این گلوی مرگ از نعره گرفت ** طبل او بشکافت از ضرب شگفت 775
Death's throat is exhausted with shouting: his drum is split with the astounding blows (with which it has been beaten).
در دقایق خویش را در بافتی ** رمز مردن این زمان در یافتی
(But) you enmeshed yourself in trivialities: (only) now have you apprehended the mystery of dying.
تشبیه مغفلی کی عمر ضایع کند و وقت مرگ در آن تنگاتنگ توبه و استغفار کردن گیرد به تعزیت داشتن شیعه‌ی اهل حلب هر سالی در ایام عاشورا به دروازه‌ی انطاکیه و رسیدن غریب شاعر از سفر و پرسیدن کی این غریو چه تعزیه است
Comparison of (the behaviour of) the heedless man who wastes his life and (only) begins to repent and ask pardon (of God) when he lies in extreme distress on his death-bed to the yearly mourning of the Shí‘ites of Aleppo at the Antioch Gate (of the city) during the ‘Áshúrá; and how a poet, who was a stranger, arrived (there) on his journey and asked what was the cause of these shrieks of mourning.
روز عاشورا همه اهل حلب ** باب انطاکیه اندر تا به شب
On the Day of ‘Áshúrá all the people of Aleppo gather at the Antioch Gate till nightfall,
گرد آید مرد و زن جمعی عظیم ** ماتم آن خاندان دارد مقیم
Men and women, a great multitude, and keep up a constant lamentation for the (Holy) Family.
ناله و نوحه کنند اندر بکا ** شیعه عاشورا برای کربلا
During the ‘Áshúrá the Shí‘ites wail and lament with tears and sobs on account of Karbalá.
بشمرند آن ظلمها و امتحان ** کز یزید و شمر دید آن خاندان 780
They recount the oppressions and tribulations which the (Holy) Family suffered at the hands of Yazíd and Shimr.
نعره‌هاشان می‌رود در ویل و وشت ** پر همی‌گردد همه صحرا و دشت
They utter shrieks mingled with cries of woe and grief: the whole plain and desert is filled (with their cries).
یک غریبی شاعری از راه رسید ** روز عاشورا و آن افغان شنید
A stranger, (who was) a poet, arrived from the road on the Day of ‘Áshúrá and heard that lamentation.
شهر را بگذاشت و آن سوی رای کرد ** قصد جست و جوی آن هیهای کرد
He left the city and resolved (to go) in that direction: he set out to investigate (the cause of) those shrill cries.
پرس پرسان می‌شد اندر افتقاد ** چیست این غم بر که این ماتم فتاد
He went along, asking many questions in his search—“What is this sorrow? Whose death has occasioned this mourning?