وَلَيلى ما كَفاها الهَجرُ حَتّى

وَلَيلى ما كَفاها الهَجرُ حَتّى

أَطلّت في دُجى لَيلى أَنينى

أَطلّت في دُجى لَيلى أَنينى

And Layla was not content with separation until

Leila, the separation did not suffice her until

She prolonged my moaning in the darkness of my night.

she let out her moans in the darkness of night, O Leila.

وَكل تَجلدي بِالصَبر لما

وَكل تَجلدي بِالصَبر لما

أَباحَت في الهَوى عَرضي وَديني

أَباحَت في الهَوى عَرضي وَديني

And my patient resolve faltered when

And all my patience in adversity was in vain

She laid bare my honor and my faith in love.

when she made lawful my honor and faith in love.

فَقُلتُ لَها اِرحَمي الاِمى قالَت

فَقُلتُ لَها اِرحَمي الاِمى قالَت

كَذا خَط اليَراعُ عَلى الجَبين

كَذا خَط اليَراعُ عَلى الجَبين

So I said to her, “Have mercy on my suffering.” She said:

So I said to her, “Have mercy on the anguished one.” She said,

“Thus the reed pen wrote upon the brow.

“Thus has fate written it on the forehead.”

فَدَع قَلَقَ الصِغارِ وَكُن صَبوراً

فَدَع قَلَقَ الصِغارِ وَكُن صَبوراً

وَهَل في الحُبِّ يا أُمّي اِرحَميني

وَهَل في الحُبِّ يا أُمّي اِرحَميني

So leave the fretting of children, and be patient.

Leave aside the restlessness of the young and be patient.

And is there in love any ‘O my mother, have mercy on me’?”

Is there in love, O mother, have mercy on me?