بِنَفسي من قد حازَ لونَ الدُجى فَرعا

بِنَفسي من قد حازَ لونَ الدُجى فَرعا

وَلَم يَكفِهِ حتّى تقمَّصَه درعا

وَلَم يَكفِهِ حتّى تقمَّصَه درعا

My soul be the ransom of one whose tresses have taken on the color of night,

I would give my life for him whose locks bear the hue of night;

and even that did not suffice him until he donned that color as armor.

And that did not suffice him until he donned it as armor.

بدا فكأَنَّ البدرَ في جُنح لَيلةٍ

بدا فكأَنَّ البدرَ في جُنح لَيلةٍ

أَو الشَمسَ وافت في ظَلام الدُجى تَسعى

أَو الشَمسَ وافت في ظَلام الدُجى تَسعى

He appeared as though the full moon shone in the heart of night,

He appeared—as though the full moon were in the darkness of night,

or the sun had come, moving through the depths of darkness.

Or the sun had arrived, hastening through night's gloom.

نَمتهُ لنا عشرُ المحرَّم جهرةً

نَمتهُ لنا عشرُ المحرَّم جهرةً

يطارحُ أَتراباً تكنَّفنهُ سَبعا

يطارحُ أَتراباً تكنَّفنهُ سَبعا

The tenth of Muharram made him known to us openly,

The ten days of Muharram revealed him openly to us,

engaging with peers—seven clustered around him.

Conversing with seven companions his own age who had gathered around him.

تبدّى على رُزء الحُسين مسوَّداً

تبدّى على رُزء الحُسين مسوَّداً

وَما زالَ يولي في الهَوى كربَ لا منعا

وَما زالَ يولي في الهَوى كربَ لا منعا

He appeared dressed in black for the calamity of al-Husayn,

He appeared clad in black for the tragedy of Husayn,

yet in love he never ceased dealing out anguish, withholding none.

And he kept bestowing anguish in love, not refusal.

وَقَد سَلَّ من جَفينه عَضباً مهنَّداً

وَقَد سَلَّ من جَفينه عَضباً مهنَّداً

كأَنَّ له في كُلِّ جارحةٍ وقعا

كأَنَّ له في كُلِّ جارحةٍ وقعا

From his eyelids he had drawn a keen, Indian-forged sword,

And he had drawn from his eyelid a keen blade of Indian steel,

as though it struck every limb.

As though it struck a blow in every limb.

هناك رأَيتُ الموتَ تَندى صفاحُه

هناك رأَيتُ الموتَ تَندى صفاحُه

وَناعي الأَسى يَنعي وأَهل الهوى صرعا

وَناعي الأَسى يَنعي وأَهل الهوى صرعا

There I saw Death, the broad faces of its blades dripping wet,

There I saw death, its blades growing moist,

and sorrow’s herald proclaiming the people of love fallen.

And sorrow's herald announced death, while the lovers lay slain.