واهي الدّينِ بعدَ التضعضعِ

He set the beacon of kingship upright after its bending,

He erected the Minaret of the Kingdom after its leaning

and rebuilt faith's weakened structure after its tottering,

And rebuilt the shaken religion after its weakness

بإقدامِ منصورٍ وعزمةِ قادرٍ

بإقدامِ منصورٍ وعزمةِ قادرٍ

وسيرةِ مهديٍّ وأخباتِ طَيِّعِ

وسيرةِ مهديٍّ وأخباتِ طَيِّعِ

with Mansur's boldness and Qadir's resolve,

With the resolve of al-Mansur and the determination of al-Qadir

and Mahdi's conduct and the humility of one obedient.

And the conduct of al-Mahdi and the calmness of al-Tayyib

به رجعت شمسُ المكارمِ والعُلى

به رجعت شمسُ المكارمِ والعُلى

كما رجعت شمسُ النّهارِ ليُوشعِ

كما رجعت شمسُ النّهارِ ليُوشعِ

Through him the sun of noble deeds and eminence returned,

Through him returned the sun of virtues and sublimity

as the sun of day returned for Joshua.

As the sun of day returned for Joshua

ففرّقَ شملَ المالِ بعدَ اجتماعهِ

ففرّقَ شملَ المالِ بعدَ اجتماعهِ

وجمّعَ أشتاتَ العلاءِ الموزَّعِ

وجمّعَ أشتاتَ العلاءِ الموزَّعِ

He scattered the mass of wealth after its gathering,

So he divided the gathered wealth after its assembling

and gathered the fragments of scattered glory.

And gathered the dispersed elite after their dispersal

سأشكرُ للأيامِ حيلةَ بُرئها

سأشكرُ للأيامِ حيلةَ بُرئها

لإِبلالِ قلبٍ بالرزيّةِ مُوجعِ

لإِبلالِ قلبٍ بالرزيّةِ مُوجعِ

I shall thank the days for their healing stratagem,

I will thank the days for their cunning in their prime

for the recovery of a heart pained by bereavement.

For revering a heart grieved with tragedy

بإقبالِها تُزهى بأكرمِ مُودعِ

بإقبالِها تُزهى بأكرمِ مُودعِ

وان تكُ قد ولّت بخيرِ مُودَّعِ

وان تكُ قد ولّت بخيرِ مُودَّعِ

In their coming, they glory in the noblest bearer of trust,

For adorning themselves with the most generous departed one

though they departed with the best man bade farewell.

Though they have turned after the best trustee

ولائي لكم يا آل أحمدَ صادقٌ

ولائي لكم يا آل أحمدَ صادقٌ

اذا مانَ مَذّاقٌ ونَمّقَ مُدَّعِ

اذا مانَ مَذّاقٌ ونَمّقَ مُدَّعِ

My loyalty to you, O house of Ahmad, is true,

My loyalty to you, O Family of Ahmed, is sincere

when a false friend lies and a pretender gilds his words.

If flavors are tested and claims are verified

واني لشيعي المحبّة فيكم

واني لشيعي المحبّة فيكم

وان لم يشن ديني غلوّ التشيُّعِ

وان لم يشن ديني غلوّ التشيُّعِ

Indeed, I am a Shi'i in my love for you,

And I am a follower of love for you

though the excess of Shi'ism has not marred my faith.

Even if my religion does not endorse extremist partisanship

فلي مِن نداكم خَفضُ عيشٍ مُرفّهٍ

فلي مِن نداكم خَفضُ عيشٍ مُرفّهٍ

ولي في ذُراكم عزُّ قدرٍ مُرفّعِ

ولي في ذُراكم عزُّ قدرٍ مُرفّعِ

Thus from your bounty I have the ease of a comfortable life,

From your assistance I have an easy, comfortable living

and in your lofty refuge, the honor of exalted rank.

And through your company I have lofty, elevated honor