1. حتَّى متى يَرمي وكم يتعمَّد

    غُلَّت يَداهُ فغُلَّتي لا تَبرُدُ

    How long will he keep shooting, and how often take deliberate aim?

    May his hands be fettered, for my burning thirst does not cool.

  2. طرفٌ تطرَّف مُهجتي فرصدتُه

    فمضى وعاد وكم تَراني أرصُدُ

    A gaze assailed my heart's edge, so I lay in wait for it.

    So it passed and returned—and how often you see me keeping watch!

  3. حتى تغلغلَ حين أدركَ مُهجتي

    فاليوم أسودُه لقلبي أسودُ

    Until it pierced deep, once it reached my heart.

    So today its black pupil is a black serpent to my heart.

  4. لما بدا ورأى انهمالَ مدامعي

    ولَّى يثلِّثُ وانثنيتُ أوحِّدُ

    When he appeared and saw my streaming tears,

    He turned away professing the Trinity, and I turned back professing God's oneness.

  5. يا ربِّ كيفَ نصرتَه وأنا الذي

    إياكَ من بينِ الثلاثة أعبُدُ

    O my Lord, how have You aided him, when I am the one

    Who worships You alone out of the three?

  6. وصددتُ عنه لما علمت وإنما

    ذاك الصدودُ كما علمتَ مصدَّدُ

    And I turned away from him for what You know; yet

    That turning away, as You know, is forced.

  7. ومُساهمي في السقم طرفٌ سهمُه

    لا رأيه فيما أتاه مسدّدُ

    And a gaze shares my sickness: its arrow,

    Not its judgment in what it did, is well aimed.

  8. يَرمي فَيُصمي والحوادث حولَه

    وحديثُهنَّ إلى الليالي مُسنَدُ

    It shoots and kills outright, while calamities surround it,

    And their story is ascribed to the nights.

  9. وقد استندتُ إليكَ من نكباتها

    يا أحمدَ بنَ محمدٍ يا أحمَدُ

    And I have sought your support against their misfortunes,

    O Ahmad son of Muhammad, O Ahmad!

  10. اليوم تبسطُ راحتيكَ براحَتي

    من صَرفها وتقومُ أنتَ وأقعُدُ

    Today you spread your palms to bring me relief

    From their vicissitudes; you stand, while I sit.

  11. ولها دُعيتَ وكم دعيتَ لمثلِها

    فجرى نداكَ بحيثُ يكبُو الموعِدُ

    And for these you were called—and how often called for their like!

    So your bounty flowed where a promise stumbles,

  12. بخلائق كالماء عند صفائه

    بل هُن للصادي أرقُّ وأبرَدُ

    With virtues like water in its clarity;

    Nay, to the thirsty they are gentler and cooler.

  13. وعزائمٍ كالنارِ إلا أنَّها

    تُلقى عليها النائباتُ وتُوقدُ

    And resolves like fire, except that

    Misfortunes are cast upon them, and they are kindled.

  14. وإذا انتَضى الحدثانُ بعض سيوفِه

    فأبو الحُسين بمثلِه متقلِّدُ

    And when fate unsheathes some of its swords,

    Then Abu al-Husayn is girded with a sword to match.

  15. يا من يظنُّ الجودَ حتماً واجباً

    إنّي أظنُّ بأنَّ ظنَّك يَفسُدُ

    O you who deem generosity a binding duty,

    Indeed, I think your belief is unsound,

  16. مادمتَ مَحموداً على بذل الندى

    إذا كان فاعلُ واجبٍ لا يُحمَدُ

    Since you are praised for bestowing bounty,

    When one who performs a duty receives no praise.