Thanks to an acquaintance I was introduced to this incredible marsiya and the entire script is mesmerising to say the least. It is of course very long (as it is endearing) but I thought I’d share some excerpts with reliable and quality translation.
What a privilege to live through times that have access to an expression of grief so poignant.
Oh Josh Sb. What a fantastic legacy.
kyā sirf musalmān ke pyāre haiṅ ḥusain
carḳh-i nouʿ-i bašar ke tāre haiṅ ḥusain
Is Husain only the beloved of the Muslims? Husain is the star of the firmament of humankind
insān ko paidār to ho lene do
har qaum pukāregī hamāre haiṅ ḥusain
Just allow man to awaken, then
Every nation will cry out, Husain is ours
[31]
jo kārvān-i ʿazm kā rahbar thā, vŏh ḥusain
ḳhwud apne ḳhūn kā jo šanāvar thā vŏh ḥusain
He who was the guide of the aim of the caravan was Husain He who was the swimmer in his own blood was Husain
ik dīn-i tāzah kā jo payambar thā vŏh ḥusain
jo kabalā kā dāvar-i muḥaššar thā vŏh ḥusain
He who was the prophet of a fresh faith was Husain
He who was the arbiter of the doomsday of Karbalā was Husain
jis kī nażr pĕh ševah-i ḥaqq kā madār thā
jo rūḥ-i inqilāb kā parvardigār thā
On whose glance rested the basis of just manner He who was the cherisher of the soul of revolution
[33]
hāṅ vŏh ḥusain, jis kā abad-i āšnā ṡabāt
kahtā hai gāh gāh ḥakīmoṅ se bhī yĕh bāt
Yes, he is Husain whose eternity of acquaintance is permanence He tells the doctors, too, from time to time to this point
yaʿnī darūn-i pardah-i ṣad rang-i kāʾināt
ik kār-sāz ẕihn hai, ik ẕī-šuʿūr ẕāt
That is, in the veil of the hundred colors of the universe He is a producing mind, a sensible-minded personality
sajdoṅ se khīnctā hai jo ‘masjūd’ kī ṯaraf
tanhā jo ik išārah hai ‘maʿbūd’ kī ṯaraf
The one who pulls towards the worshiped through prostrations Who by himself is an indication of the direction of God
[36]
ʿālam meṅ ho cukā hai musalsal yĕh tajrubā
quvvat hī zindagī kī rahī hai girah-kušā
In the world it has already been continuously experienced The very power of life has remained problem-solving
sar żaʿif kā hamešah rahā hai jhukā hūʾā
nā-ṯāqatī kī maut hai, ṯāqat kā sāmnā
The head of the weak has always remained bent
The death of powerlessness is [in] encountering power
ṯāqat sī še magar ḳhajil o bad-naṣīb thī
nā-ṯāqatī ḥusain kī kitnī ʿajīb thī
It was a thing like power but ashamed and unfortunate How amazing was the powerlessness of Husain
[37]
ṯāqat sī še ko ḳhak meṅ jis ne milā diyā
taḳhtah ulaṭ ke, qaṣr-i ḥukūmat ko ḍhā diyā
Who thrust [lit. mixed] the thing like power into the dust
Having overthrown the government, he razed the palace of the government
jis ne havā peh, ruʿb-i amārat uṛā diyā
ṭhokar se jis ne afsar-i šāhī girā diyā
Who blew up (into the air) the pompousness of the authorities Who, with a blow, struck down the royal officers
is ṯaraḥ jis se żulm, siyah-fām ho gayā
lafż-i yazīd, dāḳhil-i duš-nām ho gayā
In this way, by whom tyranny was turned black The word ‘Yazid’ was included among the curses
[50]
tujh sā šahīd kaun hai ʿālam meṅ aʾe ḥusain
tū hai har ek dīdah-i pur-nam meṅ aʾe ḥusain
Who is a martyr like you in the world, oh Husain
You are in every single eye filled with moisture, oh Husain
zuhhād hī nahīṅ haiṅ tire ġam meṅ aʾe ḥusain
ham rind bhī haiṅ ḥalqah-i mātam meṅ aʾe ḥusain
The very ascetics are not in your pain, oh Husain We, too, are libertines in the gathering of mātam
āzād jo ḳhayāl meṅ haiṅ aur kalām meṅ
vŏh bhī asīr haiṅ tirī zulfoṅ ke dām meṅ
Those that are free in thinking and speech Those, too, are prisoners in the trap of your locks
translated by Jillian Ingold and Till Luge