بِعِذارِهِ خدّاهُ لِلحُسنِ أَشبها

بِعِذارِهِ خدّاهُ لِلحُسنِ أَشبها

مُقَلَ الحَبيبِ وَقَد حَكيْنَ قَواضِبا

مُقَلَ الحَبيبِ وَقَد حَكيْنَ قَواضِبا

With his cheek-down, his cheeks resembled, in beauty,

With reproach he struck his cheek though it resembled beauty

the beloved’s eyes, which indeed resembled keen-edged swords.

Complaining of his darling though relating trifles

فَكَما غَدا فَوقَ العُيونِ حَواجب

فَكَما غَدا فَوقَ العُيونِ حَواجب

جَعَلَ العِذار على الخُدودِ حَواجِبا

جَعَلَ العِذار على الخُدودِ حَواجِبا

So, just as eyebrows came to be above the eyes,

So as brows appeared above the eyes

the cheek-down formed eyebrows upon the cheeks.

Reproach made on the cheeks like brows