دَعَوتُ النَّاسِ عِشرِينَ حِجَّةً

دَعَوتُ النَّاسِ عِشرِينَ حِجَّةً

نَهاراً وَلَيلا فِى الجَمِيعِ وَخالِيا

نَهاراً وَلَيلا فِى الجَمِيعِ وَخالِيا

I called upon the people for twenty years,

I called upon people for twenty just reasons

by day and night, in company and alone,

Day and night both in crowds and solitude

بِأَن يَبتَلِى لَيلَى بِمِثلِ بَلِيَّتِى

بِأَن يَبتَلِى لَيلَى بِمِثلِ بَلِيَّتِى

فَيُنصِفَنِى مِنهَا لِتَعلَمَ حالِيَا

فَيُنصِفَنِى مِنهَا لِتَعلَمَ حالِيَا

that He might afflict Layla with an affliction like mine,

That Layla may be tested with my same affliction

and grant me justice against her, so she might know my plight.

So she sympathizes and knows my condition

فَلَم يَستَجِب لِى اللهُ فِيهَا وَلَم يُفِق

فَلَم يَستَجِب لِى اللهُ فِيهَا وَلَم يُفِق

هَواىَ وَلكِن زِيدَ حَتَّى بَرانِيَا

هَواىَ وَلكِن زِيدَ حَتَّى بَرانِيَا

But God did not answer me concerning her, nor did

But God did not respond to me in this matter and did not awake her love

my passion come to its senses; instead, it grew until it wasted me away.

Rather my misery increased until it exhausted me

فَيَا رَبَّ حَبِّبنِى إِلَيها وَأَشفِنِى

فَيَا رَبَّ حَبِّبنِى إِلَيها وَأَشفِنِى

بِها أَو أَرِح مِمَّا يُقاسِى فُؤَادِيَا

بِها أَو أَرِح مِمَّا يُقاسِى فُؤَادِيَا

So, O Lord, make me beloved to her and heal me

So my Lord make me beloved to her and heal me through her

through her, or grant relief from what my heart endures.

Or relieve me from what tortures my heart