أَرَنَّ سَهْمُ الرَّدَى إِرْنَانَ مُنْتَحِبِ
وَسَالَ بِالدَّمْعِ وَجْهُ السَّيْفِ ذِي الشُّطَبِ
The arrow of fate let out a groan of grief,
And the face of the sword dripped with tears.
أَبالحَدِيدِ أَسىً مِنْ أَنْ يُفَارِقَهُ
فِي كُلِّ حَلْبَةِ فَخْرٍ خَيْرُ مُصْطَحِبِ
Does the iron grieve at parting with it,
The best companion in every field of glory?
مَاذَا شَجَا ظَبْيُ عَسْفَانٍ بِمَرْتَعِهِ
وَرَاعَ لَيْثَ الشَّرَى فِي غِيلِهِ الأَشِبِ
What did the antelope on the meadow of Asfan cry for?
Or the ferocious lion in his dreadful lair?
دَهَى العُرُوبَة خَطْبٌ فَتَّ سَاعِدَهَا
مِنْ حَيْثُ لاَ يُتَّقَى بِالبَيْضِ واليَلَبِ
Fate called the Arab race to glory, so its arm reached heights
Where courage, not spears or arrows, was the best defense.
مَضَى الحُسَيْنُ مُفَدِّيَها وَمُنْقِذُهَا
فَأَيُّ قَلْبٍ لِهَذَا البَيْنِ لَمْ يَذُبِ
Al-Husayn went forth as its redeemer and savior,
So which heart is not torn apart by this separation?
أَأُغْضِيْتَ عَنْ حِمَاها عَيْنُ كَالِئِهَا
وَلَمْ تَنَمْ عَنْ حِمَاهَا أَعْيُنُ النُّوَبِ
Did you ignore protecting it, you who were its guardians,
And were your eyes not alert in guarding it?
كَلاَّ وَذِكْرَاهُ مَا دَامَتْ مُؤَجَّجَةً
نَارَ الحِمِيَّةِ فِي صُيَّابِهَا النُّخَبِ
Never! While the fire of zeal still burns
In the embers of its elite and the people's commons,
وَمَا أَهَابَتْ بِجُنْدِ اللهِ فَاصْطَدَمَتْ
كَتَائِبُ الغِيَرِ الدَّهْمَاءِ بِالشُّهُبِ
While regiments of God's army still charge against
The legions of others, in the open country and the mountains,
إِنْ يَحْتَجِبْ لَكَ وَجْهٌ يَا حُسَيْنُ فَقَدْ
تَرَكْتَ لِلرَّأْيِ وَجْهاً غَيْرَ مُحْتَجِبِ
Every tyrant with an unjust injury has regained
His mettle that had been sapped by fear and dread.
إِلَيْهِ مَرْجِعُهَا فِي كُلِّ مُعْضِلَةٍ
فَلَسْتَ عَنْ أَمْرِهَا المَشْهُودِ فِي الغَيْبِ
It was a revival - the hearts of the nation danced for joy at it,
And a clear sign of truth appeared, to the dismay of truth’s enemies,
أَجْدَرْ بِهَا أَنْ تَظَلَّ الدَّهْرَ وَاعِيَةً
ذِكْرَى أَعزَّ مَلِيكٍ أَوْ أَبَرِّ أَبِ
Things turned out contrary to what they had wanted,
And reality went against what they had imagined as play.
حَرَّرْتَهَا وَأَذَقْتَ البَأْسَ مُورِدَهَا
بِبَأْسِهِ المُتَمَادِي مَوْرِدَ العَطَبِ
So they broke their pact regarding peace and resolved
To undo what they had agreed on openly in front of all.
يَفِيضُ بِالصَّابِ قِرْطَاسٌ أَخُطُّ بِهِ
مِنَ المَظَالِمِ مَا سِيمَتْ مَدَى حِقَبِ
They harbored evil schemes against you, and you found through them
In security what you had not found in open war.
فَمَنْ يَكُنْ نَاسِياً أَوْ جَاهِلاً لِيَسَلْ
عَنْهُمْ أُولِي اذِكْرِ أَوْ يَرْجِعْ إِلَى الكُتُبِ
You were true to your promise to them, while they
Did not keep their promises, not one bit.
أَيَّامَ أَصْبَحَ سِتْرُ الضَّادِ مُنْتَهِكَاً
مُهَلْهِلاً وَحِمَاهَا مَرْتَعَ الجُنُبِ
Your concern was not to hold power and rule,
Or earnestness on the heights and vainglory down below,
وَشَمْلُهَا فِي بَوَادٍ بَادَ آهِلُهَا
وَفِي الحَوَاضِرِ شَمْلاً جِدَّ مُنْشَعِبِ
But to aid the Arabs in a right that was acknowledged for them -
Judicial authority gives strength to the rule of might.
تَقْذَى عُيُونُ الأُولَى يَغْشَوْنَ أَرْبُعَهَا
بِكُلِّ عَارِي الشَّوَى فِي مَسْكَنٍ خَرِبِ
You never failed to seek that right,
And how can a goal be achieved without seeking?
تَأذَّنَتْ بِانْقِرَاضٍ بَعْدَ مَنْعَتِهَا
وَنُفِّرَتْ عَنْ حِيَاضِ العِلمِ وَالأَدَبِ
They compared al-Husayn to others - their insight
Regarding him was incorrect; they missed the mark.
لاَ تَسْطَعُ الشَّمْسُ إِلاَّ خَلْفَ غَاشِيَةٍ
مِنَ الأسَى بمُحْيّا كَاسِفٍ شَحِبِ
Those who strive toward power are different
From those who lead the nation and continue the march.
وَلاَ يَسِيْلُ أَصِيلٌ فِي سَحَائِبِهِ
إِلاَّ بِدَمْعٍ صَبِيبٍ أَوْ دَمٍ سَرِبِ
They thought him over-eager for the crown and willing
To forgo anything beyond it, so he cast the crown away.
يَا مُنْقِذاً جَاءَ بَعْدَ الأَلْفِ مِنْ حِجَجٍ
يُعِيدُ مَا فَاتَ مِنْ مَجْدٍ وَمِنْ حَسَبِ
But the innate disposition of the Arabs, descendants of Hashim,
Has a meaning beyond the meanings of power and rank.
هَلْ ضَمَّ غَيْرُ الرَّسُولِ المُصْطَفَى قِدَماً
تلكَ العَزَائِمَ والآمَالَ مِنْ شَعَبِ
Where are the riches they claimed he was carrying,
And where is the burden of gold that weighed down the camel-litters?
أَمْرٌ يَضِيقُ بِهِ الذَرْعُ انْتَدَبْتَ لَهُ
وَأَنْتَ إِنْ ضَاقَ ذَرْعٌ خَيْرُ مُنْتَدِبِ
Today they saw what his trove really held:
Purity, loyalty - not goods, not treasures.
صَرَّفْتَ رَأْيَكَ فِيهِ فَاضْطَلَعْتَ بِهِ
مُؤَيَّدَ الرَّأْيِ بِالأَرْمَاحِ والقُضُبِ
Those virtues are not for one who takes by force
Or seizes booty; they suit not the plunderer, the despoiler.
فِي كُلِّ مُرْعِدَة بَأْساً وَمُبْرِقَةٍ
مِنَا الجَحَافِلِ بَيْنَ الوَرْيِ واللَّجَبِ
The foe may feel excused for his rancor at one
Who stands between the robber's hand and his prey.
عَادَتْ بِهَا كُلُّ آبِي الضَّيْمِ نَخْوَتُهُ
مِنْ حَيْثُ أُبْطِلَ سِحْرُ الخَوْفِ وَالرُّعُبِ
But what excuse does a group have when it is gripped
By the rage that evil aroused in those events?
فَكَانَ بَعْثٌ قُلُوبُ الأُمَّةِ ارْتَقَصَتْ
لَهُ وَأَعْطَافُهَا اهْتَزَّتْ مِنَ الطَّرَبِ
You abandoned a house in which you had lived
By inheritance since the time of Abraham and the ancients.
وَبَشَّرَتْ آيَةٌ لِلحَقِّ ظَاهِرَةٌ
بِوَحْدَةٍ لِخُصُومِ الحَقِّ لَمْ تَطِبِ
You lodged among terraces where the mountain goats went down
And were not swept away by the currents of the gulf's waves.
بَدَتْ عَلَى غَيْرِ مَا رَامُوَا بَوَادِرُهَا
وَخَالَفَ الجِدُّ مَا خَالُوهُ لِلَّعِبِ
The dwellings drew close to its meadow, green and fresh,
And clustered around it for the sake of its pleasant breeze.
فَأَجْمَعُوا أَمْرَهُمْ فِي السِّلْم وَاعْتَزَمُوا
نَقْضاً لِمَا أَبْرَمُوا فِي سَاحَةِ الرَّهَبِ
You resided therein, without ample provision,
And found life among its protectors uncomfortable, like one estranged.
وَأَضْمَرُوا لَكَ عُدْوَاناً وَجَدْتَ بِهِ
فِي الأَمْنِ مَا لَمْ تَجِدْ فِي الحَرْبِ مِنْ حَرَبِ
You endured being there in exile until you were carried
To a home from the farthest Mosque strongly bound.
أَيْنَ الَّذِي سَجَّلُوهُ فِي رَسَائِلِهِمْ
وَرَدَّدُوهُ مِنَ الأَيمَانِ فِي الخُطَبِ
It was as though your Lord commanded you to neighbor it
To rest close by it as long as you were in that lofty station.
لَوْلاَ مَعُونَةُ ذَاكَ الحِلفِ لاَنْقَلَبوا
دُونَ الَّذِي أَمَّلُوهُ شَرَّ مُنْقَلَبِ
The Trustworthy Spirit looks after your grave and keeps
The paths to you from being blocked from your noble visitors.
نَصَرْتَهُمْ صَادِقَاً فِيما وَعَدْتَ ولَمْ
تَخَلْ مَوَاعِيدَهُمْ ضَرْباً مِنَ الكَذِبِ
Goodness will gather those who preserve great deeds from
The various clans into the presence of that smooth-cheeked father.
مَا كَانَ هَمُّكَ مُلْكاً تَسْتقِلُّ بِهِ
وَالجّدُّ فِي صَعَدٍ والمَجْدُ فِي صَبَبِ
Who could have known, when hope focused on protecting it,
That the second sanctuary would be guarded, so that hope was not dashed?
بَلْ نُصْرَةَ العُرْبِ فِي حَقٍ أُقِرَّ لَهُمْ
تُؤَيِّدُ الشَّرْعَ فِيهِ حُجَّةُ الغَلَبِ
Surely before man grants good, He does not confirm
Whether man will fulfil it or fall short of duty!
فَمَا أَلَوْتَ لِذَاكَ الحَقِّ عَنْ طَلَبٍ
وَكَيْفَ يُدْرَكُ مَطْلُوبٌ بِلاَ طَلَبِ
O Sons of Yarbû! Here is a history that has unfolded
For you, its great realities removed from their covers:
قَاسُوا الحُسَيْنَ إِلى غَيْرِ الحُسَيْنِ فَلَمْ
تَصْدُقْ فِرَاسَتُهُمْ فِيهِ وَلَمْ تُصِبِ
A book of redemption whose pages
Hold the most wondrous chapters, causing surprise and wonder.
شَتانَ فِيمَنْ تَوَلَّى أَمْرَ أُمَّتِهِ
مَا بَيْنَ مُعْتَقِبٍ أَوْ غَيْرِ مُعْتَقِبِ
The first gave their lives in the way of God or were killed
In zeal for their homelands, going to extremes in jealousy.
ظَنُّوهُ بِالتَّاجِ يَرْضَى غَيْرَ مُكْتَرِثٍ
لِمَا عَدَاهُ فَأَلْقَى التَّاجَ وَهْوَ أَبِي
By it they have life - though you do not sense it -
And they conversed secretly with spirits in adversity.
سَجِيَّةُ العَرَبِيِّ الهَاشِمِيِّ لَهَا
مَعْنَى وَرَاءَ مَعَانِي الجَاهِ وَالرُّتَبِ
Honoring Ibn ‘Ali is for you to have his traces as a lesson
Joined together, its links extended and coherent.
أَيْنَ الكُنُوزُ الَّتِي خَالُوهُ يَحْمِلُهَا
وأَيْنَ مَا أَثْقَلَ الأَسْفَاطَ مِنْ ذَهَبِ
Learn sincerity and loyalty despite
The hardship and affliction that follow in their wake. Take from his overflowing store of knowledge for his nation's sake
تَبَيَّنُوا اليَوْمَ مَا كَانَتْ خَبِيئَتُهُ
مَنْ عِفّةٍ وَوَفَاءٍ لاَ مِنْ النَّشَبِ
With the balanced, economic wisdom of one preparing for the sake of God.
Learn to defend a right that ennobles
تِلكَ الفَضَائِلُ مَا كانَتْ لِمُكْتَسِبٍ
كَابي الضَّمِيرِ وَمَا كانت لِمُغْتَصِبِ
A self-sacrificing soul refusing what is forbidden.
Learn the strength of faith through exertion -
لِلْخَصْمِ فِي ثَلبِهَا عذْرُ الحَنِيقِ عَلَى
مَنْ حَالَ بَيْنَ يَدِ السَّلاَّبِ والسَّلَبِ
The strength of faith depends on exertion.
Learn patience, or your determination will be shattered,
مَا عُذْرُ طَائِفَةٍ مِنْ قَوْمِهِ أُخِذَتْ
بِمَا أَثَارَ العِدَى مِنْ ذَلِكَ الشَّغَبِ
As you need determination at first, as at the last.
Learn that this life is a journey travelled stage by stage -
زَايَلتَ بَيْتَاً عَتِيقاً أَنْتَ سَادِنُهُ
بِالإِرْثِ مِنْ عَهْدِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ والنَّسَبِ
No lofty plateau is reached without fatigue and hardship.
Learn that the skill of archers lies in kneeling and bending
إِلى صَفَاةٍ عَلَى الدَّأْمَاءِ قَدْ رَسَخَتْ
وَلَمْ تُسِغْهَا لَهَاةُ البَحْرِ ذِي العُبُبِ
When they wish to hit the target, and wish to succeed.
Al-Husayn knelt until he made his attacker lean
تَشَبَّهَتْ رَوْضُهَا بِالرَّوْضِ وائْتَنَسَتْ
مِنْهَا القُرَى بِدِعَابِ الأَخْضَرِ الصَّحِبِ
Until the time of the stalker on the road was ripe.
If his shadow tilts, the spirit still lies in wait
حَلَلتَ فِيهَا وَمَا بِالزَّادِ مِنْ سَعَةٍ
وَعِشْتَ بَيْنَ رُبَاهَا عَيْشَ مُغْتَرِبِ
For the decisive moment when its summons will respond.
Your consolation, O people of a house whose pillars
فَكُنْتَ ِي النَّفْيِ والأَرْدَانُ طَاهِرَةٌ
مَا لَمْ تَكُنْ فِي ثِيَابِ العِزَّةِ القُشُبِ
Were destroyed, is a rightly-guided sovereign whether he refuses or relents,
A father who turned away from the trappings of rule
صَبَرْتَ صَبْرَ كَرِيمٍ غَيْرِ مُبْتَئِسٍ
وَلاَ مَلُولٍ وَلاَ شَاكٍ عَلَى وَصَبِ
Without sadness, just as he had assumed them without greed,
With peerless qualities, whether titled ruler or not;
حَتى حُمِلْتَ وَقَدْ حُمَّ القَضَاءُ إِلى
دَارٍ مِنَ المَسْجِدِ الأَقْصَى على كَثَبِ
And from a prince who founded a state towering nobly,
Established on the pillars of its glory and continuity
كَأَنَّ رَبَّكَ أَوْحَى أَنْ تُجَاوِرَهُ
حَتّى تَقَرَّ بِهِ فِي مُزْدَجَى القُرَبِ
In the highest knowledge and conduct, so refined;
And from a handsome youth of brilliant descent who raced with the virtuous always,
يَرْعَى مَزَارَكَ بِالرُّوحِ الأَمِينِ وَلاَ
تَنْأَى بِهِ السُّبْلُ عَنْ أَعْقَابِكَ النُّجُبِ
And won the contest's prize through his great forefathers;
Straightforward by his nature, adhering to the path of his kin
وَيَجْمَعُ البِرُّ حُفَّاظَ المَآثِرِ مِنْ
شَتَّى العَشَائِرِ حَوْلَ الوَالِدِ الحَدِبِ
Of immaculate tongue and soul, pure without blemish.
Whoever counts you must follow in your tracks
مَنْ كَانَ يَدْرِي وَقَدْ نَاطَ الرَّجَاءُ بِهِ
صِيَانَةَ الحَرَمِ الثَّانِي فَلَمْ يَخِبِ
And tread the paths your great ones trod, unobstructed.
Leave your grief behind, hear the voice that calls out to you -
إِنَّ المَآبَ إِلَيْهِ وَالثَّوَابَ بِهِ
هَلْ قَدَّمَ الخَيْرَ مَخْلُوقٌ وَلَمْ يُثَبِ
Al-Husayn died, so the community of Arabs lives!
أَبْنَاءَ يَعْرُبَ هَذِي سِيرَةٌ بَرَزَتْ
لَكُمْ حَقَائِقُهَا الكُبْرَى مِنَ الحُجُبِ
كِتَابُ تَفْدِيَةٍ أَوْعَتْ صَحَائِفُهُ
أَدْعَى الفُصُولِ إِلى الإِعْجَابِ وَالعَجَبِ
إِنَّ الأُولَى اسْتُشْهِدُوا فِي اللهِ أَوْ قُتِلُوا
فِيمَا غَلَوْا فِيهِ لِلأَوْطَانِ مِنْ أَرَبِ
لَهُمْ حَيَاةٌ وَمَا إِنْ تَشْعُرُونَ بِهَا
إِلاَّ وَقَدْ نَاجَوْا الأَرْوَاحَ في الكُرَبِ
كَرَامَةُ ابْنِ عَلِيٍّ أَنْ تَكُونَ لَكُمْ
آثَارُهُ عِظَةً مَوْصُولَةَ السَّبَبِ
تَعَلَّمُوا الصِّدْقَ مِنْهُ وَالوَفَاءَ عَلَى
مَا يُعْقِبَانِ مِنَ الحِرْمَانِ وَالنَّصَبِ
تَعَلَّمُوا نَضْحَةُ عَنْ ذُخرِ أُمَّتِهِ
بِحَزْمِ مُقْتَصِدٍ للهِ مُرْتَقِبِ
تعَلَّمُوا الذَّوْدَ عَنْ حَقٍّ تَطِيبُ لَهُ
عَنْ كُلَّ مَا هُوَ غَالٍ نَفْسَ مُحْتَسِبِ
تَعَلَّمُوا قُوَّةَ الإِيمَانِ فِي دَأَبٍ
فَإِنَّمَا قُوَّةُ الإِيمَانِ بِالدَّأَبِ
تَعَلَّمُوا الصَّبْرَ أَوْ تُقْضَى لُبَانَتُكُمْ
وَالعَزْمُ فِي بَدْئِهَا كَالعَزْمِ فِي العَقِبِ
تَعَلَّمُوا أَنَّ هذا العُمْرَ مَرْحَلَةٌ
لاَ تُرْتَقَى هَضْبَةٌ فِيهَابِلاَ تَعَبِ
تَعَلَّمُوا أَنَّ مِنْ حِذْقِ الرُّمَاةِ بِهَا
لِيُدْرِكُوا النَّصْرَ أَنْ يَجْثُوا عَلَى الرُّكَبِ
سَجَا الحُسَيْنُ وَقَدْ وَرَّى مُسَاجِلَهُ
حَتّى يَئِينَ أَوَانُ الصَّائِدِ الدَّرِبِ
فَإِنْ ضَحَا ظِلُّهُ فَالرُّوحُ مُرْصَدَةٌ
لِلْمَوْقِفِ الفَصْلِ مَنْ يَهْتِفْ بِهَا تُجِبِ
عَزَاءَكُمْ يَا بَنِيهِ الصِّيدِ مِنْ مَلِكٍ
مُسَدَّدِ الرًّأْيِ إِنْ يَمْنَعْ وَإِنْ يَهَبِ
وَمِنْ أَبِيٍّ تَوَلَّى عَنْ أَرِيكَتِهِ
بِلاَ شَجىً إِذْ تَوَلاَّهَا بِلاَ رَغَبِ
لَهُ مِنَ الشِّيَمِ الغَرَّاءِ مَمْلَكَةٌ
إِنْ كَانَ ذَا لَقَبٍ أَوْ غَيْرَ ذِي لَقَبِ
وَمِنْ أَمِيرٍ بَنَاهَا دَوْلَةً أُنُفاً
قَامَتْ عَلَى أَثَرٍ مِنْ مَجْدِهَا تَرِبِ
فِي العِلْمِ وَالأَدَبِ العَالِي يَكَادُ إِذَا
سَاقَ الأَحَادِيثَ يَسْقِيكَ ابنَةَ العِنَبِ
وَمِنْ فَتىً أَلمَعِيٍّ كُلُّ مَحْمَدَةٍ
جَارَى السَّوَابِقَ فِيهَا فَازَ بِالقَصَبِ
مَاضٍ بِفِطْرَتِهِ فِي نَهْجِ عِتْرَتِهِ
عَفِّ اللِّسَانِ نَقِيِّ النَّفْسِ مِنْ رِيَبِ
مَنْ عَدَّكُمْ عَدَّ فِي إِثْرِ مُنْجِبِكًمْ
خُطَى كِبَاراً مَدَاهَا غَيْرُ مُقْتَضَبِ
دَعُوا الأَسى وَاسْمَعُوا صَوتاً يُهِيبُ بِكُم
مَاتَ الحُسَيْنُ فَعَاشَتْ أُمَّةُ العَرَبِ
