أَلا هَل أَتاها بِالمَغيبِ سَلامي

أَلا هَل أَتاها بِالمَغيبِ سَلامي

وَهَل خُبِّرَت وَجدي بِها وَغَرامي

وَهَل خُبِّرَت وَجدي بِها وَغَرامي

Ah, has my greeting reached her in my absence?

Does my greeting reach her at nightfall,

And has she been told of my longing for her and my consuming love?

And is she told of my love and passion?

وَهَل عَلِمَت أَنّي ضَنيتُ وَأَنَّها

وَهَل عَلِمَت أَنّي ضَنيتُ وَأَنَّها

شِفائِيَ مِن داءِ الضَنى وَسَقامي

شِفائِيَ مِن داءِ الضَنى وَسَقامي

And has she learned that I have wasted away, and that she is

Does she know that I am her patient,

my cure for the disease of wasting and my sickness?

She, my cure for the sickness of longing and pain?

وَمَهزوزَةٍ هَزَّ القَضيبِ إِذا مَشَت

وَمَهزوزَةٍ هَزَّ القَضيبِ إِذا مَشَت

تَثَنَّت عَلى دَلٍّ وَحُسنِ قَوامي

تَثَنَّت عَلى دَلٍّ وَحُسنِ قَوامي

And a woman swaying like a slender bough, who, when she walks,

Swaying as she walks, slender as a branch,

bends with coquetry and the beauty of her figure,

Bending gracefully, shapely and slim.

أَحَلَّت دَمي مِن غَيرِ جُرمٍ وَحَرَّمَت

أَحَلَّت دَمي مِن غَيرِ جُرمٍ وَحَرَّمَت

بِلا سَبَبٍ يَومَ اللِقاءِ كَلامي

بِلا سَبَبٍ يَومَ اللِقاءِ كَلامي

has declared my blood lawful, though I did no wrong, and forbidden

She denied me, though I'm not guilty,

my speech without cause on the day we met.

And refused my words, though no sin did I commit.

فِداؤُكِ ما أَبقَيتِ مِنّي فَإِنَّهُ

فِداؤُكِ ما أَبقَيتِ مِنّي فَإِنَّهُ

حُشاشَةُ نَفسٍ في نُحولِ عِظامِ

حُشاشَةُ نَفسٍ في نُحولِ عِظامِ

May what you have left of me be your ransom, for it is

Whatever life remains in me is yours,

the last spark of life within emaciated bones.

Though only skin and bones and a breath it be.

صِلي مُغرَماً قَد واصَلَ الشَوقُ دَمعَهُ

صِلي مُغرَماً قَد واصَلَ الشَوقُ دَمعَهُ

سِجاماً عَلى الخَدَّينِ بَعدَ سِجامِ

سِجاماً عَلى الخَدَّينِ بَعدَ سِجامِ

Grant union to a lover whose tears longing has kept flowing

Yearning, with tears flowing down my cheeks,

in torrent after torrent down both cheeks.

Pouring like melted lead, beyond stem or dam.

فَلَيسَ الَّذي حَلَّلتِهِ بِمُحَلَّلٍ

فَلَيسَ الَّذي حَلَّلتِهِ بِمُحَلَّلٍ

وَلَيسَ الَّذي حَرَّمتِهِ بِحَرامِ

وَلَيسَ الَّذي حَرَّمتِهِ بِحَرامِ

For what you have declared lawful is not lawful,

That which you made lawful was never forbidden,

and what you have forbidden is not forbidden.

And that which you made forbidden, never halal.

وَإِنّي لَأَبّاءٌ عَلى كُلِّ لائِمٍ

وَإِنّي لَأَبّاءٌ عَلى كُلِّ لائِمٍ

عَلَيكِ وَعَصّاءٌ لِكُلِّ مَلامِ

عَلَيكِ وَعَصّاءٌ لِكُلِّ مَلامِ

And I stubbornly resist anyone who blames me

I disobey those who blame you,

on your account, and rebel against every reproach.

And rebel against those who criticize and condemn.

وَكُنتُ إِذا حَدَّثتُ نَفسي بِسَلوَةٍ

وَكُنتُ إِذا حَدَّثتُ نَفسي بِسَلوَةٍ

خَلَعتُ عَذاري أَو فَضَضتُ لِجامي

خَلَعتُ عَذاري أَو فَضَضتُ لِجامي

And whenever I spoke to myself of forgetting love,

When I speak of being content,

I cast off my bridle-strap or broke my bridle.

I take off my clothes, or rip them in frenzy.

وَأَسبَلتُ أَثوابي لِكُلِّ عَظيمَةٍ

وَأَسبَلتُ أَثوابي لِكُلِّ عَظيمَةٍ

وَشَمَّرتُ مِن أُخرى لِكُلِّ عُرامِ

وَشَمَّرتُ مِن أُخرى لِكُلِّ عُرامِ

And I let my robes hang for every momentous affair,

I humble myself before every fool,

and, in other pursuits, girded myself for every wild exploit.

And stand tall before every villain.

هَلِ العَيشُ إِلّا ماءُ كَرمٍ مُصَفَّقٌ

هَلِ العَيشُ إِلّا ماءُ كَرمٍ مُصَفَّقٌ

يُرَقرِقُهُ في الكَأسِ ماءُ غَمامِ

يُرَقرِقُهُ في الكَأسِ ماءُ غَمامِ

Is life anything but well-decanted juice of the vine,

What is life but a draft of generous wine,

which cloud-water makes shimmer in the cup,

With tears mixing into the cup like rain?

وَعودُ بَنانٍ حينَ ساعَدَ شَجوَهُ

وَعودُ بَنانٍ حينَ ساعَدَ شَجوَهُ

عَلى نَغَمِ الأَلحانِ نايُ زُنامِ

عَلى نَغَمِ الأَلحانِ نايُ زُنامِ

and Banan's lute, when its plaintive music is accompanied

The music of the reed flute stirs up our longing,

in melodious strains by Zunam's flute?

Accompanied by the wailing melodies of the lute.

أَبى يَومُنا بِالزَوِّ إِلّا تَحَسُّناً

أَبى يَومُنا بِالزَوِّ إِلّا تَحَسُّناً

لَنا بِسَماعٍ طَيِّبٍ وَمُدامِ

لَنا بِسَماعٍ طَيِّبٍ وَمُدامِ

Our day aboard al-Zaww would only grow lovelier

This day our pleasure is but to hear singing,

for us, with sweet music and wine.

Sweet music, and keep company with wine.

غَنينا عَلى قَصرٍ يَسيرُ بِفِتيَةٍ

غَنينا عَلى قَصرٍ يَسيرُ بِفِتيَةٍ

قُعودٍ عَلى أَرجائِهِ وَقِيامِ

قُعودٍ عَلى أَرجائِهِ وَقِيامِ

We lived at ease on a palace that moved, carrying young men

We sing in a castle, strolling its corners,

seated along its sides, and standing.

Some of us sitting, and some of us standing.

تَظَلُّ البُزاةُ البيضُ تَخطِفُ حَولَنا

تَظَلُّ البُزاةُ البيضُ تَخطِفُ حَولَنا

جَآجِئَ طَيرٍ في السَماءِ سَوامِ

جَآجِئَ طَيرٍ في السَماءِ سَوامِ

The white hawks keep snatching all around us

White pigeons flutter around us,

the breasts of birds roaming through the sky.

Darting through the sky like arrows.

تَحَدَّرَ بِالدُرّاجِ مِن كُلِّ شاهِقِ

تَحَدَّرَ بِالدُرّاجِ مِن كُلِّ شاهِقِ

مُخَضَّبَةٌ أَظفارُهُنَّ دَوامِ

مُخَضَّبَةٌ أَظفارُهُنَّ دَوامِ

They swoop down with francolins from every lofty height,

The partridges glide down the hillside,

bloodied, their talons stained.

Their claws tinted red as if with henna.

فَلَم أَرَ كَالقاطولِ يَحمِلُ ماؤُهُ

فَلَم أَرَ كَالقاطولِ يَحمِلُ ماؤُهُ

تَدَفُّقَ بَحرٍ بِالسَماحَةِ طامِ

تَدَفُّقَ بَحرٍ بِالسَماحَةِ طامِ

So I have never seen the like of al-Qatul, whose waters bear

Never did I see, like my beloved, the rain waters

the surge of a sea overflowing with bounty,

Gushing through the valley with such grace and vigor,

وَلا جَبَلاً كَالزَوِّ يوقَفُ تارَةً

وَلا جَبَلاً كَالزَوِّ يوقَفُ تارَةً

وَيَنقادُ إِمّا قُدتَهُ بِزَمامِ

وَيَنقادُ إِمّا قُدتَهُ بِزَمامِ

nor a mountain like al-Zaww, halted at times,

Nor a mountain, like my love, standing firm at times,

and yielding when you lead it by a rein.

Then tamed, led gently by the reins.

لَقَد جَمَعَ اللَهُ المَحاسِنَ كُلَّها

لَقَد جَمَعَ اللَهُ المَحاسِنَ كُلَّها

لِأَبيَضَ مِن آلِ النَبِيِّ هُمامِ

لِأَبيَضَ مِن آلِ النَبِيِّ هُمامِ

God has indeed gathered every virtue

God combined all beauty in this fair-faced one,

for a fair, valiant man from the Prophet's house.

A brilliant moon from the family of the Prophet.

نُطيفُ بِطَلقِ الوَجهِ لا مُتَجَهِّمٍ

نُطيفُ بِطَلقِ الوَجهِ لا مُتَجَهِّمٍ

عَلَينا وَلا نَزرَ العَطاءِ جَهامِ

عَلَينا وَلا نَزرَ العَطاءِ جَهامِ

We gather around one cheerful of face, not one who scowls

Gentle with us, not frowning or withholding generosity,

at us, nor a rainless cloud whose gifts are scant.

Nor being stingy in his overflowing favors.

يُحَبِّبُهُ عِندَ الرَعِيَّةِ أَنَّهُ

يُحَبِّبُهُ عِندَ الرَعِيَّةِ أَنَّهُ

يُدافِعُ عَن أَطرافِها وَيُحامي

يُدافِعُ عَن أَطرافِها وَيُحامي

What endears him to his subjects is that he

The people love him for protecting

defends their frontiers and protects them,

And defending the land’s borders from all sides.

وَأَنَّ لَهُ عَطفاً عَلَيها وَرَأفَةً

وَأَنَّ لَهُ عَطفاً عَلَيها وَرَأفَةً

وَفَضلَ أَيادِ بِالنَوالِ جِسامِ

وَفَضلَ أَيادِ بِالنَوالِ جِسامِ

and that he has tenderness and compassion for them,

For he has tenderness and mercy towards them,

and abundant favors, immense in their bounty.

And his hands pour forth goodness bountifully.

لَقَد لَجَأَ الإِسلامُ مِن سَيفِ جَعفَرٍ

لَقَد لَجَأَ الإِسلامُ مِن سَيفِ جَعفَرٍ

إِلى صارِمٍ في النائِباتِ حُسامِ

إِلى صارِمٍ في النائِباتِ حُسامِ

Islam has indeed sought refuge from Ja'far's sword

When Ja’far’s sword failed to defend the faith,

in a keen blade—a cutting sword in calamities.

The keen blade of al-Husayn became its protector.

يُسَدُّ بِهِ الثَغرُ المَخوفُ اِنثِلامُهُ

يُسَدُّ بِهِ الثَغرُ المَخوفُ اِنثِلامُهُ

وَإِن رامَهُ الأَعداءُ كُلَّ مَرامِ

وَإِن رامَهُ الأَعداءُ كُلَّ مَرامِ

By it the frontier whose breach is feared is secured,

With it he mends the fearful breach,

even if enemies assail it in every possible way.

Should the enemy dare to dream of violating its sanctity.

نُصَلّي وَإِتمامُ الصَلاةِ اِعتِقادُنا

نُصَلّي وَإِتمامُ الصَلاةِ اِعتِقادُنا

بِأَنَّكَ عِندَ اللَهِ خَيرُ إِمامِ

بِأَنَّكَ عِندَ اللَهِ خَيرُ إِمامِ

We pray, and what completes our prayer is our conviction

We pray, confident that you are, in God’s eyes,

that, in God's sight, you are the best of imams.

The best of all Imams to lead us aright.

إِلَيكَ أَمينَ اللَهِ مالَت قُلوبُنا

إِلَيكَ أَمينَ اللَهِ مالَت قُلوبُنا

بِإِخلاصِ نُزّاعٍ إِلَيكَ هِيامِ

بِإِخلاصِ نُزّاعٍ إِلَيكَ هِيامِ

Toward you, O God's trustee, our hearts have inclined

Our hearts incline to you, O Trustee of God,

with the devotion of those who yearn for you, mad with love.

With sincere passion and steadfast devotion.

حَلَفتُ بِمَن أَدعوهُ رَبّاً وَمَن لَهُ

حَلَفتُ بِمَن أَدعوهُ رَبّاً وَمَن لَهُ

صَلاتي وَنُسكي خالِصاً وَصِيامي

صَلاتي وَنُسكي خالِصاً وَصِيامي

I have sworn by Him whom I call Lord, and to whom belong

I swear by Him I worship as my Lord,

my prayer, my worship in pure devotion, and my fasting:

By my prayers, devotions, and fast sincerely kept -

لَقَد حُطتَ دينَ اللَهِ خَيرَ حِياطَةٍ

لَقَد حُطتَ دينَ اللَهِ خَيرَ حِياطَةٍ

وَقُمتَ بِأَمرِ اللَهِ خَيرَ قِيامِ

وَقُمتَ بِأَمرِ اللَهِ خَيرَ قِيامِ

you have indeed guarded God's religion with the finest protection,

You have best protected God’s religion,

and upheld God's command in the finest manner.

And staunchly stood for the way of the Lord.