فَدَيْتُ مَن ألفاظُه جَذْوةٌ

فَدَيْتُ مَن ألفاظُه جَذْوةٌ

تُذْكي ومَن مَلْثَمُه باردُ

تُذْكي ومَن مَلْثَمُه باردُ

I would give my life for him whose words are a glowing ember

I ransom the one whose words are embers

that kindles fire, and whose lips are cool.

That kindle, while his lips are cool

لَمَّا تشكِّيتُ إليه الهوى

لَمَّا تشكِّيتُ إليه الهوى

والشوقُ نامٍ والجوى زائد

والشوقُ نامٍ والجوى زائد

When I complained to him of love,

When I complained to him of passion

while longing grew and love's anguish increased,

While yearning slumbers and sickness increases

أرسل في تُفَّاحةٍ خَدّه

أرسل في تُفَّاحةٍ خَدّه

إليّ كَيْلاَ يفطن الحاسِدُ

إليّ كَيْلاَ يفطن الحاسِدُ

he sent his cheek in an apple

He sent in an apple his cheek

to me, lest the envious one notice.

To me, so the envious one would not perceive

فلونُه في لونها ظاهِرٌ

فلونُه في لونها ظاهِرٌ

ورِيقُه في طعمها جامِدُ

ورِيقُه في طعمها جامِدُ

For his hue is visible in its hue,

Its color in its color is evident

and his saliva is congealed in its taste.

And its saliva in its taste condensed