ولما أن تفرقنا

ولما أن تفرقنا

وحالت نوب الدهر

وحالت نوب الدهر

And when we parted,

When we parted

and time's vicissitudes came between us,

And time's turns came between us

رأيت الشهد لا يحلو

رأيت الشهد لا يحلو

فما ظنك بالصبر

فما ظنك بالصبر

I found honey no longer sweet—

I saw that honey was not sweet

what, then, do you think of bitter aloes?

So what will you think of my patience