قالوا أَنِخ بِحِمى لَيلى فَقُلتُ وَهَل

قالوا أَنِخ بِحِمى لَيلى فَقُلتُ وَهَل

سِوى حِماها مُناخٌ كَي يُحَلَّ بِهِ

سِوى حِماها مُناخٌ كَي يُحَلَّ بِهِ

They said, “Make your camel kneel in Layla’s sanctuary.” I said, “And is there

They said: Pitch your tents in the meadow of Layla, and I said: Is there any meadow but hers for me to camp in?

any halting place besides her sanctuary where one may lodge?”

They said: The valley where she dwells stretches eastward, and I said: Does any direction matter when she's not in the west?

قالوا فَشَرقِيُّ واديها فَقُلتُ وَهَل

قالوا فَشَرقِيُّ واديها فَقُلتُ وَهَل

شَرقِيُّهُ وَهيَ فيهِ غَيرُ مَغرِبِهِ

شَرقِيُّهُ وَهيَ فيهِ غَيرُ مَغرِبِهِ

They said, “Then the east of her valley.” I said, “And is

They said: Retreat to the cave of slumber now, and I said: Without her, that cave brings no rest.

its east, while she is in it, anything but its west?”

They said: Her tomb is there, I said: Though veiled from my sight, before my eyes it still appears.

قالوا فَآوي إِلى كَهفِ الرُقودِ بشهِ

قالوا فَآوي إِلى كَهفِ الرُقودِ بشهِ

فَقُلتُ لَم أُلفَ فيهِ غَيرَ مُنتَبِهِ

فَقُلتُ لَم أُلفَ فيهِ غَيرَ مُنتَبِهِ

They said, “Then take refuge in the cave of the sleepers [unclear word: بشهِ].”

So I said, “I was found there only awake.”

قالوا فَمَشهَدُها قُلتُ المَغيبُ بِهِ

قالوا فَمَشهَدُها قُلتُ المَغيبُ بِهِ

عَنّي أَراهُ بِعَيني في تَقَلُّبِهِ

عَنّي أَراهُ بِعَيني في تَقَلُّبِهِ

They said, “Then her place of appearing?” I said, “What is hidden there

from me, I see with my eye in its transformations.”