إِذا حُجِبَت لَيلى فَما أَنتَ صانِعُ

إِذا حُجِبَت لَيلى فَما أَنتَ صانِعُ

أَتَصبِرُ أَم لِلبَينِ قَلبُكَ جازِعُ

أَتَصبِرُ أَم لِلبَينِ قَلبُكَ جازِعُ

If Layla is hidden away, what will you do?

If Layla is kept from view, what will you do?

Will you endure after separation, or succumb to anguish?

Will you endure, or will your heart be distraught at parting?

نَعَم إِنَّني صَبٌّ بِلَيلى مُتَيَّمٌ

نَعَم إِنَّني صَبٌّ بِلَيلى مُتَيَّمٌ

وَلَستُ بِسالٍ ما دَعا اللَهُ خاشِعُ

وَلَستُ بِسالٍ ما دَعا اللَهُ خاشِعُ

Yes, I am lovesick for Layla, utterly enthralled;

Yes, I am lovesick, utterly enthralled by Layla.

I shall never cease loving while a humble soul calls upon God.

Nor shall I forget her as long as a humble worshipper calls upon God.

وَلا صَبرَ لي عَنها وَلا لِيَ سَلوَةٌ

وَلا صَبرَ لي عَنها وَلا لِيَ سَلوَةٌ

سِوى سَقَراتٍ في الحَشا وَمَدامِعُ

سِوى سَقَراتٍ في الحَشا وَمَدامِعُ

I have no patience apart from her, nor any consolation—

And I have no patience apart from her, nor any solace,

Only agonies within my breast, and tears.

Save searing pangs within my breast and tears.

وَقَد جَدَّ بي وَجدي وَفاضَت مَدامِعي

وَقَد جَدَّ بي وَجدي وَفاضَت مَدامِعي

وَقَد زادَ ما اِنضَمَّت عَلَيهِ الأَضالِعُ

وَقَد زادَ ما اِنضَمَّت عَلَيهِ الأَضالِعُ

My yearning has pressed hard upon me, and my tears have overflowed;

And my longing has grown fierce within me, and my tears have overflowed;

And what my ribs conceal has only grown.

And what my ribs enclose has grown more intense.

أَلا إِنَّ لَيلى كَالغَزالَةِ في الضُحى

أَلا إِنَّ لَيلى كَالغَزالَةِ في الضُحى

أَوِ البَدرِ في الظَلماءِ كَالتِمِّ طالِعُ

أَوِ البَدرِ في الظَلماءِ كَالتِمِّ طالِعُ

Behold, Layla is like the sun in the brightness of forenoon,

Behold, Layla is like the sun at midmorning,

Or the full moon in darkness, rising at its fullest.

Or the full moon in the darkness, rising in all its fullness.

لَقَد حَبَّها قَلبي وَعَمَّ غَرامَها

لَقَد حَبَّها قَلبي وَعَمَّ غَرامَها

وَلا صَبرَ مِمّا يَلتَقي العَبدُ مانِعُ

وَلا صَبرَ مِمّا يَلتَقي العَبدُ مانِعُ

My heart has loved her, and passion for her has pervaded all;

My heart has surely loved her, and passion for her has filled it;

No patience can shield a servant from what he encounters.

And no patience can ward off what befalls a servant.

وَكَيفَ أُسَلّي النَفسَ عَنها وَحُبُّها

وَكَيفَ أُسَلّي النَفسَ عَنها وَحُبُّها

يُؤَرِّقُني وَالعاذِلونَ هَواجِعُ

يُؤَرِّقُني وَالعاذِلونَ هَواجِعُ

How can I console my soul for her, when love of her

And how can I distract my soul from her, when love for her

Keeps me awake while the reproachers lie asleep?

Keeps me sleepless while my reproachers slumber?

وَقَلبي كَئيبٌ في هَواها وَإِنَّني

وَقَلبي كَئيبٌ في هَواها وَإِنَّني

لَفي وَصلِ لَيلى ما حُيِيتُ لَطامِعُ

لَفي وَصلِ لَيلى ما حُيِيتُ لَطامِعُ

My heart is sorrowful in love of her, and truly I

And my heart is sorrowful in its love for her, and indeed I

Remain hopeful of union with Layla for as long as I live.

Shall hope for union with Layla as long as I live.