1. Alas, goodbye to Layla's home as I depart,
And my friends bid me return on the morrow.

2. Layla appeared to test his patience,
And to stir up his longing after the visit.

3. I wanted to forget the memory of her, but
Layla appears to me at every turn.

4. When Layla is mentioned, tears cloud your eyes,
Flooding them after the visit.

5. How many friends asked, "Why not ask for her hand?"
I said "Yes, Layla's love cuts deep in my heart."

6. I put him off, though he was close to attaining her,
And if asked properly, the worst petitioner.

7. I swore by the Lord of the dancers heading to Mina,
Swaying their braids during the sacred months.

8. You see them vie in their finery
Swaying proudly, each a noble lady.

9. Clambering from the valley's palm groves,
From al-‘Uzur and al-Khabt, homes of Tatfil.

10. Crying out God's name in their sanctity,
Humbly beseeching God in each refrain.

11. Urging on the camel litters around them,
Fearing that the simple camel drivers would stray.

12. Litters flanked by wild camels without harnesses,
Milling in chaos at al-Azma plain.

13. The oath of a lord made invincible by his clan,
Though his oath was baseless as all could tell.

14. Those spies have lied—I have not revealed
A word about Layla, nor sent them a message.

15. So if spies come to you, Layla, with a lie,
Consider it false, for they invent their tales.

16. Do not hastily assume, dear Layla,
That their advice came from goodwill or malice.

17. If you wish to give, then be generous,
For the best gift, O Layla, is one that abounds.

18. If not, then be gracefully sparing with me,
For I love all traits of grace and beauty.

19. If you would grant me a day's affection,
You would have settled the debt between us.

20. But if you withhold yourself from me, Layla,
I will endure it with all patience.

21. I cannot be satisfied with a miserly friend,
Or content if he is sparing and slight.

22. My friend is no fickle man, nor one
Who would sell me out should I absent myself.

23. Rather my friend is he whose love endures
And keeps my secrets from every intruder.

24. I have never attained anything I hoped for from Layla—
So I often seek what I cannot attain.

25. You blame me, yet your reason knows
I have acted as a man with Layla.

26. They say "Forget Layla! Do not fret
For one who cuts suitors off without cause."

27. But I pay their advice no heed,
Nor provoke me to fury with their words.

28. I remembered ladies whose prideful words
Were loving and gentle and sweetly received,

29. And when I met them I felt my reason
Was a captive, intoxicated and engulfed.

30. They enchanted me until I said
"They cannot decline to answer my hopes."

31. But they frowned at me disapprovingly from among them
And disappointed my hopes though I expected acceptance.

32. Alas! Alas for what Lubbana's
Have vacated of homes after so long!

33. When my companion saw our separation was certain
He called out: "O Habtar son of Saloul!"

34. And I whispered my regret: "Would that
I were a shameless man swallowing every insult!"

35. On an evening I walked the path
Of a fleeing beast or a path walked by none.

36. And so I indulged the love before witnessing
Any estrangement that later came between us.

37. I regret what has slipped away—would that
They could look upon my anguished cries!

38. As if the tears of my eyes and the dissolving of my kidneys
Were a West Sahara downpour on a gloomy day,

39. Pelted by ragged clouds unthreading their pearls
Letting them scatter with no attempt to gather.

40. Stay! For the homes are desolate without you
Even when others move in lacking in grace.

41. Sorrow enough for the eye that its glance saw
The place of pride display departure's likeness.

42. And they said "Choose between patience and weeping!"
And I said "Weeping relieves when one is distraught."

43. So I departed in withdrawal and said to my friend
"Would that bloodshed rather than words had slain Layla for me!"

44. Since the place was desolated of inhabitants
And after their long stay

45. It changed: the wavering specters of nightfall
Taking the place of Layla's vanishing form.

46. Indeed those spies have multiplied against us and you,
Swaying our people completely to their side.

47. Yet never since the day I drank from Layla's cup
Have I been barred from her side each road I take.