شَجَرَ التُفّاحِ لا ذُقتَ القَحَل

شَجَرَ التُفّاحِ لا ذُقتَ القَحَل

لا وَلا زِلتَ لِغاياتِ المَثَل

لا وَلا زِلتَ لِغاياتِ المَثَل

Apple trees, may you never taste withering;

The apple tree, you have not tasted its bitterness

O apple tree, may you never taste of drought,

No—and may you ever remain the highest exemplar.

Nor have you faltered for the sake of an allegory

And may you remain forever the paragon of perfection,

وَعَدَتني قُبلَةً مِن سَيِّدي

وَعَدَتني قُبلَةً مِن سَيِّدي

فَتَعاضَت سَيِّدي حينَ فَعَل

فَتَعاضَت سَيِّدي حينَ فَعَل

She promised me a kiss from my master;

She promised me a kiss from my master

You promised me a kiss from my beloved master,

Then she bit my master in return when he did so.

But when she did, it displeased my master

But he took a bite instead when he made the gesture,

لَيسَ ذاكَ العَضُّ مِن عَيبٍ بِها

لَيسَ ذاكَ العَضُّ مِن عَيبٍ بِها

إِنَّما ذاكَ سُؤالٌ لِلقُبَل

إِنَّما ذاكَ سُؤالٌ لِلقُبَل

That bite does not spring from a fault in her;

It wasn't a flaw in her

That bite is not a blemish upon the fruit,

It is only a request for kisses.

Rather, it was a quest for the kiss

It is but a plea soliciting a kiss.