مقامُكَ أعلى في الصُّدورِ وأعظمُ

مقامُكَ أعلى في الصُّدورِ وأعظمُ

وحلمُكَ أرجَى في النفوسِ وأكرمُ

وحلمُكَ أرجَى في النفوسِ وأكرمُ

Your station is higher in hearts, and greater;

Your station is supreme in hearts, and greatest,

And your forbearance inspires greater hope in souls, and is nobler.

Your forbearance is most hopeful to souls, and most generous,

فلا عجبٌ ان غُصَّ بالقولِ شاعرٌ

فلا عجبٌ ان غُصَّ بالقولِ شاعرٌ

وفُوّةَ مصطكُّ اللّهاتينِ مُعجمُ

وفُوّةَ مصطكُّ اللّهاتينِ مُعجمُ

So it is no wonder if a poet chokes on speech,

So it's no wonder that a poet's speech falls short,

And his mouth is inarticulate, its two palates clashing.

And the eloquence of my composer is inadequate vocabulary,

وأنّي بقولٍ والمحلُّ معظّمٌ

وأنّي بقولٍ والمحلُّ معظّمٌ

ولم لا وما يُرجى مِن الحلمِ أعظمُ

ولم لا وما يُرجى مِن الحلمِ أعظمُ

And how can I speak, when the station is exalted?

And that I say something when the occasion is momentous,

Yet why not, when the forbearance hoped for is greater still?

And why not when what is hoped from forbearance is greatest,

اليكَ أميرَ المؤمنين توجُّهي

اليكَ أميرَ المؤمنين توجُّهي

بوجهِ رجاءٍ عنده منكَ أنعُمُ

بوجهِ رجاءٍ عنده منكَ أنعُمُ

To you, Commander of the Faithful, I turn,

To you, Commander of the Faithful, my address is made,

With a face of hope endowed with blessings from you.

With a face of hope, bounties from you I hope for,

الى ماجدٍ يرجوه كلّ مُمجّدٍ

الى ماجدٍ يرجوه كلّ مُمجّدٍ

عظيمٍ فلا يغشاهُ الا المعظّمُ

عظيمٍ فلا يغشاهُ الا المعظّمُ

To a noble man in whom every honored man places hope,

To Majid whom every glory-seeker hopes for,

A great man whom none but the revered approach.

The mighty, so none but the Almighty overpowers him,

ركبتُ اليهِ ظهرَ يهماءَ قفرةٍ

ركبتُ اليهِ ظهرَ يهماءَ قفرةٍ

بها تُسرِجُ الأعداءُ خيلاً وتُلجِمُ

بها تُسرِجُ الأعداءُ خيلاً وتُلجِمُ

Toward him I rode the back of a trackless, barren waste,

I rode to him atop a desolate Yahma,

Where enemies saddle horses and bridle them.

On which enemies saddle horses and restrain them,

فأشجارُها ينعٌ وأحجارُها ظُبى

فأشجارُها ينعٌ وأحجارُها ظُبى

وأعشابُها نبلٌ وأمواهُها دمُ

وأعشابُها نبلٌ وأمواهُها دمُ

Its trees are in fruit, its stones are sword-blades,

Its trees are fruit and its stones are antelope,

And its grasses are arrows, its waters blood.

Its plants are spears and its waters blood,

رميتُ فيافيها بكلِّ نجيبةٍ

رميتُ فيافيها بكلِّ نجيبةٍ

بنسبتها يعلو الجدِيلُ وشدقَمُ

بنسبتها يعلو الجدِيلُ وشدقَمُ

I assailed its wastes with every thoroughbred she-camel,

I launched in its plains every noble she-camel,

Through whose lineage al-Jadil and Shadqam rise in honor.

Whose lineage makes the cubs rise and crests straighten,

اذا ما انبرت قلتُ الخُفيددُ جافِلٌ

اذا ما انبرت قلتُ الخُفيددُ جافِلٌ

وان أُوقفت قلتُ الكثيبُ يُلملمُ

وان أُوقفت قلتُ الكثيبُ يُلملمُ

When she sprang forth, I said: a long-legged ostrich fleeing!

When she steps forward I say she's a bounding doe,

And if she was halted, I said: a sand dune heaped together!

And when halted, I say the hillock piles up,

فراكبُها اما عسِيفٌ مِهجّرٌ

فراكبُها اما عسِيفٌ مِهجّرٌ

واما عَسوفٌ في الدُّجُنّةِ مُفحمُ

واما عَسوفٌ في الدُّجُنّةِ مُفحمُ

Her rider is either a hireling journeying in the midday heat,

So her rider is either a craggy ascetic,

Or a wayward traveler in darkness, entering black night.

Or extinguished in darkness, covered in soot,

يجاذبُنا فضلَ الأزمّةِ بعدما

يجاذبُنا فضلَ الأزمّةِ بعدما

براهُنَّ موصولٌ مِن السّيرِ مبرمُ

براهُنَّ موصولٌ مِن السّيرِ مبرمُ

He tugs against us at the slack of the reins, after

Adversity contests us, after what was tied

Unbroken, tightly twisted travel has worn them down.

Of the journey with rope became untied,

تساقينَ مِن خمرِ الكلالِ مُدامةً

تساقينَ مِن خمرِ الكلالِ مُدامةً

فلا هُنَّ أيقاظٌ ولا هُنَّ نُوّمُ

فلا هُنَّ أيقاظٌ ولا هُنَّ نُوّمُ

They shared a vintage drawn from the wine of weariness,

Passing round the cup of weariness undiluted,

So they were neither awake nor asleep.

So neither are they roused nor made drowsy,

فأصبحنَ مِن جعدِ اللُّغامِ كواسياً

فأصبحنَ مِن جعدِ اللُّغامِ كواسياً

كنجّادِ بُرسٍ بالنّديفِ مُعمّمُ

كنجّادِ بُرسٍ بالنّديفِ مُعمّمُ

So they became clothed in the curling foam of their mouths,

And they became in the ruffling of hair disheveled,

Like a mattress-maker of Burs, turbaned with carded cotton.

Like knotted dusty ropes in turbans wrapped,

يطسنَ الحصا في جمرةِ القيظِ بعدما

يطسنَ الحصا في جمرةِ القيظِ بعدما

غدا يتبعُ الجبّارَ كلبٌ ومِرزمُ

غدا يتبعُ الجبّارَ كلبٌ ومِرزمُ

They crushed the pebbles in midsummer's glowing heat, after

Scorching pebbles in the embers of heat, after

The Dog star and Mirzam had begun following Orion.

The tyrant became, like a dog, followed and driven,

فلوحُ سباريتِ الفلاةِ مُسطّرٌ

فلوحُ سباريتِ الفلاةِ مُسطّرٌ

بأخفافِها منه فصيحٌ وأعجمُ

بأخفافِها منه فصيحٌ وأعجمُ

The tablet of the desert's barren stretches is thus inscribed

So the plains' swords shine bare,

By their padded feet: part legible, part unreadable.

Eloquent and mute from them, a clear sign,

يُجوّدنَ بالإِرقالِ نظم حروفهِ

يُجوّدنَ بالإِرقالِ نظم حروفهِ

بخطّ أسرٍّ أو بوشيٍ مُخذّمُ

بخطّ أسرٍّ أو بوشيٍ مُخذّمُ

With their swift trot, they perfect the arrangement of its letters,

Scribing the ornamentation of its letters,

In a faint script, or in embroidery cut into strips.

In tied script or embellished Kufic indented,

تخالُ ابيضاض القاعِ تحتَ احمرارِها

تخالُ ابيضاض القاعِ تحتَ احمرارِها

قراطيسَ ورّاقٍ علاهنَّ عَندمُ

قراطيسَ ورّاقٍ علاهنَّ عَندمُ

You would take the ground's whiteness beneath their redness for

You'd think the whiteness of the expanse beneath its redness

A stationer's sheets overlaid with red dye.

Parchments of a scribe, some gilded, some plain,

فلما توسطنَ السّماوةَ واغتدت

فلما توسطنَ السّماوةَ واغتدت

تلفّتُ نحوَ الدارِ شوقاً وتُرزِمُ

تلفّتُ نحوَ الدارِ شوقاً وتُرزِمُ

Then, when they reached mid-Samawah and, at dawn, began

So when they reached the heavens' midst, and cried out,

To turn toward home in longing and moan softly,

I looked back longingly to the abode, and bundled up,

وأصبحَ أصحابي نشاوى مِن السُّرى

وأصبحَ أصحابي نشاوى مِن السُّرى

يدورُ عليهم كوبُهُ وهو مُفعمُ

يدورُ عليهم كوبُهُ وهو مُفعمُ

And my companions grew drunk on night-travel,

And my companions became happy with travel

Its brimming cup passed round among them.

As the cup circulated and was filled up,

تنكّرَ للخرّيتِ بالبيدِ عُرفُهُ

تنكّرَ للخرّيتِ بالبيدِ عُرفُهُ

فلا عَلمٌ يعلو ولا النجمُ ينجُمُ

فلا عَلمٌ يعلو ولا النجمُ ينجُمُ

In the wastes, familiar ground grew strange to the expert guide,

Its wonted spirit undisclosed in the waste,

No landmark rose, and no star appeared.

No banner rising high nor star twinkling,

فظلَّ لأفراطِ الأسى مُتندّماً

فظلَّ لأفراطِ الأسى مُتندّماً

وان كان لا يُجدي الأسى والتندُّمُ

وان كان لا يُجدي الأسى والتندُّمُ

So he remained regretful, overwhelmed by sorrow,

Remaining in regret for excessive grief,

Though sorrow and regret were of no avail.

Though grief and regret do not avail,

يسوفُ الرُّغامَ ظِلُّه لهدايةٍ

يسوفُ الرُّغامَ ظِلُّه لهدايةٍ

ومن بالرُّغامِ يهتدي فهو يُرغمُ

ومن بالرُّغامِ يهتدي فهو يُرغمُ

His shadow sniffed the dust for guidance,

Seeking guidance in its twilight's shadow,

But whoever finds guidance through dust is brought low.

And whoever seeks guidance in twilight gets it,

يُناجي فِجاجَ الدوِّ والدوُّ صامتٌ

يُناجي فِجاجَ الدوِّ والدوُّ صامتٌ

ولا يسمعُ النجوى ولا يتكلمُ

ولا يسمعُ النجوى ولا يتكلمُ

He whispered to the desert's passes, while the desert was silent,

Whispering to the crevices of valleys, and the vale is silent,

Neither hearing the whisper nor speaking.

Hearing no whispers and speaking no words,

على حين قال الظبي والظلُّ قالصٌ

على حين قال الظبي والظلُّ قالصٌ

وأوقِدت المَعزاءُ فهي جَهنّمُ

وأوقِدت المَعزاءُ فهي جَهنّمُ

As the gazelle rested at noon and the shade shrank,

While the gazelle says the shadow's barren,

And the stony ground was set ablaze, becoming Hell.

And fires for warming are lit, truly Hell,

وجفّ مزادُ القومِ فهي أشنّةٌ

وجفّ مزادُ القومِ فهي أشنّةٌ

وخفّ لوردِ الموتِ كفٌّ ومِعصمُ

وخفّ لوردِ الموتِ كفٌّ ومِعصمُ

And the company's waterskins dried up, reduced to worn-out skins,

And the people's provision is depleted, so it's scarce,

And hand and wrist hastened toward death's watering-place.

And the water-skin for death is clasped to save but a sip,

ووسّعَ ميدانُ المنايا لخيلهِ

ووسّعَ ميدانُ المنايا لخيلهِ

فضاقَ مجالُ الرّيقِ والتحمَ الفمُ

فضاقَ مجالُ الرّيقِ والتحمَ الفمُ

And the arena of death widened for its cavalry,

And the field of death spread wide for its horses,

So the passage of saliva narrowed, and the mouth sealed shut.

So the space of relief tightened and mouths pressed closed,

فوحشُ الرّزايا للرزيّةِ خُضّرٌ

فوحشُ الرّزايا للرزيّةِ خُضّرٌ

وطيرُ المنايا بالمنيّةِ حُوّمُ

وطيرُ المنايا بالمنيّةِ حُوّمُ

So the wild beasts of calamity grazed upon affliction,

So the grief of misfortune to the miserable is green,

And the birds of doom circled around death.

And death's birds circle those fated to die,

فلما تبدّت كربلا وتُبيّنت

فلما تبدّت كربلا وتُبيّنت

قِبابٌ بها السّبطُ الزّكيُّ المكرّمُ

قِبابٌ بها السّبطُ الزّكيُّ المكرّمُ

Then, when Karbala appeared and there came into view

So when Karbala' appeared and became clear,

Domes wherein was the pure, honored Grandson,

Domes wherein is the blessed grandson of worth,

ولذتُ بهِ مستشفعاً مُتحرّماً

ولذتُ بهِ مستشفعاً مُتحرّماً

كما يفعلُ المستشفعُ المتحرّمُ

كما يفعلُ المستشفعُ المتحرّمُ

And I sought refuge with him, seeking intercession and sanctuary,

I clung to him seeking intercession reverently,

As a seeker of intercession and sanctuary does,

As a seeking intercession supplicant would do,

وأصبحَ لي دونَ البريّةِ شافعاً

وأصبحَ لي دونَ البريّةِ شافعاً

الى مَن بهِ مُعوجُّ أمري يُقوّمُ

الى مَن بهِ مُعوجُّ أمري يُقوّمُ

And he, of all creation, became my intercessor

And he became before the wilderness my intercessor,

To the one through whom what is awry in my affairs is set right,

To whom my twisted affair may be set right,

أنختُ ركابي حيثُ أيقنتُ أنّني

أنختُ ركابي حيثُ أيقنتُ أنّني

ببابِ أميرِ المؤمنينَ مُخيّمُ

ببابِ أميرِ المؤمنينَ مُخيّمُ

I made my riding camels kneel where I knew for certain that I

I dismounted where I knew I camped

Was encamped at the gate of the Commander of the Faithful.

At the door of the Commander of the Faithful,

ببابٍ يُلاقي البشر آمالُ وفدِه

ببابٍ يُلاقي البشر آمالُ وفدِه

بوجهٍ الى إرفادِه يَتبسّمِ

بوجهٍ الى إرفادِه يَتبسّمِ

At a gate where his visitors' hopes meet a cheerful welcome,

A door where people's hopes meet

With a face smiling toward his bounty.

His benevolence with a smiling face,

بحيثُ الأماني للأمانِ قسيمةٌ

بحيثُ الأماني للأمانِ قسيمةٌ

وحيثُ العطايا بالعواطفِ تُقسمُ

وحيثُ العطايا بالعواطفِ تُقسمُ

Where hopes are partners with safety,

Where hopes are equally divided with security,

And where gifts are apportioned with affection,

And favors apportioned with affections,

وحيثُ غصونُ المجدِ تهتزُّ للنّدى

وحيثُ غصونُ المجدِ تهتزُّ للنّدى

بزعزعِ جودٍ من سجاياهُ يسجمُ

بزعزعِ جودٍ من سجاياهُ يسجمُ

And where the boughs of glory sway for bounty's dew,

Where the branches of glory flutter with drops shaken off

Under a gust of generosity pouring from his character.

By the bestowal of generosity it elicits,

عليكَ أمير المؤمنينَ تهجّمي

عليكَ أمير المؤمنينَ تهجّمي

بنفسٍ على الجوزاءِ لا تتهجّمُ

بنفسٍ على الجوزاءِ لا تتهجّمُ

Upon you, Commander of the Faithful, is my bold approach,

Upon you, Commander of the Faithful, my attack is made

With a soul that would not venture even upon al-Jawza.

With a soul at the door that does not recoil,

تلوّمُ أن تغشى الملوكَ لحاجةٍ

تلوّمُ أن تغشى الملوكَ لحاجةٍ

ولكنّها بي عنكَ لا تتلوّمُ

ولكنّها بي عنكَ لا تتلوّمُ

It hesitates to approach kings for a need,

Chiding that it should seek kings for a need,

Yet it will not keep me lingering away from you.

But from you it never chides or complains,

تضنُّ بماءِ الوجهِ لكنّ رِفدكم

تضنُّ بماءِ الوجهِ لكنّ رِفدكم

له شرفٌ ينتابهُ المُعتظّمُ

له شرفٌ ينتابهُ المُعتظّمُ

It jealously guards the water of the face, yet your bounty

Stingy with the water of my face, but your bounty

Has a nobility that the self-respecting seek out.

Is an honor it attains, from the Almighty,

فصُن ماءَ وجهي عن سواكَ فإنّهُ

فصُن ماءَ وجهي عن سواكَ فإنّهُ

مصونٌ فصوناهُ الحيا والتكرّمُ

مصونٌ فصوناهُ الحيا والتكرّمُ

So guard the water of my face from anyone but you, for it

So protect my face's water from other than you, it is

Is guarded: its two guardians are modesty and nobility.

Protected, so protect it, for life and nobility!

ألستُ بعبدٍ حُزتني عن وراثةٍ

ألستُ بعبدٍ حُزتني عن وراثةٍ

له عندكم عهدٌ تقادمَ مُحكمُ

له عندكم عهدٌ تقادمَ مُحكمُ

Am I not a servant you acquired by inheritance,

Am I not a servant from whom an inheritance was withheld,

Whose covenant with you is long-standing and secure?

For which you pledged, the firm covenant?

ومثلي يُخبي للفُتوقِ ورتقِها

ومثلي يُخبي للفُتوقِ ورتقِها

اذا هُزَّ خطيّ وجُرّدَ مُخذمُ

اذا هُزَّ خطيّ وجُرّدَ مُخذمُ

And one like me is kept in reserve for breaches and their mending,

And the likes of me hides his ascent and lineage's pedigree

When a Khatt spear is brandished and a keen sword unsheathed.

When a genealogy is shaken and stripped bare,

فلا زلتَ بالأملاكِ تبقى مسُلّماً

فلا زلتَ بالأملاكِ تبقى مسُلّماً

لتبني بك الأملاكَ وهي تُسلّم

لتبني بك الأملاكَ وهي تُسلّم

May you ever remain acclaimed among kings,

So you remained submitted to the kingdoms and they to you

That kingdoms may be built through you, offering their homage.

That you may rebuild the kingdoms and they be secured,