حُسَينُ إِذا كُنتَ في بَلدَةٍ

حُسَينُ إِذا كُنتَ في بَلدَةٍ

غَريباً فِعاشِر بِآدابِها

غَريباً فِعاشِر بِآدابِها

Husayn, if you are in a town

O Husayn, if you find yourself in a town,

As a stranger, associate with others according to its customs.

A stranger there, then live according to its customs;

وَلا تَفخَرنَ بَينَهُنَ بِالنُّهى

وَلا تَفخَرنَ بَينَهُنَ بِالنُّهى

فَكُلُّ قَبيلٍ بِأَلبابِها

فَكُلُّ قَبيلٍ بِأَلبابِها

And do not boast among them of your intellect,

And do not boast among them of your intellect,

For every tribe has minds of its own.

For every tribe is endowed with its own understanding.

وَلَو عَمِلَ اِبنُ أَبي طالِبٍ

وَلَو عَمِلَ اِبنُ أَبي طالِبٍ

بِهَذي الأُمور لَفُزنا بِها

بِهَذي الأُمور لَفُزنا بِها

And had the son of Abu Talib acted

And had the Son of Abu Talib acted

According to these practices, we would surely have succeeded through them.

By these precepts, we would have secured the prize;

وَلَكِنَّهُ اِعتامَ أَمرَ الإِلَهِ

وَلَكِنَّهُ اِعتامَ أَمرَ الإِلَهِ

فَأَخرَقَ فيهِم بِأَنيابِها

فَأَخرَقَ فيهِم بِأَنيابِها

But he chose the command of God,

But he chose the command of the Divine,

So he tore into them with its fangs.

And so tore into them with its fangs.

عَذيرَكَ مِن ثِقَةٍ بِالَّذي

عَذيرَكَ مِن ثِقَةٍ بِالَّذي

يُنيلَكَ دُنياكَ مَن طابَها

يُنيلَكَ دُنياكَ مَن طابَها

What excuse have you for trusting the one

What excuse have you to trust in that which

Who grants you your world—one who finds it pleasing?

Yields your world to whoever desires it?

فَلا تَمرَحَنَّ لِأَوزارِها

فَلا تَمرَحَنَّ لِأَوزارِها

وَلا تَضجَرَنَّ لِأَوصابِها

وَلا تَضجَرَنَّ لِأَوصابِها

So never revel in its sins,

So do not exult in its heavy burdens,

And never grow impatient with its afflictions.

Nor be distressed by its afflictions.

قِس الغَدَ بِالأَمسِ كَي تَستَريحَ

قِس الغَدَ بِالأَمسِ كَي تَستَريحَ

وَلا تَبتَغي سَعيَ رُغّابِها

وَلا تَبتَغي سَعيَ رُغّابِها

Compare tomorrow with yesterday, so that you may rest,

Measure tomorrow by yesterday to find repose,

And do not pursue the strivings of those who covet it.

And do not seek the pursuits of those who lust after it.