رَأيٌ فَحُبٌّ فَرامَ الوَصلَ فَاِمتَنَعوا

رَأيٌ فَحُبٌّ فَرامَ الوَصلَ فَاِمتَنَعوا

فَهامَ عِشقاً فَأَمسى جِسمُهُ حَرضا

فَهامَ عِشقاً فَأَمسى جِسمُهُ حَرضا

He saw, then loved, then sought union—but they refused.

A glimpse, then love; he sought union, but they refused.

So he wandered, love-mad, until his body wasted to the brink of ruin.

Then he went mad with love, and his body wasted away.

وَحاوَلَ القُربُ فَاِستَعصَت مَطالِبُهُ

وَحاوَلَ القُربُ فَاِستَعصَت مَطالِبُهُ

فَسامَ صَبراً فاعِياً نَيلُهُ فَقَضا

فَسامَ صَبراً فاعِياً نَيلُهُ فَقَضا

He tried to draw near, but all he sought proved beyond reach.

And he sought nearness, but his wishes proved unattainable.

So he sought patience; gaining it proved beyond him, and he died.

Then he sought patience, but attaining it eluded him, and so he died.