قالوا قَضى موسى فَقُلتُ قَدِ اِنطَوى
عَلَم وَأُغمِدَ صارِمٌ بَتّارُ
They said "Musa has passed," and I replied: A banner has been furled, and a sharp, severing sword sheathed.
Visions of hope grew blurred and scattered, like blossoms dispersed by a hurricane.
فَتَشَوَّشَت صُوَرُ المُنى وَتَناثَرَت
كَالزَهرِ بَدَّدَ شَملَها الإِعصارُ
It was as if Death had struck a personal blow against every man when that mighty giant passed away.
The land was seized with anguish at his fall, as though a sweeping army had vanished from its defense.
وَكَأَنَّما وَتَرَ الرَدى كُلَّ اِمرِئٍ
لَمّا تَوَلّى ذَلِكَ الجَبّارُ
Palestine wept for its vanguard in him; truly, tragedies are magnified when they befall the great.
When they announced his death, they announced a chieftain to us—one of noble character and pure lineage.
جَزِعَت لِمَصرَعِهِ البِلادُ كَأَنَّما
قَد غابَ عَنها جَحفَلٌ جَرّارُ
He wore the robe of youth and cast it off unsullied, like a star to which no impurities can cling.
White age spread across his head, yet he became like a field abundant with flowers and fruit.
وَبَكَت فِلسطينُ بِهِ قَيدومَها
إِنَّ الرَزايا بِالكِبارِ كِبارُ
His years extended long, leaving him like a towering mountain, possessed of solidity and dignity.
Violent storms recoil from him, blunted, and the pouring tempest slides harmlessly away.
لَمّا نَعوهُ نَعَوا إِلَينا سَيِّداً
شَرُفَت خَلائِقُه وَطابَ نِجارُ
He was harmed but did not fret; he was oppressed but did not yield—for the noble soul is patient in suffering.
The struggle against hardships polished his spirit, just as rains reveal the garden's splendor.
لَبِسَ الصِبا وَنَضاهُ غَيرَ مُدَنَّسٍ
كَالنَجمِ لَم تَعلَق بِهِ الأَوضارُ
He possessed the wisdom of the elder and the daring of the youth when pursuing high ambitions.
The wicked stood in awe of his true conviction, and the free sought guidance in his counsel.
وَمَشى المَشيبُ بِرَأسِهِ فَإِذا بِهِ
كَالحَقلِ فيهِ الزَهر وَالأَثمارُ
He ceased not to roar in defense of the sanctuary, like a startled lion finding no repose.
He calmly burdened his soul with perils, so that no calamities would befall his people.
وَتَطاوَلَت أَعوامُهُ فَإِذا بِهِ
كَالطَودِ فيهِ صَلابَة وَوَقارُ
Until Death settled him in the hollow of the grave, and the racecourse was left to another's steed.
Marvel at one whose fame filled all ears, now enfolded by mere spans of earth within the soil.
تَرتَدُّ عَنهُ العاصِفاتُ كَليلَةً
وَيَزُلُّ عَنهُ العارِضُ المِدرارُ
May is remembered for his noble deeds, even though the month of May has passed and gone.
Serve your country then, as Musa Kazem did, and the cities shall lavish their praise upon you.
أوذي فَلَم يَجزَع وَضيمَ فَلَم يَهِن
إِنَّ الكَريمَ عَلى الأَذى صَبّارُ
The years are alike, whether many or few, if impactful deeds do not weigh upon their pages.
Turn your reins toward glory while in your youth; for the cloak of youth, like beauty, is but a loan.
صَقَلَت مُكافَحَةُ الشَدائِدِ نَفسُهُ
وَالرَوضُ تَجلو حُسنُهُ الأَمطارُ
Do not defer the struggle until tomorrow, for tomorrow may come when you are but dust.
What profit is there for you to own the soil, if the evenings and the dawns belong to another?
فَلَهُ مِنَ الشَيخِ الأَصالَة وَالفَتى
إِقدامُهُ إِذ لِلفَتى أَوطارُ
He who does not open his eyelids to the day—far be it that the light of day should ever adorn his sight.
Love your land as Musa Kazem loved, with a passion defined by sincerity and self-sacrifice.
يَتَهَيَّبُ الفُجّارُ صِدقَ يَقينِهِ
وَبِرَأيِهِ يَستَرشِدُ الأَحرارُ
Then the hills will weave a crown of blossoms for your head, and the valleys will chant your name.
Beware of gazing upon her with the eye of a merchant, for to trade in homelands is a disgrace.
ما زالَ يَزأَرُ دونَ ذَيّاكَ الحِمى
كَاللَيثِ ريعَ فَما لَهُ اِستِقرارُ
Shun the hypocrite and trust not his pledges; the hypocrite's only homeland is silver and gold.
Shaky in morals, his truest promise is a mirage, and the best of his gifts are mere excuses.
وَيُجَشِّمُ النَفسَ المَخاطِرَ هادِئً
كَيلا تُلِمَّ بِقَومِهِ الأَخطارُ
He draws near with a face full of affection, while his heart mocks and sneers at you.
When following his whims he is a traitor, and at the height of his virtue, he is but a broker.
حَتّى اِستَقَرَّ بِهِ الرَدى في حُفرَةٍ
وَخَلا لِغَيرِ جَوادِهِ المِضمارُ
How many factions we deemed our allies, only to find them allies of our foes.
While the enemy slept, they feigned valor; but when war grew fierce, they mounted the wind and fled.
فَاِعجَب لِمَن مَلَأَ المَسامِعَ ذِكرُهُ
تَطويهِ في عَرضِ الثَرى أَشبارُ
Worse for a man than a bitter adversary is the wavering, faint-hearted friend.
And beware the snares of politics, for she is a daughter sired by fleeting mercury.
أَيّارُ مَذكورٌ بِحُسنِ صَنيعِهِ
وَلَئِن تَوَلّى وَاِنقَضى أَيّارُ
She holds the potent venom of the viper, and possesses the wolf's fangs and claws.
One approaches her springs finding sweet water, but turns back to find the springs have turned to fire.
فَاِخدِم بِلادَكَ مِثلُ موسى كاظِمٍ
تُسبِغ عَلَيكَ ثَنائَها الأَمصارُ
Deceit and camouflage are her finest traits; her motto is that no motto shall endure.
Do not seek mercy from politics; she dwells where blood is spilled and ruin descends.
إِنَّ السِنينَ كَثيرُها كَقَليلِها
إِن لَم تَزِن صَفَحاتِها الآثارُ
If you are vigilant, the prey is another; but if you sleep, you become the quarry and your flesh the prize.
O my people, the enemy is at your gate; how wretched a raider is the neighbor who invades.
فَاِصرِف عَنانَكَ في الشَباِ إِلى العُلى
بُردُ الشَبيبَةِ كَالجَمالِ مُعارُ
He covets your land with the insatiable greed of Ash'ab, full of deceit and ceaseless plotting.
Do not sleep on him, for he does not sleep; do you slumber when the flood tide has risen high?
لا تَقعِدَنَّ عَنِ الجِهادِ إِلى غَدٍ
فَلَقَد يَجيءُ غَد وَأَنتَ غُبارُ
Even the birds defend their nests; shall the winged flocks possess more reason than you?
Tread in the footsteps of Musa and toil, if you wish that your homelands not be lost.
ماذا يُفيدُكَ أَن يَكونَ لَكَ الثَرى
وَلِغَيرِكَ الآصال وَالأَسحارُ
Visit his resting place and draw strength from him, for how often does remembrance rekindle the spirit's fire.
A grave whose borders waft with perfume; for the tomb of the noble is a fragrant garden.
مَن لَيسَ يَفتَحُ لِلنَهارِ جُفونَهُ
هَيهاتِ يُكَحِّلُ مُقلَتَيهِ نَهارُ
If a breeze passes over it one day, it becomes scented, as though its very stones were flowers.
وَاِحبِب بِلادَكَ مِثلُ موسى كاظِمٍ
حُبّاً بِهِ الإِخلاص وَالإيثارُ
تَضفَر لِرَأسِكَ مِن أَزاهِرِها الرُبى
تاجا وَتَهتُفُ بِاِسمِكَ الأَغوارُ
إِيّاكَ تَرمَقُها بِمُقلَةِ تاجِرٍ
إِن اِتِّجارَكَ بِالمَواطِنُ عارُ
وَدَعِ المُنافِقَ لا تَثِق بِعُهودِهِ
وَطَنُ المُنافِقِ فَضَّة وَنُضارُ
مُتَرَجرِجُ الأَخلاقِ أَصدَقُ وَعدِهِ
آل وَخَيرُ هِباتِهِ الأَعذارُ
يَدنو إِلَيكَ بِوَجهِهِ مُتَوَدِّداً
وَفُؤادُهُ بِكَ هازِئٌ سَخّارُ
هُوَ حينَ يَجري مَع هَواهُ خائِنٌ
وَإِذا سَمَت أَخلاقُهُ سِمسارُ
كَم مَعشَرٍ خِلناهُمُ أَنصارَنا
فَإِذا هُمُ لِعُداتِنا أَنصارُ
رَقَدَ العِدى فَتَحَمَّسوا حَتّى إِذا
جَدَّ الوَغى رَكِبوا العُقاب وَطاروا
شَرٌّ مِنَ الخَصمِ اللَدودِ عَلى الفَتى
الصاحِبُ المُتَذَبذِبُ الخُوّارُ
وَحَذارِ أَشراكَ السِياسَةِ إِنَّها
بِنتٌ أَبوها الزِئبَقُ الفَرّارُ
فيها مِنَ الرَقطاءِ ناقِعُ سُمِّها
وَلَها نُيوبُ الذِئب وَالأَظفارُ
تَرِدُ المَناهِل وَهيَ ماءٌ سائِغٌ
وَتَعودُ عَنها وَالمَناهِلُ نارُ
الكَذِب وَالتَمويهُ خَيرُ صِفاتِها
وَشِعارُها أَن لا يَدومَ شِعارُ
لا تَطلُبَنَّ مِنَ السِياسَةِ رَحمَةً
هِيَ حَيثُ طُلَّ دَم وَحَلَّ دَمارُ
الصَيدُ غَيرَكَ إِن سَهِرَت دَإِن تَنَم
فَالصَيدُ أَنت وَلَحمُكَ المُختارُ
يا قَومَنا إِنَّ العَدُوَّ بِبابِكُم
بِئسَ المُغيرِ عَلى البِلادِ الجارُ
وَلَهُ بِأَرضِكُم طَماعَة أَشعَبٍ
وَرَواغَه وَلِكَيدِهِ اِستِمرارُ
لا تَرقُدوا عَنهُ فَلَيسَ بِراقِدٍ
أَفَتَهجَعون وَقَد طَمى التَيّارُ
إِنَّ الطُيورَ تَذودُ عَن أَوكارِها
أَتَكونُ أَعقَلَ مِنكُمُ الأَتيارُ
سيروا عَلى آثارِ موسى وَاِعمَلوا
إِن شِئتُمُ أَن لا تَضيعَ دِيارُ
زوروا ثَراه وَاِستَمِدّوا قُوَّةً
مِنهُ فَكَم أَحيا الهَوى التَذكارُ
قَبرٌ يَفوحُ الطيبُ مِن جَنَباتِهِ
قَبرُ الكَريمِ خَميلَةٌ مِعطارُ
فَإِذا تَمُرُّ عَلَيهِ يَوماً نَسمَةٌ
أَرَجَت كَأَنَّ حِجارَهُ أَزهارُ
