خدّي لدَمعٍ فيه مُرفَضِّ

خدّي لدَمعٍ فيه مُرفَضِّ

وخدُّهُ لِلَّثمِ والعَضِّ

وخدُّهُ لِلَّثمِ والعَضِّ

My cheek is where my tears stream down;

My cheek is for tears streaming down it,

his cheek is made for kisses and bites.

And his cheek is for kissing and biting.

بعضي على بعضي يبكي دماً

بعضي على بعضي يبكي دماً

وبعضُه يزهى على بعض

وبعضُه يزهى على بعض

One part of me weeps blood over another,

One part of me weeps blood over another,

while each part of him proudly outshines another.

And one part of him vaunts itself over another.

ما كملت حتى بدا حسنه

ما كملت حتى بدا حسنه

ولا استتمت زينة الأرض

ولا استتمت زينة الأرض

It was not complete until his beauty appeared,

It was not complete until his beauty appeared,

nor was the earth’s adornment perfected.

Nor had the earth's adornment reached perfection.

قد كدتُ أن أقضي من هجره

قد كدتُ أن أقضي من هجره

وحُقَّ للمهجور أن يقضي

وحُقَّ للمهجور أن يقضي

I have nearly died from his abandonment;

I nearly died from his forsaking me,

and it is only right that the forsaken should die.

And well may the forsaken die.