أحُسيَنُ والمبعوثُ جدُّك بالهدى

أحُسيَنُ والمبعوثُ جدُّك بالهدى

قسماً يكونُ الحقُ عنه مُسائِلي

قسماً يكونُ الحقُ عنه مُسائِلي

O Husayn, by your grandfather, sent with guidance—

O Hussein and your grandfather the Messenger with guidance

an oath for which the Truth will hold me to account—

I swear I will question the truth about him

لو كنت شاهدَ كربلا لبذلتُ في

لو كنت شاهدَ كربلا لبذلتُ في

تنفيسِ كربِكَ جهدَ بذلِ الباذلِ

تنفيسِ كربِكَ جهدَ بذلِ الباذلِ

had I been present at Karbala, I would have devoted to

If I had witnessed Karbala I would have exerted

relieving your anguish the utmost effort a giver could offer.

Myself in relieving your suffering with the effort of the devoted

وسقيتُ حدَّ السيفِ من أعدائكم

وسقيتُ حدَّ السيفِ من أعدائكم

علَلاً وحدَّ السمهريّ الذابلِ

علَلاً وحدَّ السمهريّ الذابلِ

And I would have made the sword's edge drink from your enemies,

And I would have fought your enemies to the edge of the sword

draught after draught—and the point of the slender, stiff-shafted spear.

With illnesses and to the wasting away of the invalid

لكنّني أُخِّرت عنكَ لشقوَتي

لكنّني أُخِّرت عنكَ لشقوَتي

فبلابِلي بين الغَريِّ وبابِلِ

فبلابِلي بين الغَريِّ وبابِلِ

But, to my misfortune, I came too late for you;

But I was kept from you due to my wretchedness

so my sorrows lie between al-Ghari and Babylon.

So mix my confusion between gratitude and tribulation

هبني حُرِمتُ النصرَ من أعدائِكم

هبني حُرِمتُ النصرَ من أعدائِكم

فأقلّ من حزنٍ ودمعٍ سائلِ

فأقلّ من حزنٍ ودمعٍ سائلِ

Grant that I was denied victory over your enemies;

Deprive me of the honor of victory over your enemies

then at least let there be sorrow and flowing tears.

So I shed less of sorrow and flowing tears