رُعاةَO watchers اللَيلِof the night ماwhat فَعَلَhas done الصَباحُthe dawn
رُعاةَ اللَيلِ ما فَعَلَ الصَباحُ
وَماand what فَعَلَتhave done أَوائِلُهُits beginnings المِلاحُlovely
وَما فَعَلَت أَوائِلُهُ المِلاحُ
O watchers of the night, what has become of dawn?
And what has become of its lovely first glimmers?
وَماand what بالُis the state of الَّذينَthose who سَبواthey took captive فُؤاديmy heart
وَما بالُ الَّذينَ سَبوا فُؤادي
أَقامواhave they stayed أَمor أَجَدَّhastened بِهِمwith them رَواحُdeparture
أَقاموا أَم أَجَدَّ بِهِم رَواحُ
And what of those who took my heart captive?
Have they stayed, or has departure hurried them away?
وَماand what بالُis the matter with النُجومِthe stars مُعَلَّقاتٌsuspended
وَما بالُ النُجومِ مُعَلَّقاتٌ
بِقَلبِin the heart of الصَبِّthe lovesick lover لَيسَthere is not لَهاfor them بَراحُany departure
بِقَلبِ الصَبِّ لَيسَ لَها بَراحُ
And why do the stars hang suspended
in the lovesick lover's heart, unable to depart?
كَأَنَّas though القَلبَthe heart لَيلَةَon the night قيلَit was said يُغدىis taken away at dawn
كَأَنَّ القَلبَ لَيلَةَ قيلَ يُغدى
بِلَيلىwith Layla العامِرِيَّةِal-Amiriyya أَوor يُراحُis taken away in the evening
بِلَيلى العامِرِيَّةِ أَو يُراحُ
It was as though my heart, the night word came of leaving at dawn
with Layla al-Amiriyya, or in the evening,
قَطاةٌa sandgrouse عَزَّهاoverpowered her شَرَكٌa snare فَباتَتso she spent the night
قَطاةٌ عَزَّها شَرَكٌ فَباتَت
تُجاذِبُهُshe tugs against it وَقَدand already عَلِقَwas caught الجَناحُthe wing
تُجاذِبُهُ وَقَد عَلِقَ الجَناحُ
were a sandgrouse overpowered by a snare, spending the night
tugging against it, its wing caught fast.
لَهاshe has فَرخانِtwo chicks قَدalready تُرِكاthe two were left بِقَفرٍin a wasteland
لَها فَرخانِ قَد تُرِكا بِقَفرٍ
وَعُشُّهُماand their nest تُصَفِّقُهُbuffet it الرِياحُthe winds
وَعُشُّهُما تُصَفِّقُهُ الرِياحُ
She has two chicks left in a wasteland,
and the winds buffet their nest.
إِذاwhen سَمِعاthey both hear هُبوبَthe blowing of الريحِthe wind هَبّاthey both spring up
إِذا سَمِعا هُبوبَ الريحِ هَبّا
وَقالاand they both say أُمَّناour mother تَأتيwill come الرَواحُthe evening
وَقالا أُمَّنا تَأتي الرَواحُ
When they hear the wind blowing, they spring up
and say, 'Our mother will come in the evening.'
فَلاbut not بِلَّيلِat night نالَتshe attained ماwhat تُرَجّيshe hopes for
فَلا بِلَّيلِ نالَت ما تُرَجّي
وَلاand not فيin الصُبحِthe morning كانَthere was لَهاfor her بَراحُany escape
وَلا في الصُبحِ كانَ لَها بَراحُ
But neither at night did she attain what she hoped for,
nor in the morning was there any escape for her.
رُعاةَO watchers اللَيلِof the night كونواbe كَيفَhowever شِئتُمyou wish
رُعاةَ اللَيلِ كونوا كَيفَ شِئتُم
فَقَدfor indeed أَودىhas brought ruin بِيَto me الحُبُّlove المُتاحُdestined
فَقَد أَودى بِيَ الحُبُّ المُتاحُ
O watchers of the night, be as you wish;
for the love destined for me has undone me.
Sol 6.1