يا لَيلَةً قَطَعَ الصَباحُ نَعيمَها

يا لَيلَةً قَطَعَ الصَباحُ نَعيمَها

عودي عَلَيَّ فَقَد أَصَبتِ صَميمي

عودي عَلَيَّ فَقَد أَصَبتِ صَميمي

O night whose bliss the morning cut short,

O night whose bliss was cut short by dawn’s break,

Return to me, for you have struck my very core.

Return to me, for you have struck my core.

ما إِن رَأَيتُ وَلا سَمِعتُ كَلَيلَةٍ

ما إِن رَأَيتُ وَلا سَمِعتُ كَلَيلَةٍ

في غَيرِ سوءٍ عِندَ بَيتِ حَكيمِ

في غَيرِ سوءٍ عِندَ بَيتِ حَكيمِ

Never have I seen or heard of such a night,

Never have I seen nor heard of a night like you,

Without wrongdoing, at Hakim's house,

In the home of the wise, lacking in wrong.

مِثلَ الَّتي نَكَبَت فُؤادِيَ نَكبَةً

مِثلَ الَّتي نَكَبَت فُؤادِيَ نَكبَةً

تَرَكَت حَليماً وَهوَ غَيرَ حَليمِ

تَرَكَت حَليماً وَهوَ غَيرَ حَليمِ

Like the one that dealt my heart a grievous blow,

You inflicted on my heart such deep sorrow,

Leaving a forbearing man no longer forbearing.

Leaving the forbearing bereft of forbearance.

يا لَيلَ يا ذاتَ البَهاءِ لِأَهلِها

يا لَيلَ يا ذاتَ البَهاءِ لِأَهلِها

إِنّي ظُلِمتُ وَلِمتُ غَيرَ مُليمِ

إِنّي ظُلِمتُ وَلِمتُ غَيرَ مُليمِ

O night, O bearer of splendor for your people,

O elegant night, gift to your faithful,

Indeed, I was wronged and blamed, though blameless.

I was wronged but did not avenge the wrong.

وَلَقَد ذَكَرتُكِ يا بَهيَّةُ بَعدَما

وَلَقَد ذَكَرتُكِ يا بَهيَّةُ بَعدَما

ذَهَبَ الكَرى بِمُجالِسي وَنَديمي

ذَهَبَ الكَرى بِمُجالِسي وَنَديمي

And indeed I remembered you, O Bahiyya, after

After forgetfulness took my gatherings and friend,

Slumber carried off my companion and my drinking companion.

I remembered your beauty, elegant one.

فَعَلَيكِ يا لَيلَ السَلامُ تَحيَّةً

فَعَلَيكِ يا لَيلَ السَلامُ تَحيَّةً

عَدَدَ النُجومِ وَقَلَّ مِن تَسليمي

عَدَدَ النُجومِ وَقَلَّ مِن تَسليمي

So peace be upon you, O night, as a greeting,

Peace be upon you, O night, greetings equal

As numerous as the stars—yet a scant share of my greetings.

To the stars, though fewer than my prayers for you.