نَدَبتَ لِحُسنِ الصَبرِ قَلبَ نَجيبِ

نَدَبتَ لِحُسنِ الصَبرِ قَلبَ نَجيبِ

وَنادَيتَ بِالتَسليمِ خَيرَ مُجيبِ

وَنادَيتَ بِالتَسليمِ خَيرَ مُجيبِ

You called on a nobleman's heart to endure with grace,

You implored a noble heart for patience’s beauty,

And called on the best responder to submit.

And called for surrender, best respondent.

وَلَم يَبقَ مِنّي غَيرُ قَلبٍ مُشَيِّعٍ

وَلَم يَبقَ مِنّي غَيرُ قَلبٍ مُشَيِّعٍ

وَعودٍ عَلى نابِ الزَمانِ صَليبِ

وَعودٍ عَلى نابِ الزَمانِ صَليبِ

And nothing was left of me but a dauntless heart,

Nothing remains of me but a bidding farewell heart,

And a wooden frame unyielding to Time's fang.

And a branch atop the days' grind, crucified.

وَقَد عَلِمَت أُمّي بِأَنَّ مَنِيَّتي

وَقَد عَلِمَت أُمّي بِأَنَّ مَنِيَّتي

بِحَدِّ سِنانٍ أَو بِحَدِّ قَضيبِ

بِحَدِّ سِنانٍ أَو بِحَدِّ قَضيبِ

And my mother knew full well that my death would come

My mother knew my demise would come

By a spearpoint or a sword's edge.

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

كَما عَلِمَت مِن قَبلِ أَن يَغرَقَ اِبنُها

كَما عَلِمَت مِن قَبلِ أَن يَغرَقَ اِبنُها

بِمَهلَكِهِ في الماءِ أُمُّ شَبيبِ

بِمَهلَكِهِ في الماءِ أُمُّ شَبيبِ

Just as she knew, before her son drowned,

As she knew beforehand her son would drown

Of his death in the water—Shabib's mother.

In his fateful water, mother of the youth.

تَجَشَّمتُ خَوفَ العارِ أَعظَمَ خُطَّةٍ

تَجَشَّمتُ خَوفَ العارِ أَعظَمَ خُطَّةٍ

وَأَمَّلتُ نَصراً كانَ غَيرَ قَريبِ

وَأَمَّلتُ نَصراً كانَ غَيرَ قَريبِ

For fear of disgrace, I braved the greatest ordeal,

I took on the fear of greatest dishonor,

And hoped for victory that was far off.

And hoped for victory that was not near.

وَلِلعارِ خَلّى رَبُّ غَسّانَ مُلكَهُ

وَلِلعارِ خَلّى رَبُّ غَسّانَ مُلكَهُ

وَفارَقَ دينَ اللَهِ غَيرَ مُصيبِ

وَفارَقَ دينَ اللَهِ غَيرَ مُصيبِ

And for fear of disgrace, the lord of Ghassan forsook his kingdom,

For dishonor the Lord of Ghassan left his rule,

And left God's religion, in error.

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

وَلَم يَرتَغِب في العَيشِ عيسى اِبنُ مُصعِبٍ

وَلَم يَرتَغِب في العَيشِ عيسى اِبنُ مُصعِبٍ

وَلا خَفَّ خَوفَ الحَربِ قَلبُ حَبيبِ

وَلا خَفَّ خَوفَ الحَربِ قَلبُ حَبيبِ

Nor did Isa son of Mus'ab yearn for life,

Jesus son of Mus'ab craved not for life,

Nor did Habib's heart tremble for fear of war.

Nor did the heart of Habib fear warfare.

رَضيتُ لِنَفسي كانَ غَيرَ مُوَفَّقٍ

رَضيتُ لِنَفسي كانَ غَيرَ مُوَفَّقٍ

وَلَم تَرضَ نَفسي كانَ غَيرَ نَجيبِ

وَلَم تَرضَ نَفسي كانَ غَيرَ نَجيبِ

I accepted for myself: 'He was unsuccessful';

I settled for a self not prosperous,

But my soul would not accept: 'He was ignoble.'

And my soul settled not for one not noble.