أَموتُ إِذا شَطَّت وَأَحيا إِذا دَنَت

أَموتُ إِذا شَطَّت وَأَحيا إِذا دَنَت

وَتَبعَثُ أَحزاني الصَبا وَنَسيمَها

وَتَبعَثُ أَحزاني الصَبا وَنَسيمَها

I die when she is far away, and live when she draws near.

I die when she is far, and live when she is near,

And the east wind and its breeze awaken my sorrows.

My sorrows and their breeze awaken with the dawn.

فَمِن أَجلِ لَيلى تولَعُ العَينُ بِالبُكا

فَمِن أَجلِ لَيلى تولَعُ العَينُ بِالبُكا

وَتَأوي إِلى نَفسٍ كَثيرٍ هُمومَها

وَتَأوي إِلى نَفسٍ كَثيرٍ هُمومَها

So because of Layla, the eye is given to weeping,

For Leyla's sake these eyes are wont to weep,

And seeks refuge in a soul whose cares are many.

And harbor many a care within my soul.

كَأَنَّ الحَشا مِن تَحتِهِ عَلِقَت بِهِ

كَأَنَّ الحَشا مِن تَحتِهِ عَلِقَت بِهِ

يَدٌ ذاتُ أَظفارٍ فَتَدمى كُلومُها

يَدٌ ذاتُ أَظفارٍ فَتَدمى كُلومُها

As though, from beneath, there clung to my entrails

As if my inmost heart were in the grasp

A hand with nails, so that the wounds it inflicts bleed.

Of claws that rend and tear and will not spare.