قد كانَ لي مِنديلُ كُمٍّ ساذَج

قد كانَ لي مِنديلُ كُمٍّ ساذَج

ما جاز مسحَ فَمي به في مَذْهَبي

ما جاز مسحَ فَمي به في مَذْهَبي

I once had a plain sleeve-handkerchief.

I once had a simple, plain handkerchief

Wiping my mouth with it was not permitted in my creed.

That I never dared wipe my mouth with, under my creed,

فاعتضتُ عنه بِخَدِّ من أَحببتُه

فاعتضتُ عنه بِخَدِّ من أَحببتُه

ومسحتُ في مندِيل كَمٍّ مُذْهَب

ومسحتُ في مندِيل كَمٍّ مُذْهَب

So I exchanged it for the cheek of the one I loved,

So I turned away from it to the cheek of my beloved,

And wiped my mouth on a gilded sleeve-handkerchief.

And wiped instead on the sleeve of his embroidered gown.