أزار علي أمة الأحد الظبي

أزار علي أمة الأحد الظبي

فياكم أقيمت جمعة بخميسه

فياكم أقيمت جمعة بخميسه

Ali brought the people of Sunday to the sword-blades;

The cloak of Ali threw the nation into turmoil on Sunday

How many a Friday congregation was held by his host!

So you held Friday prayers on Thursday

وباتت نشاوى تقذف الدم سمره

وباتت نشاوى تقذف الدم سمره

وقد سكرت من منزعات كؤوسه

وقد سكرت من منزعات كؤوسه

And his dusky spears spent the night drunken, spewing blood,

And joyful celebrations spilled blood into darkness

Having grown drunk on draughts drawn from his cups.

Having drunk to excess from their goblets

إذا أم جيشاً مارقاً وتضاحكت

إذا أم جيشاً مارقاً وتضاحكت

وجوه الظبي في نقعه وعبوسه

وجوه الظبي في نقعه وعبوسه

When he advances upon a renegade army, and laughter plays

When an apostate army laughed

On the faces of the sword-blades amid his dust and frown,

And the faces of prey were sullen and gloomy in the hunting grounds

أضاق صدور الأرض ملقى جسومه

أضاق صدور الأرض ملقى جسومه

وغصت لها آفاقها بنفوسه

وغصت لها آفاقها بنفوسه

Its fallen bodies crowd the earth’s breasts,

The earth's chests were too narrow for their fallen bodies

And because of them, its horizons choke on their souls.

And its horizons were choked by their souls

ويلبس عاري الجو سود مسوحه

ويلبس عاري الجو سود مسوحه

ولو زف في أقماره وشموسه

ولو زف في أقماره وشموسه

And the naked sky dons its black sackcloth,

The naked air dons black robes

Even if led in wedding procession amid its moons and suns.

As though lamented by its moons and suns

فتى عام نعماه رسول أناته

فتى عام نعماه رسول أناته

فإن لم يفد أعنته ساعة بؤسه

فإن لم يفد أعنته ساعة بؤسه

A young man whose year of bounty is his forbearance’s envoy;

A youth enjoying the Prophet's blessings during his time of ease

If that avails not, an hour of his severity wears the foe down.

If he cannot help in his time of distress, an hour of misfortune