هو يَوْم شَكّ يا عَلِيْ

يٌ وشَرُّه مُذْ كانَ يُحْذَرْ

It is a day of doubt, O Ali

Its good and evil since it began is foreboded,

والجَوُّ حُلَّتُهُ مُمَسْ

سَكَةٌ ومطْرفه مُعَنْبَرْ

And the weather, its garment is overcast,

Tranquil, and its horizon clouded,

والماءُ فِضِّيُّ القَمي

صِ وطَيْلَسَانُ الأَرْضِ أَخْضَرْ

And the rainwater silvern

And the ground's tongue verdant,

نَبْتٌ يُصَعِّدُ زَهْرَهُ

في الرَّوْضِ قَطْرُ نَدىً تَحَدَّرْ

Vegetation sends aloft its blossoms

In the meadow, drops of dew trickling down,

وأَخو الحِجَى لَوْ كانَ هَذا الْ

يَوْمُ مِنْ رَمَضانَ أَفْطَرْ

And the pilgrim's brother, if this were

A day of Ramadan, had broken fast,

ولَنا فُضَيْلاتٌ تَكو

نُ لِيَوْمِنا قُوتاً مُقَدَّرْ

And we have virtues that suffice us

For our day a measured sustenance,

ومُدامَة صَفْراء أَدْ

رَكَ عُمْرَها كِسْرى وقَيْصَرْ

And a yellow wine that aged more

Than Chosroes and Caesar's reigns,

وحَديثُنا ما قَدْ عَلِمْ

تَ وشِعْرَنا ما أَنْتَ أَبْصَرْ

And our talk you've come to know

And our poetry you see more clearly,

فَانْشطْ لَنا نَحْتَثَ مِنْ

كاساتِنا ما كانَ أَكْبَرْ

So be cheerful, and let's drain

From our cups whatever was greatest,

أَوْ لا فَإِنَّكَ جاهِلٌ

إِنْ قُلْتَ إِنَّكَ سَوفَ تُعْذَرْ

Or don't, for you're ignorant

If you say: "You'll be excused."