1. قال الطبيب وقد همى

    سيل الدموع لِما لِما

    The physician said, as there poured

    a flood of tears, 'Why? Why?

  2. هاتوا له الماء المبر

    رد قلت من عذب اللمى

    Bring him chilled water.'

    I said, 'From one with sweet, dusky lips;

  3. عجّل به فهو الدوا

    ء لمن أضر به الظما

    hurry with it, for it is the cure

    for one whom thirst has harmed,

  4. وأذاب مهجته الجوى

    وأصار مدمعه دما

    and whose heart love's anguish has melted

    and whose tears it has turned to blood.'

  5. فغدا يهز برأسه

    ويقول صباً مغرما

    Then he began to shake his head

    and said, 'You lovesick, enamored man!

  6. وأنا طبيب بالقيا

    دة ما جمعت الدرهما

    And I am a physician; by pimping

    I have not earned a dirham.

  7. من أين توجد عندنا

    يا صاح أرياق الدُمى

    Where can we find,

    my friend, the saliva of doll-like beauties?

  8. إن كان جافاك الحبي

    ب وما حباك المبسما

    If your beloved has shunned you

    and has not offered you his smiling mouth,

  9. خفف همومك بالربا

    ما بين أزهار وما

    ease your cares upon the hills,

    amid flowers and water.'

  10. فأدرت وجهي للحبي

    ب وقلت في هذا هما

    So I turned my face toward the beloved

    and said, 'Both are in this one:

  11. نعمان فيه حديقتي

    ورضابه ماء السما

    Nu‘man—in him is my garden,

    and his saliva is water from the sky.

  12. يا كوكب الحسن الذي

    كل الجمال له انتمى

    O star of beauty, to whom

    all beauty belongs,

  13. لجريح لحظك لم نجد

    إلّا رضابك مرهما

    for one wounded by your glance, we have found

    no salve but your saliva.

  14. فارحم حشىً أودعت في

    ها يا نعيم جهنما

    So pity a heart in which you have lodged,

    O bliss, a hell.

  15. أفلا يسرك أنني

    أعرضت عن حور الحمى

    So does it not please you that I

    have turned away from the houris of the sanctuary,

  16. وأطعت فيك صبابتي

    وعصيت فيك اللوَّما

    and obeyed, for your sake, my yearning,

    and defied, for your sake, those who reproach me?'