لك اللّيلَ بعد الذّاهبين طويلا

لك اللّيلَ بعد الذّاهبين طويلا

ووفدَ همومٍ لم يردن رحيلا

ووفدَ همومٍ لم يردن رحيلا

Long is your night after those who have departed,

You have the long night after they are gone,

with a host of sorrows that never wished to leave,

And a delegation of sorrows that did not want to leave,

ودمعٍ إذا حبّستَه عن سبيله

ودمعٍ إذا حبّستَه عن سبيله

يعود هتوناً في الجفون هَطولا

يعود هتوناً في الجفون هَطولا

and tears which, if you hold them back from their course,

And tears, if you restrain them from their path,

return, streaming ceaselessly and pouring within the eyelids.

They gently return to the eyelids pouring down.

فيا ليت أسرابَ الدموع الّتي جرتْ

فيا ليت أسرابَ الدموع الّتي جرتْ

أسَوْن كليماً أو شفين غليلا

أسَوْن كليماً أو شفين غليلا

O, would that the flocks of tears that flowed

I wish the flocks of tears that flowed

had healed a wounded one or quenched a burning thirst.

Could extinguish my burning thirst or heal my sickness,

أُخال صحيحاً كلّ يومٍ وليلةٍ

أُخال صحيحاً كلّ يومٍ وليلةٍ

ويأبى الجوى ألّا أكون عليلا

ويأبى الجوى ألّا أكون عليلا

I am thought healthy every day and night,

I pretend to be healthy every night and day,

yet burning grief refuses to let me be anything but ill.

Yet my inner self refuses except to be sick.

كأنّي وما أحببتُ أهوى مُمَنَّعاً

كأنّي وما أحببتُ أهوى مُمَنَّعاً

وأَرجو ضَنيناً بالوصالِ بخيلا

وأَرجو ضَنيناً بالوصالِ بخيلا

As though—by what I have loved—I love one beyond reach,

It is as if I and my love are forbidden loves,

and hope for one grudging and miserly with union.

And I hope for an ungenerous union.

فَقُل للّذي يبكي نُؤَيّاً ودِمْنَةً

فَقُل للّذي يبكي نُؤَيّاً ودِمْنَةً

ويندب رسماً بالعراءِ مَحيلا

ويندب رسماً بالعراءِ مَحيلا

So tell the one who weeps over a little tent-trench and an abandoned campsite,

So say to the one who cries softly and grievously

and laments a weathered trace upon bare ground:

And mourns an image in the bare land:

عداني دمٌ لِي طُلّ بالطفِّ إنْ أُرى

عداني دمٌ لِي طُلّ بالطفِّ إنْ أُرى

شجيّاً أُبكِّي أرْبُعاً وطلولاً

شجيّاً أُبكِّي أرْبُعاً وطلولاً

May blood of mine, shed unavenged at al-Taff, pass me by if I am seen

"Let my blood be lawful to me if I see

grief-stricken, bewailing campsites and ruins.

A complaint that makes me cry for long.

مصابٌ إذا قابلتُ بالصّبرِ غَرْبَه

مصابٌ إذا قابلتُ بالصّبرِ غَرْبَه

وجدتُ كثيري في العزاءِ قليلا

وجدتُ كثيري في العزاءِ قليلا

A calamity: when I meet its sharp edge with patience,

If I face its strangeness with patience,

I find my great store of endurance slight.

I will find many to console me a little.

ورُزءٌ حملتُ الثِّقْلَ منه كأنّني

ورُزءٌ حملتُ الثِّقْلَ منه كأنّني

مدى الدّهر لم أحملْ سواه ثقيلا

مدى الدّهر لم أحملْ سواه ثقيلا

And a bereavement whose burden I have borne as though

And blame I carried whose heaviness was as if

throughout all time I had borne no other heavy burden.

I had borne no other burden as heavy as it all my life.

وجَدتمْ عُداةَ الدّين بعد محمّدٍ

وجَدتمْ عُداةَ الدّين بعد محمّدٍ

إلى كَلْمِه في الأقربين سبيلا

إلى كَلْمِه في الأقربين سبيلا

You, enemies of the faith, found after Muhammad

And you found the enemies of the faith after Mohammed

a way to wound him through his nearest kin.

A way to hurt him through his nearest kin.

كأنّكُمُ لم تنزعوا بمكانه

كأنّكُمُ لم تنزعوا بمكانه

خشوعاً مبيناً في الورى وخمولا

خشوعاً مبيناً في الورى وخمولا

As though, through his standing, you had not cast off

It is as if you never bowed down humbly

manifest abasement among humankind, and obscurity.

Openly in the world, feeling weak and submissive,

وأَيُّكُمُ ما عزّ فينا بدينه

وأَيُّكُمُ ما عزّ فينا بدينه

وقد عاش دهراً قبل ذاك ذليلا

وقد عاش دهراً قبل ذاك ذليلا

Which of you did not gain honor among us through his faith,

And which of you gained honor through his faith,

having lived an age before that in humiliation?

When before that he lived an age in disgrace?

فقل لبني حَربٍ وآلِ أُميَّةٍ

فقل لبني حَربٍ وآلِ أُميَّةٍ

إذا كنتَ ترضى أن تكون قؤولا

إذا كنتَ ترضى أن تكون قؤولا

So say to the sons of Harb and the house of Umayya,

So say to the tribes of Harb and Banu Umayya,

if you are willing to be outspoken:

If you wish I call you despicable.

سَللتُمْ على آلِ النبيّ سيوفَه

سَللتُمْ على آلِ النبيّ سيوفَه

مُلِئْنَ ثُلوماً في الطّلى وفلولا

مُلِئْنَ ثُلوماً في الطّلى وفلولا

You drew his swords against the Prophet's family,

You stole against the household of the Prophet, swords

filled with nicks and chips from striking necks.

Filled with smoothness in the scabbards and remnants.

وقُدْتُمْ إلى مَن قادكمْ من ضلالكمْ

وقُدْتُمْ إلى مَن قادكمْ من ضلالكمْ

فأخرجكمْ من وادييه خيولا

فأخرجكمْ من وادييه خيولا

And you led, against the one who led you from your error

And you were led to the one who led you from your misguidance

and brought you out of its two valleys, your horses.

And brought you out from its two valleys, horses.

وَلم تَغدروا إلّا بِمَن كانَ جدُّهُ

وَلم تَغدروا إلّا بِمَن كانَ جدُّهُ

إليكمْ لتَحْظَوْا بالنّجاةِ رسولا

إليكمْ لتَحْظَوْا بالنّجاةِ رسولا

You betrayed none but him whose grandfather

You only betrayed the one whose grandfather

was a messenger to you, that you might attain salvation.

Was to you, so you might gain deliverance, a messenger.

وترضون ضدَّ الحزم إن كان ملككُمْ

وترضون ضدَّ الحزم إن كان ملككُمْ

بَدِيناً وديناً دنتموه هزيلا

بَدِيناً وديناً دنتموه هزيلا

And you accept the opposite of prudence, provided your kingdom

And you are pleased to oppose wisdom if your rule

is fat and the faith you profess is lean.

Be lasting, and you make the lasting frail.

نساءُ رسولِ اللَّه عُقْرَ دياركمْ

نساءُ رسولِ اللَّه عُقْرَ دياركمْ

يرجّعن منكمْ لوعةً وعويلا

يرجّعن منكمْ لوعةً وعويلا

The women of God's Messenger, in the heart of your homes,

The wives of the Messenger of God, your homes

repeat cries of anguish and wailing because of you.

Were sacrilegious, and they return from you bitterly wailing

لهنّ ببَوْغاءِ الطّفوف أعزّةٌ

لهنّ ببَوْغاءِ الطّفوف أعزّةٌ

سُقوا الموتَ صِرْفاً صبيةً وكهولا

سُقوا الموتَ صِرْفاً صبيةً وكهولا

They have dear ones in the dust of al-Tufuf,

For them in Bouqaa' of Taff griefs

given pure death to drink, boys and mature men.

They were given death to drink, children and adults.

كأنّهُمُ نُوّارُ روضٍ هَوَتْ به

كأنّهُمُ نُوّارُ روضٍ هَوَتْ به

رياحٌ جَنوباً تارةً وقَبولا

رياحٌ جَنوباً تارةً وقَبولا

As though they were a meadow's blossoms, swept down

It was as if they were lamps in a garden demolished

by winds—now southerly, now easterly.

By winds blowing from south or north,

وَأَنجمُ ليلٍ ما علون طوالعاً

وَأَنجمُ ليلٍ ما علون طوالعاً

لأعيننا حتّى هبطن أُفولا

لأعيننا حتّى هبطن أُفولا

And stars of night that had scarcely risen

And stars of night that did not rise high

before our eyes when they descended and set.

Until for our eyes they set into their decline.

فأيُّ بدورٍ ما مُحين بكاسفٍ

فأيُّ بدورٍ ما مُحين بكاسفٍ

وأيُّ غصونٍ ما لقين ذبولا

وأيُّ غصونٍ ما لقين ذبولا

What full moons were not effaced by an eclipse?

What moons were there not darkened by eclipse?

And what branches did not meet with withering?

And what branches were there that did not wither?

أَمِن بعد أَن أَعطَيتموه عهودَكمْ

أَمِن بعد أَن أَعطَيتموه عهودَكمْ

خفافاً إلى تلك العهود عُجولا

خفافاً إلى تلك العهود عُجولا

Was it after you had given him your pledges,

After you gave him your covenants swiftly,

light-footed and hurrying toward those pledges,

Did you not hastily break those covenants,

رجعتمْ عن القصد المبين تناكصاً

رجعتمْ عن القصد المبين تناكصاً

وحُلتمْ عن الحقّ المنير حُؤولا

وحُلتمْ عن الحقّ المنير حُؤولا

that you recoiled from the clear course, retreating,

And turn back deliberately from the clear path,

and veered away from the radiant truth?

And swerve from the shining truth, deviating?

وقعقعتُمُ أبوابَه تختِلونَه

وقعقعتُمُ أبوابَه تختِلونَه

ومَن لم يردْ خَتْلاً أصاب خُتولا

ومَن لم يردْ خَتْلاً أصاب خُتولا

And you rattled his doors, seeking to deceive him;

You clattered his doors, deceiving him,

he who sought no deceit encountered treachery.

And whoever did not want deceit met foolishness.

فما زلتمُ حتّى أجاب نداءكمْ

فما زلتمُ حتّى أجاب نداءكمْ

وأيُّ كريمٍ لا يجيب سَؤولا

وأيُّ كريمٍ لا يجيب سَؤولا

You did not stop until he answered your call,

You did not cease until he answered your call,

and what noble man does not answer a petitioner?

And which generous man does not answer a questioner?

فلمّا دنا ألفْاكُمُ في كتائبٍ

فلمّا دنا ألفْاكُمُ في كتائبٍ

تطاوَلْن أقطار السّباسب طولا

تطاوَلْن أقطار السّباسب طولا

But when he drew near, he found you in battalions,

So when he came near, he found you in battalions

stretching lengthwise across the reaches of the barren plains.

Stretching, the horses' buttocks elongated.

متى تك منها حَجْزَةٌ أو كحجزةٍ

متى تك منها حَجْزَةٌ أو كحجزةٍ

سمعتَ رُغاءً مضعفاً وصهيلا

سمعتَ رُغاءً مضعفاً وصهيلا

Whenever a division of them, or something like one, appeared,

When did you hear from them the clatter or like the clatter

you heard redoubled camel-bellowing and neighing.

Of a small horse, doubled clamor and neighing?

فَلَم يُرَ إلّا ناكثاً أو مُنكّباً

فَلَم يُرَ إلّا ناكثاً أو مُنكّباً

وإلّا قَطوعاً للذّمامِ حَلولا

وإلّا قَطوعاً للذّمامِ حَلولا

None was seen but a breaker of pledges or one turning aside,

But he saw only those who break vows or who flee,

or a severer of obligations, an undoer of bonds,

Or the cut off, the vile, arrivals,

وإلّا قَعوداً عن لِمامٍ بنَصْرِهِ

وإلّا قَعوداً عن لِمامٍ بنَصْرِهِ

وإلّا جَبوهاً بالرّدى وخذولا

وإلّا جَبوهاً بالرّدى وخذولا

or one holding back from the slightest aid to him,

Or holding back from the banners, failing to help them,

or one confronting him with death and abandoning him.

Or cowardly, betraying and weak.

وضِغْنَ شغافٍ هبّ بعد رقاده

وضِغْنَ شغافٍ هبّ بعد رقاده

وأفئدةً ملأى يَفِضْنَ ذُحولا

وأفئدةً ملأى يَفِضْنَ ذُحولا

And rancor deep in the heart, awakened after its sleep,

And snoring from sleepers waking,

and brimming hearts pouring out vendettas,

And breasts filled flowing with madness,

وبيضاً رقيقاتِ الشّفار صقيلةً

وبيضاً رقيقاتِ الشّفار صقيلةً

وسمراً طويلاتِ المتون عُسولا

وسمراً طويلاتِ المتون عُسولا

and bright swords, thin-edged and polished,

And white slender-lipped mares, sleek,

and brown spears, long-shafted and swaying.

And brown, long-bodied, docile.

ولا أنتمُ أفرجتُمُ عن طريقه

ولا أنتمُ أفرجتُمُ عن طريقه

إليكمْ ولا لمّا أراد قُفولا

إليكمْ ولا لمّا أراد قُفولا

You did not clear his path

Neither did you make way for him to you

toward you, nor when he wished to return.

Nor when he wanted to return.

عزيزٌ على الثّاوي بطَيْبَةَ أَعْظُمٌ

عزيزٌ على الثّاوي بطَيْبَةَ أَعْظُمٌ

نُبِذْنَ على أرض الطُّفوف شُكولا

نُبِذْنَ على أرض الطُّفوف شُكولا

Grievous to the one resting in Tayba are bones

Dearer to the settler in Tayba was Azra’s son,

cast upon the earth of al-Tufuf, alike in form,

Abandoned on the ground of Taff, ripped apart.

وكلُّ كريمٍ لا يلمّ برِيبةٍ

وكلُّ كريمٍ لا يلمّ برِيبةٍ

فإنْ سِيم قولَ الفحش قال جميلا

فإنْ سِيم قولَ الفحش قال جميلا

and every noble man who never approaches a shameful deed,

Every generous person is not touched by any shame.

who, if pressed to utter obscenity, speaks graciously.

If he is attributed evil words, he says good.

يذادون عن ماءِ الفراتِ وقد سُقوا الش

يذادون عن ماءِ الفراتِ وقد سُقوا الش

شهادةَ من ماءِ الفرات بديلا

شهادةَ من ماءِ الفرات بديلا

They are driven from the Euphrates' waters, yet made to drink

They are prevented from the Euphrates' water and made

martyrdom instead of the waters of the Euphrates.

To drink the cup of martyrdom instead of Euphrates' water.

رمُوا بالرّدى من حيث لا يحذرونه

رمُوا بالرّدى من حيث لا يحذرونه

وغُرّوا وكم غَرّ الغُفولُ غَفولا

وغُرّوا وكم غَرّ الغُفولُ غَفولا

They were struck with death from where they did not fear it,

They threw them into death where they did not fear it

and deceived—how often heedlessness deceives the heedless!

And they were deluded - how often is the deluded deluded!

أيا يوم عاشوراء كم من فجيعةٍ

أيا يوم عاشوراء كم من فجيعةٍ

عل الغُرّ آلِ اللّه كنتَ نَزولا

عل الغُرّ آلِ اللّه كنتَ نَزولا

O day of Ashura, with how many a calamity

Oh day of Ashura, how many calamities

did you alight upon the radiant ones, God's family!

Against the Prophet's family you brought down!

دخلتَ على أبياتهمْ بمصابهمْ

دخلتَ على أبياتهمْ بمصابهمْ

ألا بئسما ذاك الدّخول دُخولا

ألا بئسما ذاك الدّخول دُخولا

You entered their homes bearing their calamity;

You entered upon their homes with their disaster.

ah, how evil an entrance that entrance was!

Yes, miserable is that entering, that entry!

نزعتَ شهيدَ اللّه منّا وإنّما

نزعتَ شهيدَ اللّه منّا وإنّما

نزعتَ يميناً أو قعطتَ قليلا

نزعتَ يميناً أو قعطتَ قليلا

You tore God's martyr away from us, and in truth

You took away from us the martyr of God, but

you tore away a right hand, or pressed a little [wording unclear].

You only took away our right hand or little.

قتيلاً وجدنا بعده دينَ أحمدٍ

قتيلاً وجدنا بعده دينَ أحمدٍ

فقيداً وعزَّ المسلمين قتيلا

فقيداً وعزَّ المسلمين قتيلا

A slain man, after whom we found Ahmad's faith

We found after him the religion of Ahmed

bereft, and the Muslims' honor slain.

Shackled, and the honor of the Muslims slain.

فلا تبخسوا بالجور مَن كان ربُّه

فلا تبخسوا بالجور مَن كان ربُّه

برَجْعِ الّذي نازعتموه كفيلا

برَجْعِ الّذي نازعتموه كفيلا

So do not wrongfully diminish one whose Lord

So do not diminish with injustice the one whose Lord

has guaranteed the return of what you fought him over.

Is pledged to return what you disputed with him.

أحبّكُمُ آلَ النبيّ ولا أرى

أحبّكُمُ آلَ النبيّ ولا أرى

وَإنْ عذلوني عن هواي عديلا

وَإنْ عذلوني عن هواي عديلا

I love you, family of the Prophet, and I see

I love the Prophet's family, and I do not see,

no alternative to my love, though they reproach me.

Even if they wrong me, any replacement for my love.

وقلت لمن يُلحي عن شَغَفي بكم

وقلت لمن يُلحي عن شَغَفي بكم

وكم غيرِ ذي نصحٍ يكون عذولا

وكم غيرِ ذي نصحٍ يكون عذولا

And I said to whoever censures my passion for you—

And I said to the one who turns me from passion for them,

how often one without sincere counsel becomes a censurer—

'How many who lack good advice are turned away!'

روَيْدَكُمُ لا تنحلوني ضلالَكمْ

روَيْدَكُمُ لا تنحلوني ضلالَكمْ

فلن تُرحِلوا منّي الغَداةَ ذَلولا

فلن تُرحِلوا منّي الغَداةَ ذَلولا

Take your time; do not attribute your misguidance to me,

Restrain yourselves, do not lead me to your misguidance,

for you will not saddle me as a docile mount this morning.

For you will not make me in the morning humiliated.

عليكم سلامُ اللَّه عيشاً وميتَةً

عليكم سلامُ اللَّه عيشاً وميتَةً

وسَفْراً تطيعون النّوى وحلولا

وسَفْراً تطيعون النّوى وحلولا

Upon you be God's peace, in life and in death,

Upon you is the peace of God, living and dead,

as travelers obeying separation, and when settled.

Traveling, obeying the resolve and halting.

فما زاغ قلبي عن هواكم وأخمصي

فما زاغ قلبي عن هواكم وأخمصي

فلا زلّ عمّا ترتضون زليلا

فلا زلّ عمّا ترتضون زليلا

For my heart has not strayed from love of you; and my foot's arch—

So my heart has not swerved from passion for you,

may it never slip from what you approve.

Nor has my step swerved from what you approve.