قِفَا نِضوَيْكما بالغَمْرِ نسألْ

قِفَا نِضوَيْكما بالغَمْرِ نسألْ

حَفِيّاً أينَ مثوَى المكرماتِ

حَفِيّاً أينَ مثوَى المكرماتِ

Halt your two worn mounts at al-Ghamr; let us ask

Stand still, let us weep as the clouds pour down,

one well informed: where is the resting place of noble deeds?

And ask where the virtuous have their abode,

وأيُّ ثرىً كريم العرقِ سِيطَتْ

وأيُّ ثرىً كريم العرقِ سِيطَتْ

بهِ رِمَمُ المعالي الدارساتِ

بهِ رِمَمُ المعالي الدارساتِ

And with what soil of noble stock were mingled

And which land was generously watered

the decayed bones of vanished glories?

By the blood of the noble martyrs.

وأينَ لذكرها تحتَ الغوادي

وأينَ لذكرها تحتَ الغوادي

مَطارحُ أعظمٍ فيها رُفاتِ

مَطارحُ أعظمٍ فيها رُفاتِ

And where, that we may remember them, beneath morning showers,

And where can their mention be found beneath the valleys,

are the resting places of bones, with crumbled remains within?

The greatest resting places for them.

وكيف تكوّرتْ بيَدِ المنايا ال

وكيف تكوّرتْ بيَدِ المنايا ال

غزالةُ مَدْرَجاً للسافياتِ

غزالةُ مَدْرَجاً للسافياتِ

And how was folded away, by death's hand,

And how have the hands of death unjustly seized

the sun, becoming a path for dust-bearing winds?

A delicate, gentle doe.

وإن أَصفَى مَزادُكما فَمُدَّا

وإن أَصفَى مَزادُكما فَمُدَّا

بأذنبةٍ هُنالكَ مُترَعاتِ

بأذنبةٍ هُنالكَ مُترَعاتِ

And if your waterskins run dry, replenish them

And if your finest auction is extended

with brimming buckets there—

With sins, there lie the meadows.

أناملُ للحسين غَبرنَ حيناً

أناملُ للحسين غَبرنَ حيناً

ضرائرَ للغيوث المُرزِمات

ضرائرَ للغيوث المُرزِمات

al-Husayn's fingers, which for a time stood

Al-Husain's fingers have become covered with dust

as rivals to the rumbling rainclouds.

In order to grasp the reins of help for the oppressed.

ولُوذَاً مُسنَدَيْن بجنب طَودٍ

ولُوذَاً مُسنَدَيْن بجنب طَودٍ

من المعروف علاي الهضبِ عاتي

من المعروف علاي الهضبِ عاتي

And seek refuge, both leaning against the flank of a mountain

Taking refuge by the side of a hillock

of beneficence, lofty-crested and mighty.

With the well-known, high-minded generosity.

فثَمَّ الجارُ محميُّ النَّواحِي

فثَمَّ الجارُ محميُّ النَّواحِي

وثَمَّ الرِّعيُ مكتهِلُ النباتِ

وثَمَّ الرِّعيُ مكتهِلُ النباتِ

There the neighbor is protected on every side,

There lies the neighbour protected from harm;

and there the pasture's growth is fully mature.

There lies the shepherd with blossoming youth;

وثَمَّ الوجهُ أبلجُ والمساعي ال

وثَمَّ الوجهُ أبلجُ والمساعي ال

كرامُ وثَمَّ حاجاتُ العُفاةِ

كرامُ وثَمَّ حاجاتُ العُفاةِ

And there the face is radiant, and the deeds

There lies the radiant face and the efforts

noble; there, too, the petitioners' needs are met.

Of the generous who help the needy.

قِفَا فتنادَيا فلعلَّ صوتاً

قِفَا فتنادَيا فلعلَّ صوتاً

سيزقو أو يُصيخ إلى الدُّعاةِ

سيزقو أو يُصيخ إلى الدُّعاةِ

Stop and call out to one another; perhaps a voice

Stand still and call out, perhaps a voice

will cry out, or listen to those who call.

Will awake or make moan for the worshippers.

وقولا كيف يا حَنَشَ الرمالِ اخ

وقولا كيف يا حَنَشَ الرمالِ اخ

تُدِعتَ ولستَ من قَنَص الرُّقاةِ

تُدِعتَ ولستَ من قَنَص الرُّقاةِ

And say, 'How, O serpent of the sands, were you

And say: how did you become desolate, O joy of the sands,

deceived, though you are no prey for snake-charmers?'

While you were not robbed by the bowmen?

مَن الحاوي الذي انتزعتْ يداهُ

مَن الحاوي الذي انتزعتْ يداهُ

نيوبَ العزِّ من تلك اللَّهاةِ

نيوبَ العزِّ من تلك اللَّهاةِ

Who is the charmer whose two hands tore out

Who was it that snatched the reins of glory from you,

the fangs of might from that throat?

From that position of yours, with those sharp swords?

لعمرُ العاطفين إليك ليلاً

لعمرُ العاطفين إليك ليلاً

لنعمَ أخو العشايا الصالحاتِ

لنعمَ أخو العشايا الصالحاتِ

By the life of those who turned to you at night,

By the life of those who nocturnally visit thee,

what a fine brother to blessed evenings you were!

Truly the brother of righteous nights has died!

ونِعمَ عدوّ مالِكَ كنت فيهم

ونِعمَ عدوّ مالِكَ كنت فيهم

وخصبُ الجالباتِ الرابحاتِ

وخصبُ الجالباتِ الرابحاتِ

And what a fine enemy of your wealth you were among them,

And what an excellent enemy of Malik you were to them!

and a source of plenty for profitable trading caravans.

And the harvest of the seekers and the gainers!

ومأوَى كلِّ مُطَّدرٍ تُرامِي

ومأوَى كلِّ مُطَّدرٍ تُرامِي

به الأخطارَ أيدي النائباتِ

به الأخطارَ أيدي النائباتِ

And a refuge for every outcast hurled

And an abode for every victim who

into perils by calamity's hands.

Is threatened by dangers on all sides!

لِمَنْ خيلٌ تُضمَّر للسرايا

لِمَنْ خيلٌ تُضمَّر للسرايا

وفُرسانٌ تُخمَّر للبَياتِ

وفُرسانٌ تُخمَّر للبَياتِ

Whose now are the horses kept lean for raids,

When there are horses sniffing the ground for the battle,

and the horsemen kept concealed for night attacks?

And horsemen reposing because of the attacks,

وأنديةٌ وأروقةٌ رِحابٌ

وأنديةٌ وأروقةٌ رِحابٌ

تَضُمُّ بدائدَ الفضلِ الشتاتِ

تَضُمُّ بدائدَ الفضلِ الشتاتِ

And the gatherings and spacious porticoes

And there are chambers and arcades, vast courtyards

that gather the scattered fragments of excellence?

Where all sorts of goodness are gathered.

ومَنْ للمحكَماتِ من القوافي

ومَنْ للمحكَماتِ من القوافي

تطيرُ بهنَّ أجنحةُ الرُّواةِ

تطيرُ بهنَّ أجنحةُ الرُّواةِ

And who will care for the finely wrought rhymes

And who, for the righteous, has such odes

that fly upon the wings of reciters?

Whose wings make the reciters fly?

ومَنْ لي يَزحَمُ الأيّامَ عنّي

ومَنْ لي يَزحَمُ الأيّامَ عنّي

وقد هَجمتْ عليّ مصممِّاتِ

وقد هَجمتْ عليّ مصممِّاتِ

And who will thrust the days away from me,

And who shall draw days for me from the time

now they have stormed upon me, relentless?

Which has launched toward me its evil wares?

ويجذِبُ من يد الزمن المُعاصي

ويجذِبُ من يد الزمن المُعاصي

بأضباعِي إلى الزمن المُواتِي

بأضباعِي إلى الزمن المُواتِي

And draw me from the hand of hostile time,

And will pull the advancing days away from me

by my upper arms, into a favorable time?

Toward the time which has passed on and is lifeless?

ومَن ذا قائلٌ خذْ أو تحكَّمْ

ومَن ذا قائلٌ خذْ أو تحكَّمْ

إذا أنا قلتُ هَب أو قلتُ هاتِ

إذا أنا قلتُ هَب أو قلتُ هاتِ

And who will say, 'Take,' or 'Command as you wish,'

And where is he who says "Take it or leave it!"

when I say, 'Give,' or say, 'Bring it here'?

When I say "This is it!" or "Bring that here!"

وما أنا والعزاء وقد تقضَّتْ

وما أنا والعزاء وقد تقضَّتْ

حياةٌ تُستمَدُّ بها حياتي

حياةٌ تُستمَدُّ بها حياتي

What have I to do with consolation, now there has ended

And I have no consolation, now that

a life from which my own life drew sustenance?

A life has ceased through which my own life breathes.

يُعنِّفُ فيك أَنْ صُدِعَتْ ضلوعي

يُعنِّفُ فيك أَنْ صُدِعَتْ ضلوعي

خَليُّ القلبِ من تلك الهَناتِ

خَليُّ القلبِ من تلك الهَناتِ

I am rebuked over you because my ribs are split,

You excite within me feelings with which

by one whose heart is untouched by those afflictions.

I admonish my grief and rouse my determination.

كأنّي فيك أُبعَثُ بالتأسِّي

كأنّي فيك أُبعَثُ بالتأسِّي

على جزعي وأُغرَى بالعظاتِ

على جزعي وأُغرَى بالعظاتِ

As though, over you, I could be urged to take comfort

I cried over you in anguish, and when they said

despite my anguish, and won over by admonitions.

"He is dead," I wished they had said, "He exists still!"

رزئتُك أطولَ الرجليْن باعاً

رزئتُك أطولَ الرجليْن باعاً

وأمضَى الصارميْن على العُداةِ

وأمضَى الصارميْن على العُداةِ

I lost you, the longer-reaching of the two men,

The sword falls heavily upon a sword

and the sharper of the two blades against foes,

While you lie along the banks of the Euphrates.

وأوفَى من سِراج الأفق نوراً

وأوفَى من سِراج الأفق نوراً

إذا الأيّام كانت داجياتِ

إذا الأيّام كانت داجياتِ

and richer in light than the lamp of the horizon,

So it is still those terrifying blows

when the days were dark.

That surrendered you to a terrifying fate.

كأنّي قبلَ يومِك لم أُفزَّعْ

كأنّي قبلَ يومِك لم أُفزَّعْ

بصائحةِ العشيِّ لا الغَداةِ

بصائحةِ العشيِّ لا الغَداةِ

As though, before your day, I had never been startled

The locks of my family have been severed from me,

by a wailing cry at evening, nor at dawn,

My brothers of my ties, my protectors.

ولم تُطرَفْ بفاجعةٍ لحاظي

ولم تُطرَفْ بفاجعةٍ لحاظي

ولم تُقرَعْ بمَرْزِئةٍ صَفاتي

ولم تُقرَعْ بمَرْزِئةٍ صَفاتي

nor had my eyes been struck by a tragedy,

Destinies have deceived me concerning the companions,

nor my rock battered by bereavement.

So I delighted in some mixed up lines of poetry.

بكيتك في العُناةِ فحين قالوا

بكيتك في العُناةِ فحين قالوا

قُتِلتَ ودِدْتُ أنّك في العُناةِ

قُتِلتَ ودِدْتُ أنّك في العُناةِ

I wept for you among the captives; then, when they said,

I was advised in the assembly concerning you, foolishly,

'You were killed,' I wished you were among the captives.

And tricked into being absent from the battle!

أصاب السيفُ منك غِرارَ سيفٍ

أصاب السيفُ منك غِرارَ سيفٍ

وحُطَّ بك الفُراتُ إلى الفُراتِ

وحُطَّ بك الفُراتُ إلى الفُراتِ

The sword struck, in you, the keen edge of a sword,

O most distant one! Yet I peer morning and eve

and with you the Euphrates was lowered to the Euphrates.

At your grave, and my prayers follow my prayers for you.

فلا زالت هي البُتْرُ النَّواتِي

فلا زالت هي البُتْرُ النَّواتِي

سيوفٌ أسلمتك إلى النَّواتي

سيوفٌ أسلمتك إلى النَّواتي

May they forever remain broken, unable to cut—

You have kept me company a lifetime,

the swords that surrendered you to the boatmen.

So why should I not attend to you at your death?

ذوائِب أسرتي وكرامِ صَحبي

ذوائِب أسرتي وكرامِ صَحبي

وإخوةِ شِدَّتي وبني ثِقاتي

وإخوةِ شِدَّتي وبني ثِقاتي

O crests of my family and noblest of my companions,

Perhaps one day we shall meet again

brothers in my hardship, and sons of those I trust:

When the caller fulfils his promises!

هوت بالصاحِب القرِطَاتُ منّي

هوت بالصاحِب القرِطَاتُ منّي

فَرُحْتُ بعاطلاتٍ مُصْلَماتِ

فَرُحْتُ بعاطلاتٍ مُصْلَماتِ

With al-Sahib my earringed ears fell away;

If I am distressed, all the past is gone,

and I went away with them bare and cropped.

And if I show endurance, the future will come.

لقد خُولستُ وُسطَى العِقدِ منكم

لقد خُولستُ وُسطَى العِقدِ منكم

به وخُدِعتُ عن أُخرى القناةِ

به وخُدِعتُ عن أُخرى القناةِ

I was stealthily robbed of the necklace's central gem among you

in losing him, and cheated of the butt of the spear.

فيا مطلولُ بلَّ ثراك صبحاً

فيا مطلولُ بلَّ ثراك صبحاً

صلاةُ اللّه تَتبعُها صلاتي

صلاةُ اللّه تَتبعُها صلاتي

O you whose blood is unavenged, may your dust be moistened at dawn

by God's blessing, followed by my prayer.

لقد واسيتني في العيش دهراً

لقد واسيتني في العيش دهراً

فما لي لم أُواسِك في المماتِ

فما لي لم أُواسِك في المماتِ

You shared my lot in life for an age;

why did I not share yours in death?

عَسَى وبَلَى لنا لابدّ يومٌ

عَسَى وبَلَى لنا لابدّ يومٌ

سيَقضِي فيك ممطولَ التِّراتِ

سيَقضِي فيك ممطولَ التِّراتِ

Perhaps—yes!—a day must surely come for us

that will settle the long-deferred blood-debts for you.

فإن أَجزعْ فماضٍ كلُّ ماضٍ

فإن أَجزعْ فماضٍ كلُّ ماضٍ

وإن أصبِرْ فآتٍ كلُّ آتِ

وإن أصبِرْ فآتٍ كلُّ آتِ

So if I grieve, all that has passed is gone;

and if I am patient, all that is to come will come.