ارحم عليلاً أنت أسقمتَه

ارحم عليلاً أنت أسقمتَه

والوصف عن حالته يقصرْ

والوصف عن حالته يقصرْ

Have mercy on a sick man whom you have made ill;

Have mercy on an ailing one you made ill,

and words fall short of describing his condition.

And any description falls short of his state.

إن الذي أبقيت من جسمه

إن الذي أبقيت من جسمه

يا مُتلف الصبِّ ولم تشعرْ

يا مُتلف الصبِّ ولم تشعرْ

Indeed, what you have left of his body,

What little you left of his body,

O destroyer of the lovesick, though you knew it not,

O waster of youth who did not notice,

صُبابةٌ لو أنها دمعةٌ

صُبابةٌ لو أنها دمعةٌ

تجول في خديك لم تقطرْ

تجول في خديك لم تقطرْ

is a mere remnant—were it a tear

Is a youth that if it were a teardrop

coursing over your cheeks, it would not drip.

Roaming on your cheek, it would not fall.