عَفا اللَهُ عَن لَيلى وَإِن سَفَكَت دَمي

عَفا اللَهُ عَن لَيلى وَإِن سَفَكَت دَمي

فَإِنّي وَإِن لَم تَحزِني غَيرُ عاتِبِ

فَإِنّي وَإِن لَم تَحزِني غَيرُ عاتِبِ

May God pardon Layla, even if she sheds my blood.

God forgives Layla though she shed my blood

For I, even if she does not requite me [conjectural reading], am not reproachful

For I, though none reproach Layla but me, make no complaint against her

عَلَيها وَلا مُبدٍ لِلَيلى شِكايَةً

عَلَيها وَلا مُبدٍ لِلَيلى شِكايَةً

وَقَد يَشتَكي المُشكى إِلى كُلَّ صاحِبِ

وَقَد يَشتَكي المُشكى إِلى كُلَّ صاحِبِ

Toward her, nor do I voice any complaint to Layla;

Nor do I complain of Layla to any companion

And one in distress may complain to every companion.

They say: give up remembering Layla and loving her

يَقولونَ تُب عَن ذِكرِ لَيلى وَحُبِّها

يَقولونَ تُب عَن ذِكرِ لَيلى وَحُبِّها

وَما خَلِدي عَن حُبِّ لَيلى بِتائِبِ

وَما خَلِدي عَن حُبِّ لَيلى بِتائِبِ

They say, “Repent of remembering Layla and loving her.”

But my heart will never give up loving Layla

And my heart is unrepentant of its love for Layla.