شاب فود الصبّ حزناً مثل ما

شاب فود الصبّ حزناً مثل ما

همّ بالهجر حبيب ودّعه

همّ بالهجر حبيب ودّعه

The lover's temple turned gray with sorrow, just as

A young man bid farewell to his beloved in sorrow

a beloved resolved to part, bidding him farewell.

As she decided to part from him

يا لشيب عم وجهاً فبكى

يا لشيب عم وجهاً فبكى

كيف لا يبكي لشيبٍ قنّعه

كيف لا يبكي لشيبٍ قنّعه

Ah, for gray hair that covered his face, and he wept!

Oh how his face withered and cried

How could he not weep at gray hair that veiled him?

How could it not cry for the separation forced upon it

يا لقلبٍ مودعٍ سرّ الأسى

يا لقلبٍ مودعٍ سرّ الأسى

ودّع الصبّ وماذا أوْدَعه

ودّع الصبّ وماذا أوْدَعه

Ah, for a heart entrusted with sorrow's secret!

Oh how a heart bid farewell, the secret of anguish

It bade the lover farewell—and what it lodged in him!

It bid the morning farewell, what did it confide in it

يا عليًّا لست أنسى برّه

يا عليًّا لست أنسى برّه

وهو لا ينسى مديحاً يسمعه

وهو لا ينسى مديحاً يسمعه

O Ali, I never forget his kindness,

Oh Ali, I do not forget your kindness

and he never forgets the praise he hears.

And you do not forget praise you hear

سيدي كنْ غوثَ ألفاظي فقد

سيدي كنْ غوثَ ألفاظي فقد

أصبحوا من شامهم في مضيعَه

أصبحوا من شامهم في مضيعَه

My lord, be the rescuer of my words, for

My master, be the aid of my words for they

they have come from their Syria into a place of neglect.

Have been lost from their famine in their pasture

حسرتي مع ذا ومع ذا فأنا

حسرتي مع ذا ومع ذا فأنا

معهمُ مع بعدهم في معمَعه

معهمُ مع بعدهم في معمَعه

My anguish is with this one and with that, so I

My regret is with this one and that one, for I

am with them, despite their distance, amid turmoil.

Am with them, with them in their absence

غير أني قائلٌ قولَ فتى

غير أني قائلٌ قولَ فتى

كضّه صدّ فأبدى جزعه

كضّه صدّ فأبدى جزعه

Yet I utter the words of a youth

Except that I say the words of a young man

tormented by rejection, who then revealed his anguish:

Whose family rejected him and he showed his agony

لا تهني بعد ما أكرمتني

لا تهني بعد ما أكرمتني

فشديدٌ عادةٌ منتزَعه

فشديدٌ عادةٌ منتزَعه

Do not humiliate me after you have honored me,

Do not congratulate me after you honored me

for a habit torn away is hard to bear.

For it is a strong habit once gained

وابقَ ذا الفضلين فضلاً حازه

وابقَ ذا الفضلين فضلاً حازه

وارث العليا وفضلاً جمّعه

وارث العليا وفضلاً جمّعه

And remain possessed of both merits: one gained

And keep those two virtues you gained

by an heir to exalted rank, and another he amassed.

Inheritor of the most high and virtues you gathered

واهنَ بالعيد وألفٍ مثله

واهنَ بالعيد وألفٍ مثله

في سناءٍ أو هناءٍ أو دَعه

في سناءٍ أو هناءٍ أو دَعه

And rejoice in the feast, and in a thousand like it,

And congratulate for the feast and a thousand like it

in splendor, or bliss, or ease.

In gladness, joy or leave it