نَدَبتَ لِحُسنِ الصَبرِ قَلبَ نَجيبِ

وَنادَيتَ بِالتَسليمِ خَيرَ مُجيبِ

You implored a noble heart for patience’s beauty,

And called for surrender, best respondent.

وَلَم يَبقَ مِنّي غَيرُ قَلبٍ مُشَيِّعٍ

وَعودٍ عَلى نابِ الزَمانِ صَليبِ

Nothing remains of me but a bidding farewell heart,

And a branch atop the days' grind, crucified.

وَقَد عَلِمَت أُمّي بِأَنَّ مَنِيَّتي

بِحَدِّ سِنانٍ أَو بِحَدِّ قَضيبِ

My mother knew my demise would come

By the edge of a spear or sword's blade.

كَما عَلِمَت مِن قَبلِ أَن يَغرَقَ اِبنُها

بِمَهلَكِهِ في الماءِ أُمُّ شَبيبِ

As she knew beforehand her son would drown

In his fateful water, mother of the youth.

تَجَشَّمتُ خَوفَ العارِ أَعظَمَ خُطَّةٍ

وَأَمَّلتُ نَصراً كانَ غَيرَ قَريبِ

I took on the fear of greatest dishonor,

And hoped for victory that was not near.

وَلِلعارِ خَلّى رَبُّ غَسّانَ مُلكَهُ

وَفارَقَ دينَ اللَهِ غَيرَ مُصيبِ

For dishonor the Lord of Ghassan left his rule,

And parted from Allah's faith, not rightly guided.

وَلَم يَرتَغِب في العَيشِ عيسى اِبنُ مُصعِبٍ

وَلا خَفَّ خَوفَ الحَربِ قَلبُ حَبيبِ

Jesus son of Mus'ab craved not for life,

Nor did the heart of Habib fear warfare.

رَضيتُ لِنَفسي كانَ غَيرَ مُوَفَّقٍ

وَلَم تَرضَ نَفسي كانَ غَيرَ نَجيبِ

I settled for a self not prosperous,

And my soul settled not for one not noble.