أَلَيْلَى مَا لِقَلْبِكِ لَيْسَ يَرْثِي

لِمَا أَلْقَاهُ مِنْ أَلَمِ الْفِرَاقِ

O Layla, why does your heart show no pity

for the anguish of parting that I endure?

كَتَمْتُ هَوَاكِ حَتَّى نَمَّ دَمْعِي

وَذَابَتْ مُهْجَتِي مِمَّا أُلاقِي

I concealed my love for you until my tears betrayed it,

and my very soul melted from all I suffer.

وَرَقَّتْ لِي قُلوُبُ النَّاسِ حَتَّى

بَكَى لِي كُلُّ سَاقٍ فَوْقَ سَاقِ

People’s hearts softened toward me, until

everyone sitting leg over leg wept for me.

تَلُومِيني عَلَى عَبَراتِ عَيْنِي

وَلَوْلا الْحُبُّ لَمْ تَجْرِ الْمَآقِي

You blame me for the tears of my eyes,

but were it not for love, the eyes’ corners would not stream.

وَمِنْ عَجَبِ الْهَوَى يَا لَيْلُ أَنِّي

فَنِيتُ صَبابَةً وَهَوَاكِ بَاقِي

Among love’s wonders, O Layla, is that I

have wasted away with longing, while love of you remains.

وَمَا إِنْ عِشْتُ بَعْدَ الْبَيْنِ إِلَّا

لِمَا أَرْجُوهُ مِنْ وَشْكِ التَّلاقِي

After our separation, I have lived on only

for the hope that our reunion is close at hand.

وَلَوْلا أَنَّنِي فِي قَيْدِ سُقْمٍ

لَطِرتُ إِلَيْكِ مِنْ فَرْطِ اشْتِيَاقِي

Were I not held in the fetters of illness,

I would fly to you, such is the force of my longing.