ياO زائِراًvisitor سائِراًjourneying إِلىto طوسِTus
يا زائِراً سائِراً إِلى طوسِ
مَشهَدِa shrine of طُهرٍpurity وَأَرضِand a land of تَقديسِsanctification
مَشهَدِ طُهرٍ وَأَرضِ تَقديسِ
O visitor journeying to Tus,
O visitor journeying to Tus,
shrine of purity and land of holiness,
A shrine of purity and a land of sanctity,
أَبلِغconvey سَلاميmy greeting of peace الرِضاal-Rida وَحُطَّand alight عَلىupon
أَبلِغ سَلامي الرِضا وَحُطَّ عَلى
أَكرمِthe noblest رَمسٍgrave لِخَيرِof the best مَرموسِone buried
أَكرمِ رَمسٍ لِخَيرِ مَرموسِ
bear my greetings to al-Rida, and alight upon
Convey my greeting of peace to al-Rida, and alight upon
the noblest grave of the noblest one entombed.
The noblest grave of the best of those buried.
وَاللَهِby God وَاللَهِby God حلفةًan oath صَدَرَتissued
وَاللَهِ وَاللَهِ حلفةً صَدَرَت
عَنfrom مُخلِصٍa sincere devotee فيin الوَلاءِallegiance مَغموسِimmersed
عَن مُخلِصٍ في الوَلاءِ مَغموسِ
By God, by God, an oath has sprung
By God, by God—an oath that issued
from one sincere, immersed in loyalty.
From a sincere devotee immersed in allegiance—
انِّيَindeed I لَوif كنتُI were مالِكاًmaster of اربىmy desire
انِّيَ لَو كنتُ مالِكاً اربى
كانَwould be بطوسin Tus الغَنّاءِverdant تعريسيmy night's encampment
كانَ بطوس الغَنّاءِ تعريسي
Had I command of what I desire,
Indeed, if I could have my wish,
verdant Tus would be my lodging for the night.
My night's encampment would be in verdant Tus.
وَكنتُand I would أُمضيcarry out العَزيمَthe resolve مُرتَحِلاًjourneying
وَكنتُ أُمضي العَزيمَ مُرتَحِلاً
مُنتَسِفاًexhausting فيهِin it قوَّةَthe strength of العيسthe pale camels
مُنتَسِفاً فيهِ قوَّةَ العيس
I would press on, resolute, journeying,
And I would carry out my resolve, journeying,
spending on the road the strength of my pale camels,
Exhausting the strength of the pale camels along the way,
لِمشهدٍto a shrine بِالزَكاءِin purity مُلتَحِفٍenveloped
لِمشهدٍ بِالزَكاءِ مُلتَحِفٍ
وَبِالسَنىand with radiance وَالسَناءِand splendor مَأنوسgladdened
وَبِالسَنى وَالسَناءِ مَأنوس
toward a shrine cloaked in purity,
To a shrine enveloped in purity,
companioned by radiance and splendor.
And gladdened by radiance and splendor.
ياO سيديmy master وَاِبنَand son of سادَتيmy masters ضَحِكَتsmiled
يا سيدي وَاِبنَ سادَتي ضَحِكَت
وُجوهُthe faces of دَهريmy time بِعَقبِafter تعبيسfrowning
وُجوهُ دَهري بِعَقبِ تعبيس
O my master, son of my masters, smiled—
O my master and son of my masters, smiles brightened
the face of my fortune after its frown—
The faces of my days after their frowns,
لَمّاwhen رَأَيتI saw النَواصِبَthe Nasibis (anti-Alid opponents) اِنقَلَبَتwere overturned
لَمّا رَأَيت النَواصِبَ اِنقَلَبَت
راياتُهاtheir banners فيin ضَمانِassurance of تَنكيسlowering
راياتُها في ضَمانِ تَنكيس
when I saw the Nasibis overturned,
When I saw the Nasibis—overturned
their standards certain to be brought low.
Were their banners, their lowering assured.
صَدعتُI proclaimed openly بِالحَقِّwith the truth فيin وَلائِكُمُallegiance to you
صَدعتُ بِالحَقِّ في وَلائِكُمُ
وَالحَقُّand the truth مُذsince كانَit existed غيرُnot مَبخوسdiminished
وَالحَقُّ مُذ كانَ غيرُ مَبخوس
I openly proclaimed the truth of loyalty to you;
I proclaimed the truth openly in allegiance to you;
and truth, once established, cannot be diminished.
And truth, ever since it existed, has never been diminished.
ياO اِبنَson of النَبِيِّthe Prophet الَّذيwho بهِthrough him قَصَمَbroke الGod (word begins here)
يا اِبنَ النَبِيِّ الَّذي بهِ قَصَمَ ال
لَهُGod (word ends here) ظُهورَthe backs of الجَبابِرِthe tyrants الشوسthe fierce ones
لَهُ ظُهورَ الجَبابِرِ الشوس
O son of the Prophet, through whom God shattered
O son of the Prophet, through whom God broke
the backs of fierce tyrants;
The backs of the fierce tyrants;
وَاِبنَand son of الوَصِيِّthe appointed successor الَّذيwho تَقَدَّمَexcelled فيin الthe
وَاِبنَ الوَصِيِّ الَّذي تَقَدَّمَ في ال
فَضلِexcellence عَلىover البُزَّلِthe full-grown camels القَناعيسthe mighty ones
فَضلِ عَلى البُزَّلِ القَناعيس
and son of the Trustee, who surpassed in
And son of the appointed successor, who surpassed in
merit the mature notables and mighty men;
Excellence the full-grown, mighty camels;
وَحائِزَand possessor of الفَضلِexcellence غَيرnot مُنتَقِصٍdiminished
وَحائِزَ الفَضلِ غَير مُنتَقِصٍ
وَلابسَand wearing المَجدِglory غيرَwithout تَلبيسdeception
وَلابسَ المَجدِ غيرَ تَلبيس
possessor of excellence, undiminished,
And possessor of excellence, undiminished,
and wearer of glory without disguise.
And clothed in glory, without pretence.
اِنَّindeed بَنيthe sons of النّصبhostility to the Prophet's family كَاليَهودِlike the Jews وَقَدand sometimes
اِنَّ بَني النّصب كَاليَهودِ وَقَد
يُخلَطُis mingled تَهويدُهُمtheir Judaizing بِتَمجيسwith Magianizing
يُخلَطُ تَهويدُهُم بِتَمجيس
Indeed, the partisans of anti-Ali hate are like Jews, and
Indeed, the sons of hostility are like the Jews, and sometimes
their Judaizing may sometimes mingle with Magianism.
Their Judaizing is mingled with Magianism.
كَمhow many دَفَنواthey buried فيin القُبورِthe graves منof نَجسٍan unclean person
كَم دَفَنوا في القُبورِ من نَجسٍ
أَولىmore fitting بِهِfor him الطَرحُbeing cast away فيinto النَواويسthe Christian burial vaults
أَولى بِهِ الطَرحُ في النَواويس
How many filthy wretches they have buried in graves,
How many an unclean man have they buried in graves,
though fitter to be cast into Magian tombs!
Better fit to be cast into Christian burial vaults!
أَنتُمyou حِبالُthe cords of اليَقينِcertainty أَعلقُهاI cling to them
أَنتُم حِبالُ اليَقينِ أَعلقُها
ماas long as وَصَلprolongs العُمرَlife حَبلُa cord of تَنفيسreprieve
ما وَصَل العُمرَ حَبلُ تَنفيس
You are the bonds of certainty; I cling to them
You are the cords of certainty; I cling to them
as long as life's span is joined to a thread of breath.
So long as the cord of reprieve prolongs my life.
ماnot زالَdeparted عنfrom عِقدِthe bond of حُبُّكُمlove for you أَحَدanyone
ما زالَ عن عِقدِ حُبُّكُم أَحَد
غَيرُexcept تَهيمِa suspect النصّابِthe Nasibis مَدسوسsecretly planted
غَيرُ تَهيمِ النصّابِ مَدسوس
No one has departed from the covenant of love for you
No one has left the bond of love for you
save through a Nasibi's secretly planted insinuation.
Except a suspect among the Nasibis, secretly planted.
اِذاif تَأَمَّلتَyou contemplate شُؤمَthe ill omen of جبهَتِهِhis brow
اِذا تَأَمَّلتَ شُؤمَ جبهَتِهِ
وَجدتyou find فيهاin it أَشراكَthe snares of اِبليسIblis
وَجدت فيها أَشراكَ اِبليس
When you scrutinize the ill omen upon his brow,
If you contemplate the ill omen of his brow,
you find within it the snares of Iblis.
You find in it the snares of Iblis.
كَمhow many فرقَةٍa faction فيكُمُon your account تكفِّرُنيdeclares me an unbeliever
كَم فرقَةٍ فيكُمُ تكفِّرُني
ذَلَّلتُI humbled هاماتهاits heads بِفِطّيسwith a sledgehammer
ذَلَّلتُ هاماتها بِفِطّيس
How many factions have called me an unbeliever on your account—
How many a faction brands me an unbeliever on your account—
I humbled their lofty heads with a heavy mallet.
I have humbled its heads with a sledgehammer.
قمعتُهاI crushed it بِالحجاجwith argumentation فَاِنخَزَلَتand so it withdrew
قمعتُها بِالحجاج فَاِنخَزَلَت
تجفُلُit flees عَنّيfrom me كَطُيرِlike a bird مَنحوسill-starred
تجفُلُ عَنّي كَطُيرِ مَنحوس
I silenced them with proof, and they gave way,
I crushed it with argument, and it shrank away,
fleeing me like birds of ill omen.
Fleeing from me like an ill-starred bird.
عالِمُهُمtheir scholar عِندَماwhen أُباحِثُهُI debate with him
عالِمُهُم عِندَما أُباحِثُهُ
فيin جلدِthe hide of ثورٍa bull أَوor مَسكِthe skin of جاموسa buffalo
في جلدِ ثورٍ أَو مَسكِ جاموس
Their learned man, whenever I debate him,
Their scholar, when I debate with him,
is wrapped in an oxhide or a buffalo hide.
Is in a bull's hide or a buffalo's skin.
لَمdid not يَعلَمواthey recognize وَالأَذانُwhile the call to prayer يرفعُكُمexalts you
لَم يَعلَموا وَالأَذانُ يرفعُكُم
صوتَthe sound of أَذانٍa call to prayer أَوor قَرعَthe tolling of ناقوسa church bell
صوتَ أَذانٍ أَو قَرعَ ناقوس
The two could not distinguish—while the call to prayer summons you—
They did not recognize—though the call to prayer exalts you—
the voice of an adhān from the striking of a bell.
The sound of a call to prayer or the tolling of a church bell.
انَّindeed ابنَIbn (son of) عَبّادٍAbbad اِستَجارَsought protection بِكُمwith you
انَّ ابنَ عَبّادٍ اِستَجارَ بِكُم
فَماso not يَخافُhe fears اللَيوثَthe lions فيin الخيسthe thicket
فَما يَخافُ اللَيوثَ في الخيس
Indeed, Ibn Abbad has sought refuge with you,
Indeed, Ibn Abbad has sought your protection,
so he fears no lions in the thickets.
So he fears no lions in the thicket.
كونواbe أَياO سادَتيmy masters وَسائِلَهُhis intercessors
كونوا أَيا سادَتي وَسائِلَهُ
يَفسَحmay make room لهُfor him اللَهُGod فيin الفَراديسthe gardens of Paradise
يَفسَح لهُ اللَهُ في الفَراديس
Be, O my masters, his means of approach,
Be, O my masters, his intercessors,
that God may make room for him in the Gardens.
That God may grant him ample room in Paradise's gardens.
كَمhow many مدحةٍa praise-poem فيكُمُin your praise يحبِّرُهاhe embellishes it
كَم مدحةٍ فيكُمُ يحبِّرُها
كَأَنَّهاas though it were حُلَّةُa robe of الطَواويسthe peacocks
كَأَنَّها حُلَّةُ الطَواويس
How many eulogies of you he finely composes,
How many a praise-poem for you he adorns,
each like a robe woven of peacock plumes!
As though it were a robe of peacocks!
وَهذِهِand this one كَمhow often يَقولُsays قارِئُهاits reader
وَهذِهِ كَم يَقولُ قارِئُها
قَدindeed نَثَرَhe scattered الدُرُّpearls فيon القَراطيسthe sheets of paper
قَد نَثَرَ الدُرُّ في القَراطيس
And of this one, how often its reader will say:
And of this one, how often its reader says:
“He has scattered pearls across the pages!”
He has indeed scattered pearls upon the pages.
يَملِكُpossesses رقَّthe bondage of القَريضِpoetry قائِلُهاits composer
يَملِكُ رقَّ القَريضِ قائِلُها
مُلكَthe dominion of سليمانُSolomon صَرحthe palace of بلقيسBilqis
مُلكَ سليمانُ صَرح بلقيس
May its author command the servitude of verse
Its composer holds poetry in thrall,
as Solomon commanded the palace of Bilqis.
As Solomon held the palace of Bilqis.
بَلَّغهُmay He bring him to اللَهُGod ماwhat يؤمِّلُهُhe hopes for it
بَلَّغهُ اللَهُ ما يؤمِّلُهُ
حَتّىuntil يُحِلُّhe sets down الرحالَthe baggage فيin طوسTus
حَتّى يُحِلُّ الرحالَ في طوس
May God bring him to all he hopes for,
May God bring him to what he hopes for,
until he unpacks his saddles in Tus.
Until he sets down his baggage in Tus.
