خَليلَيَّ ما لِلحُبِّ يَزدادُ جِدَّةً

خَليلَيَّ ما لِلحُبِّ يَزدادُ جِدَّةً

عَلى الدَهرِ وَالأَيّامُ يَبلى جَديدُها

عَلى الدَهرِ وَالأَيّامُ يَبلى جَديدُها

My two friends, why does love grow ever fresher

My beloved, why does love grow stronger

with time, while the days' newness wears away?

As time passes, while its days fade away?

وَما لِعُهودِ الغانِياتِ ذَميمَةً

وَما لِعُهودِ الغانِياتِ ذَميمَةً

وَلَيلى حَرامٌ أَن تُذَمَّ عُهودُها

وَلَيلى حَرامٌ أَن تُذَمَّ عُهودُها

And why are beautiful women's pledges deemed blameworthy,

Why should the covenants of lovers be blamed

when Layla's pledges must never be reproached?

When it is forbidden for Layla's vows to decay?

أَلَمَّت وَجُنحُ اللَيلِ مُرخٍ سُدولَهُ

أَلَمَّت وَجُنحُ اللَيلِ مُرخٍ سُدولَهُ

وَلِلسِجنِ أَحراسٌ قَليلٌ هُجودُها

وَلِلسِجنِ أَحراسٌ قَليلٌ هُجودُها

She came to visit while night's darkness let down its curtains,

The wings of night have folded and gone to rest,

and the prison's guards slept little.

With few guards left wakeful on their watch today.

فَقُلتُ لَها أَنّي تَجَشَّمتِ خُطَّةً

فَقُلتُ لَها أَنّي تَجَشَّمتِ خُطَّةً

يُحَرِّجُ أَنفاسَ الرِياحِ وُرودُها

يُحَرِّجُ أَنفاسَ الرِياحِ وُرودُها

So I said to her, “How did you brave an undertaking

So I said to her, "I have dared to attempt a scheme,

whose approach constricts the very breaths of the winds?”

That makes the winds hold back their gentle sway."

فَقالَت أَطَعنا الشَوقَ بَعدَ تَجَلُّدٍ

فَقالَت أَطَعنا الشَوقَ بَعدَ تَجَلُّدٍ

وَشَرُّ قُلوبِ العاشِقينَ جَليدُها

وَشَرُّ قُلوبِ العاشِقينَ جَليدُها

Then she said, “We obeyed longing after holding firm,

She said, "We obeyed longing after fortitude,

and the worst of lovers' hearts are the steadfast ones.”

Yet the worst in lovers' hearts is their cold display."

وَأَعلَنتِ الشَكوى وَجالَت دُموعُها

وَأَعلَنتِ الشَكوى وَجالَت دُموعُها

عَلى الخَدِّ لَمّا اِلتَفَّ بِالجيدِ جيدُها

عَلى الخَدِّ لَمّا اِلتَفَّ بِالجيدِ جيدُها

And she voiced her lament, and her tears coursed

She complained aloud and her tears flowed

over her cheek as her neck entwined with mine.

Over her cheeks when she turned her face away.

فَقُلتُ لَها وَالدَمعُ شَتّى طَريقُهُ

فَقُلتُ لَها وَالدَمعُ شَتّى طَريقُهُ

وَنارُ الهَوى بِالشَوقِ يُذكى وُقودُها

وَنارُ الهَوى بِالشَوقِ يُذكى وُقودُها

So I said to her, while tears followed many paths,

I said to her, as tears marked their crooked course,

and longing fanned the blaze of passion's fire:

"The fires of love with yearning fuel their own display."

إِذا سَلِمَت نَفسُ الحَبيبِ تَشابَهِت

إِذا سَلِمَت نَفسُ الحَبيبِ تَشابَهِت

صُروفُ اللَيالي سَهلُها وَشَديدُها

صُروفُ اللَيالي سَهلُها وَشَديدُها

“If the beloved's life is safe, then alike are

If the soul of the beloved stays safe and sound,

the nights' vicissitudes, the easy and the harsh.

The turns of time, easy and hard, fade away.

فَلا تَجزَعي إِمّا رَأَيتِ قُيودَهُ

فَلا تَجزَعي إِمّا رَأَيتِ قُيودَهُ

فَإِنَّ خَلاخيلَ الرِجالِ قُيودُها

فَإِنَّ خَلاخيلَ الرِجالِ قُيودُها

So do not be distraught if you see his fetters,

So do not grieve if you see my chains,

for men's anklets are their fetters.

For men's shackles are but adornment on display.

وَلا تُنكِري حالَ الرَخاءِ وَفَوتَهُ

وَلا تُنكِري حالَ الرَخاءِ وَفَوتَهُ

فَإِنَّ أَميرَ المُؤمِنينَ يُعيدُها

فَإِنَّ أَميرَ المُؤمِنينَ يُعيدُها

Nor find the state of ease, or its passing, strange,

Nor deny times of ease and their loss,

for the Commander of the Faithful will restore it.”

For the Commander of the Faithful grants their sway.