أَلا أَيُّها البَيتُ الَّذي أَنا هاجِرُهُ

أَلا أَيُّها البَيتُ الَّذي أَنا هاجِرُهُ

فَلا البَيتُ مَنسِيٌّ وَلا أَنا زائِرُه

فَلا البَيتُ مَنسِيٌّ وَلا أَنا زائِرُه

Ah, O house that I am leaving,

O house that I am now forsaking,

the house is not forgotten, nor do I visit it.

Neither is the house forgotten, nor am I its visitor.

أَلا طَرَقَت لَيلى وَرِجلي رَهينَةٌ

أَلا طَرَقَت لَيلى وَرِجلي رَهينَةٌ

بِأَشهَبَ مَشدودٍ عَلَيَّ مَسامِرُه

بِأَشهَبَ مَشدودٍ عَلَيَّ مَسامِرُه

Ah, Layla came by night, while my leg was held captive

Layla visited by night while my leg was held hostage,

by a gray fetter whose rivets were fastened upon me.

In grey iron fetters, their rivets tightened upon me.

فَإِن أَنجُ يا لَيلى فَرُبَّ فَتىً نَجا

فَإِن أَنجُ يا لَيلى فَرُبَّ فَتىً نَجا

وَإِن تَكُنِ الأُخرى فَشَيءٌ أُحاذِرُه

وَإِن تَكُنِ الأُخرى فَشَيءٌ أُحاذِرُه

So if I escape, Layla, many a young man has escaped;

If I escape, O Layla, then many a youth has escaped;

and if it is the other fate, that is something I dread.

But if it be the other fate, it is something I dread.

وَما أَصدَقَ الطَيرَ الَّتي بَرَحَت بِنا

وَما أَصدَقَ الطَيرَ الَّتي بَرَحَت بِنا

وَما أَعيَفَ اللهبي لا عَزَّ ناصِرُه

وَما أَعيَفَ اللهبي لا عَزَّ ناصِرُه

And how true were the birds that crossed our path with ill omens,

How truthful were the birds of omen that passed us by,

and how skilled al-Lihbi was at reading bird-omens—may his helper never prevail!

And how skilled the Lahbi seer—may his helper not prevail!

رَأَيتُ غُراباً ساقِطاً فَوقَ بانَةٍ

رَأَيتُ غُراباً ساقِطاً فَوقَ بانَةٍ

يُنَشنِشُ أَعلى ريشِهِ وَيُطايِرُه

يُنَشنِشُ أَعلى ريشِهِ وَيُطايِرُه

I saw a crow perched atop a ban tree,

I saw a raven alighting upon a Ban tree,

plucking its upper feathers and sending them flying.

Picking at its upper feathers and casting them to the wind.

فَقالَ غُرابٌ بِاِغتِرابٍ مِنَ النَوى

فَقالَ غُرابٌ بِاِغتِرابٍ مِنَ النَوى

وَبانٌ بِبَينٍ مِن حَبيبٍ تُحاذِرُه

وَبانٌ بِبَينٍ مِن حَبيبٍ تُحاذِرُه

Then he said: “A crow foretells exile through separation,

He said: The Raven foretells estrangement in exile,

and a ban tree, a dreaded parting from a loved one.”

And the Ban tree signifies a parting from the beloved you fear.

فَكانَ اِغتِرابٌ بِالغُرابِ وَنِيَّةٌ

فَكانَ اِغتِرابٌ بِالغُرابِ وَنِيَّةٌ

وَبِالبانِ بَينٌ بَيِّنٌ لَكَ طائِرُه

وَبِالبانِ بَينٌ بَيِّنٌ لَكَ طائِرُه

So with the crow came exile and departure,

So estrangement came to pass by the raven, and distance ordained,

and with the ban tree came parting, its omen plain to you.

And by the Ban tree, a separation whose omen was clear to you.