شَرَفٌhonor ليسَthere is no بَعدَهُbeyond it شَرَفُhonor
شَرَفٌ ليسَ بَعدَهُ شَرَفُ
أنَّكَthat you الآنَnow عَرشُكَyour throne النَّجَفُNajaf
أنَّكَ الآنَ عَرشُكَ النَّجَفُ
An honor beyond which there is no honor:
A noble honor, peerless eminence
That Najaf is now your throne.
For Najaf is now your glorious residence
أيُّهاO you المُستَفَزُّthe stirred one أجنِحَةًwings
أيُّها المُستَفَزُّ أجنِحَةً
فيin رِحابِthe precincts of الكَرَّارِal-Karrar (the oft-charging one) تَرتَجِفُyou tremble
في رِحابِ الكَرَّارِ تَرتَجِفُ
O you, with wings astir,
O you who defiantly flaps your wings
You tremble in al-Karrar's precincts.
In the expanse of Karar trembling and quivering
شَرَفٌhonor أنَّthat كلَّevery بارقةٍflash
شَرَفٌ أنَّ كلَّ بارقةٍ
أوor رَفيفٍflutter مِنfrom رَهبَةٍawe يَجِفُquivers
أو رَفيفٍ مِن رَهبَةٍ يَجِفُ
An honor that every flash
An honor it is whenever lightning flickers
Or flutter quivers with awe
Or any gentle quiver of awe shivers
بجَناحَيكَin your two wings أنَّthat خَفْقَهُماtheir beating
بجَناحَيكَ أنَّ خَفْقَهُما
لِعليٍّto Ali بالحبِّwith love يَعترِفُprofesses
لِعليٍّ بالحبِّ يَعترِفُ
In your wings—that their beating
With your wings whose fluttering
Professes its love for Ali.
To Ali pledges unwavering loving
شَرَفٌhonor ليسَthere is no بَعدَهُbeyond it شَرَفُhonor
شَرَفٌ ليسَ بَعدَهُ شَرَفُ
أنَّكَthat you الآنَnow بَيتُكَyour home النَّجَفُNajaf
أنَّكَ الآنَ بَيتُكَ النَّجَفُ
An honor beyond which there is no honor:
A peerless honor, nothing else supersedes
That Najaf is now your home.
For Najaf is now your sanctified abode
إنْif تَكُنْyou are قدalready وقفتَyou stood مُرتَبكاًbewildered
إنْ تَكُنْ قد وقفتَ مُرتَبكاً
فالنَّبيُّونfor the prophets هَهُناright here وَقَفواthey stood
فالنَّبيُّون هَهُنا وَقَفوا
If you have stood bewildered,
If you've paused here feeling uneasy
For the prophets stood right here.
Then know the prophets too once stood queasy
أوor تَكنْyou are جئتَyou came نازفاًbleeding فَأقِلْthen be sparing
أو تَكنْ جئتَ نازفاً فَأقِلْ
فالنَّبيُّونَfor the prophets هَهناright here نَزَفواthey bled
فالنَّبيُّونَ هَهنا نَزَفوا
Or if you came bleeding, be sparing;
Or if you've come here bleeding profoundly
For the prophets bled right here.
Then know the prophets too once bled and drowned
وتَواضَعْand be humble، فَكلُّfor every أُنْمُلَةٍfingertip
وتَواضَعْ، فَكلُّ أُنْمُلَةٍ
هَهناright here فوقَهاabove it دمٌblood يَكِفُdrips!
هَهنا فوقَها دمٌ يَكِفُ!
And be humble, for every fingertip
So be humble, for each palmful patch
Here has blood dripping upon it!
Blood of Ali ceaselessly trickling
مِنfrom عليٍّAli لليومِto this day هاطلةٌpouring down
مِن عليٍّ لليومِ هاطلةٌ
تَحتَهاbeneath it الرَّاسياتُthe firmly rooted mountains تَنخَسِفُcave in
تَحتَها الرَّاسياتُ تَنخَسِفُ
Pouring from Ali to this day,
As the firmaments above seem buckling
Beneath it, the firmly rooted mountains cave in.
So spare us your woeful announcement
فاختَصِرْso be brief إنْif تَكنْyou are أتَيتَyou came لكيin order to
فاختَصِرْ إنْ تَكنْ أتَيتَ لكي
تُعلِنَdeclare الحُزنَsorrow أيُّهاO you الكَلِفُthe love-stricken one!
تُعلِنَ الحُزنَ أيُّها الكَلِفُ!
So be brief, if you have come to
You who've come here looking so gallant
Declare your sorrow, O love-stricken one!
Wondrous Hussein! How come nothing here
عَجَبيmy wonder ياO حسينُHusayn كيفَhow هُناhere
عَجَبي يا حسينُ كيفَ هُنا
ليسَnot يَحمَرُّreddens لَونُهُits color السَّعَفُthe palm fronds!
ليسَ يَحمَرُّ لَونُهُ السَّعَفُ!
I marvel, O Husayn: how is it that here
Turns red - not even the blades of spear?
The palm fronds do not turn red?
How can the sky remain so composed
كيفَhow تَبقىremains السَّماءُthe sky صاحيَةًclear
كيفَ تَبقى السَّماءُ صاحيَةً
هكذاlike this، والغصونُand the branches تَنعَطِفُbend
هكذا، والغصونُ تَنعَطِفُ
How does the sky remain clear
While the branches are trembling and bended?
Like this, while the branches bend,
As if no downpour has happened around
وكأنْand as though لمnot يَكُنْhad been هناhere مَطَرٌrain
وكأنْ لم يَكُنْ هنا مَطَرٌ
دَمُهُits blood عِدْلَequal to بَرقِهِits lightning يَلِفُflashes repeatedly!
دَمُهُ عِدْلَ بَرقِهِ يَلِفُ!
As though there had been no rain here
With lightning and rain both astound
Whose blood flashes like its lightning!
The earth of prophets is immune by fate
تُربَةُthe soil of الأنبياءِthe prophets يَعصِمُهاsafeguards it
تُربَةُ الأنبياءِ يَعصِمُها
أنَّهاthat it الآنَnow فوقَbeyond ماwhat أصِفُI describe
أنَّها الآنَ فوقَ ما أصِفُ
The soil of the prophets is safeguarded
To all that I now try to narrate
By being now beyond what I can describe.
The more it's rained on, more lush it sprouts
كلَّماwhenever أُمْطِرَتْit is rained upon زَهَتْit flourishes رُطَباًwith fresh, ripe dates
كلَّما أُمْطِرَتْ زَهَتْ رُطَباً
بَينَماwhereas حِمْلُthe crop of غيرهاother than it حَشَفُshriveled, unripe dates
بَينَما حِمْلُ غيرها حَشَفُ
Whenever rained upon, it flourishes with ripe dates,
While all other earth erodes down in droughts
While the crop of other soil is shriveled dates.
My master Ali, I beg your pardon
سيِّديmy master ياO عليُّAli، مَعذرةًpardon
سيِّدي يا عليُّ، مَعذرةً
أناI مِنfrom راحَتَيكَyour two palms أرتَشِفُI sip
أنا مِن راحَتَيكَ أرتَشِفُ
My master, O Ali, pardon me:
To relax in your peace, I'm starved and famished
I sip from your palms.
You're the zenith wherever words may reach
أبلَغُthe most eloquent of القولِspeech أنتَyou سَيِّدُهُits master
أبلَغُ القولِ أنتَ سَيِّدُهُ
والوَرىand all creation مِنfrom نَداكَyour bounty تَغتَرِفُdraws
والوَرى مِن نَداكَ تَغتَرِفُ
You are the master of the most eloquent speech,
And the world sips from your hands that teach
And all creation draws from your bounty.
So forgive my restless standing here
فإذاso if ما(emphasis) وقفتُI stand مُضطَرباًagitated
فإذا ما وقفتُ مُضطَرباً
فاعذُرَنْthen do forgive وَقفَتيmy stance التيwhich أقِفُI stand
فاعذُرَنْ وَقفَتي التي أقِفُ
So if ever I stand agitated,
If it's too much for your shrine to bear
Then forgive the stance I take.
I'm the essence of all majesty gathered
أناI نُصْبَbefore الجَلالِmajesty أجمَعِهِall of it
أنا نُصْبَ الجَلالِ أجمَعِهِ
لَيتَنيwould that I ليfor me بِظِلِّهِin its shade كَنَفُshelter
لَيتَني لي بِظِلِّهِ كَنَفُ
I am before majesty in its entirety;
If only under your shade I got covered
Would that I had shelter in its shade!
If only Furaat's waters at dawn
ليتَwould that ماءَthe water of الفُراتِthe Euphrates يُصبحُbecomes ليfor me
ليتَ ماءَ الفُراتِ يُصبحُ لي
أدمُعاًtears فيin ثَراكَyour soil تَنذَرِفُstream down
أدمُعاً في ثَراكَ تَنذَرِفُ
Would that the Euphrates' water became for me
As tears on your tomb trickled and fawned
Tears streaming into your soil.
O you who's forever caressed and wrapped
أيُّهاO you الحاسِرُthe bareheaded one الذيwho أبَداًforever
أيُّها الحاسِرُ الذي أبَداً
بِشِغافِin the sheaths of القلوبِhearts يَلتَحِفُwraps himself
بِشِغافِ القلوبِ يَلتَحِفُ
O bareheaded one, who forever
In the bosom of hearts that are entrapped
Wraps himself in the sheaths of hearts,
O you daring, gambling knight
أيُّهاO you الجاسِرُthe daring one المَضاربُهُhis sword-edges
أيُّها الجاسِرُ المَضاربُهُ
كلُّevery ليلٍnight بِهِنَّby them يَنكَشِفُis dispelled
كلُّ ليلٍ بِهِنَّ يَنكَشِفُ
O daring one, whose sword-edges
Every eve your stratagem comes to light
Dispel every night,
O you who captures, yourself staying free
أيُّهاO you الآسِرُthe captor الأسيرُthe captive تُقىًpiety
أيُّها الآسِرُ الأسيرُ تُقىً
ليسَnot إلاexcept اللهِGod يَزدَلِفُdraws near
ليسَ إلا اللهِ يَزدَلِفُ
O captor, held captive by piety,
Bowing only to God so meek and plaintively
Who draws near to none but God.
You're the dawn of Islam, its pearl and gem
هوَhe فَجرُthe dawn of الإسلامِIslam.. أعظَمُهُhis greatest distinction
هوَ فَجرُ الإسلامِ.. أعظَمُهُ
أنَّهُthat he ذلكَthat الفَتىyoung man الأنِفُthe high-minded one
أنَّهُ ذلكَ الفَتى الأنِفُ
He is Islam's dawn; his greatest distinction:
Your progeny being its precious realm
That he is that high-minded young man,
That bold youth whose open hand
الذيwho عَنهُabout him فاتِحاًopening يَدَهُhis hand
الذي عَنهُ فاتِحاً يَدَهُ
نَزَلَتْdescended مِنfrom سَمائِهاtheir heaven الصُّحُفُthe scriptures
نَزَلَتْ مِن سَمائِها الصُّحُفُ
About whom, as he opened his hand,
Brought scriptures down from heavens as planned
The scriptures descended from their heaven;
And whose closed fist makes hearts convulse and jump
والذيand who مِنهُfrom him قابِضاًclenching يَدَهُhis hand
والذي مِنهُ قابِضاً يَدَهُ
شَعَفاتُthe tips of القلوبِhearts تَنشَعِفُare seared
شَعَفاتُ القلوبِ تَنشَعِفُ
And at whose clenched hand
And whose prayer splits doors, scrolls promptly unroll
The tips of hearts are seared;
If his zeal gets provoked, I warrant
والذيand who مِنthrough دُعائِهِhis supplication انفَطَرَتْburst open
والذي مِن دُعائِهِ انفَطَرَتْ
بابُthe gate of رَبِّيmy Lord، وانجابَتand parted السُّجُفُthe veils
بابُ رَبِّي، وانجابَت السُّجُفُ
And through whose prayer there burst open
Mountains will crack, suns will instantly darken
My Lord's gate, and the veils parted;
His sword makes souls quiver and shake
الذيwho لوif تَمَسُّtouches غَيرَتُهُhis zeal
الذي لو تَمَسُّ غَيرَتُهُ
جَبَلاًa mountain قلتُI would say سوفَwill يَنخَسِفُcave in
جَبَلاً قلتُ سوفَ يَنخَسِفُ
Whose zeal, were it to touch
Before eyes can a single blink make
A mountain—I would say it would cave in;
When his pride's aura glows even slightly
والذيand who سَيفُهُhis sword النُّفوسُsouls بِهِby it
والذي سَيفُهُ النُّفوسُ بِهِ
قبلَbefore خَطفِthe snatching of العيونِthe eyes تَنخَطِفُare snatched away
قبلَ خَطفِ العيونِ تَنخَطِفُ
And whose sword—by it, souls
Each sun in the cosmos turns nightly
Are snatched away before it catches the eye;
You're the dawn of Islam, its beauty and life
والذيand who إذْwhen تَلوحُappears غُرَّتُهُhis radiant brow
والذي إذْ تَلوحُ غُرَّتُهُ
كلُّevery شمسٍsun فيin الكونِthe universe تَنكَسِفُis eclipsed
كلُّ شمسٍ في الكونِ تَنكَسِفُ
And when his radiant brow appears,
Through your family, Islam shines bright
Every sun in the universe is eclipsed.
O Prophet's cousin, your kindness I implore
هوَhe فَجرُthe dawn of الإسلامِIslam.. لؤلؤهُits pearls
هوَ فَجرُ الإسلامِ.. لؤلؤهُ
آلُهُhis family، والعَوالِمُand the worlds الصَّدَفُthe oyster shells
آلُهُ، والعَوالِمُ الصَّدَفُ
He is Islam's dawn; its pearls
Pardon me, the night now stands at midpoint
Are his family, and the worlds are the shells.
My pen still quivering, my hand shakes
ياO ابنَson of عَمِّthe paternal uncle of النَّبيِّthe Prophet لُطْفَكَyour kindness بيtoward me
يا ابنَ عَمِّ النَّبيِّ لُطْفَكَ بي
وأجِزْنيand grant me leave، فالليلُfor the night يَنتَصِفُreaches its midpoint
وأجِزْني، فالليلُ يَنتَصِفُ
O cousin of the Prophet, be kind to me,
As I watch my scribbles and lines quake
And grant me leave, for the night is halfway through;
My being fixated, each limb abject
وأناand I لمnot أزَلْI have ceased أرىI see قَلَميmy pen
وأنا لم أزَلْ أرى قَلَمي
ويَديand my hand والسّطورَand the lines تَرتَجِفُtremble
ويَدي والسّطورَ تَرتَجِفُ
And I still see my pen
In my ribs, since twisted into a cage
And my hand and the lines trembling.
And my ribs to you cling, paying homage
أناI فيin حَضرَتَيكَyour two presences.. شاخِصَةٌstanding forth
أنا في حَضرَتَيكَ.. شاخِصَةٌ
نُصْبَbefore عَينيmy eyes هذيthis one، وذيand that one تَرِفُflutters
نُصْبَ عَيني هذي، وذي تَرِفُ
I am in your two presences: one stands
So permit me, if I'm overwhelmed
Before my eyes, while the other flutters
By my humility - too great for Najaf to hold!
فيwithin ضلوعيmy ribs.. مُذْever since كُوِّرَتْthey were rounded قَفَصاًinto a cage
في ضلوعي.. مُذْ كُوِّرَتْ قَفَصاً
وضلوعيand my ribs عليكَaround you تَعتَكِفُkeep devotional vigil!
وضلوعي عليكَ تَعتَكِفُ!
Within my ribs; since they were rounded into a cage,
My ribs have kept vigil around you!
فَأقِلْنيthen pardon me إذاif كَبَوتُI stumble هُناhere
فَأقِلْني إذا كَبَوتُ هُنا
مِنfrom خشوعيmy reverence.. وتَعذُرُand excuses النَّجَفُNajaf!
مِن خشوعي.. وتَعذُرُ النَّجَفُ!
Then pardon me if I stumble here
From my reverence—and Najaf excuses me!
Partial English translation: 68 of 72 Arabic lines translated.