طالَ الفِراقُ فَبانَ عَنهُ صَبرُهُ

طالَ الفِراقُ فَبانَ عَنهُ صَبرُهُ

وَقَسا عَلَيهِ فَلَيسَ يَرحَمُ دَهرُهُ

وَقَسا عَلَيهِ فَلَيسَ يَرحَمُ دَهرُهُ

Separation grew long, and his patience deserted him.

His separation was prolonged, so his patience failed him,

And his fate grew harsh with him, showing him no mercy.

And it became hard on him, so his fate is merciless.

وَاللَهِ ما خانَتكَ سَلوَةُ عَينِهِ

وَاللَهِ ما خانَتكَ سَلوَةُ عَينِهِ

وَفُؤادُهُ يَهوى سِواكَ يَسُرُّهُ

وَفُؤادُهُ يَهوى سِواكَ يَسُرُّهُ

By God, his eye has not betrayed you through forgetfulness,

By Allah, the delight of his eyes was never false to him,

And his heart loves another who delights him.

And his heart still loves only you, pleasing him.

عُذرَ القَتيلُ بِحُبِّها لَكِنَّ مَن

عُذرَ القَتيلُ بِحُبِّها لَكِنَّ مَن

قَد عاشَ بَعدَ فِراقِها ما عُذرُهُ

قَد عاشَ بَعدَ فِراقِها ما عُذرُهُ

The man slain by love for her was excused; but whoever

The slain is excused for his love of her, but he who

Has lived after her departure—what is his excuse?

Has lived after parting from her, what is his excuse?

وَيقولُ لَم أَهجُر بَلى إِذ بُنتُمُ

وَيقولُ لَم أَهجُر بَلى إِذ بُنتُمُ

أَوَلَيسَ يُشبِهُ بَينَ صَبٍّ هَجرُهُ

أَوَلَيسَ يُشبِهُ بَينَ صَبٍّ هَجرُهُ

And he says, “I did not forsake.” But yes—when you departed.

And he says, "No, I did not abandon, but when you built up,

Does not his abandonment resemble a lovesick man's separation?

Does it not resemble the separation of someone suffering?"

قَد طالَ عَهدي بِالإِمامِ وَأُخلِفَت

قَد طالَ عَهدي بِالإِمامِ وَأُخلِفَت

أَسبابُ وَعدٍ كادَ يُدرَسُ ذِكرُهُ

أَسبابُ وَعدٍ كادَ يُدرَسُ ذِكرُهُ

Long has it been since I saw the Imam, and broken are

My time with the Imam has been long, and the causes

The bonds of a promise whose memory has almost faded.

Of a promised time were cut off, almost erasing his memory.

ظَلَّت تُحارِبُني العَوائِقُ دونَهُ

ظَلَّت تُحارِبُني العَوائِقُ دونَهُ

وَتَمُدُّني أَمَدٌ طَويلٌ صَبرُهُ

وَتَمُدُّني أَمَدٌ طَويلٌ صَبرُهُ

Obstacles kept battling me, barring my way to him,

Obstacles kept fighting me, hindering him from me,

And a span long to endure prolongs my waiting.

And extending for me a long period of patience.

وَاللَهُ يَقضي ما يَشاءُ بِخَيرِهِ

وَاللَهُ يَقضي ما يَشاءُ بِخَيرِهِ

مِن حَيثُ لا تَدري وَيَدري أَمرُهُ

مِن حَيثُ لا تَدري وَيَدري أَمرُهُ

And God decrees whatever He wills through His goodness,

And Allah decides what He wills with His goodness

From where you do not know, while He knows His purpose.

From where you know not and He knows His command.

مَلِكٌ تَواضَعَتِ المُلوكُ لِعِزِّهِ

مَلِكٌ تَواضَعَتِ المُلوكُ لِعِزِّهِ

قَسراً وَفاضَ عَلى الجَداوِلِ بَحرُهُ

قَسراً وَفاضَ عَلى الجَداوِلِ بَحرُهُ

A king before whose might kings humbled themselves,

A king whom the kings humbled themselves to for his glory

By force; and his sea overflowed the streams.

Forcibly, and his sea overflowed the streams.

وَكَأَنَّما رُفِعَ الحِجابُ لِناظِرٍ

وَكَأَنَّما رُفِعَ الحِجابُ لِناظِرٍ

عَن صُبحِ لَيلٍ قَد تَوَقَّدَ فَجرُهُ

عَن صُبحِ لَيلٍ قَد تَوَقَّدَ فَجرُهُ

And it is as though the veil were lifted for a beholder

It is as if the veil were lifted for one looking

From the morning of a night whose dawn has blazed.

At the dawn of a night whose sunrise flamed.

وَتَراهُ في ليلِ السُرى وَكَأَنَّهُ

وَتَراهُ في ليلِ السُرى وَكَأَنَّهُ

نارٌ يُقَلِّبُ طَرفَهُ وَيُقِرَّهُ

نارٌ يُقَلِّبُ طَرفَهُ وَيُقِرَّهُ

And on a night journey you see him as though he were

And you see him in the night of battle as if he were

A fire, shifting his gaze and holding it still.

A fire brandishing its flames and stirring them.

وَإِذا بَدا مَلَأَ العُيونَ مَهابَةً

وَإِذا بَدا مَلَأَ العُيونَ مَهابَةً

فَتَظَلُّ تَسرِقُ لَحظَها وَتَسِرُّهُ

فَتَظَلُّ تَسرِقُ لَحظَها وَتَسِرُّهُ

And when he appears, he fills the eyes with awe,

And when he appears, he fills the eyes with awe,

So they keep stealing a glance and concealing it.

So they remain stealing glances at him and delighting in him.

وَكَأَنَّما يَهتَزُّ بَينَ ثِيابِهِ

وَكَأَنَّما يَهتَزُّ بَينَ ثِيابِهِ

نَصلٌ يَلوحُ بِصَفحَتَيهِ أَثَرُهُ

نَصلٌ يَلوحُ بِصَفحَتَيهِ أَثَرُهُ

And it is as though there sways within his garments

And it is as if a blade flickers between his clothes,

A blade whose mark gleams upon its two faces.

Its mark glittering on both sides.

وَيَجيشُ نارُ الحَربِ تَحتَ عُقابِها

وَيَجيشُ نارُ الحَربِ تَحتَ عُقابِها

وَالمَوتُ في صَرفي الفَوارِسِ جَمرُهُ

وَالمَوتُ في صَرفي الفَوارِسِ جَمرُهُ

And war's fire seethes beneath its eagle-banner,

And the fire of war rages under his falcon,

And death, amid the horsemen's two turns, is its ember.

And death among the ranks of horsemen is its embers.

وَتَراهُ يُصغي في القَناةِ بِكَفِّهِ

وَتَراهُ يُصغي في القَناةِ بِكَفِّهِ

نَجماً وَنَجماً في القَناةِ يَجُرُّهُ

نَجماً وَنَجماً في القَناةِ يَجُرُّهُ

And you see him, with his palm, tilt upon the lance

And you see him listen in the fray with his palm

A star, and drag another star upon the lance.

To stars, pulling the stars along in the fray.