جَرَحْتُ خَدَّ الذِي تَمَلَّكَنِي

جَرَحْتُ خَدَّ الذِي تَمَلَّكَنِي

فَكَيْفَ أنْجُو وَلاَتَ حِينَ مَنَاصْ

فَكَيْفَ أنْجُو وَلاَتَ حِينَ مَنَاصْ

I wounded the cheek of the one who has mastered me;

I wounded the cheek of the one who possessed me.

how, then, can I escape, when it is too late for flight?

So how can I escape, when there is no time for flight?

فَمُذْ رَآنِي جرحتُ وجْنَتَهُ

فَمُذْ رَآنِي جرحتُ وجْنَتَهُ

أقتَصَّ باللحظِ والجروحُ قِصَاصْ

أقتَصَّ باللحظِ والجروحُ قِصَاصْ

For from the moment he saw me, I wounded his cheek;

For when he saw that I had wounded his cheek,

I exact my due with a glance—for wound must answer wound.

He exacted retribution with a glance—and wounds are requited in kind.