خَليليَّ هَذا رَبعُ لَيلى بِذي الغَضَى

خَليليَّ هَذا رَبعُ لَيلى بِذي الغَضَى

سَقى اللَّهُ لَيلى وَالغَضى وَسَقاكُما

سَقى اللَّهُ لَيلى وَالغَضى وَسَقاكُما

My two friends, this is Layla’s former campsite at Dhū al-Ghaḍā.

My two friends, this is Layla’s dwelling at Dhu al-Ghada.

May God send rain upon Layla, al-Ghaḍā, and the protected ground belonging to them both.

May God water Layla and the ghada trees, and water you both.

وَقَد كُنتُما لي مُسعدَينِ عَلى البُكا

وَقَد كُنتُما لي مُسعدَينِ عَلى البُكا

فَما لَكُما لا تُسعِدانِ أَخاكُما

فَما لَكُما لا تُسعِدانِ أَخاكُما

You two once helped me in my weeping—

And you both once supported me in my weeping;

what has come over you, that you no longer help your brother?

So why do you not support your brother?

أَظَلُّ وَحيداً لا أَرى مَن أُحِبُّهُ

أَظَلُّ وَحيداً لا أَرى مَن أُحِبُّهُ

وَهَل بِالحِمى لي مِن خَليلٍ سِواكُما

وَهَل بِالحِمى لي مِن خَليلٍ سِواكُما

I remain alone, seeing no one whom I love;

I remain alone, seeing no one I love;

and have I, within the protected ground, any friend besides you two?

And have I any friend in the sanctuary besides you two?

وَلَو غابَ عَنّي واحِدٌ مِنكُما وَهَتْ

وَلَو غابَ عَنّي واحِدٌ مِنكُما وَهَتْ

قُوى الصَّبرِ لا أَوهى الزَّمانُ قُواكُما

قُوى الصَّبرِ لا أَوهى الزَّمانُ قُواكُما

Were even one of you absent from me, the strength of patience would fail—

And were even one of you away from me, weak would grow

may Time never weaken the strength of you both.

My powers of endurance—may time never weaken your strength.

فَكَيفَ أَذودُ الهَمَّ عَنّي تَجَلُّداً

فَكَيفَ أَذودُ الهَمَّ عَنّي تَجَلُّداً

وَقَد غِبتُما عَن أَرضِ نَجدٍ كِلاكُما

وَقَد غِبتُما عَن أَرضِ نَجدٍ كِلاكُما

How, then, can I fend sorrow from myself by steeling my heart,

So how can I drive sorrow from me, steeling myself,

when both of you are absent from the land of Najd?

When you have both departed from the land of Najd?