حَدَّثتُ بِاليَأسِ عَنكَ النَفسُ فَاِنصَرَفَت

حَدَّثتُ بِاليَأسِ عَنكَ النَفسُ فَاِنصَرَفَت

وَاليَأسُ أَحمدُ مَرجُوٍّ مِنَ الطَمَعِ

وَاليَأسُ أَحمدُ مَرجُوٍّ مِنَ الطَمَعِ

I spoke to my soul of despairing of you, and it turned away.

I have despaired of you and turned away

And despair is a more praiseworthy hope than longing.

Yet despair is safer than false hope

فَكُن عَلى ثِقَةٍ أَنّي عَلى ثِقَةٍ

فَكُن عَلى ثِقَةٍ أَنّي عَلى ثِقَةٍ

أَلا أُعَلِّلَ نَفسي مِنكَ بِالخُدَعِ

أَلا أُعَلِّلَ نَفسي مِنكَ بِالخُدَعِ

So be certain that I am certain

So rest assured I shall not deceive myself about you

Not to soothe my soul with false hopes of you.

I have erased your memory from my heart, my ears,

مَحَوتُ ذِكرَكَ مِن قَلبي وَمِن أُذني

مَحَوتُ ذِكرَكَ مِن قَلبي وَمِن أُذني

وَمِن لِساني فَصِل إِن شِئتَ أَو فَدَعِ

وَمِن لِساني فَصِل إِن شِئتَ أَو فَدَعِ

I have erased your memory from my heart and from my ear,

My tongue, so part if you wish or stay

And from my tongue; so keep ties if you wish, or let them go.

He in China is closer to me than you

إِنَّ الَّذي بِبِلادِ الصينِ أَقرَبُ لي

إِنَّ الَّذي بِبِلادِ الصينِ أَقرَبُ لي

وَساءَ مُنتَجَعاً لَو رُمت مُنتَجَعي

وَساءَ مُنتَجَعاً لَو رُمت مُنتَجَعي

Indeed, the one in the lands of China is closer to me,

And it was ill-advised had I sought you out

And a poor refuge it would be, were you to seek my refuge.

When my heart turns away from you

إِذا تَباعَدَ قَلبي عَنكَ مُنصَرِفاً

إِذا تَباعَدَ قَلبي عَنكَ مُنصَرِفاً

فَلَيسَ يُدنيكَ مِنّي أَن تَكونَ مَعي

فَلَيسَ يُدنيكَ مِنّي أَن تَكونَ مَعي

When my heart grows distant from you, turning away,

No closeness remains if you are with me

Then your being with me does not bring you closer to me.