أَلا مَن لِهَمٍّ آخِرَ اللَيلِ مُنصِبِ
وَأَمرٍ جَليلٍ فادِحٍ لِيَ مُشيِبِ
Alas, he who stayed up late into the night in deep anguish
And was burdened with a grave and dire matter
أَرِقتُ لِما قَد غالَني وَتَبادَرَت
سَواكِبُ دَمعِ العَينِ مِن كُلِّ مَسكَبِ
I became restless because of what troubled me so
And tears streamed down from every tear duct as if they were stars
فَقُلتُ وَقَد بَلَّت سَوابِقُ عَبرَتي
رِدائي مَقالَ الموجَعِ المُتَحَوِّبِ
So I cried out while my tears flowed copiously
Drenching my cloak, the garment of my pain and sorrow
أَلَا بَهلَةُ اللَهِ الَّذي عَزَّ جارُهُ
عَلى الناكِثينَ الغادِرينَ بِمُصعَبِ
Alas! The injustice of God who has mighty power over those who break covenants
And betray, upon the tribe of Muṣʿab
جَزى اللَهُ عَنا جَمعَ قَحطانَ كُلِّها
جَزاءَ مُسيءٍ قاسِطِ الفِعلِ مُذنِبِ
May God reward all of Qaḥṭān with the worst of rewards
The recompense of one who does wrong and bears guilt
وَجَمعَ مَعَدٍّ قَومِه غابَ نَصرُهُم
غَداتَئِذٍ عَنهُ وَرَبِّ المُحَصَّبِ
And may He gather together Māʿadd, whose help abandoned them
On the morrow, and the Lord of the Tent
جَزاهُم إِلَهُ الناسِ شَرَّ جَزائِهِ
بِخِذلانِ ذي القُربى الأَريبِ المُدّرَّبِ
May their God reward them with the worst of His rewards
With the abandonment of the trustworthy kinsman, well-bred and refined
إِمامِ الهُدى وَالحِلمِ وَالسِلمِ وَالتُقى
وَذي الحَسَبِ الزاكي الرَفيعِ المُهَذَّبِ
The imam of guidance, forbearance, peace, and piety
And of good lineage, pure, noble, and refined
لَحى اللَهُ أَشرافَ العِراقِ فَإِنَّهُم
هُمُ شَرُّ قَومٍ بَينَ شَرقٍ وَمَغرِبِ
May God destroy the nobles of Iraq, for they
Are the worst people between East and West
هُمُ مَكَروا بِاِبنِ الحَوارِيِّ مُصعَبٍ
وَلَم يَستَجيبوا لِلصَريخِ المُثَوِّبِ
They schemed against Ibn Al-Ḥawāriyy Muṣʿab
And did not heed his insistent cries
دَعاهُم بِأَن ذودوا العِدى عَن بِلادِهِم
وَأَموالِكُم بِكُلِّ أَبيَضَ مُقضَبِ
He called on them to defend their lands from enemies
And your wealth against every unsheathed sword
فَوَلّوا يُنادي المَرءُ مِنهُم عَشيرَهُ
أَلا خَلِّ عَنهُم لا أَبالَكَ وَاِذهَبِ
But each man among them turned away, saying to his clan
Do not bother with him, I care not, so leave
جَزى اللَهُ حَجّاراً هُناكَ مَلامَةً
وَفَرخَ عُميرٍ مِن مُناجٍ مُؤَلِّبِ
May God reward Ḥajjār there with blame
And the chicks of ʿUmayr in their nests with harm
وَما كانَ عَتّابٌ لَهُ بِمُناصِحٍ
وَلا كانَ عَن سَعيٍ عَلَيهِ بِمُغرِبِ
Neither did ʿAṭṭāb advise him as an advisor
Nor work for his benefit from the West
وَلا قَطَنٌ وَلا اِبنُهُ لَم يُناصِحا
فَتَبّاً لِسَعيِ الحارِثِيِّ المُتَبَّبِ
Neither did Qaṭan or his son counsel him
So curse the endeavor of Al-Ḥārithī the scoundrel
وَلا العَتَكِيُّ إِذ أَمالَ لِواءَهُ
فَوَلّى بِهِ عَنهُ إِلى شَرِّ مَوكِبِ
Nor Al-ʿAtakī when he turned his banner aside
From him to the worst convoy
وَلا اِبنُ رُوَيمٍ لا سَقى اللَهُ قَبرَهُ
فَباءَ بِجَدعٍ آخِرَ الدَهرِ موعِبِ
Nor Ibn Ru'aym - may God not water his grave -
So he perished with a harelipped progeny for all time
وَما سَرَّني مِن هَيثَمٍ فَعلُ هَيثَمٍ
وَإِن كانَ فينا ذا غَناءٍ وَمَنصِبِ
Nor did the deed of Haytham please me
Though among us he had prestige and rank
وَلا فِعلُ داوودَ القَليلِ وَفاؤُهُ
فَقَد ظَلَّ مَحمولاً عَلى شَرِّ مركِبِ
Nor did the paltry loyalty of Dāwūd suffice
Who always rode the worst of mounts
وَلَكِن عَلى فَيّاضِ بَكرِ بنِ وائِلٍ
سَأُثني وَخَيرُ القَولِ ما لَم يُكَذَّبِ
Rather, I will praise Fayyāḍ ibn Wāʾil Bakr
For the best words are those not denied
دَعا اِبنَ الحَوارِيَّ الهُمامَ إِمامَهُ
لِيَمنَعَهُ مِن كُلِّ غاوٍ وَمُجلِبِ
He called upon the courageous imam to protect him
From every rebel and invader
فَأَضحى اِبنُ تَيمِ اللاتِ أَمنَعَ مانِعٍ
لِجارٍ بِلا شَكٍّ وَمَأوى المُعَصَّبِ
So at dawn Ibn Taym Allāh became the firmest defender
Of an undisputed neighbor and asylum for one hard pressed
فَيا سائِراً نَحوَ المَشاعِرِ لا تَني
أَلا اِرفَع بِهَدلاءِ المَشافِرِ مِنعَبِ
So O you who travels to the sacred places, do not forget
To exalt at Minā the battle cry
أَلا وَاِنعِ خَيرَ الناسِ حَيّاً وَمَيِّتاً
إِلى أَهلِ بَطحاءَي قُرَيشٍ وَيَثرِبِ
And proclaim the best of people, living or dead
To the people of Bathāʾ of Quraysh and Yathrib
فِداً لَكَ فَاِذكُر زَحفَهُ وَمَسيرَهُ
يُزَجّي الخُيولَ مِقنَباً بَعدَ مِقنَبِ
Your ransom! Remember his march and his journey
Brandishing steeds, leaping from hill to hill
سَما مُصعِداً بِالجَيشِ يَسري وَيَغتَدي
إِلى بَطَلٍ مِن آلِ مَروانَ مُجلِبِ
Rising high with the army, advancing and marauding
Toward an expert of Āl Marwān's in combat
غَزا بِجُنودِ الشامِ يَكبِدُ كَبدَها
يُجيزُ إِلَيهِم سَبسَباً بَعدَ سَبسَبِ
He attacked with the soldiers of Syria, exhausting them
Running them through one by one again and again
فَلَمّا تَوافَينا جَميعاً بِمَسكِنٍ
عَصَينا بِنَوعٍ مِن غَرامِ مُعَذَّبِ
When we came together in a dwelling
We were troubled by a sort of painful love
بِمَقتَلِ ساداتٍ وَمَهلِكِ ماجِدٍ
رَفيعِ الرَوابي مِحرَبٍ وَاِبنِ مِحرَبِ
With the killing of chiefs and destroyer of heroes
Lofty, battle-scarred, and son of Miḥrab
هُوَ الضَيغَمُ النَهدُ الرَئيسُ بنُ مالِكٍ
إِذا شَدَّ يَوماً شَدَّةً لَم يُكَذَّبِ
He is Ḍaygham the tall, the leader, son of Mālik
If one day he exerted himself, he was not belied
أَتى مُصعَباً فَقالَ مَن كانَ مِنهُمُ
فَعاقِب بِوَقعٍ مَن بَدا لَكَ مُرهِبِ
He came to Muṣʿab and said, whoever of them
You wish, punish severely, make them cower in fright
وَشُدَّ عَلى الأَشرافِ شَدَّةَ ماجِدٍ
وَأَعناقَهُم قَبلَ الصَباحِ فَضَرِّبِ
Crack down on the nobles harshly like Mājid
And cut off their heads before dawn, so strike!
وَإِلّا فَبَكِّت في السُجونِ سَراتَهُم
إِلى أَن تُفيقَ الناسُ تُصحَب وَتُرقَبِ
Otherwise their elite will weep in prison
Until the people awake, watched and fettered
وَدَعني وَأَهلَ القَريَتَينِ أَسِر بِهِم
وَغادِرهُمُ في مَحبِسٍ كَالمُؤَدَّبِ
But leave me and the people of the two towns alone
And abandon them in a prison, disciplined
مَلامَ مُلِحٍّ قَد أَمِنتَ اِغتِيالَهُ
وَما جاهِلٌ بِالأَمرِ مِثلُ المُجَرِّبِ
You have avoided the slyness of a slanderer
The ignorant is not like the experienced
فَقالَ لَهُ سِر بِالجُيوشِ إِلى العِدى
وَناجِز وَقارِع وَاِصدُقِ القَومَ تَغلِبِ
So he said to him, march against the enemy with the armies
Confront and fight sincerely and you will overcome the people
فَإِنّي بِحَقٍّ لَستُ أَبَداً مُسلِّماً
بِغَدرٍ فَفي التَقوى وَفي الدينِ فَاِرغَبِ
I swear I will never ever surrender
To betrayal - so seek piety and the true religion
فَسارَ إِلى جَمعِ اِبنِ مَروانَ مُعلَماً
فَناهَضَهُم وَالحَربُ ذاتُ تَلَهُّبِ
So he marched against the army of Ibn Marwān, resolved
And he attacked them while war blazed
وَجاهَدَ في فُرسانِهِ وَرِجالَهِ
وَأَقدَمَ لَم يَنكُل وَلَم يَتَهَيَّبِ
He struggled against his horsemen and foot soldiers
He advanced, did not hesitate or shrink in fear
فَلاقي أُسَيدٌ يَومَ ذَلِكَ حَتفَهُ
وَقَطَّرَهُ مِنّا فَتىً غَيرُ جَأنَبِ
That day ʿUsayd met his death at his hands
And he was felled by one of our warriors without peer
أَشَمُّ نَراهُ عالِيَ الجِسمِ صَقعَباً
وَبِالسَيفِ مِقداماً نَجيباً لِمُنحِبِ
Keener sighted than he, tall, long necked
And with the sword always noble, refined and high minded
وَكادَت جُموعُ الشامِ يَشمَلُها الرَدى
غَداتَئِذٍ فَاِسمَع أُحَدِّثكَ تَعجَبِ
The armies of Syria were nearly engulfed in chaos
From that moment - so listen and marvel
فَلَمّا رَأى أَبناءُ مَروانَ وَقعَهُ
بِجَمعِهِمُ ظَلّوا بِيَومٍ عَصَبصَبِ
When Marwān's sons saw his impact on their entire army
They were routed on a woeful day of defeat
فَصَبَّحَهُ فُرسانَهُ وَرِجالَهُ
وَناهَضَ لَم يَبعَل وَلَم يَتَهَيَّبِ
So at dawn he rallied his horsemen and footmen
And charged - no coward or fearful was he
وَأَدبَرَ عَنهُ الغادِرُ اِبنُ القَبَعثَرَي
وَما كانَ بِالحامي وَلا بِالمُذَبَّبِ
But the traitorous Ibn Al-Qabaṭhar fled from him
He was neither staunch nor armored for the fray
وَقَد نَقَضَ الصَفَّ اِبنُ وَرقاءَ ثانِياً
وَغادَرَهُ يَدعو إِلى جانِبِ النَبِي
And next the son of Warqāʾ broke ranks
Abandoning him, appealing to the Prophet's side
فَثابَ إِلَيهِ كُلُّ أَروَعَ ماجِدٍ
صَبورٍ عَلى ما ثابَهُ مُتَلَبِّبِ
But every fierce and intrepid Mājid returned to him
Steadfast though shaken, constrained but bold
فَضارَبَ حَتّى خَرَّ غَيرَ مُوائِلٍ
إِلى جانِبٍ مِنهُ عَزيزٍ وَمَنكِبِ
He struck continuously without wavering
Until he fell, honorable, by his side steadfast
وَصُرِّعَ أَهلُ الصَبرِ في الصَفِّ كُلُّهُم
وَأَجفَلَ عَنهُ كُلُّ وانٍ مُحَوِّبِ
Then the patient ones in ranks were struck down
And every wavering weakling fled
فَلَمّا أَتى قَتلُ اِبنِ أَشتَرَ مُصعَباً
دَعا عِندَهُ عيسى وَقالَ لَهُ اِهرُبِ
When the killing of Muṣʿab at Ibn Ashtar's hands arrived
He called out to ʿĪsá at his side, “Flee!”
فَقالَ مَعاذَ اللَهُ لَستُ بِهارِبٍ
أَأَهرُبُ إِن دَهرٌ بِنا حادَ عَن أَبي
He said, “God forbid I should flee!
Should I flee when fate has turned against my father?”
فَقالَ تَقَدَّم أَحتَسِبكَ فَأَقبَلَت
إِلَيهِ جُموعٌ مِن كِلابٍ وَأَذؤُبِ
He said, “Go forward, I will ransom you.” Then
Packs of dogs rushed at him, snarling
فَقالَ لِفُجّارِ العِراقَينِ قَدِّموا
فَوَلّوا شِلالاً كَالنَعامِ المُخَصَّبِ
He said to the wicked of Iraq, “Step forward!”
But they fled like frightened ostriches
وَشَدّوا عَلَيهِ بِالسُيوفِ فَلَم يَرِم
كَلَيثِ العَرينِ الخادِرِ المُتَحَرِّبِ
They drew their swords against him, but he did not flinch
Like a fierce, angry lion defending his den
فَضارَبَهُم يَحيى وَعيسى أَمامَهُ
وَضارَبَ تَحتَ الساطِعِ المُتَنَصِّبِ
Before him, Yahyá and ʿĪsá struck them back
Blow for blow beneath the upraised blades
فَما بَرِحوا حَتّى أَزارَهُمُ القَنا
شُعوبَ وَمَن يَسلُب وَجَدِّكَ يُسلَبِ
They did not stop until the spears engulfed them
Along with those who plunder - your plunderer is plundered
فَبَكِّ فتى الدُنيا وَذا الدينِ مُصعَباً
وَأَعوِل عَلَيهِ وَاِسفَحِ الدَمعَ وَاِنحَبِ
Weep for the paragon of this world and religion, Muṣʿab
And mourn him, let your tears flow and sob
لَقَد رَحَلَ الأَقوامُ غَدراً وَغادَروا
بِمَسكِنَ أَشلاءَ الهُمامِ المُحَجَّبِ
The people indeed turned traitors and abandoned
The dwelling place of the corpses of heroes concealed
صَريعَ قَناً تَسفي عَلى وَجهِهِ الصَبا
وَريحُ شَمالٍ بَعدَها ريحُ أَجنُبِ
Slain by spears, the morning breeze blowing on his face
And the north wind after it, foreign
وَأَضحى بِديرِ الحاثَليقِ مُلَحَّباً
فَلا يَبعَدَنَّ مِن قَتيلٍ مُلَحَّبِ
He lies embalmed in the monastery of the Katholikos
So let no slain man embalmed be far
سَقى السارِياتُ الجونُ جُثمانَ مُصعَبٍ
وَأَشلاءَ عيسى المُرتَجى صَوبَ صَيِّبِ
The Pleiades rain upon Muṣʿab's body
And the remains of hoped-for ʿĪsá by the rain clouds
وَفِتيانَ صِدقٍ صُرِّعوا ثَمَّ حَولَهُ
عَلى الحَقِّ مَن لا يَعرِفِ الحَقَّ يَرتَبِ
And sincere youths were struck down around him
For truth - he who knows not truth will have doubts
أَمُصعَبُ مَن يَحرُب وَيُذمَم فِعالُهُ
فَما كُنتَ بِالواني وَلا المُتَحَرَّبِ
Is Muṣʿab one who battles with blameworthy deeds?
You were never cowardly or combative
لَقَد عِشتَ ذا حَزمٍ وَجودٍ وَنائِلٍ
فَيا عَجباً لِدَهرِكَ المُتَقَلِّبِ
You lived wisely, generous, and successful
So strange is your fickle fate!
أَلَم تَكُ مِعطاءَ الجَزيلِ وَناعِشَ ال
فَقيرِ وَمَأوى كُلِّ عافٍ وَمُجدِبِ
Were you not the open-handed and rescuer of
The poor, and refuge for all in need?
وَكُنّا مَتى نَعتِب عَلَيكَ وَنَلتَمِس
جَداكَ يَنَلنا مِن جَداكَ وَتُعتِبِ
When did we ever reproach you and seek
Your help, and you refuse to help?
فَقَد جاءَنا مِن بَعدِكَ المَعشَرُ العِدى
وَوالٍ مَتى يُنطَق حَوالَيهِ يَغضَبِ
After you the enemy gang came to us
With a ruler who rages if his affairs are probed
وَإِن تُلتَمَس مَنهُ الزِيادَةُ وَالجَدا
وَيُستَمطَرِ المَعروفَ يَغضَب وَيَحرَبِ
And if you seek benefits and favor from him
Or petition kindness, he rages and makes war
وَتُسمَر بِلا ذَنبٍ أَكُفُّ غُزاتِنا
وَتُقطَعُ أَيديهِم وَشيكاً وَتُصلَبِ
Innocent hands are nailed though guiltless
And their hands cut off promptly and crucified
فَيا دَهرَنا مِن قَبلِ مَقتَلِ مُصعَبٍ
أَلا اِرجِع بِدُنيانا الرَفيعَةِ تَخصِبِ
So, our time before Muṣʿab's death
Return our lofty prosperous life renewed!
وَبِالأَمنِ وَالعَيشِ الَّذي حَلَّ دونَهُ
فَهَذا زَمانُ الخائِفِ المُتَرَقِّبِ
Return the safety and life destroyed by
This is an age of fear and waiting
فَبُعداً لِقَومٍ أَسلَموا أَمسِ مُصعَباً
بِحَدِّ سِنانٍ سَمهَرِيٍّ مُذَرَّبِ
Far from people who surrendered Muṣʿab yesterday
To the edge of a Samhari sword, trained
وَلِلسَيفُ نَغشاهُ وَيَفري شُئونَهُ
وَكانَ الحَيا لِلمُفلِحِ المُتَشَعِّبِ
To sheathe the sword and conceal its features
While snakes were for the successful and prestigious
وَدانوا لِطاغٍ قَد أَراقَ دِماءَهُم
عَسوفٍ صَدوقٍ قاسِطِ الفِعلِ مُشغِبِ
They submitted to an oppressor who shed their blood
A breaker of covenants, provoking strife and said
وَقالَ لَهُم ذوقوا جَنى ما غَرَستُمُ
أَلا رُبَّ بانٍ لِلعِمارَةِ مُخرِبِ
“Taste the fruits your hands have grown!
Behold, many build only to destroy”
وَإِنّيَ مِمَّن يُخمِدُ الحَربَ تارَةً
وَأُحمَلُ أَحياناً عَلَيها فَأَركَبِ
And I am one who sometimes ends war
While other times I wage it and ride
