رَمَيْتُهُ بِوَردةٍ مُطْرِفاً

رَمَيْتُهُ بِوَردةٍ مُطْرِفاً

فَردَّها وتاهَ بالخدِّ

فَردَّها وتاهَ بالخدِّ

I tossed him a rose as a choice gift;

I threw at him a rose, coquettishly

He returned it and gloried in his cheek.

He returned it, and it got lost in his cheek

فَعادَتِ الوَردَةُ في خَجْلَةٍ

فَعادَتِ الوَردَةُ في خَجْلَةٍ

تَبْدُو عَليها صُفرةُ الحِقْدِ

تَبْدُو عَليها صُفرةُ الحِقْدِ

So the rose returned in shame,

So the rose returned, shyly

The yellow pallor of spite showing upon it.

Showing on it the yellowness of spite