عاشق أهدى لحَّبته

عاشق أهدى لحَّبته

حين خاف الصدَّ والملَلا

حين خاف الصدَّ والملَلا

A lover gave his beloved,

The lover gifted his beloved

when he feared rejection and boredom,

When he feared rejection and boredom

جرَّةَ الصحناء في طبقٍ

جرَّةَ الصحناء في طبقٍ

قد أداروا حولها بصَلا

قد أداروا حولها بصَلا

a jar of fish sauce on a platter.

A desert lark in a platter

They had arranged onions around it.

They had garnished it with onions

قلت إذ عيبت هدَّيتكم

قلت إذ عيبت هدَّيتكم

إنما أهدى الذي أكلا

إنما أهدى الذي أكلا

I said, when your gift was criticized:

I said, in faulting your gift:

"He only gave what he had eaten."

It was he who gifted it who ate it