بَنَاتِ الدَّهْرِ عُوجِي لاَ تَهَابِي
خَلاَ الْوَادِي مِنَ الأُسْدِ الغِضَابِ
Daughters of time, do not fear to traverse the valley, now devoid of the angry lion.
It seems that serious affairs have become, through discussion and reckoning, merely jest and banter.
هُنَا رَوْضٌ فَلاَ بَالَيْتِ فِيهَا
بَقَايَا الرَّوعِ مِنْ غَبَرَاتِ غَابِ
And noble deeds, after such earnestness, have through mockery become deadly play.
Fates that make one weep for others’ patience, not for my own.
كَأَنِّي بِالْخُطُوبِ العُفْرِ أَضْحَتْ
سَوَاخِرَ مِنْ مَنَاقَشَةِ الْحِسَابِ
You hastened, o protectors of the living, early to depart and leave in succession.
Your groaning became the cheapest sort of lesson, so that even one who gives freely would begrudge it.
وَبِالأَرْزَاءِ بَعْدَ الْجِدِّ أَمْسَتْ
مِنَ الإِزْرَاءِ تَقْتُلُ بِالدُّعَابِ
We greet you without flattery, and praise you without favor.
Peace be upon you in your tombs. Suffice you the ancient punishment.
مُهَاتَرَةٌ مِنَ الأَيَّامِ تُبْكَي
بِغَيرِي أنْ يُصَابِرَهَا وَمَا بِي
If we complain when danger intensifies and you do not stand firm, we openly reproach you—
We reproach you, knowing that, had you been able, you would have preceded any caller in your response.
حُمَاةَ الْحَيِّ أَزْمَعْتُمْ سِرَاعاً
وَبَكَّرْتُمْ تِبَاعاً بِالذَّهَابِ
Except that we feel for you hearts that grieve, hidden below the dust.
The company of the righteous has passed away, while in the custody of the silent, unyielding one.
نَوَاكُمْ أَرْخَصَ العَبَرَاتِ حَتَّى
لَيَبْخَلَ بَاذِلُ الدُّرِّ المُذَابِ
‘Ali! Today say nothing, for this is the day of decision in the matter.
Are you not the one whose firm stands turn back the doubtful from the heart of the right path,
نَحَيِّيكُمْ وَمَا فِينَا مُدَاجٍ
وَنَحْمَدُكُمْ وَمَا فِينَا مَحَابِ
Who makes the insecure pass away, and returns rights to their proper place,
‘Ali! Today do not bar harm—harm to the garment and the wearer—
سَلاَمٌ فِي مَرَاقِدِكُمْ عَلَيْكُمْ
وَحَسْبُكُمُ القَدِيمُ مِنَ العَذَابِ
So that you break his resolve, as befits you, until he returns by your hand to reform.
With that fading misfortune, whereby great calamities are recorded in the Book,
سِوَى أَنَّا مَتَى اشْتَدَّتْ فَرَاعَتْ
وَلَمْ تَثِبُوا جَهَرْنَا بِالْعِتَابِ
With that conquering but mild in times of defeat, beaming rays that are called sincere, like the sun’s light, deserving of praise—
The guide of those passing along has deemed it sufficient, to remove the deviations of doubt and uncertainty.
نَعَاتِبُكُمْ وَنَعْلَمُ لَوْ مَلَكْتُمْ
سَبَقْتُمْ كُلَّ دَاعٍ بِالْجَوَابِ
Thus a ship may be saved from crashing when it sails with sight, though it would founder in cloudiness.
You have joined your band of good companions, dwelling where they dwell in the open country.
عَلَى أَنَّا نُحِسُّ لَكُمْ قُلُوباً
خَوَافِقَ مِنْ أَسىً تَحْتَ التُّرَابِ
So if you are far from us, while they are all far, our affliction is the greater.
Despite glory, you have turned from us, struck down in your prime.
بِعَهْدِ الرِّفْقَةِ الأَبْرَارِ أَمْسَوْا
وَهُمْ فِي ذِمَّةِ الصُمِّ الصِّلاَبِ
You were the remnant of saintly men among us, and the companions depended on you—
When Egypt prepared against disasters, it was aided by the subduers of difficulties,
عَليُّ أَلاَ تَقُولُ اليَوْمَ شَيْئاً
وَهَذَا يَوْمُ فَصْلٍ فِي الْخِطَابِ
With penetrating, sudden advice, like the shooting star’s.
The night lasts as long as the effects of its agitation.
أَلَسْتَ الوَاقِفَ الْوَقَفَاتِ رَدَّتْ
شَبَا الشُّبُهَاتِ عَنْ كَبِدِ الصَّوَابِ
You were the exemplar of perfect reason and courtesy and wisdom.
Of reliable resolve—you sought no opportunities but turned away before attaining your wants.
وَمَرَّتْ بِالْحُقُودِ فَشَرَّدَتْهَا
وَعَادَتْ بِالْحُقُوقِ إلى النِّصَابِ
Subtle in seeking the straight path, so that straits seemed spacious.
Stern in might—fearful without making others fear, awed without trace of awe.
عَلِيٌّ أَلاَ تَذُودُ الْيَوْمَ ضُرًّا
مُضَرًّى بِالْوُثُوبِ وَالانْتِيَابِ
Your whole life a struggle and a glory, in the arena of attainment and earning.
You rise over disasters as they grow extreme, like a ship made light by the weight of its ballast,
فَتَثْلِمَ عَزْمَهُ كَالْعَهْدِ حَتَّى
يَفِيءَ عَلَى يَدَيْكَ إلى مَتَابِ
Which the waves cannot swallow. It contends with them at dawn without letting up, while your care steadily mounts and the seas swell,
Until it attains, leaping, the open sea, and you attain it on the back of the billows.
بِذَاكَ الذَّابِلِ الْخَطِّيِّ مِمَّا
تَخُطُّ بِه العَظَائِمَ فِي كِتَابِ
So between your soul’s ascent to the highest and the abode of eternity, nothing stands but the crossing of a threshold,
Thus were you excused from leaping toward it. It became a sign—marvel of marvels!
بِذَاكَ العَامِلُ الغَلاًّبِ بَأْساً
عَلَى لِينٍ بِهِ عِنْدَ الْغِلاَبِ
Be content, o afflicted one, with what your Lord gave you of reward.
If you are veiled from us in seclusion, the meaning of light is in that veil.
يَمُجُّ أَشِعَّةً تُدْعَى بِنِقْسٍ
كَنُورِ الشِّمْسِ يَدْعَى بِاللُّعَابِ
Without you, loss reigns, but you have permanent brilliance enduring as long as loss endures.
سَنَاهُ مَرْشِدُ السَارِينَ كَافٍ
مَغَبَّاتِ الضَّلاَلِ وَالارْتِيَابِ
فَقَدْ تَنْجُو السَّفِينُ مِنِ ارْتِطَامٍ
إِذَا بَصُرَتْ وَتَهْلِكُ فِي الضَّبَابِ
لَحِقْتَ بِرَهْطِكَ الأَخْيَارُ تَثْوِي
كَمَثْوَاهُمْ مِنَ الْبَلَدِ الْيَبَابِ
فَإِنْ تَبْعُدْ وَقَدْ بَعِدُوا جَمِيعاً
فإِنَّ مُصَابَنَا فَوْقَ المُصَابِ
بِرَغْمِ المَجْدِ أَنْ وَلَّيْتَ عَنَّا
صرِيعاً لَمْ تَجُزْ حَدَّ الشَّبَابِ
وَكُنْتَ بَقِيَّةَ الأَبْدَالِ فِينَا
وَكَانَ عَلَيْكَ تُعْوِيلُ الصِّحَابِ
إِذَا اسْتَعَدَتْ عَلَى الآفَاتِ مِصْرٌ
فَقَدْ نُصِرَتْ بِرَوَّاضِ الصِّعَابِ
بِرَأْيٍ مِنْكَ نَفَّاذٍ ذَكِي
فُجَائِيٍّ كَمُنْقَضِّ الشِّهَابِ
يَظَلُّ اللِّيْلُ مِنْهُ وَقَدْ تَوَارَى
إِلَى أَمَدٍ بِهِ أَثَرُ الْتِهَابِ
وَكُنْتَ المَرْءَ حَقَّ المَرْءِ عَقْلاً
وَآدَاباً وَأَخْذاً بِاللُّبَابِ
صَدُوقَ الْعَزْمِ لاَ تَبْغِي طِلاَباً
وَتَرْجِعَ دُونَ إِدْرَاكِ الطِّلاَبِ
لَطِيفاً فِي الْتِمَاسِ الْقَصْدِ حَتَّى
لَتَشْتَبِهُ المَضَايِقُ بِالرِّحَابِ
شَدِيدَ الْبَطْشِ خَشْيَةَ غَيْرِ خَاشٍ
أَيُرْهَبُ انْتِسَابٍ وَاكْتِسَابِ
حَيَاتُكَ كُلُّهَا جُهْدٌ وَمَجْدٌ
بِمُعْتَرَكِ انْتِسَابٍ وَاكْتِسَابِ
تَجِلُّ عَلَى الْكوَارِثِ وَهْيَ تَطْغَى
كَفُلْكِ خَفَّ فِي ثِقَلِ الْعُبَابِ
إِذَا لَمْ يَبْتَلِعْهُ المَوْجُ عَادَى
بِهِ بَيْنَ الغَيَابَةِ والسَّحَابِ
تُكَافِحُهُ الْغَدَاةَ بِلاَ تِرَاكٍ
وَهَمُّكَ صَاعِدٌ وَالمَوْجُ رَابِ
إلى أنْ يَبْلُغَ الْجَوْزَاءَ وَثْبَاً
فَتَبْلُغَهَا عَلَى مَتْنِ الْحَبَابِ
فَمَا هُوَ بَيْنَ نَفْسِكَ فِي عُلاَهَا
وَدَارَ الخُلْدِ غَيْرُ وُلُوجِ بَابِ
كَذَاكَ أُجِزْتَ عَنْ كَثَبٍ إِلَيْهَا
فَكَانَتْ آيَةَ العَجَبِ العُجَابِ
قَرَاراً أَيُّهَا الْعَانِي وَطِيباً
بَمَا آتَاكَ رَبُّكَ مِنْ ثَوابِ
فَإِنْ تَتَوَارَ عَنَّا في حِجَابٍ
فَمَعْنَى لنُّورِ في ذَاكَ الحِجَابِ
سِوَاكَ غِيَابُهُ دَاجٍ ولَكِنْْ
لَكَ الشَّفَقُ المُقِيمُ مَدَى الغِيَابِ
