أُعيّر نفسي حرصها واجتهادها

أُعيّر نفسي حرصها واجتهادها

واعذرها حباً إذا الفقر آدها

واعذرها حباً إذا الفقر آدها

I reproach my soul for its eagerness and striving,

I blame my soul for its greed and effort,

and excuse it out of love when poverty burdens it.

And forgive it out of love when poverty has subdued it.

وما ندعّي من عزّة بعد ما رأى

وما ندعّي من عزّة بعد ما رأى

لأيدي الأماني ذلهّا وانقيادها

لأيدي الأماني ذلهّا وانقيادها

And what dignity can we claim, after one has seen

And we cannot claim dignity after what was seen

its abasement and submission to the hands of hopes?

By the hands of hopes - their humiliation and submission.

يلى ربما لاقت نزاهة مطلبٍ

يلى ربما لاقت نزاهة مطلبٍ

إذا وجدت عند الملوك مرادَها

إذا وجدت عند الملوك مرادَها

Indeed, perhaps it found purity in its quest,

Perhaps it will find the integrity of a request

when it found among kings what it desired.

If it finds what it wants with the kings.

اُتيح لها آل نبهان مذهبٌ

اُتيح لها آل نبهان مذهبٌ

كفاها لغير الصّالحين اعتمادَها

كفاها لغير الصّالحين اعتمادَها

A path to the house of Nabhan was opened to it,

The house of glory has afforded it a doctrine

sparing it reliance on any but the righteous.

That suffices it apart from relying on the virtuous.

إذا الشيعة الأزدية أختَرت قَصدها

إذا الشيعة الأزدية أختَرت قَصدها

فيّمم بني نبهان تلحق جَوادَها

فيّمم بني نبهان تلحق جَوادَها

If you choose to seek the Azdite community,

When the Alid Shia have chosen their aim,

then make for the sons of Nabhan and reach its generous one,

The Bani Nebhan hasten their steeds to join them.

وسيدها الباني لها الشرف الذي

وسيدها الباني لها الشرف الذي

كساها سَرابيل الفخار وسدَها

كساها سَرابيل الفخار وسدَها

and its lord, the builder of its honor, who

And its master builder who bestowed upon it the nobility

clothed it in robes of glory and became its lord.

That clothed it in the garments of eminence and blocked it.

لعمري كم عدَّت له من صنيعةٍ

لعمري كم عدَّت له من صنيعةٍ

نُجّلى كفاها أو بنعمى أَفادها

نُجّلى كفاها أو بنعمى أَفادها

By my life, how many a kindness it has credited to him—

By my life! How many fine deeds has it counted for him -

[Unclear opening] he met its needs, or benefited it with a blessing.

Deeds we unveil or with bounty he benefits it.

تملّك من قلب المعاني وعَينَها

تملّك من قلب المعاني وعَينَها

سويداءَه في يَعرب وسوادَها

سويداءَه في يَعرب وسوادَها

He took possession of the heart and eye of noble qualities—

He has taken possession of the heart of meanings and its essence -

the heart's dark core among Ya'rub, and the eye's black pupil.

Its light-colored and dark parts.

ترى في يديه عارض الجود كلّما

ترى في يديه عارض الجود كلّما

أشارت إليه كفّ ظمآن جادَها

أشارت إليه كفّ ظمآن جادَها

You see in his two hands a raincloud of generosity; whenever

You see in his hands the face of generosity whenever

a thirsty man's palm points toward him, he showers it with bounty.

A thirsty palm gestures to him, so he gives drink.

فحّياه باريه وأحياه مدَّةً

فحّياه باريه وأحياه مدَّةً

إلى الأمد الأقصى يُطيل امندادَها

إلى الأمد الأقصى يُطيل امندادَها

So may his Maker bless him and keep him alive for a span

May his Creator keep him alive and prolong his life

whose duration He prolongs to the farthest limit.

To the furthest span - lengthening its extension.