عجبتُI marveled لشُكرِيat my gratitude كيفhow يرجوit hopes بجهدِهthrough its effort
عجبتُ لشُكرِي كيف يرجو بجهدِه
مُكافاةَrepayment for ماwhat يُولىbestows الحسينُal-Husayn منof الفَضْلِbounty
مُكافاةَ ما يُولى الحسينُ من الفَضْلِ
I marveled at my gratitude: how does it hope, through its effort,
I wondered at my thanks, how with my effort
to repay the bounty al-Husayn bestows?
It hopes to repay the virtues that al-Husayn bestows.
وإنيand indeed I وإياهand him لَكالأرضِindeed like the earth حاولتْtried
وإني وإياه لَكالأرضِ حاولتْ
مجازاةَrepayment for ماwhat تُولىbestows السماءُthe sky منof الوَبْلtorrential rain
مجازاةَ ما تُولى السماءُ من الوَبْل
And indeed, I am to him like the earth that tried
Yet he and I are like the earth that tried
to repay the sky for the torrential rain it bestows.
To repay the rain that the sky bestows.