أَبى ليليَ أَن يَذهب

أَبى ليليَ أَن يَذهب

وَنيطَ الطرفُ بِالكَوكب

وَنيطَ الطرفُ بِالكَوكب

My night refuses to pass,

My Laila refused to leave

and my gaze is fastened to the star,

And tied her gaze to the stars

وَنجمٍ دونه الأهوا

وَنجمٍ دونه الأهوا

لُ بينَ الدلوِ وَالعَقرب

لُ بينَ الدلوِ وَالعَقرب

and to a star, with terrors before it,

And to a star below them, desires

between the Bucket and the Scorpion.

Between the bucket and Scorpio

وَهذا الصبحُ لا يأتي

وَهذا الصبحُ لا يأتي

وَلا يَدنو وَلا يَقرب

وَلا يَدنو وَلا يَقرب

And this dawn does not come,

And this morning won't come

nor draw near, nor approach,

Nor will it approach or get near

بِفقدِ عَشيرةٍ منّا

بِفقدِ عَشيرةٍ منّا

كرامِ الخيمِ وَالمنصب

كرامِ الخيمِ وَالمنصب

because of the loss of kinsfolk of ours,

With the loss of a tribe among us

noble in character and lineage.

The generous of tent and position

أَحال عليهمُ دهرٌ

أَحال عليهمُ دهرٌ

حديدُ النابِ والمخلب

حديدُ النابِ والمخلب

Time assailed them,

Time has tested them

sharp of fang and claw.

With iron claws and talons

وَما عنه إِذا ما حل

وَما عنه إِذا ما حل

لَ مِن مَنجىً ولا مَهرب

لَ مِن مَنجىً ولا مَهرب

And from it, when it descends,

And there is no refuge or escape

there is no refuge, nor any escape.

From it once it comes

أَلا يا عينُ فَاِبكيهم

أَلا يا عينُ فَاِبكيهم

بِدمعٍ منك مُستَغرب

بِدمعٍ منك مُستَغرب

Ah, O eye, weep for them,

Oh eyes, weep for them

with copious tears from you.

With unfamiliar tears

فَإن أبكِ فَهُم عزّي

فَإن أبكِ فَهُم عزّي

وَهُم رُكني وَهُم منكب

وَهُم رُكني وَهُم منكب

For if I weep, they are my strength,

For if you weep, they are my comfort

and they are my pillar, and they are my shoulder;

They are my pillar and shoulders

وَهُم أَصلي وَهُم فَرعي

وَهُم أَصلي وَهُم فَرعي

وَهُم نَسبي إِذا أُنسب

وَهُم نَسبي إِذا أُنسب

and they are my root, and they are my branch;

They are my origin and branches

and they are my lineage when my descent is traced;

My lineage, when it is recounted

وَهُم مَجدي وَهُم شَرفي

وَهُم مَجدي وَهُم شَرفي

وَهُم حِصني إِذا أرهب

وَهُم حِصني إِذا أرهب

and they are my glory, and they are my honor;

They are my glory and honor

and they are my fortress when I am afraid;

My fortress, when I feel fear

وَهُم رُمحي وَهُم ترسي

وَهُم رُمحي وَهُم ترسي

وَهُم سَيفي إِذا أَغضب

وَهُم سَيفي إِذا أَغضب

and they are my spear, and they are my shield;

They are my spear and shield

and they are my sword when I am angry.

My sword, when I am angry

فَكَم مِن قائلٍ مِنهم

فَكَم مِن قائلٍ مِنهم

إِذا ما قالَ لا يَكذب

إِذا ما قالَ لا يَكذب

For many a speaker was among them,

How many among them, when they speak

who, whenever he spoke, did not lie.

Do not lie

وَكَم مِن ناطقٍ فيهم

وَكَم مِن ناطقٍ فيهم

خَطيبٍ مصقع مُعرِب

خَطيبٍ مصقع مُعرِب

And many a spokesman was among them,

And how many eloquent speakers among them

an eloquent, clear-speaking orator.

Orators, pure and articulate

وكم من فارسٍ منهُم

وكم من فارسٍ منهُم

كمِيٍّ معلَمٍ محرَب

كمِيٍّ معلَمٍ محرَب

And many a horseman was among them,

And how many horsemen, tested

an armored warrior, bearing a battle-badge, seasoned in war.

Skilled, distinguished and warlike

وكم من مدرَهٍ فيهم

وكم من مدرَهٍ فيهم

أريبٍ حولَه مغلب

أريبٍ حولَه مغلب

And many a chief spokesman was among them,

And how many insightful men

astute, resourceful, victorious.

Shrewd, surrounded by conquests

وكم من جحفلٍ فيهِم

وكم من جحفلٍ فيهِم

عظيمِ النارِ والمَوكِب

عظيمِ النارِ والمَوكِب

And many a mighty chief was among them,

And how many armies among them

with a great fire and a grand retinue.

Great in fire and procession

وكم من خضرَمٍ فيهِم

وكم من خضرَمٍ فيهِم

نجيبٍ ماجدٍ مُنجِب

نجيبٍ ماجدٍ مُنجِب

And many a bountiful man was among them,

And how many virtuous nobles

well-born and illustrious, begetting noble offspring.

Honorable, glorious, begetting honor