أَنَا أَبْكِيكَ يَا حُسَيْنُ وَمَا

أَوْلَى خَلِيلاً فَارَقْتَهُ بِالبُكَاءِ

I weep for you, O Hussein, though

No friend is worthier of tears shed in grief

وَإِذَا مَا رَثَاكَ كُلُّ أَدِيبٍ

كُنْتُ أَحْرَى مُوَدِّعٍ بِالرِّثاءِ

And whenever the literati mourn you

I am most bereaved in elegy

فُجِعَتْ مِصْرُ إِذْ تَوَلَّيْتَ عَنْهَا

في المَبَرَّاتِ وَالتُقَى وَالوَفَاءِ

Egypt was aggrieved when you turned from it

In nobility, piety, and loyalty

وَأُصِيبَتْ بِفَقْدِ أَيِّ عَمِيدٍ

أُسْرَةُ المَجْدِ وَالنَّدَى وَالذِّكَاءِ

And was struck by the loss of a patron

Of glory, grace, and intellect

عِشْتَ في خَلْوَةٍ زَمَاناً فَخِيلَتْ

عُزْلَةٌ وَهِيَ مُهْجَةُ العَلْيَاءِ

You lived reclusively for a time, so seclusion

Became a refuge for the eminent

وَإِذَا مَا تَنَزَّهَتْ نَفْسُ حُرٍّ

رَدَّتِ الأَرْضُ قِطْعَةً مِنْ سَمَاءِ

And whenever a free soul strolled

The land reflected a piece of heaven

فَامْضِ مُسْتَخْلِفاً بِكُلِّ كَرِيمٍ

مِنْ بَنيكَ الأَعِزَّةِ النُجَبَاءِ

So go appointing your noble

And excellent sons as successors

نَفَرٌ مِنْ نَوابِغِ الجِّيلِ فِيهِ

طَلَعَوْا كَالكواكِبِ الزَّهْرَاءِ

A group of the brilliant ones of the age

Rose like radiant stars

وَالْقِ قَدَّمَتْ يَداكَ مِنَ الْخيْرِ

فَعِنْدَ الرِّحْمَنِ خَيْرُ الجَزَاءِ

And El-Qa presented your hand with good

So with the Merciful - the best reward