سلني عن الحب يا من ليس يعرفُهُ

ما أطيبَ الحُبَّ لولا أنه نكِدُ

Ask me of love, O you who do not know it

How sweet is love, were it not so bitter

طعمانِ مرٌّ وحلوٌ ليس يعدِلُه

في حلقِ ذائقهِ مُرٌّ ولا شُهُدُ

It has two tastes - bitter and sweet, nothing equals it

In the throat of its taster, bitter not sweet