أفعى الأسى طرقت وغابَ الراقي

أفعى الأسى طرقت وغابَ الراقي

فأنا اللديغُ وأدمعي درياقي

فأنا اللديغُ وأدمعي درياقي

The viper of sorrow came by night, and the healer was absent.

The serpent of sorrow struck and the sublime one departed

I am the bitten one, and my tears are my antidote.

So I am the bitten one and my tears are my shield

باتت تساورُ وهي غير ضئيلةٍ

باتت تساورُ وهي غير ضئيلةٍ

حتَّى رشحن بسمِّها آماقي

حتَّى رشحن بسمِّها آماقي

All night it assailed me, no feeble creature,

It persisted in coiling though it was not small

until the corners of my eyes seeped with its venom.

Until its venom moistened my innermost being

لا راقَ نفسي العيشُ بعدك ليلةً

لا راقَ نفسي العيشُ بعدك ليلةً

ضربت عليَّ بأسدف الأرواقِ

ضربت عليَّ بأسدف الأرواقِ

May life never please my soul after you, even for one night

My soul did not find rest after you, even for a night

that casts its darkest curtains over me.

It struck me with the clubs of the litters

أثكلتنيها يا ثكلتك قبلها

أثكلتنيها يا ثكلتك قبلها

غرراً أعزّ عليَّ من أحداقي

غرراً أعزّ عليَّ من أحداقي

You bereaved me of them—oh, had I lost you before them!—

It made me childless, oh your bereavement before it

radiant ones dearer to me than my eyes.

Joys dearer to me than my eyelids

فأعدت لي في فقدِ أطيب معرقٍ

فأعدت لي في فقدِ أطيب معرقٍ

في المجدِ مفقدَ طيِّب الأعراقِ

في المجدِ مفقدَ طيِّب الأعراقِ

You renewed for me, in losing the finest scion rooted

So it brought back to me in the loss of the sweetest vein

in glory, the loss of one of noble lineage.

In glory, the loss of the good veins

ذهبا بأيامٍ خطرت مع الهوى

ذهبا بأيامٍ خطرت مع الهوى

منها بمعلمة البرود رقاقِ

منها بمعلمة البرود رقاقِ

The two carried away days when I walked proudly with desire

Gone are days that fluttered with passion

in their finely woven, embroidered cloaks.

Among them with the guide of coolness, thinness

زمناً لبستُ حريرها ونضوتها

زمناً لبستُ حريرها ونضوتها

عن جدَّةٍ وأبيكَ لا الأخلاقِ

عن جدَّةٍ وأبيكَ لا الأخلاقِ

For a time I wore their silk, then cast it off

A time I wore its silk and enjoyed its softness

while still new—by your father!—not worn threadbare.

From a new and shining whiteness, not morals

فلأندبن اليوم صالحَ عهدها

فلأندبن اليوم صالحَ عهدها

ولأبكين نفائسَ الأعلاقِ

ولأبكين نفائسَ الأعلاقِ

Today I shall lament the goodness of those days,

So I will lament today the goodness of its covenant

and weep for those precious treasures.

And cry over the elite of the lofty

ولأحلبنَّ من الشجون حشاشتي

ولأحلبنَّ من الشجون حشاشتي

دمعاً كمندفق الحيا المهراقِ

دمعاً كمندفق الحيا المهراقِ

And from sorrows I shall milk my last spark of life

And I will milk from sorrows my sunken eye

into tears like gushing rain poured out.

A tear like the outpouring of slippery snakes

أمرقصاً دمعي وأخلاقي معاً

أمرقصاً دمعي وأخلاقي معاً

بنشائد الخنساء لا إسحاق

بنشائد الخنساء لا إسحاق

O you who set my tears and my tatters dancing together

My tear and my nature together

to the chants of al-Khansāʾ, not Isḥāq,

With the elegies of Al-Khansa' not Isaac

فرِّق بأقتلها مجامعَ أضلعي

فرِّق بأقتلها مجامعَ أضلعي

إنَّ المكارم آذنتْ بفراقِ

إنَّ المكارم آذنتْ بفراقِ

rend the bonds between my ribs with the deadliest of them:

It tore apart the associations of my ribs

for noble virtues have announced their departure.

Indeed greatness has given notice of departure

قتلت أسًى لأغرَّ لولا وجودُه

قتلت أسًى لأغرَّ لولا وجودُه

قتل الزمان بنيه من إملاقِ

قتل الزمان بنيه من إملاقِ

I am slain with grief for a radiant man; without his presence,

It killed a sorrow, had it not existed

Time would have killed its sons through poverty.

The time would have killed its progeny completely

فأزلْ بنعيك في الورى رمق الورى

فأزلْ بنعيك في الورى رمق الورى

فالموتُ زال بممسك الإرماقِ

فالموتُ زال بممسك الإرماقِ

With your death announcement, extinguish mortals' last breath,

So remove your obituary in the land, the life of the land

for death has carried off the sustainer of those breaths.

For death has departed with your final grasp

هذا أبو حسن استقلَّ مشيّعاً

هذا أبو حسن استقلَّ مشيّعاً

لكن بنعشٍ لا متون عتاقِ

لكن بنعشٍ لا متون عتاقِ

This is Abū Ḥasan setting forth, escorted by mourners,

This is Abu Hasan who rode his escort alone

but on a bier, not the backs of thoroughbreds.

But with a bier without camel litters

ومشتْ وراءَ سريره من هاشمٍ

ومشتْ وراءَ سريره من هاشمٍ

غلبُ الرقاق خواضعُ الأعناقِ

غلبُ الرقاق خواضعُ الأعناقِ

Behind his bier walked men of Hāshim,

And behind his coffin walked the Hashimites

stalwart yet gentle, their necks bowed.

Overcome, humbled necks bowed down

متماسكين من الحياءِ تهافتت

متماسكين من الحياءِ تهافتت

قطعاً قلوبُهم من الإقلاقِ

قطعاً قلوبُهم من الإقلاقِ

Holding themselves together out of modesty, while

United in bashfulness, their hearts crumbled

their hearts crumbled into pieces from distress.

To pieces from anguish

يا راحلاً بالصبرِ حمَّل قومَه

يا راحلاً بالصبرِ حمَّل قومَه

عبئاً من الأرزاء غير مطاقِ

عبئاً من الأرزاء غير مطاقِ

O you who departed taking patience with you, burdening your people

O you who with patience burdened your people

with unbearable calamities.

With a load of misery unbearable

خرجتْ تمنّى لو بهاشم كلّها

خرجتْ تمنّى لو بهاشم كلّها

خرجت وأنتَ لمجد قومك باقي

خرجت وأنتَ لمجد قومك باقي

They came forth wishing that all of Hāshim

She went out wishing, if only all the Hashimites

had departed instead, while you remained for your people's glory.

Would go out while you remain for the glory of your people

فلو افتدى بسواه غيرُك أو وقى

فلو افتدى بسواه غيرُك أو وقى

من حدِّ أسياف المنيَّة واقي

من حدِّ أسياف المنيَّة واقي

If someone other than you could ransom himself with another, or a protector could shield one

If other than you were to ransom or protect

from the edges of death's swords,

From the edge of the swords of death a protector

لوقتْك من دمها العفاةُ بما وقى

لوقتْك من دمها العفاةُ بما وقى

بوفاء ماء سماحك الرقراقِ

بوفاء ماء سماحك الرقراقِ

the supplicants would have shielded you with their blood, as you shielded them

The virtuous would have protected you with what protected

with your generosity's abundant, shimmering waters.

With the loyalty of your pouring clemency

ولغيَّمت بالنقعِ دونك هاشمٌ

ولغيَّمت بالنقعِ دونك هاشمٌ

حتَّى تسدَّ مطالع الآفاقِ

حتَّى تسدَّ مطالع الآفاقِ

Hāshim would have clouded the air with dust in your defense,

And the Hashimites would have clouded without you

until they blocked the openings of the horizons.

Until the horizons were blocked

وأتتكَ ترعد بالصواهلِ واغتدت

وأتتكَ ترعد بالصواهلِ واغتدت

بالبيضِ تبرقُ أيَّما إبراقِ

بالبيضِ تبرقُ أيَّما إبراقِ

They would have come to you thundering with neighing steeds, and risen

And she would have come to you clamoring with the swords and been sated

flashing with bright swords—what brilliant flashes!

With the white flashing any flashing

ولأمطرتْ بدمٍ سقت شوك القنا

ولأمطرتْ بدمٍ سقت شوك القنا

منه بأغزر وابلٍ دفَّاقِ

منه بأغزر وابلٍ دفَّاقِ

And rained blood, watering the thorns of spears

And she would have rained with blood that watered the thorns

with its most abundant, gushing downpour.

From it with the most abundant downpour

ولقارعت عنك الردى وشعارها

ولقارعت عنك الردى وشعارها

أنا من أمرَّ اليوم طعمَ مذاقي

أنا من أمرَّ اليوم طعمَ مذاقي

They would have fought off death for you, their battle cry:

And she would have contended for you against fate and its path

'I am the one who has made my taste bitter today!'

I am the one who tasted the flavor of my cup today

ولأقبلتْ بكَ يا عميدَ سراتها

ولأقبلتْ بكَ يا عميدَ سراتها

والموت بين يديك رهنُ وثاقِ

والموت بين يديك رهنُ وثاقِ

And they would have come back with you, O chief of their nobles,

And she would have come to you, o pillar of her great ones

with death before you, held fast in bonds.

With death before you taken captive

وأظنُّ أنَّك والتكرّم شأنكم

وأظنُّ أنَّك والتكرّم شأنكم

كرماً تمنُّ عليه بالإطلاقِ

كرماً تمنُّ عليه بالإطلاقِ

I think that you—generosity being your way—

And I suppose, such is your nature, generosity,

would graciously favor it by setting it free.

That you wish with absolute generosity

فيردن أفئدةٌ لهنَّ لظى الجوى

فيردن أفئدةٌ لهنَّ لظى الجوى

لم تبقِ باقيةً على الإحراقِ

لم تبقِ باقيةً على الإحراقِ

Then hearts would come to it, hearts whose flames of grief

So hearts will return to them, seared by the hot coals

had left nothing unburned.

They did not remain burning

لكن دُعيتَ وأيّ خلقٍ لم يكن

لكن دُعيتَ وأيّ خلقٍ لم يكن

ليجيب دعوة قاهرٍ خلاّق

ليجيب دعوة قاهرٍ خلاّق

But you were summoned—and what creature would not

But you were called, and what nature would not

answer the summons of the all-subduing Creator?

Answer the call of the compelling Creator

فمضى الردى بك راغباً بطلاقها

فمضى الردى بك راغباً بطلاقها

دنياً تجدُّ تبعلاً بطلاقِ

دنياً تجدُّ تبعلاً بطلاقِ

So death bore you off while you yearned to divorce her—

So fate took you willingly divorcing it

a world that pursues marriage through divorce.

A world that renews a husband with divorce

معشوقةٌ وهي الملالُ وإنَّها

معشوقةٌ وهي الملالُ وإنَّها

لعلى الملال كثيرةُ العشَّاقِ

لعلى الملال كثيرةُ العشَّاقِ

Beloved, though she is weariness itself; and she,

A beloved, and it is tedious, though

despite that weariness, has many lovers.

Many lovers are wearied by its tediousness

سارٍ على أيدٍ رفعن برفعها

سارٍ على أيدٍ رفعن برفعها

منك البنان مفاتح الأرزاقِ

منك البنان مفاتح الأرزاقِ

Borne along on hands exalted by their lifting

Traveling by the hands that raised by raising you

your fingers—the keys to livelihoods.

The lofty minarets, keys to sustenance

أعتقن من رقِّ الزمان كرامَه

أعتقن من رقِّ الزمان كرامَه

فجمعن بين الرقِّ والإعتاقِ

فجمعن بين الرقِّ والإعتاقِ

Those fingers freed Time's noble men from its bondage,

They freed the nobility of their bondage

thus combining bondage and emancipation.

Thus joining slavery and liberation

ودعت وقد رفعت عقيرتها العُلى

ودعت وقد رفعت عقيرتها العُلى

الله أين بمثقل الأعناق

الله أين بمثقل الأعناق

And glory called out, raising its voice:

And she bid farewell, having raised her camel litter

'O God! Where are they taking him who burdens necks?'

To the Most High, where are you with your heavy burden?

فبرغم أنفي اليوم حطَّك في الثرى

فبرغم أنفي اليوم حطَّك في الثرى

مَن كنت أرفعه على الأحداقِ

مَن كنت أرفعه على الأحداقِ

Against my will, today you were laid in the dust,

So despite my nose today, who lowered you in the dust

you whom I used to raise upon my eyes.

I used to raise above all others

فلو استطعتُ عن التراب رفعته

فلو استطعتُ عن التراب رفعته

بالوضع بين ترائبٍ وتراقي

بالوضع بين ترائبٍ وتراقي

If I could, I would lift him from the earth

If I could lift you from the soil

by setting him between breastbones and collarbones.

I would place you between litters and high ground

واهاً لتربة ذلك الجدث الذي

واهاً لتربة ذلك الجدث الذي

فيه دفنت مكارم الأخلاقِ

فيه دفنت مكارم الأخلاقِ

Ah, for the soil of that grave

Alas for the soil of that corpse in which

in which noble character was buried!

The morals of noble character were buried

مصَّت ندى تلك البنان فأعطشت

مصَّت ندى تلك البنان فأعطشت

عودَ الرجاء وكان ذا إيراقِ

عودَ الرجاء وكان ذا إيراقِ

It sucked the dew from those fingers and parched

The dew of those fingers was sipped, leaving thirsty

hope's stem, once clothed in leaves.

The rod of hope, though it was dripping

إيهاً صروف الدهر دونك في الورى اب

إيهاً صروف الدهر دونك في الورى اب

تدري بلا فرقٍ ولا إشفاقِ

تدري بلا فرقٍ ولا إشفاقِ

Go on, vicissitudes of time! Have at mortals; rush

Woe to the turns of fate below you in the land

forth without fear or pity.

Uncaring, without distinction or sympathy

غطي التراب على قريعك وابرزي

غطي التراب على قريعك وابرزي

في الناس كاشفةً لهم عن ساقِ

في الناس كاشفةً لهم عن ساقِ

Heap earth over your champion, and come forth

The dust covers your tomb, so come out

among people, baring a shin before them.

Baring to the people your leg

قدرٌ رمى شجر العلوم بمعطشٍ

قدرٌ رمى شجر العلوم بمعطشٍ

فشكت أعاليه جفافَ الساقِ

فشكت أعاليه جفافَ الساقِ

Fate struck the tree of learning with drought,

Destiny threw down the tree of knowledge, leaving it thirsty

so its upper branches lamented the dryness of its trunk.

So its heights complained of the dryness of the leg

وذوى وزال عن القلوب لفقد مَن

وذوى وزال عن القلوب لفقد مَن

قد كانَ بحراً والقلوبُ سواقي

قد كانَ بحراً والقلوبُ سواقي

It withered and vanished from hearts for loss of him

It withered and was lost from hearts for one whose

who had been a sea, while hearts were streams.

Presence was an ocean while hearts were irrigation ducts

سُلبتْ نضارته وغودر عن يَدي

سُلبتْ نضارته وغودر عن يَدي

طلاّبه متساقطَ الأوراقِ

طلاّبه متساقطَ الأوراقِ

Its freshness was stolen, and it was left beyond the reach

Deprived of his blossoms and stolen from

of its seekers, shedding its leaves.

His pursuers, his pages falling

يا نازلاً غرف الجنان وتاركَ ال

يا نازلاً غرف الجنان وتاركَ ال

صبِّ المشوق بقاتم الأعماقِ

صبِّ المشوق بقاتم الأعماقِ

O you who dwell in the chambers of Paradise and leave the

O you who descended the chambers of paradise, leaving

passionate, yearning lover in murky depths,

The pouring darkness in the depths

وفدت عليك صلاةُ ربّك شائقاً

وفدت عليك صلاةُ ربّك شائقاً

منعت إليه وفادةَ المشتاقِ

منعت إليه وفادةَ المشتاقِ

Your Lord's blessing has come to you, O inspirer of longing,

The prayer of your Lord came to you yearning

who have denied the yearning lover a visit to you.

Forbidden for it is the yearning of the ardent lover

فاذهب وحسبُك للعُلى بمحمدٍ

فاذهب وحسبُك للعُلى بمحمدٍ

فعلاه لا يرقى إليها الراقي

فعلاه لا يرقى إليها الراقي

Go, then; Muḥammad is enough for your glory,

So go, your ascension to the Most High through Muhammad

for no climber can ascend to his heights.

Is enough, no sublime one ascends to it

عرجت به لسماء فضلك همَّةٌ

عرجت به لسماء فضلك همَّةٌ

قالت أجلُّ من البراق براقي

قالت أجلُّ من البراق براقي

A lofty resolve bore him to the heaven of your excellence,

A resolve ascended you to the heaven of your superiority

saying, 'My Burāq is nobler than al-Burāq.'

Saying more sublime than Al-Buraq is my mount

هذا الذي ورث النبوَّة علمَها

هذا الذي ورث النبوَّة علمَها

ومن الإِمامة حلّ أيَّ رواقِ

ومن الإِمامة حلّ أيَّ رواقِ

This is he who inherited prophecy's knowledge,

This one who inherited the knowledge of his prophecy

and what a pavilion of the Imamate he occupies!

And from the imamate donned every litters

ولقد أقولُ لمن بغاه بضغنه

ولقد أقولُ لمن بغاه بضغنه

أقصرْ فلستَ تناله بلحاقِ

أقصرْ فلستَ تناله بلحاقِ

And to whoever assails him in rancor I say:

And I say to one who hates him in his spite

'Desist! You cannot reach him by pursuit.'

Fall short, you cannot reach him by pursuit

عجباً طمعت بمن يروضك عالماً

عجباً طمعت بمن يروضك عالماً

إنَّ القلوب تراضُ بالإرفاقِ

إنَّ القلوب تراضُ بالإرفاقِ

How strange! You set your sights on one who tames you, knowing

Wondrous, you hope to tame a master

that hearts are tamed through gentleness.

Indeed hearts are tamed by gentle handling

لا تقربنَّ الصلَّ نضنض مطرقاً

لا تقربنَّ الصلَّ نضنض مطرقاً

فالصلُّ سورته مع الإطراقِ

فالصلُّ سورته مع الإطراقِ

Never approach the asp when it flicks its tongue, head bowed,

Do not come near this kinship, buzzing angrily

for the asp's fury comes with its bowed head.

For kinship, its defensive wall is gentleness

هو والحسينُ كلاهما قمرا عُلى

هو والحسينُ كلاهما قمرا عُلى

في فتيةٍ هم أنجم الآفاقِ

في فتيةٍ هم أنجم الآفاقِ

He and al-Ḥusayn are both moons of eminence,

He and Hussein are both moons of the Most High

among young men who are the stars of the horizons.

Among youths who are the stars of horizons

من كلِّ نهاض العزائم حائزٍ

من كلِّ نهاض العزائم حائزٍ

قصبَ الرهان بيوم كلِّ سباقِ

قصبَ الرهان بيوم كلِّ سباقِ

Each, mighty in resolve, wins

Seizing the stalks of resolve on the day of every race

the victor's reed on the day of every race.

They carried the wager with valor

خطبت لهم بكر العُلى وهمُ لها

خطبت لهم بكر العُلى وهمُ لها

جعلوا جميل الذكر خيرَ صداقِ

جعلوا جميل الذكر خيرَ صداقِ

I wooed glory's virgin bride for them, and they

The Most High asked for them in marriage and they

made fair renown her finest dowry.

Made the good mention the best dowry

فبنو بخيرِ عقيلةٍ ما راعها

فبنو بخيرِ عقيلةٍ ما راعها

صرفُ النوائب منهم بطلاقِ

صرفُ النوائب منهم بطلاقِ

So they wed the noblest lady, never frightened

So they built with the best bride what guarded it

by calamity's turns with any threat of divorce from them.

The turns of misfortunes from them with divorce

لولاهم غدت القلوبُ كمضغةٍ

لولاهم غدت القلوبُ كمضغةٍ

بلهى الخطوب تلاكُ بالأشداقِ

بلهى الخطوب تلاكُ بالأشداقِ

Without them, hearts would have become morsels

Were it not for them, hearts would become like wads

in calamities' throats, chewed between their jaws.

Crazed by the misfortunes, meeting them with mouths agape

ولأطبقت ظلمُ الرزيَّة واختفى

ولأطبقت ظلمُ الرزيَّة واختفى

ضوءُ السلوِّ بذلك الإطباقِ

ضوءُ السلوِّ بذلك الإطباقِ

And affliction's darkness would have closed in, hiding

And the darkness of misery would have prevailed and the

the light of consolation beneath that pall.

Light of serenity would have been obscured by it

فهم البدورُ تفاوتت بطلوعها

فهم البدورُ تفاوتت بطلوعها

في المجد لا في التمِّ والإشراقِ

في المجد لا في التمِّ والإشراقِ

They are full moons, differing in their rising

For they are the full moons that rose unequalled

in glory, not in fullness or radiance.

In glory, not in blemish and brilliance

المجدُ أطلعها وقالَ معوّذاً

المجدُ أطلعها وقالَ معوّذاً

لا نِيلَ باهرُ مجدكم بمحاقِ

لا نِيلَ باهرُ مجدكم بمحاقِ

Glory made them rise and uttered a protective blessing:

Glory rose over them saying, protected

'May your dazzling glory never be overtaken by waning.'

Unattainable is your magnificent glory by pursuit