هَيهاتِ بَعدَكَ ما يُفيدُ تَصَبُّرُ

هَيهاتِ بَعدَكَ ما يُفيدُ تَصَبُّرُ

وَلَئِن أَفادَ فَأَيُّ قَلبٍ يَصبِرُ

وَلَئِن أَفادَ فَأَيُّ قَلبٍ يَصبِرُ

Alas, after your loss, striving for patience avails nothing.

Alas, after you, patience is futile

Alas, after you are gone, patience is of no avail, and even if it were, what heart could endure?

And even if it helped, what heart could endure?

And if it helps, which heart can have patience?

Weeping is a shameful act for men, yet over you, abstaining from tears earns no praise.

إِنَّ البُكاءَ مِنَ الرِجالِ مُذَمَّمٌ

إِنَّ البُكاءَ مِنَ الرِجالِ مُذَمَّمٌ

إِلّا عَلَيكَ فَتَركُهُ لا يُشكَرُ

إِلّا عَلَيكَ فَتَركُهُ لا يُشكَرُ

Weeping by men is blameworthy,

Tears are denounced in men

If I possessed a heart, I would command it to desist, but I am left heartless, so whom is there to rebuke?

except for you: to forgo it then earns no praise.

Except for you, withholding them brings no thanks

I kept vigil at your grave, with weeping as my inseparable companion, while the night was dark and the stars kept watch.

لَو كانَ لي قَلبٌ لَقُلتُ لَهُ اِرعَوي

لَو كانَ لي قَلبٌ لَقُلتُ لَهُ اِرعَوي

إِنّي بِلا قَلبٍ فَإِنّي أَزجُرُ

إِنّي بِلا قَلبٍ فَإِنّي أَزجُرُ

Had I a heart, I would tell it, 'Restrain yourself.'

If I had a heart I would have told it, comfort me

I weep for you with torrents of tears, though even shedding my life's red blood would be too little for you.

I have no heart; so I utter rebukes.

For I have no heart, and so I suffer

In my anguish and sorrow over you, I wished that your grave could have been dug within my own heart.

لازَمتُ قَبرَك وَالبُكاءُ مُلازِمي

لازَمتُ قَبرَك وَالبُكاءُ مُلازِمي

وَاللَيلُ داج وَالكَواكِبُ سُهَّرُ

وَاللَيلُ داج وَالكَواكِبُ سُهَّرُ

I stayed by your grave, and weeping stayed with me,

I kept to your grave, and crying kept to me

I marvel at how the soil now covers you; how has the luminous star come to dwell beneath the dust?

and the night is dark, and the stars keep vigil.

The night was dark, and the stars remained awake

Though you have become veiled by the earth, the traces of your generosity above it can never be concealed.

أَبكي عَلَيكَ بِأَدمُعٍ هَطّالَةٍ

أَبكي عَلَيكَ بِأَدمُعٍ هَطّالَةٍ

وَلَقَد يَقلُ لَكَ النَجيعُ الأَحمَرُ

وَلَقَد يَقلُ لَكَ النَجيعُ الأَحمَرُ

I weep for you with torrents of tears,

I cry for you with copious tears

Generosity fell ill when you sickened, and the destitute petitioner nearly died of despair.

and indeed, even red blood is too little for you.

And the red ochre would tell you little

He hoped in you to set his broken state, but now that you are lost, his fracture shall never be mended.

وَوَدِدتُ مِن شَجوي عَلَيك وَحَسرَتي

وَوَدِدتُ مِن شَجوي عَلَيك وَحَسرَتي

لَو اِنَّ لَحدَكَ في فُؤادي يُحفَرُ

لَو اِنَّ لَحدَكَ في فُؤادي يُحفَرُ

And I wished, out of my grief for you and my anguish,

I wished from my longing for you and my sorrow

A murky cloud settled upon those faces, one that neither clears away nor yields the blessing of rain.

that your burial niche might be dug within my heart.

If only your tomb was carved into my heart

How often they tried to suppress their grief, yet it pierced through their very bodies to reveal itself.

إِنّي لَأَعجَبُ كَيفَ يَعلوكَ الثَرى

إِنّي لَأَعجَبُ كَيفَ يَعلوكَ الثَرى

أَنّى ثَوى تَحتَ الرُغامِ النَيِّرُ

أَنّى ثَوى تَحتَ الرُغامِ النَيِّرُ

I truly marvel: how can the soil cover you?

I wonder how the earth can contain you

Crowds hovered around you, as if seeking to shield the East from the perils it dreads.

How did the radiant one come to rest beneath the dust?

Where did the clear dust settle?

Everyone asking, "How fares our Imam? What have the physicians seen? What news do they bring?"

أَمسَيتُ مُستَتِراً بِهِ لَكِنَّما

أَمسَيتُ مُستَتِراً بِهِ لَكِنَّما

آثارُ جودِكَ فَوقَهُ لا تُستَرُ

آثارُ جودِكَ فَوقَهُ لا تُستَرُ

I have become concealed beneath it; yet

I spent the night veiled by it, but

The sickness would surge and then recede, as if it were testing our hearts and probing our endurance.

the traces of your generosity above it remain unconcealed.

The traces of your generosity cannot be concealed

You led it to sweet waters, but it led you to destruction; may its hands perish, for its sin is unforgivable.

مَرِضَ النَدى لَمّا مَرِضت وَكادَ أَن

مَرِضَ النَدى لَمّا مَرِضت وَكادَ أَن

يَقضي مِنَ اليَأسِ المُلِمُّ المُعسِرُ

يَقضي مِنَ اليَأسِ المُلِمُّ المُعسِرُ

Generosity fell ill when you fell ill, and nearly

The dew fell ill when you fell ill, and nearly

Alas, no vast army can turn Death away from its target, nor can any legion be of use.

perished from despair the afflicted pauper.

Died of the crushing, dire despair

Death has stalked our souls so closely that we almost offer condolences for a man before he is even formed.

يَرجوكَ أَنَّكَ جابِرٌ كَسرَهُ

يَرجوكَ أَنَّكَ جابِرٌ كَسرَهُ

فَإِذا فُقِدتَ فَكَسرُهُ لا يُجبَرُ

فَإِذا فُقِدتَ فَكَسرُهُ لا يُجبَرُ

He looks to you to mend his brokenness;

It hoped you would heal its fracture

We crave life as if it were a blessing, yet our love for it yields no fruit but tragedies.

once you are lost, his brokenness cannot be mended.

For if you go, its break cannot be healed

We mistake Fate's smile for the dawn of contentment, while Fate merely mocks and ridicules mankind.

وَعَلَت عَلى تِلكَ الوُجوهِ سَحابَةٌ

وَعَلَت عَلى تِلكَ الوُجوهِ سَحابَةٌ

كَدراءُ لا تَصفو وَلا تُستَمطَرُ

كَدراءُ لا تَصفو وَلا تُستَمطَرُ

And a cloud rose over those faces,

And clouds gathered over those faces

O lost one of the Nile’s land, I swear that had the river known of this calamity, its waters would have choked in their course.

murky, neither clearing nor coaxed into rain.

Murky, unclarified, yielding no rain

They placed you in the belly of the earth, though I never knew the vast ocean of your heart could be contained within stone slabs.

كَم حاوَلوا كَتمَ الأَسى لَكِنَّهُ

كَم حاوَلوا كَتمَ الأَسى لَكِنَّهُ

قَد كانَ يَختَرِقُ الجُسومَ فَيَظهَرُ

قَد كانَ يَختَرِقُ الجُسومَ فَيَظهَرُ

How often they tried to hide their sorrow, but it

How they tried to suppress the grief, but it

They beheld your majesty within the tomb, and every one of them wished and hoped to be buried in your stead.

would pierce their bodies and show itself.

Would penetrate the bodies to appear

No soul was ever void of sorrow for you, and thus no eye remained void of tears.

حامَت حَوالَيكَ الجُموعُ كَأَنَّما

حامَت حَوالَيكَ الجُموعُ كَأَنَّما

تَبغي وَقاءَ الشَرقِ مِمّا يُحذَرُ

تَبغي وَقاءَ الشَرقِ مِمّا يُحذَرُ

The crowds hovered around you, as though

The crowds gathered around you as though

They returned, but solace did not return with them; grief was composed into verse, while tears were scattered abroad.

seeking to protect the East from what was feared.

Seeking the east's protection from what is feared

And everyone contemplates what shall become of their lands now that the Imam has passed away.

وَالكُلُّ يَسأَلُ كَيفَ حالُ إِمامِنا

وَالكُلُّ يَسأَلُ كَيفَ حالُ إِمامِنا

ماذا رَأى حُكَماأُنا ما أَخبَروا

ماذا رَأى حُكَماأُنا ما أَخبَروا

And everyone asks, 'How is our imam?'

And all asked how our leader fared

Fate would not have afflicted us with his loss, had Fate possessed the capacity to feel such a calamity.

'What have our physicians seen? What have they reported?'

What did our wise men see, what did they tell?

وَالداءُ يَقوى ثُمَّ يَضعُفُ تارَةً

وَالداءُ يَقوى ثُمَّ يَضعُفُ تارَةً

فَكَأَنَّهُ يَبلو القُلوب وَيَسبِرُ

فَكَأَنَّهُ يَبلو القُلوب وَيَسبِرُ

The illness grows stronger, then weakens at times,

The illness strengthens, then weakens at times

as though it were testing hearts and probing their depths.

As though testing hearts and probing

أَورَدَتهُ عَذباً فَأَورَدَكَ الرَدى

أَورَدَتهُ عَذباً فَأَورَدَكَ الرَدى

تَبَّت يَداهُ فَذَنبُهُ لا يُغفَرُ

تَبَّت يَداهُ فَذَنبُهُ لا يُغفَرُ

You led it to sweet water, but it led you to death;

Fate made you drink the sweet and gave you bitterness

may both its hands perish, for its sin cannot be forgiven.

May its hands perish, its sin is unforgiven

هَيهاتِ ما يَثني المَنِيَّةَ جَحفَلٌ

هَيهاتِ ما يَثني المَنِيَّةَ جَحفَلٌ

عَمَّن تَأُم وَلا يُفيدُ العَسكَرُ

عَمَّن تَأُم وَلا يُفيدُ العَسكَرُ

In vain! No mighty host can turn Death aside

Alas, no army deters fate

from whomever she seeks, nor can an army help.

From whom it is determined, no troops avail

رَصَدَ الرَدى أَرواحَنا حَتّى لَقَد

رَصَدَ الرَدى أَرواحَنا حَتّى لَقَد

كِدنا نُعَزّي المَرءَ قَبلُ يُصَوِّرُ

كِدنا نُعَزّي المَرءَ قَبلُ يُصَوِّرُ

Death has lain in wait for our souls, so much so that

Fate ambushed our souls until we

we almost console a man before he is formed.

Nearly consoled the man before he was shrouded

نَهوى الحَياةَ كَأَنَّما هِيَ نِعمَةٌ

نَهوى الحَياةَ كَأَنَّما هِيَ نِعمَةٌ

وَسِوى افَواجِعِ حُبُّها لا يُثمِرُ

وَسِوى افَواجِعِ حُبُّها لا يُثمِرُ

We love life as though it were a blessing,

We loathe life as though it were a blessing

yet love of it bears no fruit but calamities.

And beyond the calamities, loving it bears no fruit

وَنَظَنُّ ضِحكَ الدَهرِ فاتِحَةَ الرِضى

وَنَظَنُّ ضِحكَ الدَهرِ فاتِحَةَ الرِضى

وَالدَهرُ يَهزَءُ بِالأَنام وَيَسخَرُ

وَالدَهرُ يَهزَءُ بِالأَنام وَيَسخَرُ

We deem Time's laughter the beginning of contentment,

We think the days' laughter is pleasing

yet Time jeers at humankind and scoffs.

While days mock people and ridicule

أَفَقيدَ أَرضِ النيلِ أُقسِمُ لَو دَرى

أَفَقيدَ أَرضِ النيلِ أُقسِمُ لَو دَرى

بِالخَطبِ أَوشَكَ مائُهُ يَتَعَسَرُ

بِالخَطبِ أَوشَكَ مائُهُ يَتَعَسَرُ

O departed one of the land of the Nile, I swear: had it known

If the Nile valley only knew the disaster

of the calamity, its water would almost have faltered.

Its waters would nearly dry up

وَضَعوكَ في بَطنِ التُراب وَما عَهِد

وَضَعوكَ في بَطنِ التُراب وَما عَهِد

تُ البَحرَ قَلبَكَ في الصَفائِحِ يَذخَرُ

تُ البَحرَ قَلبَكَ في الصَفائِحِ يَذخَرُ

They laid you in the belly of the earth; never have

They placed you in the earth's belly though you were unaccustomed

I known the sea—your heart—to be stored within stone slabs.

To seas concealing you in its valleys

وَرَأَوا جَلالَكَ في الضَريحِ فَكُلُّهُم

وَرَأَوا جَلالَكَ في الضَريحِ فَكُلُّهُم

يَهوى وَيَرجو لَو مَكانَكَ يُقبَرُ

يَهوى وَيَرجو لَو مَكانَكَ يُقبَرُ

They saw your majesty in the tomb, and every one of them

They saw your majesty in the tomb, and all

longs and hopes to be buried in your place.

Fell desiring that in your place they be buried

لَم تَخلُ مِن أَسَفٍ عَلَيكَ حَشاشَةٌ

لَم تَخلُ مِن أَسَفٍ عَلَيكَ حَشاشَةٌ

أَبَداً فَيَخلو مِن دُموعٍ مِحجَرُ

أَبَداً فَيَخلو مِن دُموعٍ مِحجَرُ

No living soul was free of sorrow for you

No courtyard was ever devoid of sorrow for you

ever; thus no eye socket was empty of tears.

So that no chamber would lack tears

آبو وَما آبَ العَزاءُ إِلَيهِمُ

آبو وَما آبَ العَزاءُ إِلَيهِمُ

وَالحُزنُ يُنظَم وَالمَدامِعُ يَنشُرُ

وَالحُزنُ يُنظَم وَالمَدامِعُ يَنشُرُ

They returned, but consolation did not return to them;

They came to offer condolences but no consolation came to them

and grief is woven into verse, while tears spread.

Grief was woven and tears were strewn

وَالكُلُّ كَيفَ يَكونُ حالُ بِلادِهِم

وَالكُلُّ كَيفَ يَكونُ حالُ بِلادِهِم

مِن بَعدِ ما ماتَ الإِمامُ يُفَكِّرُ

مِن بَعدِ ما ماتَ الإِمامُ يُفَكِّرُ

And all, on how their lands will fare

And all asked how their country would be

after the imam has died, reflect.

After the leader died, reflecting

لَم يَبلِنا هَذا الزَمانُ بِفَقدِهِ

لَم يَبلِنا هَذا الزَمانُ بِفَقدِهِ

لَو كانَ مِمَن بِالرَزِيَّةِ يَشعُرُ

لَو كانَ مِمَن بِالرَزِيَّةِ يَشعُرُ

This age would not have afflicted us with his loss,

This loss did not afflict us in his time

had it been among those who feel calamity.

Had he felt the calamity, he would have sensed it