أَلِئالِ إِبراهيمَ بَعدَ مُحَمَّدٍ

إِلّا حَنينٌ دائِمٌ وَزَفيرُ

After Abraham, except for constant yearning and sighing,

Is there for Ibrahim's kin, after Muhammad,

None who informed them doubted that grieving over them was forbidden.

Aught but eternal longing and heavy sighs?

ما شَكَّ خابِرُ أَمرِهِم مِن بَعدِهِ

أَنَّ العَزاءَ عَلَيهِمِ مَحظورُ

Tears stain their cheeks, their nights dissolve into hours.

No observer of their state, since his loss, can doubt

The sins of the sons of an uncle - all are forgivable

That consolation is to them forbidden.

تُدمي خُدودَهُمُ الدُموعُ وَتَنقَضي

ساعاتُ لَيلِهِمِ وَهُنَّ دُهورُ

Except strife sowed among them.

Tears draw blood upon their cheeks as they endure

Slanderers flew at the purity of their affection

The hours of their night, though each seems an age.

أَبناءُ عَمِّ كُلُّ ذَنبٍ لِاِمرِئٍ

إِلّا السِعايَةَ بَينَهُم مَغفورُ

As flies alight on food.

Cousins! Every sin that a man may bear,

Indeed I granted Abu al-Husayn such affection

Is pardoned, save for slander sown between them.

طارَ الوُشاةُ عَلى صَفاءِ وِدادِهِم

وَكَذا الذُبابُ عَلى الطَعامِ يَطيرُ

I would bestow on his enemy in abundance.

The slanderers swooped upon the purity of their bond,

A king imagined whatever he wished as though

Just as flies descend upon a meal.

وَلَقَد مَنَحتُ أَبا الحُسَينِ مَوَدَّةً

جودي بِها لِعَدُوِّهِ تَبذيرُ

The decree he executes flows from destiny's judgment.

I have granted Abu al-Husayn a true affection,

To give it to his enemy were squandering indeed.

مَلِكٌ تَصَوَّرَ كَيفَ شاءَ كَأَنَّما

يَجري بِفَصلِ قَضائِهِ المَقدورُ

A king fashioned as he wished, as if it were

By his decree that destiny itself proceeds.