أَلاOh! أَيُّهاO الطَيرُthe bird المُحَلِّقُsoaring غادِياًsetting out in the morning
أَلا أَيُّها الطَيرُ المُحَلِّقُ غادِياً
تَحَمَّلcarry سَلاميmy greetings لاdo not تَذَرنيleave me مُنادِياcalling out
تَحَمَّل سَلامي لا تَذَرني مُنادِيا
O bird soaring forth in the morning,
O bird circling on high
Carry my greetings; do not leave me calling out.
Bear my greetings, do not leave me calling out
تَحَمَّلcarry هَداكَmay He guide you اللَهُGod مِنّيfrom me رِسالَةًa message
تَحَمَّل هَداكَ اللَهُ مِنّي رِسالَةً
إِلىto بَلَدٍa land إِنif كُنتَyou are بِالأَرضِon the earth هادِياknowing the way
إِلى بَلَدٍ إِن كُنتَ بِالأَرضِ هادِيا
Carry—may God guide you—a message from me
Bear, may God guide you, my message
To a land, if you can find your way on earth,
To a land, if you are roaming the earth
إِلىto قَفرَةٍa wilderness مِنfrom نَحوِthe direction of لَيلىLayla مَضَلَّةٍtrackless
إِلى قَفرَةٍ مِن نَحوِ لَيلى مَضَلَّةٍ
بِهاin it القَلبُthe heart مِنّيof mine موثَقٌbound وَفُؤادِياand my inmost heart
بِها القَلبُ مِنّي موثَقٌ وَفُؤادِيا
To a trackless wilderness in Layla’s direction,
To a deserted place, from near Layla, gone astray
Where my heart is bound, and my inmost heart as well.
With it my heart is bound, and my innermost being
أَلاOh! لَيتَwould that يَوماًa day حَلَّbefell بيupon me مِنbecause of فِراقِكُمparting from you
أَلا لَيتَ يَوماً حَلَّ بي مِن فِراقِكُم
تَزَوَّدتُI took provisions ذاكَthat اليَومَthe day آخِرَthe last of زادِياmy provisions
تَزَوَّدتُ ذاكَ اليَومَ آخِرَ زادِيا
Oh, would that, on the day parting from you befell me,
Alas, would that a day comes upon me after parting from you
I had taken that day the last of my provisions.
On that day I will take as my last provision