ظَنَّ قَومي أَنَّ الأُساةَ سَتَبري

ظَنَّ قَومي أَنَّ الأُساةَ سَتَبري

داءَ وَجدِيَ وَالعِلاجُ يُفيدُ

داءَ وَجدِيَ وَالعِلاجُ يُفيدُ

My people thought the physicians would cure

My people thought misery would leave

the sickness of my passion, and treatment would help.

The illness of my heart, and treatment avail

فَأَتَوا بِالطَبيبِ وَهوَ لَعَمري

فَأَتَوا بِالطَبيبِ وَهوَ لَعَمري

في ذَوي فَنِّهِ مُجيدٌ مُجيدُ

في ذَوي فَنِّهِ مُجيدٌ مُجيدُ

So they brought the physician, who, by my life,

So they brought the doctor, who is indeed

was skilled among practitioners of his art—truly skilled.

Skilled in his art, excellent and wise

مُذ رَأى عِلَّتي وَقَد لاحَ لِلمَو

مُذ رَأى عِلَّتي وَقَد لاحَ لِلمَو

تِ عَلَيها أَدِلَّةٌ وَشُهودُ

تِ عَلَيها أَدِلَّةٌ وَشُهودُ

When he saw my ailment, with death's

When he saw my sickness, and the signs of death

signs and witnesses already apparent upon it,

Were clear to him, with witnesses beside

جَسَّ نَبضي وَقالَ ما أَنتَ شاكٍ

جَسَّ نَبضي وَقالَ ما أَنتَ شاكٍ

قُلتُ ناراً لَم يُطفِها التَبريدُ

قُلتُ ناراً لَم يُطفِها التَبريدُ

he felt my pulse and said, 'What ails you?'

He felt my pulse, and asked, "Are you not doubtful?"

I said, 'A fire that cooling has not quenched.'

I said, "A fire that cooling cannot subdue."

فَغَدا يُخلِصُ الدَواءَ فَأَلفى

فَغَدا يُخلِصُ الدَواءَ فَأَلفى

نارَ وَجدي مَعَ الدَواءِ تَزيدُ

نارَ وَجدي مَعَ الدَواءِ تَزيدُ

So he began purifying the medicine, and found

Next day he mixed the draught, but found

the fire of my passion growing with the medicine.

The fire of my heart the stronger for his drug

قالَ ما كانَ أَصلُ دائِكَ هَذا

قالَ ما كانَ أَصلُ دائِكَ هَذا

قُلتُ طَرفي وَذاكَ حالٌ شَديدُ

قُلتُ طَرفي وَذاكَ حالٌ شَديدُ

He said, 'What was the cause of this ailment of yours?'

He said, "What was this malady of yours?"

I said, 'My gaze—and that is a grave condition.'

I said, "My eyelid - and that is something dire."

قالَ إِنَّ الهَوى قَدِ أَحدَثَ بَلوا

قالَ إِنَّ الهَوى قَدِ أَحدَثَ بَلوا

كَ فَقُلتُ المَقصورُ لا المَمدودُ

كَ فَقُلتُ المَقصورُ لا المَمدودُ

He said, 'Love has indeed brought about this affliction

He said, "Love has brought you dangerous pain."

of yours.' I said, 'The short form, not the long.'

I said, "The imprisoned, not the outstretched."

فَاِنثَنى حائِراً وَقالَ لِأَهلي

فَاِنثَنى حائِراً وَقالَ لِأَهلي

ما شِفاءُ العُشّاقِ إِلّا بَعيدُ

ما شِفاءُ العُشّاقِ إِلّا بَعيدُ

Then he turned away, bewildered, and told my family,

Baffled, he turned away, and told my friends,

'The cure for lovers is far off indeed.'

"The cure of lovers is very far away."