بانَ شَبابي فَما يَحورُ

بانَ شَبابي فَما يَحورُ

وَطالَ مِن لَيلى القَصيرُ

وَطالَ مِن لَيلى القَصيرُ

My youth has departed and does not return.

My youth has passed, yet still it lingers,

My youth has departed, never to return,

And the brief part of my night has grown long.

And the brief time with Layla grows longer.

And the short hours of my night have grown long.

أَهدي لي الشَوقَ وَهُوَخِلوٌ

أَهدي لي الشَوقَ وَهُوَخِلوٌ

أَغُنُّ في طَرفِهِ فُتورُ

أَغُنُّ في طَرفِهِ فُتورُ

He gave me longing, though untouched by love himself—

longing gifts me with solitude,

He gifted me with yearning, though his own heart is free,

Mellow-voiced, with languor in his gaze.

In which apathy sings its mournful song.

Possessing a melodious voice, and a languor in his glance.

وَقائِلٍ حينَ شَبَّ وَجدي

وَقائِلٍ حينَ شَبَّ وَجدي

وَاِشتَعَلَ المُضمَرُ السَتيرُ

وَاِشتَعَلَ المُضمَرُ السَتيرُ

And someone said, when my passion flared

When my hair turned white, and my soul aflame,

And there was one who spoke when my passion flared,

And the hidden, veiled passion burst into flame:

The hidden fire within me raged strong,

And the hidden, veiled secret burst into flame:

لَو شِئتَ أَسلاكَ عَن هَواهُ

لَو شِئتَ أَسلاكَ عَن هَواهُ

قَلبٌ لِأَشجانِهِ ذَكورُ

قَلبٌ لِأَشجانِهِ ذَكورُ

"If you wished, you could be made to forget your love for him

Had you wished, you could have stilled his passion,

"If you so wished, you could find solace from his love,

By a heart ever mindful of its sorrows."

A heart, for anguish, too manly and strong.

Through a heart that stays mindful of its own sorrows."

فَقُلتُ لا تَعجَلَن بِلَومي

فَقُلتُ لا تَعجَلَن بِلَومي

فَإِنَّما يُنبِىءُ الخَبيرُ

فَإِنَّما يُنبِىءُ الخَبيرُ

So I said, "Do not hasten to blame me,

So I said, "Don't hasten to blame me,

So I replied: "Do not hasten to cast blame upon me,

For only the experienced can tell:

For only the wise can see what is wrong."

For only the one with experience can truly inform."

عَذَّبَني وَالهَوى صَغيرٌ

عَذَّبَني وَالهَوى صَغيرٌ

فَكَيفَ بي وَالهَوى كَبيرُ

فَكَيفَ بي وَالهَوى كَبيرُ

He tormented me when love was small;

He tormented me when love was young,

"He tormented me when this love was merely a child;

So how shall I fare when love is great?"

So how will it be now that love is full grown?

So how shall I fare now that the passion has fully grown?"