درستُ طبائع الأجساد عاماً

درستُ طبائع الأجساد عاماً

ولولا عسرُ هضمٍ ما درستُ

ولولا عسرُ هضمٍ ما درستُ

I studied the constitutions of bodies for a year;

I studied the nature of bodies for a year,

and but for indigestion, I would not have studied.

And had digestion not been difficult, I would not have studied.

طبيباً صرت إلا أن طبي

طبيباً صرت إلا أن طبي

نفعت به سواي وما انتفعتُ

نفعت به سواي وما انتفعتُ

I became a physician, but as for my medicine,

I became a physician, but my medicine

I helped others with it, yet gained no benefit myself.

Benefited others besides me, but not me.

وأحسب أنني والداء فردٌ

وأحسب أنني والداء فردٌ

بأدواءٍ ستقتلني أُصِبتُ

بأدواءٍ ستقتلني أُصِبتُ

And I think that disease and I are one:

And I believe that I am unique with illness,

I have been afflicted with ailments that will kill me.

With remedies that would kill me if I took them.