تَعَشَّقتُ لَيلى مِن وَراءِ حِجابِها

تَعَشَّقتُ لَيلى مِن وَراءِ حِجابِها

وَلَم تَرَ عَيني لَمحَةً مِن جَنابِها

وَلَم تَرَ عَيني لَمحَةً مِن جَنابِها

I fell in love with Layla from behind her veil,

I fell in love with Layla from behind her veil

and my eye had not caught a glimpse of her.

And my eyes did not glimpse a part of her robe

فَكَيفَ سُلُوّي إِذ أُميطَت سُتورُها

فَكَيفَ سُلُوّي إِذ أُميطَت سُتورُها

وَزُحزِحَ إِذ وافَيتُ فَضلُ نِقابِها

وَزُحزِحَ إِذ وافَيتُ فَضلُ نِقابِها

So how could I forget her when her curtains were drawn aside,

So how can I be consoled when her covers are lifted

and, when I arrived, the hanging edge of her face-veil was moved aside?

And when, as I come near, the edge of her veil is pushed aside

وَكَم أَمكَنَتني فُرصَةٌ في اِختِلاسِها

وَكَم أَمكَنَتني فُرصَةٌ في اِختِلاسِها

وَبِتُّ وَقَلبي طامِعٌ في اِغتِصابِها

وَبِتُّ وَقَلبي طامِعٌ في اِغتِصابِها

And many an opportunity allowed me to take her by stealth,

And how often has an opportunity allowed me to steal her away

and I spent the night with my heart longing to take her by force.

Yet I spend the night, while my heart covets to seize her

فَأَجلَلتُها عَن أَن أَراها بِريبَةٍ

فَأَجلَلتُها عَن أَن أَراها بِريبَةٍ

وَلَم يُرضِني إِلّا الدُخولُ بِبابِها

وَلَم يُرضِني إِلّا الدُخولُ بِبابِها

So I esteemed her too highly to see her illicitly,

But I have held it too dear that I should see her with mistrust

and nothing satisfied me but entering through her door.

And I would not be satisfied save to enter at her door