ولِمْand why لاnot وليand I have قَلْبٌa heart لبُعْدِكَbecause of your distance خافِقٌthrobbing
ولِمْ لا ولي قَلْبٌ لبُعْدِكَ خافِقٌ
وجَفْنٌand an eyelid علىunder حُكْمِthe rule of الدّموعِtears جَريحُwounded
وجَفْنٌ على حُكْمِ الدّموعِ جَريحُ
And why not, when I have a heart throbbing because you are far away,
Why does my heart not throb with longing for your absence?
And an eyelid wounded under the rule of tears?
Why are my eyes not weeping rivers for you?
تَنازَعَنيcontended over me الضّدّانِthe two opposites فيكَon your account علىin النّوىseparation
تَنازَعَني الضّدّانِ فيكَ على النّوى
فجِسْميso my body سَقيمٌailing والوِدادُand love صَحيحُsound
فجِسْمي سَقيمٌ والوِدادُ صَحيحُ
The two opposites contend over me on your account, in separation:
Two contrary passions war within me over my love:
So my body is ailing, while my love is sound.
My body ails, my affection endures.
فلَوْfor if أنّthat لَيْلىLayla أبْصَرَتْنيَshe saw me أقْسَمَتْshe swore
فلَوْ أنّ لَيْلى أبْصَرَتْنيَ أقْسَمَتْ
لَماsurely not غالَcarried off قَيْسَQays بنَson of الذّريحِal-Dhurayh ضَريحُa grave
لَما غالَ قَيْسَ بنَ الذّريحِ ضَريحُ
For had Layla seen me, she would have sworn
Were Layla to see me thus, she would swear
That no grave had carried off Qays ibn al-Dhurayh.
No tomb could contain her Qays, who lies still.
Sol 6.1