ألا سُقيتْ أَطلالُ ليلى وإنْ عَفَتْ

مَغاني غَوانيها وولّى زَمانُها

Alas! The ruins of Layla's abode are now watered though her lovely singers are gone and her time has passed.

The pleasures in her courtyards are no more, and so her mourners weep and are downcast.

تُوفيتِ اللذاتُ في عَرَصاتِها

لذاك بكتْ نوَّاحةً ورشانُها

My promise to her was once of the redness of her beauty, the greenness of her pastures, and the whiteness of her smile.

At times, with the playing of the flute, her braids would sway,

وعهدي بها من قبلُ حُمراً جِمالُها

وخُضراً مَراعيها وبيضاً حسانُها

And at others, with the strumming of the lute, her gap-toothed grin would appear.

The boughs of her sand-dunes would sip the torrent's juice and sway drunkenly while her birds sang.

فَطوراً بلَثْمِ النايِ يُعْني زِنامُها

وطوراً بضربِ العودِ يُغرى بَنانُها

وتَحسو عصيرَ السيل أَغصانُ دَوْحها

فتهتزُّ سكراً والطيورُ قيانُها