ولمّا تَناهى وَرْدُ خدِّكَ نظرةً

ولمّا تَناهى وَرْدُ خدِّكَ نظرةً

وأنْشأَ في طَيِّ القُلوبِ هِياجا

وأنْشأَ في طَيِّ القُلوبِ هِياجا

And when the rose of your cheek reached its fullness at a glance,

When your cheek's rose has fully bloomed, alluring,

And stirred tumult in the folds of hearts,

And kindled restless longings in hearts' cores,

تَشَوّفَ سُرّاقُ العُيونِ لقَطْفِهِ

تَشَوّفَ سُرّاقُ العُيونِ لقَطْفِهِ

فكان لهُ شَوْكُ العِذارِ سِياجا

فكان لهُ شَوْكُ العِذارِ سِياجا

Thieving eyes yearned to pluck it,

Eyes yearn to pluck it, but sharp thorns of coyness

So the thorns of your cheek-down became a hedge around it.

Fence it, forbidding trespass evermore.