حَيِّ في الحَيِّ مِن قِبابِ المُصَلّى

حَيِّ في الحَيِّ مِن قِبابِ المُصَلّى

مَنزِلاً مونِقاً وَماءً وَظِلّا

مَنزِلاً مونِقاً وَماءً وَظِلّا

Greet, in the quarter among the domes of al-Musalla,

Live in Al-Hayy from the domes of Al-Musalla

a delightful dwelling, and water, and shade;

An elegant house, water and shade

فَقُرى جِلَّقٍ فَبابِ الفَراديسِ

فَقُرى جِلَّقٍ فَبابِ الفَراديسِ

فَبابِ البَريدِ عَيشٌ تَوَلّى

فَبابِ البَريدِ عَيشٌ تَوَلّى

then Jilliq's villages, then Bab al-Faradis,

So the villages of Jilqaq and the gate of Paradise

then Bab al-Barid—a life now past.

The gate of Al-Bureed, the livelihood has inclined

دِمَنٌ هُنَّ لي أَحَبُّ مِنَ الكَرخِ

دِمَنٌ هُنَّ لي أَحَبُّ مِنَ الكَرخِ

وَأَشهى مِن شَطِّ نَهرِ مُعَلّى

وَأَشهى مِن شَطِّ نَهرِ مُعَلّى

Ruins dearer to me than al-Karkh,

Its buckets are dearer to me than Al-Karkh

and more pleasing than the bank of Mu'alla's river.

And more delicious than the bank of the twisted river

أَتُرى النازِلونَ أَكنافَ جَيرونَ

أَتُرى النازِلونَ أَكنافَ جَيرونَ

عَلى عَهدِنا مُقيمونَ أَم لا

عَلى عَهدِنا مُقيمونَ أَم لا

I wonder: are those dwelling around Jayrun

Do you see those who descend the sides of Jayrun

still true to our covenant, or not?

In our time, are they resident or not?

قالَ لي طَيفُهُم سَلَوتَ هَوانا

قالَ لي طَيفُهُم سَلَوتَ هَوانا

قُلتُ لا وَالَّذي دَنا وَتَدَلّى

قُلتُ لا وَالَّذي دَنا وَتَدَلّى

Their phantom said to me, 'You have forgotten our love.'

Their ghost said to me, “You asked humbly”

I said, 'No, by Him who drew near and descended.'

I said, “No, by Him who came near and lowered Himself”

قالَ بَل قَلَّ ما عَهِدناكَ فيهِ

قالَ بَل قَلَّ ما عَهِدناكَ فيهِ

قُلتُ لا وَالَّذي لِموسى تَجَلّى

قُلتُ لا وَالَّذي لِموسى تَجَلّى

It said, 'But what we once knew in you has waned.'

He said, “Rather, seldom did we know you in it”

I said, 'No, by Him who revealed Himself to Moses.'

I said, “No, by Him who was revealed to Moses”

كُلُّ شَيءٍ يُمَلُّ مِنهُ إِذا زادَ

كُلُّ شَيءٍ يُمَلُّ مِنهُ إِذا زادَ

وَحاشى هَواكُمُ أَن يُمَلّا

وَحاشى هَواكُمُ أَن يُمَلّا

Everything grows tiresome when it grows excessive,

Everything becomes boring when it is excessive

but love for you could never grow tiresome.

And I fear your love will become boring

أَيُّها اللائِمي عَلى فَرطِ شَوقي

أَيُّها اللائِمي عَلى فَرطِ شَوقي

خابَ مَن غابَ عَن ذَويهِ وَذَلّا

خابَ مَن غابَ عَن ذَويهِ وَذَلّا

O you who blame me for my excessive longing,

O you who blame my excessive longing

whoever is far from his kin is thwarted and brought low.

He who was absent from his people has failed and humiliated

لَو يَراني مَجنونُ لَيلى إِذا ما

لَو يَراني مَجنونُ لَيلى إِذا ما

جَنَّ لَيلي لَصامَ شُكراً وَصَلّى

جَنَّ لَيلي لَصامَ شُكراً وَصَلّى

If Layla's Majnun could see me when

If the crazed Layla sees me when

my night grows dark, he would fast in gratitude and pray.

My night goes crazy, she would fast in gratitude and pray

أَتَقَلّى مِنَ القِلى وَلَعَمري

أَتَقَلّى مِنَ القِلى وَلَعَمري

أَيُّ صَبٍّ مِنَ القِلى ما تَقَلّى

أَيُّ صَبٍّ مِنَ القِلى ما تَقَلّى

I burn from rejection—and, by my life,

Do I waver from swaying while, by my life

what ardent lover has not burned from rejection?

Which youth sways but has not wavered?