ياO لَيلَnight وَجدٍlonging بِنَجدٍin Najd
يا لَيلَ وَجدٍ بِنَجدٍ
أَماis there no لِطَيفِكَfor your phantom مَسرىa nighttime passage
أَما لِطَيفِكَ مَسرى
O night of longing in Najd,
O night of longing in Najd,
has your phantom no journey by night?
Has your phantom no path through the night?
وَماand why لِدَمعيwith my tears طَليقاًunfettered
وَما لِدَمعي طَليقاً
وَأَنجُمُwhile the stars اللَيلِof the night أَسرىcaptives
وَأَنجُمُ اللَيلِ أَسرى
And why does my tear run free,
And why do my tears run free,
while the stars of night are captives?
While the stars of night are captives?
وَقَدand indeed طَمىhas overflowed بَحرُa sea لَيلٍof night
وَقَد طَمى بَحرُ لَيلٍ
لَمdid not يُعقِبِfollow المَدَّthe flood tide جَزراwith an ebb
لَم يُعقِبِ المَدَّ جَزرا
Night’s sea has risen in flood,
And a sea of night has overflowed,
its flow followed by no ebb;
With no ebb to follow the flood.
لايَعبُرُdoes not cross الطَرفُthe gaze فيهِwithin it
لايَعبُرُ الطَرفُ فيهِ
غَيرَexcept المَجَرَّةِthe Milky Way جِسراas a bridge
غَيرَ المَجَرَّةِ جِسرا
the gaze cannot cross it
The gaze cannot cross it
save on the Milky Way as a bridge.
Except with the Milky Way as a bridge.
