ما أمّ يومَ الوَغى زَحفاً بِرايتِهِ

ما أمّ يومَ الوَغى زَحفاً بِرايتِهِ

إلاَّ تضعضع ثمّ انصاع مُنهَزِما

إلاَّ تضعضع ثمّ انصاع مُنهَزِما

Never did he lead a charge beneath his banner on battle-day

Never did he march against an advancing army with his banner on the day of battle

without resistance faltering, then yielding in defeat;

but it faltered, then turned away defeated.

أو بلَّ مَفرِقَ من لم يُنجِهِ هَرَبٌ

أو بلَّ مَفرِقَ من لم يُنجِهِ هَرَبٌ

بأبيضٍ منه قد دَمّ الفَلاة دَما

بأبيضٍ منه قد دَمّ الفَلاة دَما

or else he drenched the crown of one whom flight failed to save

Or he bloodied the crown of one whom flight did not save

with a gleaming blade of his, reddening the wilderness with blood;

with a gleaming sword of his that had stained the wilderness with blood;

أو نال مهجتَه طّعناً بنافذةٍ

أو نال مهجتَه طّعناً بنافذةٍ

نجلاءَ تُفرغ من تحت الحجاب فَما

نجلاءَ تُفرغ من تحت الحجاب فَما

or a spear-thruster reached his lifeblood with a piercing lance,

or reached his lifeblood with a piercing thrust,

broad-bladed, draining it from beneath its veil. Nor did he merely

wide and gaping like a mouth, pouring blood from beneath the diaphragm.

أدّى ثَمانين أًلفاً عنهُ كامِلَة

أدّى ثَمانين أًلفاً عنهُ كامِلَة

لا بل تَزيدُ ولم يَغرَمْ وقد غَنِما

لا بل تَزيدُ ولم يَغرَمْ وقد غَنِما

pay a full eighty thousand on his behalf—

He paid eighty thousand in full on his behalf—

no, even more—though he incurred no debt, yet came away the gainer.

no, more than that—and incurred no loss, but gained.

يَدعو إليها ولا يدعو ببينةٍ

يَدعو إليها ولا يدعو ببينةٍ

لا بل يصدّق فيها زعمَ من زَعما

لا بل يصدّق فيها زعمَ من زَعما

He calls claimants forward, asking for no proof;

He invites claims upon it, without demanding proof;

rather, he accepts as true whatever claim anyone may make,

no, rather, he accepts whatever claim anyone makes about it,

حتى يُخلِّصه منها بِذمَّتِهِ

حتى يُخلِّصه منها بِذمَّتِهِ

إنّ الوصيَّ الذي لا يَخفِرُ الذّمَما

إنّ الوصيَّ الذي لا يَخفِرُ الذّمَما

until he has discharged him from it altogether.

until he frees him from it by his pledge.

Truly, the legatee is one who never breaks sacred obligations.

Indeed, the designated successor is one who never breaks pledges.

وليلةٍ خرجا فيها على وَجل

وليلةٍ خرجا فيها على وَجل

وهم يَجوبان دونَ الكعبة الظُّلَما

وهم يَجوبان دونَ الكعبة الظُّلَما

And one night the two went out in fear,

And on a night they both went out in fear,

traversing the darkness around the Kaaba,

while they traversed the darkness in front of the Kaaba,

حتى إذا انتهيا قالَ النبيُّ له

حتى إذا انتهيا قالَ النبيُّ له

إنّا نُحاولُ أن نَستنزلَ الصَّنَما

إنّا نُحاولُ أن نَستنزلَ الصَّنَما

until, when they reached it, the Prophet said to him:

until, when they arrived, the Prophet said to him:

“We seek to bring the idol down

“We seek to bring the idol down

من فوقِها فاعْلُ ظَهري ثم قامَ به

من فوقِها فاعْلُ ظَهري ثم قامَ به

خيرُ البريَّةِ ما استحيا وما احتَشما

خيرُ البريَّةِ ما استحيا وما احتَشما

from atop it; climb upon my back.” Then he stood bearing him—

from atop it; climb onto my back.” Then he rose bearing him—

the best of creation—without shame or reserve.

the best of creation, without embarrassment or reserve—

حتى إذا ما استوت رِجلا أبي حسنٍ

حتى إذا ما استوت رِجلا أبي حسنٍ

أهوى به لقرارِ الأرضِ فانحطما

أهوى به لقرارِ الأرضِ فانحطما

Until, when Abu Hasan’s feet were firmly planted,

until, when Abu Hasan’s feet were firmly planted,

he hurled it to the earth’s floor, and it crashed down.

he hurled it to the ground, and it shattered.

ناداه أحمدُ أن ثُبْ يا عليُّ لقد

ناداه أحمدُ أن ثُبْ يا عليُّ لقد

أحسنتَ بارك ربّي فيكَ فاقتحما

أحسنتَ بارك ربّي فيكَ فاقتحما

Ahmad called to him: “Leap, Ali! Indeed,

Ahmad called to him: “Leap, Ali! You have indeed

you have done well—may my Lord bless you!” So he leapt down.

done well; may my Lord bless you!” And he leapt down.

لم يتّخذْ وثناً ربّاً كما اتّخذوا

لم يتّخذْ وثناً ربّاً كما اتّخذوا

ولا أجال لهم في مشهدٍ زلما

ولا أجال لهم في مشهدٍ زلما

The two never took an idol as a lord, as others did,

He never took an idol for a lord as they did,

nor did either ever cast a divining arrow for them at a shrine.

nor drew a divining arrow for them in any assembly.

صلّى ووحَّد إذ كانت صلاتُهمُ

صلّى ووحَّد إذ كانت صلاتُهمُ

للاّتِ تُجعل والعزى وما احتَلما

للاّتِ تُجعل والعزى وما احتَلما

He prayed and proclaimed God’s oneness when their worship

He prayed and affirmed God’s oneness while their prayer

was offered to al-Lat and al-Uzza, before he reached puberty.

was offered to al-Lat and al-Uzza—and he had not yet reached puberty.

يُدعى النبيُّ فيكسوه ويُكرمُهُ

يُدعى النبيُّ فيكسوه ويُكرمُهُ

ربُّ العباد إذا ما أحضرَ الأُمما

ربُّ العباد إذا ما أحضرَ الأُمما

The Prophet shall be summoned; then He shall clothe and honor him—

The Prophet is summoned, then clothed and honored

the Lord of all servants—when He gathers the nations;

by the Lord of all servants when He gathers the nations.

ثمّ الوصيُّ فيُكسى مثلَ حُلَّتِهِ

ثمّ الوصيُّ فيُكسى مثلَ حُلَّتِهِ

خضراءَ يُرغِمُ منها أنفٌ من رَغما

خضراءَ يُرغِمُ منها أنفٌ من رَغما

then the legatee too shall be clothed, like him, in his robe,

Then the designated successor is clothed in a robe like his,

a green one—by it, the nose of whoever resents it is rubbed in dust.

green, rubbing the resentful one’s nose in the dust.