لا وَأَميرِ المُؤمِنينَ بِالنَجَف

أَلِيَّةً ما مانَ فيها مَن حَلَف

No, by the Prince of the Faithful in Najaf

An elite who no oath-taker lingered among,

ما أَنا يَوماً بَعدَ يَومِ بَينِكُم

بِواجِدٍ مِنكُم وَحاشاكُم خَلَف

Never will I be, after a day between you,

With any of you - far from you be reneging.

لي أَدمُعٌ تَنشُرُ في الخَدِّ الأَسى

وَأَضلُعٌ مَطوِيَّةٌ عَلى الأَسَف

I have tears that flow down the cheek of sorrow,

And ribs bent over sadness.

فَإِن شَكَكتُم فَاِسأَلوا مَدامِعي

ما جاهِلٌ بِقِصَّةٍ كَمَن عَرَف

So if you doubt, then ask my tears,

For an ignorant one is not like one who knew.

قَد وَقَفَ القَلبُ عَلى حَرِّ الأَسى

مُذ بانَ عَنّي راحِلاً وَما وَقَف

My heart stood still from the heat of sadness

Since the day he rode off and did not stand still.

أُكَفكِفُ الدَّمعَ بِخَدّي قانِياً

فَانثَني مِن أَدمُعي خاضِبَ كَف

I wipe the tear from my cheek in despair

So my palm was dyed red from my tears.

بُؤتُمُ بِإِثمي يَومَ تَوديعِكُمُ

فَأُودِعَ القَلبُ لَهيباً وَلَهَف

You burdened me with my sin the day you bid me farewell

So the heart was entrusted with flame and anguish,

عودوا فَعودوني لِتَحيا مُهجَتي

وَيَعفُوَ اللَهُ لَكُم عَمّا سَلَف

Return, that you may return life to my sorrow,

And that God may pardon you what is past.

جودوا لَنا بِكُتبِكُم فَإِنَّكُم

بِالكُتبِ مِنّا تَتَلافونَ التَلَف

Be generous to us with your letters for you

Repair through letters the loss from us.

لا تَبخَلوا وَالجودُ مِن شيمَتِكُم

فَلَفظُكُم في الكُتبِ درٌّ في صَدَف

Do not be miserly. Generosity is your way.

Your words in letters are pearls in oyster shells.