أَلا يا سَلمَ قَد شَحَطَت نَواكِ

فَلا وَصلٌ لِغانِيَةٍ سِواكِ

Oh nightingale, your melody has faded

No singer compares to you

وَلا حُبٌّ لَدَيَّ وَلا تَصافٍ

لِغَيرِكِ ما عَلا قَدَمي شِراكي

I love no other, desire no other

None but you has trod upon my heart

لَقَد ماطَلتِني يا حِبِّ عَصراً

فَلَيتَ اللَهُ بِالحُبِّ اِبتَلاكِ

You made me wait long, O love

If only God would test you with love

لِتَلقَي بَعدَ ما أَلقى وَوَجدي

وَلا وَاللَهِ ما أَهوى رَداكِ

So you feel what I felt and found

No, by God, I wish you no return

وَلَكِن قَد مَنَحتُ هَوايَ صَفواً

فَلَيتَ اللَهُ يَمنَحُني حَواكِ

But I've given my love purity

If only God would grant me your embrace

وَلَيتَ العاذِلاتِ غَداةَ بِنتُم

وَأَظهَرنَ المَلامَةَ لي فِداكِ

If only the blamers tomorrow were

To show their disapproval openly for your sake

وَلَيتَ مُخَبِّري بِالصَرمِ مِنكُم

عَلانِيَةً نَعانِيَ إِذ نَعاكِ

If only the messenger of estrangement from you

Would publicly proclaim our suffering when we call upon you

فَأَتبَعَهُ لِكَي تُجزَينَ وُدّي

وَما سَلمى تُجازيني بِذاكِ

So I may reward your love

And my night has no reward for me but that