هاجت رياح بالشمال تجول
وتقدمت ريح الجنوب تصول
The northern winds blew wildly,
While the gusts of the south wind raged furiously.
وتكافحت حتى كأن هبوبها
فرسان حرب اقبلت وخيول
They clashed as though their raging
Were warring horsemen charging forth on steeds.
اهبت وقد جعل الغمام ظليلها
فكانما هو قسطل مسبول
The clouds rose up providing them with shade,
As if it were an unfurled banner.
والبرق في افق السماء كانه
بين الرياح اسنة ونصول
And lightning in the skyline seemed
Like drawn swords amidst the winds.
والغيم في اوج الفضاء كأنه
درع عليه مزرد مقفول
The clouds high in the sky appeared
As armored shields studded and latched.
ونما الضباب على الهضاب مغمما
قمم الجبال كأنه اكليل
Mist amassed over the hills obscuring
The mountain peaks like crowns.
نحرت سيوف البرق اعناق الغما
م فسال منه دمعه المهطول
Lightning struck the necks of gloom
And from them poured ceaseless tears.
وتزاحمت فرق السحاب وقد بدا
للرعد في وسط الغيوم صهيل
The ranks of clouds collided until
Thunder roared midst the clouds neighing.
ما زالت الأنواء يخبط جيشها
حتى علا نور الضياء افول
The storms continued to clash
Until the light of dawn rose high.
والشمس قد كسفت بسلخ محرم
وعقيب هذا الكسف جاء سيول
The sun became eclipsed when Muharram passed
And after this eclipse came floods.
وتكاثف النو الشديد وقد اتى
صفر بغرته الرياح تجول
Intense clouds gathered and brought
Winds howling yellow with their rage.
وبجمعة في ثالث منه أتى
ثلج يطوف على البطاح مهول
On its third Friday, there came
Snow - fearful in its enormity.
ثلج عجيب ما رأينا مثله
كلا ولم يخبر به منقول
Wondrous snow the likes of which we've never seen
And no account of it passed down.
متدفق متزايد يومان مع
ليل تواصل هطله الموصول
Incessant and increasing for two days
With nonstop nightly downpour.
عم الجبال كذا البطاح سويّة
وتعممت منه الربى وسهول
It covered mountains and lowlands alike
And spread over meadows and plains.
وبدا بامصار وحل بها ولم
يعرف له قبلا بهن نزوال
It pelted with rain then settled not
Known before to fall in this place.
وتراه في تلك البقاع مقدّرا
فوق الذراع وبعضهن يطول
You could see it measured in some parts
Above the arm's length while in others it rose higher.
واشتد هذا الثلج حتى لم يكن
من هوله لابن السبيل دخول
This snow was so intense that for travelers
There was no way to pass through.
قد لازم الناس البيوت مخافة
يوم وكل بالدعا مشغول
People confined themselves fearing
A day when all were consumed in prayer.
واستدت الطرقات حتى ليس
بين الجار والجار القريب سبيل
The roads were lost so neither
Neighbor nor kin could journey there.
كم قرية أضحت به مغمورة
فكأنّ ليس لها ربى وطاول
How many villages were completely submerged
As though they had no hills or dunes.
وبجلق لما اناخ ركابه
ملئت صحاريها به وتلول
When it landed with its carriages in Julqa
Its plains were filled and chaotic.
لله كم من انفس هلكت وكم
من مخصب غض علاه ذبول
My God! How many lives perished and how much
Green fertility it destroyed and spoiled!
ولفرط شدته وهول مصابه
دهشت به ابصارنا وعقول
Due to its sheer force and terrible strike
Our eyes and minds were bewildered.
وعرا الأنام مهابة لمّا دنى
خطب جسيم بالثلوج جليل
Dread befell the people when there drew near
A grave event with great snowfalls.
فتصايحت تلك الخلايق بالدعا
للَه فهو الحافظ المسؤول
Those souls cried out in prayer to Allah
For He is the Protector sought.
متشبثين ملطفه وبحلمه
فهو الرحيم المالك المأمول
Clinging to His kindness and forbearance
For He is the Merciful, the Hoped.
قد كاد ان يفنى الورى لو لم يكن من
لطفه جرت عليه ذيول
The world was nearly destroyed had it not been
For His grace which gave us security.
شمل الأنام برأفة نلنا بها
امنا وزال الهم والتنكيل
The people were sheltered in the compassion we attained
Wherein fears and sorrows disappeared.
والشمس مذ كسفت فقلت مؤرخا
ثلج اتى وبه الكسوف دليل
Since the sun became eclipsed I said dating it
The snow came bearing witness to the eclipse.
