حَتّى مَ أُحاوِلُ أَرقدُهُ

حَتّى مَ أُحاوِلُ أَرقدُهُ

لَيلٌ يَتَمَرَّدُ أَسودُهُ

لَيلٌ يَتَمَرَّدُ أَسودُهُ

How long shall I try to sleep through it—

However much I try to rest it

a night whose blackness rebels?

A dark night rebels

وَعيونُ غَزالي نائِمةٌ

وَعيونُ غَزالي نائِمةٌ

تَضني جفني وَتسهِّدُهُ

تَضني جفني وَتسهِّدُهُ

And my gazelle's eyes are asleep,

And my gazelle eyes are sleeping

exhausting my eyelid and keeping it sleepless.

My eyelids burden it and weigh it down

حَلَّت معقودَ ضَفائِرها

حَلَّت معقودَ ضَفائِرها

أَبكارُ الشِعرِ وخرَّدُهُ

أَبكارُ الشِعرِ وخرَّدُهُ

They loosened their knotted braids—

The untouched braids have descended

the virgins of poetry and its shy maidens—

The virgins of poetry and its jewelry

وَتغنَّت ترقصُ مُنشِدةً

وَتغنَّت ترقصُ مُنشِدةً

يا لَيلُ العمرُ مَتّى غدُهُ

يا لَيلُ العمرُ مَتّى غدُهُ

and sang, dancing and chanting:

And she sang dancing, singing

O night, when will life's tomorrow come?

O night of life when will its tomorrow come

مَولايَ وَمن ضَلَّت عَيناه

مَولايَ وَمن ضَلَّت عَيناه

هَواكَ فَلحظُك يرشدُهُ

هَواكَ فَلحظُك يرشدُهُ

My lord, whoever's eyes stray

My Master, he whose eyes have strayed

from love of you—your glance will guide him.

Your love, so your glance can guide him

فَعَلامَ وَعبدُكَ في سَقَمٍ

فَعَلامَ وَعبدُكَ في سَقَمٍ

تُدنيهِ مِنك وَتُبعِدُهُ

تُدنيهِ مِنك وَتُبعِدُهُ

Why then, while your slave is ill,

Why does your slave suffer so

do you draw him near you and send him away?

You draw him near and push him away

فَكَأَنَّ البَدرَ رآكَ تميس

فَكَأَنَّ البَدرَ رآكَ تميس

فَهامَ بَقدِّكَ يُنشدُهُ

فَهامَ بَقدِّكَ يُنشدُهُ

So it is as though the full moon saw you sway,

It's as if the full moon saw you fasting

then fell in love with your figure, singing of it,

And craved your splendor, praising it

وَهَوى يسترشفُ شهدَ لماك

وَهَوى يسترشفُ شهدَ لماك

فَذابَ بِثَغرِكَ عَسجدُهُ

فَذابَ بِثَغرِكَ عَسجدُهُ

and descended to sip the honey of your dusky lips,

It desired to taste the honey of your lips

so its gold melted at your mouth.

Melting at your mouth, bowing down before it

مَولايَ إِذا أَحبَبتَ فَتىً

مَولايَ إِذا أَحبَبتَ فَتىً

فَملوكُ العالَمِ تحسدُهُ

فَملوكُ العالَمِ تحسدُهُ

My lord, if you love a youth,

My Master, when you love a young man

the kings of the world envy him.

The kings of the world envy him

أَنَسيتَ العَبدَ ديانَته

أَنَسيتَ العَبدَ ديانَته

فَاِغتاظَ المَولى سَيِّدُهُ

فَاِغتاظَ المَولى سَيِّدُهُ

You made the slave forget his faith,

You forgot your servant's faith

so the Lord, his master, grew angry.

The Master grew angry at his lord

ديني قَد رَقَّ فَوا تَلَفي

ديني قَد رَقَّ فَوا تَلَفي

هَل باقٍ غَيرك أَعبُدُهُ

هَل باقٍ غَيرك أَعبُدُهُ

My faith has worn thin—alas for my ruin!

My faith has fallen, so alas if it's lost

Is anyone left but you for me to worship?

Is there anyone left I can worship but you?

أَبداً يَشتاقُ إِلَيكَ فَتىً

أَبداً يَشتاقُ إِلَيكَ فَتىً

تَتَأَوَّهُ يَأساً عَوَّدُهُ

تَتَأَوَّهُ يَأساً عَوَّدُهُ

Forever a youth longs for you;

A young man always longs for you

his sickbed visitors sigh in despair.

Sighing hopelessly, used to it

فَإِذا ما شِئتَ تزوّده

فَإِذا ما شِئتَ تزوّده

تَعبَ الدُنيا يَتَزَوَّدُهُ

تَعبَ الدُنيا يَتَزَوَّدُهُ

So if ever you wish to provision him,

When you wish, provide him provisions

he will take the world's weariness as his provision.

The burdens of life provide them for him