ما ضَرَّ مَن شُغِلَ الفُؤادُ بِبُخلِهِ

ما ضَرَّ مَن شُغِلَ الفُؤادُ بِبُخلِهِ

لَو كانَ عَلَّلني بِوَعدٍ كاذِبِ

لَو كانَ عَلَّلني بِوَعدٍ كاذِبِ

What harm would it have done the one whose stinginess consumed my heart,

What harm would it have done the one whose stinginess preoccupied my heart,

had he kept me going with a false promise?

Had he consoled me with a false promise?

صَبراً عَلَيكَ فَما أَرى لِيَ حيلَةً

صَبراً عَلَيكَ فَما أَرى لِيَ حيلَةً

إِلّا التَمَسُّكِ بِالرَجاءِ الخائِبِ

إِلّا التَمَسُّكِ بِالرَجاءِ الخائِبِ

I will be patient with you, for I see no course for my love

I must be patient with you, for I see no recourse for myself

but to cling to a hope that will fail.

Except to cling to vain hope.

سَأَموتُ مِن كَمَدٍ وَتَبقى حاجَتي

سَأَموتُ مِن كَمَدٍ وَتَبقى حاجَتي

فيما لَدَيكَ وَما لَها مِن طالِبِ

فيما لَدَيكَ وَما لَها مِن طالِبِ

I shall die of consuming grief, while my need remains

I shall die of anguish, and my need will remain

there with you, with no one left to seek it.

For what you possess, with no one left to pursue it.