فَيا قَلبُ مُت حُزناً وَلا تَكُ جازِعا

فَيا قَلبُ مُت حُزناً وَلا تَكُ جازِعا

فَإِنَّ جَزوعَ القَومِ لَيسَ بِخالِدِ

فَإِنَّ جَزوعَ القَومِ لَيسَ بِخالِدِ

So, heart, die of grief, and do not be distraught;

O heart, do not die of sorrow, nor despair,

For the fretful among men do not live forever.

For the despair of people does not last forever.

هَويتَ فَتاةً نَيلُها الخُلدُ فَاِلتَمِس

هَويتَ فَتاةً نَيلُها الخُلدُ فَاِلتَمِس

سَبيلاً إِلى ما لَستَ يَوماً بِواجِدِ

سَبيلاً إِلى ما لَستَ يَوماً بِواجِدِ

You loved a maiden—to win her is immortality—so seek

You loved a girl whose eternity is assured, so seek

A path to what you will never find.

A way to what you will never attain one day.

هَويتَ فَتاةً كَالغَزالَةِ وَجهُها

هَويتَ فَتاةً كَالغَزالَةِ وَجهُها

وَكَالشَمسِ يَسبي دَلُّها كُلَّ عابِدِ

وَكَالشَمسِ يَسبي دَلُّها كُلَّ عابِدِ

You loved a maiden whose face is like a gazelle's,

You loved a girl whose face is like a gazelle’s

And, like the sun, her coy grace captivates every worshipper.

And whose charm enslaves every worshipper like the sun.

وَلي كَبِدٌ حَرّى وَقَلبٌ مُعَذَّبٌ

وَلي كَبِدٌ حَرّى وَقَلبٌ مُعَذَّبٌ

وَدَمعٌ حَثيثٌ في الهَوى غَيرُ جامِدِ

وَدَمعٌ حَثيثٌ في الهَوى غَيرُ جامِدِ

And I have a burning liver and a tormented heart,

I have a burning liver and a tortured heart,

And tears, swift-flowing in love, that are never still.

And copious tears that flow unceasingly in passion.

وَآيَةُ وَجدِ الصَبِّ تَهطالُ دَمعِهِ

وَآيَةُ وَجدِ الصَبِّ تَهطالُ دَمعِهِ

وَدَمعُ الشَجيِّ الصَبِّ أَعدَلُ شاهِدِ

وَدَمعُ الشَجيِّ الصَبِّ أَعدَلُ شاهِدِ

And the sign of a lovesick lover's longing is his pouring tears,

The shedding of tears by the passionately in love

And the grieving lover's tears are the most impartial witness

Is the truest witness to what his heart harbors

عَلى ما اِنطَوى مِن وَجدِهِ في ضَميرِهِ

عَلى ما اِنطَوى مِن وَجدِهِ في ضَميرِهِ

عَلى الآنِساتِ الناعِماتِ الخَرائِدِ

عَلى الآنِساتِ الناعِماتِ الخَرائِدِ

To the longing that lies hidden in his inmost heart

Of tender feelings for gentle, delicate maidens.

For the charming, delicate, bashful maidens.

Would that fate were kind enough to bring back

فَيا لَيتَ أَنَّ الدَهرَ جادَ بِرَجعَةٍ

فَيا لَيتَ أَنَّ الدَهرَ جادَ بِرَجعَةٍ

وَهَيهاتَ إِنَّ الدَهرَ لَيسَ بِعائِدِ

وَهَيهاتَ إِنَّ الدَهرَ لَيسَ بِعائِدِ

Oh, if only time would generously grant a return!

The past, but alas, fate does not repeat itself.

But far from it! Time will not return

Brace yourself and sense the pain,

إِلَيكَ فَعَزِّ النَفسَ وَاِستَشعِرِ الأَسى

إِلَيكَ فَعَزِّ النَفسَ وَاِستَشعِرِ الأَسى

فَحُبُّكَ يَنمي زائِداً غَيرَ بائِدِ

فَحُبُّكَ يَنمي زائِداً غَيرَ بائِدِ

To you; so console your soul and take sorrow to heart.

For your love will only grow, not wasting away,

For your love grows ever greater, never dying.

And Layla has flown far beyond reach,

وَقَد شَسَعَت لَيلى وَشَطَّ مَزارُها

وَقَد شَسَعَت لَيلى وَشَطَّ مَزارُها

وَغَيَّرَها عَن عَهدِها قَولُ حاسِدِ

وَغَيَّرَها عَن عَهدِها قَولُ حاسِدِ

And Layla has grown distant, and the place to visit her is far away;

Turned from her pledge by the words of a slanderer.

And an envier's words have turned her from her pledge.

Woe to you, Hatem, my tortured heart!

فَيا أَسَفا حَتّامَ قَلبي مُعَذَّبٌ

فَيا أَسَفا حَتّامَ قَلبي مُعَذَّبٌ

إِلى اللَهِ أَشكو طولَ هَذي الشَدائِدِ

إِلى اللَهِ أَشكو طولَ هَذي الشَدائِدِ

Oh, my sorrow! How long will my heart be tormented?

To God I complain of the length of these woes.

To God I complain of the length of these afflictions.