منwho غالslew مجدglory قريشQuraysh امسyesterday منwhom غالاhe slew
من غال مجد قريش امس من غالا
وسامand subjected عزmight نزارNizar الجودgenerosity اذلالاhumiliation
وسام عز نزار الجود اذلالا
Who slew Quraysh's glory yesterday—whom did he slay—
The glory of Quraish has vanished since he who sustained it passed away,
And subjected the might of generous Nizar to humiliation?
The honor and might of the generous have become humbled and brought low.
منwho فلَّblunted ابيضa gleaming sword عضباًkeen-edged منof بنيsons of مضرMudar
من فلَّ ابيض عضباً من بني مضر
فنالand so inflicted harm منupon مضرMudar الحمراءthe Red ماwhat نالاhe inflicted
فنال من مضر الحمراء ما نالا
Who blunted a gleaming, keen-edged sword of Mudar's sons,
He whose anger flashed white when the progeny of Mudar were wronged,
And dealt Mudar the Red the harm he dealt?
Attained from the ruddy-complexioned Mudar what none else attained.
حمَّالbearer اثقالburdens عبءload المجدglory خفَّsped away بهwith him
حمَّال اثقال عبء المجد خفَّ به
خطبa calamity فعطلso left unborne للعلياءfor high honor اثقالاburdens
خطب فعطل للعلياء اثقالا
The bearer of glory's heavy burdens was swept away
Bearing the burdens of glory he walked with ease,
By a calamity that left high honor's burdens unborne.
He sought and rendered the heights accessible to the exalted.
القىlaid down الجرانa camel's lower neck علىupon فهرFihr فذعذهاand scattered her
القى الجران على فهر فذعذها
ومرَّand passed on يخلطmingling بالاهوالwith terrors اهوالاterrors
ومرَّ يخلط بالاهوال اهوالا
It laid its camel-neck upon Fihr and scattered her,
He hurled his club at the mountain, crushing it,
And passed on, mingling terrors with terrors.
He wove through tribulations, threading tribulation upon tribulation.
اناخknelt فيamong هاشمHashim بركاkneeling down بكلكلهwith its chest
اناخ في هاشم بركا بكلكله
فهدَّand toppled منamong هاشمHashim البطحاءal-Batha اجبالاmountains
فهدَّ من هاشم البطحاء اجبالا
It knelt among Hashim, bearing down with its chest,
He reined his steed at Hashim, honoring them,
And toppled mountains among Hashim of al-Batha.
He leveled the plains around Hashim's dwellings into mountains.
ماwhat بالcondition طيبةTayba غبَّforsook الطيبperfume مفرقهاher hair-parting
ما بال طيبة غبَّ الطيب مفرقها
وركبand the riders of مكةMecca خوَّىbowed down كاسفاًgloomy بالاat heart
وركب مكة خوَّى كاسفاً بالا
What ails Tayba, her hair-parting bereft of perfume,
What ails Taybah that its sweetness is scattered?
And Mecca's riders bowed down, gloomy at heart?
He rode Mekka-wards downcast and troubled.
ماnot إنan emphatic particle تضعضعtottered اوor مالتleaned جوانبهhis sides
ما إن تضعضع او مالت جوانبه
الاexcept تضعضعtottered جنبthe side of البيتthe House اوor مالاleaned
الا تضعضع جنب البيت او مالا
Never did he totter or his sides lean,
No sooner did its edges quiver or lean to one side,
Without the House's side tottering or leaning too.
Than the edifice of the Sacred House quivered or leaned to one side.
سماrose high فوَّطدand firmly established مجداًglory فالسماand then the heavens وهوىand fell
سما فوَّطد مجداً فالسما وهوى
فزلزلand shook الارضthe earth حزناin grief فيهfor him زلزالاa mighty shaking
فزلزل الارض حزنا فيه زلزالا
He soared, setting glory and the heavens firm, then fell,
He aspired and firmly established glory, thus aspiring to the heavens,
And shook the earth with a mighty trembling of grief for him.
The earth quaked with sorrow and tremored in an earthquake.
ياO ليتwould that شعريَmy knowing هلwhether اطفيquenched ذبالتهاits wick
يا ليت شعريَ هل اطفي ذبالتها
منhe who كانused to يسرجهاkindle it بالفكرwith thought اشعالاinto flame
من كان يسرجها بالفكر اشعالا
Would that I knew: has he quenched its wick,
Would that I knew! Did he quench its burning embers
He who used to set it ablaze with thought?
When he fueled it with reflective thoughts and fiery passions?
اودىmade an end الحمامdeath بمنof one who لوif سلَّunsheathed مقولهhis tongue
اودى الحمام بمن لو سلَّ مقوله
احالtransformed منof مشكلan obscure matter اوor حلَّresolved اشكالاa difficulty
احال من مشكل او حلَّ اشكالا
Death carried off one who, had he unsheathed his tongue,
Loss to the dove that bore his spoken word!
Would have cleared up an obscure matter or resolved a difficulty.
It solved the complex or untied a knotty tangle.
إناindeed we قبرناwe buried بذاكin that القبرgrave ذاone with شطبblade-grooves
إنا قبرنا بذاك القبر ذا شطب
عضبkeen الشباthe cutting edges واصمّand solid الكعبthe shaft-joint عسالاquivering
عضب الشبا واصمّ الكعب عسالا
Indeed, in that grave we buried a grooved sword,
We buried that tomb, marked and elevated,
Keen of edge, and a solid-jointed, quivering spear.
The resting place of a raging lion with sharpened claws.
علكنchewed منهof him نيوبfangs الموتdeath ذاone with لبدa thick mane
علكن منه نيوب الموت ذا لبد
ورداًtawny يدلُّemboldens علوقthe gripping of النابthe fang رئبالاa lion
ورداً يدلُّ علوق الناب رئبالا
In him, death's fangs devoured a maned lion,
Mayhap the fanged maw of death will spare him,
A tawny lion whom the fang's grip emboldens.
A flower that indicates to the mouths of lances the scent of musk.
قدindeed غاضebbed مفعمbrimming بحرa sea فاضoverflowed فيكin you جدىًbounty
قد غاض مفعم بحر فاض فيك جدىً
فآلso became بعدكafter you ياO بحرsea الجدىbounty آلاa mirage
فآل بعدك يا بحر الجدى آلا
The brimming sea that overflowed in you with bounty has ebbed,
The abundant sea of excellence surged and overflowed from you,
So after you, O sea, bounty became a mirage.
After you O Ocean of Excellence, none can compare!
ياO مخصبone making fertile الشتوةthe winter season الغبراdust-grey لسائلهfor his petitioner
يا مخصب الشتوة الغبرا لسائله
حيّاًalive يمرpassing علىover الاحياءthe clans سيالاflowing freely
حيّاً يمر على الاحياء سيالا
O you who made the dust-grey winter fertile for your petitioner,
O You who revived the barren valley for its beseechers!
In life, passing over the clans in flowing abundance,
Passing by the living like a torrent flowing.
وممطرand one raining upon السرحةthe spreading tree الغنَّاlush مفيئةcasting shade
وممطر السرحة الغنَّا مفيئة
علىover الطريقthe road تحيّwelcoming الركبthe caravan محلالاa hospitable stopping-place
على الطريق تحيّ الركب محلالا
And you who watered the lush spreading tree, casting shade
O You who rained on the pleasure-spot, making it verdant,
Across the road, welcoming the caravan to a hospitable resting-place.
A shaded sanctuary, greeting travelers in the resting place.
اثكلتyou bereaved للشرعfor the sacred Law امّاًa mother برَّةdevoted واباًand a father
اثكلت للشرع امّاً برَّة واباً
ياO مثكلbereaver of الشرعthe sacred Law اعماماًpaternal uncles واخوالاand maternal uncles
يا مثكل الشرع اعماماً واخوالا
You left the sacred Law bereft of a devoted mother and father,
You left the Law without a caring mother or righteous father,
O you who bereaved the Law of paternal and maternal uncles.
O You who left the Law without paternal uncles or maternal kin!
منfrom بعدafter فقدكlosing you اعياbaffled العلمlearning مقفلهits locked gate
من بعد فقدك اعيا العلم مقفله
ياO فاتحاًopener لرتاجfor the gate of العلمlearning اقفالاlocks
يا فاتحاً لرتاج العلم اقفالا
Since your loss, learning has been baffled by its locked gate,
After you were gone, the doors of knowledge closed,
O you who opened the locks upon learning's gate.
O You who unlocked the bolts and doors of knowledge!
تسلّبتstripped itself of بعدكafter you الدنياthe world غضارتهاits freshness
تسلّبت بعدك الدنيا غضارتها
فعُرِّيتand was stripped bare كالفتاةlike a maiden الرودtender معطالاwithout ornaments
فعُرِّيت كالفتاة الرود معطالا
After you, the world stripped itself of its freshness,
The world was stripped of its splendor after you,
And was left bare, like a tender maiden without ornaments.
Bared like an unveiled maiden with her jewels removed.
لوif كانwere فيin اجلan allotted lifespan مستدفعٌavertible اجلٌan appointed death
لو كان في اجل مستدفعٌ اجلٌ
لقمتthen I would rise ادفعI ward off بالآجالwith allotted lives انبالاarrows
لقمت ادفع بالآجال انبالا
If an appointed end could be averted by another life,
If appointed time could be driven back,
I would rise to ward off arrows with allotted lives.
I would have averted impending time with ready substitutions.
إِنif غابvanished خلَّفleft behind اسدthe lion of الغابthe forest مشبلةa lioness with cubs
إِن غاب خلَّف اسد الغاب مشبلة
والاسدand lions تخلفleave behind فيin الغاباتthe forests اشبالاcubs
والاسد تخلف في الغابات اشبالا
If the forest's lion vanishes, he leaves a lioness with cubs,
Though the lion of the thicket has passed, he left behind cubs,
And lions leave cubs behind in the forests.
While lions leave their cubs behind them in the thickets.
فحسبناso enough for us اليومtoday عمنin place of one who قدalready مضىpassed away بدلa successor
فحسبنا اليوم عمن قد مضى بدل
انif اعوزfailed to provide الدهرtime بالمفقودfor the lost one ابدالاreplacements
ان اعوز الدهر بالمفقود ابدالا
Today a successor suffices us in place of him who has passed,
We now suffice - instead of one gone - with his replacement,
Even if time cannot replace the one who is lost:
Lest time always disappoint me through loss and bereavement.
المحسينthe one excelling (unclear form) القولspeech والفعلand action الجميلnoble معاtogether
المحسين القول والفعل الجميل معا
والمرءand a person يمدحis praised اقوالاfor words وافعالاand deeds
والمرء يمدح اقوالا وافعالا
Excelling in speech and noble deeds alike,
Those who combine beautiful words and deeds,
And a man is praised for words and deeds.
Are praised for their words and deeds.
ماnever اعرضتturned away اوجهfaces اللذاتpleasures منfrom جهةa quarter
ما اعرضت اوجه اللذات من جهة
الاexcept ومنand from جهةa quarter اقبلنthey approached اقبالاcoming forward
الا ومن جهة اقبلن اقبالا
Never have the faces of pleasure turned away from one quarter,
I did not spurn the pleasures from any direction,
Without coming forward from another.
Except that they retreated and approached from some other direction.
لمdid not تبقremain حالa state علىin حالa state وإنeven if زعمواthey claimed
لم تبق حال على حال وإن زعموا
فسوفso will تلقىyou encounter لحالfor a state بعدهاafter it حالاa state
فسوف تلقى لحال بعدها حالا
No condition stays the same, whatever they may claim,
No state remains unchanged though they claim otherwise,
So after each condition you will encounter another.
For after every state comes yet another state.
مازالnever ceased ترنوgazing اليهat him العينthe eye شاخصةfixed and staring
مازال ترنو اليه العين شاخصة
حتىuntil تمثَّلappeared in bodily form فيin المحرابthe prayer-niche تمثالاan image
حتى تمثَّل في المحراب تمثالا
The eye kept gazing at him, fixed and staring,
My eyes persist in yearning towards him,
Until he appeared in the prayer-niche, an image.
Until he appeared to me in a vision.
ثلجُcoolness الفؤادthe heart اذاwhen الحرّانthe fevered man عارضهmet him
ثلجُ الفؤاد اذا الحرّان عارضه
ازادwhether ... grew جانحيتهhis breast (unclear form) الوهلfear اوor جالاroamed
ازاد جانحيته الوهل او جالا
Coolness to the heart when a fevered man meets him,
The intense heat melts my heart whenever it afflicts me,
Whether fear swells within his breast or roams there.
Increasing my confusion and disorientation.
هوّنmake easier عليكon yourself فلاfor no الآلامpains مؤلمةpainful
هوّن عليك فلا الآلام مؤلمة
بعدafter الحسينal-Husayn ولاnor الآمالhopes آمالاhopes
بعد الحسين ولا الآمال آمالا
Be gentle with yourself: no pains are painful
Be gentle with yourself, neither sorrows nor hopes hurt
After al-Husayn, nor are hopes truly hopes.
After al-Husayn; hopes are no longer hopes.
اجلُّI hold too exalted مثواهhis resting-place انto يسقىbe watered ببارقةٍby a lightning-cloud
اجلُّ مثواه ان يسقى ببارقةٍ
اوor انto يبلَّbe moistened بغاديby the morning-coming السحبclouds ابلالاa thorough wetting
او ان يبلَّ بغادي السحب ابلالا
I deem his resting-place too exalted to be watered by a lightning-cloud,
Exalted is his resting place, whether watered by lightning,
Or drenched by clouds that come in the morning.
Or nourished from the clouds pouring down heavy rains.
Sol 6.1