إِلَى أَىِّ حِينٍ أَنتَ ضَارِبُ غَمرَةٍ

إِلَى أَىِّ حِينٍ أَنتَ ضَارِبُ غَمرَةٍ

مِنَ الجَهلِ لاَ يُسلِيكَ نَأيٌ وَلاَ قُربُ

مِنَ الجَهلِ لاَ يُسلِيكَ نَأيٌ وَلاَ قُربُ

How long will you keep plunging into deep waters

To what end are you struck by a veil of ignorance

of folly, with neither distance nor nearness consoling you?

That no distance consoles you, nor closeness brings relief?

تَهِيمُ بِلَيلَى لاَ نَوَالٌ تُنِيلُهُ

تَهِيمُ بِلَيلَى لاَ نَوَالٌ تُنِيلُهُ

وَلاَ رَاحَةٌ مِمّن تَذُكُّرُهُ نَصبُ

وَلاَ رَاحَةٌ مِمّن تَذُكُّرُهُ نَصبُ

You pine for Layla; no favor does she bestow,

You roam confused for Layla, with no union to attain,

nor relief from one whose remembrance is weariness.

No respite from the one whose memory brings you grief.

هَوَاها هَوىً قَد عَادَ مَكنُونُهُ جَوىً

هَوَاها هَوىً قَد عَادَ مَكنُونُهُ جَوىً

ومَرعىً لِبَاغِى الخَيرِ مِن وَصلِهَا جَدبُ

ومَرعىً لِبَاغِى الخَيرِ مِن وَصلِهَا جَدبُ

Love for her is a passion whose hidden core has become heartache,

In passion for her, desire once hidden now lays bare

and a pasture for one seeking good from union with her is barren.

As pasture where goodness from her union is made barren.

وهَجرُ سُلَيمَى مُستَبِينٌ طرِيقُهُ

وهَجرُ سُلَيمَى مُستَبِينٌ طرِيقُهُ

وَمَسلَكُهُ وَعرٌ إِذا رُمتَهُ صَعبُ

وَمَسلَكُهُ وَعرٌ إِذا رُمتَهُ صَعبُ

And the road to forsaking Sulayma is clear,

Estrangement from Sulaima is a clear path in its course,

and its path is rugged, difficult when you attempt it.

Yet its way is craggy when you seek to draw near.

لَوَ أَنَّ سُلَيمَى يُعقِبُ البُخلَ جُودُها

لَوَ أَنَّ سُلَيمَى يُعقِبُ البُخلَ جُودُها

كَما لِسُلَيمَى مِن مَوَدَّتِهَا عَقبُ

كَما لِسُلَيمَى مِن مَوَدَّتِهَا عَقبُ

If only Sulayma's generosity would follow her stinginess,

If only Sulaima's frugality gave way to generosity,

just as Sulayma's affection has its sequel.

As she has affection for Sulaima that comes after.

وَعَائِبَةٍ سَلمَى إِلَينا وَمَالَنَا

وَعَائِبَةٍ سَلمَى إِلَينا وَمَالَنَا

إِلَيها سِوَى الوَصلِ الَّذِى بَينَنا ذَنبُ

إِلَيها سِوَى الوَصلِ الَّذِى بَينَنا ذَنبُ

And many a woman disparages Salma to us, though we have

When Sulaima made peace with us and inclined toward us,

no offense against her except the bond between us.

What fault but the bond between us could there be?

وَمَا تَستَوِى سَلمَى وَلاَ مَن يَعِيبُهَا

وَمَا تَستَوِى سَلمَى وَلاَ مَن يَعِيبُهَا

إِلَينا كَما لاَ يسَتَوِى المِلحُ وَالعَذبُ

إِلَينا كَما لاَ يسَتَوِى المِلحُ وَالعَذبُ

And Salma and whoever disparages her are not alike

Sulaima and the one who finds fault with her are not equal.

to us, just as salt water and fresh water are not alike.

Just as the salty and the sweet can never equal be.