وَداعٍand a caller دَعاcalled إِذwhen نَحنُwe بِالخَيفِat al-Khayf مِنin مِنىًMina
وَداعٍ دَعا إِذ نَحنُ بِالخَيفِ مِن مِنىً
فَهَيَّجَso he roused أَحزانَthe sorrows of الفُؤادِthe heart وَماand not يَدريhe knows
فَهَيَّجَ أَحزانَ الفُؤادِ وَما يَدري
And a caller called while we were at al-Khayf in Mina,
And roused my heart's sorrows without knowing it.
دَعاhe called بِاِسمِby the name of لَيلىLayla غَيرَهاsomeone other than her فَكَأَنَّماso it was as though
دَعا بِاِسمِ لَيلى غَيرَها فَكَأَنَّما
أَطارَhe sent flying بِلَيلىwith Layla's name طائِراًa bird كانَwas فيin صَدريmy breast
أَطارَ بِلَيلى طائِراً كانَ في صَدري
He called another by Layla's name, and it was as though
He sent flying, with Layla's name, a bird that was within my breast.
دَعاhe called بِاِسمِby the name of لَيلىLayla أَسخَنَmay [He] make burn اللَهُGod عَينَهُhis eye
دَعا بِاِسمِ لَيلى أَسخَنَ اللَهُ عَينَهُ
وَلَيلىand Layla بِأَرضِin the land of الشامِal-Sham فيin بَلَدٍa land قَفرِdesolate
وَلَيلى بِأَرضِ الشامِ في بَلَدٍ قَفرِ
He called out Layla's name—may God make his eyes burn!
While Layla is in the land of al-Sham, in a desolate place.
عَرَضتُI offered عَلىto قَلبيmy heart العَزاءَconsolation فَقالَso it said ليto me
عَرَضتُ عَلى قَلبي العَزاءَ فَقالَ لي
مِنَfrom الآنَnow فَاِجزَعso grieve لاdo not تَمَلَّgrow weary مِنَof الصَبرِpatience
مِنَ الآنَ فَاِجزَع لا تَمَلَّ مِنَ الصَبرِ
I offered my heart consolation, and it said to me:
'From now on, grieve; do not grow weary of patience.'
إِذاwhen بانَdeparts مَنthe one whom تَهوىyou love وَشَطَّand goes far بِهِwith him النَوىseparation
إِذا بانَ مَن تَهوى وَشَطَّ بِهِ النَوى
فَفُرقَةُfor parting from مَنthe one whom تَهوىyou love أَحَرُّis hotter مِنَthan الجَمرِembers
فَفُرقَةُ مَن تَهوى أَحَرُّ مِنَ الجَمرِ
When the one you love departs and separation carries them far away,
Then parting from the one you love burns hotter than embers.
يُناديhe calls سِواهاsomeone other than her أَسخَنَmay [He] make burn اللَهُGod عَينَهُhis eye
يُنادي سِواها أَسخَنَ اللَهُ عَينَهُ
وَلَيلىand Layla بِأَرضٍin a land عَنهُfrom him نازِحَةًfar away تُغريshe entices
وَلَيلى بِأَرضٍ عَنهُ نازِحَةً تُغري
He calls someone other than her—may God make his eyes burn!
While Layla, in a land far from him, is alluring.
أَقولُI say لَهاto her يَوماًone day وَقَدand already شَطَّhas gone far بيwith me النَوىseparation
أَقولُ لَها يَوماً وَقَد شَطَّ بي النَوى
مَتىwhen المُلتَقىthe meeting قالَتshe said قَريبٌnear مِنَto الحَشرِthe Resurrection
مَتى المُلتَقى قالَت قَريبٌ مِنَ الحَشرِ
One day I say to her, when separation has carried me far away:
'When shall we meet?' She said, 'Near the Resurrection.'
حَلَفتُI swore لَهاto her بِاللَهِby God ماnot بَينَwithin ذيthis الحَشىbreast
حَلَفتُ لَها بِاللَهِ ما بَينَ ذي الحَشى
سِواهاother than her حَبيبٌa beloved مِنamong عَوانٍa previously married woman وَمِنand among بِكرِa virgin
سِواها حَبيبٌ مِن عَوانٍ وَمِن بِكرِ
I swore to her by God: no one within this breast
Is beloved but her, among matrons and maidens.
جَعَلناwe made عَلاماتِthe signs of المَوَدَّةِaffection بَينَناbetween us
جَعَلنا عَلاماتِ المَوَدَّةِ بَينَنا
تَشابُكَan intertwining of لَحظٍglances هُنَّthey أَخفىmore hidden مِنَthan السِحرِmagic
تَشابُكَ لَحظٍ هُنَّ أَخفى مِنَ السِحرِ
We made the signs of affection between us
An intertwining of glances, more secret than magic.
فَأَعرِفُso I recognize مِنهاfrom her الوُدَّaffection مِنfrom لينِthe softness of طَرفِهاher gaze
فَأَعرِفُ مِنها الوُدَّ مِن لينِ طَرفِها
وَأَعرِفُand I recognize مِنهاfrom her الهَجرَestrangement بِالنَظَرِby the look الشَزرِhostile and sidelong
وَأَعرِفُ مِنها الهَجرَ بِالنَظَرِ الشَزرِ
So I know her affection by the softness of her gaze,
And I know her estrangement by her hostile, sidelong look.
إِذاif عِبتُهاI fault her شَبَهتُهاI liken her to البَدرَthe full moon طالِعاًrising
إِذا عِبتُها شَبَهتُها البَدرَ طالِعاً
وَحَسبُكَand enough for you مِنas عَيبٍa fault يُشَبَّهُto be likened بِالبَدرِto the full moon
وَحَسبُكَ مِن عَيبٍ يُشَبَّهُ بِالبَدرِ
If I find fault with her, I liken her to the rising full moon;
And enough of a fault it is to be likened to the full moon!
هِيَshe البَدرُthe full moon حُسناًin beauty وَالنِساءُand women كَواكِبُstars
هِيَ البَدرُ حُسناً وَالنِساءُ كَواكِبُ
فَشَتّانَso great the difference ماwhat is بَينَbetween الكَواكِبِthe stars وَالبَدرِand the full moon
فَشَتّانَ ما بَينَ الكَواكِبِ وَالبَدرِ
She is the full moon in beauty, and women are stars:
How far apart are the stars and the full moon!
إِذاwhen ذُكِرَتshe is mentioned يَرتاحُthrills قَلبيmy heart لِذِكرِهاat mention of her
إِذا ذُكِرَت يَرتاحُ قَلبي لِذِكرِها
كَماas اِنتَفَضَshook itself العَصفورُthe sparrow بُلِّلَwas wetted مِنby قَطرِrain
كَما اِنتَفَضَ العَصفورُ بُلِّلَ مِن قَطرِ
When she is mentioned, my heart thrills at the mention of her,
As a sparrow shakes itself when wetted by rain.
تَداوَيتُI treated myself مِنfor لَيلىLayla بِلَيلىwith Layla مِنَfor الهَوىlove
تَداوَيتُ مِن لَيلى بِلَيلى مِنَ الهَوى
كَماas يَتَداوىtreats himself شارِبُa drinker of الخَمرِwine بِالخَمرِwith wine
كَما يَتَداوى شارِبُ الخَمرِ بِالخَمرِ
I sought to cure my love for Layla with Layla herself,
As a wine-drinker treats himself with wine.
وَتَزعُمُand claims لَيلىLayla أَنَّنيthat I لاdo not أُحِبُّهاlove her
وَتَزعُمُ لَيلى أَنَّني لا أُحِبُّها
بَلىyes, indeed وَاللَياليby the nights العَشرِten وَالشَفعِand by the even وَالوَترِand by the odd
بَلى وَاللَيالي العَشرِ وَالشَفعِ وَالوَترِ
And Layla claims that I do not love her.
Yes, by the ten nights, the even and the odd!
بَلىyes, indeed واَلَّذيby Him who أَرسىfirmly established بِمَكَّةَin Mecca بَيتَهُHis House
بَلى واَلَّذي أَرسى بِمَكَّةَ بَيتَهُ
بَلىyes, indeed وَالمَثانيby the oft-repeated verses وَالطَواسينِand by the Ta-Sin chapters وَالحِجرِand by al-Hijr
بَلى وَالمَثاني وَالطَواسينِ وَالحِجرِ
Yes, by Him who set His House firmly in Mecca!
Yes, by the oft-repeated verses, the Ta-Sin chapters, and al-Hijr!
بَلىyes, indeed وَالَّذيby Him who ناجىspoke privately to مِنَfrom الطورِthe Mount عَبدَهُHis servant
بَلى وَالَّذي ناجى مِنَ الطورِ عَبدَهُ
وَشَرَّفَand honored أَيّامَthe days of الذَبيحَةِsacrifice وَالنَحرِand slaughter
وَشَرَّفَ أَيّامَ الذَبيحَةِ وَالنَحرِ
Yes, by Him who communed with His servant from the Mount,
And honored the days of sacrifice and slaughter!
بَلىyes, indeed وَالَّذيby Him who نَجّىrescued مِنَfrom الجُبِّthe well يوسُفاًYusuf
بَلى وَالَّذي نَجّى مِنَ الجُبِّ يوسُفاً
وَأَرسَلَand sent داوُوداًDawud وَأَوحىand revealed إِلىto الخِضرِal-Khidr
وَأَرسَلَ داوُوداً وَأَوحى إِلى الخِضرِ
Yes, by Him who rescued Yusuf from the well,
And sent Dawud and gave revelation to al-Khidr!
بَلىyes, indeed وَالَّذيby Him who لاnot يَعلَمُknows الغَيبَthe unseen غَيرَهُother than Him
بَلى وَالَّذي لا يَعلَمُ الغَيبَ غَيرَهُ
بِقُدرَتِهِby His power تَجريsail المَراكِبُthe ships فيon البَحرِthe sea
بِقُدرَتِهِ تَجري المَراكِبُ في البَحرِ
Yes, by Him who alone knows the unseen;
By His power the ships sail on the sea.
سَأَصبِرُI shall endure حَتّىuntil يَعلَمَknow الناسُpeople أَنَّنيthat I
سَأَصبِرُ حَتّى يَعلَمَ الناسُ أَنَّني
عَلىagainst نائِباتِthe calamities of الدَهرِtime أَقوىstronger مِنَthan الصَخرِrock
عَلى نائِباتِ الدَهرِ أَقوى مِنَ الصَخرِ
I shall endure until people know that I
Am stronger than rock against the calamities of time.
سَلامٌpeace عَلىupon مَنthe one لاnot أَمَلُّI tire of حَديثَهاher conversation
سَلامٌ عَلى مَن لا أَمَلُّ حَديثَها
وَلَوand even if عاشَرَتهاkept her company النَفسُthe soul عَشراًten [years] إِلىadded to عَشرِten [years]
وَلَو عاشَرَتها النَفسُ عَشراً إِلى عَشرِ
Peace upon her whose conversation I never tire of,
Even if my soul kept her company for ten years, then ten more.
عَزائيmy consolation وَصَبريand my patience أَسعَدانيboth helped me عَلىagainst الأَسىgrief
عَزائي وَصَبري أَسعَداني عَلى الأَسى
فَأَحمَدُso I praise ماwhat جَرَّبتُI have experienced عاقِبَةَthe outcome of الصَبرِpatience
فَأَحمَدُ ما جَرَّبتُ عاقِبَةَ الصَبرِ
My consolation and my patience helped me bear grief,
So I praise what I have experienced: the outcome of patience.
وَفيand in كُلِّevery يَومٍday غَشيَةٌa swoon مِنfrom صُدورِهاher departure
وَفي كُلِّ يَومٍ غَشيَةٌ مِن صُدورِها
أَبيتُI spend the night عَلىon جَمرٍembers وَأُضحيand I spend the morning عَلىon جَمرِembers
أَبيتُ عَلى جَمرٍ وَأُضحي عَلى جَمرِ
And every day her departure brings a swoon;
I spend the night on embers, and the morning on embers.
عَلَيهاupon her سَلامُthe peace of اللَهِGod ماas long as طارَflies طائِرٌa bird
عَلَيها سَلامُ اللَهِ ما طارَ طائِرٌ
وَماand as long as سارَتِjourney الرُكبانُriders فيover البَرِّland وَالبَحرِand sea
وَما سارَتِ الرُكبانُ في البَرِّ وَالبَحرِ
May God's peace be upon her so long as birds fly,
And so long as riders journey over land and sea.