تَأوني طيف الخَيالِ المؤرِق

تَأوني طيف الخَيالِ المؤرِق

هدوا فَهب الآلف المتشَوِّق

هدوا فَهب الآلف المتشَوِّق

A sleep-disturbing phantom of a dream visited me

The specter of imagination disturbs me at night

in the still of night, and the yearning lover sprang awake,

And keeps the thousands who long awake

مروعاً فَلَمّا لَم أَجِد غَيرَ فِتيَة

مروعاً فَلَمّا لَم أَجِد غَيرَ فِتيَة

نِيام وَاكوار لَدَيهُن اينق

نِيام وَاكوار لَدَيهُن اينق

startled; and when I found none but young men

Finding nothing but sleeping girls

asleep, and camel-saddles with she-camels beside them,

With wine jugs beside them was frightening

تَمَنَّيتُ إِن اللَيلِ حولَ وَإِنَّني

تَمَنَّيتُ إِن اللَيلِ حولَ وَإِنَّني

وَزينَب طول الحول لا نتفَرَّق

وَزينَب طول الحول لا نتفَرَّق

I wished the night were a year, and that I

I wished the night would turn and I

and Zaynab would not part throughout that year.

And Zainab would never part all year

فَهَل تَصقبن الدار ام هَل رَهينا

فَهَل تَصقبن الدار ام هَل رَهينا

مراح بِنُعمى من لَدَيها فَمطلق

مراح بِنُعمى من لَدَيها فَمطلق

So will the dwelling draw near, or will a captive

Will you bolt the house or are we pawns

be comforted by a kindness from her, then set free?

To a life of bliss with her forever free