كَأَن القَلبَ لَيلَة قَبل يُغدي

كَأَن القَلبَ لَيلَة قَبل يُغدي

بِلَيلى العامِرِيَّه أَو يُراح

بِلَيلى العامِرِيَّه أَو يُراح

It was as though the heart, on the night before the dawn departure

As if the heart the night before were to spend

of Layla al-ʿĀmiriyya, or her departure at dusk,

The night in populated Leila or take rest,

قطاة عَزَّها شرك فَباتَت

قطاة عَزَّها شرك فَباتَت

تجاذِبُه وَقَد عَلق الجَناح

تجاذِبُه وَقَد عَلق الجَناح

were a sandgrouse overcome by a snare; she spent the night

A wild cat whose company fate forbade

tugging against it, her wing caught fast.

Clung to it, though its wings were still unspread,

لَها فَرخان قَد تَرَكا بوكر

لَها فَرخان قَد تَرَكا بوكر

فَعشهُما تصفِّقه الرِياح

فَعشهُما تصفِّقه الرِياح

She had two chicks left in a nest,

It had two fledglings, whom at dawn it left

and their nest was buffeted by the winds.

In a nest which the winds began to buffet,

إِذا سَمعا هُبوب الريحِ نصا

إِذا سَمعا هُبوب الريحِ نصا

وَقد اودى بِهِ القَدر المُتاح

وَقد اودى بِهِ القَدر المُتاح

When they heard the wind blowing, they raised their heads,

Whenever they heard the winds begin to blow

though decreed fate had already brought it to ruin.

And fate had not allowed what they wished to know,

فَلا في اللَيلِ نالَت ما ترجّي

فَلا في اللَيلِ نالَت ما ترجّي

وَلا في الصُبحِ كانَ لَها بَراح

وَلا في الصُبحِ كانَ لَها بَراح

So at night she attained none of what she hoped for,

So neither in the night attained what they sought

nor in the morning was there any escape for her.

Nor in the morn enjoyed any rest brought