تكاثر وجد القلب سراً وجهرة

تكاثر وجد القلب سراً وجهرة

وصبري عني في الهوى زاد نفرة

وصبري عني في الهوى زاد نفرة

The heart's passion grew ever greater, in secret and openly,

My heart has multiplied in secret love and open passion,

and in love my patience fled ever farther from me.

And my patience in passion has increased in intensity,

ولما حسا قلبي من الكاس حسوة

ولما حسا قلبي من الكاس حسوة

تمنيت من ليلى على البعد نظرة

تمنيت من ليلى على البعد نظرة

And when my heart sipped a draught from the cup,

And when my heart tasted the sweetness of the cup,

I wished for a glance from Layla, despite the distance,

I wished from Laila, from afar, a glance,

لتطفي جوىً بين الحشى والأضالع

لتطفي جوىً بين الحشى والأضالع

جرى طمعي في حب ليلى بما جرى

جرى طمعي في حب ليلى بما جرى

to quench the burning longing between my vitals and ribs.

To extinguish an ember between my chest and ribs.

My yearning in loving Layla ran its course,

My hopes in love for Laila flowed as they flowed,

وليلى توارت عن عيونيَ في الورى

وليلى توارت عن عيونيَ في الورى

سألت عسى ألقي الخيال الذي سرى

سألت عسى ألقي الخيال الذي سرى

while Layla hid from my eyes among humankind.

And Laila hid from my eyes in the land,

I asked, hoping to meet the phantom that passed by night;

I asked perhaps I would meet the apparition that flowed,

فقالت نساء الحي تطمع أن ترى

فقالت نساء الحي تطمع أن ترى

بعينك ليلى مت بداء المطالع

بعينك ليلى مت بداء المطالع

then the women of the quarter said: Do you hope to see

So the women of the tribe said you hope to see

Layla with your own eye? Die of the beholder's sickness!

Laila with your eye, she died of the rising of the stars.

رثت لي نساء الحي في نيل قربها

رثت لي نساء الحي في نيل قربها

وقلن اصطبر ما أتت ممن تنبَّها

وقلن اصطبر ما أتت ممن تنبَّها

The women of the quarter pitied me in my quest for nearness to her,

The women of the tribe eulogized me in attaining her nearness,

and said: Be patient; she has not come from one who has awakened [unclear as written].

And said: "Be patient, she who awakened did not come from those who slumber,"

وها هي عنك الحسنَ تستر والبَها

وها هي عنك الحسنَ تستر والبَها

وكيف ترى ليلى بعين ترى بها

وكيف ترى ليلى بعين ترى بها

And behold, she conceals her beauty and splendor from you.

And there she is, from you she hides beauty and radiance,

And how can you see Layla with an eye through which you see

And how can you see Laila with an eye that sees through it

سواها وما طهرتها بالمدامع

سواها وما طهرتها بالمدامع

هي السر سر الغيب فيك تسترا

هي السر سر الغيب فيك تسترا

anything but her, when you have not purified it with tears?

Other than her and has not purified it with tears?

She is the secret, the secret of the unseen, concealed within you;

She is the secret, the secret of the unseen in you hides,

وقد ضل منك العقل حتى تحيرا

وقد ضل منك العقل حتى تحيرا

وهيهات تلقاها ولو كنت في الكرى

وهيهات تلقاها ولو كنت في الكرى

and your reason has strayed until it is bewildered.

And your mind has gone astray so that it wandered,

And how could you meet her, even in slumber,

And never will you meet her, even if you were in the implantations,

وتلتذّ منها في الحديث وقد جرى

وتلتذّ منها في الحديث وقد جرى

حديث سواها في خروق المسامع

حديث سواها في خروق المسامع

or delight in her conversation, when there has passed

And be delighted with her in speech after speech has flowed

talk of another through the openings of your ears?

Of other than her in ruptures of the hearings.

ألا يا لقومي كيف أروى من الظما

ألا يا لقومي كيف أروى من الظما

وعيني ترى الأغيار والعين في العمى

وعيني ترى الأغيار والعين في العمى

Ah, my people, how can I slake my thirst,

Oh my people, how can I quench my thirst from the reservoirs,

while my eye sees others, and that eye is blind?

And my eye sees the strangers and the eye is in blindness?

وما الصب إلا منشد قد ترنما

وما الصب إلا منشد قد ترنما

أجلّك يا ليلى عن الغير إنما

أجلّك يا ليلى عن الغير إنما

And the lovesick one is only a singer who has chanted:

And my vigilance is nothing but a singer who has sung his chant -

I exalt you, Layla, beyond all else; only

I solely discern you, O Laila, from others,

أراك بقلب خاشع لك خاضع

أراك بقلب خاشع لك خاضع

with a heart reverent and submissive to you do I see you.

I see you with a heart humble to you, surrendered.