لولاكَ ما كان ودّي

لولاكَ ما كان ودّي

ولا منازلُ ليلا

ولا منازلُ ليلا

Were it not for you, my love would not exist.

Without you, my affection would not be

Nor would Layla’s dwellings exist.

Nor would there be resting places at night

ولا حدا قطُّ حادٍ

ولا حدا قطُّ حادٍ

ولا سارَ مركبُ ميلا

ولا سارَ مركبُ ميلا

Nor would any camel-driver ever have sung.

Nor any limit ever passed

Nor would a caravan have traveled a mile.

Nor would a vessel have sailed an inch

يا حاديَ العيسِ مهلا

يا حاديَ العيسِ مهلا

هل جُزتَ في الحيِّ أم لا

هل جُزتَ في الحيِّ أم لا

O driver of the pale camels, go slowly.

O guide of the caravan, go slowly

Have you passed through the encampment, or not?

Have you been fair in life or not?

عشفتهُم فبوني

عشفتهُم فبوني

لا تحب العشق سهلا

لا تحب العشق سهلا

I loved them, and they tested me [probable reading of unclear text].

They were enamored so they abandoned me

Do not love passion as though it were easy.

Do not think falling in love is easy

فأينَ كنتُ وجِئتُ

فأينَ كنتُ وجِئتُ

حبيبٌ لي قد تجلّى

حبيبٌ لي قد تجلّى

Where, then, was I, and where have I come?

Where was I and where did I come

A beloved of mine has revealed himself.

A beloved appeared to me

عشقتهُ فلبني

عشقتهُ فلبني

فصِرتُ عندهُ أهلا

فصِرتُ عندهُ أهلا

I loved him, and he [unclear] me.

I loved him so my heart inclined to him

So I became one of his own.

And I became dear to him

فلم نسمَع ولم نبصِر

فلم نسمَع ولم نبصِر

إلّا هواكَ لي سهلا

إلّا هواكَ لي سهلا

So we neither heard nor saw

We did not hear or see

Except your love, easy for me.

Except your love being easy for me

ظهَرتَ لي بجمالٍ

ظهَرتَ لي بجمالٍ

فشُربي زادَ وعلّا

فشُربي زادَ وعلّا

You appeared to me in beauty.

You appeared to me with beauty

So my drinking increased and rose.

So my drinking increased and rose up

فأنتَ روحي وجسمي

فأنتَ روحي وجسمي

لا فرقَ عنكَ وإلّا

لا فرقَ عنكَ وإلّا

For you are my soul and my body.

For you are my soul and my body

There is no separation from you—or else...

No separation from you at all

حتّى إذا ما تجلّى

حتّى إذا ما تجلّى

هواكَ في قلبي حلّا

هواكَ في قلبي حلّا

Until, when it revealed itself,

Until when your love

Your love settled in my heart.

Settled in my heart