ما كُنتُ أَوَّلَ مَن أَحَبَّ وَماتَ في

ما كُنتُ أَوَّلَ مَن أَحَبَّ وَماتَ في

وَجدٍ مُنيتُ بِهِ عَلَيهِ وَما يَفي

وَجدٍ مُنيتُ بِهِ عَلَيهِ وَما يَفي

I was not the first to love and die of

I was not the first to love and die of love's torment

Passion that afflicted me for him, though he keeps no faith.

Nor the last as I pined for him, my love unsatisfied

يا يوسُفَ الحُسنِ الَّذي أَنا مُذ شَكا

يا يوسُفَ الحُسنِ الَّذي أَنا مُذ شَكا

في سِجنِ يوسُفَ مِن أَسىً وَتَأَسُّفِ

في سِجنِ يوسُفَ مِن أَسىً وَتَأَسُّفِ

O Joseph of beauty, ever since you fell ill, I have been

O Joseph of beauty, since I've longed for you

In Joseph’s prison, from grief and regret.

I've been locked in sorrow's prison, full of grief

يا سُقمَهُ رِفقاً بِمُدنَفِ جَفنِهِ

يا سُقمَهُ رِفقاً بِمُدنَفِ جَفنِهِ

وَتَرَفُّقاً أَيضاً بِقَلبِ المُدنَفِ

وَتَرَفُّقاً أَيضاً بِقَلبِ المُدنَفِ

O his sickness, be gentle with his languid eyelid,

O gentle one, have mercy on my downcast eyes

And gentle, too, with the heart of the ailing one.

And pity too this lovesick, broken heart of mine

لَو كانَ مِن رَسمِ القُلوبِ تَصَرُّفٌ

لَو كانَ مِن رَسمِ القُلوبِ تَصَرُّفٌ

أَخفَيتُ مِن جِسمي لَكَ القَلبَ الحَفي

أَخفَيتُ مِن جِسمي لَكَ القَلبَ الحَفي

If it were the custom of hearts to move at will,

If only hearts could choose to whom they are inclined

I would have hidden my devoted heart away from my body for you.

For you I'd hide mine within so you could not decline

أو كانَتِ الحُمَّى تُقَيَّدُ نارُها

أو كانَتِ الحُمَّى تُقَيَّدُ نارُها

بِالماءِ كانَت مِن دُموعِيَ تَنطَفي

بِالماءِ كانَت مِن دُموعِيَ تَنطَفي

Or if fever’s fire could be restrained

If only fever's fire could be extinguished

By water, it would be quenched by my tears.

By water, mine would be quenched by my tears' tide