هو يَوْم شَكّ يا عَلِيْ

هو يَوْم شَكّ يا عَلِيْ

يٌ وشَرُّه مُذْ كانَ يُحْذَرْ

يٌ وشَرُّه مُذْ كانَ يُحْذَرْ

It is a day of doubt, O Ali,

It is a day of doubt, O Ali

and its evil has been feared since it first came to be.

Its good and evil since it began is foreboded,

والجَوُّ حُلَّتُهُ مُمَسْ

والجَوُّ حُلَّتُهُ مُمَسْ

سَكَةٌ ومطْرفه مُعَنْبَرْ

سَكَةٌ ومطْرفه مُعَنْبَرْ

And the air's robe is perfumed with musk,

And the weather, its garment is overcast,

and its mantle scented with ambergris.

Tranquil, and its horizon clouded,

والماءُ فِضِّيُّ القَمي

والماءُ فِضِّيُّ القَمي

صِ وطَيْلَسَانُ الأَرْضِ أَخْضَرْ

صِ وطَيْلَسَانُ الأَرْضِ أَخْضَرْ

And the water's shirt is silver,

And the rainwater silvern

and the earth's mantle is green.

And the ground's tongue verdant,

نَبْتٌ يُصَعِّدُ زَهْرَهُ

نَبْتٌ يُصَعِّدُ زَهْرَهُ

في الرَّوْضِ قَطْرُ نَدىً تَحَدَّرْ

في الرَّوْضِ قَطْرُ نَدىً تَحَدَّرْ

Plants whose blossoms are lifted

Vegetation sends aloft its blossoms

in the garden by falling drops of dew.

In the meadow, drops of dew trickling down,

وأَخو الحِجَى لَوْ كانَ هَذا الْ

وأَخو الحِجَى لَوْ كانَ هَذا الْ

يَوْمُ مِنْ رَمَضانَ أَفْطَرْ

يَوْمُ مِنْ رَمَضانَ أَفْطَرْ

And a man of sense, if this

And the pilgrim's brother, if this were

day were in Ramadan, would break his fast.

A day of Ramadan, had broken fast,

ولَنا فُضَيْلاتٌ تَكو

ولَنا فُضَيْلاتٌ تَكو

نُ لِيَوْمِنا قُوتاً مُقَدَّرْ

نُ لِيَوْمِنا قُوتاً مُقَدَّرْ

And we have a few leftovers that will

And we have virtues that suffice us

be our day's allotted sustenance.

For our day a measured sustenance,

ومُدامَة صَفْراء أَدْ

ومُدامَة صَفْراء أَدْ

رَكَ عُمْرَها كِسْرى وقَيْصَرْ

رَكَ عُمْرَها كِسْرى وقَيْصَرْ

And golden wine, old enough

And a yellow wine that aged more

for Khosrow and Caesar to have known it.

Than Chosroes and Caesar's reigns,

وحَديثُنا ما قَدْ عَلِمْ

وحَديثُنا ما قَدْ عَلِمْ

تَ وشِعْرَنا ما أَنْتَ أَبْصَرْ

تَ وشِعْرَنا ما أَنْتَ أَبْصَرْ

And our conversation is what you already know,

And our talk you've come to know

and our poetry—you know it best.

And our poetry you see more clearly,

فَانْشطْ لَنا نَحْتَثَ مِنْ

فَانْشطْ لَنا نَحْتَثَ مِنْ

كاساتِنا ما كانَ أَكْبَرْ

كاساتِنا ما كانَ أَكْبَرْ

So bestir yourself for us; let us quaff from

So be cheerful, and let's drain

the largest of our goblets.

From our cups whatever was greatest,

أَوْ لا فَإِنَّكَ جاهِلٌ

أَوْ لا فَإِنَّكَ جاهِلٌ

إِنْ قُلْتَ إِنَّكَ سَوفَ تُعْذَرْ

إِنْ قُلْتَ إِنَّكَ سَوفَ تُعْذَرْ

Or do not—for you are a fool

Or don't, for you're ignorant

if you say that you will be excused.

If you say: "You'll be excused."