أَيَّ قَلُوصِ راكِبٍ تَراها

أَيَّ قَلُوصِ راكِبٍ تَراها

شالُوا عَلَيْهِنَّ فَشُلْ عَلاها

شالُوا عَلَيْهِنَّ فَشُلْ عَلاها

What a young she-camel for a rider you behold!

What saddle-bagged camel do you see it bearing,

They hoisted loads onto them; so hoist one onto her.

They lifted up over it so it tottered in its loftiness,

وَاشْدُدْ بِمَثْنَى حَقَبٍ حَقوَاها

وَاشْدُدْ بِمَثْنَى حَقَبٍ حَقوَاها

ناجِيَةً وَناجِياً أَباها

ناجِيَةً وَناجِياً أَباها

And bind her two flanks with a doubled saddle-girth,

And steady it with a doubled saddlecloth, repair its defect,

Swift herself, and swift her sire.

Calling out, crying for its father?

وَاهَا لِلَيْلَى ثُمَّ وَاها واها

وَاهَا لِلَيْلَى ثُمَّ وَاها واها

هِيَ المُنَى لَوْ أَنَّنا نِلْناها

هِيَ المُنَى لَوْ أَنَّنا نِلْناها

Ah for Layla! Then ah, ah!

Woe for Layla! Then woe, woe for it!

She is all we wish for—if only we could win her!

It is the wish if only we attain it.

يا لَيْتَ عَيْنَيْها لَنا وَفاها

يا لَيْتَ عَيْنَيْها لَنا وَفاها

بِثَمَنٍ نُرْضِي بِهِ أَباها

بِثَمَنٍ نُرْضِي بِهِ أَباها

Oh, would that her eyes and mouth were ours,

Oh would that her eyes be ours, that we obtain their union,

For a price with which we would please her father.

At a price we please her father with,

إِنَّ أَباها وَأَبَا أَباها

إِنَّ أَباها وَأَبَا أَباها

قَدْ بَلَغَا فِي المَجْدِ غايَتَاها

قَدْ بَلَغَا فِي المَجْدِ غايَتَاها

Indeed, her father and her father's father

Indeed her father and her father's father

Have reached the two utmost bounds of glory.

Have reached in glory their utmost extent.