أُنظرْ إلى أثَرِ المدادِ بخدِّهِ

أُنظرْ إلى أثَرِ المدادِ بخدِّهِ

كبنفسج الروضِ المشوبِ بورده

كبنفسج الروضِ المشوبِ بورده

Look at the trace of ink upon his cheek,

I look upon the trace of ink on his cheek

Like the garden's violets mingled with its roses.

Like the violet of the garden tinged with rose

ما أخطأتْ نوناته من صُدْغِهِ

ما أخطأتْ نوناته من صُدْغِهِ

شيئاً ولا ألِفاتُهُ من قده

شيئاً ولا ألِفاتُهُ من قده

His nūn letters have not failed to match his temple-curl,

His dimples did not miss a single dot

In any detail, nor his alif letters his stature.

Nor did his height miss a single curve

ألقتْ أناملُهُ على أقلامه

ألقتْ أناملُهُ على أقلامه

شَبَهاً أراك فرندها كفرنده

شَبَهاً أراك فرندها كفرنده

His fingertips have cast upon his pens

His fingers cast upon his pens

A likeness that shows you their sheen matching his.

You'd think his palms kneaded dough

وكأنما أنفاسُهُ من شعره

وكأنما أنفاسُهُ من شعره

وكأنما قِرْطاسُهُ من خده

وكأنما قِرْطاسُهُ من خده

And it is as though his breaths came from his hair,

And as though his breath was from his hair

And as though his paper came from his cheek.

And as though his parchment was from his cheek

ما صدَّ عني حين صدَّ تعمداً

ما صدَّ عني حين صدَّ تعمداً

لولا المعلمُ ما رُمِيتُ بصَدِّه

لولا المعلمُ ما رُمِيتُ بصَدِّه

He did not turn from me deliberately when he turned away;

He would not have turned away from me deliberately

But for the teacher, I would not have been struck by his rejection.

If not for the teacher, I'd not be struck by his rejection