يا لَيتَ لي قَلباً بِقَلبٍ يُثيب

أَو لَيتَ لي حُبّاً بِحُبّي يُنيب

Oh, if only my heart would reciprocate,

Or if only my love would make him return.

مَلِلتُ قَلبي لا يُمَلُّ الهَوى

يا طولَ إِغرامي بِمَن لا يُجيب

My heart is weary, but passion does not tire.

Oh, my deep infatuation with one who does not respond!

قَلبي وَهَمّي أَذهَبا راحَتي

فَالنَفسُ حَرّى وَلِعَيني غُروب

My heart and my imagination have taken away my peace.

My soul burns, and my eyes set.

لَم تَرَ مِثلي بَينَ مِثلَيهِما

هَذا بِهِ داءٌ وَهَذا كَذوب

None have seen the like of me among the likes of them both.

This one makes me sick, and that one tells lies.

قَد كَلَّفاني عَمَلاً خائِباً

وَعامِلُ اللَهِ الَّذي لا يَخيب

They have burdened me with failed work,

Yet the Worker of God is He who does not fail.

لِلَّهِ دَرّي لَيسَ لي مَنزَعٌ

عَن حُبِّ سَلمى وَهَواها مُريب

Woe to me! I have no escape

From love of Salma and her misleading passion.

لَقَد أَرى سَلمى لَنا جارَةً

يا اِبنَ سُهَيلٍ بَينَ حابٍ وَلوب

I see that Salma has become a neighbor to us—

O son of Suhayl, between yearning and affection!

كَالبَدرِ في العَينِ إِذَ عُطِّلَت

وَفي المُحَلّى كَالمُحَلِّ القَشيب

Like the full moon in the eye when unveiled,

And in adornment like the adorned litter.

أَراجِعٌ أَنتَ لَنا مَجلِساً

بَينَ مُدامٍ وَسَماعِ مُنيب

Will you return to us, in a session

Among wine and the plucking of strings?

يا حَبَّذا ذاكَ عَلى نَأيِهِ

وَحَبَّذا لَيلَتُنا بِالكَثيب

Blessed was that in its remoteness,

And blessed was our night at the sand-hill.