أَهلوكِ أَضحَوا شاخِصاً وَمُقَوِّضا

أَهلوكِ أَضحَوا شاخِصاً وَمُقَوِّضا

وَمُزَمِّماً يَصِفُ النَوى وَمُغَرِّضا

وَمُزَمِّماً يَصِفُ النَوى وَمُغَرِّضا

Your people are now departing and striking camp,

They greet you standing tall, determined,

Your kinsmen have departed; some are setting out, others striking tents,

And bridling their mounts—bespeaking separation—and tightening girths.

Describing the arrows, ready and poised.

Some tightening the reins to measure the distance, others binding the loads.

إِن يَدجُ لَيلُكَ أَنَّهُم أَمّوا اللِوى

إِن يَدجُ لَيلُكَ أَنَّهُم أَمّوا اللِوى

فَلَقَد أَضاءَ وَهُم عَلى ذاتِ الأَضا

فَلَقَد أَضاءَ وَهُم عَلى ذاتِ الأَضا

If your night darkens because they have headed for al-Liwa,

If your night grows dark, they are the spark,

If your night grows dark, know that they have headed toward al-Liwa,

Yet surely it shone while they were at Dhat al-Ada.

Lighting up the gloom which darkness enjoyed.

Though the dawn broke while they were yet at Dhat al-Ada.

بُدِّلتَ مِن بَرقِ الثُغورِ وَبَردِها

بُدِّلتَ مِن بَرقِ الثُغورِ وَبَردِها

بَرقاً إِذا ظَعَنَ الأَحِبَّةُ أَومَضا

بَرقاً إِذا ظَعَنَ الأَحِبَّةُ أَومَضا

In place of the gleam of mouths and their coolness, you were given

You were transformed from the thunder of borders,

You have exchanged the flash of smiling teeth and their cool sweetness,

Lightning that flashed when loved ones departed.

To a lightning flash when loved ones called out.

For lightning that flickers only when the beloved ones depart.

لَو كانَ أَبغَضَ قَلبَهُ فيما مَضى

لَو كانَ أَبغَضَ قَلبَهُ فيما مَضى

أَحَدٌ لَكُنتُ إِذاً لِقَلبي مُبغِضا

أَحَدٌ لَكُنتُ إِذاً لِقَلبي مُبغِضا

If anyone had ever hated his own heart in times past,

If anyone's heart held hate in days past,

If ever one had hated his own heart in days gone by,

Then I would surely have been one who hated mine.

Mine for him would certainly harbor doubt.

Then I, in this moment, would surely be hating mine.

قَلَّ الغَضى لا شَكَّ في أَوطانِهِ

قَلَّ الغَضى لا شَكَّ في أَوطانِهِ

مِمّا حَشَدتَ إِلَيهِ مِن جَمرِ الغَضى

مِمّا حَشَدتَ إِلَيهِ مِن جَمرِ الغَضى

The ghada has surely grown scarce in its native lands,

Hatred assuredly wanes in its lands,

The Ghada wood is scarce in its native lands, no doubt,

From all the ghada embers you have heaped into that heart.

From fires of hate you assembled and poised.

Because of the burning Ghada embers you have gathered into my chest.

ما أَنصَفَ الزَمَنُ الَّذي بَعَثَ الهَوى

ما أَنصَفَ الزَمَنُ الَّذي بَعَثَ الهَوى

فَقَضى عَلَيكَ بِلَوعَةٍ ثُمَّ اِنقَضى

فَقَضى عَلَيكَ بِلَوعَةٍ ثُمَّ اِنقَضى

Time was unjust—the time that awakened love,

Time was not just to evoke passion at first,

Time was unjust when it sent forth this sudden passion,

Then condemned you to anguish and came to an end.

Then decree your anguish before it rejoiced.

Decreeing anguish upon you, and then swiftly passing on.

عِندي مِنَ الأَيّامِ ما لَو أَنَّهُ

عِندي مِنَ الأَيّامِ ما لَو أَنَّهُ

أَضحى بِشارِبِ مُرقَدٍ ما غَمَّضا

أَضحى بِشارِبِ مُرقَدٍ ما غَمَّضا

I bear from the days such suffering that, if it

I have days that if one laid down in bliss,

I bear such burdens from these days, that were they placed

Befell a drinker of a sleeping draught, he would not close his eyes.

His eyes would not open, content and enjoyed.

Upon one drugged for sleep, he would not close an eye.

لا تَطلُبنَّ الرِزقَ بَعدَ شِماسِهِ

لا تَطلُبنَّ الرِزقَ بَعدَ شِماسِهِ

فَتَروضَهُ سَبُعاً إِذا ما غَيَّضا

فَتَروضَهُ سَبُعاً إِذا ما غَيَّضا

Do not pursue livelihood once it has turned restive,

Seek not sustenance once it has fled,

Do not chase after fortune once it has turned stubborn,

Trying to tame it like a beast that has entered its thicket.

Lest you find it consumed after you pined.

Like attempting to tame a beast when the water has run dry.

ما عُوِّضَ الصَبرَ اِمرُؤٌ إِلّا رَأى

ما عُوِّضَ الصَبرَ اِمرُؤٌ إِلّا رَأى

ما فاتَهُ دونَ الَّذي قَد عُوِّضا

ما فاتَهُ دونَ الَّذي قَد عُوِّضا

No one was given patience in recompense without seeing

None feels loss replaced unless he sees,

No man was ever compensated with patience, but that he saw

What he had lost as less than what he was given instead.

What was missed was less than what he enjoyed.

That what he lost was far less than the recompense he gained.

يا أَحمَدَ اِبنَ أَبي دُاودٍ دَعوَةً

يا أَحمَدَ اِبنَ أَبي دُاودٍ دَعوَةً

ذَلَّت بِشُكرِكَ لي وَكانَت رَيِّضا

ذَلَّت بِشُكرِكَ لي وَكانَت رَيِّضا

O Ahmad ibn Abi Dawud—a call

Oh Ahmad son of Abu Dawud a plea,

O Ahmad ibn Abi Du'ad, hear this supplication,

That thanking you has tamed for me, though it was once unbroken.

That humbles with thanks I employed.

Which bowed in thanks to you, though it was once untamed.

لَمّا اِنتَضَيتُكَ لِلخُطوبِ كُفيتُها

لَمّا اِنتَضَيتُكَ لِلخُطوبِ كُفيتُها

وَالسَيفُ لا يَكفيكَ حَتّى يُنتَضى

وَالسَيفُ لا يَكفيكَ حَتّى يُنتَضى

When I unsheathed you against calamities, I was spared them;

I called you for struggles and they sufficed,

When I unsheathed you against misfortunes, I was shielded from them;

And a sword does not protect you until it is unsheathed.

Though the sword aids not until employed.

For a sword cannot protect you until it is drawn from the scabbard.

ما زِلتُ أَرقُبُ تَحتَ أَفياءِ المُنى

ما زِلتُ أَرقُبُ تَحتَ أَفياءِ المُنى

يَوماً بِوَجهٍ مِثلَ وَجهِكَ أَبيَضا

يَوماً بِوَجهٍ مِثلَ وَجهِكَ أَبيَضا

I have kept watch beneath the shades of hope

I've watched beneath the shelter of wishes,

I have long waited beneath the shadows of my hopes,

For a day with a face as white as yours.

For a face like yours so gentle and poised.

For a day as bright and radiant as your countenance.

كَم مَحضَرٍ لَكَ مُرتَضىً لَم تَدَّخِر

كَم مَحضَرٍ لَكَ مُرتَضىً لَم تَدَّخِر

مَحمودَهُ عِندَ الإِمامِ المُرتَضى

مَحمودَهُ عِندَ الإِمامِ المُرتَضى

How many a worthy appearance you made, not withholding

How many times were you inclined and deferred,

How many an assembly have you graced with favor, sparing nothing,

Its benefit before the esteemed Imam.

Praise with the Imam you employed?

Earning praise before the Imam, al-Murtada.

لَولاكَ عَزَّ لِقاؤُهُ فيما بَقي

لَولاكَ عَزَّ لِقاؤُهُ فيما بَقي

أَضعافَ ما قَدَّ عَزَّني فيما مَضى

أَضعافَ ما قَدَّ عَزَّني فيما مَضى

Without you, meeting him in the time ahead would be harder,

Without you the prospect of meeting him later,

Were it not for you, meeting him would remain impossible,

Many times harder than it had been for me in the past.

Exceeds encounters in days since destroyed.

Harder by far than it ever was in the days gone by.

قَد كانَ صَوَّحَ نَبتُ كُلِّ قَرارَةٍ

قَد كانَ صَوَّحَ نَبتُ كُلِّ قَرارَةٍ

حَتّى تَرَوَّحَ في نَداكَ فَرَوَّضا

حَتّى تَرَوَّحَ في نَداكَ فَرَوَّضا

The plants in every hollow had already withered,

The bent sprout of sadness you straightened,

The vegetation of every valley had withered and dried,

Until they revived in your dew and turned to meadows.

Till it breathed easy by your grace enjoyed.

Until, revived by the dew of your generosity, it bloomed into a garden.

أَورَدتَني العِدَّ الخَسيفَ وَقَد أُرى

أَورَدتَني العِدَّ الخَسيفَ وَقَد أُرى

أَتَبَرَّضُ الثَمدَ البَكِيَّ تَبَرُّضا

أَتَبَرَّضُ الثَمدَ البَكِيَّ تَبَرُّضا

You brought me to the deep, unfailing spring, though I had been seen

You brought me autumn's lease after decay,

You led me to the deep, unfailing spring, when I was seen

Drawing water drop by drop from a scant, barely yielding pool.

While the swollen clouds their first drops employed.

Scavenging sips from a dry and weeping water-hole.

أَما القَريضُ فَقَد جَذَبتَ بِضِبعِهِ

أَما القَريضُ فَقَد جَذَبتَ بِضِبعِهِ

جَذبَ الرِشاءِ مُصَرِّحاً وَمُعَرِّضا

جَذبَ الرِشاءِ مُصَرِّحاً وَمُعَرِّضا

As for poetry, you have lifted it by the arm,

With verses you pulled like drawing the veil,

As for the art of poetry, you have raised it by the arm,

As one hauls a well-rope, openly and by allusion.

Attracting softly with coyness enjoyed.

Pulling it like a rope, in clear speech and in allusion.

أَحبَبتَهُ إِذ كانَ فيكَ مُحَبَّباً

أَحبَبتَهُ إِذ كانَ فيكَ مُحَبَّباً

وَاِزدَدتَ حُبّاً حينَ صارَ مُبَغَّضا

وَاِزدَدتَ حُبّاً حينَ صارَ مُبَغَّضا

You loved it when, through you, it was beloved,

You loved it though once it drew hate,

You loved it, for in your praise it found its charm,

And loved it still more when it became despised.

And loved more when disdain it employed.

And you loved it all the more when others held it in disdain.

أَحيَيتَهُ وَظَنَنتُ أَنّي لا أَرى

أَحيَيتَهُ وَظَنَنتُ أَنّي لا أَرى

شَيئاً يَعودُ إِلى الحَياةِ وَقَد قَضى

شَيئاً يَعودُ إِلى الحَياةِ وَقَد قَضى

You revived it, though I had thought I would never see

You gave life when I thought nothing could

You revived it, when I thought I would never see

Anything return to life after it had died.

Return from death after it destroyed.

Anything return to life after it had perished.

وَحَمَلتَ عِبءَ المَجدِ مُعتَمِداً عَلى

وَحَمَلتَ عِبءَ المَجدِ مُعتَمِداً عَلى

قَدَمٍ وَقاكَ أَمينُها أَن تَدحَضا

قَدَمٍ وَقاكَ أَمينُها أَن تَدحَضا

And you bore glory's burden, relying on

You carried glory's weight self-reliant,

You bore the heavy burden of glory, standing firm upon

A foot whose steadiness protected you from slipping.

While your feet ensured you would not be toppled.

A foot so steady, its strength protected you from slipping.

ثِقلاً لَو اَنَّ مُتالِعاً حَمَلَ اِسمَهُ

ثِقلاً لَو اَنَّ مُتالِعاً حَمَلَ اِسمَهُ

لا جِسمَهُ لَم يَستَطِع أَن يَنهَضا

لا جِسمَهُ لَم يَستَطِع أَن يَنهَضا

A weight that, had Mutali' borne its name,

A load if one claimed it who did not bear it,

A weight so great, that if Mount Mutali' bore merely its name,

Not its substance, it could not have risen.

Its name not its weight would crush and destroy.

Let alone its substance, it would not have the strength to rise.

قَد كانَتِ الحالُ اِشتَكَت فَأَسَوتَها

قَد كانَتِ الحالُ اِشتَكَت فَأَسَوتَها

أَسواً أَبى إِمرارُهُ أَن يُنقَضا

أَسواً أَبى إِمرارُهُ أَن يُنقَضا

The state of things had fallen ill, and you healed it,

The state complained and you eased its plight,

The state of affairs cried out in pain, and you healed it,

With a cure whose firm binding refused to unravel.

With care no passage of time has nullified.

With a cure so solid, its strength refuses to be undone.

ما عُذرُها أَلّا تُفيقَ وَلَم تَزَل

ما عُذرُها أَلّا تُفيقَ وَلَم تَزَل

لِمَريضِها بِالمَكرُماتِ مُمَرِّضا

لِمَريضِها بِالمَكرُماتِ مُمَرِّضا

What excuse has it for not recovering, when you have never ceased

What excuse has it not to awaken,

What excuse has it not to recover, while you remain

To nurse its sufferer with acts of generosity?

When you have cared for its illness employed?

Nursing its sickness with the medicine of noble deeds?

كُن كَيفَ شِئتَ فَإِنَّ فيكَ خَلائِقاً

كُن كَيفَ شِئتَ فَإِنَّ فيكَ خَلائِقاً

أَمسى إِلَيهِنَّ الرَجاءُ مُفَوَّضا

أَمسى إِلَيهِنَّ الرَجاءُ مُفَوَّضا

Be as you wish, for within you are qualities

However you are, qualities in you I hope for,

Be as you wish, for within you dwell such virtues,

To which hope has now been entrusted.

My prospects in your being enjoy.

That all hope has been entrusted to their care.

فَالمَجدُ لا يَرضى بِأَن تَرضى بِأَن

فَالمَجدُ لا يَرضى بِأَن تَرضى بِأَن

يَرضى اِمرُؤٌ يَرجوكَ إِلّا بِالرِضا

يَرضى اِمرُؤٌ يَرجوكَ إِلّا بِالرِضا

For glory will not consent to your being content

Glory refuses to accept one's contentment,

For Glory is not content that you should be content

With one who hopes in you settling for anything but contentment.

Unless those who seek you are likewise employed.

That one who seeks you should settle for less than your full favor.