ويعودُ عاشوراءُ يُذكرُني

ويعودُ عاشوراءُ يُذكرُني

رُزءَ الحَسين فليت لَم يُعد

رُزءَ الحَسين فليت لَم يُعد

And Ashura returns, reminding me once more

And Ashura returns, reminding me

of Husayn’s calamity—would that it had not returned.

of the grievous loss of Husayn—would that it had not been brought back!

وليتَ عيناً فيه قد كحِلَت

وليتَ عيناً فيه قد كحِلَت

بِمَسَّرةٍ لم تَخلُ من رَمَدِ

بِمَسَّرةٍ لم تَخلُ من رَمَدِ

Would that every eye lined with kohl that day

And would that an eye painted with kohl that day

in gladness were never free of inflammation,

in joy were never free of inflammation;

ويداً به لشماتَةٍ خُضبت

ويداً به لشماتَةٍ خُضبت

مقطوعةً من زَندِها بِيِدي

مقطوعةً من زَندِها بِيِدي

and every hand dyed that day in gloating

and a hand dyed that day out of gloating

were cut from its wrist by my own hand.

were severed at the wrist by my hand.

يَومُ سبيلي حين أذكُرُهَ

يَومُ سبيلي حين أذكُرُهَ

ألاَّ يَدورَ الصَّبرُ في خلدي

ألاَّ يَدورَ الصَّبرُ في خلدي

When I remember that day, it is my way

A day—my course, when I remember it,

to let no patience ever turn within my mind.

is that patience should never cross my mind.

أما وقد قُتلَ الحُسَين به

أما وقد قُتلَ الحُسَين به

فأبو الحسينِ أحقُ بالكَمَد

فأبو الحسينِ أحقُ بالكَمَد

But since Husayn was slain on that day,

Now that Husayn was killed on that day,

Abu al-Husayn has the strongest claim to anguish.

Abu al-Husayn has all the more right to grief.