أَهلاًwelcome بِطَلعَةِto the appearance of زائِرٍa visitor
أَهلاً بِطَلعَةِ زائِرٍ
فُضِحَwas put to shame الدُجاthe darkness بِضِيائِهاby her radiance
فُضِحَ الدُجا بِضِيائِها
Welcome to the face of a visitor,
Welcome to the rising of a visitor,
whose radiance put the darkness to shame.
The gloom is illuminated by its brightness.
سَمَحَgranted الخَيالُthe dream-vision بِوَصِلِهاwith union with her
سَمَحَ الخَيالُ بِوَصِلِها
فَدَنَتso she drew near عَلىdespite عُدوائِهاher aloofness
فَدَنَت عَلى عُدوائِها
The dream-vision granted union with her,
Imagination allowed its arrival,
so she drew near despite her aloofness.
So it drew near to its enemies.
باتَتshe spent the night تُعاطينِoffering me المُدامَwine
باتَت تُعاطينِ المُدامَ
وَكُنتُand I was مِنamong أَكفائِهاher equals
وَكُنتُ مِن أَكفائِها
She spent the night offering me wine,
It was staying up drinking wine,
and I was a match for her.
While I was one of its peers.
فَسَكِرتُso I became drunk مِنfrom أَلحاظِهاher glances
فَسَكِرتُ مِن أَلحاظِها
وَغَنيتُand I had no need عَنof صَهبائِهاher tawny wine
وَغَنيتُ عَن صَهبائِها
Then I grew drunk on her glances,
So I got drunk from its glances,
and needed none of her tawny wine.
And did without its cups.
بَيضاءُfair-skinned قَتليkilling me دَأبُهاher habit
بَيضاءُ قَتلي دَأبُها
فيin نَأيِهاher remoteness وَثَوائِهاand her staying
في نَأيِها وَثَوائِها
Fair-skinned, she makes killing me her habit,
Whiteness, killing is its habit.
whether far away or staying near.
In its remoteness and attendants.
فَإِذاso when دَنَتshe drew near بِجُفونِهاwith her eyelids
فَإِذا دَنَت بِجُفونِها
وَإِذاand when نَأَتshe went away بِجَفائِهاwith her coldness
وَإِذا نَأَت بِجَفائِها
When she draws near, she kills with her eyelids,
So when it comes near with its eyelids,
and when far away, with her coldness.
And when it moves away with its aloofness.
لاnot يَلتَقيmeets أَبَداًever مَواpromises (start)
لا يَلتَقي أَبَداً مَوا
عِدُهاher promises (end) بِيَومِwith the day of وَفائِهاher fulfillment
عِدُها بِيَومِ وَفائِها
Never do her promises coincide
Its promise never meets
with the day she fulfills them.
The day of its loyalty.
الشَمسُthe sun مِنamong ضَرّاتِهاher rival wives
الشَمسُ مِن ضَرّاتِها
وَالبَدرُand the full moon مِنamong رُقَبائِهاher watchers
وَالبَدرُ مِن رُقَبائِها
The sun is one of her rival wives,
The sun is one of its beads,
and the full moon one of her watchers.
And the moon one of its necks.
وَالصُبحُand dawn فَوقَabove لِثامِهاher face-veil
وَالصُبحُ فَوقَ لِثامِها
وَاللَيلُand night تَحتَbeneath رِدائِهاher cloak
وَاللَيلُ تَحتَ رِدائِها
Dawn lies above her face-veil,
The dawn over its wraps,
and night beneath her cloak.
And the night under its gown.
مُضَرِيَّةٌa woman of Mudar تُنمىis traced by descent إِذاwhen اِنclaimed descent (start)
مُضَرِيَّةٌ تُنمى إِذا اِن
تَسَبَتclaimed descent (end) إِلىto حَمرائِهاits Red Mudar
تَسَبَت إِلى حَمرائِها
A woman of Mudar: when she claims descent,
A brunette who grows more beautiful
she is traced to Red Mudar.
When she inclines to her redness.
باتَتshe spent the night وَأَطرافُwhile the tips of الرِماحِthe spears
باتَت وَأَطرافُ الرِماحِ
تَجولُcircle حَولَaround خِبائِهاher tent
تَجولُ حَولَ خِبائِها
She spent the night while spearheads
She stayed while spear tips
circled around her tent.
Wander around her tent.
فَالمَوتُso death دونَis easier than فِراقِهاparting from her
فَالمَوتُ دونَ فِراقِها
وَالمَوتُand death دونَstands before لِقائِهاmeeting her
وَالمَوتُ دونَ لِقائِها
Death is easier than parting from her,
Death without parting from her,
and death bars the way to meeting her.
And death without meeting her.
وَلَقَدand indeed مَرَرتُI passed بِرَبعِهاby her dwelling
وَلَقَد مَرَرتُ بِرَبعِها
بَعدَafter النَوىseparation وَفِنائِهاand her courtyard
بَعدَ النَوى وَفِنائِها
Indeed, I passed by her dwelling,
And I certainly passed by her dwellings
after separation, and by her courtyard.
After purpose and its ending.
وَالعَينُand the wild cattle (reading al-ʿīn) فيin الأَطلالِthe ruins ساresting (start)
وَالعَينُ في الأَطلالِ سا
كِنَةًresting (end) عَلىbeside أَطلائِهاtheir calves
كِنَةً عَلى أَطلائِها
And the wild cattle amid the ruins lay
With the eye dwelling sadly
quietly beside their calves.
On its ruins and traces.
فَوَقَفتُso I stopped أَنشُدُseeking فيin مَطاrising-places (start)
فَوَقَفتُ أَنشُدُ في مَطا
لِعِهاher rising-places (end) بُدورَthe full moons of سَمائِهاher sky
لِعِها بُدورَ سَمائِها
I stopped to seek, in her rising-places,
So I stood reciting in the surroundings
the full moons of her sky.
Her perfect moons and their orbit.
وَبَكَيتُand I wept حَتّىuntil كِدتُI nearly أَعbend (start)
وَبَكَيتُ حَتّى كِدتُ أَع
طِفُbend (end) بانَتيthe two bān trees of جَرعائِهاher sandy tract
طِفُ بانَتي جَرعائِها
And I wept until I nearly bent
And I cried until I almost
the two bān trees of her sandy tract.
Poured from my eyelids their tears.
ياO موحِشَyou who make desolate العَيبِthe fault (likely 'eye') الَّتيwhich
يا موحِشَ العَيبِ الَّتي
أَنِسَتgrew accustomed بِطَولُto the length of بُكائِهاits weeping
أَنِسَت بِطَولُ بُكائِها
O you who desolate the eye [text: “fault”], which
O desolate one whom
has grown accustomed to its long weeping,
Solitude has accustomed to long crying.
غادَرتَyou left بَينَbetween جَوانِحيmy ribs
غادَرتَ بَينَ جَوانِحي
نَفساًa soul تَموتُdying بِدائِهاof its malady
نَفساً تَموتُ بِدائِها
you left between my ribs
You left in my heart a soul
a soul that dies of its malady.
That dies of its sickness.
تَشتاقُlongs عَينيmy eye أَنto تَراكَsee you
تَشتاقُ عَيني أَن تَراكَ
وَأَنتَwhile you فيin سَودائِهاits black pupil
وَأَنتَ في سَودائِها
My eye longs to see you,
My eye longs to see you
though you dwell in its black pupil.
While you are in your darkness.
فَإِذاso when بَخِلتَyou begrudged بِنَظرَةٍa glance
فَإِذا بَخِلتَ بِنَظرَةٍ
سَمَحَتit gave freely بِجَمَّةِwith an abundance of مائِهاits water
سَمَحَت بِجَمَّةِ مائِها
When you begrudge it a glance,
So if you are stingy with a glance
it freely gives its abundant tears.
That relaxes in the abundance of its gift.
فَكَأَنَّهاso it is like كَفُّthe palm الخَليفَةِof the caliph
فَكَأَنَّها كَفُّ الخَليفَةِ
أَسبَلَتflowed freely بِعَطائِهاwith its gifts
أَسبَلَت بِعَطائِها
So it is as though it were the caliph's palm,
It is as if the hand of the Caliph
flowing freely with its gifts.
Flowed with its gift.
مَلِكٌa king يَحِلُّdwells مِنَwithin الخِلاthe caliphate (start)
مَلِكٌ يَحِلُّ مِنَ الخِلا
فَةِcaliphate (end) فيin ذُرىthe summits of عَليائِهاits loftiness
فَةِ في ذُرى عَليائِها
A king who dwells, within the caliphate,
A king who descends from the Caliphate
at the summits of its loftiness.
In the far reach of its sovereignty.
أَضحَتbecame تَتيهُvaunts itself بِمُلكِهِin his sovereignty الthe
أَضحَت تَتيهُ بِمُلكِهِ ال
دُنياworld عَلىabove أَبنائِهاits children
دُنيا عَلى أَبنائِها
The world now glories in his sovereignty
It lost itself in its kingdom,
above its children.
While the Caliphate did not lose itself through it.
وَزَهَتand shone proudly خِلافَتُهُhis caliphate عَلىabove المthe past ones (start)
وَزَهَت خِلافَتُهُ عَلى الم
اضينَpast ones (end) مِنamong خُلَفائِهاits caliphs
اضينَ مِن خُلَفائِها
And his caliphate shines proudly above
Its deputies in the past ages
its former caliphs.
Were adorned by it.
ماnot أَجدَبَتgrew barren أَرضٌa land وَصَوwhile the downpour (start)
ما أَجدَبَت أَرضٌ وَصَو
بَdownpour (end) نَداهُhis bounty مِنamong أَنوائِهاits rain-bearing stars
بَ نَداهُ مِن أَنوائِها
No land grows barren with the downpour
A king whose troops march
of his bounty among its rain-bearing stars.
While victory is under its banner.
مَلِكٌa king تَسيرُmarch جُيوشُهُhis armies
مَلِكٌ تَسيرُ جُيوشُهُ
وَالنَصرُand victory تَحتَbeneath لِوائِهاtheir banner
وَالنَصرُ تَحتَ لِوائِها
A king whose armies march,
So when it writhes in battle,
with victory beneath their banner.
The enemy is dyed with its blood.
فَإِذاso when تَخَمَّطَhe raged فيin وَغاًbattle
فَإِذا تَخَمَّطَ في وَغاً
خَضَبَhe dyed العِدىthe foes بِدِمائِهاwith their blood
خَضَبَ العِدى بِدِمائِها
When he rages in battle,
Victorious forever like its columns
he dyes his foes with their blood.
Against its enemies.
مَنصورَةًvictorious أَبَداًalways كَتاbattalions (start)
مَنصورَةً أَبَداً كَتا
ئِبُهُhis battalions (end) عَلىagainst أَعدائِهاtheir enemies
ئِبُهُ عَلى أَعدائِها
His battalions are forever victorious
That the Caliphate, with the perfection
against their enemies.
Of its beauty and splendor,
إِنَّindeed الخِلافَةَthe caliphate مَعdespite كَمالِthe perfection of
إِنَّ الخِلافَةَ مَع كَمالِ
جَمالِهاits beauty وَبَهائِهاand its splendor
جَمالِها وَبَهائِها
The caliphate, despite the perfection
When you ascended its throne
of its beauty and splendor,
And drew the abundance of its cloak,
لَمّاwhen عَلَوتَyou ascended سَريرَهاits throne
لَمّا عَلَوتَ سَريرَها
وَسَحَبتَand you trailed فَضلَthe trailing length of رِدائِهاits cloak
وَسَحَبتَ فَضلَ رِدائِها
when you ascended its throne
And you rose up bearing what
and trailed the length of its cloak,
You were entrusted with from its burdens.
وَنَهَضتَand you rose مُضطَلِعاًshouldering بِماwhat
وَنَهَضتَ مُضطَلِعاً بِما
حُمِّلتَyou were burdened with مِنof أَعبائِهاits burdens
حُمِّلتَ مِن أَعبائِها
and rose, shouldering whatever
It was lost but the Caliphate did not
burdens of it you were made to bear,
See itself lost through you.
تاهَتit grew proud وَلَكِنbut ماnot رَأتsaw
تاهَت وَلَكِن ما رَأت
كَyou بِهاbecause of it الخِلافَةُthe caliphate تائِهاproud
كَ بِها الخِلافَةُ تائِها
grew proud; yet never did
It returned to the management of an astute
the caliphate see you vaunting yourself through it.
Physician with his remedies.
رُدَّتwas returned إِلىto تَدبيرِthe care of طَa physician (start)
رُدَّت إِلى تَدبيرِ طَ
بٍّphysician (end) حاذِقٍskilled بِدَوائِهاin its treatment
بٍّ حاذِقٍ بِدَوائِها
It was restored to the care of a physician
He casts the places of its sores
expert in its cure,
With his opinion and wisdom.
يَرميtreats مَواضِعَthe sites of نَقبِهاits mange sores
يَرمي مَواضِعَ نَقبِها
مِنfrom رَأيِهِhis judgment بِهِنائِهاwith its medicinal tar
مِن رَأيِهِ بِهِنائِها
who treats the patches of its mange
From a group who does not own
with the medicinal tar of his judgment.
The days, reversing its decree.
مِنfrom عُصبَةٍa company لاnot تَملِكُhas power الأَيّاthe days (start)
مِن عُصبَةٍ لا تَملِكُ الأَيّا
مُdays (end) رَدَّto reverse قَضائِهاits decrees
مُ رَدَّ قَضائِها
From a company whose decrees time cannot
Known for its refusal
overturn,
Inherited from its fathers.
مَعروفَةٍknown بِإِبائِfor refusal to submit
مَعروفَةٍ بِإِبائِ
هاits المَوروثِinherited عَنfrom آبائِهاits fathers
ها المَوروثِ عَن آبائِها
known for its unyielding pride,
It casts the enemy with windows
inherited from its fathers.
Of resolves from its views.
تَرميstrikes العِدىthe enemies بِنَوافِذِwith piercing الthe
تَرمي العِدى بِنَوافِذِ ال
عَزَماتِresolutions مِنfrom آرائِهاits counsels
عَزَماتِ مِن آرائِها
It strikes its enemies with piercing
No work is approved from an agent
resolutions born of its counsels.
Except with its loyalty.
لاnot يُرتَضىis approved مِنfrom عامِلٍa doer
لا يُرتَضى مِن عامِلٍ
عَمَلٌa deed بِغَيرِwithout وَلائِهاallegiance to it
عَمَلٌ بِغَيرِ وَلائِها
From any doer, there is no acceptable
It summons blessings even if
deed without allegiance to it.
The land despairs of its prayer.
تَستَنزِلُcalls down البَرَكاتِblessings ماwhenever
تَستَنزِلُ البَرَكاتِ ما
قَنِطَdespairs الثَرىthe earth بِدُعائِهاthrough its prayers
قَنِطَ الثَرى بِدُعائِها
It calls down blessings, whenever
Understandings do not grasp
the earth despairs, through its prayers.
The utmost of its praise and eulogy.
لاnot تُدرِكُreach الأَفهامُminds غاutmost extent (start)
لا تُدرِكُ الأَفهامُ غا
يَةَutmost extent (end) حَمدِهاpraise of it وَثَنائِهاand acclaim of it
يَةَ حَمدِها وَثَنائِها
No mind can reach the full extent
By my father Muhammad -
of its praise and acclaim.
Its branches grew in elevation.
بِأَبيthrough Abu مُحَمَّدٍMuhammad الإِماthe Imam (start)
بِأَبي مُحَمَّدٍ الإِما
مِImam (end) نَمَتgrew فُروعُthe branches of عَلائِهاits eminence
مِ نَمَت فُروعُ عَلائِها
Through Abu Muhammad, the Imam,
The crescent gleaming its dark night
the branches of its eminence have grown.
And the sun illuminating its dawn.
وَالمُستَضيءُand al-Mustadi هِلالُthe crescent of لَيnight (fragment)
وَالمُستَضيءُ هِلالُ لَي
لَيلَتِهاits night وَشَمسُand the sun of ضَحائِهاits forenoon
لَيلَتِها وَشَمسُ ضَحائِها
And al-Mustadi is the crescent of
O joy of glory which
its night, and the sun of its forenoon.
We pray lasts long in survival.
يابَهجَةَO splendor of المَجدِglory الَّتيwhich
يابَهجَةَ المَجدِ الَّتي
نَدعوwe pray بِطولِfor the length of بَقائِهاits continuance
نَدعو بِطولِ بَقائِها
O splendor of glory, for whose
The darknesses of missteps were unveiled for us
long continuance we pray!
By its opinion and narration.
كُشِفَتwere dispelled لَناfor us ظُلَمُthe darknesses of الخُطوthe calamities (start)
كُشِفَت لَنا ظُلَمُ الخُطو
بِcalamities (end) بِرَأيِهاby its judgment وَرُوائِهاand its splendor
بِ بِرَأيِها وَرُوائِها
The darkness of calamities was dispelled for us
For you is a serenity that excelled
by its judgment and splendor.
The youths of life in generosity.
لَكَyou have راحَةٌa palm فَضَلَتsurpassed شَآshowers (start)
لَكَ راحَةٌ فَضَلَت شَآ
بيبَshowers (end) الحَياlife-giving rain بِسَخائِهاin its generosity
بيبَ الحَيا بِسَخائِها
Your palm surpasses the showers
You expend generously so the generous one,
of life-giving rain in generosity.
Generosity itself, is beneath your love.
تَنهَلُّpours down جوداًgenerosity فَالحَبِيُّso the clustered cloud
تَنهَلُّ جوداً فَالحَبِيُّ
الجَودُheavy with rain دونَbelow حِبائِهاits gifts
الجَودُ دونَ حِبائِها
It pours bounty; thus the clustered cloud,
And a resolve that makes swords yield
heavy with rain, falls short of its gifts.
To its sharpness and speed.
وَعَزيمَةٌand a resolve تَعنوsubmit السُيوthe swords (start)
وَعَزيمَةٌ تَعنو السُيو
فُswords (end) لِحَدِّهاto its edge وَمَضائِهاand its keenness
فُ لِحَدِّها وَمَضائِها
And a resolve: swords bow
And virtues that testified
to its edge and keenness.
To its builder the merit of its structure.
وَمَناقِبٌand virtues شَهِدَتbore witness لِباfor a builder (start)
وَمَناقِبٌ شَهِدَت لِبا
نيهاtheir builder (end) بِفَضلِthrough the excellence of بِنائِهاtheir construction
نيها بِفَضلِ بِنائِها
And virtues that bear witness for their builder
And sublime talents and gifts that
through the excellence of their construction.
The ages fall short of enumerating.
وَمَواهِبٌand gifts غُرُرٌsplendid يَضيis too narrow (start)
وَمَواهِبٌ غُرُرٌ يَضي
قُis too narrow (end) الدَهرُtime عَنfor إِحصائِهاcounting them
قُ الدَهرُ عَن إِحصائِها
And splendid gifts that time itself
You are the savior for a nation
is too short to count.
Whose sorrows you relieved.
أَنتَyou الغِياثُthe succor لِأُمَّةٍfor a nation
أَنتَ الغِياثُ لِأُمَّةٍ
فَرَّجتَyou relieved مِنof غَمائِهاits distress
فَرَّجتَ مِن غَمائِها
You are the succor of a nation
You changed it from the day of its ordeal
whose distress you have relieved.
To the day of its comfort.
بَدَّلتَهاyou changed it مِنfrom يَومِthe day of شِدَّتِهاits hardship
بَدَّلتَها مِن يَومِ شِدَّتِها
بِيَومِfor a day of رَخائِهاits ease
بِيَومِ رَخائِها
You changed its day of hardship
You healed so you were the remedy for its
to a day of ease.
Suffering and protector from its illness.
أَشفَتit neared death فَكُنتَso you became شِفاءَthe cure of عِillness (start)
أَشفَت فَكُنتَ شِفاءَ عِ
لَّتِهاits illness (end) وَحاصِمَand the destroyer of دائِهاits disease
لَّتِها وَحاصِمَ دائِها
It neared death, and you became the cure
You reached souls from it
of its sickness, the destroyer of its disease.
That had none left but their bodies.
أَدرَكتَyou reached in time مِنهاwithin it أَنفُساًsouls
أَدرَكتَ مِنها أَنفُساً
لَمnot يَبقَremained غَيرُanything but ذَمائِهاtheir last spark of life
لَم يَبقَ غَيرُ ذَمائِها
You reached souls within it in time,
So you remained for the world disseminating
with nothing left but their last spark of life.
Justice in its corners.
فَبَقيتَso may you live on لِلدُنياfor the world تَبُspreading (start)
فَبَقيتَ لِلدُنيا تَبُ
ثُّspreading (end) العَدلَjustice فيin أَرجائِهاits regions
ثُّ العَدلَ في أَرجائِها
So may you live on for the world, spreading
A justice that reconciles the discord
justice throughout its regions—
Of the wretched and their discontent.
عَدلاًa justice يُؤَلِّفُreconciles بَينَbetween ذُؤwolves (start)
عَدلاً يُؤَلِّفُ بَينَ ذُؤ
بانِwolves (end) القَلاةِthe wilderness (reading uncertain) وَشائِهاand its sheep
بانِ القَلاةِ وَشائِها
a justice that reconciles the wolves
Your blessing which prolonged
of the wilderness [reading uncertain] with its sheep.
The abundance of its plenty weakened you.
وَهَنَتكَand may it gladden you نِعمَتُكَyour blessing الَّتيwhich
وَهَنَتكَ نِعمَتُكَ الَّتي
طالَتgrew long فُضولُthe trailing hems of مُلائِهاits robes
طالَت فُضولُ مُلائِها
And may your blessing bring you joy,
Its dawn with its evening does not
with its robes trailing long.
Cease being connected to you.
لاnot زالَcease مَوصولاًjoined لَدَيwith (start)
لا زالَ مَوصولاً لَدَي
كَyou صَباحُهاits morning بِمَسائِهاwith its evening
كَ صَباحُها بِمَسائِها
May there ever be joined, for you,
its morning with its evening.
Partial English translation: 112 of 114 Arabic lines translated.