يَقولُsays أُناسٌsome people لَوif only نَعَتَّyou described لَناto us الهَوىlove
يَقولُ أُناسٌ لَو نَعَتَّ لَنا الهَوى
وَوَاللَهِand, by God ماnot أَدريI know لَهُمto them كَيفَhow أَنعَتُI describe
وَوَاللَهِ ما أَدري لَهُم كَيفَ أَنعَتُ
Some people say, "If only you would describe love to us!"
Some say, if only love's pain I could portray!
And, by God, I do not know how to describe it to them.
By God, I know not how I could portray.
سَقامٌsickness عَلىupon جِسميmy body كَثيرٌabundant مُوَسَّعٌwidespread
سَقامٌ عَلى جِسمي كَثيرٌ مُوَسَّعٌ
وَنَومٌand sleep عَلىupon عَينيmy eye قَليلٌscant مُفَوَّتُlost
وَنَومٌ عَلى عَيني قَليلٌ مُفَوَّتُ
A great, widespread sickness lies upon my body,
My body is filled with much lingering illness,
And sleep upon my eye is scant and lost to me.
My eyes get little sleep that flits away.
إِذاwhen اِشتَدَّgrew intense ماwhat بيafflicts me كانَwas أَفضَلُbest حيلَتيmy recourse
إِذا اِشتَدَّ ما بي كانَ أَفضَلُ حيلَتي
لَهُfor it وَضعَplacing كَفّيmy palm فَوقَupon خَدّيmy cheek وَأَسكُتُand I keep silent
لَهُ وَضعَ كَفّي فَوقَ خَدّي وَأَسكُتُ
When what ails me grows intense, my best recourse
When my pain grows strong, my best recourse
for it is to lay my palm upon my cheek and keep silent.
Is but to place my hands upon my cheeks and hush.
Sol 6.1