لَبِستُI donned الوَغىbattle قَبلَbefore ثَوبِthe garment الغُبارِthe dust
لَبِستُ الوَغى قَبلَ ثَوبِ الغُبارِ
وَقارَعتُand I clashed بِالنَصلِwith the blade قَبلَbefore الغِرارِthe sword's edge
وَقارَعتُ بِالنَصلِ قَبلَ الغِرارِ
I donned battle before the robe of dust,
I wore war before the garb of dust
And clashed with the blade before its edge.
And struck with the sword before the raids
وَأُسدٍand lions إِذاwhen شَعَرَتthey became aware بِالحَمامِof death
وَأُسدٍ إِذا شَعَرَت بِالحَمامِ
رَأَتthey saw عَيشَهاtheir life خَلفَbeyond ذاكَthat الشِعارِthe watchword
رَأَت عَيشَها خَلفَ ذاكَ الشِعارِ
And lions who, when they sensed death,
Like a lion, when it senses doves
Saw their life beyond that watchword.
It sees its living behind that mane
طِوالِlong الخُدودِthe cheeks قِصارِshort الحُقودِthe grudges
طِوالِ الخُدودِ قِصارِ الحُقودِ
رِواءِquenched الشَفارِthe blade-edges ظِماءِthirsty المِهارِthe foals
رِواءِ الشَفارِ ظِماءِ المِهارِ
Long of cheek, short of grudges,
With slender cheeks, short in grievance
Their blades quenched, their foals thirsty.
Quenching thirst, skilled in thrust
وَمُنتَجِعينَand seekers of pasture دِيارَthe lands العَدُوِّthe enemy
وَمُنتَجِعينَ دِيارَ العَدُوِّ
فيin كُلِّevery مُضطَرِمٍblazing fray ذيhaving أُوارِfierce heat
في كُلِّ مُضطَرِمٍ ذي أُوارِ
And seekers of pasture in the enemy's lands,
And taking refuge in the abodes of the enemy
In every blazing fray of fierce heat,
In every flaming firebrand
بِسُمرٍwith brown spears مُثَقَّفَةٍstraightened لِلطِعانِfor thrusting
بِسُمرٍ مُثَقَّفَةٍ لِلطِعانِ
وَجُردٍand sleek horses مُسَوَّمَةٍmarked لِلغِوارِfor raiding
وَجُردٍ مُسَوَّمَةٍ لِلغِوارِ
With brown spears straightened for thrusting,
With brown spears for piercing
And sleek horses marked for raiding.
And naked swords for slashing
وَيَومٍand a day خَتَمناwe sealed عَلَيهِupon it الرَدىdeath
وَيَومٍ خَتَمنا عَلَيهِ الرَدى
وَقَدand already فُضَّwas broken open عَنهُfrom it خِتامُthe seal الذِمارِprotected honor
وَقَد فُضَّ عَنهُ خِتامُ الذِمارِ
And a day we sealed with death,
And a day we sealed it with perdition
Once the seal guarding honor had been broken.
As its seal of discord was undone
تَصيدُhunt قُلوبَthe hearts الأَعاديthe enemies بِهِon it
تَصيدُ قُلوبَ الأَعادي بِهِ
صُدورُthe breasts القَناthe spears وَهيَwhile they are هيمٌthirsty ضَوارِravenous
صُدورُ القَنا وَهيَ هيمٌ ضَوارِ
The enemies' hearts are hunted that day
Hunting the hearts of enemies with it
By the breasts of spears, thirsty and ravenous.
The chests of spears, roaring, furious
إِذاwhen سَتَرَconceals النَقعُthe dust آثارَهاtheir tracks
إِذا سَتَرَ النَقعُ آثارَها
هَتَكنَthey tear open الضَمائِرَthe hidden hearts عَنfrom كُلِّevery ثارِblood-feud
هَتَكنَ الضَمائِرَ عَن كُلِّ ثارِ
When dust conceals their tracks,
As if they advanced with chests of swords
They tear open hidden hearts, laying every blood-feud bare.
We clothed our spears in robes of blood
قُلوبُهُمُtheir hearts بِذُيولِamid the trailing hems الحِمامِdeath
قُلوبُهُمُ بِذُيولِ الحِمامِ
مِنfrom وَقعِthe impact أَطرافِهاtheir tips فيin عِثارِstumbling
مِن وَقعِ أَطرافِها في عِثارِ
Their hearts, amid the trailing hems of death,
While we in them are disgraced
Stumble from the blows of the spears' tips.
I used to drag the train of my gown
وَتَجهَرُand cry aloud بِالمَوتِof death أَرواحُهُمtheir souls
وَتَجهَرُ بِالمَوتِ أَرواحُهُم
وَسُمرُwhile the brown shafts القَناthe spears مَعَهاwith them فيin سِرارِwhispering
وَسُمرُ القَنا مَعَها في سِرارِ
And their souls cry aloud of death,
Deprecation would not raise my waistband
While the brown spears whisper with them.
So I became, before the descent of censure
وَقَدand already وَرَدواthey came to water بِصُدورِat the breasts الرِماحِthe spears
وَقَد وَرَدوا بِصُدورِ الرِماحِ
كَماjust as صَدَرواthey departed بِصُدورِat the breasts الشِفارِthe blades
كَما صَدَروا بِصُدورِ الشِفارِ
And they had come to drink at the breasts of spears,
Confessing, patient to rebuke
Just as they departed at the breasts of blades.
Oh how many mornings in love of the sublime
كَسَوناwe clothed قَناناour spears ثِيابَgarments الدِماءِthe blood
كَسَونا قَنانا ثِيابَ الدِماءِ
وَنَحنُwhile we مِنَof العارِshame فيهاin them عَوارِbare
وَنَحنُ مِنَ العارِ فيها عَوارِ
We clothed our spears in garments of blood,
And a newborn destrier, a suckling colt
While within them we were bare of shame.
Far from glory, near to might
لَقَدindeed كُنتُI was أَسحَبُdragging بُردَthe mantle الشِماسِunruliness
لَقَد كُنتُ أَسحَبُ بُردَ الشِماسِ
لاnot يَرفَعُraises العَذلُreproach مُرخىthe trailing hem إِزاريmy waistcloth
لا يَرفَعُ العَذلُ مُرخى إِزاري
Indeed, I once trailed the mantle of unruliness;
A friend of hands, a foe of the delicate
Reproach could not raise my waistcloth's trailing hem.
A gallant whose dreams are not sullied
فَأَصبَحتُso I became قَبلَbefore نُزولِthe growth العِذارِcheek-down
فَأَصبَحتُ قَبلَ نُزولِ العِذارِ
مُعتَرِفاًyielding صابِراًpatient لِلعِذارِwith the bridle
مُعتَرِفاً صابِراً لِلعِذارِ
So I became, before my cheek-down grew,
By the delusion of hands of the blind
Yielding, patient with the bridle.
Who tears the cloak of darkness with steeds
أَلاah رُبَّmany an صَبٍّardent lover بِحُبِّwith love for العُلىhigh glory
أَلا رُبَّ صَبٍّ بِحُبِّ العُلى
وَلَيدِa child المَطاياthe riding-beasts رَضيعِa suckling السِفارِjourneys
وَلَيدِ المَطايا رَضيعِ السِفارِ
Ah, many an ardent lover of high glory,
And rends the breast of daylight with horses
A child of riding-beasts, a suckling of journeys,
When the torrent of generosity floods
بَعيدَfar-reaching المَعاليhigh honors قَريبِnear العَواليthe spearheads
بَعيدَ المَعالي قَريبِ العَوالي
صَديقِa friend الأَياديgenerous favors عَدُوِّan enemy النُضارِpure gold
صَديقِ الأَيادي عَدُوِّ النُضارِ
Far-reaching in honors, close to spearheads,
His hands snatch a torrent of bounty
A friend to generous favors, an enemy to gold.
When the emaciation of hopes grazes
فَتىًa youth لاnot يُعَفَّرُis dust-soiled أَحلامَهُhis judgment
فَتىً لا يُعَفَّرُ أَحلامَهُ
غِرارُthe blades التَصابيyouthful dalliance بِأَيديin the hands العُقارِwine
غِرارُ التَصابي بِأَيدي العُقارِ
A youth whose judgment is not dragged through dust
In the meadow of his bounty, it becomes healthy
By youthful dalliance's blades in the hands of wine.
And how many wishes were granted through his bounty
يُمَزَّقُis torn apart بِالعيسِwith pale camels جَيبَthe collar الدُجىthe darkness
يُمَزَّقُ بِالعيسِ جَيبَ الدُجى
وَيَهتِكُand tears open بِالخَيلِwith horses صَدرَthe breast النَهارِthe day
وَيَهتِكُ بِالخَيلِ صَدرَ النَهارِ
The collar of darkness is torn by pale camels,
The bounty of his brown spear in the battle
And with horses he tears the breast of day.
And whoever craved in the wake of hope
إِذاwhen غاضَebbed مارُthe lifeblood النَدىbounty أَسلَبَتdonned mourning garb
إِذا غاضَ مارُ النَدى أَسلَبَت
يَداهُhis two hands بِمارٍin lifeblood مِنَof الجودِgenerosity جارِflowing
يَداهُ بِمارٍ مِنَ الجودِ جارِ
When bounty's lifeblood ebbs, mourning-clad
Spent the night in the shelter of his bounty
Are his hands in generosity's flowing lifeblood.
As your heart settled, O son of Husain
إِذاwhen ماever رَعَتgrazed فيon رُبىthe heights جودِهِhis generosity
إِذا ما رَعَت في رُبى جودِهِ
هِزالُthe lean ones الأَمانيwishes غَدَتbecame كَالشَبارِlike fawns
هِزالُ الأَماني غَدَت كَالشَبارِ
Whenever they graze on the heights of his generosity,
From longing and eyes of the empty wilderness
Lean wishes become like fawns.
With the birth of Radiant, you gave her
وَكَمand how often نَدِيَتwere moistened مِنby نَداهُhis bounty المُنىhopes
وَكَم نَدِيَت مِن نَداهُ المُنى
نَدىthe moistening سُمرِهِhis brown spears بِالنَجيعِwith dark blood المُمارِmade to flow
نَدى سُمرِهِ بِالنَجيعِ المُمارِ
And how often hopes are moistened by his bounty,
The full moons after concealment
As his brown spears are moistened with dark, flowing blood.
Her causes were jealous of her beauty
وَمَنand those who كُنَّthey used to يَهوينَplunge خَلفَafter الرِجاءِhope
وَمَن كُنَّ يَهوينَ خَلفَ الرِجاءِ
فَأَمسَينَso they became مِنthrough جودِهِhis generosity فيin قَرارِsettled repose
فَأَمسَينَ مِن جودِهِ في قَرارِ
And those that once plunged in pursuit of hope
So next to her, their causes were captive
Have found firm repose through his generosity.
It is no wonder you see the likes of her
كَماjust as قَرَّfound rest قَلبُكَyour heart ياO اِبنَson of الحُسَيal-Husay-
كَما قَرَّ قَلبُكَ يا اِبنَ الحُسَي
نِ-n (completing al-Husayn) مِنfrom شَوقِهِits longing وَعُيونِand the eyes الفَخارِglory
نِ مِن شَوقِهِ وَعُيونِ الفَخارِ
As your heart found rest, O son of al-Husayn,
While your origin is generosity abounding
From its longing—and the eyes of glory too—
Hearts have lavished upon her their blackness
بِمَولِدِat the birth غَرّاءَa radiant girl أَعطَيتَهاyou gave her
بِمَولِدِ غَرّاءَ أَعطَيتَها
بُدُوَّthe emergence الأَهِلَّةِthe crescents بَعدَafter السِرارِthe moonless nights
بُدُوَّ الأَهِلَّةِ بَعدَ السِرارِ
At the birth of a radiant girl, to whom you gave
And joy was among the strewing
The crescents' emergence after moonless nights.
Had time been just we would not be content
أَغارَتraided عَلىupon الحُسنِbeauty أَسبابُهاher charms
أَغارَت عَلى الحُسنِ أَسبابُها
فَأَسبابُهُso its charms عِندَهاwith her فيin إِسارِcaptivity
فَأَسبابُهُ عِندَها في إِسارِ
Her charms raided beauty,
With less than the hearts of brilliant stars
So beauty's charms lie captive with her.
It is there, by them, that Allah has made
وَلاand not عَجَبٌa wonder أَنthat تَرىyou see مِثلَهاone like her
وَلا عَجَبٌ أَن تَرى مِثلَها
وَزِندُكَand your firestick فيin كَرَمِthe nobility العِرقِlineage واريsparking
وَزِندُكَ في كَرَمِ العِرقِ واري
And no wonder that you see one like her,
The chests of spears sing in lofty groves
While your firestick sparks with the nobility of your stock.
And revived through them your glory of yore
نَثَرنَthey scattered عَلَيهاupon her سَوادَthe black cores القُلوبِthe hearts
نَثَرنَ عَلَيها سَوادَ القُلوبِ
وَكانَand was الهَناjoy فيin خِلالِthe midst النِثارِthe scattered offerings
وَكانَ الهَنا في خِلالِ النِثارِ
They scattered upon her the black cores of hearts,
And repelled through them all disgrace and shame
And joy lay among the scattered offerings.
And the turbans of a people bowed through them
وَلَوand if أَنصَفَdealt fairly الدَهرُtime لَمnot نَقتَنِعwe would be content
وَلَو أَنصَفَ الدَهرُ لَم نَقتَنِع
بِغَيرِwith anything but قُلوبِthe hearts النُجومِthe stars الدَراريthe pearly ones
بِغَيرِ قُلوبِ النُجومِ الدَراري
And had time been fair, we would not have been content
As they are honor for head veils
With anything but the hearts of the pearly stars.
So it suffices you this pride in praise
هَناكَmay He gladden you بِهاthrough her اللَهُGod ماas long as غَرَّدَتtrilled
هَناكَ بِها اللَهُ ما غَرَّدَت
صُدورُthe breasts القَناthe spears فيin أَعاليthe heights نِزارِNizar
صُدورُ القَنا في أَعالي نِزارِ
May God grant you joy in her for as long as
Even if the water of glory ebbs in praise
The breasts of spears trill in Nizar's heights.
It visits you among the hearts of foes
وَأَحياand may He revive بِهاthrough her لَكَfor you مَيتَthe dead العُلىhigh glory
وَأَحيا بِها لَكَ مَيتَ العُلى
وَأَردىand may He destroy بِهاthrough her كُلَّevery عابٍfault وَعارِand disgrace
وَأَردى بِها كُلَّ عابٍ وَعارِ
And may He revive through her, for you, the dead of glory,
So it severs them in the chain of shrines
And destroy through her every flaw and disgrace.
Your palm of glory became, from my praise,
وَذَلَّتand were humbled عَمائِمُthe turbans قَومٍa people بِهاthrough her
وَذَلَّت عَمائِمُ قَومٍ بِها
كَماjust as أَنَّهاshe is شَرَفٌan honor لِلخِمارِto the veil
كَما أَنَّها شَرَفٌ لِلخِمارِ
And the turbans of a people were humbled through her,
Its bracelets circling in anklets
Just as she is an honor to the veil.
فَحَسبُكَso enough for you فَخرٌglory بِهَذاin this المَديحِpraise
فَحَسبُكَ فَخرٌ بِهَذا المَديحِ
وَإِنand even if غاضَebbed فيin المَدحِpraise ماءُthe water اِفتِخاريmy boasting
وَإِن غاضَ في المَدحِ ماءُ اِفتِخاري
Let this praise suffice you for glory,
Even if the water of my pride ebbs in praise.
يَزورُكَit visits you بَينَamid قُلوبِthe hearts العُداةِthe enemies
يَزورُكَ بَينَ قُلوبِ العُداةِ
فَيَقطَعُهاso it cuts them فيin اِتِّصالِthe continuity المَزارِthe visits
فَيَقطَعُها في اِتِّصالِ المَزارِ
It visits you amid the hearts of enemies,
And cuts them apart in its unbroken visits.
غَدَتbecame كَفُّthe hand مَجدِكَyour glory مِنthrough مَدحَتيmy praise
غَدَت كَفُّ مَجدِكَ مِن مَدحَتي
تَجولُroam مَعاصِمُهاits wrists فيin سِوارِa bracelet
تَجولُ مَعاصِمُها في سِوارِ
Through my praise, the hand of your glory has come
To have its wrists roam within a bracelet.
Partial English translation: 61 of 68 Arabic lines translated.