أَنَا أَبْكِيكَ يَا حُسَيْنُ وَمَا

أَنَا أَبْكِيكَ يَا حُسَيْنُ وَمَا

أَوْلَى خَلِيلاً فَارَقْتَهُ بِالبُكَاءِ

أَوْلَى خَلِيلاً فَارَقْتَهُ بِالبُكَاءِ

I weep for you, O Husayn—and how

I weep for you, O Hussein, though

Worthy of tears is a friend you have parted from!

No friend is worthier of tears shed in grief

وَإِذَا مَا رَثَاكَ كُلُّ أَدِيبٍ

وَإِذَا مَا رَثَاكَ كُلُّ أَدِيبٍ

كُنْتُ أَحْرَى مُوَدِّعٍ بِالرِّثاءِ

كُنْتُ أَحْرَى مُوَدِّعٍ بِالرِّثاءِ

And if every man of letters laments you,

And whenever the literati mourn you

I would be the one bidding farewell most entitled to lament.

I am most bereaved in elegy

فُجِعَتْ مِصْرُ إِذْ تَوَلَّيْتَ عَنْهَا

فُجِعَتْ مِصْرُ إِذْ تَوَلَّيْتَ عَنْهَا

في المَبَرَّاتِ وَالتُقَى وَالوَفَاءِ

في المَبَرَّاتِ وَالتُقَى وَالوَفَاءِ

Egypt was bereaved when you departed from her,

Egypt was aggrieved when you turned from it

In charitable deeds, piety, and fidelity.

In nobility, piety, and loyalty

وَأُصِيبَتْ بِفَقْدِ أَيِّ عَمِيدٍ

وَأُصِيبَتْ بِفَقْدِ أَيِّ عَمِيدٍ

أُسْرَةُ المَجْدِ وَالنَّدَى وَالذِّكَاءِ

أُسْرَةُ المَجْدِ وَالنَّدَى وَالذِّكَاءِ

And the loss of so great a patriarch struck

And was struck by the loss of a patron

The family of glory, generosity, and intellect.

Of glory, grace, and intellect

عِشْتَ في خَلْوَةٍ زَمَاناً فَخِيلَتْ

عِشْتَ في خَلْوَةٍ زَمَاناً فَخِيلَتْ

عُزْلَةٌ وَهِيَ مُهْجَةُ العَلْيَاءِ

عُزْلَةٌ وَهِيَ مُهْجَةُ العَلْيَاءِ

You lived in seclusion awhile, so it was thought to be

You lived reclusively for a time, so seclusion

Isolation—yet it was the heart of greatness.

Became a refuge for the eminent

وَإِذَا مَا تَنَزَّهَتْ نَفْسُ حُرٍّ

وَإِذَا مَا تَنَزَّهَتْ نَفْسُ حُرٍّ

رَدَّتِ الأَرْضُ قِطْعَةً مِنْ سَمَاءِ

رَدَّتِ الأَرْضُ قِطْعَةً مِنْ سَمَاءِ

And when a free man's soul purifies itself,

And whenever a free soul strolled

The earth returns a fragment of heaven.

The land reflected a piece of heaven

فَامْضِ مُسْتَخْلِفاً بِكُلِّ كَرِيمٍ

فَامْضِ مُسْتَخْلِفاً بِكُلِّ كَرِيمٍ

مِنْ بَنيكَ الأَعِزَّةِ النُجَبَاءِ

مِنْ بَنيكَ الأَعِزَّةِ النُجَبَاءِ

So depart, leaving a successor in every noble one

So go appointing your noble

Among your cherished, distinguished sons.

And excellent sons as successors

نَفَرٌ مِنْ نَوابِغِ الجِّيلِ فِيهِ

نَفَرٌ مِنْ نَوابِغِ الجِّيلِ فِيهِ

طَلَعَوْا كَالكواكِبِ الزَّهْرَاءِ

طَلَعَوْا كَالكواكِبِ الزَّهْرَاءِ

A band of the generation's brilliant minds—in its midst

A group of the brilliant ones of the age

They rose like radiant stars.

Rose like radiant stars

وَالْقِ قَدَّمَتْ يَداكَ مِنَ الْخيْرِ

وَالْقِ قَدَّمَتْ يَداكَ مِنَ الْخيْرِ

فَعِنْدَ الرِّحْمَنِ خَيْرُ الجَزَاءِ

فَعِنْدَ الرِّحْمَنِ خَيْرُ الجَزَاءِ

And meet the good your hands have sent ahead;

And El-Qa presented your hand with good

For with the All-Merciful is the best recompense.

So with the Merciful - the best reward