ولما تولّى الخَدَّ وال عِذارهِ

ولما تولّى الخَدَّ وال عِذارهِ

رفعتُ إليه قِصّتي أتظلَّمُ

رفعتُ إليه قِصّتي أتظلَّمُ

And when the governor of his cheek-down took charge of the cheek,

When he undertook the cheek and its softness

I submitted my petition to him, seeking redress.

I raised my story to him complaining

فوقَّع فيها خَطَّه بِصَبابَتي

فوقَّع فيها خَطَّه بِصَبابَتي

وقال لي السُلوان شيء مُحرَّم

وقال لي السُلوان شيء مُحرَّم

So he wrote his endorsement on it concerning my ardent longing,

He signed it with my youth

And he told me, "Solace is forbidden."

And the minister said to me it is forbidden

أتلبس ثوبَ الخَدّ إذ كان ساذجاً

أتلبس ثوبَ الخَدّ إذ كان ساذجاً

قد أَثنى عليه في كتاب

قد أَثنى عليه في كتاب

Do you wear the cheek’s robe when it was unadorned?

Shall I wear the garment of the cheek when it was naive

He has indeed praised it in a book.

He has praised it in a book