يا ليل طل أو لا تطُلْ

يا ليل طل أو لا تطُلْ

طويلُ سهدي قصّركْ

طويلُ سهدي قصّركْ

O night, be long or not;

O night, lengthen or do not lengthen

My long sleeplessness has shortened you.

My long wakefulness has shortened you

وإن تدم طول المدى

وإن تدم طول المدى

لا بدَّ لي أن أسهركْ

لا بدَّ لي أن أسهركْ

And even if you endure for all of time,

And if you insist on staying long

I must keep you awake.

I have no choice but to stay up through you

لو كان عندي قمري

لو كان عندي قمري

ما شام طرفي منظركْ

ما شام طرفي منظركْ

If my moon were with me,

If I had my moon with me

My gaze would not have fallen upon you.

My eyes would not have seen you

أو كان بدري طالعاً

أو كان بدري طالعاً

ما بتّ أرعى قمركْ

ما بتّ أرعى قمركْ

Or if my full moon were rising,

Or if my full moon was rising

I would not have spent the night watching your moon.

I wouldn't tend to your moon