تَعَشَّقتُ لَيلى وَاِبتُليتُ بِحُبِّها

تَعَشَّقتُ لَيلى وَاِبتُليتُ بِحُبِّها

وَأَصبَحتُ مِنها في القِفارِ أَهيمُ

وَأَصبَحتُ مِنها في القِفارِ أَهيمُ

I fell in love with Layla and was afflicted with love for her.

I fell in love with Layla, and was afflicted by her love,

And because of her I came to wander the barren wastes.

And because of her, I wander alone in the wastelands,

وَأَصبَحتُ فيها عاشِقاً وَمُوَلَّهاً

وَأَصبَحتُ فيها عاشِقاً وَمُوَلَّهاً

مَضى الصَبرُ عَنّي وَالغَرامُ مُقيمُ

مَضى الصَبرُ عَنّي وَالغَرامُ مُقيمُ

And I became enamored of her and distraught with love.

And I became for her a lover and one infatuated,

Patience has left me, while passion abides.

Patience has left me, while passion remains,

فَيا أَبَتي إِن كُنتَ حَقّاً تُريدُني

فَيا أَبَتي إِن كُنتَ حَقّاً تُريدُني

وَتَرجو حَياتي بَينَكُنَّ أُقيمُ

وَتَرجو حَياتي بَينَكُنَّ أُقيمُ

So, my father, if you truly want me

So father, if you truly want me,

and hope that I live and remain among you,

And hope for my life to continue with you,

فَجُد لي بِلَيلى وَاِصطَنِعني بِقُربِها

فَجُد لي بِلَيلى وَاِصطَنِعني بِقُربِها

أَصيرُ لَها زَوجاً وَأَنتَ سَليمُ

أَصيرُ لَها زَوجاً وَأَنتَ سَليمُ

then grant me Layla, and favor me with nearness to her.

Find Layla for me, and get me married to her,

I shall become her husband, and you will remain unharmed.

I'll be her husband while you remain well,

لِلَيلى عَلى قَلبي مِنَ الحُبِّ حاجِزٌ

لِلَيلى عَلى قَلبي مِنَ الحُبِّ حاجِزٌ

مُقيمٌ وَلَكِنَّ اللِسانُ عَقيمُ

مُقيمٌ وَلَكِنَّ اللِسانُ عَقيمُ

Layla has a barrier of love upon my heart,

Layla's love has set up a barrier in my heart,

abiding there, and yet the tongue is barren.

Remaining there, while my tongue falls silent,

فَواحِدَةٌ تَبكي مِنَ الهَجرِ وَالقِلى

فَواحِدَةٌ تَبكي مِنَ الهَجرِ وَالقِلى

وَأُخرى تُبَكّي شَجوَها وَتُقيمُ

وَأُخرى تُبَكّي شَجوَها وَتُقيمُ

So one weeps from abandonment and aversion,

One cries from separation and torment,

and another bewails her grief and remains.

While the other cries her lament and remains,

وَتَنهَشُني مِن حُبِّ لَيلى نَواهِشٌ

وَتَنهَشُني مِن حُبِّ لَيلى نَواهِشٌ

لَهُنَّ حَريقٌ في الفُؤادِ عَظيمُ

لَهُنَّ حَريقٌ في الفُؤادِ عَظيمُ

And gnawing torments from love for Layla tear at me;

And from love of Layla, sorrows gnaw at me,

theirs is a mighty blaze within the heart.

With grievous burning within my heart,

إِلى اللَهِ أَشكو حُبَّ لَيلى كَما شَكا

إِلى اللَهِ أَشكو حُبَّ لَيلى كَما شَكا

إِلى اللَهِ فَقدَ الوالِدَينِ يَتيمُ

إِلى اللَهِ فَقدَ الوالِدَينِ يَتيمُ

To God I complain of my love for Layla, as did

To God I complain of love for Layla, as

an orphan to God of the loss of both parents—

The orphan complains to God of losing both parents,

يَتيمٌ جَفاهُ الأَقرَبونَ فَعَظمُهُ

يَتيمٌ جَفاهُ الأَقرَبونَ فَعَظمُهُ

ضَعيفٌ وَحُبُّ الوالِدَينِ قَديمُ

ضَعيفٌ وَحُبُّ الوالِدَينِ قَديمُ

an orphan whom his nearest kin have shunned, so his bones

An orphan abandoned by his closest kin, so he is weak,

are weak, and his love for his parents is long-standing.

While the love of parents is eternal,

وَإِنَّ زَماناً فَرَّقَ الدَهرُ بَينَنا

وَإِنَّ زَماناً فَرَّقَ الدَهرُ بَينَنا

وَبَينَكِ يا لَيلى فَذاكَ ذَميمُ

وَبَينَكِ يا لَيلى فَذاكَ ذَميمُ

And indeed, a time when Time has parted us

And time has come between us, separating us,

from you, O Layla—that is blameworthy.

And you, O Layla, so that is condemnable.