تَأَسَّفَتshe lamented جارَتيmy neighbor لَمّاwhen رَأَتshe saw زَوَريmy turning away
تَأَسَّفَت جارَتي لَمّا رَأَت زَوَري
وَعَدَّتِand she deemed الحِلمَself-restraint ذَنباًa sin غَيرَnot مُغتَفَرِforgiven
وَعَدَّتِ الحِلمَ ذَنباً غَيرَ مُغتَفَرِ
My neighbor lamented when she saw me turn away,
My neighbor lamented when she saw my white hair
and deemed self-restraint a sin beyond forgiveness.
And considered forbearance to be an unforgivable sin
تَرجوshe hopes for الصِباyouthful passion بَعدَafter ماthat شابَتturned gray ذَوائِبُهاher locks
تَرجو الصِبا بَعدَ ما شابَت ذَوائِبُها
وَقَدand already جَرَتshe has run طَلَقاًat full speed فيin حَلبَةِthe racecourse of الكِبَرِold age
وَقَد جَرَت طَلَقاً في حَلبَةِ الكِبَرِ
She longs for youthful passion after her locks have turned gray,
She longs for youth after her locks have greyed
and has already run full tilt in the racecourse of old age.
And time has flowed freely in the arena of old age
أَجارَتيO my neighbor إِنَّindeed شَيبَthe grayness of الرَأسِthe head ثَقَّلَنيhas burdened me
أَجارَتي إِنَّ شَيبَ الرَأسِ ثَقَّلَني
ذِكرَremembrance of المَعادِthe final return وَأَرضانيand made me content عَنِwith القَدَرِfate
ذِكرَ المَعادِ وَأَرضاني عَنِ القَدَرِ
O my neighbor, my head's grayness has burdened me
My neighbor, the white hair of my head has burdened me
with remembrance of the final return, and made me content with fate.
With thoughts of the hereafter and reconciled me to fate
لَوif كُنتُI were أَركَنُI lean لِلدُنياon this world وَزينَتِهاand its adornment
لَو كُنتُ أَركَنُ لِلدُنيا وَزينَتِها
إِذَنthen بَكَيتُI would weep عَلىfor الماضينَthe departed مِنamong نَفَريmy people
إِذَن بَكَيتُ عَلى الماضينَ مِن نَفَري
Were I to lean upon this world and its adornment,
Had I clung to this world and its adornments
then I would weep for the departed among my people.
I would have wept for those of my comrades now passed
أَخنىlaid waste الزَمانُtime عَلىto أَهليmy family فَصَدَّعَهُمand shattered them
أَخنى الزَمانُ عَلى أَهلي فَصَدَّعَهُم
تَصَدُّعَthe shattering of القَعبِthe wooden bowl لاقىmet صَدمَةَthe blow of الحَجَرِthe stone
تَصَدُّعَ القَعبِ لاقى صَدمَةَ الحَجَرِ
Time laid waste to my family and shattered them,
Time has been harsh to my family and shattered them
like the shattering of a wooden bowl struck by a stone.
Like a wineskin smashed by the blow of a stone
بَعضٌsome أَقامَremained وَبَعضٌand some قَدalready أَهابَcalled out بِهِto him
بَعضٌ أَقامَ وَبَعضٌ قَد أَهابَ بِهِ
داعيthe herald of المَنِيَّةِdeath وَالباقيand those remaining عَلىon الأَثَرِthe trail
داعي المَنِيَّةِ وَالباقي عَلى الأَثَرِ
Some remained, and some have already been summoned
Some remain while others departed
by death's herald; those remaining follow in their tracks.
At the call of death and the rest follow in their tracks
أَمّاas for المُقيمُthe one remaining فَأَخشىso I fear أَنthat يُفارِقَنيhe may leave me
أَمّا المُقيمُ فَأَخشى أَن يُفارِقَني
وَلَستُand I am not أَوبَةَthe return of مَنone who وَلّىdeparted بِمُنتَظِرِawaiting
وَلَستُ أَوبَةَ مَن وَلّى بِمُنتَظِرِ
As for the one who remains, I fear he will leave me,
As for those who remain, I fear their leaving me
and I do not await the return of those who have gone.
And I do not hope for the return of those who have turned away
أَصبَحتُI have come to أُخبِرُI tell عَنabout أَهليmy family وَعَنand about وَلَديmy offspring
أَصبَحتُ أُخبِرُ عَن أَهلي وَعَن وَلَدي
كَحالِمٍlike a dreamer قَصَّrecounted رُؤياa dream-vision بَعدَafter مُدَّكَرِrecollection
كَحالِمٍ قَصَّ رُؤيا بَعدَ مُدَّكَرِ
I have come to speak of my family and my offspring,
I have come to speak of my family and my children
like a dreamer recounting a vision after recalling it.
Like a dreamer relating a vision after contemplation
لَولاwere it not for تَشاغُلُthe preoccupation of نَفسيmy soul بِالأُلىwith those who سَلَفواpassed on
لَولا تَشاغُلُ نَفسي بِالأُلى سَلَفوا
مِنfrom أَهلِthe people of بَيتِthe house of رَسولِthe Messenger of اللَهِGod لَمnot أَقِرِI would rest
مِن أَهلِ بَيتِ رَسولِ اللَهِ لَم أَقِرِ
Were my soul not occupied with the departed
Had I not been preoccupied with the Ahlulbayt
of the household of God's Messenger, I would find no rest.
I would not have found solace after their loss
وَفيand in مَواليكَyour patrons لِلمَحزونِfor the sorrowful مَشغَلَةٌa distraction
وَفي مَواليكَ لِلمَحزونِ مَشغَلَةٌ
مِنfrom أَنthat تَبيتَyou spend the night لِمَفقودٍfor someone lost عَلىover أَثَرِa trace
مِن أَن تَبيتَ لِمَفقودٍ عَلى أَثَرِ
And in your patrons there is enough to occupy the sorrowful,
And in your dependents, O sorrowful one, lies occupation
to keep you from spending the night over the traces of someone lost.
To prevent your spending the night weeping over the lost
كَمhow many مِنof ذِراعٍan arm لَهُمof theirs بِالطَفِّat al-Taff بائِنَةٍsevered
كَم مِن ذِراعٍ لَهُم بِالطَفِّ بائِنَةٍ
وَعارِضٍand a cheek مِنfrom صَعيدِthe surface of التُربِthe soil مُنعَفِرِdust-smeared
وَعارِضٍ مِن صَعيدِ التُربِ مُنعَفِرِ
How many of their arms lie severed at al-Taff,
How many arms of theirs with bangles lie exposed
and how many cheeks lie smeared with the dust of the ground!
And forearms emerging from the dust, broken
أَنسىshall I forget الحُسَينَHusayn وَمَسراهُمand their night journey لِمَقتَلِهِto slay him
أَنسى الحُسَينَ وَمَسراهُم لِمَقتَلِهِ
وَهُمwhile they يَقولونَthey say هَذاthis سَيِّدُthe lord of البَشَرِhumankind
وَهُم يَقولونَ هَذا سَيِّدُ البَشَرِ
Shall I forget Husayn and their night march to kill him,
Shall I forget Husayn and his family's tragedy
while they were saying, 'This is the lord of humankind'?
As they cry "This is the master of all mankind"?
ياO أُمَّةَcommunity of السوءِwickedness ماwhat جازَيتِyou repaid أَحمَدَAhmad عَنfor
يا أُمَّةَ السوءِ ما جازَيتِ أَحمَدَ عَن
حُسنِthe excellence of البَلاءِstriving عَلىin the cause of التَنزيلِthe Revelation وَالسُوَرِand the surahs
حُسنِ البَلاءِ عَلى التَنزيلِ وَالسُوَرِ
O wicked community, what recompense have you given Ahmad for
O wicked nation, how you recompensed Ahmad
his noble service to the Revelation and its surahs?
For his excellent delivery of the Quran and Surahs
خَلَفتَموهُyou succeeded him عَلىover الأَبناءِthe children حينَwhen مَضىhe departed
خَلَفتَموهُ عَلى الأَبناءِ حينَ مَضى
خِلافَةَthe succession of الذِئبِthe wolf فيamong أَبقارِthe cattle of ذيan owner of بَقَرِcattle
خِلافَةَ الذِئبِ في أَبقارِ ذي بَقَرِ
You took his place over his children when he departed,
When he passed, you succeeded him
as a wolf takes charge of a cattle-owner's herd.
With the caliphate of the wolf among cattle
وَلَيسَand there is no حَيٌّtribe مِنَamong الأَحياءِthe tribes نَعلَمَهُwe know it
وَلَيسَ حَيٌّ مِنَ الأَحياءِ نَعلَمَهُ
مِنfrom ذيthose of يَمانٍYemen وَمِنand from بَكرٍBakr وَمِنand from مُضَرِMudar
مِن ذي يَمانٍ وَمِن بَكرٍ وَمِن مُضَرِ
There is no tribe among the tribes we know,
Of those alive today, we know of none
whether among the Yemenites, Bakr, or Mudar,
From the tribes of Yemen, Bakr and Mudar
إِلّاexcept وَهُمand they شُرَكاءٌpartners فيin دِمائِهُمُtheir blood
إِلّا وَهُم شُرَكاءٌ في دِمائِهُمُ
كَماas تَشارَكَshared jointly أَيسارٌgamblers عَلىin جُزُرِslaughtered camels
كَما تَشارَكَ أَيسارٌ عَلى جُزُرِ
but has a share in their bloodshed,
Except they shared in their blood
as gamblers share out slaughtered camels.
As partners, upon islands
قَتلاًkilling وَأَسراًand taking captives وَتَحريقاًand burning وَمَنهَبَةًand plunder
قَتلاً وَأَسراً وَتَحريقاً وَمَنهَبَةً
فِعلَthe deeds of الغُزاةِraiders بِأَرضِin the land of الرومِthe Romans وَالخَزَرِand the Khazars
فِعلَ الغُزاةِ بِأَرضِ الرومِ وَالخَزَرِ
Killing, taking captives, burning, and plunder—
Killing, captivity, burning, plundering
the deeds of raiders in the lands of the Romans and Khazars.
Did the invaders in the lands of Rome and Khazar
أَرىI consider أُمَيَّةَUmayya's clan مَعذورينَexcusable إِنif قَتَلواthey killed
أَرى أُمَيَّةَ مَعذورينَ إِن قَتَلوا
وَلاand not أَرىI see لِبَنيfor the sons of العَبّاسِal-Abbas مِنany عُذرِexcuse
وَلا أَرى لِبَني العَبّاسِ مِن عُذرِ
I deem Umayya's clan excusable if they have killed,
I see the Umayyads as excused if they killed
but I see no excuse for the sons of al-Abbas.
But I see no excuse for the Abbasids
أَبناءُthe sons of حَربٍHarb وَوَمَروانٍand Marwan وَأُسرَتُهُمand their clan
أَبناءُ حَربٍ وَوَمَروانٍ وَأُسرَتُهُم
بَنوthe sons of مُعَيطٍMu'ayt وُلاةُlords of الحِقدِhatred وَالوَغَرِand rancor
بَنو مُعَيطٍ وُلاةُ الحِقدِ وَالوَغَرِ
The sons of Harb and Marwan, and their clan,
The sons of Harb, Marwan and their ilk
the sons of Mu'ayt, lords of hatred and rancor—
The clan of Mu'ayt, wardens of rancor and hatred
قَومٌa people قَتَلتُمyou killed عَلىin the cause of الإِسلامِIslam أَوَّلَهُمtheir forebears
قَومٌ قَتَلتُم عَلى الإِسلامِ أَوَّلَهُم
حَتّىuntil إِذاwhen اِستَمكَنواthey gained power جازَواthey repaid عَلىin the cause of الكُفُرِunbelief
حَتّى إِذا اِستَمكَنوا جازَوا عَلى الكُفُرِ
a people whose forebears you killed in Islam's cause,
A people who killed the pioneers of Islam
until, once they gained power, they repaid you in unbelief's cause.
Until when empowered, they rewarded unbelief
أَربَعpause بِطوسٍat Tus عَلىat قَبرِthe grave of الزَكِيِّthe pure one بِهاthere
أَربَع بِطوسٍ عَلى قَبرِ الزَكِيِّ بِها
إِنif كُنتَyou are تَربَعُyou pause مِنfrom دينٍfaith عَلىfor وَطَرِa desire
إِن كُنتَ تَربَعُ مِن دينٍ عَلى وَطَرِ
Pause in Tus, at the pure one's grave there,
Four domes erected over the pious one's grave
if you would pause for a purpose born of faith.
Do you claim any religion with insolence?
قَبرانِtwo graves فيin طوسَTus خَيرُthe best of الخَلقِcreation كُلِّهِمُall of them
قَبرانِ في طوسَ خَيرُ الخَلقِ كُلِّهِمُ
وَقَبرُand the grave of شَرِّهِمُthe worst of them هَذاthis مِنَamong العِبَرِthe lessons
وَقَبرُ شَرِّهِمُ هَذا مِنَ العِبَرِ
Two graves in Tus: the grave of the best of all creation,
Two graves in Tus - the best of mankind entire
and the grave of the worst of them—this is a lesson.
And the grave of their worst, a lesson
ماnot يَنفَعُbenefits الرِجسَthe impure one مِنfrom قُربِnearness to الزَكِيِّthe pure one وَماnor
ما يَنفَعُ الرِجسَ مِن قُربِ الزَكِيِّ وَما
عَلىupon الزَكِيِّthe pure one بِقُربِthrough nearness to الرِجسِthe impure one مِنany ضَرَرِharm
عَلى الزَكِيِّ بِقُربِ الرِجسِ مِن ضَرَرِ
The impure one gains nothing from nearness to the pure, nor
Of no benefit to the filth is the pious one's proximity
does nearness to the impure bring the pure any harm.
Nor any harm upon the pious one from the filth's nearness
هَيهاتَfar from it كُلُّevery اِمرِىءٍperson رَهنٌheld in pledge بِماfor what كَسَبَتearned
هَيهاتَ كُلُّ اِمرِىءٍ رَهنٌ بِما كَسَبَت
لَهُfor him يَداهُhis two hands فَحُذso take ماwhat شِئتَyou wish أَوor فَذَرِthen leave
لَهُ يَداهُ فَحُذ ما شِئتَ أَو فَذَرِ
Far from it! Every person is held in pledge for what
Alas, every person is hostage to what his hands reaped
his hands have earned him; so take what you will, or leave it.
So take what you will or leave it be
Sol 6.1