مَا أَطْوَلَ اللَّيْلَ عَلَى السَّاهِرِ

مَا أَطْوَلَ اللَّيْلَ عَلَى السَّاهِرِ

أَمَا لِهَذَا اللَّيْلِ مِنْ آخِرِ

أَمَا لِهَذَا اللَّيْلِ مِنْ آخِرِ

How long the night is for the sleepless!

How long is the night to the wakeful one!

Has this night no end?

Will this night not end?

يَا مُخْلِفَ الْوَعْدِ أَلا زَوْرَةٌ

يَا مُخْلِفَ الْوَعْدِ أَلا زَوْرَةٌ

أَقْضِي بِهَا الْحَقَّ مِنَ الزَّائِرِ

أَقْضِي بِهَا الْحَقَّ مِنَ الزَّائِرِ

O promise-breaker, will you not pay a visit,

O breaker of promises, is there no chance

Through which I may claim my due from the visitor?

to fulfill my right against the departing one?

تَرَكْتَنِي مِنْ غَمَرَاتِ الْهَوَى

تَرَكْتَنِي مِنْ غَمَرَاتِ الْهَوَى

فِي لُجِّ بَحْرٍ بِالرَّدَى زَاخِرِ

فِي لُجِّ بَحْرٍ بِالرَّدَى زَاخِرِ

You have left me, overwhelmed by love's surges,

You left me amidst the deep sorrows of passion

In the depths of a sea brimming with death.

in a turbulent sea of torment.

أَسْمَعُ فِي قَلْبِي دَبِيبَ الْمُنَى

أَسْمَعُ فِي قَلْبِي دَبِيبَ الْمُنَى

وَألْمَحُ الشُّبْهَةَ فِي خَاطِرِي

وَألْمَحُ الشُّبْهَةَ فِي خَاطِرِي

I hear within my heart the soft tread of hopes,

I hear in my heart the rustling of death

And glimpse doubt within my mind.

and glimpse the doubt in my thoughts.

فَتَارَةً أَهْدَأُ مِنْ رَوْعَتِي

فَتَارَةً أَهْدَأُ مِنْ رَوْعَتِي

وَتَارَةً أَفْزَعُ كَالطَّائِرِ

وَتَارَةً أَفْزَعُ كَالطَّائِرِ

So at times I recover from my fright,

At times I calm down from my panic,

And at times I take fright like a bird.

at others I startle like a bird.

وَبَيْنَ هَاتَيْنِ شَبَا لَوْعَةٍ

وَبَيْنَ هَاتَيْنِ شَبَا لَوْعَةٍ

لَهَا بِقَلْبِي فَتْكَةُ الثَّائِرِ

لَهَا بِقَلْبِي فَتْكَةُ الثَّائِرِ

And between these two lies the sharp edge of anguish,

And between these two is the agony of a wound

Which assails my heart with an avenger's deadly blow.

that violently tears my heart.

فَهَلْ إِلَى الْوُصْلَةِ مِنْ شَافِعٍ

فَهَلْ إِلَى الْوُصْلَةِ مِنْ شَافِعٍ

أَمْ هَلْ عَلَى الصَّبْوَةِ مِنْ نَاصِرِ

أَمْ هَلْ عَلَى الصَّبْوَةِ مِنْ نَاصِرِ

Is there, then, an intercessor for union,

Is there no intercessor to reunion?

Or is there a helper against passionate longing?

Or no helper against separation?

يَا قَلْبُ لا تَجْزَعْ فَإِنَّ الْمُنَى

يَا قَلْبُ لا تَجْزَعْ فَإِنَّ الْمُنَى

فِي الصَّبْرِ وَاللَّهُ مَعَ الصَّابِرِ

فِي الصَّبْرِ وَاللَّهُ مَعَ الصَّابِرِ

O heart, do not despair, for hopes

O heart, do not despair, for wishes

Lie in patience, and God is with the patient.

come with patience and God aids the patient.