مَنْwhoever كانَis مِثْلَlike أَبِيAbu عَلِيٍّAli فَلْيَنَلْthen let him reach
مَنْ كانَ مِثْلَ أَبِي عَلِيٍّ فَلْيَنَلْ
أُفُقُthe horizon of السَّماءِthe sky بِهِمَّةٍwith ambition لَمْnot تُخْفَضِwas lowered
أُفُقُ السَّماءِ بِهِمَّةٍ لَمْ تُخْفَضِ
Whoever is like Abu Ali, let him reach
If one were like my father Ali
Heaven's horizon with ambition never lowered.
He would gain the horizons with unmatched ambition
أَغْنىhe spared me وَقَدْand indeed أَبْدىhe displayed النَّدىgenerosity وَأَعادَهُand repeated it
أَغْنى وَقَدْ أَبْدى النَّدى وَأَعادَهُ
عَنْfrom أَنْthat أَقُولَI say لَهُto him أَطَلْتَyou have gone on too long فَأَعْرِضِso desist
عَنْ أَنْ أَقُولَ لَهُ أَطَلْتَ فَأَعْرِضِ
He spared me, having shown and renewed his bounty,
He was generous having shown kindness and renewed it
From saying to him, 'You have gone on too long; desist.'
Lest I say he prolonged so I object
ماnot كانَhe was فِيماregarding what نِلْتُI received مِنْهُfrom him بِواعِدٍa promiser
ما كانَ فِيما نِلْتُ مِنْهُ بِواعِدٍ
فَأَقُولَso that I might say إِنَّindeed الْوَعْدَthe promise غَيْرُnot مُمَرِّضِcausing sickness
فَأَقُولَ إِنَّ الْوَعْدَ غَيْرُ مُمَرِّضِ
He made no promises concerning what I received from him,
What he promised me was no false hope
That I might say, 'A promise brings no sickness.'
So I cannot say a promise being broken
سَبَقَتْoutstripped مَواهِبُهُhis gifts الْوُعُودَthe promises وَرُبَّماand sometimes
سَبَقَتْ مَواهِبُهُ الْوُعُودَ وَرُبَّما
جادَgave rain generously السَّحابُthe clouds وَبَرْقُهُwhile their lightning لَمْnot يُومِضِhad flashed
جادَ السَّحابُ وَبَرْقُهُ لَمْ يُومِضِ
His gifts outstripped his promises; sometimes
His gifts preceded promises and sometimes
Clouds give rain though their lightning has not flashed.
The clouds pour forth while the lightning yet flashes
وَقَفَdevoted الْحُسَيْنُal-Husayn عَلَىto السَّماحِgenerosity غَرامَهُhis passion
وَقَفَ الْحُسَيْنُ عَلَى السَّماحِ غَرامَهُ
لَيْسَdoes not الْمُحِبُّthe lover عَنِfrom الْحَبِيبِthe beloved بِمُعْرِضِturn away
لَيْسَ الْمُحِبُّ عَنِ الْحَبِيبِ بِمُعْرِضِ
Al-Husayn has devoted his passion to generosity;
Al-Hussein stopped at the overjoyed generosity
No lover turns away from the beloved.
No lover turns away from the beloved
كَشّافُdispeller of كُلِّevery عَظِيمَةٍgrave calamity إِنْif تَدْعُهُyou summon him
كَشّافُ كُلِّ عَظِيمَةٍ إِنْ تَدْعُهُ
لاdo not تَدْعُهُsummon him لِلْخَطْبِfor a crisis ماso long as لَمْnot يُرْمِضِit scorches
لا تَدْعُهُ لِلْخَطْبِ ما لَمْ يُرْمِضِ
He dispels every great calamity; if you summon him,
He discovers every greatness if you call him
Summon him for no crisis unless it scorches.
Call not on him for oratory without preparation
وَإِذاand if أَرَدْتَyou intend إلىtoward الْحُسِيْنِal-Husayn صَنِيعَةًa kindness
وَإِذا أَرَدْتَ إلى الْحُسِيْنِ صَنِيعَةً
فَاعْرِضْthen present yourself لِفَضْلِto the abundance of نَوالِهِhis bounty وَتَعرَّضِand seek it out
فَاعْرِضْ لِفَضْلِ نَوالِهِ وَتَعرَّضِ
And if you wish to do al-Husayn a kindness,
And if you want to do Al-Hussein a favor
Present yourself to his abundant bounty, and seek it.
Incline to the excess of his gifts and petition
إِنَّindeed السُّؤالَasking لَواقِعٌsurely stands مِنْهُwith him بِمَنْin the posi-
إِنَّ السُّؤالَ لَواقِعٌ مِنْهُ بِمَنْ
زِلَةِ-tion of النَّوالِa gift مِنَwith الْمُقِلِّthe man of little means الْمُنْفِضِthe penniless
زِلَةِ النَّوالِ مِنَ الْمُقِلِّ الْمُنْفِضِ
For asking holds with him the same place
Verily asking will befall from him at the
As a gift does with a poor, penniless man.
Status of gifts from the giver freely bestowing
وَلَهُand he has إِذاwhen وَعَدَhe promises الْجَمِيلَkindness مَكارِمٌnoble qualities
وَلَهُ إِذا وَعَدَ الْجَمِيلَ مَكارِمٌ
لاnot يَقْتَضِيهِdemands fulfillment from him بِغَيْرِهِنَّby anything other than them الْمُقْتَضِيthe claimant
لا يَقْتَضِيهِ بِغَيْرِهِنَّ الْمُقْتَضِي
And when he promises kindness, he has noble qualities
And when he promises good his noble traits
Through which alone a claimant seeks his due from him.
Require no other motives to deliver
مَحْضُthe pure essence of الْعَلاءِnobility صَرِيحُهُits unalloyed form فِيin أُسْرَةٍa family
مَحْضُ الْعَلاءِ صَرِيحُهُ فِي أُسْرَةٍ
جَمَحِيَّةِJumahi النَّسَبِin lineage الصَّرِيحِthe unalloyed الأَمْحَضِthe purest
جَمَحِيَّةِ النَّسَبِ الصَّرِيحِ الأَمْحَضِ
He is pure, unalloyed nobility, within a family
Sheer nobility his origins in a family
Of Jumahi lineage, clear and utterly pure.
Pure of lineage, the clearest and most genuine
ضَربَstruck الْحِمامُdeath عَلَيْهِمُupon them فَتَقَوَّضُواand so they collapsed
ضَربَ الْحِمامُ عَلَيْهِمُ فَتَقَوَّضُوا
وَبِناءُyet the edifice of ذاكَthat الْمَجْدِglory لَمْnot يَتَقَوَّضِdid crumble
وَبِناءُ ذاكَ الْمَجْدِ لَمْ يَتَقَوَّضِ
Death struck them, and they crumbled,
The doves flocked them so they scattered
Yet the edifice of that glory did not crumble.
Yet the edifice of that glory did not fray
قَوْمٌa people لَهُمْthey possess شَرَفُthe honor of الْحَطِيمِal-Hatim وَمُبْتَنىand the edifice of الْthe
قَوْمٌ لَهُمْ شَرَفُ الْحَطِيمِ وَمُبْتَنى الْ
عِزِّglory فِيin الْبِطاحِthe valley plains الأَعْرَضِthe broadest
عِزِّ فِي الْبِطاحِ الأَعْرَضِ
A people possessing al-Hatim's honor and the house of
A people who have the nobility of resolve and the
Glory, broadest in the valley plains.
Pinnacle of honor in the broad expanse
يُحْييrevives الثَّناpraise مَوْتىthe dead of الْكِرامِthe noble وَرُبَّماand sometimes
يُحْيي الثَّنا مَوْتى الْكِرامِ وَرُبَّما
ماتَdies اللَّئِيمُthe base man وَرُوحُهُwhile his soul لَمْnot تُقْبَضِhas been taken
ماتَ اللَّئِيمُ وَرُوحُهُ لَمْ تُقْبَضِ
Praise revives the noble dead; sometimes
He brings to life the dead glory and sometimes
The base man dies while his soul remains untaken.
The villain dies yet his soul is not seized
ماذاwhat تَقُولُwill you say لِمَنْto one who أَتاكَcomes to you مُصَرِّحاًspeaking outright
ماذا تَقُولُ لِمَنْ أَتاكَ مُصَرِّحاً
نِعَمُfavors تَعَرِّضُهاyou offer them لِكُلِّto every مُعَرِّضِone who hints
نِعَمُ تَعَرِّضُها لِكُلِّ مُعَرِّضِ
What will you say to one who comes asking outright,
What can you say to one who comes avowing
When you offer favors to everyone who merely hints?
“Fine gifts” exposing them to all who petition?
قَدْindeed كانَhad خَيَّمَpitched camp صَرْفُthe assault of كُلِّevery مَلِمَّةٍcalamity
قَدْ كانَ خَيَّمَ صَرْفُ كُلِّ مَلِمَّةٍ
عِنْدِيwith me فَقالَthen said لَهُto it سَماحُكَyour generosity قَوِّضِstrike camp
عِنْدِي فَقالَ لَهُ سَماحُكَ قَوِّضِ
The assault of every calamity had pitched camp
The vicissitudes of time had saddened me
With me; then your generosity told it, 'Strike camp!'
But your generosity said “Dispel!”
وَلَحَظْتَنِيand you looked at me فَعَرَفْتَand so you recognized مَوْضِعَthe place of خَلَّتِيmy need
وَلَحَظْتَنِي فَعَرَفْتَ مَوْضِعَ خَلَّتِي
نَظَرَwith the gaze of الطَّبِيبِthe physician إلىupon الْعَلِيلِthe ailing man الْمُمْرَضِstricken ill
نَظَرَ الطَّبِيبِ إلى الْعَلِيلِ الْمُمْرَضِ
You looked at me and recognized where my need lay,
And you looked upon me and recognized my weakness
As a physician looks upon a sick, afflicted man.
A doctor’s examination of the frail patient
وَنَظَرْتَand you saw مِنْfrom تَحْتَbeneath الْخُمُولِobscurity تَطَلُّعِيmy upward yearning
وَنَظَرْتَ مِنْ تَحْتَ الْخُمُولِ تَطَلُّعِي
كَالْماءِlike water بُرْقِعَwas veiled وَجْهُهُits face بِالْعَرْمَضِwith pondweed
كَالْماءِ بُرْقِعَ وَجْهُهُ بِالْعَرْمَضِ
And you saw my upward yearning beneath obscurity,
And you saw beneath the lethargy my ambition
Like water whose face was veiled with pondweed.
Like water, its surface covered in moss
لَمّاwhen رَأَيْتَyou saw الدَّهْرَtime يَقْصُرُholding short هِمَّتِيmy ambition
لَمّا رَأَيْتَ الدَّهْرَ يَقْصُرُ هِمَّتِي
عَنْof غايَةِthe goal of الأَمَلِhope الْبَعِيدِfar off الْمَرْكَضِin its course
عَنْ غايَةِ الأَمَلِ الْبَعِيدِ الْمَرْكَضِ
When you saw time holding my ambition short
When you saw time diminish my aspirations
Of the goal of hope, whose course runs far,
For the distant hopes broadly bound
أَنْهَضْتَنِيyou raised me up وَالسَّهْمُand the arrow لَيْسَis not بِصائِبٍhitting
أَنْهَضْتَنِي وَالسَّهْمُ لَيْسَ بِصائِبٍ
غَرَضاًa target إِذاif الرّامِيthe archer بِهِwith it لَمْnot يُنْبِضِhas twanged the bow
غَرَضاً إِذا الرّامِي بِهِ لَمْ يُنْبِضِ
You raised me up; no arrow strikes
You roused me though the arrow goes not straight
A target if its archer has not twanged the bow.
To a target if the archer does not pull taut
وَالْعَضْبُand the keen sword لَيْسَis not بِبَيِّنٍapparent تَأْثِيرُهُits effect
وَالْعَضْبُ لَيْسَ بِبَيِّنٍ تَأْثِيرُهُ
وَالأَثْرُand the mark حَتّىuntil يَنْتَضِيهِhe unsheathes it الْمُنْتَضِيthe wielder
وَالأَثْرُ حَتّى يَنْتَضِيهِ الْمُنْتَضِي
And the keen sword's effect is not apparent,
The twig is no clarity unless the
Nor its mark, until its wielder draws it.
Impression lasts until it fades
وَعَلَيْكَand incumbent upon you حَقٌّa duty رَفْعُraising ماwhat أَسَّسْتَهُyou founded
وَعَلَيْكَ حَقٌّ رَفْعُ ما أَسَّسْتَهُ
فِيin مَذْهَبِthe way of الكَرَمِgenerosity الَّذِيwhich لَمْnot يُرْفَضِhas been abandoned
فِي مَذْهَبِ الكَرَمِ الَّذِي لَمْ يُرْفَضِ
And it is your duty to raise what you have founded
And you have a right to raise what you established
Along the path of generosity, never abandoned.
In the way of generosity that does not reject
لاdo not يَمْنَعَنَّكَlet it deter you مِنْfrom يَدٍa favor والَيْتَهاyou have kept bestowing
لا يَمْنَعَنَّكَ مِنْ يَدٍ والَيْتَها
أَنِّيthat I بِشكْرِin giving thanks for صَنِيعهِاits kindness لَمْnot أَنْهَضِhave risen to the task
أَنِّي بِشكْرِ صَنِيعهِا لَمْ أَنْهَضِ
Do not withhold the favor you have kept bestowing
Let no hand you have aided
Because I have failed to give its kindness due thanks.
Keep you from aiding if I did not give thanks
إِنَّindeed الْغَمامَthe clouds إِذاwhen تَرادَفَfollows in succession وَبْلُهُtheir downpour
إِنَّ الْغَمامَ إِذا تَرادَفَ وَبْلُهُ
أَبْقىleaves أَنِيقَthe lovely الرَّوْضِmeadow غَيْرَno longer مُرَوَّضِin bloom
أَبْقى أَنِيقَ الرَّوْضِ غَيْرَ مُرَوَّضِ
For when the clouds' downpour falls again and again,
Verily when the clouds amass and rain pours
It leaves the lovely meadow bereft of bloom.
The lovely garden remains unspoiled
وَلَئِنْand if indeed بَقِيتُI live on لَتَسْمَعَنَّyou will surely hear غَرائِباًwondrous verses
وَلَئِنْ بَقِيتُ لَتَسْمَعَنَّ غَرائِباً
يَقْضِيcomes to an end الزَّمانَtime وفَضْلُهاwhile their excellence لَمْnot يَنْقَضِis exhausted
يَقْضِي الزَّمانَ وفَضْلُها لَمْ يَنْقَضِ
And if I live, you shall surely hear wondrous verses:
And if I remain you will hear wonders
Time will end, while their excellence remains unspent.
That time ends though their merit stands
يَظْمَاthirst إِلَيْهاfor them الْمُنْعِمُونَthe benefactors فَمَنْso whoever يَرِدْcomes to drink
يَظْمَا إِلَيْها الْمُنْعِمُونَ فَمَنْ يَرِدْ
يَرِدِcomes to الثَّناءِpraise الْعَذْبَthe sweet غَيْرَnot مُبَرَّضِdispensed in scant drops
يَرِدِ الثَّناءِ الْعَذْبَ غَيْرَ مُبَرَّضِ
Benefactors thirst for them; whoever comes to drink
To which the benefactors flock so who would
Comes to sweet praise, not doled out in scant drops.
Seek fine sweet praise not made bitter?
هذاall this وَلَسْتُyet I am not بِبالِغٍattaining بَعْضَeven part of الَّذِيwhat
هذا وَلَسْتُ بِبالِغٍ بَعْضَ الَّذِي
أَوْلَيْتَyou bestowed ماso long as لُبِسَis donned الظَّلامُdarkness وَماand so long as نُضِيis doffed
أَوْلَيْتَ ما لُبِسَ الظَّلامُ وَما نُضِي
All this, yet I cannot match even a part of what
This but some of what you have done
You have bestowed, as long as darkness is donned and doffed.
Whether dawn cloak it or daylight reveals
أَقْرَضْتَنِيyou lent me حُسْنَthe goodness of الصَّنِيعِtreatment تَبَرُّعاًof your own free will
أَقْرَضْتَنِي حُسْنَ الصَّنِيعِ تَبَرُّعاً
وَالْقَرْضَand the loan أَفْضَلُis greater مِنْthan جَزاءِthe recompense to الْمُقْرِضِthe lender
وَالْقَرْضَ أَفْضَلُ مِنْ جَزاءِ الْمُقْرِضِ
You lent me kindly deeds of your own free will,
You lent me good grace voluntarily
And the loan is greater than the lender's recompense.
And a loan is better than a paid creditor
فَاعْذُرْso pardon me إِذاif ماever (emphasis) الدَّهْرُtime أَخْمَدَhas quenched فِكْرَتِيmy thought
فَاعْذُرْ إِذا ما الدَّهْرُ أَخْمَدَ فِكْرَتِي
أَيُّwhich of الْكِرامِthe noble بَدَهْرِهِwith his times لَمْnot يَغْرَضِhas grown weary
أَيُّ الْكِرامِ بَدَهْرِهِ لَمْ يَغْرَضِ
So pardon me if time has quenched my thought;
So pardon me if when time dims my mind
Which noble man has not grown weary of his times?
Which noble spirit through time remains intact?
جاءَتْكَit has come to you تُنْذِرُheralding بِالتَّوالِيmore in succession بَعْدَهاafter it
جاءَتْكَ تُنْذِرُ بِالتَّوالِي بَعْدَها
كَالفَجْرِlike dawn فِيin صَدْرِthe breast of الصَّباحِthe morning الأَبْيضِthe white
كَالفَجْرِ فِي صَدْرِ الصَّباحِ الأَبْيضِ
It has come to you, heralding more to follow,
Thereafter messages came to you in succession
Like dawn in the breast of the white morning.
Like dawn through the breast of the bright morn
أَبَنِيO sons of أَبِيAbu الْعَيْشِal-Aysh الأَكارِمَthe noblest إِنَّنِيindeed I
أَبَنِي أَبِي الْعَيْشِ الأَكارِمَ إِنَّنِي
لُوْif لاكُمْnot for you لَرَضِيتُI would surely have accepted ماwhat لَمْnot أَرْتَضِI approved
لُوْ لاكُمْ لَرَضِيتُ ما لَمْ أَرْتَضِ
O noblest sons of Abu al-Aysh, indeed I,
O sons of my father of plentiful life the most generous
But for you, would have settled for what I could not approve.
If not for you I would accept less than I desire
ماnot زِلْتُI ceased أَعْتَرِضُseeking out الْمَوارِدَwatering places قامِحاًhead raised, not drinking
ما زِلْتُ أَعْتَرِضُ الْمَوارِدَ قامِحاً
حَتّىuntil وَصَلْتُI reached إلىto الْبُحُورِthe seas الْفُيَّضِoverflowing
حَتّى وَصَلْتُ إلى الْبُحُورِ الْفُيَّضِ
I kept approaching watering places, head raised, not drinking,
I continued to intersect the surging tides
Until I reached the overflowing seas.
Until I reached the pouring, flooding seas
Claude 2 is inferred from the historical translator configuration. The original record does not identify its model.