أَيُّwhat بُشْرَىglad tidings حَمَّلْتُموهَاyou had it borne by الْكِتَابَاthe letter
أَيُّ بُشْرَى حَمَّلْتُموهَا الْكِتَابَا
جَاءَنِيcame to me دَاعِياًinviting فَكُنْتُso I became الجَّوَابَاthe reply
جَاءَنِي دَاعِياً فَكُنْتُ الجَّوَابَا
What glad tidings you made the letter bear!
It came to me with an invitation, so I became the reply.
شَرْفاًhonor لِلْنُّبُوغِto genius حَيْثُwherever يَحْيَاit lives
شَرْفاً لِلْنُّبُوغِ حَيْثُ يَحْيَا
كَيْفَhowever وهْوُwhile it is النُّبُوغُgenius حُرّاًfree لُبَابَاpure in essence
كَيْفَ وهْوُ النُّبُوغُ حُرّاً لُبَابَا
Honor to genius wherever it lives,
however it lives—genius, free and pure.
إِنَّكُمْindeed, you يُوْمُon the day تُكَرِّمُونَhonor حُسَيْناًHusayn
إِنَّكُمْ يُوْمُ تُكَرِّمُونَ حُسَيْناً
تُكَرِّمُونَhonor الأَخْلاَقَvirtue وَالآدَابَاand cultivated manners
تُكَرِّمُونَ الأَخْلاَقَ وَالآدَابَا
Indeed, on the day you honor Husayn,
you honor virtue and cultivated manners,
فِيin هُمَامٍa noble man جَازَsurpassed الكُهُولَةَmiddle age عَقْلاًin intellect
فِي هُمَامٍ جَازَ الكُهُولَةَ عَقْلاً
وَاخْتِبَاراًand experience وَمَاand has not تَخَطَّىpassed beyond الشَّبَابَاyouth
وَاخْتِبَاراً وَمَا تَخَطَّى الشَّبَابَا
in a noble man beyond middle age in intellect
and experience, though he has not passed beyond youth.
يُحْكِمُmakes sound الرَّأْيَjudgment فيin تَصَرُّفِهِhis conduct غَيْرِnot
يُحْكِمُ الرَّأْيَ في تَصَرُّفِهِ غَيْرِ
مُبَالٍcaring لُوْeven if سِيمَhe was subjected to فِيهِfor it العَذَابَاtorment
مُبَالٍ لُوْ سِيمَ فِيهِ العَذَابَا
He exercises sound judgment in his conduct, not
caring even if he is subjected to torment for it.
مَانَهَاهُdid not forbid him الضَّميرُconscience إِلاَّexcept تَنَاهَىhe desisted
مَانَهَاهُ الضَّميرُ إِلاَّ تَنَاهَى
أَوْor دَعَاهُcalled him الحِفَاظُthe sense of honor إِلاَّexcept أَجَابَاhe answered
أَوْ دَعَاهُ الحِفَاظُ إِلاَّ أَجَابَا
Conscience never forbids him a thing but he desists,
nor does honor call him without his answering.
َأوْدَعَتْentrusted مِصْرُEgypt سِرَّهَاher secret فِيهِin him فَانْظُرْso look
َأوْدَعَتْ مِصْرُ سِرَّهَا فِيهِ فَانْظُرْ
كَيْفَhow حَازَhe won الوَدَادَaffection وَالإِعْجَابَاand admiration
كَيْفَ حَازَ الوَدَادَ وَالإِعْجَابَا
Egypt entrusted her secret to him; see
how he won affection and admiration.
وَقَلِيلٌand rare فِيamong الصَّادِقِينَthe truthful الَّذِيthe one who
وَقَلِيلٌ فِي الصَّادِقِينَ الَّذِي
يَسْتَكْثِرُgains many الأَصْدِقَاءَfriends وَالأَصْحَابَاand companions
يَسْتَكْثِرُ الأَصْدِقَاءَ وَالأَصْحَابَا
And rare among the truthful is the one
who gains many friends and companions.
فَإِذَاthen when مَاemphatic particle خَلاَhe was alone إلىwith مَنْthose whom يُوَاليhe befriends
فَإِذَا مَا خَلاَ إلى مَنْ يُوَالي
شَقَّhe rent عَنْfrom أَلْطَفِthe most gracious الخِصَالِtraits الحِجَابَاthe veil
شَقَّ عَنْ أَلْطَفِ الخِصَالِ الحِجَابَا
Then, when he is alone with those he befriends,
he rends the veil from his most gracious traits.
يَمْلأُfills الْمَجْلِسَthe gathering احْتِشَاماًwith decorum وَظَرْفاًand wit
يَمْلأُ الْمَجْلِسَ احْتِشَاماً وَظَرْفاً
وَوِقاراًand dignity وَرِقَّةًand gentleness وَدُعَابَاand playful humor
وَوِقاراً وَرِقَّةً وَدُعَابَا
He fills the gathering with decorum and wit,
and dignity, gentleness, and playful humor.
فَطِنٌquick-witted يَشْرَحُgladdens الصُّدُورَhearts بِمَاwith what يُهْدِيhe offers
فَطِنٌ يَشْرَحُ الصُّدُورَ بِمَا يُهْدِي
إِلَيْهَاto them ويَفْتُنُand captivates الأَلْبَابَاminds
إِلَيْهَا ويَفْتُنُ الأَلْبَابَا
Quick-witted, he gladdens hearts with what he offers
them, and captivates minds
بِأَحَادِيثَwith tales لاَnot يَزُدْنَكَthey increase you إِلاَّexcept
بِأَحَادِيثَ لاَ يَزُدْنَكَ إِلاَّ
ظَمَأًthirst أَوْor نزادwe are given more مِنَهَاof them شَرَابَاdrink
ظَمَأً أَوْ نزاد مِنَهَا شَرَابَا
with tales that only increase your
thirst—or we are given more of them to drink.
أَيُّwhat أُنْسٍdelight فِيin كُلٍّevery نَفْسٍsoul إِذَاwhen
أَيُّ أُنْسٍ فِي كُلٍّ نَفْسٍ إِذَا
خَالَطَهَاhe mingled with it كَانَwas فِعْلُهُhis effect خَلاَّبَاenchanting
خَالَطَهَا كَانَ فِعْلُهُ خَلاَّبَا
What delight there is in every soul when
he mingles with it—his effect is enchanting!
لَيْسَis not بُدْعاًanything strange وَذَاكَand that وَصْفُthe character of حُسَيْنٍHusayn
لَيْسَ بُدْعاً وَذَاكَ وَصْفُ حُسَيْنٍ
أَنْthat يُغَنَّىbe sung بِذِكرِهِwith mention of him إِطْنَابَاat length
أَنْ يُغَنَّى بِذِكرِهِ إِطْنَابَا
It is no wonder—such is Husayn's character—
that his name should be sung at length,
ويَحْيَاand lives فيamong كُلِّevery قَوْمٍpeople وَيَلْقَىand receives
ويَحْيَا في كُلِّ قَوْمٍ وَيَلْقَى
حَيْثُwherever حَلَّhe alights التَّأْهِيلَcordial greeting وَالتِّرْحَابَاand warm welcome
حَيْثُ حَلَّ التَّأْهِيلَ وَالتِّرْحَابَا
and he should live among every people and receive,
wherever he alights, cordial greetings and warm welcome.
أَيُّهَاO you العَارِفُونَwho know فَضْلَthe merit of أَخِيكُمْyour brother
أَيُّهَا العَارِفُونَ فَضْلَ أَخِيكُمْ
ذَلِكَthat الْفَضْلُmerit هَلْwhether يُوَفَّىis fully rewarded ثَوَابَاin recompense
ذَلِكَ الْفَضْلُ هَلْ يُوَفَّى ثَوَابَا
O you who know your brother's merit,
can that merit be fully rewarded?
تَرَكَhe left الْمَنْصِبَthe office الرَّفيعَlofty لأَمْرٍfor an undertaking
تَرَكَ الْمَنْصِبَ الرَّفيعَ لأَمْرٍ
عَزَّwas difficult إِلاَّexcept عَلَىfor الْفُحُولِthe foremost men طِلاَبَاto pursue
عَزَّ إِلاَّ عَلَى الْفُحُولِ طِلاَبَا
He left his lofty office for an undertaking
whose pursuit was hard for all but the foremost men.
وَمَضَىand went forth مُطْلَقَfree اليَدَيْنِboth hands يُعَانِيhe confronts
وَمَضَى مُطْلَقَ اليَدَيْنِ يُعَانِي
غَمَرَاتِdepths of peril مَنْwhoever خَاسَfaltered فِيهُنَّin them خَابَاfailed
غَمَرَاتِ مَنْ خَاسَ فِيهُنَّ خَابَا
And he went forth with both hands free, confronting
depths of peril: whoever falters in them fails.
وَحُسَيْنُand Husayn أَذَكَىkeener فُؤاداًin heart وَأَدْرَىand more aware
وَحُسَيْنُ أَذَكَى فُؤاداً وَأَدْرَى
بِالْعُلَىof the heights أَنَّهَاthat they تُنَالُare attained غَلاَبَاthrough struggle
بِالْعُلَى أَنَّهَا تُنَالُ غَلاَبَا
And Husayn is keener of heart and better knows
that the heights are attained through struggle.
وَحُسَيْنُand Husayn لَوْif شَامَglimpsed بِالظَّنِّby surmise بَرْقاًa lightning flash
وَحُسَيْنُ لَوْ شَامَ بِالظَّنِّ بَرْقاً
فِيهِin it خَيْرٌgood لِمَصْرَfor Egypt طَالَhe would reach السَّحَابَاthe clouds
فِيهِ خَيْرٌ لِمَصْرَ طَالَ السَّحَابَا
And Husayn, were he to glimpse by surmise a lightning flash
holding good for Egypt, would reach the clouds.
وَحُسَيْنُand Husayn أَمْضَىmore resolute وَأَبْصَرَand more discerning بِالْعُقْبَىof the outcome
وَحُسَيْنُ أَمْضَى وَأَبْصَرَ بِالْعُقْبَى
فَإِنْso if يَخْطُhe advances لَمْnot يُبَالِhe heeds الصِّعَابَاhardships
فَإِنْ يَخْطُ لَمْ يُبَالِ الصِّعَابَا
And Husayn is more resolute and more discerning of the outcome;
so if he advances, he pays no heed to hardships.
حَيْثُمَاwherever تَصَدَّىhe takes on لِشَأْنٍa matter سَلْask بِهِabout it
حَيْثُمَا تَصَدَّى لِشَأْنٍ سَلْ بِهِ
مِنْamong كِبَارِthe great الشُّؤُونِaffairs تَسْمَعْyou will hear عُجَابَاmarvels
مِنْ كِبَارِ الشُّؤُونِ تَسْمَعْ عُجَابَا
Whenever he takes on a matter—ask about it—
of great importance, you will hear marvels.
مَنْwhoever يَكُنْis ذَاكَsuch عَزْمُهُhis resolve لَيْسَit is not غَرواًa wonder
مَنْ يَكُنْ ذَاكَ عَزْمُهُ لَيْسَ غَرواً
أَنْthat يَقُودَhe leads الطَّليعَةَthe vanguard الأَنْجَابَاthe noble men
أَنْ يَقُودَ الطَّليعَةَ الأَنْجَابَا
For one whose resolve is such, it is no wonder
that he should lead the noble vanguard,
وَيَكُونُand is المِثَالُthe model فِيمَاin whatever تَوَلَّىhe takes charge of
وَيَكُونُ المِثَالُ فِيمَا تَوَلَّى
تُبَّعاًas a follower أَوْor تَخَيُّراًby selection وَانْتِدَابَاand appointment
تُبَّعاً أَوْ تَخَيُّراً وَانْتِدَابَا
and be the model in whatever he takes charge of,
as a follower, or by selection and appointment.
سَبَبٌa means خَدْمَةُservice to الْحُكُومَةِthe government إِلاَّbut
سَبَبٌ خَدْمَةُ الْحُكُومَةِ إِلاَّ
أَنَّthat لِلْجَاهِto prestige دُونَهَاapart from it أَسْبَابَاmeans
أَنَّ لِلْجَاهِ دُونَهَا أَسْبَابَا
Service to the government is a means, but
there are other means to prestige apart from it.
Sol 6.1