ياO خليّidle in العينthe eye والأذنِand the ear
يا خليّ العين والأذنِ
لاهياًheedless فيin السرّprivate والعلنِand public
لاهياً في السرّ والعلنِ
O you whose eye and ear are idle,
heedless in private and in public,
أيقظawaken القلبthe heart اللجوجobstinate فقدfor already
أيقظ القلب اللجوج فقد
أثّرتhas left its mark فيهupon it يدthe hand of المحنِtrials
أثّرت فيه يد المحنِ
Awaken the obstinate heart, for already
the hand of trials has left its mark upon it.
عاملtrade with المولىthe Lord بنعمتهusing His bounty
عامل المولى بنعمته
منfrom أياديthe gifts of فعلهHis action الحسنِgracious
من أيادي فعله الحسنِ
Trade with the Lord using His bounty,
drawn from the gifts of His gracious deeds.
وقبيحand shameful أنto تضنّbe miserly وقدand already
وقبيح أن تضنّ وقد
مُلئتhave been filled كفَّاكyour two palms بالمننwith favors
مُلئت كفَّاك بالمنن
And it is shameful to be miserly, when already
both your palms have been filled with favors.
فزكاةُfor the purification of المالwealth بذلُكَهُyour giving it
فزكاةُ المال بذلُكَهُ
وزكاةand the purification of الصَّومfasting للبدنfor the body
وزكاة الصَّوم للبدن
For wealth is purified by your giving it,
and fasting is purification for the body.
ولعاشوراءand for Ashura مرتبةٌa rank
ولعاشوراء مرتبةٌ
شُهرتwas renowned فيin سالفbygone الزّمنtime
شُهرت في سالف الزّمن
And Ashura has a rank
renowned in times gone by.
هوit يومٌa day لمhas not يزلceased أبداًever
هو يومٌ لم يزل أبداً
صومهfasting on it منamong آكدthe most strongly recommended السُّننreligious practices
صومه من آكد السُّنن
It is a day on which, as has always been the case,
fasting is among the most strongly recommended practices.
فاغتنمso seize إنif كنتyou are متجراًa trader
فاغتنم إن كنت متجراً
خَلَساًstolen moments منfrom راحةthe palm of المحنtrials
خَلَساً من راحة المحن
So seize, if you are a trader,
moments stolen from the palm of trials.
فكأنfor it is as though الموتdeath مطلعlooking on
فكأن الموت مطلع
وكأنand as though العيشlife لمhad not يكنexisted
وكأن العيش لم يكن
For it is as though death were looking on,
and as though life had never been.
ترتجيyou hope for فوزاًtriumph وهلand has...? أحدٌanyone
ترتجي فوزاً وهل أحدٌ
نالattained ماwhat يرجوhe hopes for بلاwithout ثمنa price
نال ما يرجو بلا ثمن
You hope for triumph; but has anyone
attained what he hopes for without a price?
إنindeed منwhoever ضاعتwas lost بغيَّتُهُhis goal
إن من ضاعت بغيَّتُهُ
لكثيرsurely great in الغَبنِloss in trade والغَبَنِand faulty judgment
لكثير الغَبنِ والغَبَنِ
Indeed, he whose goal is lost
is surely beset by great loss and faulty judgment.