أَيا قَلبُ خَلِّ عِنانَ الهَوى

أَيا قَلبُ خَلِّ عِنانَ الهَوى

تُفِق مِن خُمارِ عُقارِ الجَوى

تُفِق مِن خُمارِ عُقارِ الجَوى

O heart, let go of passion's reins;

Oh heart, loosen the reins of passion

You will recover from the hangover of heartache's wine.

Awaken from the intoxication of desire

وَلا تَكُ في وَصلِهِ طامِعاً

وَلا تَكُ في وَصلِهِ طامِعاً

فَأَقرَبُ مِمّا تَرومُ السُهى

فَأَقرَبُ مِمّا تَرومُ السُهى

And do not hope for union with him,

And do not be covetous in its union

For the star al-Suha is nearer than what you seek.

For what you wish is closer than you know

إِذا كانَ سَمحاً بِضِدِّ الوِصالِ

إِذا كانَ سَمحاً بِضِدِّ الوِصالِ

ضَنيناً عَلَيكَ بِضِدِّ القِلى

ضَنيناً عَلَيكَ بِضِدِّ القِلى

If he is generous with the opposite of union,

If it is generous with the opposite of union

Yet miserly toward you with the opposite of aversion,

Stingy towards you with the opposite of meeting

فَلُذ بِالسُلُوِّ وَكَم عاشِقٍ

فَلُذ بِالسُلُوِّ وَكَم عاشِقٍ

صَفا ماءُ عيشَتِهِ مُذ صَحا

صَفا ماءُ عيشَتِهِ مُذ صَحا

Then seek refuge in forgetting; and many a lover

Take comfort and how many lovers

Has seen the water of his life run clear since he sobered.

Have lived a clear life since they woke

فَما هُوَ أَوَّلُ مَن لَم يَجُد

فَما هُوَ أَوَّلُ مَن لَم يَجُد

وَلا أَنتَ أَوَّلُ صَبٍّ سَلا

وَلا أَنتَ أَوَّلُ صَبٍّ سَلا

For he is not the first to be ungenerous,

For he was not the first to be deprived

Nor are you the first lovesick lover to forget.

Nor are you the first love-sick youth