صَدَّت فَجَذّت حَبلَ وَصلِكَ زَينَبُ

تِيهاً وَأَعجَبَها الشَبابُ المُعجِبُ

Zainab cut off and severed the rope of your connection

Wandering, and the admiring youths amazed her

وَلَطالَما فَعَلَت تُطيلُ مُرورَها

وَتَجِيءُ عَمداً كَي تَراكَ وَتَذهَبُ

And she often acted to prolong her passing

And she would come intentionally so she could see you and leave

لا تَعجَبَن يا قَلبُ مِن هِجرانِها

فَوِصالُها لَو دامَ مِنهُ أَعجَبُ

Don’t be surprised, oh heart, by her estrangement

For even if her company lasted, it would be more amazing

أَغرى المَليحَةَ بِالصُدودِ ثَلاثَةٌ

نَأيٌ وَإِقلالٌ وَرَأسٌ أَشيَبُ

Three things allured the beautiful one:

Distance, scarcity, and hoary hair

فَاِضرِب عَن اِستِعتابِها صَفحاً فَما

ذَو الشَيبِ وَالإِفلاسِ مِمَّن يَعتِبُ

So turn away and pardon her completely, for what

Rebuke and poverty can come from an old man

وَاِستَبقِ ماءَ الوَجهِ فيهِ وَكُن بِهِ

حَجِياً وِلا تَقُلِ القُلوبُ تَقَلَّبُ

And keep the water of her face for you, and with it

Be steadfast, and do not say hearts are fickle

وَلَئِن طَمِعتَ بَأَن تُريعَ وَتَرعَوي

وَالحالُ تِلكَ فَمَرحَباً يا أَشعَبُ

And if you hoped to pasture and graze

While in that condition, then welcome O Ash'ab

يا حَبَّذا وَادي الحَساءِ فَإِنَّهُ

لَو ساءَني وادٍ إِليَّ مُحَبَّبُ

How excellent is the valley of Hassa, for it

If a valley soured for me, is beloved

يا حَبَّذا دَربُ السَّليمِ وَحَبَّذا

ذاكَ القَطينُ بِهِ وَذاكَ المَلعَبُ

How excellent is the road of Salim, and how excellent

Is that small valley through it and that playground

وَعِصابَةٌ فارَقتُهُم لا عَن قِلىً

مِنّي وَلا لي غَيرُ وَالدِهِم أَبُ

And a group of friends I left, not because of any

Enmity from me, and I have none but their fathers as kin

وَكَريمَةُ الطَرفينِ ذِروَةُ وائِلٍ

آباؤُها وَجُدودُها إِذ تُنسَبُ

And the noble-eyed daughter of the summit of Wail

Her forefathers and ancestors when she is attributed

شاطَرتُها شَرخَ الشَبابِ وَماؤُهُ

يَجري وَجَذوَةُ نارِهِ تَتَلَهَّبُ

I shared with her the prime of youth and its water

Flowing, and the blaze of its fire kindling

لا تَحسَبُ الأَيّامَ تُبلي جدَّةً

أَبَداً وَلا بَردُ الشَبيبَةِ يُسلَبُ

Do not think days wear down a new garment

Ever, nor does the cold of youth get stripped away

وَبَعِيدَةٍ الأَقطارِ طامِسَةِ الضُّوى

تِيهاً تَموتُ بِها الظِبا وَالأَرنَبُ

And from far off lands, darkening visions

Wandering, gazelles and hares die in it

يَتشابَهُ الطّرفُ المُجَلّلُ إِن بَدا

في عَينِ سالِكِ جَوِّها وَالثَعلَبُ

Wandering eyes appear similar, if they show

In the eye of a wanderer, and foxes too

أَقحَمتُها شَرجَ النَّجاءِ شِمِلَّةً

أَحَداً يُباريها كمَيتٌ مُذهِبُ

I plunged her into the battle of fighters, covered

By none equaling her, slain ones made absent

ما لي بِها مِن صاحِبٍ إِلّا هُما

وَمُهَنَّدٌ عَضبٌ وَقَلبٌ قُلّبُ

I have with her no friend but worries

And roused, raging heart and restless soul

وَلَقد حَلَبتُ الدَهرَ أشطُرَ نابِهِ

وَعَرَفتُ ما يُبدي وَما يَتَغَيَّبُ

And I have milked fate half of its udder’s milk

And known what it shows and what disappears

فَإِذا مَوَدَّةُ كُلِّ مَن أَصفَيتُهُ

وُدّي لَدى الحاجاتِ بَرقٌ خُلَّبُ

So if the friendship of all those I held dear

Was sincere at times of need, it was deceptive lightning

يا هاجِرَ الأَوطانِ يَطلُبُ ماجِداً

يَلجا إِلَيهِ مِن الزَمانِ وَيَهربُ

O emigrant from homelands, seeking glorious deeds

To resort to against time and escape

اِنزل عَلى الملكِ الَّذي بِفنائِهِ

تُلقى الرِّحالُ وَيَستَريحُ المُتعَبُ

Alight at the kingdom which in its courtyard

Journeys end and the weary rest

اِنزل عَلى البَحرِ الخِضَمِّ فَما بَقى

مَلكٌ سِواهُ بِهِ تُناخُ الأَركُبُ

Alight at the tumultuous sea, for no king remains

Except it, ships anchor at it

اِنزل عَلى الطَّودِ الأَشَمِّ فَإِنَّهُ

حِصنٌ يُحاذِرُهُ الزَمانُ وَيرهبُ

Alight at the lofty mountain, for it

Is a fortress time fears and dreads

اِنزل عَلى النَدبِ الهُمامِ فَما تَرى

أَحَداً سِواهُ إِلى المَكارِمِ يَرغَبُ

Alight at the noble pillars, for you will not see

Anyone but them inclining to virtues

مُتَوَقِّدُ العَزماتِ يُخشى بَأسُهُ

وَيَخافُ صَولَتَهُ الهِزَبرُ الأَغلَبُ

With burning resolves, feared for might

And the roaming lions dread his ferocity

أَمضى مِن الصِّمصامِ عَزماً وَالدِما

تَكسو المَناكِبَ وَالنُفوسُ تُسَلَّبُ

More decisive than arrows moistened with blood

And souls stripped when slaughter wets shoulders

وَالبيضُ في أَيدي الكُماةِ ضِياؤُها

يَطفو مِراراً في الغُبارِ وَيَرسُبُ

His steed is accustomed to wars, as if it

Drinks from the water of warriors' attacks

وَكَأَنَّ أَطرافَ الأَسِنَّةِ أَنجُمٌ

شُهبٌ وَداجي النَّقعِ لَيلٌ غَيهَبُ

It swoops down in battles as the eagle swooped

At the fox's hide when talons grab

في مَعرَكٍ عاثَ الرَدى في أَهلِهِ

فَمُعَفَّرٌ وَمُضَرَّجٌ وَمُقَعضَبُ

No morning shone on a land his horses raided

Except that death in it stood to ask for betrothal

أَلِفَ الحُروبَ جَوادُهُ فَكَأَنَّهُ

مِن ماءِ هاماتِ الفَوارِسِ يَشرَبُ

By God, your worth - which fearless knight are you

And today is a day for steeds tightly saddled

يَهوي اِنقِضاضاً في المكَرِّ كَما هَوى

لِقَنيصَةٍ حَجنُ المَخالِبِ أَشهَبُ

A refuge for the anguished and protection for the hopeful

Who finds hope in him the greatest and most sought

ما صَبَّحَت داراً هَوادي خَيلِهِ

إِلّا وَقامَ المَوتُ فيها يَخطُبُ

He did not refuse sanctuary except his honor

And honor with the virtuous is not gifted away

لِلّهِ دَرُّكَ أَيُّ فارِسِ نَهمَةٍ

وَاليَومُ يَومٌ بِالجِيادِ عَصَبصَبُ

A soul, by my life, gentle and of finer nature

Sweeter than clear, fresh water and more delicious

وَمَلاذِ مَكروبٍ وَعِصمَةٍ آمِلٍ

أَذكى الرَجاءَ بِهِ وَعَزَّ المَطلَبُ

They ransom you, best of kings - a people

Appeared, but when they appeared, they were absent

لَم يُمنَعِ العافونَ إِلّا عِرضَهُ

وَالعِرضُ عِندَ ذَوي النُهى لا يُوهَبُ

If praised, they grew angry at their praiser

Fearing reward, and if blamed, they did not grow angry

نَفسٌ لِعَمري مُرَّةٌ وَخلائِقٌ

أَحلى مِن الماءِ الزُلالِ وَأَعذَبُ

Their wealth atop the sky and their glory

Rising above the summit when sought

يَفديكَ يا خَيرَ المُلوكِ مَعاشِرٌ

ظَهَرُوا وَلَكِن عِندَما ظهرُوا غَبُوا

They made their bodies shields for their possessions

So they became torn apart in the lands and plundered

إِن يُمدَحوا غَضِبُوا عَلى مُدّاحِهِم

خَوفَ الجَزاءِ وَإِن هُجُوا لَم يَغضَبوا

So for that the people said about their fathers

May God make ugly the fatherhood that did not beget them

أَموالُهُم فَوقَ السِماكِ وَجاهُهُم

يَغلو عَلى مُستامِهِ إِذ يُطلَبُ

By God, your worth O Ali - none remains

In this time but you refined

جَعَلوا وِقاءَ حُطامِهم أَعراضَهُم

فَغَدَت تُمَزَّقُ في البِلادِ وَتُنهَبُ

The Ahsa became settled through you, and it

Had quaked with all in it and nearly overturned

فَلِذاكَ قالَ الناسُ في آبائِهم

قَبحَ الإِلَهُ أُبُوَّةً لَم يُنجِبُوا

Had you not shored its cracks and repaired its rifts

The horses of destruction in it would have frolicked

لِلّهِ دَرُّكَ يا عَلِيُّ فَلَم يَعُد

إلّاكَ في هَذا الزَمانِ مُهَذَّبُ

You revived it after death, and after its

Wailers stood lamenting and grieving

أَضحَت بِكَ الأَحساءُ ساكِنَةً وَقَد

رَجَفَت بِمَن فيها وَكادَت تُقلَبُ

And prevented it, after it had been barren,

From being pillaged and plundered in every direction

لَو لَم تَدارَكهَا وَتَرأَب صَدعَها

لَغَدت بِها خَيلُ الهَلاكِ تَوَثَّبُ

And you filled it with justice, and it had become

Oppressed by injustice, homes and dwellings ruined

أَحيَيتها بَعدَ المَماتِ وَبَعدَما

قامَت بَواكيها تَنوحُ وَتَندُبُ

And you removed the harms from it, and for long

Affliction dwelled within it seeping

وَمَنَعتَها مِن بَعدِ ما كانَت سُدىً

في كُلِّ ناحِيةٍ تُغارُ وَتُنهَبُ

Until it is as if you - and the likener is truthful -

Were its Umar, and as if it for you is Yathrib

وَمَلأتَها عَدلاً وَكانَت عُمِّمَت

جَوراً تَغورُ بهِ الدِيّارُ وَتُخرَبُ

The wealthy slept, and before you did not sleep

Fearing oppressions, awake tossing and turning

وَرَفَعتَ عَنها المُؤذِياتِ وَطالَما

راحَ البَلا في جَوِّها يَتَصَبَّبُ

And the poor walked secure at dawn

Reassured, and the wanderer uncovered his face

حَتّى كَأَنَّكَ وَالمُشَبِّهُ صادِقٌ

عُمَرٌ بِها وَكَأَنَّها لَكَ يَثرِبُ

Alas - O father of Mansur - wakeful, raging

Hero for his Ali he envies and resents

نامَ الغَنِيُّ وَكانَ قَبلَكَ لا يَني

خَوفَ المَظالِمِ ساهِراً يَتَقَلَّبُ

Do not incline toward the enemy or obey

The views of those in another's rope who kindle

وَمَشى الفَقيرُ ضُحىً وَهَوَّنَ آمِناً

بِالإِلتِفاتِ وَأَسفَرَ المُتَنَقِّبُ

And disobey the disgraced if he suggests, and do not trust

In creatures, all those you befriend

إِيهاً أَبا المَنصورِ يَقظَة ثائِرٍ

بَطَلٍ لِعَلياهُ يَغارُ وَيَغضَبُ

And know the people - I have tested them

So if true friendship comes from them, it is a scorpion

لا تَركنَنَّ إِلى العُدوِّ وَلا تُطِع

آراءَ مَن في حَبلِ غَيرِكَ يَحطِبُ

And accept the advice of Majid when he distances himself

From you for poor opinion, and he is the closest

وَاِعصَ الذَّليلَ إِذا أَشارَ وَلا تَثِق

في الكائِناتِ بِكُلِّ مَن تَستَصحِبُ

Your noble, generous fathers if they belonged

Their fathers and forefathers when connected

وَاِعلَم بِأَنَّ الناسَ قَد جَرَّبتهُم

فَإِذا صَحيحُ الوُدِّ مِنهُم عَقرَبُ

They left you in every land they settled

A nobility which shines, his mention rising and setting

وَاِقبَل نَصيحَةَ ماجِدٍ بِاعدتَهُ

عَنكُم لِضَعفِ الرَأيِ وَهوَ الأَقرَبُ

Your enemy cozening with his distance

From you with the selves of what is sold and sought

آباؤُكَ الغُرُّ الكِرامُ إِذا اِنتَمَوا

آباؤُهُ وَجُدُودُهُ إِذ تُنسَبُ

The wide-mouthed dogs bark back at your pond

And are driven away as the crow is driven

أَبقى لَكُم في كُلِّ دارٍ حلَّها

شَرَفاً يُشَرِّقُ ذِكرُهُ وَيُغَرِّبُ

And the lion of evil terrifies me in its land

While in yours the fox is insolent with me

يَشري عَدُوُّكُمُ المُداجي بُعدَهُ

عَنكُم بِأَنفَسِ ما يُباعُ وَيُطلَبُ

And with your bow each day I shoot

And with your sword each day I strike

تَرِدُ الكِلابُ الواسِعِيَّةُ حَوضَكُم

وَأُذادُ عَنهُ كَما يُذادُ الأَجرَبُ

And I say what Ibn Murrah said openly

I have no mother if this remains, nor father

وَتُجِلُّني أُسدُ الشَّرى في أَرضِها

وَبِأَرضِكُم يَسطو عَلَيَّ الثَّعلَبُ

For me in God's lands, from those who do not see

My right, there are places to wander as I wish and depart

وَبِقَوسِكُم في كُلِّ يَومٍ أَرتَمي

وَبِسَيفِكُم في كُلِّ يَومٍ أُضرَبُ

So protect my bequest, O Ali, and do not neglect

What you have been entrusted, and soften your severity, I melt

وَأَقولُ ما قالَ اِبنُ مُرَّةَ مُعلِناً

لا أُمَّ لي إِن دامَ ذاكَ وَلا أَبُ

And upon you is the justice you revived

So the supplication of a weeper in darkness is unveiled

لي في بِلادِ اللَّهِ عَمَّن لا يَرى

حَقّي مَراحٌ كَيفَ شِئتُ وَمَذهَبُ

And you remained, settlements secured, supported

As long as a supplicant stands in prayer to bless

فَاِحفَظ وِصاتي يا عَلِيُّ وَلا تُضِع

ما قَد وُليتَ فَحولَ شاتِكَ أَذؤُبُ

وَعَلَيكَ بِالعَدلِ الَّذي أَحيَيتَهُ

فَدُعاءِ باكٍ في الدُجى لا يُحجَبُ

وَبَقيتَ مَعمورَ الجَنابِ مُؤَيّداً

ما قامَ داعٍ بِالصَّلاةِ يُثَوِّبُ