يا باكِياً لِدِمنَةٍ وَأَربُعِ
اِبكِ عَلى آلِ النَبِيِّ أَو دَعِ
O you who weep for the oppressed and persecuted,
Either weep for the Prophet's family or desist.
يَكفيكَ ما عايَنتَ مِن مُصابِهِم
مِن أَن تبكّي طَلَلاً بِلَعلَعِ
What you have witnessed of their afflictions
Should suffice you from crying over ruins with no dwellers.
تُحِبُّهُم قَلبي وَتَبكي غَيرَهُم
إِنَّكَ فيما قُلتَهُ لَمُدَّعِ
My heart loves them but cries for others -
You are pretentious in what you have said.
أَما عَلِمتَ أَنَّ إِفراطَ الأَسى
عَلَيهِمُ عَلامَةُ التَشَيُّعِ
Do you not know that excessive grief over them
Is a sign of extremism in partisanship?
أَقوَت مَغانيهِم فَهُنَّ بِالبُكا
أَحَقُّ مِن وادي الغَضا وَالأَجرُعِ
I have composed verses in eulogy of them, for eulogies
Are more deserving than the Valley of Al-Ghadha.
يا لَيتَ شِعري مَن أَنُوحُ مِنهُمُ
وَمَن لَهُ يَنهَلُّ فَيضُ أَدمُعي
Oh, if only I knew who of them it is
For whom my streaming tears flow.
أَلِلوَصِيِّ حينَ في مِحرابِهِ
عُمِّمَ بِالسَيفِ وَلَمّا يَركَعِ
Is it for the Trustee when in his prayer niche
Swords covered him and he could not bow down?
أَم لِلَّذي أَودَت بِهِ جَعدَتُهُم
يَومَئِذٍ بِكاسِ سُمٍّ مُنقِعِ
Or is it for the one whose flowing locks
Were on that day poisoned with a poisoned drink?
وَإِنَّ حُزني كَقَتيلِ كَربَلا
لَيسَ عَلى طُولِ البِلى بِمُقلِعِ
My sadness is like the martyr of Karbala -
It does not cease as long as life continues.
إِذا ذَكَرتُ يَومَهُ تَحَدَّرَت
مَدامِعي لِأَربَعٍ في أَربَعِ
When I remember his day, my tears
Flow down my cheeks in streams.
يا راكِباً نَحوَ العِراقِ جُرشُعا
يُنمَى لِعَبدِيِّ النِّجارِ جُرشَعِ
O you riding to Iraq determined,
Heading for the Carpenter's grandson.
إِذا بَلَغتَ نِينَوى فَقِف بِها
وُقُوفَ مَحزُونِ الفُؤادِ مُوجَعِ
When you reach Nineveh, stop there
Halting with a grieving, aching heart.
وَاِلبِس إِذا اِسطَعتَ بِها ثَوبَ الأَسى
وَكُلَّ ثَوبٍ لِلعَزاءِ فَاِخلَعِ
And don garments of sorrow when you arrive
Casting off all other clothes.
فَإِنَّ فِيها لِلهُدى مَصارِعاً
رائِعَةً بِمثلِها لَم يُسمَعِ
For it holds amazing tragedies
The likes of which have never been heard of before.
فَاِسفَح بِها دَمعَكَ لا مُستَبقِياً
في غَربِهِ وَبُح غَراماً وَاِجزَعِ
So spill your tears there, not stinting
In grief for them. Vent your anguish and despair
فَكُلُّ دَمعٍ ضائِعٌ مِنكَ عَلى
غَيرِ غَريبِ المُصطَفى المُضَيَّعِ
For every tear of yours that is wasted
On other than the neglected, outcast Chosen One
لِلّهِ يَوماً بِالطُفوفِ لَم يَدَع
لِمُسلِمٍ في العَيشِ مِن مُستَمتَعِ
By God, a day in Tufoof like no other
Leaving no Muslim any pleasure in life.
يَومٌ بِهِ اِعتَلَّت مَصابيحُ الدُجى
بِعارِضٍ مِنَ الضَلالِ مُفزِعِ
A day when the lamps of darkness were lit
With a calamitous trial so horrifying.
يَومٌ بِهِ لَم يَبقَ مِن دَعامَةٍ
تَشُدُّ رُكنَ الدِينِ لَم تُضَعضَعِ
A day when no pillar remained
Propping up the religion without being shaken.
يَومٌ بِهِ لَم يَبقَ مِن داعِيَةٍ
تَدعُو إِلى الشَيطانِ لَم تُبتَدَعِ
A day when no caller remained
Summoning to Satan without being an innovator.
يَومٌ بِهِ لَم تَبقَ مِن غَمامَةٍ
تُحيي ثَرى الإِسلامِ لَم تُشَيَّعِ
A day when no cloud remained
To give life to the land of Islam without being bade farewell.
يَومٌ بِهِ لَم تَبقَ قَطُّ رايَةٌ
تَهدي إِلى ضَلالَةٍ لَم تُرفَعِ
A day when no standard remained
Leading to misguidance without being raised.
يَومٌ بِهِ لَم يَبقَ قَطُّ مارِنٌ
وَمَعطِسٌ لِلحَقِّ لَم يَنجَدِعِ
A day when no stubborn ox remained
Braying at the truth without splitting its snout.
يَومٌ بِهِ لَم تَبقَ مِن وَسيلَةٍ
حقّاً لِآلِ المُصطَفى لَم تُقطَعِ
A day when no means remained
Rightfully for Muhammad’s family without being severed.
يَومٌ بِهِ الكَلبُ الدَريعُ يَعتَدِي
عَلى هِزبَرِ الغابَةِ المُدَرَّعِ
A day when the vicious dog transgressed
Upon the lion of the jungle fully armed.
يَومٌ بِهِ غُودِرَ سِبطُ المُصطَفى
لِلعاسِلاتِ وَالضِباعِ الخُمَّعِ
A day when the Prophet's grandson
Was preyed upon by snarling beasts.
لَهفي لَهُ يَدعُو الطّعان مُعلِناً
دُعاءَ مَأمُونِ الفِرارِ أَروَعِ
My soul yearns for him as the slanderer calls to him
Voicing the prayer of the fleeing coward.
يَقُولُ يا شَرَّ الأَنامِ أَنتُمُ
أَكفَرُ مِن عادٍ وَقَومِ تُبَّعِ
He says, "O worst of mankind, you are
More disbelieving than Aad and Thamud."
كاتَبتُمُوني بِالمَسيرِ نَحوَكُم
وَقُلتُمُ خُذ في المَسيرِ أَو دَعِ
“You wrote to me to march towards you
And said, ‘Come or stay behind.’
فَنَحنُ طَوعٌ لَكَ لَم نَنسَ الَّذي
لَكُم مِن العَهدِ وَلَم نُضَيِّعِ
We are obedient to you. We have not forgotten
Our covenant to you, nor violated it,
حَتّى إِذا جِئتُ لِما يُصلِحُكُم
مِن إِرثِ جَدّي وَذرَارِيهِ مَعي
Until when I came to restore for you
My grandfather’s inheritance with my family,
لَقِيتُمُوني بِسُيُوفٍ في الوَغى
مُنتَضَياتٍ وَرِماحٍ شُرَّعِ
You met me with swords in the fray -
Bared, with readied spears."
هَل كانَ هَذا في سِجِلّاتِكُمُ
يا شَرَّ مَرأىً لِلوَرى وَمَسمَعِ
"Was this in your records,
O worst sight for all creation?"
هَل لَكُمُ أَن تَفُوا بِبَيعَتي
أَن تَسمَحُوا لي عَنكُمُ بِمَرجعِ
"Can you violate your oath to me,
Allow me to withdraw from you safely?"
قالَوا لَهُ هَيهاتَ ذاكَ إِنَّهُ
ما لَكَ في سَلامَةٍ مِن مَطمَعِ
They said to him, "Never! You have
No safety from our greed."
بايِع يَزيداً أَو تَرى سُيوفَنا
هامَكُمُ يَقَعنَ كُلَّ مَوقِعِ
"Pledge allegiance to Yazeed or you will see
Our swords befalling you from every side."
فَعِندَها جَرَّدَ سَيفاً لَم يَضَع
نِجادَهُ مِنهُ عَلى أَيِّ مَوضِعِ
Whereupon he drew a sword whose edge
He did not return to its sheath again.
وَعاثَ في أَبطالِهِم حَتّى اِتَّقى
مِن بَأسِهِ الحاسِرُ بِالمُقنَّعِ
And he wreaked havoc among their heroes
Till the cautious one in armor feared his might.
وَحَولَهُ مِن صَحبِهِ كُلُّ فَتىً
حامي الذِمارِ بَطَلٍ سَمَيذَعِ
Around him, each fearless knight
Protected the Valiant One’s flank.
كَم غادِرٍ غادَرَهُ مُجَدَّلاً
وَالخَيلُ تُردي وَالكُماةُ تَدَّعي
How many deserters he left lying dead
As the horses trampled and the swords clashed!
حَتّى رَماهُ الرِجسُ شُلّت يَدُهُ
عَن بارِعِ الرَميَةِ صُلبِ المَنزَعِ
Till the despicable one shot him, paralyzing his hand
From the excellent archer of steady grip.
فَخَرَّ وَالهَفا لَهُ كَأَنَّما
عَلَيهِ رَدعٌ أَو خَلوقٌ أَودَعِ
So he fell as if shackled and bound
After none of his supporters remained but
مِن بَعدِ أَن لَم يَبقَ مِن أَنصارِهِ
غَيرُ طعامِ أَنسُرٍ وَأَضبُعِ
Carrion-eating beasts and hyenas.
Then they inclined to the tents, leaning
ثَمَّتَ مالُوا لِلخيامِ مَيلَةً
قالَت لِرُكنِ الدِينِ إِيهاً فَقَعِ
And saying to the pillar of faith, "Woe!"
Striking, looting, violating sanctity
ضَرباً وَنَهباً وَاِنتِهاكَ حُرمَةٍ
وَذَبحَ أَطفالٍ وَسَلبَ أَذرُعِ
Slaughtering infants, robbing the armless.
Truly they saw in their minds misery for them -
لَقَد رَأَوا في الفِكرِ تَعساً لَهُم
رَأيَ قُدارٍ رَأَيُهُم فَيَصدَعِ
Qadar's view; their view split skulls.
Where is slitting the she-camel's throat compared
وَأَينَ عَقرُ ناقَةٍ مِمّا جَنَوا
يا لَلرِجالِ لِلفِعالِ الأَشنَعِ
To their crimes, O what an appalling deed!
Never in time was seen the like of it -
ما مِثلُها في الدَهرِ مِن عَظيمَةٍ
لَقَد تَعَدَّت كُلَّ أَمرٍ مُفظِعِ
Surpassing all horrific matters.
Muhammad's offspring were taken captive,
تُسبى ذراري المُصطَفى مُحمَّدٍ
رِضاً لِشانيهِ الزَنيمِ الدُكَّعِ
Pleasing the despicable, base wretch.
Oh how my soul yearns for Al-Husayn in Iraq
يا لَهفَ نَفسي لِلحُسَينِ بِالعَرا
وَقَد أُقيمَ أَهلُهُ بِجَعجَعِ
With his family left in Al-Ji'iran.
My soul yearns for my slain Master, thirsty
لَهفي لِمَولايَ الشَهيدِ ظامِئاً
يُذادُ عَن بَحرِ الفُراتِ المُترَعِ
Defending the banks of the Euphrates.
They did not let him drink a single draft
لَم تَسمحِ القَومُ لَهُ بِشَربَةٍ
حَتّى قَضى بِغُلَّةٍ لَم تُنقَعِ
Till he met his death, his thirst unquenched.
My soul yearns for him with Shimr atop his chest
لَهفي لَهُ وَالشَمرُ فَوقَ صَدرِهِ
لِحَينِ أَوداجٍ وَهَشمٍ أَضلُعِ
When raging, he shattered his ribs.
My soul yearns for him with his head on a spear
لَهفي لَهُ وَرَأسُهُ في ذائِلٍ
كَالبَدرِ يزهى في أَتَمِّ مَطلَعِ
Like the full moon shining at its brightest.
My soul yearns as the lips of the Trustee were split
لَهفي لِثَغرِ السِبطِ إِذ يَقرَعُهُ
مَن سَيَوَدُّ أَنَّهُ لَم يُقرَعِ
By one trying to best him with his strike.
Oh how my soul yearns for Ahmad's daughters
يا لَهفَ نَفسي لِبناتِ أَحمَدٍ
بَينَ عِطاشٍ في الفَلا وَجُوَّعِ
Amongst thirst and hunger in the open desert.
Herded in humiliation’s disgrace to Syria
يُسَقنَ في ذُلِّ السِبا حَواسِراً
إِلى الشآمِ فَوقَ حَسرِ أَضلُعِ
Above camels’ saddles, ribs broken.
Their heads presented in front of him
يَقدُمُهُنَّ الرَأسُ في قَناتِهِ
هَدِيَّةً إِلى الدَعِيِّ اِبنِ الدَعِي
As gifts to the worshipper of idols.
They lament, "O grandfather, if only you could see us
يَندُبنَ يا جَدَّهُ لَو رَأَيتَنا
نُسلَبُ كُلَّ مِعجَرٍ وَبُرقُعِ
Robbed of all possessions, even fabrics!"
"We are gifted to the tyrant Yazeed disheveled -
نُهدَى إِلى الطاغي يَزيد لُعثاً
شُعثاً بِأَسوا حالَةٍ وَأَبدَعِ
In the worst state, so very distressed."
"A rough rider drives us whose journey
يَحدي بِنا حادٍ عَنيفٌ سَيرُهُ
لَو قِيلَ إِرتَع ساعَةً لَم يَرتَعِ
Knows no gentleness, will not be reined."
"Travel wearies us, so he hurries us
يُتعِبُنا السَيرُ فَيَستَحِثُّنا
إِذا تَخَلَّفنا بِضَربٍ مُوجِعِ
If we lag, with painful blows."
"And if you could see the jailer in his aggression
وَلَو تَرى السَجّانَ في كُبُولِهِ
يَضرِبُ ضَربَ النَعَمِ المِسلَعِ
Striking like a freed animal."
"Unbearable for you is our state
يَعزِز عَلَيكَ جَدَّنا مُقامُنا
وَمَصرَعٌ في الطفِّ أَيُّ مَصرَعِ
And an end in childhood - which end?"
"They slaughtered our men and were not satisfied
اِستَأصَلوا رِجالَنا وَما اِكتَفوا
بِسَبيِ نِسوانٍ وَذَبحِ رُضَّعِ
With capturing women and slaughtering infants."
"Then they cry, ‘O Husayn, is there no
ثُمَّ يَصِحنَ يا حُسَينَاهُ أَما
بَعدَ فِراقِ اليَومِ مِن تَجَمُّعِ
Reunion after this day of separation?'"
"You left us behind you broken,
خَلَّفتَنا بَعدَكَ وَقفاً محجِراً
عَلى الحَنينِ وَالنَوى وَالجَزَعِ
Yearning, lamenting, despairing."
Amazing that the earth did not split
واعَجَباً لِلأَرضِ كَيفَ لَم تَثُخ
وَلِلسَماءِ كَيفَ لَم تُزَعزَعِ
And the sky did not collapse!
So may the curse of the Merciful be upon the hordes
فَلَعنَةُ الرَحمَنُ تَغشى عُصبَةً
غَزَتهُمُ وَعُصبَةً لَم تدفَعِ
Who attacked them and the hordes who did not defend.
O family of Taha, you are my means
يا آل طَهَ أَنتُمُ وَسيلَتي
عِندَ الإِلَهِ وَإِلَيكُم مَفزَعي
To Allah and my refuge at the final horror.
My loyalty to you will make me
واليتُكُم كَيما أَكونَ عِندَكُم
تَحتَ لِواءِ الأَمنِ يَومَ الفَزَعِ
Under safety's banner on the Day of Fear.
If I am banned from none but you
وَإِن مَنَعتُم أَن يُوالي غَيرَكُم
إِن يَردِ الحَوضَ غَداً لَم يُمنَعِ
At the Pool tomorrow, I will not be banned.
To you a streaming of my inner thoughts has come
إِلَيكُمُ نَفثَةَ مَصدُورٍ أَتَت
مِن مُقحَمِ الشِعرِ إِلى مِصقَعِ
From a crammed mind to the horizons.
An Arab, my nature, though my plumage
مَغرِبيٌّ عَرَبيٌ طَبعُهُ
وَنَجرُهُ وَلَيسَ بِالمُدَرَّعِ
Is Non-Arab; I bear no arms.
I profess my longing for the Omayyad house -
يُنمى إِلى البَيتِ العُيونِيِّ إِلى
أَجَلِّ بَيتٍ في العُلى وَأَرفَعِ
The greatest, most elevated house.
God’s blessings and bounty upon you,
عَلَيكُمُ صَلّى الإِلَهُ وَسَقى
أَجَلّ بَيتٍ في العُلى وَأَرفَعِ
The greatest, most elevated house.
