ترسمت بعد المستقلين أربعا

ترسمت بعد المستقلين أربعا

فأسقيتها من وابل العين أدمعا

فأسقيتها من وابل العين أدمعا

I traced the dwellings after their people had departed,

After the demise of the chosen ones, four

And watered them with tears from the eye's downpour.

I watered it with the rain of my eyes' tears

محاها البلا حتى ظننت رسومها

محاها البلا حتى ظننت رسومها

ركائب زارتها عواكف خشعا

ركائب زارتها عواكف خشعا

Decay effaced them, until I thought their traces

The afflictions erased it until I thought its traits

Were riding camels that had visited them, lingering, humbly bowed.

Were carriages visited by humble maidens

أسائلها عن فخرها أين أزمعا

أسائلها عن فخرها أين أزمعا

فيثني الصدا ما قلته أين أزمعا

فيثني الصدا ما قلته أين أزمعا

I question them about their pride: where did he resolve to go?

I ask it about its pride, where are you heading?

The echo repeats my words: where did he resolve to go?

So the echo repeats what I said, where are you heading?

عفت مذ مضى عنها علي بن جعفر

عفت مذ مضى عنها علي بن جعفر

واقلع عنها السعد ليلة اقلعا

واقلع عنها السعد ليلة اقلعا

They fell to ruin when Ali ibn Ja'far departed from them,

It has been chaste since Ali bin Ja'far departed it

And fortune deserted them the night he departed.

And Sa'd turned away from it on the night he turned away

مصاب على الإسلام حط كلا كلا

مصاب على الإسلام حط كلا كلا

فأزعج أرباب الحفاظ وروعا

فأزعج أرباب الحفاظ وروعا

A calamity laid its crushing weight upon Islam,

An affliction upon Islam alighted saying halt, halt

Disturbing the men of steadfast honor and striking them with terror.

So it startled the protectors of the strongholds and frightened them

ليومي علي تذرف العين أدمعا

ليومي علي تذرف العين أدمعا

فإنها سيان رزءاً ومصرعا

فإنها سيان رزءاً ومصرعا

For Ali's two days, the eye sheds tears,

My days over Ali are streaming with tears

For they are alike in bereavement and death.

For they are equal whether life or demise

فذلك ماد العرش من وقع صدعه

فذلك ماد العرش من وقع صدعه

وهذا له ركن الهدى قد تصدعا

وهذا له ركن الهدى قد تصدعا

At that loss, the Throne swayed at the shock of its rending;

So that shook the throne due to the impact of its cracking

And at this, the pillar of guidance has split apart.

And this, the pillar of guidance cracked for it

لئن جاءت الأيام شنعاء في الورى

لئن جاءت الأيام شنعاء في الورى

فيوم علي كان أدهى وأشنعا

فيوم علي كان أدهى وأشنعا

Even if days have come hideous upon mankind,

If the days come ugly in the earth

Ali's day was more dreadful and more hideous.

Then the day of Ali was the most painful and ugliest

فلا بكر الناعي على الناس ويحه

فلا بكر الناعي على الناس ويحه

بفيه الثرى هل يدري أي فتى نعى

بفيه الثرى هل يدري أي فتى نعى

May the death-announcer never visit people at dawn—woe to him!

So do not, oh you who announcer the people, alas

Dust in his mouth! Does he know what noble man he proclaimed dead?

With dirt in your mouth, does he know which youth he announced the death of?

نعى سيداً لم يلحظ الدهر مغضبا

نعى سيداً لم يلحظ الدهر مغضبا

بعينيه إلا انصاع منه مروعا

بعينيه إلا انصاع منه مروعا

He announced the death of a lord who never glared angrily at Time

He announced the death of a master who, whenever enraged

With his eyes but it yielded, terrified of him;

The universe yielded to him, frightened

إماماً له ألقى الزمان قياده

إماماً له ألقى الزمان قياده

فجاء على وفق الإرادة طيعا

فجاء على وفق الإرادة طيعا

An imam to whom Time surrendered its reins,

A leader who destiny gave its leadership

And came obediently, in accord with his will;

So he came obediently following the will

وغوثاً لنا في فادح الخطب مفزعا

وغوثاً لنا في فادح الخطب مفزعا

وغيثاً لنا في كالح الجدب مربعا

وغيثاً لنا في كالح الجدب مربعا

And our succor, a refuge in crushing disaster,

And a refuge for us in the immense adversities, a shelter

And rain for us in grim drought, bringing spring pasture.

And a rain for us in the barren drought, a downpour

متى شن جيش الدهر غارةً غدره

متى شن جيش الدهر غارةً غدره

توهم منه سطوة فتذعذعا

توهم منه سطوة فتذعذعا

Whenever Time's army launched its treacherous raid,

Whenever the army of time launches a treacherous attack

It anticipated his onslaught and scattered in disarray.

And is imagined to have power so it shakes

سرى نعشة في الناس مسرى نواله

سرى نعشة في الناس مسرى نواله

وخط له في قلب المجد مضجعا

وخط له في قلب المجد مضجعا

His bier traveled among the people as his bounty had traveled,

His coffin flowed among the people like his glory

And a resting place was marked for him in glory's heart.

And the glory inscribed for him in the heart of glory a resting place

فيا طود عز قد أمنا بظله

فيا طود عز قد أمنا بظله

تكنفه ريب الردى فتزعزعا

تكنفه ريب الردى فتزعزعا

O mountain of might, in whose shade we felt safe,

Oh towering glory, we felt safe in its shade

Death's vicissitudes surrounded it, and it tottered;

That almost ripped apart the cloak of misery and shook it

ومرتكما نسقي بصيب وبله

ومرتكما نسقي بصيب وبله

جلته عقيم النئبات فأقشعا

جلته عقيم النئبات فأقشعا

And a massed cloud by whose pouring rain we were watered,

And oh how majestic, we were watered with shower and rain

The barren wind of calamities swept it away, and it dispersed.

Its barren misfortunes almost stripped it bare and peeled it

وبدراً تعودنا اهتداءاً بنوره

وبدراً تعودنا اهتداءاً بنوره

فأشرق لكن صير النعش مطلعا

فأشرق لكن صير النعش مطلعا

And a full moon by whose light we were used to finding our way,

And a full moon we were used to being guided by its light

It shone, but made the bier its place of rising.

But it rose, though the procession made it seem like a sunset

فيا حامل النعش اتلد فلعله

فيا حامل النعش اتلد فلعله

يزودنا در الحديث فنسمعا

يزودنا در الحديث فنسمعا

O bearer of the bier, go slowly, for perhaps he

Oh bearer of the coffin, be gentle, perhaps

Will grant us pearls of speech, so that we may hear.

It will give us a treasure of wisdom, so we can hear

رويداً فهذي المكرمات نوايح

رويداً فهذي المكرمات نوايح

وراءك تسترعيك حسرى وظلعا

وراءك تسترعيك حسرى وظلعا

Slowly, for these noble virtues are wailing women

Slow down, for these virtues are calling you

Behind you, seeking your care, weary and limping.

With grief and agony following you

أحين ترجتك البرية مطمعاً

أحين ترجتك البرية مطمعاً

تكون لجلاء الرزية مطمعا

تكون لجلاء الرزية مطمعا

Just when creation looked to you as its source of hope,

When have you hoped the wilderness would provide

Do you become prey to overwhelming calamity?

To be a fulfillment of wishes and aspirations?

فقل لبني الآمال خلوا عن السري

فقل لبني الآمال خلوا عن السري

فقد أودع المجد الثري يوم ودعا

فقد أودع المجد الثري يوم ودعا

So tell the children of hope: leave the noble man alone,

So tell the children of hopes to leave travel

For glory was consigned to earth the day he bade farewell.

For glory has entrusted the soil on the day of farewell

وما كنت أدري قبل دفنك أنه

وما كنت أدري قبل دفنك أنه

يكون الثري من ساحة الكون أوسعا

يكون الثري من ساحة الكون أوسعا

And before your burial, I did not know that

And I did not know before your burial

The earth could be wider than the expanse of the universe.

That the soil of the universe would be so spacious

ولا قبل أعواد حملك آملا

ولا قبل أعواد حملك آملا

بشامخ رضوى أن يقل ويوضعا

بشامخ رضوى أن يقل ويوضعا

Nor, before the timbers that bore you, did I expect

Nor before the procession carrying you proudly

That lofty Radwa could be carried and set down.

That pride would decrease and be laid down

هدأت فصيرت القلوب خوافقاً

هدأت فصيرت القلوب خوافقاً

ذهبت فخلفت الحواديث رجعا

ذهبت فخلفت الحواديث رجعا

You grew still, and so made hearts flutter;

You rested, so you made the hearts submissive

You departed, leaving tales to echo.

You left, so you made conversations turn back

وأنزلت قبراً قد سما بك رفعة

وأنزلت قبراً قد سما بك رفعة

كأنك ما أنزلت إلا لترفعا

كأنك ما أنزلت إلا لترفعا

You were lowered into a grave that rose in honor through you,

And you went into a grave made high by you

As though you were lowered only to be raised.

As if you only went down in order to rise up

تساميت فاستبدلت مننا ملائكاً

تساميت فاستبدلت مننا ملائكاً

تطوف على مثواك مثنى وأربعا

تطوف على مثواك مثنى وأربعا

You rose aloft, exchanging us for angels

You rose up high, so you replaced yourself with angels

Who circle your resting place in twos and fours.

Circling around your resting place two by two and four by four

فللَه رزء كور الشمس في الضحى

فللَه رزء كور الشمس في الضحى

وأوهى قوى الدين القويم وضعضعا

وأوهى قوى الدين القويم وضعضعا

God, what a loss—it rolled up the sun at forenoon,

By Allah, the source of light in the morning dimmed

And weakened the strength of the upright faith and shook it,

And weakened the pillars of the upright religion, shaking them

وألبس وجه البدر إذا حيل بينه

وألبس وجه البدر إذا حيل بينه

وبين سما شمس المعالم برقعا

وبين سما شمس المعالم برقعا

And clothed the full moon's face—when it was sundered

And clothed the face of the moon, whenever it comes between it

From the heaven of the sun of guiding signs—in a veil.

And the sky, the signs of glory, with a veil

ونعش هوى والمجد فيه إلى الثرى

ونعش هوى والمجد فيه إلى الثرى

فقل في الرواسي الشامخات هوت معا

فقل في الرواسي الشامخات هوت معا

And a bier fell to earth with glory within it;

And the coffin of love and glory into the ground

Say of the towering mountains: they fell together.

So say it crashed down in the towering strongholds

أقام لنا ركب التحسر والجوى

أقام لنا ركب التحسر والجوى

وودع ركب الصبر ساعة ودعا

وودع ركب الصبر ساعة ودعا

He brought to stay among us the caravan of regret and heartache,

It established for us a riding animal of grief and lament

And sent away the caravan of patience when he bade farewell.

And bid farewell to the riding animal of patience at the hour of farewell

فلي مقلة مهما أردت كفافها

فلي مقلة مهما أردت كفافها

أفاضت دموعاً فوق خدي أربعا

أفاضت دموعاً فوق خدي أربعا

I have an eye that, however much I try to restrain it,

So I have grief, no matter how much I want to relieve it

Pours tears upon my cheek four at a time.

It pours tears above my cheek continuously

وفي كبدي داء إذا ما شكوته

وفي كبدي داء إذا ما شكوته

لتنفعه الشكوى يزيد توجعا

لتنفعه الشكوى يزيد توجعا

And in my liver is an ache that, whenever I complain of it

And in my liver is an illness which even if I complain of it

So that complaint may ease it, grows more painful.

Complaining does not benefit it, rather increases its pain

وقائلة هيهات تأمل سلوةً

وقائلة هيهات تأمل سلوةً

ولم تبق في قوس الصبر منزعا

ولم تبق في قوس الصبر منزعا

And a woman says: How far-fetched, your hope for solace,

And it says alas, look for solace

When you have left no draw in patience's bow!

While there is no escape left in the bow of patience

فقلت بلى إن السلو بسيد

فقلت بلى إن السلو بسيد

أغر وأزكى العالمين وأورعا

أغر وأزكى العالمين وأورعا

I said: Yes indeed—solace lies in a lord,

So I said "Yes, solace is in the Master

Radiant, the purest of all people and the most devout.

Most generous and purest of both worlds and most devout

هو الحسن الفعل الجميل به العزا

هو الحسن الفعل الجميل به العزا

وإن عظمت تلك الرزية موقعا

وإن عظمت تلك الرزية موقعا

He is Hasan, fair of deed; consolation in him is fitting,

He is the beautiful deed, the good deed, through him there is honor

Though that calamity's impact was immense.

Even if the impact of that tragedy was great

فلولاه ما قامت شريعة أحمدٍ

فلولاه ما قامت شريعة أحمدٍ

ولم ندر منها واجباً إن تطوعا

ولم ندر منها واجباً إن تطوعا

Were it not for him, Ahmad's sacred law would not have stood,

For were it not for him, the law of Ahmed would not have stood

Nor would we know its obligations from its voluntary acts.

And we would not have known an obligation, even if volunteered

تسل معيد الدين غضا فإنما

تسل معيد الدين غضا فإنما

شعار الليالي إن تريع وتفزعا

شعار الليالي إن تريع وتفزعا

Take solace, restorer of the faith's freshness, for

Find solace, the restorer of religion, being forbearing, for

The nights' hallmark is to terrify and alarm.

The motto of nights, if they terrify and shake, is to be patient

تفيأت من روق الفخار سرادقاً

تفيأت من روق الفخار سرادقاً

سمت فغدت من شامخ النسر أرفعا

سمت فغدت من شامخ النسر أرفعا

You have taken shade beneath pavilions of glory's choicest splendor,

You sought shade under the celestial dome

Which rose and became higher than the lofty Eagle.

And became, rising above the towering eagle, higher

ولي سلوة في فرعه الماجد الذي

ولي سلوة في فرعه الماجد الذي

عفاة الورى تأوي لمغناه شرعا

عفاة الورى تأوي لمغناه شرعا

And I have solace in his noble branch, to whose

And I have solace in its glorious branch

Dwelling the world's seekers of bounty flock together.

To whose singing voices and verses the barefoot of the world head towards in droves

محمد وصف عز كهف ممنعا

محمد وصف عز كهف ممنعا

وزاخر علم ثابت العزم ألمعا

وزاخر علم ثابت العزم ألمعا

Muhammad, an image of might, an impregnable refuge,

Muhammad, whose might is an impenetrable cave

Overflowing with knowledge, steadfast in resolve, keen-witted.

Abundant knowledge, resolute, brilliant

له همة تعلو السماكين رفعةً

له همة تعلو السماكين رفعةً

وتأنف أن ترضى المجرة موضعا

وتأنف أن ترضى المجرة موضعا

His ambition rises in height above the two Simak stars,

He has an ambition that ascends the heavens in loftiness

And disdains to accept the Milky Way as its station.

And disdains being pleased with the galaxy as a position

وساد الورى طراً بنيل مكارم

وساد الورى طراً بنيل مكارم

متى ما دعا الداع الإلهي أسرعا

متى ما دعا الداع الإلهي أسرعا

He surpassed all mankind by attaining noble virtues;

He led the world by achieving virtues

Whenever the divine caller called, he hastened.

Whenever the divine caller called, he was the quickest to respond

ومن بعده المهدي فينا ومن حوى

ومن بعده المهدي فينا ومن حوى

شمائل أضحت من شذا المسك أضوعا

شمائل أضحت من شذا المسك أضوعا

And after him is Mahdi among us, one who has gathered

And after him al-Mahdi among us, the one who encompassed

Qualities that have become more fragrant than the scent of musk.

Attributes that have become, from the scent of musk, the most fragrant

فيا أهل بيت قد أبى اللَه أن نرى

فيا أهل بيت قد أبى اللَه أن نرى

بهم غير عامٍ للشريعة أروعا

بهم غير عامٍ للشريعة أروعا

O household, God has refused that we should see

Oh people of the house, Allah refused that we see

Among them anyone but an awe-inspiring guardian of sacred law.

In them other than a pillar for the law, the most wondrous

إذا غاب منكم ما جد قام ماجد

إذا غاب منكم ما جد قام ماجد

به أورق الإسلام عوداً وأينعا

به أورق الإسلام عوداً وأينعا

When a noble one among you departs, another noble one arises,

If one of you is absent, a glorious one takes his place

Through whom Islam's stem puts forth leaves and ripens.

Through him, Islam flourishes, becomes green

سقى جدثاً وأرى علياً من الرضا

سقى جدثاً وأرى علياً من الرضا

سحاباً بعفو اللَه يهمي مدعدعا

سحاباً بعفو اللَه يهمي مدعدعا

May the grave that enfolded Ali be watered with grace

He satiated a thirst, and I see in al-Rida

By a cloud pouring copiously with God's forgiveness.

A cloud, with God's pardon, heavily laden