ياO غمرةengulfing calamity مَنwho لناfor us بمعبَرِهاwith a passage across it
يا غمرة مَن لنا بمعبَرِها
مواردُwatering-places; approaches الموتof death دونbefore; short of مصدرهاits way out
مواردُ الموت دون مصدرها
O engulfing calamity, who will find us a passage across it?
O overwhelming darkness, who can cross it?
Death's watering-places lie before its way out.
The sources of death without its origin overflow.
يطفحُoverflows موجُthe wave البلاof affliction الخطيرgrave; perilous بهاwithin it
يطفحُ موجُ البلا الخطير بها
فيغرقُso drowns العقلthe mind معwith; upon تصوّرهاimagining it
فيغرقُ العقل مع تصوّرها
The wave of grave affliction overflows within it,
Its dangerous waves overflow,
so the mind drowns even in imagining it.
Drowning reason and its perceptions.
وشدَّةًand an ordeal عندهاat it; beside it انتهتreached their limit عِظماًin magnitude
وشدَّةً عندها انتهت عِظماً
شدائدthe ordeals الدهرof time مَعْdespite; with تكثّرهاtheir multitude
شدائد الدهر مَعْ تكثّرها
And an ordeal at which, in magnitude,
Hardships have ended greatly with it,
time's ordeals, for all their multitude, reach their limit.
The calamities of fate and their abundance.
ضاقتgrew constricted ولمand did not يأتِهاcome to it مفرِّجهاits reliever
ضاقت ولم يأتِها مفرِّجها
فجاشتso surged النفسُthe soul فيin تحيّرهاits bewilderment
فجاشت النفسُ في تحيّرها
It has closed in, and its deliverer has not come,
It narrowed and its remedy did not come,
so the soul surged in its bewilderment.
So the soul raged in its confusion.
الآنَnow رجسُthe filth الضلالةof error استغرقengulfed
الآنَ رجسُ الضلالة استغرق
الأرضthe earth فضجَّتso it cried out إلىto مطهّرهاits purifier
الأرض فضجَّت إلى مطهّرها
Now the filth of error has engulfed
The filth of misguidance has immersed,
the earth, so it cried out to its purifier.
The earth, so it cried out for its cleanser.
وملّةand the faith اللهof God غُيِّرتwas altered فغدتso it began
وملّة الله غُيِّرت فغدت
تصرخcrying out للهto God منagainst; because of مُغيّرهاthe one who altered it
تصرخ لله من مُغيّرها
And God's faith was altered, so it began
And the religion of God was changed, so it became
crying to God against the one who altered it.
Crying out to God from its changer.
مَنwho مخبريwill inform me والنفوسwhile the souls عاتبةٌare reproachful
مَن مخبري والنفوس عاتبةٌ
ماذاwhat يؤدِّيconveys لسانُthe tongue مخبرهاof their informant
ماذا يؤدِّي لسانُ مخبرها
Who will tell me, while souls are reproachful,
Who informs me while the souls complain?
what their informant's tongue will convey?
What does the tongue of its informant lead to?
لِمْwhy صاحبthe Master الأمرof the Command عنaway from رعيَّتهhis subjects
لِمْ صاحب الأمر عن رعيَّته
أغضىaverted his eyes فغصَّتso they choked بجورon the tyranny of أكفرهاtheir most faithless one
أغضى فغصَّت بجور أكفرها
Why has the Master of the Command, toward his subjects,
Why did the Master of the Command ignore his flock,
turned a blind eye, leaving them choked by their most faithless one's tyranny?
So they were oppressed by the injustice of its most ungrateful?
ماwhat عذرُهhis excuse نصبbefore عينهhis eye أُخِذتْwas seized
ما عذرُه نصب عينه أُخِذتْ
شيعتهُhis followers وهوwhile he بينamong أظهرهاtheir midst
شيعتهُ وهو بين أظهرها
What is his excuse? Before his very eyes were seized
What is his excuse? His followers were seized
his followers, while he is in their midst.
While he was among them.
ياO غيرةjealous zeal اللهof God لاno قرارrepose; acquiescence علىin the face of
يا غيرة الله لا قرار على
ركوبcommitting فحشائهاits abominations ومنكرهاand its wrongs
ركوب فحشائها ومنكرها
O God's jealous zeal, there can be no acquiescence in
O God's jealousy, there is no stability
the committing of its abominations and its wrongs.
Over riding its immorality and denial.
سيفكyour sword والضربand striking إنindeed شيعتكمyour followers
سيفك والضرب إن شيعتكم
قدalready بلغhas reached السيفُthe sword حزَّthe cutting-place of منحرهاtheir throats
قد بلغ السيفُ حزَّ منحرها
Take your sword and strike! For your followers—
Your sword and striking, for if your followers
the sword has already reached the place where their throats are cut.
The sword has reached the neck's slaughter.
ماتhas died الهدىguidance سيديmy master فقمso rise وأمِتand put to death
مات الهدى سيدي فقم وأمِت
شمسَthe sun of ضحاهاits forenoon بليلwith the night of عِثيَرهاits dust
شمسَ ضحاها بليل عِثيَرها
Guidance has died, my master; rise and extinguish
Guidance has died, my master, so get up and revive
its morning sun with the night of its dust.
The sun of its morning with its gloomy night.
واتركand leave مناياthe deaths of العدىthe foes بأنفسهمwithin their own selves
واترك منايا العدى بأنفسهم
تكثرmultiply فيin الروعterror منfrom; through تعثّرهاtheir stumbling
تكثر في الروع من تعثّرها
And let the foes' deaths, within their own selves,
And leave the acts of enemies to themselves
multiply amid terror through their stumbling.
To increase in fright from their stumbling.
لمdid not يُشفbe healed منof; from هذهthese الصدورbreasts; hearts سوىexcept
لم يُشف من هذه الصدور سوى
كسركَyour breaking صدرthe tips of القناthe spears بمُوغرهاagainst whoever inflames them
كسركَ صدر القنا بمُوغرها
These breasts find no healing except in
Nothing has healed these chests but
your breaking the spearheads against those who inflame them.
Your breaking the necks of the spears with it.
وهذهand these الصحفpages محوthe erasure by سيفكyour sword للأof the (word continues)
وهذه الصحف محو سيفك للأ
عمارlifespans (continued word) منهمof them أمحىmore thoroughly erasing لأسطرهاof their written lines
عمار منهم أمحى لأسطرها
And these pages—your sword's erasure of the
And these scriptures will be erased by your sword,
lifespans of those men would more thoroughly erase their lines.
From them, lives that have been erased from its lines.
فالنطفso the drops of seed اليومtoday تشتكيcomplain وهيwhile they فيin
فالنطف اليوم تشتكي وهي في
الأرحامthe wombs منهاof it إلىto مصوّرهاtheir Fashioner
الأرحام منها إلى مصوّرها
So the drops of seed today complain, while still in
So embryos today complain while
the wombs, of it to their Fashioner.
In the wombs, from it to its Creator.
فاللهso, for God's sake ياO ابنson of النبيّthe Prophet فيconcerning; for فئةٍa band
فالله يا ابن النبيّ في فئةٍ
ماhas not ذخرتstored up غيركمanyone but you لمحشرهاfor its Day of Gathering
ما ذخرت غيركم لمحشرها
For God's sake, O son of the Prophet, care for a band
By God, O son of the Prophet, a group
that has stored up none but you for its Day of Gathering.
That has not hoarded other than you for its resurrection!
ماذاwhat لأعدائهاto its enemies تقولwill you say إذاif; when
ماذا لأعدائها تقول إذا
لمdo not تنجهاsave it اليومtoday منfrom مدمِّرهاits destroyer
لم تنجها اليوم من مدمِّرها
What will you say to its enemies if
What will its enemies say if
you do not save it today from its destroyer?
You do not save it today from their destruction?
أشُقةhas the long stretch البعدof distance دونكin your way اعترضتintervened
أشُقة البعد دونك اعترضت
أمor حُجبتwas veiled عنكfrom you عينُthe eye مبصرهاof its beholder
أم حُجبت عنك عينُ مبصرها
Has the long stretch of distance stood in your way,
Did the misery of distance from you intercept me
or has its beholder's eye been veiled from you?
Or were my seeing eyes blocked from its vision?
فهاكَso, here you are قلِّبturn over قلوبناour hearts ترَهاyou will see them
فهاكَ قلِّب قلوبنا ترَها
تفطَّرتhave split asunder فيكover you منfrom تنظرهاtheir waiting
تفطَّرت فيك من تنظرها
Here—turn our hearts over, and you will see them
Cracked from waiting for you.
torn asunder over you by their waiting.
How many eyes have stayed up with nothing
كمhow many سهرتstayed awake أعينٌeyes وليسand there is not سوىanything but
كم سهرت أعينٌ وليس سوى
انتظارهاtheir waiting for غوثكمyour succor بمُسهرهاwhat keeps them awake
انتظارها غوثكم بمُسهرها
How many eyes have kept vigil, with nothing but
But their awaiting your aid in their vigil!
their waiting for your succor to keep them wakeful!
Where is the Preserver, All-Knowing of the group
أينwhere الحفيظthe watchful protector العليمthe all-knowing للفئةfor the band الthe (article continued)
أين الحفيظ العليم للفئة ال
مضاعةsquandered الحقthe right عندat the hands of أفجرهاits most wicked one
مضاعة الحق عند أفجرها
Where is the watchful, knowing protector of the band
Whose right was wasted by its most immoral?
whose rights are squandered in the hands of its most wicked?
Do you overlook while you are its kind father?
تغضيyou turn a blind eye وأنتthough you الأبُthe father الرحيمthe compassionate لهاto it
تغضي وأنت الأبُ الرحيم لها
ماnot هكذاlike this الظنّthe expectation ياO ابنson of أطهرهاits purest one
ما هكذا الظنّ يا ابن أطهرها
You turn a blind eye, though you are its compassionate father?
It is not so, O son of its purest!
That is not what we expect, O son of its purest one.
If you do not help it for its greatest sin,
إنif لمdo not تغثهاsuccor it لجُرمbecause of the sin of أكبرهاits eldest
إن لم تغثها لجُرم أكبرها
فارحمthen pity لهاfor its sake ضعفthe frailty of جرمthe body of أصغرهاits youngest
فارحم لها ضعف جرم أصغرها
If you will not succor it because of its eldest's sin,
Then have mercy on it for the weakness of its lesser sin.
then pity, for its sake, the frail body of its youngest.
How can necks that God freed through you
كيفhow رقابٌnecks منfrom الجحيمHell بكمthrough you
كيف رقابٌ من الجحيم بكم
حرَّرهاfreed them اللهGod فيin تبصُّرهاtheir insight
حرَّرها الله في تبصُّرها
How, when there are necks that, from Hell, through you,
Be content to be enslaved by a tribe
God has freed through their insight,
That did not stop its flutes and lutes?
ترضىyou consent بأنthat تسترقهاenslave them عُصبٌbands
ترضى بأن تسترقها عُصبٌ
لمhave not تلهُturned away عنfrom نايهاtheir flute ومزمرهاand their pipe
لم تلهُ عن نايها ومزمرها
can you consent to their enslavement by bands
If you, O Master of the Age, consent to it
that never turn from their flute and their pipe?
And the people's acts of denial persist,
إنif ترضَyou are content ياO صاحبMaster of الزمانthe Age بهاwith it
إن ترضَ يا صاحب الزمان بها
ودامand continued للقومfor the people فعلُthe committing of منكرهاits wrong
ودام للقوم فعلُ منكرها
If you are content with it, O Master of the Age,
The banners of faith have died and been buried
and these people continue committing its wrongs,
Between the enemy’s wine and gambling.
ماتتdied شعارُthe emblem الإِيمانof faith واندفنتand was buried
ماتت شعارُ الإِيمان واندفنت
ماwhat lies بينbetween خمرthe wine of العدىthe foes وميسرهاand their gambling
ما بين خمر العدى وميسرها
the emblem of faith will die and be buried
Take it away with a plan that they want
amid the foes' wine and their gambling.
May God not bring near its promoter’s home!
أبعِدaway with it! بهاwith it خطَّةًa course; plight تُرادis intended بهاfor it
أبعِد بها خطَّةً تُراد بها
لاmay not قرَّبbring near اللهGod دارthe home of مؤثرهاwhoever favors it
لا قرَّب الله دار مؤثرها
Away with such a plight intended for it!
Death is better than life with it
May God never bring near the home of whoever favors it.
If the soul could choose from its choices.
الموتُdeath خيرٌbetter منthan الحياةِlife بهاunder it
الموتُ خيرٌ من الحياةِ بها
لوif تملكhad control النفسthe soul منany of تخيُّرهاits choosing
لو تملك النفس من تخيُّرها
Death is better than life under it,
It did not delude our enemies with their Lord
if the soul had any freedom to choose.
While He is bent on breaking their backs.
ماwhat غرَّdeluded أعداءناour enemies بربّهمconcerning their Lord
ما غرَّ أعداءنا بربّهم
وهوthough He مليٌّfully capable بقصمof breaking أظهرهاtheir backs
وهو مليٌّ بقصم أظهرها
What has deluded our enemies concerning their Lord,
Wait! For God has in His creation
though He is fully able to break their backs?
Habits whose value the easy outweighed the difficult.
مهلاًwait awhile فللهِfor God has فيamong بريَّتهHis creatures
مهلاً فللهِ في بريَّته
عوائدٌcustomary ways جلَّis immense قدرُthe worth of أيسرهاtheir least
عوائدٌ جلَّ قدرُ أيسرها
Hold awhile: God has, among His creatures,
If people's prayers are blocked
ways, the least of which is mighty in import.
It is because the acts of most have been evil.
فدعوةso the supplication of الناسthe people إنif تكنhas been حُجبتveiled
فدعوة الناس إن تكن حُجبت
لأنَّهاbecause it ساءَwas evil فعلُthe conduct of أكثرهاmost of them
لأنَّها ساءَ فعلُ أكثرها
So if the people's supplication has been veiled
How many hot ashes for one of its embers
because most of them have acted wickedly,
Complained to God in their inflammation!
فرُبَّyet many a حرَّىburning حشًىheart; innards لواحدهاof one among them
فرُبَّ حرَّى حشًى لواحدها
شكتْcried out إلىto اللهGod فيin تضوّرهاits writhing pain
شكتْ إلى الله في تضوّرها
yet many a burning heart of one among them
Its breaths are about to burn the people
has cried to God in its writhing pain.
In its kindling when they rise.
توشكare about to أنفاسهاits breaths وقدhaving already صعدتrisen
توشك أنفاسها وقد صعدت
أنto تحرقَburn القومthe people فيin تسعُّرهاtheir blazing heat
أن تحرقَ القوم في تسعُّرها
Its sighs, having ascended, are about
to burn those people in their blazing heat.
Partial English translation: 68 of 70 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1