ألاAh! منwho لصبfor a lovesick man لاnot تجفdry up دموعهhis tears
ألا من لصب لا تجف دموعه
ولمand has not يهنهgiven him ease مماfrom what يعانيhe suffers هجوعهhis slumber
ولم يهنه مما يعاني هجوعه
Ah, who will aid a lovesick man whose tears never dry,
Oh, he whose tears do not dry
And whose slumber has brought him no relief from what he suffers?
And whom the pain he endures does not subdue
يبيتspends the night يارعيwatching النجمthe star حتىuntil مغيبهits setting
يبيت يارعي النجم حتى مغيبه
ويرقبهand watches for it حتىuntil يحينthe time comes for طلوعهits rising
ويرقبه حتى يحين طلوعه
He spends the night watching the star until it sets,
He who stays awake with the stars until they set
And keeps watch for it until the time comes for it to rise.
And watches for them again until they rise
لهhe has زفراتsighs زفرةa sigh إثرafter زفرةa sigh
له زفرات زفرة إثر زفرة
إذاwhen صعدتthey rise كادتthey nearly تقدsplit ضلوعهhis ribs
إذا صعدت كادت تقد ضلوعه
He heaves sighs, one sigh after another;
He sighs sigh after sigh
When they rise, they nearly split his ribs.
Until, ascending, they almost split his ribs
إذاذكرتwhen she is mentioned ليلىLayla تكاشفis laid bare شوقهhis longing
إذاذكرت ليلى تكاشف شوقه
وإنand if نصspeeds onward عنهاaway from her الركبthe caravan زادgrows ولوعهhis passion
وإن نص عنها الركب زاد ولوعه
When Layla is mentioned, his longing is laid bare.
If he remembers Layla, his longing appears
And if the caravan speeds away from her, his passion grows.
And if the caravan turns from her, his anguish increases
وإنand if لمحhe glimpses البرقthe lightning الحجازيof the Hijaz زادهgives him more
وإن لمح البرق الحجازي زاده
جوىheartache والتياعاًand anguish وارتياعاًand alarm لموعهits flashing
جوى والتياعاً وارتياعاً لموعه
And if he glimpses the lightning of the Hijaz, he suffers more
And if he sees the Hijazi lightning, it increases
Heartache, anguish, and alarm from its flashing.
His love, madness, and the burning of his passion
أناI الوالهthe distraught one المضنيthe worn-out one لليلىfor Layla وذوand the one who has الهوىlove
أنا الواله المضني لليلى وذو الهوى
مثاليlike me ولوand even if مرpasses النسيمthe breeze يروعهstartles him
مثالي ولو مر النسيم يروعه
I am the distraught one, wasting away for Layla; and the lover
I am the passionate lover of Layla, the smitten one
Is like me—even if a breeze passes by, it startles him.
My ideal, though the breeze that blows startles him