مَا أَقْرَبَ اليَأسَ مِنْ رَجائي

مَا أَقْرَبَ اليَأسَ مِنْ رَجائي

وَأبعدَ الصَّبرَ مِنْ بُكائي

وَأبعدَ الصَّبرَ مِنْ بُكائي

How close despair is to my hope!

How near is despair to my hope,

And how far patience is from my weeping!

And how far is patience from my weeping!

يَا مُذْكِيَ النَّارِ في فُؤادي

يَا مُذْكِيَ النَّارِ في فُؤادي

أَنْتَ دَوائي وأنْتَ دَائي

أَنْتَ دَوائي وأنْتَ دَائي

O you who kindle the fire in my heart,

O you who kindle the fire in my heart,

You are my cure, and you are my ailment.

You are my remedy and you are my disease.

مِنْ لي بِمُخْلِفَةٍ في وَعدِهَا

مِنْ لي بِمُخْلِفَةٍ في وَعدِهَا

تَخْلِطُ لِي اليَأْسَ بِالرَّجاءِ

تَخْلِطُ لِي اليَأْسَ بِالرَّجاءِ

Who will help me with one who breaks her promise,

Is there anyone who breaks her promise,

Mixing despair with hope for me?

Mixing despair with hope for me?

سألتها حَاجَةً فَلَمْ تَفُهْ

سألتها حَاجَةً فَلَمْ تَفُهْ

فيها بِنَعْمٍ ولا بِلاءِ

فيها بِنَعْمٍ ولا بِلاءِ

I asked her for a favor, but she did not utter

I asked her for something but she did not understand

Either a yes or a no concerning it.

Whether it was a blessing or a trial.

قُلْتُ استيجبي فلمَّا لم تُجِبْ

قُلْتُ استيجبي فلمَّا لم تُجِبْ

فَاضَتْ دُمُوعِي على رِدَائي

فَاضَتْ دُمُوعِي على رِدَائي

I said, "Respond!" Then, when she did not reply,

I said "Answer me," but when she did not answer

My tears overflowed onto my cloak.

My tears flowed down upon my cloak.

كآبَةُ الذُّلِّ في كِتابي

كآبَةُ الذُّلِّ في كِتابي

وَنَخْوَةُ العِزَّ في الجَوَاءِ

وَنَخْوَةُ العِزَّ في الجَوَاءِ

The gloom of abasement is in my letter,

The humiliation of disgrace is in my book,

And the pride of honor is in the broad valley.

And the tenderness of honor is in the air.