أَرى أَهلَ لَيلى أَورَثوني صَبابَةً

أَرى أَهلَ لَيلى أَورَثوني صَبابَةً

وَمالي سِوى لَيلى الغَداةَ طَبيبُ

وَمالي سِوى لَيلى الغَداةَ طَبيبُ

I see that Layla's family have bequeathed me ardent longing,

I see Laila's people have left me lovesick,

And this morning I have no healer but Layla.

And I have none but Laila to heal me in the morning.

إِذا ما رَأَوني أَظهَروا لي مَوَدَّةً

إِذا ما رَأَوني أَظهَروا لي مَوَدَّةً

وَمِثلُ سُيوفِ الهِندِ حينَ أَغيبُ

وَمِثلُ سُيوفِ الهِندِ حينَ أَغيبُ

Whenever they see me, they show me affection,

When they see me, they show me affection,

But they are like Indian swords when I am absent.

Yet they are like Indian swords when I am absent.

فَإِن يَمنَعوا عَينَيَّ مِنها فَمَن لَهُم

فَإِن يَمنَعوا عَينَيَّ مِنها فَمَن لَهُم

بِقَلبٍ لَهُ بَينَ الضُلوعِ وَجيبُ

بِقَلبٍ لَهُ بَينَ الضُلوعِ وَجيبُ

So if they keep my eyes from her, who can give them mastery

If they prevent my eyes from seeing her, who can prevent

Over a heart that throbs between the ribs?

My heart that lies between my ribs and breast?

إِن كانَ يا لَيلى اِشتِياقي إِلَيكُمُ

إِن كانَ يا لَيلى اِشتِياقي إِلَيكُمُ

ضَلالاً وَفي بُرئي لِأَهلِكِ حوبُ

ضَلالاً وَفي بُرئي لِأَهلِكِ حوبُ

If, O Layla, my longing for you

If my longing for you, O Laila, is an aberration

Is error, and my recovery brings guilt upon your family,

And a sin against your family in your opinion,

فَما تُبتُ مِن ذَنبٍ إِذا تُبتُ مِنكُمُ

فَما تُبتُ مِن ذَنبٍ إِذا تُبتُ مِنكُمُ

وَما الناسُ إِلّا مُخطِئٌ وَمُصيبُ

وَما الناسُ إِلّا مُخطِئٌ وَمُصيبُ

Then I repent of no sin if I repent of you;

Then I have not repented of any sin if I repent not from you,

And people are only those who err and those who do right.

For all men err and make mistakes.

بِنَفسي وَأَهلي مَن إِذا عَرَضوا لَهُ

بِنَفسي وَأَهلي مَن إِذا عَرَضوا لَهُ

بِبَعضِ الأَذى لَم يَدرِ كَيفَ يُجيبُ

بِبَعضِ الأَذى لَم يَدرِ كَيفَ يُجيبُ

I would give my life and family for one who, when they confront him

I risk my soul and family if, when faced

With some harm, does not know how to reply,

With some harm, I know not how to respond.

وَلَم يَعتَذِر عُذرَ البَريءِ وَلَم يَزَل

وَلَم يَعتَذِر عُذرَ البَريءِ وَلَم يَزَل

بِهِ سَكنَةٌ حَتّى يُقالَ مُريبُ

بِهِ سَكنَةٌ حَتّى يُقالَ مُريبُ

And offers no defense as the innocent do, and remains

Neither making excuses of the innocent, nor ceasing

Silent until he is called suspect.

To be suspected until I am called "deluded."

فَلا النَفسُ يُسليها البُعادُ فَتَنثَني

فَلا النَفسُ يُسليها البُعادُ فَتَنثَني

وَلا هِيَ عَمّا لا تَنالُ تَطيبُ

وَلا هِيَ عَمّا لا تَنالُ تَطيبُ

So separation does not soothe the soul and make it turn away,

Neither does my soul find solace in distance and so incline toward me,

Nor is it content to forgo what it cannot attain.

Nor is it content without what it cannot obtain.

وَكَم زَفرَةٍ لي لَو عَلى البَحرِ أَشرَقَت

وَكَم زَفرَةٍ لي لَو عَلى البَحرِ أَشرَقَت

لَأَنشَفَهُ حَرٌّ لَها وَلَهيبُ

لَأَنشَفَهُ حَرٌّ لَها وَلَهيبُ

And many a sigh is mine—if it shone upon the sea,

How many sighs of mine, if they shone on the sea,

Its heat and flame would surely dry it up.

Would dry it up, so hot they are and aflame!

وَلَو أَنَّ ما بي بِالحَصى فُلِقَ الحَصى

وَلَو أَنَّ ما بي بِالحَصى فُلِقَ الحَصى

وَبِالريحِ لَم يُسمَع لَهُنَّ هُبوبُ

وَبِالريحِ لَم يُسمَع لَهُنَّ هُبوبُ

And if what is in me were in the pebbles, the pebbles would split,

And if what is in me were split into pebbles and cast into the wind,

And were it in the winds, not a gust of theirs would be heard.

Their fervor would be heard though they made no sound.

وَأَلقى مِنَ الحُبِّ المُبَرِّحِ لَوعَةً

وَأَلقى مِنَ الحُبِّ المُبَرِّحِ لَوعَةً

لَها بَينَ جِلدي وَالعِظامِ دَبيبُ

لَها بَينَ جِلدي وَالعِظامِ دَبيبُ

And from tormenting love I suffer a burning anguish

The burning passion I suffer gives me agony

That creeps between my skin and bones.

Between my skin and bones.