Look in thy book and calculate for me
  If thou canst quench the burning brand within. 
  I will become thy slave, and thou may’st keep
  Me or at auction sell.  Where is thy cure! 
  Thy remedy is lost, my good Lord Taleb.

  The Taleb looked at me and said:  “Take heart,
  O lover, courage!  Thou hast sipped, I see,
  The cup of death already, and thou hast
  Not long to live.  But hear my counsel now. 
  Have patience!  Tis the only thing that will
  Sustain thee.  Thou shalt thus obtain the gifts
  Of Him who only knows thy future days. 
  Thy fate shall be unrolled according to
  The will of God, the sovereign Lord most high.

  “Turn to thy God.  Beseech him constantly. 
  He hears with mercy and he knows all souls. 
  He turns away no one who comes to him. 
  He sees the bottom of their hearts, and lists. 
  Bear his decrees with patience camels show. 
  They walk from land to land and hope to lose
  At last their burdens.”  Where’s thy cure, O Taleb? 
  Thy remedy is lost, my good Lord Taleb.

  O Taleb, search within thy book and find
  The letters that give birth to friendship sweet. 
  Write them for me, and skilful be, I pray,
  So God may give me happiness by them,
  And cause my dear gazelle to pardon me,
  And drive nay bitter sorrows all away. 
  My punishment too long has lasted.  I
  Am tired of waiting.  Never was adventure
  More strange than mine.

        My cares continue, and
  I am fatigued with efforts obstinate. 
  The trouble that I’ve taken to deserve
  That pretty one, has been for me like that
  Of daring merchant who doth undertake
  A venture and gets nothing back but loss
  And weariness.  Where is thy cure, O Taleb? 
  Thy remedy is lost, my good Lord Taleb.

  The Taleb answered unto me and said: 
  “Support her rigors.  Listen now to me,
  And I will give thee counsel sound and good. 
  Turn thy true heart aside from memory. 
  Forget thy love as she’s forgotten thee. 
  Courage!  Her loss now wastes and makes thee pale. 
  For her thou hast neglected everything. 
  And sacrificed a good part of thy days.

  “My counsels heed and turn me not aside. 
  Hear what sages in their proverbs say: 
  ‘That which is bitter never can turn sweet,’
  ’Leave him whose intercourse is troublesome,
  And cleave to one who hath an easy way,’
  ‘Endure the pangs of love until they pass,’”
  Where is thy cure, O Taleb?  Tell me where. 
  Thy remedy is lost, O good Lord Taleb.

  If thou art powerful, Taleb, my excuse
  Accept, and give assistance to my cause. 
  Thy words are all in vain, they but increase
  My woes.  For ne’er can I forget my love,
  My dear accomplished beauty.  While I live,
  I love her, queen of beauties, and she is
  Soul of my soul, light of my eyes, my sweet.