وَقَد سَرَّني أَنّي رَأَيتُكَ واطِئاً

وَقَد سَرَّني أَنّي رَأَيتُكَ واطِئاً

عَلى عَقِبَي داءٍ تَراخى فَأَدبَرا

عَلى عَقِبَي داءٍ تَراخى فَأَدبَرا

It gladdened me to see you treading

And it gladdened me to see you treading

upon the two heels of a sickness: they faltered, and then turned away.

on the heels of an illness that weakened, then withdrew.

وَقَد ظَلَّ يَبغي رائِدُ البَرءِ مورِداً

وَقَد ظَلَّ يَبغي رائِدُ البَرءِ مورِداً

لَدَيكَ وَيَبغي فارِطُ السَقمِ مَصدَرا

لَدَيكَ وَيَبغي فارِطُ السَقمِ مَصدَرا

And indeed, the scout of recovery kept seeking a watering place

And recovery’s scout kept seeking a watering place

at your side, while the forerunner of sickness seeks a way out.

with you, while sickness’s forerunner sought a way out.

وَلا غَروَ أَن يَغشاكَ عارِضُ عِلَّةٍ

وَلا غَروَ أَن يَغشاكَ عارِضُ عِلَّةٍ

فَإِنّي رَأَيتُ الوَردَ يَغشى الغَضَنفَرا

فَإِنّي رَأَيتُ الوَردَ يَغشى الغَضَنفَرا

No wonder that a passing bout of illness should overtake you;

And it is no wonder that a bout of illness should visit you,

for I have seen the rose mantle the lion.

for I have seen fever visit the lion.

وَلَو كُنتَ نَجماً ما خُسِفتَ وَإِنَّما

وَلَو كُنتَ نَجماً ما خُسِفتَ وَإِنَّما

كُسوفُكَ أَن أَمسَيتَ بَدراً مُنَوَّرا

كُسوفُكَ أَن أَمسَيتَ بَدراً مُنَوَّرا

Were you a star, you would not have been eclipsed; rather,

And had you been a star, you would not have been eclipsed; rather,

your eclipse is because you have become a radiant full moon.

your eclipse comes only from your having become a radiant full moon.