عَلامَ تَرى لَيلى تُعَذِّبُ بِالمُنى

عَلامَ تَرى لَيلى تُعَذِّبُ بِالمُنى

أَخا قَفرَةٍ قَد كادَ بِالغولِ يانَسُ

أَخا قَفرَةٍ قَد كادَ بِالغولِ يانَسُ

Why do you think Layla torments with hopes

Why does Layla torment with longing

a brother of the wilderness, who has nearly grown familiar with the ghoul?

A brother in desolation, almost befriended by ghosts

وَأَضحى صَديق الذِّئبِ بَعدَ عَداوَةٍ

وَأَضحى صَديق الذِّئبِ بَعدَ عَداوَةٍ

وَبُغضٍ وَرَبَّتهُ القِفارُ البَسابِسُ

وَبُغضٍ وَرَبَّتهُ القِفارُ البَسابِسُ

And he has become the wolf’s friend after enmity

Who became a friend of wolves after enmity

and hatred, and the vast, barren wastes have reared him.

And hatred, and was raised by barren wastelands

تَقَدَّدَ عَنهُ وَاِستَطارَ قَميصُهُ

تَقَدَّدَ عَنهُ وَاِستَطارَ قَميصُهُ

وَقَد يَقطَعُ الهِندِيُّ وَالجَفنُ دارِسُ

وَقَد يَقطَعُ الهِندِيُّ وَالجَفنُ دارِسُ

His shirt has torn to shreds and flown off him;

He kept away from her and his shirt became too short

and an Indian sword can cut though its scabbard is worn away.

And the Indian’s blade can cut while the eyelids sleep

يَظَلُّ وَما يَبدو لِشَيءٍ نَهارَهُ

يَظَلُّ وَما يَبدو لِشَيءٍ نَهارَهُ

وَلَكِنَّهُما يَنباعُ وَاللَّيلُ دامِسُ

وَلَكِنَّهُما يَنباعُ وَاللَّيلُ دامِسُ

He spends his day unseen by anything,

He stays in darkness and nothing of his day appears

but they both rush forth while the night is pitch-dark.

But they bark at night when it is pitch black

فَلَيسَ بِجنِيّ فَيُعرَفُ شَكلُهُ

فَلَيسَ بِجنِيّ فَيُعرَفُ شَكلُهُ

وَلا أَنسيٍّ تَحتَويهِ المَجالِسُ

وَلا أَنسيٍّ تَحتَويهِ المَجالِسُ

So he is no jinni whose form can be recognized,

He is no demon to recognize his form

nor a human whom gatherings embrace.

Nor human to contain him in gatherings