وَتَحسَبُ لَيلى أَنَّني إِن هَجَرتُها

وَتَحسَبُ لَيلى أَنَّني إِن هَجَرتُها

حِذارَ الأَعادي أَنَّ ما بِيَ هونُها

حِذارَ الأَعادي أَنَّ ما بِيَ هونُها

And Layla thinks that, if I forsake her—

And Layla thinks that, if I forsake her

for fear of enemies—it is because she means little to me.

for fear of foes, it is because I disdain her.

وَلَكِنَّ لَيلى لا تَفي بِأَمانَةَ

وَلَكِنَّ لَيلى لا تَفي بِأَمانَةَ

فَتَحسِبُ لَيلى أَنَّني سَأَخونُها

فَتَحسِبُ لَيلى أَنَّني سَأَخونُها

Yet Layla herself does not honor a trust,

But Layla does not honor a trust,

and so Layla thinks that I will betray her.

so Layla thinks that I will betray her.

وَبي مِن هَوى لَيلى الَّذي لَو أَبُثُّهُ

وَبي مِن هَوى لَيلى الَّذي لَو أَبُثُّهُ

جَماعَةَ أَعدائي بَكَت لي عُيونُها

جَماعَةَ أَعدائي بَكَت لي عُيونُها

Yet I bear such love for Layla that, were I to reveal it

And I bear such love for Layla that, were I to reveal it

to a gathering of my enemies, their eyes would weep for me.

to a gathering of my enemies, their eyes would weep for me.

وَقَد أَيقَنَت نَفسي بِأَن حيلَ بَينَها

وَقَد أَيقَنَت نَفسي بِأَن حيلَ بَينَها

وَبَينَكَ لَو يَأتي بِبَأسٍ يَقينُها

وَبَينَكَ لَو يَأتي بِبَأسٍ يَقينُها

My soul has become certain that a barrier has been set between it

And my soul has become certain that a barrier has been set between it

and you—even if its certainty should bring hardship.

and you—if only its certainty could bring it fortitude.

أَرى النَفسَ عَن لَيلى أَبَت أَن تَطيعَني

أَرى النَفسَ عَن لَيلى أَبَت أَن تَطيعَني

فَقَد جُنَّ مِن وَجدي بِلَيلى جُنونُها

فَقَد جُنَّ مِن وَجدي بِلَيلى جُنونُها

I see that my soul refuses to obey me where Layla is concerned,

I see my soul has refused to obey me in turning away from Layla;

for, through my longing for Layla, its very madness has gone mad.

for even its madness has gone mad from my passion for Layla.