لَقَد هَتَفَت في جُنحِ لَيلٍ حَمامَةٌ

لَقَد هَتَفَت في جُنحِ لَيلٍ حَمامَةٌ

عَلى فَنَنٍ وَهناً وَإِنّي لَنائِمُ

عَلى فَنَنٍ وَهناً وَإِنّي لَنائِمُ

Indeed, a dove cried out in the dark of night,

A dove cooed in the folds of a dark night,

on a branch, late at night, while I lay asleep.

Chiding my apathy and sleepy plight.

فَقُلتُ اِعتِذاراً عِندَ ذاكَ وَإِنَّني

فَقُلتُ اِعتِذاراً عِندَ ذاكَ وَإِنَّني

لِنَفسِيَ فيما قَد أَتَيتُ لَلائِمُ

لِنَفسِيَ فيما قَد أَتَيتُ لَلائِمُ

So I spoke by way of excuse then, while I

I offered excuses in remorseful tone -

was indeed blaming myself for what I had done:

Myself I blamed for all that I had done.

أَأَزعُمُ أَنّي عاشِقٌ ذو صَبابَةٍ

أَأَزعُمُ أَنّي عاشِقٌ ذو صَبابَةٍ

بِلَيلى وَلا أَبكي وَتَبكي البَهائِمُ

بِلَيلى وَلا أَبكي وَتَبكي البَهائِمُ

Do I claim to be a lover full of ardent longing

Can I pretend that I'm a fervent lover,

for Layla, yet I do not weep while the beasts weep?

Of Layla, when I weep not like beasts that whimper?

كَذَبتُ وَبَيتِ اللَهِ لَو كُنتُ عاشِقاً

كَذَبتُ وَبَيتِ اللَهِ لَو كُنتُ عاشِقاً

لَما سَبَقَتني بِالبُكاءِ الحَمائِمُ

لَما سَبَقَتني بِالبُكاءِ الحَمائِمُ

I have lied, by the House of God! Had I been a lover,

Nay, by God's house! Had I been love's disciple,

the doves would not have preceded me in weeping.

The doves would not have wept before my idle eyes.