يَاO سَيْفُsword مَاwhat أَلْقَىcast down نِجَادَكْyour sword-belt
يَا سَيْفُ مَا أَلْقَى نِجَادَكْ
وَأَطَالَand prolonged فِيin التُّرْبِthe earth اغْتِمَادَكyour sheathing
وَأَطَالَ فِي التُّرْبِ اغْتِمَادَك
O sword, what has cast down your sword-belt
O sword, what a noble sheath you have cast off,
and prolonged your sheathing in the earth?
And how long you have slept in the dust!
يَاO حِصْنُfortress أَيwhat مُفَاجِىءٍsudden assailant
يَا حِصْنُ أَي مُفَاجِىءٍ
بِشَدِيدِwith the violence of صَدْمَتِهِhis blow أَمَادَكmade you sway
بِشَدِيدِ صَدْمَتِهِ أَمَادَك
O fortress, what sudden assailant
O fortress, what sudden blows
shook you with his violent blow?
Have shaken and destroyed you!
يَاO نَجْمُstar قَدْindeed أَسْهَدْتَyou made sleepless قَوْpeople (first part)
يَا نَجْمُ قَدْ أَسْهَدْتَ قَوْ
ماًpeople (completion) كَانَwas أَمْنُهُمُtheir safety سُهَادَكْyour wakefulness
ماً كَانَ أَمْنُهُمُ سُهَادَكْ
O star, you have left sleepless a people
O star, you brought security to a people -
whose safety lay in your wakefulness.
Their safety was your watchfulness.
أَتَبِينُdo you depart عَنَّأfrom us يَاO عَلِيُّAli
أَتَبِينُ عَنَّأ يَا عَلِيُّ
وَكُلُّنَاand all of us يَبْكِيweep بِعَادَكْat your departure
وَكُلُّنَا يَبْكِي بِعَادَكْ
Do you part from us, O Ali,
Does it not show, O Ali,
while we all weep at your departure?
While we all weep for your absence?
فَإِذَاso if أَفَادَكَconsumed you شُغْلُoccupying نَفْسِكَyourself
فَإِذَا أَفَادَكَ شُغْلُ نَفْسِكَ
بِالْعُلَىwith lofty aims مَاذَاwhat أَفَادَكْbenefited you
بِالْعُلَى مَاذَا أَفَادَكْ
So if it consumed you to occupy yourself
When your own concerns give you
with lofty aims, what did it gain you?
Elevation, what do they avail you?
لَكِنْbut دَعَاcalled دَاعِيthe caller of الْحِمَىthe homeland
لَكِنْ دَعَا دَاعِي الْحِمَى
فَأجَبْتَso you answered مُتَّخذاًtaking up عَتَادَكyour equipment
فَأجَبْتَ مُتَّخذاً عَتَادَك
Yet the homeland's caller called,
But the voice of zeal called you,
and you answered, taking up your equipment.
So you responded, taking up your habit.
وَبِبَذْلِand by expending جُهْدِكَyour effort فِيin الَّذِيwhat
وَبِبَذْلِ جُهْدِكَ فِي الَّذِي
يُرضِيهِpleases him صِرْتَyou became كَمَاas أَرَادَكhe wanted you
يُرضِيهِ صِرْتَ كَمَا أَرَادَك
And by devoting your effort to what
And by striving for what satisfies Him
pleased him, you became as he desired.
You became as He wanted you to be.
حَرَّرْتَyou freed لِلْعِلْمِfor knowledge الْحِجَىthe intellect
حَرَّرْتَ لِلْعِلْمِ الْحِجَى
وَبَذلْتَand you devoted فِيin الأَدَبِliterature اجْتِهَادَكyour diligence
وَبَذلْتَ فِي الأَدَبِ اجْتِهَادَك
You freed the mind for knowledge
You held fast to knowledge
and devoted your diligence to literature.
And strove hard in literature,
أَفْنيْتَyou exhausted فِيin التَّثقِيفِeducation عَزْresolve (first part)
أَفْنيْتَ فِي التَّثقِيفِ عَزْ
مَكyour resolve (completion) غَيْرnot مُدخِرٍsaving رُقادَكyour sleep
مَك غَيْر مُدخِرٍ رُقادَك
You exhausted your resolve in education,
Spending yourself in education
saving nothing for your sleep.
Without hoarding any rest for yourself.
تنأَىyou keep away بِشَطْرِكَwith your side عَنْfrom مَكَاplace (first part)
تنأَى بِشَطْرِكَ عَنْ مَكَا
نِplace (completion) الرَّيْبِsuspicion مُخْتَاراًchoosing حِيَادَكyour neutrality
نِ الرَّيْبِ مُخْتَاراً حِيَادَك
You steer clear of the place
You held yourself apart in a place
of suspicion, choosing your neutrality.
Free of suspicion, choosing neutrality.
مُتَنَزِّهاًkeeping clear عَماof what يُزَيِّفُfabricates
مُتَنَزِّهاً عَما يُزَيِّفُ
شَانِيءٌa hater وَلِيَundertook انِتْقَادَكْcriticism of you
شَانِيءٌ وَلِيَ انِتْقَادَكْ
Unstained by what is fabricated
Aloof from what a slanderer distorts
by a hater who undertakes to criticize you.
And a critic censures.
وَإِذَاand if تَنَقَّصكَbelittles you المُرِيبُthe dubious man
وَإِذَا تَنَقَّصكَ المُرِيبُ
فإِنهُthen indeed he لاَno رَيْبَdoubt زَادَكْincreased your worth
فإِنهُ لاَ رَيْبَ زَادَكْ
And if a dubious man belittles you,
And if the doubtful disparage you,
he has, without doubt, raised you higher.
Surely that only adds to your credit.
تَسْمُوyou rise بِرَأْيِكَthrough your judgment رَائِداًseeking
تَسْمُو بِرَأْيِكَ رَائِداً
فِيin كُلِّevery مَحْمَدَةٍpraiseworthy deed مَرَادَكْyour aim
فِي كُلِّ مَحْمَدَةٍ مَرَادَكْ
You rise through your judgment, seeking
Your views are lofty, guiding
your aim in every praiseworthy deed.
Every praiseworthy objective.
وتَظَلُّand you remain مُتَّقياًguarding against هَوَاdesire (first part)
وتَظَلُّ مُتَّقياً هَوَا
كَyour (word ending) مُشَاوِراًconsulting فِيهِabout it رَشَادكyour sound judgment
كَ مُشَاوِراً فِيهِ رَشَادك
And you remain on guard against your desire,
You remain reverent, fearing your passion
consulting your sound judgment about it.
And reasoning in all your counsel.
أَبَداًalways عَلَىupon الرَّحْمَنِthe All-Merciful تُلْقِيyou place
أَبَداً عَلَى الرَّحْمَنِ تُلْقِي
فِيin المُلمَّاتِcalamities اعْتِمَادَكyour trust
فِي المُلمَّاتِ اعْتِمَادَك
Always upon the All-Merciful you place
You always place your trust
your trust amid calamities.
In the Merciful, in adversities.
وَبِكُلِّand with all إِخْلاَصِthe devotion of الْوَفِيِّthe faithful one
وَبِكُلِّ إِخْلاَصِ الْوَفِيِّ
لِقَوْمِهِto his people تَهْوَىyou love بِلاَدَكyour country
لِقَوْمِهِ تَهْوَى بِلاَدَك
And with all the devotion of one faithful
With all the sincerity of a loyal one
to his people, you love your country.
For his people, you cherish your country.
وَتَذُودُand you defend عَنْهَاon its behalf فِيin الْكرِيهَةِbattle
وَتَذُودُ عَنْهَا فِي الْكرِيهَةِ
فَهْيَso it لَنْwill not تَنْسَىforget ذِيَادَكْyour defense
فَهْيَ لَنْ تَنْسَى ذِيَادَكْ
And you defend it in battle;
And defend it in hardship -
so it will never forget your defense.
It will never forget your support.
حُبٌّlove إِذَاwhen اسْتَوْحَيْتَهُyou sought inspiration from it
حُبٌّ إِذَا اسْتَوْحَيْتَهُ
وَبَثَثْتَand you expressed فِيin الكَلِمِwords اعْتِقَادَكْyour conviction
وَبَثَثْتَ فِي الكَلِمِ اعْتِقَادَكْ
Love, when you sought its inspiration
When you inspire love
and expressed your conviction in words,
And instill belief in speech,
أَجْرَىmade flow دُمُوعَكَyour tears فِيalong سُمُوlines (first part)
أَجْرَى دُمُوعَكَ فِي سُمُو
طِlines (completion) الطْرسِthe page مَاwhenever أَجْرَىmade flow مِدَادَكْyour ink
طِ الطْرسِ مَا أَجْرَى مِدَادَكْ
made your tears run along the lines
It flows in tears down the pages
of the page whenever it set your ink flowing.
Like the flow of your ink.
وَمَضَيْتَand you went on تَمْلَؤُهُfilling it هَوىًlove
وَمَضَيْتَ تَمْلَؤُهُ هَوىً
حُرّاًunfettered وَتَمْنحُهُand you give it سَوَادَكْyour black ink
حُرّاً وَتَمْنحُهُ سَوَادَكْ
And you kept filling it with a love
You fill it with free passion
unfettered, and giving it your black ink.
And endow it with your essence.
أَفْرَغْتyou poured out جُهْدَكَyour effort فِيinto المَنَاvirtues (first part)
أَفْرَغْت جُهْدَكَ فِي المَنَا
قِبِvirtues (completion) مالِئاًfilling مِنْهَاfrom them مَزَادَكْyour waterskin
قِبِ مالِئاً مِنْهَا مَزَادَكْ
You poured your effort into virtues,
You poured out your effort into positions,
filling your waterskin with them.
Filling them, and made that your provision.
لاnot تُمْسِكُyou hold back الزَّمَنthe time الَّذِيthat
لا تُمْسِكُ الزَّمَن الَّذِي
يَجْرِيruns on وَلاَnor تَنْسَىyou forget مَعادَكْyour return
يَجْرِي وَلاَ تَنْسَى مَعادَكْ
You do not hold back the time that
You do not hold back time, which flows,
runs on, nor do you forget your return.
Or forget your appointment.
حَتَّىuntil رَحَلْتَyou departed عَنِfrom الْحَيَاlife (first part)
حَتَّى رَحَلْتَ عَنِ الْحَيَا
ةِlife (completion) فَكَانَso became حُسْنُgoodness of الذِّكْرِremembrance زَادَكْyour provision
ةِ فَكَانَ حُسْنُ الذِّكْرِ زَادَكْ
Until you departed from life,
So you traveled from life, and the finest
and a good name became your provision.
Remembrance was your provision.
كَمْhow many مَوْقِفٍan occasion أَطْرَبْتَyou delighted فِيهِin it
كَمْ مَوْقِفٍ أَطْرَبْتَ فِيهِ
سَامِعاًa listener لَكَto you فَاسْتَعَادَكْthen asked you to repeat
سَامِعاً لَكَ فَاسْتَعَادَكْ
On how many an occasion did you delight
How many times you delighted a listener,
a listener of yours, who asked you to repeat!
Who gained more when you inspired him!
يَزْدادُhe grows إِعْجَاباًin admiration بِمَاat what
يَزْدادُ إِعْجَاباً بِمَا
تُشْجِيyou move to sorrow وَتُشْجِيand you move to sorrow مَاwhenever اسْتَزَادَكْhe asked you for more
تُشْجِي وَتُشْجِي مَا اسْتَزَادَكْ
He grows in admiration at how
You made him grow fonder
you move him, and you move him whenever he asks for more.
Of what you roused and what you increased in him
حتَّىuntil بَثَثْتَyou poured out الْيَوْمَtoday بَثكَyour sorrow
حتَّى بَثَثْتَ الْيَوْمَ بَثكَ
وَانْفَرَدْتَand you were alone بِهِwith it انْفِرَادَكْyour solitude
وَانْفَرَدْتَ بِهِ انْفِرَادَكْ
Until today you poured out your sorrow
Until today you have diffused your scent
and were alone with it, in your solitude.
And gained a distinction that is yours alone:
تَرْثِيyou elegize فَرِيداًFarid وَالنُّزُوand longing (first part)
تَرْثِي فَرِيداً وَالنُّزُو
عُlonging (completion) إِلَيْهِfor him مُقْتَدِحٌstriking sparks زِنَادَكْyour flint
عُ إِلَيْهِ مُقْتَدِحٌ زِنَادَكْ
You lament Farid, while the longing
You mourn a unique one, and grief
for him strikes sparks from your flint.
Kindles its fires, lighting your fuel.
وأَخَاكَand your brother تَذْكُرُyou remember فِيin أَسًىsorrow
وأَخَاكَ تَذْكُرُ فِي أَسًى
لَوْif لَمْnot تَكُنْyou were ثَبْتاًsteadfast أَبادَكwould have destroyed you
لَوْ لَمْ تَكُنْ ثَبْتاً أَبادَك
And you remember your brother in sorrow;
And you remember your brother in sorrow -
had you not been steadfast, it would have destroyed you.
Had you not been steadfast, it would have destroyed you.
نَجْمَانِtwo stars بَعْدَهُماafter them لَبِسْتَyou put on
نَجْمَانِ بَعْدَهُما لَبِسْتَ
لِغَيْرِfor no مَاemphatic particle أَجَلٍfixed term حِدَادَكyour mourning
لِغَيْرِ مَا أَجَلٍ حِدَادَك
Two stars, after whom you put on
Two stars gone, and you put on mourning
mourning with no appointed end.
For other than a brief time.
وَلَبِثْتَand you remained مُذْsince فُقِدَاًboth were lost تُطِيلُprolonging
وَلَبِثْتَ مُذْ فُقِدَاً تُطِيلُ
لِنَهْضَةِfor the awakening of الشعْبِthe people افْتِقَادَكyour longing
لِنَهْضَةِ الشعْبِ افْتِقَادَك
And since they were lost, you kept prolonging
You have continued since they were lost, prolonging
your longing for the people's awakening.
The nation’s uprising by your concern.
فَقَضَيْتَso you fulfilled حَقَّthe due of الصاحِيَبْنِthe two companions
فَقَضَيْتَ حَقَّ الصاحِيَبْنِ
بِمَاwith what بِهِwith it الإِلْهَامُinspiration جَادَكْbestowed on you
بِمَا بِهِ الإِلْهَامُ جَادَكْ
Thus you paid the two companions their due
You fulfilled your duty to the two companions
with what inspiration bestowed upon you.
With the inspiration your spirit provided.
وَخَتَمْتَand you concluded بِالمَوْتِwith death الْجَمِيلِbeautiful
وَخَتَمْتَ بِالمَوْتِ الْجَمِيلِ
أَجَلَّthe noblest خَاتِمَةٍconclusion جَهَادَكْyour struggle
أَجَلَّ خَاتِمَةٍ جَهَادَكْ
And with a beautiful death you brought
And you concluded with a beautiful death,
your struggle to the noblest close.
The noblest end to your struggle.
فِيin سَكْتَةٍa silence أَدَّتْconveyed بِأَفْصَحَmore eloquently
فِي سَكْتَةٍ أَدَّتْ بِأَفْصَحَ
مِنْthan فَمٍa mouth لَسِنٍeloquent مُرَادَكْyour intent
مِنْ فَمٍ لَسِنٍ مُرَادَكْ
In a silence that conveyed, more eloquently
In a moment that uttered more eloquently
than an eloquent mouth, your intent.
Than the most eloquent tongue can express.
غَلَبَovercame الوَفَاءُloyalty بِهَاthrough it العَوَاadversities (first part)
غَلَبَ الوَفَاءُ بِهَا العَوَا
دِيadversities (completion) فَاشْفِso heal مِنْof شَوْقٍlonging فُؤادَكyour heart
دِي فَاشْفِ مِنْ شَوْقٍ فُؤادَك
Through it, loyalty vanquished adversities;
Loyalty in it overcame misfortunes,
so heal your heart of longing.
So heal from a yearning, heart!
أَحُسَيْنُO Husayn حَوْلَكَaround you أُمَّةٌa nation
أَحُسَيْنُ حَوْلَكَ أُمَّةٌ
مَسْؤُودَةٌheart-sick أَسَفاًwith grief سُؤَادَكْyour heartache
مَسْؤُودَةٌ أَسَفاً سُؤَادَكْ
O Husayn, a nation stands around you,
Are there mourners around you, a nation
heart-sick with grief, as you are.
Grieved, sorry for your essence?
أَنْتَyou الحَكِيمُthe wise one وَلَمْand not تَكُنْyou were
أَنْتَ الحَكِيمُ وَلَمْ تَكُنْ
لِتضِيعَto lose فِيin الرَّوْعِterror اتِّئَادكyour composure
لِتضِيعَ فِي الرَّوْعِ اتِّئَادك
You are wise, and you would not
You were wise, and did not let
lose your composure amid terror.
Your intellect go to waste in confusion.
وَإِلَيْكَand to you يَاO حَسَنُHasan التحِيَّةَthe greeting
وَإِلَيْكَ يَا حَسَنُ التحِيَّةَ
مِنْfrom أخٍa brother يَرْعَىcherishes وِدَادَكْyour affection
مِنْ أخٍ يَرْعَى وِدَادَكْ
And to you, O Hasan, this greeting
And to you, Hassan, go the finest greetings
from a brother who cherishes your affection.
From a brother who tends your affection!
لاَdo not تَعْلُgrow loud فِيin الشكْوَىlament وَلاَnor
لاَ تَعْلُ فِي الشكْوَى وَلاَ
تسْلِمْsurrender إِلىto يَأْسٍdespair قِيَادَكْyour reins
تسْلِمْ إِلى يَأْسٍ قِيَادَكْ
Do not grow loud in lament, nor
Do not complain or surrender
surrender your reins to despair.
Your leadership to despair.
إِنْif لَمْnot تَجِدْyou find عَضُداًa supporting arm فحَسْبُكَthen enough for you
إِنْ لَمْ تَجِدْ عَضُداً فحَسْبُكَ
أَنَّthat بِاللهِthrough God اعْتِضَادَكْyour support
أَنَّ بِاللهِ اعْتِضَادَكْ
If you find no supporting arm, it is enough for you
If you find no support, then suffice it for you
that your support is in God.
To rely on God alone.