تحبهم ثم ارزم ثم سالا

تحبهم ثم ارزم ثم سالا

فعب اتيه يطأ التلالا

فعب اتيه يطأ التلالا

[Opening word unclear], then it rumbled, then flowed.

They love then grow serious then ask

So its onrushing flood surged, trampling the hills.

The clouds stomp the hills

كأن الجو عفريت مخوف

كأن الجو عفريت مخوف

تزمجر ثم كشر ثم صالا

تزمجر ثم كشر ثم صالا

As though the sky were a fearsome demon,

As if the sky were a frightening genie

That growled, then bared its fangs, then charged.

Thundering, then baring teeth, then lightning

كأن البرق في يده حسام

كأن البرق في يده حسام

يشق به من السحب الجبالا

يشق به من السحب الجبالا

As though lightning were a sword in its hand,

As if the lightning in its hand a sword

With which it cleaves the mountains of cloud.

Cleaving through the mountains with clouds

كأن الغيث غدران تهاوى

كأن الغيث غدران تهاوى

كأن الزمن يشتعل اشتعالا

كأن الزمن يشتعل اشتعالا

As though the rain were pools tumbling down,

As if the rain were treacherous, falling

As though time were blazing fiercely.

As if time itself were burning up in flames

كأن الليل شيطان رجيم

كأن الليل شيطان رجيم

رأى ليزيد شرته مجالا

رأى ليزيد شرته مجالا

As though the night were an accursed devil,

As if the night were an accursed devil

That saw a chance to heighten its fury.

Who saw in spreading his evil, a chance

كأن الريح جبار عنيد

كأن الريح جبار عنيد

يريد ليقلع الا كم الثقالا

يريد ليقلع الا كم الثقالا

As though the wind were an obstinate tyrant,

As if the wind were a stubborn tyrant

Wishing to uproot the massive hills.

Wanting to uproot even heavy weights

كأن البرد جني تنزى

كأن البرد جني تنزى

هنالك او هنا يلقى نبالا

هنالك او هنا يلقى نبالا

As though the hail were a leaping jinn,

As if the cold were a demon, alighting

Hurling arrows there or here.

And nature roared, a fearsome ogre

وزمجرت الطبيعة فهي غول

وزمجرت الطبيعة فهي غول

يريد بمن ترباهم نكالا

يريد بمن ترباهم نكالا

And nature roared, for it is a ghoul,

Seeking to punish those it raised

Seeking to punish those it reared.

Would the earth at that hour meet its doom

أتلقى الارض ساعتها ويلقى

أتلقى الارض ساعتها ويلقى

عليها كل ذي روح زوالا

عليها كل ذي روح زوالا

Does the earth meet its hour, and does

And every living thing face decay?

Every living soul upon it meet extinction?

The battle raged between the raging sky

وكان الحرب بين الجو يرغي

وكان الحرب بين الجو يرغي

ووجه الارض صاخبة سجالا

ووجه الارض صاخبة سجالا

And the battle between the frothing sky

And the clamorous earth, exchanging blows

And the earth's face raged noisily, back and forth.

In one night as dark as this, I lost

فقدت بليلة ادجت كهذي

فقدت بليلة ادجت كهذي

جميع مشاعري الا خيالا

جميع مشاعري الا خيالا

On a night grown dark like this, I lost

All my feelings, except my dreams

All my senses, save a vision.

And Laila's dream is a lamp for me

وان خيال ليلى لي سراج

وان خيال ليلى لي سراج

سيهديني اذا خفت الضلالا

سيهديني اذا خفت الضلالا

And Layla's image is a lamp for me,

Lighting my way if I lose my path

It will guide me when I fear going astray.