ظَنَّ قَومي أَنَّ الأُساةَ سَتَبري

داءَ وَجدي وَذاكَ شَيءٌ بَعيدُ

My people thought that time would cure

The malady of my heart, but that's far removed

فَأَتَوا بِالطَبيبِ وَهوَ لَعَمري

في ذَوي فَنِّهِ مُجيدٌ مَجيدُ

So they brought the doctor and he is indeed

Among the best in his profession

مُذ رَأى عِلَّتي وَقَد لاحَ لِلمَو

تِ عَليها أَدِلَّةٌ وَشُهودُ

Since he saw my illness and symptoms of death

Were apparent, he checked my pulse and asked "Are you not doubtful?"

جَسَّ نَبضي وَقالَ ما أَنتَ شاكٍ

قُلتُ ناراً لَم يُطفِها التَبريدُ

I said, "A fire that coldness cannot extinguish"

So the next day he set about making medicine, but found

فَغَدا يُخلِصُ الدَواءَ فَأَلفى

نارَ وَجدي مَعَ الدَواءِ تَزيدُ

The fire in my heart only grew stronger with the medicine

He said "This was not originally your sickness"

قالَ ما كانَ أَصلُ دائِكَ هَذا

قُلتُ طَرفي وَذاكَ حالٌ شَديدُ

I said "It's because of my beloved, and that is an extreme condition"

He said "It is the air that has brought this affliction upon you"

قالَ إِنَّ الهَواءَ أَحدَثَ بَلوا

كَ فَقُلتُ المَقصورُ لا المَمدودُ

I said "The confined one, not the outstretched one"

So he withdrew puzzled, and said to my people

فَاِنثَنى حائِراً وَقالَ لِقومي

ما دَواءُ العُشّاقِ إِلّا بَعيدُ

"The cure for lovers is only the remote one"