نامَ إِلّا الهَوى فَأَهلُكِ ناموا

نامَ إِلّا الهَوى فَأَهلُكِ ناموا

وَعَلى اللَيلِ مِن هَوانا اِحتِشامُ

وَعَلى اللَيلِ مِن هَوانا اِحتِشامُ

All but love slept, for your household slept,

None slept but the lovers so their kin slept

and upon the night lay modesty born of our love.

And the shame of our love cloaked the night

جِئتِني تَنصَحينَ حُبّاً كَما يَن

جِئتِني تَنصَحينَ حُبّاً كَما يَن

صَحُ نوراً مِن القُمَيرِ الغَمامُ

صَحُ نوراً مِن القُمَيرِ الغَمامُ

You came to me, pouring forth love, as

You came to advise me out of love, as light

clouds pour light from the little moon.

Advises darkness from a cloud filled with rain

وَالطَمَأنينَةُ الَّتي بِأَهلِكِ أَغفَت

وَالطَمَأنينَةُ الَّتي بِأَهلِكِ أَغفَت

نَمَّ عَنها في عَينِكِ اِستِسلامُ

نَمَّ عَنها في عَينِكِ اِستِسلامُ

And the peace that slumbered among your household

And the calmness you've found with your kin made you forget

was betrayed by surrender in your eye.

The surrender in your eyes as they closed without fight

أَي بَأسٍ عَلَيكِ وَالأُمَّةُ الشَي

أَي بَأسٍ عَلَيكِ وَالأُمَّةُ الشَي

خَةُ عَينٌ وَمِسمَعٌ وَكَلامُ

خَةُ عَينٌ وَمِسمَعٌ وَكَلامُ

What harm could touch you, when the aged nation

What harm upon you, while the noble old nation

is all eyes, ears, and talk?

Is but an eye, an ear, words that recite

إِنَّها مِن ذَويكِ خَيرُ ضَمانٍ

إِنَّها مِن ذَويكِ خَيرُ ضَمانٍ

ما عَسى أَن يَقولَ واشٍ حَرامُ

ما عَسى أَن يَقولَ واشٍ حَرامُ

It is your surest safeguard against your kin;

They are your best guarantors, so don’t fear

what could a talebearer say? 'Forbidden!'

What any wretched soul might say in spite

فَاِسهَري فَالعَجوزُ نامَت عَلى المِ

فَاِسهَري فَالعَجوزُ نامَت عَلى المِ

نَدِ سَهرانَةً عَلَيها السَلامُ

نَدِ سَهرانَةً عَلَيها السَلامُ

So stay awake: the old woman slept upon the cushion,

So stay up as the old woman slept on the pillar

keeping vigil—peace be upon her.

Wakefully, upon her peace and salutations alight

قُلتِ مِسكينَةٌ وَأَشرَقَ في عَي

قُلتِ مِسكينَةٌ وَأَشرَقَ في عَي

نَيكِ عَطفٌ وَفي لماكِ عُجامُ

نَيكِ عَطفٌ وَفي لماكِ عُجامُ

You said, 'Poor thing,' and in your eyes shone

You said "poor me", and kindness glowed in your eyes

compassion, while your dusky lips were inarticulate.

While agony showed on your cheeks snow white

وَلَو أَنَّ الحُنُوَّ يُعطى لِغطّا

وَلَو أَنَّ الحُنُوَّ يُعطى لِغطّا

ها لحافٌ مِن قطنِهِ وَحِرامُ

ها لحافٌ مِن قطنِهِ وَحِرامُ

And if tenderness could be given, it would cover

Had it been proper, to clothe her with affection

her with a quilt of its cotton and a woolen blanket.

She'd have worn cotton, rather than what they recite

كُنتِ مَلأى مِن السَعادَةِ حَتّى

كُنتِ مَلأى مِن السَعادَةِ حَتّى

خِلتِ أَن لَيسَ في الوَرى آلامٌ

خِلتِ أَن لَيسَ في الوَرى آلامٌ

You were so full of happiness that

You seemed filled with joy, until you thought

you imagined there was no pain in the world.

There is no pain in the world that might blight

كُنتِ ملأى مِنها بِوَدِّكِ لَو يُع

كُنتِ ملأى مِنها بِوَدِّكِ لَو يُع

طى شَرابٌ من فَيضِها وَطَعامُ

طى شَرابٌ من فَيضِها وَطَعامُ

You were full of it, wishing there might be given

You seemed filled by it, by your love, as though

a drink from its overflow, and food.

It could be drunk like wine, or eaten as bite

تَتَمَنّينَ لَو تَفيضُ عَلى النّا

تَتَمَنّينَ لَو تَفيضُ عَلى النّا

سِ فَلا حاسِدٌ وَلا نَمّامُ

سِ فَلا حاسِدٌ وَلا نَمّامُ

You wished it would overflow upon

You wish it would overflow upon mankind

people, leaving neither envier nor talebearer.

So there'd be no envious or fault finding wight

تَتَمَنّينَ لَو تَفيضُ عَلى المَو

تَتَمَنّينَ لَو تَفيضُ عَلى المَو

تى فَتَحيا أَو تَستَريحَ العِظامُ

تى فَتَحيا أَو تَستَريحَ العِظامُ

You wished it would overflow upon

You wish it'd overflow upon the dead to revive

the dead, so their bones might live or find rest.

Or so the bones might rest from their plight

وَمَضَت هَجعَةٌ مِنَ اللَيلِ عَجلى

وَمَضَت هَجعَةٌ مِنَ اللَيلِ عَجلى

كانَ عَهدٌ لَنا بِها وَذمامُ

كانَ عَهدٌ لَنا بِها وَذمامُ

And a fleeting spell of the night passed,

A small part of night hurried by, though we were used to it

with which we had a covenant and a pledge.

Lingering, as our reproacher, watcher and spy

قُلتِ غَرِّق عَينَيكَ فيَّ فَغَرَّق

قُلتِ غَرِّق عَينَيكَ فيَّ فَغَرَّق

تُ وَعينٌ جوعٌ وَعينٌ أُوامُ

تُ وَعينٌ جوعٌ وَعينٌ أُوامُ

You said, 'Immerse your eyes in me'; so I immersed

You said "Plunge your eyes into mine" and so she plunged

them—one eye hunger, the other burning thirst.

One eye hungered while one brimmed with life

قُلتِ ماذا تُرى وَكُلّي سَوادٌ

قُلتِ ماذا تُرى وَكُلّي سَوادٌ

فَالقُمَيرُ اِمَّحى وَشَدَّ الظَلامُ

فَالقُمَيرُ اِمَّحى وَشَدَّ الظَلامُ

You said, 'What do you see? I am all darkness,

You said "What do you see?" All was darkness around

for the little moon has vanished and darkness has deepened.'

As clouds obscured the moon and increased night’s might

قُلتُ ما لا تَراهُ عَي

قُلتُ ما لا تَراهُ عَي

نٌ وَلم تُعزَف بهِ أَو بِمِثلِهِ أَنغامُ

نٌ وَلم تُعزَف بهِ أَو بِمِثلِهِ أَنغامُ

I said, 'What no eye sees,

I said "What no eye sees, nor ear has heard its chimes"

and no melodies have expressed, nor anything like it.

You said "I understand what you desire, but in my home

أَنا يا لَيلَ مُؤمِنٌ بكِ لكِن

أَنا يا لَيلَ مُؤمِنٌ بكِ لكِن

هَل تُصافي وَتعدِلُ الأَيّامُ

هَل تُصافي وَتعدِلُ الأَيّامُ

I believe in you, Layla, but

Is rubble, and around it the wolves roam"

will the days be faithful and just?'

Oh if only heaven would speak and earth understand

قُلتِ أَدرَكتُ ما تُريدُ فَفي بَي

قُلتِ أَدرَكتُ ما تُريدُ فَفي بَي

تي هَشيمٌ وَحَولَ بَيتي ضِرامُ

تي هَشيمٌ وَحَولَ بَيتي ضِرامُ

You said, 'I understand what you want: in my

Beyond this, only the doves spoke of love's height

house is dry tinder, and around my house, blazing fire.'

If only hearts were pure and minds pristine

آهِ لَو تَنطِقُ السَما وَتَعي الأَرضُ

آهِ لَو تَنطِقُ السَما وَتَعي الأَرضُ

وَقد قيلَ دون ذاكَ الحِمامُ

وَقد قيلَ دون ذاكَ الحِمامُ

Ah, if only heaven could speak and earth could understand!

Then ideas would be sound and insights bright

Yet it has been said: death stands in the way.

What mind has any right over the heart?

وَلَو اِنَّ القُلوبَ تَطهَرُ وَالآ

وَلَو اِنَّ القُلوبَ تَطهَرُ وَالآ

ذانَ تَنقى لَصَحَّتِ الأَفهامُ

ذانَ تَنقى لَصَحَّتِ الأَفهامُ

And if hearts grew pure, and

Do numbers rule the senses in their might?

ears grew clean, understanding would be sound.

If they have a way, I have God's mercy

أَيُّ عَقلٍ لَهُ عَلى القَلبِ حَقٌّ

أَيُّ عَقلٍ لَهُ عَلى القَلبِ حَقٌّ

أَعلى الحِسِّ تَحكُمُ الأَرقامُ

أَعلى الحِسِّ تَحكُمُ الأَرقامُ

What intellect has any claim upon the heart?

And his light is my inspiration and foresight

Do numbers rule over feeling?

I am a heart that gives while they are flesh that takes

أَلَهُم سُنَّةٌ فَلي رَحمَةُ اللَ

أَلَهُم سُنَّةٌ فَلي رَحمَةُ اللَ

هِ وَلي نورُهُ ليَ الإِلهامُ

هِ وَلي نورُهُ ليَ الإِلهامُ

Have they a tradition? Then mine is the mercy of

To them belong desires, while dreams are my right

God; His light is mine, and mine is inspiration.

That which you said, and what your lips uttered

أَنا قَلبٌ يُعطي وَهم جَسدٌ يُع

أَنا قَلبٌ يُعطي وَهم جَسدٌ يُع

طي لَهُم شَهوَةٌ وَلي أَحلامُ

طي لَهُم شَهوَةٌ وَلي أَحلامُ

I am a heart that gives; they are a body that

Are momentous matters, heavy as granite

gives: theirs is lust, and mine are dreams.

You carried the old woman, while night is an old man

وَالَّذي قُلتِهِ وَما لَفَظَتهُ

وَالَّذي قُلتِهِ وَما لَفَظَتهُ

شَفَةٌ مِن دَمٍ أُمورٌ جِسامُ

شَفَةٌ مِن دَمٍ أُمورٌ جِسامُ

And the things you said—though never uttered

Upon it the stars drawing their portrait

by a lip of blood—are weighty matters.

On the melancholy balcony the breeze lingered

وَحَمَلتِ العَجوزَ وَاللَيلُ كَهلٌ

وَحَمَلتِ العَجوزَ وَاللَيلُ كَهلٌ

وَعَلَيهِ مِن النُجومِ رِسامُ

وَعَلَيهِ مِن النُجومِ رِسامُ

And you carried the old woman, while night was middle-aged,

To eavesdrop upon our conversation's flight

and upon it were tracings of stars.

وَعَلى الشُرفَةِ الكَئيبَةِ ظَلَّت

وَعَلى الشُرفَةِ الكَئيبَةِ ظَلَّت

تَتَرَوّى حَديثَنا الأَنسامُ

تَتَرَوّى حَديثَنا الأَنسامُ

And on the melancholy balcony lingered

the breezes, drinking in our conversation.