أهدى المليحُ إليّ ورداً

أهدى المليحُ إليّ ورداً

فشممت غالية وندا

فشممت غالية وندا

The handsome one gave me a rose,

The handsome one gave me a rose

so I smelled musk perfume and incense.

I smelled its expensiveness and dew

ورأيت حمرتهُ حكت

ورأيت حمرتهُ حكت

خدّ الحبيب جفا وصدّا

خدّ الحبيب جفا وصدّا

And I saw that its redness resembled

And saw its redness narrate

the beloved’s cheek: he was cold and turned away.

The cheek of the beloved, aloofness and rejection

فتضرّجا عند العتا

فتضرّجا عند العتا

ب له فأعتب واستحدّا

ب له فأعتب واستحدّا

Then both blushed at the reproach—

So they blushed at the reproach

—addressed to him; he made amends and grew angry.

I blamed him and complained

فشممته ورددته

فشممته ورددته

فعل الكريم صفا وودا

فعل الكريم صفا وودا

So I smelled it and returned it,

So I smelled it and gave it back

as a noble man acts, sincere and loving.

The generous act purity and affection