Original Poem in Arabic
فَلَيتَكَ تَحلو وَالحَياةُ مَريرَةٌ
وَلَيتَكَ تَرضى وَالأَنامُ غِضابُ
وَلَيتَ الَّذي بَيني وَبَينَكَ عامِرٌ
وَبَيني وَبَينَ العالَمينَ خَرابُ
إِذا نِلتُ مِنكَ الوُدَّ فَالكُلُّ هَيِّنٌ
وَكُلُّ الَّذي فَوقَ التُرابِ تُرابِ
فَيا لَيتَ شُربي مِن وِدادِكَ صافِياً
وَشُربِيَ مِن ماءِ الفُراتِ سَرابُ
Translation
If only you were sweet and life were bitter,
If only you were pleased while the world is angry,
If only the space between you and me were prosperous,
And between me and the world, there was only ruin.
If I gained your affection, then all would be easy,
And everything above the soil is but dust.
Oh, how I wish to drink from your love, pure and clear,
While my drink from the Euphrates is but a mirage.
