لَوif أَنَّthat قَلباًa heart ذابَmelted مِنfrom كَمَدٍanguish
لَو أَنَّ قَلباً ذابَ مِن كَمَدٍ
ماnot كانَwas بَينَbetween ضُلوعِهِhis ribs قَلبُa heart
ما كانَ بَينَ ضُلوعِهِ قَلبُ
If a heart could melt from anguish,
there would be no heart within his ribs.
لَوif كُنتَyou were صَبّاًlovesick أَوor تُسِرُّyou conceal هَوىًa passion
لَو كُنتَ صَبّاً أَو تُسِرُّ هَوىً
لَعَلِمتَyou would surely know ماwhat يَتَجَرَّعُswallows painfully الصَبُّthe lovesick lover
لَعَلِمتَ ما يَتَجَرَّعُ الصَبُّ
If you were lovesick, or concealed a passion,
you would surely know what the lovesick lover swallows.
يَهوىhe longs for اِقتِرابَكَyour drawing near وَهوَand it قاتِلُهُhis killer
يَهوى اِقتِرابَكَ وَهوَ قاتِلُهُ
فَشِفاؤُهُso his cure وَسَقامُهُand his sickness القُربُnearness
فَشِفاؤُهُ وَسَقامُهُ القُربُ
He longs for you to draw near, though it kills him;
for nearness is both his cure and his sickness.