مَاhow أَطْوَلَlong اللَّيْلَthe night عَلَىfor السَّاهِرِthe sleepless one
مَا أَطْوَلَ اللَّيْلَ عَلَى السَّاهِرِ
أَمَاis there not لِهَذَاfor this اللَّيْلِthe night مِنْany آخِرِend
أَمَا لِهَذَا اللَّيْلِ مِنْ آخِرِ
How long the night is for the sleepless!
How long is the night to the wakeful one!
Has this night no end?
Will this night not end?
يَاO مُخْلِفَbreaker of الْوَعْدِthe promise أَلاwill there not be زَوْرَةٌa visit
يَا مُخْلِفَ الْوَعْدِ أَلا زَوْرَةٌ
أَقْضِيI claim بِهَاthrough it الْحَقَّwhat is due مِنَfrom الزَّائِرِthe visitor
أَقْضِي بِهَا الْحَقَّ مِنَ الزَّائِرِ
O promise-breaker, will you not pay a visit,
O breaker of promises, is there no chance
Through which I may claim my due from the visitor?
to fulfill my right against the departing one?
تَرَكْتَنِيyou left me مِنْbecause of غَمَرَاتِoverwhelming surges الْهَوَىlove
تَرَكْتَنِي مِنْ غَمَرَاتِ الْهَوَى
فِيin لُجِّthe depths of بَحْرٍa sea بِالرَّدَىwith death زَاخِرِbrimming
فِي لُجِّ بَحْرٍ بِالرَّدَى زَاخِرِ
You have left me, overwhelmed by love's surges,
You left me amidst the deep sorrows of passion
In the depths of a sea brimming with death.
in a turbulent sea of torment.
أَسْمَعُI hear فِيin قَلْبِيmy heart دَبِيبَsoft tread الْمُنَىhopes
أَسْمَعُ فِي قَلْبِي دَبِيبَ الْمُنَى
وَألْمَحُand I glimpse الشُّبْهَةَdoubt فِيin خَاطِرِيmy mind
وَألْمَحُ الشُّبْهَةَ فِي خَاطِرِي
I hear within my heart the soft tread of hopes,
I hear in my heart the rustling of death
And glimpse doubt within my mind.
and glimpse the doubt in my thoughts.
فَتَارَةًso at times أَهْدَأُI grow calm مِنْfrom رَوْعَتِيmy fright
فَتَارَةً أَهْدَأُ مِنْ رَوْعَتِي
وَتَارَةًand at times أَفْزَعُI take fright كَالطَّائِرِlike a bird
وَتَارَةً أَفْزَعُ كَالطَّائِرِ
So at times I recover from my fright,
At times I calm down from my panic,
And at times I take fright like a bird.
at others I startle like a bird.
وَبَيْنَand between هَاتَيْنِthese two شَبَاsharp edge لَوْعَةٍanguish
وَبَيْنَ هَاتَيْنِ شَبَا لَوْعَةٍ
لَهَاit has بِقَلْبِيin my heart فَتْكَةُa deadly assault الثَّائِرِthe avenger
لَهَا بِقَلْبِي فَتْكَةُ الثَّائِرِ
And between these two lies the sharp edge of anguish,
And between these two is the agony of a wound
Which assails my heart with an avenger's deadly blow.
that violently tears my heart.
فَهَلْso is there إِلَىtoward الْوُصْلَةِunion مِنْany شَافِعٍintercessor
فَهَلْ إِلَى الْوُصْلَةِ مِنْ شَافِعٍ
أَمْor هَلْis there عَلَىagainst الصَّبْوَةِpassionate longing مِنْany نَاصِرِhelper
أَمْ هَلْ عَلَى الصَّبْوَةِ مِنْ نَاصِرِ
Is there, then, an intercessor for union,
Is there no intercessor to reunion?
Or is there a helper against passionate longing?
Or no helper against separation?
يَاO قَلْبُheart لاdo not تَجْزَعْdespair فَإِنَّfor indeed الْمُنَىhopes
يَا قَلْبُ لا تَجْزَعْ فَإِنَّ الْمُنَى
فِيin الصَّبْرِpatience وَاللَّهُand God مَعَwith الصَّابِرِthe patient one
فِي الصَّبْرِ وَاللَّهُ مَعَ الصَّابِرِ
O heart, do not despair, for hopes
O heart, do not despair, for wishes
Lie in patience, and God is with the patient.
come with patience and God aids the patient.
Sol 6.1