1. تَذَكَّرتُ لَيلى وَالسِنينَ الخَوالِيا

    وَأَيّامَ لا نَخشى عَلى اللَهوِ ناهِيا

    I remembered Layla and the years gone by,

    and days when we feared no one who would forbid our play.

  2. وَيَومٍ كَظِلِّ الرُمحِ قَصَّرتُ ظِلَّهُ

    بِلَيلى فَلَهّاني وَما كُنتُ لاهِيا

    And a day like a spear's shadow—I shortened its shadow

    with Layla; it diverted me, though I had not been at play.

  3. بِثَمدينَ لاحَت نارُ لَيلى وَصُحبَتي

    بِذاتِ الغَضى تُزجي المَطِيَّ النَواجِيا

    At Thamdayn, Layla's fire appeared, while my companions

    at Dhat al-Ghada drove the swift riding camels onward.

  4. فَقالَ بَصيرُ القَومِ أَلمَحتُ كَوكَباً

    بَدا في سَوادِ اللَيلِ فَرداً يَمانِيا

    The keen-eyed man of the company said: I glimpsed a star

    appearing alone in the blackness of night, to the south.

  5. فَقُلتُ لَهُ بَل نارُ لَيلى تَوَقَّدَت

    بِعَليا تَسامى ضَوءُها فَبَدا لِيا

    So I told him: rather, Layla's fire has flared

    at Aliya; its light rose high and appeared to me.

  6. فَلَيتَ رِكابَ القَومِ لَم تَقطَعِ الغَضى

    وَلَيتَ الغَضى ماشى الرِكابَ لَيالِيا

    Would that the company's mounts had not crossed al-Ghada,

    and that al-Ghada had walked beside the mounts for nights.

  7. فَيا لَيلَ كَم مِن حاجَةٍ لي مُهِمَّةٍ

    إِذا جِئتُكُم بِاللَيلِ لَم أَدرِ ماهِيا

    O Layla, how many an urgent need I have,

    yet when I visit you at night, I cannot tell what it is.

  8. خَليلَيَّ إِن لا تَبكِيانِيَ أَلتَمِس

    خَليلاً إِذا أَنزَفتُ دَمعي بَكى لِيا

    My two friends, if you do not weep for me, I shall seek

    a friend who, when I exhaust my tears, will weep for me.

  9. فَما أُشرِفُ الأَيفاعَ إِلّا صَبابَةً

    وَلا أُنشِدُ الأَشعارَ إِلّا تَداوِيا

    I climb the heights only out of longing,

    and recite poetry only to seek healing.

  10. وَقَد يَجمَعُ اللَهُ الشَتيتَينِ بَعدَما

    يَظُنّانِ كُلَّ الظَنِّ أَن لا تَلاقِيا

    God may bring two separated people together after

    they have become utterly convinced they will never meet.

  11. لَحى اللَهُ أَقواماً يَقولونَ إِنَّنا

    وَجَدنا طَوالَ الدَهرِ لِلحُبِّ شافِيا

    May God curse people who say: we

    have found, through all the ages, a cure for love.

  12. وَعَهدي بِلَيلى وَهيَ ذاتُ مُؤَصِّدٍ

    تَرُدُّ عَلَينا بِالعَشِيِّ المَواشِيا

    I remember Layla when she wore a child's sleeveless shift,

    bringing the livestock back to us in the evening.

  13. فَشَبَّ بَنو لَيلى وَشَبَّ بَنو اِبنِها

    وَأَعلاقُ لَيلى في فُؤادي كَما هِيا

    Then Layla's sons grew up, and her son's sons grew up,

    while my bonds to Layla within my heart remained unchanged.

  14. إِذا ما جَلَسنا مَجلِساً نَستَلِذُّهُ

    تَواشَوا بِنا حَتّى أَمَلَّ مَكانِيا

    Whenever we sat somewhere we delighted in,

    they spread tales about us until I grew weary of my place.

  15. سَقى اللَهُ جاراتٍ لِلَيلى تَباعَدَت

    بِهِنَّ النَوى حَيثُ اِحتَلَلنَ المَطالِيا

    May God water Layla's women neighbors, carried far away

    by separation, wherever they have settled in al-Matali.

  16. وَلَم يُنسِني لَيلى اِفتِقارٌ وَلا غِنىً

    وَلا تَوبَةٌ حَتّى اِحتَضَنتُ السَوارِيا

    Neither poverty nor wealth has made me forget Layla,

    nor repentance, even when I embraced the pillars,

  17. وَلا نِسوَةٌ صَبِّغنَ كَبداءَ جَلعَداً

    لِتُشبِهَ لَيلى ثُمَّ عَرَّضنَها لِيا

    nor women who painted a thick-waisted, coarse-bodied woman

    to resemble Layla, then displayed her to me.

  18. خَليلَيَّ لا وَاللَهِ لا أَملِكُ الَّذي

    قَضى اللَهُ في لَيلى وَلا ما قَضى لِيا

    My two friends, no, by God, I have no power over what

    God decreed concerning Layla, nor what He decreed for me.

  19. قَضاها لِغَيري وَاِبتَلاني بِحُبِّها

    فَهَلّا بِشَيءٍ غَيرِ لَيلى اِبتَلانِيا

    He allotted her to another and tried me with love of her;

    why, then, did He not try me with something other than Layla?

  20. وَخَبَّرتُماني أَنَّ تَيماءَ مَنزِلٌ

    لِلَيلى إِذا ما الصَيفُ أَلقى المَراسِيا

    You two told me that Tayma is a dwelling

    for Layla when summer casts its anchors.

  21. فَهَذي شُهورُ الصَيفِ عَنّا قَدِ اِنقَضَت

    فَما لِلنَوى تَرمي بِلَيلى المَرامِيا

    Now these summer months have passed us by;

    why does separation cast Layla to far-off places?

  22. فَلَو أَنَّ واشٍ بِاليَمامَةِ دارُهُ

    وَداري بِأَعلى حَضرَمَوتَ اِهتَدى لِيا

    Even if a tale-bearer's home were in al-Yamama,

    and mine in upper Hadramawt, he would find his way to me.

  23. وَماذا لَهُم لا أَحسَنَ اللَهُ حالُهُم

    مِنَ الحَظِّ في تَصريمِ لَيلى حَبالِيا

    And what have they—may God not improve their lot—

    to gain from Layla's severing my bonds?

  24. وَقَد كُنتُ أَعلو حُبَّ لَيلى فَلَم يَزَل

    بِيَ النَقضُ وَالإِبرامُ حَتّى عَلانِيا

    Once I mastered my love for Layla, but unceasingly

    unraveling and binding worked upon me until it mastered me.

  25. فَيا رَبِّ سَوّي الحُبَّ بَيني وَبَينَها

    يَكونُ كَفافاً لا عَلَيَّ وَلا لِيا

    O Lord, make love equal between me and her,

    so it is evenly balanced, neither against me nor for me.

  26. فَما طَلَعَ النَجمُ الَّذي يُهتَدى بِهِ

    وَلا الصُبحُ إِلّا هَيَّجا ذِكرَها لِيا

    Never has the star by which one finds the way risen,

    nor dawn, without stirring her memory in me.

  27. وَلا سِرتُ ميلاً مِن دِمَشقَ وَلا بَدا

    سُهَيلٌ لِأَهلِ الشامِ إِلّا بَدا لِيا

    Nor have I traveled a mile from Damascus, nor has

    Suhayl risen for the people of al-Sham, without rising for me.

  28. وَلا سُمِّيَت عِندي لَها مِن سَمِيَّةٍ

    مِنَ الناسِ إِلّا بَلَّ دَمعي رِدائِيا

    Nor has any woman sharing her name been mentioned before me

    among people, without my tears wetting my cloak.

  29. وَلا هَبَّتِ الريحُ الجُنوبُ لِأَرضِها

    مِنَ اللَيلِ إِلّا بِتُّ لِلريحِ حانِيا

    Nor has the south wind blown toward her land

    at night, without my spending the night leaning toward that wind.

  30. فَإِن تَمنَعوا لَيلى وَتَحموا بِلادَها

    عَلَيَّ فَلَن تَحموا عَلَيَّ القَوافِيا

    If you deny me Layla and bar her lands

    to me, you will never bar my rhymes from me.

  31. فَأَشهَدُ عِندَ اللَهِ أَنّي أُحِبُّها

    فَهَذا لَها عِندي فَما عِندَها لِيا

    I testify before God that I love her.

    This is what I have for her; what has she for me?

  32. قَضى اللَهُ بِالمَعروفِ مِنها لِغَيرِنا

    وَبِالشَوقِ مِنّي وَالغَرامِ قَضى لَيا

    God decreed kindness from her for others, not us,

    and decreed longing and consuming passion from me as my lot.

  33. وَإِنَّ الَّذي أَمَّلتُ يا أُمَّ مالِكٍ

    أَشابَ فُوَيدي وَاِستَهامَ فُؤادَيا

    Indeed, what I hoped for, O Umm Malik,

    has grayed my temple and driven my heart mad.

  34. أَعُدُّ اللَيالي لَيلَةً بَعدَ لَيلَةٍ

    وَقَد عِشتُ دَهراً لا أَعُدُّ اللَيالِيا

    I count the nights, night after night,

    though once I lived an age without counting nights.

  35. وَأَخرُجُ مِن بَينِ البُيوتِ لَعَلَّني

    أُحَدِّثُ عَنكِ النَفسَ بِاللَيلِ خالِيا

    I go out from among the houses, that perhaps I may

    speak to myself about you, alone at night.

  36. أَراني إِذا صَلَّيتُ يَمَّمتُ نَحوَها

    بِوَجهي وَإِن كانَ المُصَلّى وَرائِيا

    I find that when I pray, I turn toward her

    with my face, even if the place of prayer is behind me.

  37. وَما بِيَ إِشراكٌ وَلَكِنَّ حُبَّها

    وَعُظمَ الجَوى أَعيا الطَبيبَ المُداوِيا

    There is no idolatry in me; rather, love of her

    and the enormity of heartache have baffled the healing physician.

  38. أُحِبُّ مِنَ الأَسماءِ ما وافَقَ اِسمَها

    أَوَ اِشبَهَهُ أَو كانَ مِنهُ مُدانِيا

    Among names, I love whatever matches her name,

    or resembles it, or comes close to it.

  39. خَليلَيَّ لَيلى أَكبَرُ الحاجِ وَالمُنى

    فَمَن لي بِلَيلى أَو فَمَن ذا لَها بِيا

    My two friends, Layla is the greatest of needs and wishes.

    Who will bring me Layla—or who will bring me to her?

  40. لَعَمري لَقَد أَبكَيتِني يا حَمامَةَ ال

    عَقيقِ وَأَبكَيتِ العُيونَ البَواكِيا

    By my life, you have made me weep, O dove of al-

    Aqiq, and made the tearful eyes weep.

  41. خَليلَيَّ ما أَرجو مِنَ العَيشِ بَعدَما

    أَرى حاجَتي تُشرى وَلا تُشتَرى لِيا

    My two friends, what can I hope for from life, now that

    I see my heart's desire sold, but not bought for me?

  42. وَتُجرِمُ لَيلى ثُمَّ تَزعُمُ أَنَّني

    سَلوتُ وَلا يَخفى عَلى الناسِ ما بِيا

    Layla wrongs me, then claims that I

    have ceased to love, though everyone knows what afflicts me.

  43. فَلَم أَرَ مِثلَينا خَليلَي صَبابَةٍ

    أَشَدَّ عَلى رَغمِ الأَعادي تَصافِيا

    Never have I seen two like us, companions in longing,

    more devoted to each other, despite our enemies.

  44. خَليلانِ لا نَرجو اللِقاءَ وَلا نَرى

    خَليلَينِ إِلّا يَرجُوانِ تَلاقِيا

    We are two lovers who have no hope of meeting; yet we see

    no other two lovers without their hoping to meet.

  45. وَإِنّي لَأَستَحيِيكِ أَن تَعرِضِ المُنى

    بِوَصلِكِ أَو أَن تَعرِضي في المُنى لِيا

    Indeed, I am too shy before you for wishes to arise

    of union with you, or for you to appear to me in my wishes.

  46. يَقولُ أُناسٌ عَلَّ مَجنونَ عامِرٍ

    يَرومُ سُلوّاً قُلتُ أَنّى لِما بِيا

    Some people say: perhaps Majnun of Amir

    seeks to forget. I say: how, with what afflicts me?

  47. بِيَ اليَأسُ أَو داءُ الهُيامِ أَصابَني

    فَإِيّاكَ عَنّي لا يَكُن بِكَ ما بِيا

    Despair is in me—or the sickness of love-madness has struck me.

    So keep away from me, lest what afflicts me afflict you.

  48. إِذا ما اِستَطالَ الدَهرُ يا أُمَّ مالِكٍ

    فَشَأنُ المَنايا القاضِياتِ وَشانِيا

    If time drags on, O Umm Malik,

    then let the death-dealing fates have their way with me.

  49. إِذا اِكتَحَلَت عَيني بِعَينِكِ لَم تَزَل

    بِخَيرٍ وَجَلَّت غَمرَةً عَن فُؤادِيا

    When my eye takes your eye as its kohl, it remains

    well, and clears overwhelming distress from my heart.

  50. فَأَنتِ الَّتي إِن شِئتِ أَشقَيتِ عِيشَتي

    وَأَنتِ الَّتي إِن شِئتِ أَنعَمتِ بالِيا

    You are the one who, if you wish, makes my life miserable,

    and you are the one who, if you wish, gives my mind ease.

  51. وَأَنتِ الَّتي ما مِن صَديقٍ وَلا عِداً

    يَرى نِضوَ ما أَبقَيتِ إِلّا رَثى لِيا

    And you are the one—no friend or foe

    sees the wasted remnant you have left without pitying me.

  52. أَمَضروبَةٌ لَيلى عَلى أَن أَزورَها

    وَمُتَّخَذٌ ذَنباً لَها أَن تَرانِيا

    Is Layla beaten because I visit her,

    and is it counted a sin against her that she sees me?

  53. إِذا سِرتُ في الأَرضِ الفَضاءِ رَأَيتُني

    أُصانِعُ رَحلي أَن يَميلَ حِيالِيا

    When I travel across the open earth, I find myself

    coaxing my saddle to lean my way:

  54. يَميناً إِذا كانَت يَميناً وَإِن تَكُن

    شِمالاً يُنازِعنِ الهَوى عَن شِمالِيا

    rightward, if she is to the right; and if she is

    to the left, passion pulls at me from my left.

  55. وَإِنّي لَأَستَغشي وَما بِيَ نَعسَةٌ

    لَعَلَّ خَيالاً مِنكِ يَلقى خَيالِيا

    I cover myself up, though I have no drowsiness,

    hoping that a phantom of you might meet my phantom.

  56. هِيَ السِحرُ إِلّا أَنَّ لِلسِحرِ رُقيَةً

    وَأَنِّيَ لا أُلفي لَها الدَهرَ راقَيا

    She is magic, except that magic has a charm against it,

    while I can never find anyone to break her spell.

  57. إِذا نَحنُ أَدلَجنا وَأَنتِ أَمامَنا

    كَفا لِمَطايانا بِذِكراكِ هادِيا

    When we journey by night, with you before us,

    your remembrance suffices as a guide for our mounts.

  58. ذَكَت نارُ شَوقي في فُؤادي فَأَصبَحَت

    لَها وَهَجٌ مُستَضرَمٌ في فُؤادِيا

    The fire of my yearning flared in my heart, and now

    it has a fiercely kindled blaze within my heart.

  59. أَلا أَيُّها الرَكبُ اليَمانونَ عَرَّجوا

    عَلَينا فَقَد أَمسى هَواناً يَمانِيا

    Ah, you Yemeni riders, turn aside

    to us, for our love has become Yemeni.

  60. أُسائِلُكُم هَل سالَ نَعمانُ بَعدَنا

    وَحُبَّ إِلَينا بَطنُ نَعمانَ وادِيا

    I ask you: has Numan flowed since we left?

    And how dear to us is the valley of Numan!

  61. أَلا يا حَمامَي بَطنِ نَعمانَ هِجتُما

    عَلَيَّ الهَوى لَمّا تَغَنَّيتُما لِيا

    Ah, two doves of Numan's valley, you have stirred

    my longing when you sang to me.

  62. وَأَبكَيتُماني وَسطَ صَحبي وَلَم أَكُن

    أُبالي دُموعَ العَينِ لَو كُنتُ خالِيا

    You made me weep among my companions, though I would not

    mind the tears of my eyes if I were alone.

  63. وَيا أَيُّها القُمرِيَّتانِ تَجاوَبا

    بِلَحنَيكُما ثُمَّ اِسجَعا عَلَّلانِيا

    O you two turtledoves, answer each other

    with your two melodies; then coo and console me.

  64. فَإِن أَنتُما اِسطَترَبتُما أَو أَرَدتُما

    لَحاقاً بِأَطلالِ الغَضى فَاِتبَعانِيا

    If you two seek rapture, or wish

    to reach the ruins of al-Ghada, then follow me.

  65. أَلا لَيتَ شِعري ما لِلَيلى وَمالِيا

    وَما لِلصِبا مِن بَعدِ شَيبٍ عَلانِيا

    Ah, would I knew what ails Layla and what ails me,

    and why youthful passion persists after gray hair has overtaken me.

  66. أَلا أَيُّها الواشي بِلَيلى أَلا تَرى

    إِلى مَن تَشيها أَو بِمَن جِئتُ واشِيا

    Ah, tale-bearer about Layla, do you not see

    to whom you report her—or about whom I came bearing tales?

  67. لَئِن ظَعَنَ الأَحبابُ يا أُمَّ مالِكٍ

    فَما ظَعَنَ الحُبُّ الَّذي في فُؤادِيا

    Even if the beloved ones have departed, O Umm Malik,

    the love within my heart has not departed.

  68. فَيا رَبِّ إِذ صَيَّرتَ لَيلى هِيَ المُنى

    فَزِنّي بِعَينَيها كَما زِنتَها لِيا

    O Lord, since You made Layla the sum of my wishes,

    make me fair in her eyes, as You made her fair to me.

  69. وَإِلّا فَبَغِّضها إِلَيَّ وَأَهلَها

    فَإِنّي بِلَيلى قَد لَقيتُ الدَواهِيا

    Otherwise, make her and her family hateful to me,

    for through Layla I have met calamities.

  70. عَلى مِثلِ لَيلى يَقتُلُ المَرءُ نَفسَهُ

    وَإِن كُنتُ مِن لَيلى عَلى اليَأسِ طاوِيا

    For someone like Layla, a man would kill himself,

    even though I keep despair of Layla folded within me.

  71. خَليلَيَّ إِن ضَنّوا بِلَيلى فَقَرِّبا

    لِيَ النَعشَ وَالأَكفانَ وَاِستَغفِرا لِيا

    My two friends, if they withhold Layla, bring close

    to me the bier and shrouds, and ask forgiveness for me.

  72. وإن مت من داء الصبابة فأبلغا

    شبيهة ضوء الشمس مني سلاميا

    And if I die of the sickness of yearning, then convey

    my greeting to her who resembles the sunlight.