رَوَتْ نَفَحَاتُ الطِّيبِ عَنْ نَسْمِةِ الصِّبَا

رَوَتْ نَفَحَاتُ الطِّيبِ عَنْ نَسْمِةِ الصِّبَا

حَدِيثَ غَرَامٍ عَنْ سُوَيْكِنَةِ الخِبَا

حَدِيثَ غَرَامٍ عَنْ سُوَيْكِنَةِ الخِبَا

Wafts of perfume recounted, from the east wind's breath,

The fragrant breezes told tales of passion

A tale of passion from the little dweller of the tent.

From the gentle whispering winds

وَأَهْدَى النَّسِيمُ الحَاجِريُّ سَلاَمَهَا

وَأَهْدَى النَّسِيمُ الحَاجِريُّ سَلاَمَهَا

فَيا لُطْفَ مَا أَهْدَى النَّسِيمُ وَمَا حَبَا

فَيا لُطْفَ مَا أَهْدَى النَّسِيمُ وَمَا حَبَا

And the breeze from al-Hajir brought her greeting—

And the westerly breeze sent its greetings

How lovely what the breeze offered, and what it bestowed!

Oh, the kindness the breeze conveyed and the gifts it brought

أَيَا صَاحِبي مَا لِلْحِمَى فَاحَ نَشْرُهُ

أَيَا صَاحِبي مَا لِلْحِمَى فَاحَ نَشْرُهُ

فَهَلْ سَحَبَتْ لَيْلَى ذِيولاً عَلَى الرُّبَا

فَهَلْ سَحَبَتْ لَيْلَى ذِيولاً عَلَى الرُّبَا

O my friend, why has the sanctuary's fragrance spread?

My friend, why does the heat of love spread?

Has Layla, then, trailed her skirts across the hills?

Could it be Layla trailing her skirts over the sands?

فماذا الشَذا إلاَّ وقد زَار طَيْفُهَا

فماذا الشَذا إلاَّ وقد زَار طَيْفُهَا

فأهْلاً بطَيْفٍ زارَ مِنْهَا وَمَرْحَبا

فأهْلاً بطَيْفٍ زارَ مِنْهَا وَمَرْحَبا

What else could this fragrance mean but that her phantom has come?

For what is this fragrance but her visiting presence?

Welcome, then, to the phantom that came from her—welcome!

Welcome to a presence from her, greetings and peace

فَيا طِيبَ عَيْشٍ مَرْ لِي بِفِنَائِهَا

فَيا طِيبَ عَيْشٍ مَرْ لِي بِفِنَائِهَا

وَلَوْ عَاد يَوْماً كَأنَ عِنْدِي أَطْيَبا

وَلَوْ عَاد يَوْماً كَأنَ عِنْدِي أَطْيَبا

How sweet the life I lived in her courtyard!

Oh the sweet life, passing by her dwelling

And were it to return one day, it would be sweeter still to me.

If it returned one day, most joyous that would be

لَيِاليَّ أُنْسٌ كُلُّهَا سَحَرٌ بها

لَيِاليَّ أُنْسٌ كُلُّهَا سَحَرٌ بها

وَأَيَّامُ وَصْلٍ كُلُّهَا زَمَنُ الصّبا

وَأَيَّامُ وَصْلٍ كُلُّهَا زَمَنُ الصّبا

My nights are delight, all pre-dawn hours with her;

Nights of company, all of them spelled in magic through her

And days of union, all the season of youth.

Days of union, all of them the age of youth

مُمُنْعَةٌ رَفْعُ الحِجابِ وَضَوْءُهُا

مُمُنْعَةٌ رَفْعُ الحِجابِ وَضَوْءُهُا

كَفَاهَا فَمَا نْحتَاجُ أَنْ نَتَنَقَّبا

كَفَاهَا فَمَا نْحتَاجُ أَنْ نَتَنَقَّبا

She is guarded against her veil being raised, and her radiance

She keeps her veil just so, and its glow

Suffices her, so we need not seek to uncover her.

Is enough, no need for us to peer closer

هِيَ الشَمْسُ إلاَّ أنْ نُورَ جَمَالِهَا

هِيَ الشَمْسُ إلاَّ أنْ نُورَ جَمَالِهَا

يُنَزْهُهَا في الحُسْنِ أنْ تَتَحَجْبا

يُنَزْهُهَا في الحُسْنِ أنْ تَتَحَجْبا

She is the sun, except that the light of her beauty

She is the sun, though the light of her beauty

Exalts her, in loveliness, above being veiled.

Is too noble that she should remove her cover

لَئِنْ أَخْلَفَ الوَسْمِيُّ مَا حِلَ تُرْبِهَا

لَئِنْ أَخْلَفَ الوَسْمِيُّ مَا حِلَ تُرْبِهَا

فقَدْ رَاحَ مِنْ دَمْعِ المُحِبْينَ يَخْصِبَا

فقَدْ رَاحَ مِنْ دَمْعِ المُحِبْينَ يَخْصِبَا

Even if the autumn rain has failed her parched soil,

If the tattooed one breaks his vow to her resting place

It has indeed grown fertile from the tears of lovers.

Still it will flourish, watered by the tears of lovers