لَقَد هَتَفتَ في جُنحِ لَيل حَمامَة

لَقَد هَتَفتَ في جُنحِ لَيل حَمامَة

عَلى فَنن وَهناً وَاِنّي لَنائِم

عَلى فَنن وَهناً وَاِنّي لَنائِم

Indeed, a dove cried out in the darkness of night,

In the wings of night a dove cried out

on a branch, late at night, while I was indeed asleep.

Of arts and beauty while I slept

فَقُلتُ اِعتِذاراً عِندَ ذاكَ وَإِنَّني

فَقُلتُ اِعتِذاراً عِندَ ذاكَ وَإِنَّني

لِنَفسي مِمّا قَد رَأَتهُ لِلائم

لِنَفسي مِمّا قَد رَأَتهُ لِلائم

Then I said in apology at that moment—and indeed I

Then I apologized, at that time

was reproaching my own soul for what it had seen:

For my soul blames what it has seen

أَأَزعُم انّي هائِم ذو صَبابَة

أَأَزعُم انّي هائِم ذو صَبابَة

لِسُعدى وَلا اِبكي وَتَبكي الحَمائِم

لِسُعدى وَلا اِبكي وَتَبكي الحَمائِم

Do I claim to be love-stricken, full of longing

Shall I claim that I, of youthful spirit

for Suʿdā, yet not weep while the doves weep?

Am happy, and do not weep while doves cry

كَذَبتُ وَبيت اللَهِ لَو كنت عاشِقا

كَذَبتُ وَبيت اللَهِ لَو كنت عاشِقا

لما سَبَقتَني بِالبُكاء الحَمائِم

لما سَبَقتَني بِالبُكاء الحَمائِم

I have lied, by the House of God! If I were a lover,

I have lied, by God's house, if I were a lover

the doves would not have preceded me in weeping.

The doves would not have wept before me