إِنّي لَأَجلِسُ في النادي أُحَدِّثُهُم

إِنّي لَأَجلِسُ في النادي أُحَدِّثُهُم

فَأَستَفيقُ وَقَد غالَتنِيَ الغولُ

فَأَستَفيقُ وَقَد غالَتنِيَ الغولُ

Indeed, I sit in the gathering, talking to them.

I sit in the club conversing with them,

Then I come to my senses, the ghoul having already carried me off.

Then I come to and find myself possessed by longing.

يُهوي بِقَلبي حَديثُ النَفسِ نَحوَكُمُ

يُهوي بِقَلبي حَديثُ النَفسِ نَحوَكُمُ

حَتّى يَقولُ جَليسي أَنتَ مَخبولُ

حَتّى يَقولُ جَليسي أَنتَ مَخبولُ

My inward thoughts send my heart plunging toward you.

My soul's conversation turns toward you,

Until my companion says, “You are mad.”

Until my friend says, “You are mad!”

قالوا شَبيهَكَ لا يَخفى عَلى أَحَدٍ

قالوا شَبيهَكَ لا يَخفى عَلى أَحَدٍ

لَيلى الجَمالِ رِضاها القَصدُ وَالسولُ

لَيلى الجَمالِ رِضاها القَصدُ وَالسولُ

They said, “Your like is hidden from no one.”

They said, “Your likeness to Layla is not hidden from anyone.

Layla of beauty—her favor is the aim and desire.

Layla of beauty, her pleasure is the aim and quest.”

لَيلى هِيَ البَدرُ ما لي قَطُّ مُصطَبَرٌ

لَيلى هِيَ البَدرُ ما لي قَطُّ مُصطَبَرٌ

عَنها وَإِن كَثُرَت فيها الأَقاويلُ

عَنها وَإِن كَثُرَت فيها الأَقاويلُ

Layla is the full moon; I can never bear

Layla, she is the full moon. I have never had patience

Being apart from her, even if rumors about her abound.

To abstain from her, though many spoke against her.