يُقُولونَ لَيلَى بِالمَغِيبِ أَمِينَةٌ

يُقُولونَ لَيلَى بِالمَغِيبِ أَمِينَةٌ

لَهُ وَهوَ راعٍ سِرَّهَا وَأَمِينُهَا

لَهُ وَهوَ راعٍ سِرَّهَا وَأَمِينُهَا

They say Layla is faithful in his absence,

They say Layla is faithful to him

to him, while he guards her secret and is her confidant.

As he tends to her secret and is her confidant

فإِن تَكُ لَيلَى استَودَعَتنِى أَمَانَةً

فإِن تَكُ لَيلَى استَودَعَتنِى أَمَانَةً

فَلا وَأَبِى لَيلَى إِذن لا أَخُونُها

فَلا وَأَبِى لَيلَى إِذن لا أَخُونُها

So if Layla has entrusted me with a trust,

If Layla entrusted me with something

then no, by Layla's father, I will not betray her.

No, by Layla, I will not betray her trust

أَأَرضِى بلَيلَى الكاشِحينَ وَأَبتَغِى

أَأَرضِى بلَيلَى الكاشِحينَ وَأَبتَغِى

كَرَامَةَ أَعدَائِى بِهَا وأُهِينُهَا

كَرَامَةَ أَعدَائِى بِهَا وأُهِينُهَا

Would I please the spiteful at Layla's expense, and seek

Shall I please those who slander Layla

my enemies' esteem through her, while dishonoring her?

And seek the honor of my enemies through her and disgrace her?

مَعَاذَةَ وَجهِ اللهِ أَن أُشمِتَ العِدَى

مَعَاذَةَ وَجهِ اللهِ أَن أُشمِتَ العِدَى

بِلَيلَى وَإِن لَم تَجزِنى مَا أَدِينُهَا

بِلَيلَى وَإِن لَم تَجزِنى مَا أَدِينُهَا

I seek refuge in God's face from making enemies gloat

God forbid I give joy to the enemies

over Layla, even if she does not requite my devotion to her.

Over Layla, even if she didn't reward what I owe her

وَأُعرِضُ عَن أُمِّ البَخِيلِ وَاَتَّقِى

وَأُعرِضُ عَن أُمِّ البَخِيلِ وَاَتَّقِى

عُيُونَ العِدَى حَتّى كأَنّى أُهِينُها

عُيُونَ العِدَى حَتّى كأَنّى أُهِينُها

I turn away from Umm al-Bakhil, and guard against

And I turn away from the mother of the stingy one and be wary

the eyes of enemies, until I seem to scorn her.

Of the eyes of the enemies as if I disgraced her

وَفِي القَلبِ مِن أُمِّ البَخِيلِ ضَمانَةٌ

وَفِي القَلبِ مِن أُمِّ البَخِيلِ ضَمانَةٌ

إِذا ذُكِرَت كادَ الحَنِينُ يُبِينُها

إِذا ذُكِرَت كادَ الحَنِينُ يُبِينُها

And in my heart is an affliction from Umm al-Bakhil;

And in the heart there is a pledge from the mother of the stingy one

when she is mentioned, yearning almost reveals it.

That when she is remembered, yearning almost reveals her

أَتَتَنَا بِرَيَّاهَا جَنُوبٌ مُرِبَّةٌ

أَتَتَنَا بِرَيَّاهَا جَنُوبٌ مُرِبَّةٌ

لَها بَردُ أنفاسِ الرِّيَاحِ وَلِينُها

لَها بَردُ أنفاسِ الرِّيَاحِ وَلِينُها

A lingering south wind came to us with her fragrance,

The gentle southern winds came to us

bearing the coolness of the winds' breath and their gentleness.

With the coolness of the winds' breaths and their softness

مِنَ المُشرَباتِ المُزنَ هَيفٌ كأنَّها

مِنَ المُشرَباتِ المُزنَ هَيفٌ كأنَّها

بِمِسكٍ وَوَردٍ وَهىَ لُدنٌ مُتُونُها

بِمِسكٍ وَوَردٍ وَهىَ لُدنٌ مُتُونُها

A hot southerly from the winds steeped in rainclouds, as though it

From the saturated clouds, drizzles as if they are

were scented with musk and roses, its backs supple.

With musk, roses and their casks are refined

تَطَلَّعُ مِن غَورَينِ غَورَى تِهَامَةٍ

تَطَلَّعُ مِن غَورَينِ غَورَى تِهَامَةٍ

بِريحِ ذَكِىِّ المِسكِ فُضَّ حَطِينُها

بِريحِ ذَكِىِّ المِسكِ فُضَّ حَطِينُها

It rises from two lowlands, the two lowlands of Tihama,

She gazes from the deep valleys of Tihama

with the scent of fragrant musk, its pouch broken open.

With the scent of pure musk overflowing her veils

يَحِنُّ لَها العَودُ الرَّذِىُّ صَبَابَةً

يَحِنُّ لَها العَودُ الرَّذِىُّ صَبَابَةً

وَيَجرِى قَرَارَ المَاءِ خَصراً بُطُونُهَا

وَيَجرِى قَرَارَ المَاءِ خَصراً بُطُونُهَا

The worn-out old camel yearns for it with longing,

The supple branch sways for her

and its bellies flow, chilled, along the water's bed.

And the stream of water flows through her waist