أرقت للمع برق حاجري — Sibt Ibn Altaawithy

أَرِقتُ لِلَمعِ بَرقٍ حاجِرِيٍّ

تَأَلَّقَ كَاليَماني المُشرَفِيِّ

I lay sleepless at the flash of lightning from Hajir.

It flashed like a Yemeni Mashrafi blade.

أَضاءَ لَنا الأَجارِعَ مُسبَطِرّاً

وَعادَ سَناهُ كَالبيضِ الخفي

It lit the sandy flats for us, spreading wide,

and its radiance became like hidden white blades.

كَأَنَّ وَميضَهُ لَمعُ الثَنايا

إِذا اِبتَسَمَت وَإِشراقُ الحَلِيِّ

Its flashing seemed the gleam of front teeth

when she smiled, and the glitter of jewelry.

فَأَذكَرَني وُجوهَ الغيدِ بيضاً

سَوالِفُها وَلَم أَكُ بِالنَسِيِّ

It recalled to me the faces of slender beauties, white

at the sides of their necks—and I was not forgetful—

وَعَصرَ خَلاعَةٍ أَحمَدتُ فيهِ ال

شَبابَ وَصِحَّةَ العَهدِ الرَخِيِّ

and an age of abandon in which I prized the

youth and well-being of that carefree time.

وَلَيلى بَعدُ ما مَطَلَت دُيوني

وَلا حالَت عَنِ العَهدِ الوَفِيِّ

And Layla had not yet delayed paying my dues,

nor departed from her faithful pledge.

مُنَعَّمَةٌ شقيتُ بِها وَلَولا ال

هَوى ما كُنتُ ذا بالٍ شَقِيِّ

A pampered beauty through whom I suffered; but for the

love, I would not have had a wretched mind.

تَزيدُ القَلبَ بَلبالاً وَوَجداً

إِذا نَظَرَت بِطَرفٍ بابِليِّ

She increases the heart's turmoil and longing

when she looks with a Babylonian gaze.

أَتيهُ صَبابَةً وَتَتيهُ حُسناً

فَوَيلٌ لِلشَجِيِّ مِنَ الخَلِيِّ

I wander bewildered with yearning; she is haughty with beauty:

so woe to the lovelorn from the carefree!

إِذا اِستَشفَيتُها وَجدي رَمَتني

بِداءٍ مِن لَواحِظِها دَوِيِّ

When I seek from her a cure for my longing, she strikes me

with a virulent sickness from her glances.

وَلَولا حُبُّها لَم يُصبِ قَلبي

سَنا بَرقٍ تَأَلَّقَ في حَبِيِّ

But for my love for her, my heart would not be stirred

by the radiance of lightning flashing in a cloud bank.

أَجابَ وَقَد دَعاني الشوقُ دَمعي

وَقِدَماً كُنتُ ذا دَمعٍ عَيِيِّ

My tears answered when longing called me,

though formerly my tears were reluctant to flow.

وَقَفتُ عَلى الدِيارِ فَما أَصاخَت

مَعالِمُها لِمُحتَرِقٍ بَكِيِّ

I stood before the dwellings, but no heed was paid

by their traces to one burning and weeping.

أُرَوي تُربَها الصادي كَأَنّي

نَزَحتُ الدَمعَ فيها مِن رَكِيِّ

I water their thirsty soil, as though I

were drawing tears there from a well.

وَلَو أَكرَمتِ دَمعَكِ يا شُؤوني

بَكَيتِ عَلى الإِمامِ الفاطِمِيِّ

Had you honored your tears, O my tear ducts,

you would have wept for the Imam of Fatima's line.

عَلى المَقتولِ ظَمآنا فَجودي

عَلى الظمآنِ بِالجَفنِ الرَويِّ

For the one slain thirsty—pour forth generously

upon the thirsty one from your brimming eyelid.

عَلى نَجمِ الهُدى الساري وَنَجمِ ال

عُلومِ وَذُروَةِ الشَرَفِ العَلِيِّ

For the night-traveling star of guidance, and the star of the

sciences, and the summit of lofty nobility.

عَلى الحامي بِأَطرافِ العَوالي

حِمى الإِسلامِ وَالبَطَلِ الكَمِيِّ

For him who defended, with the points of tall spears,

Islam's sanctuary, the armored champion.

عَلى الباعِ الرَحيبِ إِذا أَلَمَّت

بِهِ الأَزماتُ وَالكَفِّ السَخِيِّ

For the one of ample reach when crises descended

upon him, and of a generous hand.

عَلى أَندى الأَنامِ يَداً وَوَجهاً

وَأَرجَحِهِمِ وَقاراً في النَدِيِّ

For the most generous of mankind in hand and countenance,

and the weightiest in dignity in the assembly.

وَخَيرِ العامَلينَ أَبا وَأَمّا

وَأَطهَرِهِم ثَرى عِرقٍ زَكيِّ

And the best of those who labor, in father and mother,

and the purest in the soil of an unsullied root.

لَئِن دَفَعوهُ ظُلماً عَن حُقوقِ ال

خِلافَةِ بِالوَشيجِ السَمهَرِيِّ

Though they unjustly thrust him away from the rights of the

caliphate with hard, straight spear shafts,

فَما دَفَعوهُ عَن حَسَبٍ كَريمٍ

وَلا ذادوهُ عَن خُلقٍ رَضِيِّ

they did not strip him of noble lineage,

nor drive him from a pleasing character.

لَقَدَ قَصَموا عُرى الإِسلامِ عَوداً

وَبَدأً في الحُسَينِ وَفي عِلِّيِ

They surely shattered Islam's bonds a second time

and a first, in Husayn and in Ali.

وَيَومُ الطَفِّ قامَ لِيَومِ بَدرٍ

بِأَخذِ الثَأرِ مِن آلِ النَبيِّ

The day of al-Taff answered the day of Badr

by exacting vengeance from the Prophet's family.

فَثَنَّوا بِالإِمامِ أَما كَفاهُم

ضَلالاً ما جَنَوهُ عَلى الوَصِيِّ

They struck again at the Imam; was there not enough

error in what they had done against the appointed successor?

رَمَوهُ عَن قُلوبٍ قاسِياتٍ

بِأَطرافِ الأَسِنّةِ وَالقِسِيِّ

From hardened hearts they struck him

with spearheads and bows.

وَأَسرى مُقدِماً عَمرو بنُ سَعدٍ

إِلَيهِ بِكُلِّ شَيطانٍ غَوِيِّ

And Amr ibn Sa'd advanced by night,

bringing against him every wayward devil.

يَبيعونَ الدِماءَ عَلى اِنتِهاكِ ال

مَحارِمِ جِدَّ مِقدامٍ جَرِيِّ

They traffic in blood, bent on violating the

sanctities, with a bold, daring assailant's zeal.

أَتاهُ بِمُحنَقينَ تَجيشُ غَيظاً

صُدورُهُم وَجَيشٍ كَالأُتيِّ

He brought enraged men, with fury seething

in their breasts, and an army like a torrent.

أَطافوا مُحدِقينَ بِهِ وَعاجوا

عَلَيهِ بِكُلِّ طِرفٍ أَعوَجي

They encircled him, hemming him in, and wheeled

against him on every A'waji steed.

بِكُلِّ مُثَقَّفٍ لَدنٍ وَعَضبٍ

سُرَيجِيٍّ وَدِرعٍ سابُريِّ

With every straightened, supple lance, and keen

Surayji sword, and Saburi coat of mail.

فَأَنحوا بِالصَوارِمِ مُسرِعاتٍ

عَلى البَرِّ النَقِيِّ اِبنِ النَقِيِّ

They bore down with swiftly moving swords

upon the righteous, pure son of the pure.

وُجوهُ النارِ مُظلِمَةً أَكَبَّت

عَلى الوَجهِ الهِلالي الوَضِيِّ

Faces of fire, darkened, bent down

upon the bright, crescent-like face.

فَيالَكَ مِن إِمامٍ ضَرَّجوهُ

مِنَ القاني بِخِرصانِ القُنِيِّ

Ah, what an Imam they drenched

in crimson blood with their lances' spearheads!

بَكَتهُ الأَرضُ إِجلالاً وَحُزناً

لِمَصرَعِهِ وَأَملاكُ السُمِيِّ

The earth wept for him in reverence and grief

at his slaying, as did the angels of heaven.

وَغودِرَتِ الخِيامُ بِغَيرِ حامٍ

يُناضِلُ دونَهُنَّ وَلا وَليِّ

The tents were left without a defender

to fight for them, and without a protector.

فَما عَطَفَ البُغاةُ عَلى الفَتاةِ ال

حَصانِ وَلا عَلى الطِفلِ الصَبِيِّ

The aggressors showed no compassion to the maiden,

the chaste one, nor to the little child.

وَلا بَذَلوا لِخائِفَةٍ أَماناً

وَلا سَمُحوا لِظَمآنٍ بِرِيِّ

They granted no safety to a frightened woman,

nor allowed a thirsty person a drink.

وَلا سَفَروا لِثاماً عَن حَياءٍ

وَلا كَرَمٍ وَلا أَنفٍ حَمِيِّ

Nor did they lift a veil to reveal modesty,

or nobility, or ardent pride.

وَساقوا ذَودَ أَهلِ الحَقِّ ظُلماً

وَعُدواناً إِلى الوِردِ الوَبِيِّ

They drove the camel herd of the people of truth unjustly

and aggressively toward a pestilential watering place.

تَذودُهُمُ الرِماحُ كَما تُذادُ ال

رِكابِ عَنِ المَوارِدِ بِالعَصِيِّ

Spears drove them off, as the

riding camels are driven from watering places with sticks.

وَساروا بِالكَرائِمِ مِن قُرَيشٍ

سَبايا فَوقَ أَكوارِ المَطِيِّ

They carried off the noble women of Quraysh,

captives atop the camels' saddle frames.

فَيا لِلَّهِ يَومَ نَعوهُ ماذا

وَعا سَمعُ الرَسولِ مِنَ النَعِيِّ

O God! On the day they announced his death, what

news of death reached the Messenger's ear!

وَلَو رامَ الحَياةَ نَجا إِلَيها

بِعَزمَتِهِ نَجاءَ المَضرَحِيِّ

Had he sought life, he would have escaped to it

with his resolve, swift as a long-winged eagle.

وَلَكِنَّ المَنِيَّةَ تَحتَ ظِلِّ ال

رِقاقِ البيضِ أَجدَرُ بِالأَبِيِّ

But death beneath the shadow of the

slender white blades better befits one who will not bow.

فَيا عُصَبَ الضَلالَةِ كَيفَ جُزتُم

عِناداً عَن صِراطِكُمُ السَوِيِّ

O bands of error, how did you stray

obstinately from your straight path?

فَأَلقَيتُم وَعَهدُكُمُ قَريبٌ

وَراءَ ظُهورِكُم عَهدَ النَبِيِّ

You cast, though your covenant was still recent,

the Prophet's covenant behind your backs.

وَأَخفَيتُم نِفاقَكُمُ إِلى أَن

وَثَبتُم وَثبَةَ الذِئبِ الضَرِيِّ

You concealed your hypocrisy until

you sprang like a ravening wolf.

وَأَبدَيتُم حُقودَكُمُ وَعُدتُم

إِلى الدينِ القَديمِ الجاهِلِيِّ

You revealed your grudges and returned

to the old religion of the age of ignorance.

وَلَولا الضِغنُ ما مِلتُم عَلى ذي ال

قَرابَةِ لِلبَعيدِ الأَجنَبِيِّ

But for rancor, you would not have attacked the one of

close kinship for the sake of a distant stranger.

كَفى حَزَناً ضَمانُكُمُ لِقَتلِ ال

حُسينِ جَوائِزَ الوَفرِ السَنِيِّ

Grief enough is your guaranteeing, for the killing of

Husayn, rewards of splendid wealth,

وَبَيعُكُمُ لِأُخراكُم سِفاهاً

بِمَنزورٍ مِنَ الدُنيا بَلِيِّ

and your foolish selling of your afterlife

for a paltry, perishable portion of this world.

وَحَسبُكُمُ غَداً بِأَبيهِ خَصماً

إِذا عُرِفَ السَقيمُ مِنَ البَرِيِّ

His father will suffice as your opponent tomorrow,

when the tainted are distinguished from the innocent.

صَلَيتُمُ حِزبَهُ بَغياً وَأَنتُم

لِنارِ اللَهِ أَولى بِالصَلِيِّ

You burned his followers in tyranny, though you

are more deserving of burning in God's fire.

وَحَرَّمتُم عَلَيهِ الماءَ لُؤماً

وَإِشفاقاً إِلى الخَلقِ الدَنِيِّ

You cruelly denied him water,

and out of concern for the base creature.

وَأَورَدتُم جِيادَكُمُ وَأَظمَي

تُموهُ شُربَكُم غَيرَ الهَنِيِّ

You watered your steeds and made

him thirsty—may your drink be unwholesome!

وَفي صِفّينَ عانَدتُم أَباهُ

وَأَعرَضتُم عَنِ الحَقِّ الجَليِّ

At Siffin you opposed his father,

and turned away from manifest truth.

وَخادَعتُم إِمامَكُمُ خِداعاً

أَتَيتُم فيهِ بِالأَمرِ الفَرِيِّ

You deceived your Imam with a deception

in which you committed a monstrous deed.

إِماماً كانَ يُنصِفُ في القَضايا

وَيَأخُذُ لِلضَعيفِ مِنَ القَوِيِّ

An Imam who judged fairly in disputes

and took from the strong on behalf of the weak.

فَأَنكَرتُم حَديثَ الشَمسِ رُدَّت

لَهُ وَطَوَيتُمُ خَبَرَ الطَوِيِّ

You denied the account of the sun being brought back

for him, and suppressed the tale of the well.

فَجوزيتُم لِبُغضِكُمُ عَلِيّاً

عَذابَ الخُلدِ في الدَرَكِ القَصِيِّ

So for your hatred of Ali you were requited with

eternal torment in the furthest depth.

سَأُهدي لِلأَئِمَّةِ مِن سَلامي

وَغُرِّ مَدائِحي أَزكى هَدِيِّ

I shall offer the Imams, from my greetings

and brightest praises, the purest of gifts:

سَلاماً أُتبِعُ الوَسمِيَّ مِنهُ

عَلى تِلكَ المَشاهِدِ بِالوَلِيِّ

a greeting whose first autumn rain I follow

upon those shrines with succeeding showers.

وَأَكسو عاتِقِ الأَيّامِ مِنهُ

حَبائِرَ كَالرِداءِ العَبقَرِيِّ

And with it I clothe the shoulder of the days

in embroidered fabrics like an Abqari mantle,

حِساناً لا أُريدُ بِهِنَّ إِلّا

مَساءَةَ كُلِّ باغٍ خارِجِيِّ

beautiful ones, by which I seek nothing but

the discomfiture of every Kharijite aggressor.

يَضيعُ لَها إِذا نُشِرَت أَريجٌ

كَنَشرِ لِطائِمِ المِسكِ الذَكِيِّ

When they are spread abroad, a fragrance wafts from them,

like the scent of caskets of pungent musk.

كَأَنفاسِ النَسيمِ سَرى بِلَيلٍ

يَهُزُّ ذَوائِبَ الوَردِ الجَنِيِّ

Like the breaths of a breeze passing by night,

shaking the tresses of fresh roses.

لِطَيبَةَ وَالبَقيعِ وَكِربَلاءٍ

وَسامَرّى وَفيدٍ وَالغَرِيِّ

For Tayba, al-Baqi', and Karbala,

Samarra, Fayd, and al-Ghari,

وَزَوراءِ العِراقِ وَأَرضِ طوسٍ

سَقاها الغَيثُ مِن بَلَدٍ قَصِيِّ

and Iraq's al-Zawra', and the land of Tus—

may the rain water it, that distant land.

فَحَيّا اللَهُ مَن وارَتهُ تِلكَ ال

قِبابُ البيضُ مِن خَيرٍ نَقِيِّ

May God bless whoever lies beneath those

white domes, the virtuous and pure,

وَأَسبَلَ صَوبَ رَحمَتِهِ دِراكاً

عَليها بِالغُدُوِّ وَبِالعَشِيِّ

and pour the showers of His mercy continually

upon them, morning and evening.

فَذُخري لِلمَعادِ وَلاءُ قَومٍ

بِهِم عُرِفَ السَعيدُ مِنَ الشَقِيِّ

My treasure for the final return is allegiance to a people

through whom the blessed are distinguished from the wretched.

كَفاني عِلمُهُم أَنّي مُعادٍ

عَدُوَّهُمُ مَوالٍ لِلوَلي

Their knowledge suffices me: I am hostile to

their enemy, and loyal to their ally.