امْلِكُوا عنِّي هذَا الْغُلاَمَ لاَ يَهُدَّنِي،
Hold back this young man on my behalf, lest he causes my ruin,
فَإِنَّنِي أَنْفَسُ بِهذَيْنِ ـ يَعْنِي الحَسَنَ وَالْحُسَيْنَ (عليهما السلام) عَلَى الْمَوْتِ،
because I am loath to send these two (meaning al-Hasan and al-Husayn) towards death,
لِئَلاَّ يَنْقَطِعَ بِهِمَا نَسْلُ رَسُولِ اللهِ (صلى الله عليه وآله).
lest the descending line of the Prophet - may Allah bless him and his descendants - is cut away by their death.
قوله (عليه السلام): «املكوا عني هذا الغلام» من أعلى الكلام وأفصحه.
As-Sayyid ar-Radi says: Amir al-mu'minin's words "amliku ‘anni hadha'l- ghulam" (i.e. "Hold back this young man on my behalf") represents the highest and the most eloquent form of expression.
Alternative Sources for Sermon 207: Al-Tabari, Ta'rikh, VI, 34, events of 37 H.; V, 196, events of 36 H.
