سلني عن الحب يا من ليس يعرفُهُ

سلني عن الحب يا من ليس يعرفُهُ

ما أطيبَ الحُبَّ لولا أنه نكِدُ

ما أطيبَ الحُبَّ لولا أنه نكِدُ

Ask me about love, O you who do not know it.

Ask me of love, O you who do not know it

How sweet love would be, were it not so vexing!

How sweet is love, were it not so bitter

طعمانِ مرٌّ وحلوٌ ليس يعدِلُه

طعمانِ مرٌّ وحلوٌ ليس يعدِلُه

في حلقِ ذائقهِ مُرٌّ ولا شُهُدُ

في حلقِ ذائقهِ مُرٌّ ولا شُهُدُ

Two tastes, bitter and sweet; it is not equaled

It has two tastes - bitter and sweet, nothing equals it

In its taster’s throat by bitterness or honey.

In the throat of its taster, bitter not sweet