Sol 6.1

  1. وذوو المروة والوفا أنصاره

    لهم على جيش اللئام زئير

    And men of chivalry and loyalty are his supporters.

    They roar against the army of the vile.

  2. طهرت نفوسهم لطيب أصولها

    فعناصر طابت لهم وحجور

    Their souls were pure through the goodness of their origins.

    So pure were their stock and the laps that nurtured them.

  3. عشقوا الغنا للدفع لا عشقوا الغنا

    للنفع لكن أمضي المقدور

    They loved strength for defense, not strength

    for gain; yet what was decreed was fulfilled.

  4. فتمثلت لهم القصور وما بهم

    لولا تمثلت القصور قصور

    So palaces appeared before them; yet they would have had

    no failing even had those palaces not appeared.

  5. ما شاقهم للموت إلا دعوة الـ

    ـرحمن لا ولدانها والحور

    Nothing drew them toward death but the call of the

    Merciful—not their youthful attendants or houris.

  6. بذلوا النفوس لنصره حتى قضوا

    والخيل تردى والعجاج يثور

    They offered their lives to aid him until they died,

    while horses galloped and battle-dust rose.

  7. فغدا ربيب المكرمات يشق تيا

    ر الحروب وعزمه مسجور

    Then the nursling of noble deeds cleaved the tide

    of wars, his resolve ablaze.

  8. يدعوهم أين النصير وماله

    غير الأرامل والعليل نصير

    He called to them, “Where is a helper?” Yet he had

    no helper but the widows and the ailing man.

  9. والكل يدعو يا حسين فصبية

    وعقائل ومقاتل وعفير

    And all called, “O Husayn!”—children,

    noblewomen, a fighter, and one lying in dust.

  10. الصبية أم نسوة أم قاتل

    أم حفظ ما فيه الحياة يجور

    The children, or women, or a slayer—

    or safeguarding that in which life resides: to which does he turn aside?

  11. واستشعر العاني فاجهد نفسه

    ثقل الحسام وماله مقدور

    And the afflicted man felt—and wore himself out beneath—

    the sword's weight, with no strength to bear it.

  12. فرآه يكبو تارة ويقوم اخـ

    ـرى مثقلا وحسامه مشهور

    He saw him stumble at times, then rise

    at others, weighed down, his sword unsheathed.

  13. فدعاه يا غوث الأيامى هل أر

    دت فناءها عد فالعدو كثير

    He called to him: “O refuge of widows, did you intend

    their destruction? Return, for the enemy is numerous.

  14. فلئن قتلت فلست تغني عن دمي

    وتعطل التهليل والتكبير

    For if you are slain, you will not spare my blood,

    and you will silence the proclamations of God's oneness and greatness.

  15. إلق السلاح وقل متى خطب دهى

    لِلّه عاقبة الأمور تصير

    Lay down your weapon and say, whenever calamity strikes:

    ‘To God the outcome of all affairs returns.’”

  16. فأتته زينب مذ وعت ما قاله

    حسرى القناع وذيلها مجرور

    Then Zaynab came to him when she understood what he had said,

    unveiled, her hem trailing.

  17. تدعوه يا خلف الذين مضوا ويا

    فلكي إذا طم البلا والسور

    She called to him: “O heir of those who passed away, and O

    my ship when calamity and onslaught surge!

  18. ماذا الوداع أهل تيقنت الفنا

    ما الرأي في وما لدي خفير

    What is this farewell? Have you become certain of death?

    What is to be done with me? I have no protector.”

  19. فأجابها قل الفدا كثر العدى

    قصر المدى وسبيلنا محصور

    He answered her: “Few are the self-sacrificing, many the foes;

    the time is short, and our path is hemmed in.

  20. دافعت عنكم ما استطعت فلم يفد

    والصحب ذا شلو وذاك عفير

    I defended you as best I could, but it availed nothing;

    and the companions—this one a torn body, that one lying in dust.

  21. ولكم دعوت القوم كفوا عن قتا

    لي واتركوني في الشعاب أسير

    How often I called to the men: ‘Cease fighting

    me, and leave me to roam the mountain ravines.’

  22. وذكرت ما فجر الصخور فلم يكن

    إلا قلوبهم هناك صخور

    I spoke what would split rocks; yet there were

    no rocks there except their hearts.”