اندُبِmourn الطّفَّal-Taff وَسِبطَand the grandson المُصطَفَىof the Chosen One
اندُبِ الطّفَّ وَسِبطَ المُصطَفَى
بِمرَاثٍwith elegies هِيَthey are أَسرَىmore far-ranging مِنthan قفَا“Stop, you two!”
بِمرَاثٍ هِيَ أَسرَى مِن قفَا
Mourn al-Taff and the Chosen One’s grandson
The Prophet's grandson, al-Husayn, pierced
with elegies that travel farther than “Stop, you two!”
By spears his neck did gracefully curve
لاdo not تَرُمseek ضَوءَlight هُدىًof guidance مِنfrom بَعدِهِafter him
لا تَرُم ضَوءَ هُدىً مِن بَعدِهِ
فَسِرَاجُfor the lamp الهَديِof guidance بالطّفِّat al-Taff انطَفَىwent out
فَسِرَاجُ الهَديِ بالطّفِّ انطَفَى
Seek no light of guidance after him,
Do not extinguish the light after him
for the lamp of guidance went out at al-Taff.
For the lamp of guidance with Husayn was disturbed
أُمnation (first fragment) ّةَnation (final fragment) الطّغيانِof tyranny مَاhow أَجرأَكُمbrazen you are!
أُم ّةَ الطّغيانِ مَا أَجرأَكُم
ماhow أقَلَّlittle البِرّgoodness فِيكُمin you وَالوَفَاand loyalty
ما أقَلَّ البِرّ فِيكُم وَالوَفَا
O nation of tyranny, how brazen you are!
O nation overcome by tyranny, how dare you
How little goodness and loyalty there is in you!
How little loyalty and kindness in you flows
لَوif رَآهُhe saw him جدّهُhis grandfather بَينَكُمamong you
لَو رَآهُ جدّهُ بَينَكُم
ظَامِئاًthirsty يُسقَىbeing given to drink الحُسامَthe sword المُرهَفَاkeen-edged
ظَامِئاً يُسقَى الحُسامَ المُرهَفَا
Had his grandfather seen him among you,
If his grandfather saw him among you
thirsty, being given the keen-edged sword to drink,
Thirsty, as the sharpened swords did cut and slice
لانطَوَىhe would have doubled over فَوقَover يَدَيهِhis two hands أَلَماًin anguish
لانطَوَى فَوقَ يَدَيهِ أَلَماً
وَتَوَلّىand turned away قَائِلاًsaying وَاoh! أَسَفَاmy grief!
وَتَوَلّى قَائِلاً وَا أَسَفَا
he would have doubled over his hands in anguish,
He would not fold his hands in painful lament
and turned away, saying, “Ah, my grief!”
And turn away saying: Oh what grief, what demise
شَاكِياlamenting يَستَصرِخُcrying for help to اللَّهَGod وَقَدand having already
شَاكِيا يَستَصرِخُ اللَّهَ وَقَد
قَالَsaid يَعنيmeaning مُقلَتَيهِhis two eyes انذَرِفاshed tears, both of you!
قَالَ يَعني مُقلَتَيهِ انذَرِفا
lamenting, crying to God for help, and having already
Crying out, beseeching Allah, for he had said
said, addressing his two eyes, “Shed tears!”
About his eyelids flowing with tears: let them rise
أَتُرَىdo you suppose? أَرضيتُمُyou pleased خالِقَكُمyour Creator
أَتُرَى أَرضيتُمُ خالِقَكُم
يَومَon the day أَذرَفتُمyou made flow دُمُوعَthe tears المُصطَفَىof the Chosen One
يَومَ أَذرَفتُم دُمُوعَ المُصطَفَى
Do you suppose you pleased your Creator
Did you satisfy the Creator when
on the day you made the Chosen One’s tears flow?
You let the tears of Mustafa stream from his eyes
أَيُّwhat a سِبطٍgrandson لَوif قُتِلتُمyou were slain عِندَهُin his presence
أَيُّ سِبطٍ لَو قُتِلتُم عِندَهُ
وُقُتِلتُمand you were slain كُلُّكمall of you مَاnot انتَصَفَاhe received justice
وُقُتِلتُم كُلُّكم مَا انتَصَفَا
What a grandson! Had you been slain in his presence,
What grandson, if you killed at his door
and all of you slain, he still would not have received justice.
And you all killed, would take revenge and justice realize
جَدُّهhis grandfather لِلأَنبِيَاءِof the prophets خَاتِمٌthe seal
جَدُّه لِلأَنبِيَاءِ خَاتِمٌ
وَأَبُوهُand his father خَاتِمٌthe seal لِلخُلَفَاof the caliphs
وَأَبُوهُ خَاتِمٌ لِلخُلَفَا
His grandfather is the seal of the prophets,
His grandfather is the seal of prophets
and his father the seal of the caliphs.
His father the seal of successors, so wise
لَيسَnot يَحتَاجُhe needs إِلَىto تَسمِيَةٍnaming
لَيسَ يَحتَاجُ إِلَى تَسمِيَةٍ
إِنif سَكتتاthe two fell silent عَنabout حُسَينٍHusayn عُرِفاhe was recognized
إِن سَكتتا عَن حُسَينٍ عُرِفا
He needs no naming;
No need to name him, if they fall silent
if the two are silent about Husayn, he is known.
About Husayn - his identity they recognize
يَاO بَنِيsons of حَربٍHarb جَفَوتُمyou treated harshly جَدّهhis grandfather
يَا بَنِي حَربٍ جَفَوتُم جَدّه
أَرَسُولُis the Messenger اللَّهِof God يُجزَىrepaid بِالجَفَاwith cruelty
أَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ يُجزَى بِالجَفَا
O sons of Harb, you treated his grandfather cruelly.
O clan of Harb, you disrespected his grandfather
Is the Messenger of God repaid with cruelty?
Is Allah's messenger rewarded with disregard, lies?
يَاO بَنِيsons of حَربٍHarb وَلاand no عُذرَexcuse لكُمfor you
يَا بَنِي حَربٍ وَلا عُذرَ لكُم
أَأُطِيلُshall I prolong القَولَthe speech فِيكُمabout you أَمor كَفَىit suffices
أَأُطِيلُ القَولَ فِيكُم أَم كَفَى
O sons of Harb—and there is no excuse for you—
O clan of Harb, no excuse do you have
shall I speak at length about you, or is this enough?
Shall I say more or is this enough, suffice?