رأيت على خدِّها شامَةً

رأيت على خدِّها شامَةً

كَحُلكة ناظرها في السوادِ

كَحُلكة ناظرها في السوادِ

I saw a beauty mark upon her cheek,

I saw on her cheek a mole

As black as the darkness of her pupil.

Like kohl, her gaze into the darkness

فقلت لها لِمْ عجمتِ الشقيق

فقلت لها لِمْ عجمتِ الشقيق

وعارضْتِ حُمرتَهُ بالمداد

وعارضْتِ حُمرتَهُ بالمداد

So I said to her, “Why did you dot the anemone

So I said why have you made the red rose blue

And counter its redness with ink?”

And lined your blush with ink

فقالت حَمَيْتُ بها وَجْنتي

فقالت حَمَيْتُ بها وَجْنتي

من العين والنظر المستزاد

من العين والنظر المستزاد

She said, “With it I shielded my cheek

She said I shielded my cheek and self

From the evil eye and the prolonged gaze.”

From the evil eye and gaze that seeks more