أجل من عُلًى ما خلتُ يرقاه فادحُ

أجل من عُلًى ما خلتُ يرقاه فادحُ

هلالُ المعالي طوَّحته الطوائحُ

هلالُ المعالي طوَّحته الطوائحُ

More exalted than heights I thought no calamity could scale,

Alas! He who ascended the heights of glory unparalleled,

the crescent of glory was hurled down by calamities.

The crescent of grandeur was eclipsed by calamities.

ومن حيث لا تعلو يدُ الدهرِ أهبطت

ومن حيث لا تعلو يدُ الدهرِ أهبطت

إلى اللحد نجمَ الفخر فالدهر كالح

إلى اللحد نجمَ الفخر فالدهر كالح

And from a height beyond the reach of Time's hand, they cast

And from where the hand of fate cannot reach, it brought down

the star of pride into the grave; Time wears a grim face.

The star of pride to the grave, while fate remains unjust.

تناوله من أُفق مجدٍ لعزَّةٍ

تناوله من أُفق مجدٍ لعزَّةٍ

قد انحسرت عنها العيونُ الطامح

قد انحسرت عنها العيونُ الطامح

Time seized him from a horizon of glory so exalted

Fate took him from a horizon of glory and honor

that aspiring eyes had fallen back from it.

That dazzled all envious eyes that coveted it.

فمطلعه في مشرق المجد مظلمٌ

فمطلعه في مشرق المجد مظلمٌ

ومغربه في موضع اللحد واضح

ومغربه في موضع اللحد واضح

So his rising-place in the east of glory is dark,

So his rise was in the orient of glory obscured,

but his setting-place, at the grave, is plain.

While his fall was in the place of grave, exposed.

لحى اللهُ يوماً قد أراني صباحه

لحى اللهُ يوماً قد أراني صباحه

تباريحَ وجدٍ للحشا لا تبارحُ

تباريحَ وجدٍ للحشا لا تبارحُ

May God curse a day whose morning showed me

May God preserve the day that dawned on me,

torments of grief that never leave the heart.

Whose mornings of passion do not cease to afflict me.

به صاحَ ناعيه فأشغلت مسمعي

به صاحَ ناعيه فأشغلت مسمعي

وقد مضَّ في قعر الحشا منه صائحُ

وقد مضَّ في قعر الحشا منه صائحُ

On it the herald of his death cried out, and I distracted my ears,

It loudly lamented his loss, distracting my hearing,

though his cry had pierced the depths of my heart.

While a voice wailing from the depths of the grave has passed.

وهمَّتْ جفوني بالبكا فملكتُها

وهمَّتْ جفوني بالبكا فملكتُها

على الدمع أرجو الكذب والصدق لائحُ

على الدمع أرجو الكذب والصدق لائحُ

My eyelids were about to weep, but I restrained them

My eyelids were inclined to weep but I restrained them

from tears, hoping the news was false, while truth stood plain.

Hoping for lies or truth openly displayed.

وقلتُ لمن ينعاه إذ جدَّ باسمه

وقلتُ لمن ينعاه إذ جدَّ باسمه

بنوح تبيَّن باسم من أنت نائحُ

بنوح تبيَّن باسم من أنت نائحُ

I told the man announcing his death, as he earnestly named him

And I said to the one who mourned his name ardently,

in lament: Be certain whose name you mourn!

"Make clear by whose name you are lamenting."

بفيك الثرى لا تُسم في النعي جعفراً

بفيك الثرى لا تُسم في النعي جعفراً

فيوشك أن تجتاحَ نفسي الجوائحُ

فيوشك أن تجتاحَ نفسي الجوائحُ

Dust in your mouth! Do not name Ja'far in your death-announcement,

Do not inter the dust without naming Jaafar,

or calamities may soon sweep away my soul.

Lest the calamities sweep over my soul.

فلمَّا أبى إلاَّ التي تشعبُ الحشا

فلمَّا أبى إلاَّ التي تشعبُ الحشا

وإلاّ التي تبيضُّ منها المسائحُ

وإلاّ التي تبيضُّ منها المسائحُ

But when he insisted on the news that tears the heart,

But he insisted on she who adorns the grave,

and on that which turns the locks of hair white,

And she who whitens it with her palm branches.

جمعتُ فؤادي وانطويتُ على الجوى

جمعتُ فؤادي وانطويتُ على الجوى

على حرقٍ ضاقت بهنَّ الجوانحُ

على حرقٍ ضاقت بهنَّ الجوانحُ

I gathered my heart and folded myself around anguish,

So I gathered my heart and wrapped myself in sorrow,

around burning griefs too great for my ribs to contain.

Burning with grief that choked my core.

أعاذلتي عنِّي خذي اللومَ جانباً

أعاذلتي عنِّي خذي اللومَ جانباً

فلا أدمعي ترقى ولا الوجدُ بارحُ

فلا أدمعي ترقى ولا الوجدُ بارحُ

O my reproacher, set your blame aside from me,

My two friends, turn your blame away from me,

for my tears do not cease, nor does sorrow depart.

For neither my tears flow, nor does passion cease.

فلم ينسفحْ من عيني الدمعُ وحده

فلم ينسفحْ من عيني الدمعُ وحده

ولكنَّ كلِّي مدمعٌ منه سافحُ

ولكنَّ كلِّي مدمعٌ منه سافحُ

It was not tears alone that poured from my eye;

Not only did tears flow from my eyes,

my whole being is a tear-duct, streaming with them.

But all of me wept profusely from them.

أصبراً وذا إنسانُ عينيَ أطبقت

أصبراً وذا إنسانُ عينيَ أطبقت

على شخصه أجفانهنَّ الضرايحُ

على شخصه أجفانهنَّ الضرايحُ

Patience? This is my eye's pupil; closed

I remained patient though the eyes of this human

over his person are the graves' own eyelids.

Closed their lids over him, those betraying lids.

قد استلَّه من عيني الدهر بعدما

قد استلَّه من عيني الدهر بعدما

تخيَّلتُ أنَّ الدهر لي عنه صافحُ

تخيَّلتُ أنَّ الدهر لي عنه صافحُ

Time plucked him out of my eye after

Fate wrested him from my eyes after I imagined

I fancied Time would leave him untouched for my sake.

Fate would treat him gently when extended to me.

بكفٍّ له مدَّت إليَّ بهيئةٍ

بكفٍّ له مدَّت إليَّ بهيئةٍ

بدت وهي فيها كفُّ خلٍّ يصافحُ

بدت وهي فيها كفُّ خلٍّ يصافحُ

With a hand of its own, outstretched to me in a guise

With a palm that reached out as if to greet me kindly,

that made it seem a friend's hand offering a handshake,

Though it was like the palm of a snake greeting me.

ومرَّت على وجهي فقدَّرتُ أنَّه

ومرَّت على وجهي فقدَّرتُ أنَّه

يلاطفني في مَرِّها ويمازحُ

يلاطفني في مَرِّها ويمازحُ

it passed over my face; I thought that Time

It passed over my face so I reckoned

was caressing me as it passed, and jesting.

It caressed me as it passed, jesting with me.

وما خلتُه يا شلَّها اللهُ أنَّه

وما خلتُه يا شلَّها اللهُ أنَّه

بها لسوادِ العينِ منِّي ماسحُ

بها لسوادِ العينِ منِّي ماسحُ

I never thought—oh, may God paralyze that hand!—that Time

But no - may God paralyze that hand - it

was wiping away the black of my eye with it.

Wiped away the light from my eyes.

فأطبقتُ عيني وهي بيضاءُ من عمًى

فأطبقتُ عيني وهي بيضاءُ من عمًى

وإنسانها حيث اشتهى الدهرُ طائحُ

وإنسانها حيث اشتهى الدهرُ طائحُ

So I closed my eye, whitened by blindness,

So I closed my eyes, blind in their blindness,

its pupil fallen wherever Time desired.

While their human was gone wherever fate tossed him.

بمن عن ضياء العين يعتاض طرفها

بمن عن ضياء العين يعتاض طرفها

فيغدو عليه وهو للجفنِ فاتحُ

فيغدو عليه وهو للجفنِ فاتحُ

Whom can its gaze take in exchange for the eye's light,

For the one whose eyes are distressed without that light,

to turn toward him with its eyelid open?

It rises over him while he opens his eyelids to it.

لتجرِ اللَّيالي حيثُ شاءَت بنحسها

لتجرِ اللَّيالي حيثُ شاءَت بنحسها

فما عندها فوقَ الذي أنا نائحُ

فما عندها فوقَ الذي أنا نائحُ

Let the nights run where they will with their ill luck;

Let the nights drag him wherever they wish in his misery,

they have nothing worse than what I mourn.

For I am not more anguished than I already am.

وماذا تُريني بعدَها في مُدى الأسى

وماذا تُريني بعدَها في مُدى الأسى

يداً لفؤادي سعدُها وهو ذابحُ

يداً لفؤادي سعدُها وهو ذابحُ

And what can they show me after this amid the knives of grief—

And what can it show me after him in the expanse of grief,

a helping hand for my heart, when their good fortune slaughters it?

A hand bringing joy while my heart is slaughtered?

أقولُ لركبٍ أجمعوا السيرَ موهناً

أقولُ لركبٍ أجمعوا السيرَ موهناً

وقد نشطت للكرخ فيهم طلايحُ

وقد نشطت للكرخ فيهم طلايحُ

I say to a caravan resolved to travel late at night,

I say to a group who journeyed life wearily,

as their weary mounts quickened toward al-Karkh:

While resolute riders stirred among them -

أقيموا فواقي ناقةٍ من صدورها

أقيموا فواقي ناقةٍ من صدورها

لأودعكم ما استحفظته الجوانحُ

لأودعكم ما استحفظته الجوانحُ

Pause for a she-camel's two milking intervals on her return,

Set up a camel litter with breasts still nursing,

that I may entrust you with what I charged my ribs to keep.

That I may place inside what my core has harbored.

خذوا مهجتي ثمَّ انضحوها عقيرةً

خذوا مهجتي ثمَّ انضحوها عقيرةً

على جدثٍ دمعُ البلى فيه ناضحُ

على جدثٍ دمعُ البلى فيه ناضحُ

Take my lifeblood, then sprinkle it as a slaughtered offering

Take out my gut and sprinkle it with perfume

upon a grave where the tears of decay drip.

Upon a grave where the tears of separation flow.

وقولوا لأيدٍ أحدرت فيه جعفراً

وقولوا لأيدٍ أحدرت فيه جعفراً

ولم تدرِ ماذا قد طوتهُ الصفائحُ

ولم تدرِ ماذا قد طوتهُ الصفائحُ

And tell the hands that lowered Ja'far into it,

And say to the hands that lowered Jaafar into it,

unaware of what the stone slabs had enclosed:

Unaware of what eminent virtues it holds.

لأحدرت من قلب المكارم فلذةً

لأحدرت من قلب المكارم فلذةً

قد انتزعتها من حشاها الفوادحُ

قد انتزعتها من حشاها الفوادحُ

You have indeed lowered a fragment of nobility's heart,

You would have lowered a piece of noble hearts,

torn from its vitals by crushing calamities.

Snatched away by calamities from its resting place.

فغير جميلٍ بعده الصبرُ للورى

فغير جميلٍ بعده الصبرُ للورى

ولا عيشهم لولا محمدُ صالحُ

ولا عيشهم لولا محمدُ صالحُ

Patience is no virtue for mankind after him,

After him, patience is not seemly for people,

nor would their life be sound, were it not for Muhammad.

Nor is their life pleasant without Muhammad the righteous.

فتى الحلم لا مستثقلاً لعظيمةٍ

فتى الحلم لا مستثقلاً لعظيمةٍ

تخفُّ لها الأحلامُ وهي رواجحُ

تخفُّ لها الأحلامُ وهي رواجحُ

A man of forbearance, not daunted by a calamity

The youth of wisdom, unfazed by great feats

that unsettles minds, however weighty they may be.

That diminish dreams while they are weighty.

تدرَّع من نسج البصيرة قلبه

تدرَّع من نسج البصيرة قلبه

إضاة أسًى لم تدَّرعها الجحاجحُ

إضاة أسًى لم تدَّرعها الجحاجحُ

His heart armored itself in the weave of insight

His heart clothed with the fabric of insight,

against a pool of grief no mighty chief had faced in armor.

Illuminating a grief that no armor can shield against.

وصابرها دهياء من فقدِ جعفرٍ

وصابرها دهياء من فقدِ جعفرٍ

يكافحُ منها قلبُه ما يكافحُ

يكافحُ منها قلبُه ما يكافحُ

He endured it—a dark affliction from the loss of Ja'far—

And his patient endurance of the loss of Jaafar,

his heart battling what it battled within that grief.

Battling what his heart battles.

ونهنه فيه زفرة عدن فوقها

ونهنه فيه زفرة عدن فوقها

حوانيَ من عبد الكريم الجوانحُ

حوانيَ من عبد الكريم الجوانحُ

And he stifled a sigh for him, over which bent

Sighed from him the moan of Eden above,

the sheltering ribs of Abd al-Karim.

Guarded by virtues from Abdul Karim.

تعرّض فيها حادثُ الدهر منهما

تعرّض فيها حادثُ الدهر منهما

لصلَّين من نابيهما السمُّ راشحُ

لصلَّين من نابيهما السمُّ راشحُ

In that grief, Time's calamity confronted, in those two,

The blows of fate assail them both,

two vipers whose fangs dripped venom,

Like two unsheathed swords inflicting lethal cuts.

ونصلين لا تمضي بيوم كريهةٍ

ونصلين لا تمضي بيوم كريهةٍ

مضاءهما يومَ الخصام الصفائحُ

مضاءهما يومَ الخصام الصفائحُ

and two blades whose edge, on a day of battle,

Two spears that do not neglect a wretched day,

no swords match on the day of strife,

Their sharp blades piercing on the day of strife.

ورمحين سلَّ قلبُ الكواشح عنهما

ورمحين سلَّ قلبُ الكواشح عنهما

بما منهما في القلبِ تلقى الكواشحُ

بما منهما في القلبِ تلقى الكواشحُ

and two spears—ask the haters' heart about them,

Two lances that tore the hearts of foes about them

and what those haters suffer from them within the heart.

With what they harbored in hearts encountering them.

تجده كليماً وهو أعدلُ شاهدٍ

تجده كليماً وهو أعدلُ شاهدٍ

على جرحه والجرحُ لا شكَّ فادحُ

على جرحه والجرحُ لا شكَّ فادحُ

You will find it wounded, and the fairest witness

You will find him forbearing, the most just witness

to its wound—a wound surely grievous.

To his own wound, though the wound is clearly deep.

تسربلتها يا دهرُ شنعاءَ وسمها

تسربلتها يا دهرُ شنعاءَ وسمها

لوجهك ما عمَّرت بالخزي فاضحُ

لوجهك ما عمَّرت بالخزي فاضحُ

You have clothed yourself in a hideous deed, Time, whose brand

You cloaked vileness, O fate, and poisoned it -

disgraces your face for as long as you live.

An disgraceful deed spreading your shame.

عمًى لك هل عينٌ تبيتُ وطرفها

عمًى لك هل عينٌ تبيتُ وطرفها

لإنسانها بالشر أزرقُ لامحُ

لإنسانها بالشر أزرقُ لامحُ

May you be blind! Can an eye pass the night with its gaze

Blind you are! Does an eye spend the night with its lid

blue and flashing with evil against its own pupil?

Shut while its human rises the next morn with eyes of blue?

أفق أيَّ وقتٍ فيه منك لجعفرٍ

أفق أيَّ وقتٍ فيه منك لجعفرٍ

تُفرغُ كفٌّ ليته منك طائحُ

تُفرغُ كفٌّ ليته منك طائحُ

Come to your senses! In what hour, against Ja'far,

Which time did you set aside for Jaafar

is a hand of yours free? Would that hour were cast out of you!

When your hands together attacked his father the lamenter?

وقد شغلت في كلِّ لمحة ناظرٍ

وقد شغلت في كلِّ لمحة ناظرٍ

يديك جميعاً من أبيه المنائحُ

يديك جميعاً من أبيه المنائحُ

Yet at every blink of an eye they have been kept busy—

A youth who finds guidance in his light

both your hands—by his father's gifts.

Even if darkness from earth rose against him.

فتًى يجدُ الساري على نوره هدًى

فتًى يجدُ الساري على نوره هدًى

ولو ضمَّه فجٌّ من الأرضِ نازحُ

ولو ضمَّه فجٌّ من الأرضِ نازحُ

A man whose light gives the night traveler guidance,

As if the shining moon and the dark night

even if a distant pass in the land encloses him.

Are Suhail guiding the perplexed with its radiance.

كأنَّ المحيَّا منهُ والليل جانحٌ

كأنَّ المحيَّا منهُ والليل جانحٌ

سهيلٌ لأبصار المهبِّينَ لائحُ

سهيلٌ لأبصار المهبِّينَ لائحُ

It is as though his face, as night descends,

His guiding glory surpassed the shoulder of greatness

were Suhayl shining before the eyes of those who awaken.

To where no aspirations of stars can reach.

تجاوز هادي مجده كاهل السهى

تجاوز هادي مجده كاهل السهى

إلى حيث ما لحظ الكواكب طائحُ

إلى حيث ما لحظ الكواكب طائحُ

The neck of his glory surpassed the withers of al-Suha,

And he became in the eyes of people Hussein himself

to where the stars' gaze cannot reach.

While the face of fate among the people is unjust.

وأمسى حسيناً وجه جدواه للورى

وأمسى حسيناً وجه جدواه للورى

على حين وجه الدهر في الخلق كالحُ

على حين وجه الدهر في الخلق كالحُ

And the face of his bounty became fair to mankind,

And in the morning he embodied the pride of Mustafa the Sublime,

while Time's face scowled upon creation.

And all aspire to emulate Muhammad the righteous.

وأصبحَ معنى فخرِه مصطفى العُلى

وأصبحَ معنى فخرِه مصطفى العُلى

وكلٌّ لأن يقفو محمدَ صالحُ

وكلٌّ لأن يقفو محمدَ صالحُ

And the meaning of his pride became the Chosen of the heights,

A youth who in the cradle of glory nurtures a people

and all are worthy to follow Muhammad.

Whose palms hold the light of brilliant stars.

فتى في صريحِ المجد يُنمى لمعشرٍ

فتى في صريحِ المجد يُنمى لمعشرٍ

أكفُّهم أنواءُ عرف دوالحُ

أكفُّهم أنواءُ عرف دوالحُ

A man of pure glory, descended from a clan

Radiant like the shooting stars for mankind

whose hands are rain-bringing stars of kindness, heavy-laden.

So their faces and the shooting stars are all lamps.

مضيئون ضوء الأنجم الشهب للورى

مضيئون ضوء الأنجم الشهب للورى

فأوجههم والشهب كلٌّ مصابحُ

فأوجههم والشهب كلٌّ مصابحُ

They shine with the light of blazing stars for mankind;

At the beginning of time, their voice called out,

their faces and the stars are all lamps.

And the dormant clouds poured with it before the rains.

على أوَّل الدهر استهلَّ نداهم

على أوَّل الدهر استهلَّ نداهم

فسالت به قبل الغيوث الأباطحُ

فسالت به قبل الغيوث الأباطحُ

At the dawn of Time their generosity began to pour,

And Abu Al-Mahdi stretched out through it

and the valley beds ran with it before the rains.

fingers harvesting the kings elusive as partridges.

ومدَّ أبو المهديّ فيه أناملاً

ومدَّ أبو المهديّ فيه أناملاً

رواضعها صيد الملوك الجحاجحُ

رواضعها صيد الملوك الجحاجحُ

Abu al-Mahdi stretched forth into it fingers

Ten aromatic oceans flowed with his pulsing pure nectar,

whose nurslings were the proud, mighty kings.

And all the oceans of earth are potable and salty.

جرت بالنمير العذب عشر بحارها

جرت بالنمير العذب عشر بحارها

وكلّ بحار الأرض عذب ومالحُ

وكلّ بحار الأرض عذب ومالحُ

Their ten seas flowed with clear, sweet water,

So none in the end of times has a seal but him,

while the earth's seas are both fresh and salt.

Nor in the start of times has an opener but him.

فما للندى في آخر الدهر خاتم

فما للندى في آخر الدهر خاتم

سواه ولا في أوَّل الدهر فاتحُ

سواه ولا في أوَّل الدهر فاتحُ

Thus generosity has no final seal at the end of Time

but him, nor any opener at Time's beginning.