ظَننْتُI thought جَنيَّfreshly picked الوَرْدِthe roses حُمْرَةَthe blush of خَدّهِhis cheek
ظَننْتُ جَنيَّ الوَرْدِ حُمْرَةَ خَدّهِ
كَماjust as ظَنَّهُthought it قَومٌsome people شَقيقاًanemones وَعَنْدَماand dragon’s-blood resin
كَما ظَنَّهُ قَومٌ شَقيقاً وَعَنْدَما
I took freshly picked roses for the blush of his cheek,
as others took them for anemones and dragon’s-blood resin.
وماذاكَand that is not إلاَّexcept أَنَّthat سَيفَthe sword of جُفونِهhis eyelids
وماذاكَ إلاَّ أَنَّ سَيفَ جُفونِه
بِوَجنتهِonto his cheek منfrom مُهجتيmy heart تَقُطُرhas dripped الدِّماblood
بِوَجنتهِ من مُهجتي تَقُطُر الدِّما
And that is only because the sword of his eyelids
has dripped blood from my heart onto his cheek.