يا اسماء ٣ | محمد باقر الخاقاني

اللي ما تمت سنين 18She who had not yet completed eighteen years,

كل همها على النعشher sole concern was that the coffin

يسترها رادت عن العيون (2x)conceal her, wishing to be veiled from sight.

يا أسماءO Asma,

ها أنا أوصيك كما وصيت الكرارhere I entrust you just as I entrusted al-Karrar:

في قبري اسمعي زينHear me well concerning my grave;

لما تغمض كل عينwhen every eye is asleep in the night,

شيعوني بليل وبسماري بصدرcarry me forth by night, while the nail remains struck in my chest.

ولا ما أريد ما أريدAnd no, I do not want, I do not want

اللي كسر لضلعي يحضروا لدفنيthose who fractured my rib to attend my burial.

للموت اغمض جفنيI close my eyes in death,

لكن وانا احمر جفنيyet my eyelids are reddened with pain.

ناحلة الجسم ومعصب رأسي منها ادركنيMy body is emaciated and my head is bandaged in agony, come to my aid!

ولي هسة من ضرب العبد ما هونت من ونيAnd until now, from the servant's blow, my moaning has not ceased.

ولي هسة من ضرب العبد ما هودت من ونيAnd until now, from the servant's blow, my weeping has not calmed.

يا أسماءO Asma,

ادفنوني بالبقيعbury me in al-Baqi

ودعوا القبر يضيع حبة بين الرمالAnd let the grave be lost, like a grain among the sands.

يا أسماء ادفنوني بالبقيعO Asma, bury me in al-Baqi'.

ودعوا القبر يضيع حبة بين الرمالAnd let the grave be lost, like a grain among the sands.

يا أسماءO Asma!

كيف للقبر يشاد وتراني الرجال وتراني الرجالHow could a shrine be built over my grave and men look upon me?

آه يا أسماءAh, O Asma!

كيف للقبر غطاء وتراني الرجالHow could the grave have a cover while men gaze upon me,

رغم أني كالخيالEven though I am like a shadow?

يا أسماءO Asma!

كيف للقبر غطاء وتراني الرجالHow could the grave have a cover while men gaze upon me,

رغم أني كالخيالEven though I am like a shadow?

آه كيف للقمر شانAh, how can the moon have such dignity,

ما ترى يا مستحىDo you not see, O embodiment of modesty,

رغم أن كفها ياهEven in her suffering and grief...

آه هالقد تهم هالعفة يا ناسAh, see how much she cherished modesty, O people!

هالقد تهم هالعفة يا ناسSee how much she cherished modesty, O people!

يغض طرفه لو مر بيها الوحيEven the Angel of Revelation would lower his gaze in her presence,

من قد ما تستحيFrom the depth of her boundless modesty,

حتى من الأعمى تلبس خمارThat she wore her veil even before a blind man.

عتبتها تالي شلون تنداس (2x)How, then, could her threshold ever be trampled?

شلون انكشف ناموس النبي لعيون الأجنبيHow could the sacred honor of the Prophet be unveiled before strangers?

شلون الغريب يفوت للدار (2x)How could a stranger break into her home?

من الخوان تتستر بالدخانShielding herself from the betrayer behind the rising smoke,

والطاغي توجى على الباب بحيلهWhile the tyrant threw his whole weight against the door.

تقول أسماء ما شاهدنا الزهراءAsma says: "We never saw al-Zahra

عقب العصر ابتسمت بس هالليلهSmile after that afternoon—save for this very night."

للخوان تتستر بالدخانShielding herself from the betrayers behind the smoke,

والطاغي توجى على الباب بحيلهWhile the tyrant leaned hard against the door with all his might.

تقول أسماء ما شاهدنا الزهراءAsma' says: We had never seen al-Zahra,

عقب العصر ابتسمت بس هالليلةsmiling after the attack, except on this very night.

الليلة بها شاهدت نعش البدن ايش ترهTonight, she saw the bier prepared for her body, and what did she see?

التابوت شايلها خدر محار شايل درة (2x)The coffin conceals her sacred modesty, like an oyster bearing a pearl.

من يوم ما غاب النبي تبسمت تالي الزهرةSince the day the Prophet passed away, only now did al-Zahra finally smile.

وقالت لي آخر كلمة جمعت بها عبرة وعبرةAnd she spoke her final words to me, in which she gathered tears and profound lessons.

وقالت لي آخر كلمة جمعت فيها عبرة وعبرةAnd she spoke her final words to me, in which she gathered tears and profound lessons:

يا أسماء شرف المرأة باب"O Asma', a woman's honor is a doorway,

قفله حفظ الحجابwhose lock is preserving the veil,

بحيائها الجمالand in her modesty lies true beauty.

يا أسماء شرف المرأة بابO Asma', a woman's honor is a doorway,

قفله حفظ الحجابwhose lock is preserving the veil,

بحيائها الجمالand in her modesty lies true beauty.

يا يا أسماءO, O Asma'!

كيف للقبر غطاءHow can a grave have no covering,

وتتمنى الرجالwhile men gaze upon it,

رغم أنك الخيالeven though I am barely a shadow?"

يا أسماءO Asma'!

كيف للقبر غطاءHow can a grave have no covering,

وتتمنى الرجالwhile men gaze upon it,

رغم أنك الخيالeven though I am barely a shadow?

للميرزا عادل أشككناني[Poem by] Mirza Adel al-Ashkanani:

رادت الزهرة تعيش وتموت (2x)Al-Zahra wished to live and die

محجوبة كان سر أو طل اسم عن أنظار الزلمveiled—whether a secret or a whispered name—away from the eyes of men.

ولأجل اللي تريده ضحت ضلوعAnd for the sake of what she held dear, her ribs were sacrificed.

لولا بكيها ما لها صوت (2x)Were it not for her weeping, her voice would never have been heard;

ماتت شهيدةShe passed away as a martyr,

وتركت إرث كان لزينب ثلثleaving behind an inheritance of which Zaynab received a share,

ورثت من امها خدر ودموعShe inherited veil, sanctuary, and tears from her mother.

صار الصارWhat was destined to happen happened.

ورثت من امها النارShe inherited fire from her mother,

لكن ما ورثت باب يسترهاbut she did not inherit a door to shelter her.

وبعاشور من خيمه لخيمه تدورAnd on Ashura, wandering from tent to tent,

ما قدرت فضه من النار تجرهاeven Fiddah could not pull her away from the blaze.

صار اللي صارWhat happened, happened...

ورثت من امها النارShe inherited the fire from her mother,

لكن ما ورثت باب يسترهاyet she had no door left to veil and hide her.

وبعاشور من خيمه لخيمه تدورAnd on Ashura, fleeing from tent to tent,

ما قدرت فضه من النار تجرهاnot even Fiddah was able to pull her from the fire.

وبكربلاء ريتك يا اسماء كنت وتناظريهاIn Karbala, O Asma, I wish you had been there to see her!

كانت مره تركب مره وزينب بقت تالي اهShe would help one woman mount, and another, until Zaynab remained all alone at last, oh!

وبكربلاء ريتك ما كنت وتنظريهاYet in Karbala, I wish you were not there to witness her,

كانت مره تركب مره وزينب فقدت تاليهاshe would mount one after another, and in the end Zaynab was left utterly helpless.

صعدت على اعلى الهزل وتصعد بعد ما بيهاShe mounted atop the emaciated camel, having no strength left to climb.

سوي لها بدال النعش هودج يغطي عليها (2x)Fashion for her a litter instead of a bare bier, to conceal her completely.

يا اسماء زادت البنت على امها بكربلاءO Asma, the daughter's affliction in Karbala surpassed her mother's!

شنو سباها فوق الجمالWhat was her capture, paraded atop bare camels?

يا اسماء زادت البنت على امها بكربلاءO Asma, the daughter's affliction in Karbala surpassed her mother's!

سباها فوق الجمالHer captivity atop the camels!

يا كيف للقبر وشاO how can the grave have no covering,

وتراني ارجى رغم انك الخيارwhile men watch me, though I am like a shadow?

يا اسما كيف للقبر شعاعO Asma, how can the grave be uncovered,

وتراقبني الرجال رغم أني كالخيالWhile men would watch me, though I am like a shadow.

آه ياAh, O...