أَبُنَيَّ طالِبُ إِنَّ شَيخَكَ ناصِحٌ

أَبُنَيَّ طالِبُ إِنَّ شَيخَكَ ناصِحٌ

فيما يَقولُ مُسَدِّدٌ لَكَ راتِقُ

فيما يَقولُ مُسَدِّدٌ لَكَ راتِقُ

O my dear son Talib, your old father is indeed a sincere adviser.

My son, your mentor's advice is sincere

In what he says, he guides you aright and mends breaches.

In what he says, guiding you well

فَاِضرِب بِسَيفِكَ مَن أَرادَ مساءَةً

فَاِضرِب بِسَيفِكَ مَن أَرادَ مساءَةً

حَتّى تَكونَ لَهُ المَنِيَّةُ ذائِقُ

حَتّى تَكونَ لَهُ المَنِيَّةُ ذائِقُ

So strike with your sword whoever intends harm,

So strike with your sword whoever intends harm

Until you taste death for his sake.

Until death takes its toll on him

هَذا رَجائي فيكَ بَعدَ مَنِيَّتي

هَذا رَجائي فيكَ بَعدَ مَنِيَّتي

لا زِلتُ فيكَ بِكُلِّ رُشدٍ واثِقُ

لا زِلتُ فيكَ بِكُلِّ رُشدٍ واثِقُ

This is my hope in you after my death;

This is my hope in you after I'm gone

I have always trusted your judgment to be wholly sound.

I still fully trust in your integrity

فَاِعضِد قُواهُ يا بُنَيَّ وَكُن لَهُ

فَاِعضِد قُواهُ يا بُنَيَّ وَكُن لَهُ

أَنّى يَجِدكَ لا مَحالَةَ لاحِقُ

أَنّى يَجِدكَ لا مَحالَةَ لاحِقُ

So bolster his strength, my dear son, and be there for him,

So aid his strength, my son, and for him

Wherever he finds you, following him without fail.

Be wherever he finds you, without fail, a protector

آهاً أُرَدِّدُ حَسرَةً لِفراقِهِ

آهاً أُرَدِّدُ حَسرَةً لِفراقِهِ

إِذ لا أَراهُ وَقَد تَطاوَلَ باسِقُ

إِذ لا أَراهُ وَقَد تَطاوَلَ باسِقُ

Ah! I cry again and again, grieving at parting from him,

Alas, I lament the sorrow of parting with him

For I shall not see him when he has risen, towering high.

Since I cannot see him, carried high on his banner

أَترى أراهُ وَاللِواءُ أَمامَهُ

أَترى أراهُ وَاللِواءُ أَمامَهُ

وَعَلِيٌّ اِبني لِلِّواءِ مُعانِقُ

وَعَلِيٌّ اِبني لِلِّواءِ مُعانِقُ

Do you think I shall see him, with the banner before him,

Can you see him, the banner ahead of him

And Ali, my son, embracing the banner?

And Ali, my son, embracing the banner

أتَراهُ يَشفَعُ لي وَيَرحَمُ عَبرَتي

أتَراهُ يَشفَعُ لي وَيَرحَمُ عَبرَتي

هَيهاتَ إِنّي لا مَحالَةَ زاهِقُ

هَيهاتَ إِنّي لا مَحالَةَ زاهِقُ

Do you think he will intercede for me and pity my tears?

Can you see him intercede for me and pity my sorrow

Far from it! I shall inevitably die.

Alas no, I am inevitably doomed