عَذيرِيَ مِنْ باغٍ علَيّ أُحبُّهُ

عَذيرِيَ مِنْ باغٍ علَيّ أُحبُّهُ

ولم أَرَ بغياً قبلَه جرّه الحبُّ

ولم أَرَ بغياً قبلَه جرّه الحبُّ

Who will defend me against one who wrongs me, whom I love?

My excuse, from a garden that I love

And never before him had I seen injustice brought on by love.

I've never desired a garden that pulled me like love before

يعاتبني في الهجرِ والهجرُ دِينُه

يعاتبني في الهجرِ والهجرُ دِينُه

وقد كان حُلواً لو حلا ودُّه العَتْبُ

وقد كان حُلواً لو حلا ودُّه العَتْبُ

He reproaches me for estrangement, though estrangement is his way.

He blames me for estrangement, yet estrangement is his religion

And reproach would have been sweet, had his affection been sweet.

Reconciliation would have been sweet if his reproach were gentler

وأسلك طُرْقَ الوصلِ وهو محبَّبٌ

وأسلك طُرْقَ الوصلِ وهو محبَّبٌ

فإن ضلَّ حقٌّ بيننا فله الذنبُ

فإن ضلَّ حقٌّ بيننا فله الذنبُ

I tread the paths of union, while he is dearly loved.

I tread the path of union though he is most beloved

Should any right between us be lost, the fault is his.

If any fault lies between us, it's his to bear

بعثتَ نُدوبا من تجنّيك يا أبا ال

بعثتَ نُدوبا من تجنّيك يا أبا ال

حسين سهاماً لا يقوم لها قلبُ

حسين سهاماً لا يقوم لها قلبُ

You sent forth scars from your wrongful accusations, O Abu al-

You have inflicted wounds from your abandonment, oh Abul

Husayn, as arrows no heart can withstand.

Hussein, arrows no heart can withstand

أذِكراً بما سرّ الوشاةَ وتُهمةً

أذِكراً بما سرّ الوشاةَ وتُهمةً

لعهدي وقولاً فيَّ أسهلُهُ صعبُ

لعهدي وقولاً فيَّ أسهلُهُ صعبُ

Do you mention me in terms that delighted the slanderers, cast suspicion

I'm reminded of what pleased the slanderers and accusations

on my pledge, and speak of me in words whose mildest is harsh,

against my vows and words about me - the easiest becoming most difficult

وذَمّاً ولو ما جاء غيرُك خاطباً

وذَمّاً ولو ما جاء غيرُك خاطباً

جزاءً به مني لقد سَهُلَ الخطبُ

جزاءً به مني لقد سَهُلَ الخطبُ

and disparage me? Had anyone but you come seeking

And censure, even if no other suitor had come asking for me

requital for it from me, the matter would have been easy.

In return from me, indeed, proposing would have been easy

وكم جُرِّعتْ مني رجالٌ بحورُها

وكم جُرِّعتْ مني رجالٌ بحورُها

كئوسُ أنتقامٍ مُرّها في فمي عَذْبُ

كئوسُ أنتقامٍ مُرّها في فمي عَذْبُ

How many men have I made drink, whose seas

And how many men have I made drink cups whose bitter waters

are cups of vengeance, their bitterness sweet in my mouth!

Were vengeance I poured in my mouth though tasting sweet

بأيّ وفاءٍ خلتني حُلتُ عن هوىً

بأيّ وفاءٍ خلتني حُلتُ عن هوىً

ومثليَ لا يسلوا وفي الأرض مَن يصبو

ومثليَ لا يسلوا وفي الأرض مَن يصبو

What fidelity did you credit me with, thinking I had turned from love,

With what loyalty have you left me? I'm deprived of my love

when one like me never forgets while anyone on earth still yearns?

And one like me finds no comfort, while men on earth still hope

تصفَّحْ صحابَ الخير والشرّ وأنتقد

تصفَّحْ صحابَ الخير والشرّ وأنتقد

بقلبك تَحُرزْني إذا نُبِذَ الصَّحْبُ

بقلبك تَحُرزْني إذا نُبِذَ الصَّحْبُ

Examine good companions and bad, and judge

Scrutinize the virtuous and the wicked, and with your heart

with your heart: you will keep me when companions are cast aside.

Single me out, when companionship is cast aside

ولا تتمكّنْ من يقينك رِيبةٌ

ولا تتمكّنْ من يقينك رِيبةٌ

فتنبو فإنّ الصارم العضبَ لا ينبو

فتنبو فإنّ الصارم العضبَ لا ينبو

Let no doubt take hold of your certainty,

Let no doubt seize your certainty, else you will waver

lest you turn aside: a keen, cutting sword never glances off.

For the wrathful, solemn blade does not falter

سلمتُ من الحسّادِ فيك فإنهم

سلمتُ من الحسّادِ فيك فإنهم

إذا مُكِّنوا من نارِ فتنتهم شَبُّوا

إذا مُكِّنوا من نارِ فتنتهم شَبُّوا

I have been spared the envious where you are concerned, for they,

I'm safe from enviers in you, for when enabled

when given power over the fire of their discord, set it ablaze.

To ignite their fitnah, they blaze

ولا أطفأتْ منك الليالي بجَوْرها

ولا أطفأتْ منك الليالي بجَوْرها

على العبد رأياً كانْ يقدحُهُ القلبُ

على العبد رأياً كانْ يقدحُهُ القلبُ

And may the nights never quench in you, through their injustice

Neither in their injustice have the nights extinguished from you

toward this servant, a regard the heart once kindled.

An opinion that once sparked the heart