أَتَيْتُ مَنْ أَهواه عَكْسَ اسمِه

أَتَيْتُ مَنْ أَهواه عَكْسَ اسمِه

فلم أَنَلْ منه سِوى الإِسمِ

فلم أَنَلْ منه سِوى الإِسمِ

I came to the one I love, seeking the opposite of his name,

I went to the one I love against his name,

but gained from him nothing but the name.

And got from him nothing but the name.

وكلَّما أَطْمَعني ضدُّه

وكلَّما أَطْمَعني ضدُّه

عاد به التيهُ إلى الرَّسْم

عاد به التيهُ إلى الرَّسْم

And whenever its opposite raised my hopes,

And whenever his opposite gives me hope,

pride brought him back to the customary pattern.

His confusion takes me back to the symbol.