وَمُنتَسِبٍ عِندي إِلى مَن أُحِبُّهُ

وَمُنتَسِبٍ عِندي إِلى مَن أُحِبُّهُ

وَلِلنُبلِ حَولي مِن يَدَيهِ حَفيفُ

وَلِلنُبلِ حَولي مِن يَدَيهِ حَفيفُ

And a man who claimed kinship before me with the one I love—

And ascribing to me one whom I love

And one stands before me, allied to him I love,

while arrows from his hands rustled around me—

And around me the nobility has murmuring

While arrows from his hands whistle through the air around me.

فَهَيَّجَ مِن شَوقي وَما مِن مَذَلَّةٍ

فَهَيَّجَ مِن شَوقي وَما مِن مَذَلَّةٍ

حَنَنتُ وَلَكِنَّ الكَريمَ أَلوفُ

حَنَنتُ وَلَكِنَّ الكَريمَ أَلوفُ

stirred my longing; not out of humiliation

So it stirred up my longing, and there is no humiliation

He stirred my longing—yet not out of abasement

did I yearn, but the noble-hearted are affectionate.

I yielded, but the noble one is accustomed

Did I yearn, for the noble heart is prone to fondness.

وَكُلُّ وِدادٍ لا يَدومُ عَلى الأَذى

وَكُلُّ وِدادٍ لا يَدومُ عَلى الأَذى

دَوامَ وِدادي لِلحُسَينِ ضَعيفُ

دَوامَ وِدادي لِلحُسَينِ ضَعيفُ

And any love that does not endure despite hurt

And every affection does not last with harm

And every friendship that does not survive the sting of harm,

as my love for al-Husayn endures is weak.

The duration of my affection for Al-Husayn is weak

Measured against my love for Al-Husayn, is weak.

فَإِن يَكُنِ الفِعلُ الَّذي ساءَ واحِداً

فَإِن يَكُنِ الفِعلُ الَّذي ساءَ واحِداً

فَأَفعالُهُ اللائي سَرَرنَ أُلوفُ

فَأَفعالُهُ اللائي سَرَرنَ أُلوفُ

For if the deed that hurt me is one,

So if the deed which displeased one

For if the deed that grieved me was a single one,

then his deeds that delighted me are thousands.

Then his deeds which delighted are thousands

His deeds that brought me joy are thousands strong.

وَنَفسي لَهُ نَفسي الفِداءُ لِنَفسِهِ

وَنَفسي لَهُ نَفسي الفِداءُ لِنَفسِهِ

وَلَكِنَّ بَعضَ المالِكينَ عَنيفُ

وَلَكِنَّ بَعضَ المالِكينَ عَنيفُ

And my soul is his; my soul is the ransom for his soul,

And my soul for him, my soul is ransom for his soul

My soul belongs to him—my life a ransom for his own,

but some masters are harsh.

But some of the owners are violent

Though some who hold power are harsh in their command.