أيا من شفه داء دخيل

أيا من شفه داء دخيل

بوجد جسمه منه نحيل

بوجد جسمه منه نحيل

O you whom an inward malady has wasted,

O you who suffer from an alien disease

Whose body has grown thin from yearning,

Seeing his body becoming frail

سألت أولى الصبابة عن دواء

سألت أولى الصبابة عن دواء

لمن يهوى وذلك مستحيل

لمن يهوى وذلك مستحيل

You asked the love-stricken for a remedy

I asked the youth about a cure

For one who loves—and that is impossible.

For one who loves, and that is impossible

لقد أسمعت من ناديت لكن

لقد أسمعت من ناديت لكن

لعمرك من شكوت له عليل

لعمرك من شكوت له عليل

Indeed, the one you called has heard you, but

I have heard those I called but

By your life, the one you complained to is ailing.

By your life, to whom I complained, patient

ولو ذاق الهوى بقراط يوما

ولو ذاق الهوى بقراط يوما

لضلّ بطبه عنه السبيل

لضلّ بطبه عنه السبيل

And had Hippocrates tasted love one day,

If Hippocrates had tasted love one day

Even with his medical skill, the way would have eluded him.

He would have lost his way in curing it

وكم مثلي ومثلك مستهام

وكم مثلي ومثلك مستهام

شج بلحاظ فاتنه قتيل

شج بلحاظ فاتنه قتيل

And many a one, like me and you, is lost in love,

And how many like me and you are lovesick

Grief-stricken, slain by his charmer's glances.

Captivated by the glance of a deadly charmer

وكم من فارس بطل ثناه

وكم من فارس بطل ثناه

أسيراً في الوغى لحظ كليل

أسيراً في الوغى لحظ كليل

And many a valiant horseman has been turned

And how many valiant knights extolled

Into a captive in battle by a languid glance.

Became captive amidst the fray from a fleeting wink

ولو كان الغرام له دواء

ولو كان الغرام له دواء

لكان دواءه الصبر الجميل

لكان دواءه الصبر الجميل

And if passionate love had a remedy,

And if love had a remedy

Its remedy would be beautiful patience.

Its cure would be beautiful patience