للجفن من حب ليلى ما يؤرقه

وجدا وللقلب منها ما يمزقه

My eyelids are kept awake by love for Laila,

And my heart is torn asunder by her.

رثى الغرام له من فرط شقوته

ورق نجم الدجى مما يؤرقه

Passion laments for him because of his extreme misfortune,

And the bright star of dusk troubles him with what keeps him awake.

وناح في الدوح ورق من تأوهه

وسامر العابد الزاكي تشوقه

And he moans in anguish, and the leaves of his sighing tremble,

And the devout and pure worshipper yearns for him.

ورنح البان شعر حسبه ألم

مما يعنيه من ليلى ويقلقه

The moist branches weep tears that pain him

With what worries and disturbs him about Laila.

تخير الحب معناه وهذبه

حسن فلا غرو إن أغرى تألقه

Love chose its meaning and refined it—

No wonder its brilliance is tempting!

أحببت من لا يرى في الحب مكرمة

ولا يحس به لو مات شيقه

I loved one who sees no honor in love,

Who, were his passionate desire to die, would not care,

ولا يبالي بآلام تعذبه

فكيف يطفئ نيرانا تحرقه

And is not concerned by the torments that torture him.

So how can he extinguish the fires that consume him?

يهوى قريضي ولا يهوى مقايضتي

وفيه أودعت ما يهوى تذوقه

My beloved is indifferent, he does not requite my love,

Yet in him I placed what he loves to taste.

جنت عيوني على قلبي وما علمت

عليه مما جنت ماذا يطوقه

My eyes tricked my heart, and I did not know

What they tricked it with, how much it can endure.

يطوق القلب هم لا يفارقه

ويجمع الصدغم لا يفرقه

Worry besieges the heart and does not leave it,

And sorrow gathers and does not divide it.