مَا أَقْرَبَ اليَأسَ مِنْ رَجائي

وَأبعدَ الصَّبرَ مِنْ بُكائي

How near is despair to my hope,

And how far is patience from my weeping!

يَا مُذْكِيَ النَّارِ في فُؤادي

أَنْتَ دَوائي وأنْتَ دَائي

O you who kindle the fire in my heart,

You are my remedy and you are my disease.

مِنْ لي بِمُخْلِفَةٍ في وَعدِهَا

تَخْلِطُ لِي اليَأْسَ بِالرَّجاءِ

Is there anyone who breaks her promise,

Mixing despair with hope for me?

سألتها حَاجَةً فَلَمْ تَفُهْ

فيها بِنَعْمٍ ولا بِلاءِ

I asked her for something but she did not understand

Whether it was a blessing or a trial.

قُلْتُ استيجبي فلمَّا لم تُجِبْ

فَاضَتْ دُمُوعِي على رِدَائي

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

My tears flowed down upon my cloak.

كآبَةُ الذُّلِّ في كِتابي

وَنَخْوَةُ العِزَّ في الجَوَاءِ

The humiliation of disgrace is in my book,

And the tenderness of honor is in the air.