ألاAh! أيهاO you الواشيthe tale-bearer بليليabout Layla ألاdo you not ترىyou see
ألا أيها الواشي بليلي ألا ترى
إلىto منwhom تشيyou bear tales بيabout me أوor بمنabout whom جئتyou have come واشياbearing tales
إلى من تشي بي أو بمن جئت واشيا
O you who bear tales about Layla, do you not see
Oh you who spies on me at night, do you not see
to whom you report on me, or about whom you have come bearing tales?
To whom you are spying on me or who sent you as a spy
لعَمرُby the life of الذيthe one who لمhas not يرضbeen content حتىuntil أطيعهُI obey him
لعَمرُ الذي لم يرض حتى أطيعهُ
بليلىconcerning Layla إذنthen لاnot يصبحُhe becomes الدهرever راضياcontent
بليلى إذن لا يصبحُ الدهر راضيا
By the life of him who is not content until I obey him
By the life of one who was not pleased until I obeyed him
concerning Layla—then he will never be content.
With Layla then, time will never be pleased
إذاwhenever نحنُwe رمناwe seek هجرهاforsaking her ضمenfolds حبهاlove for her
إذا نحنُ رمنا هجرها ضم حبها
ضميرُthe depths الحشاof the heart ضمenfolding الجناحِof the wing الخوافياthe hidden feathers
ضميرُ الحشا ضم الجناحِ الخوافيا
Whenever we seek to forsake her, love for her is enfolded
If we intend to abandon her, her love gathered me
by the heart's depths, as a wing enfolds its hidden feathers.
The conscience of the bashful gathered me like a winged creature hiding