يا قائِلاً إِذ رَأى مَرجي وَحمرتَهُ

يا قائِلاً إِذ رَأى مَرجي وَحمرتَهُ

ما كانَ أَحوَجَ هَذا المَرجَ لِلكُحُلِ

ما كانَ أَحوَجَ هَذا المَرجَ لِلكُحُلِ

O you who said, on seeing my meadow and its redness:

O you who said when he saw Marji and its redness

“How greatly this meadow needed kohl!”

This pasture was not more in need of kohl

هُوَ اِحمِرارُ دِماءِ الرُوم سَيَّلَها

هُوَ اِحمِرارُ دِماءِ الرُوم سَيَّلَها

بِالبيضِ مَن مَرَّ مِن آبائي الأَوَلِ

بِالبيضِ مَن مَرَّ مِن آبائي الأَوَلِ

It is the redness of the Romans' blood, made to flow

It is the redness of the blood of Romans I spilled

With gleaming swords by those of my forefathers of old who came before.

With the white swords of my early forefathers

أَحبَبتُهُ أَن حَكى مَن قَد فُتِنَتُ بِهِ

أَحبَبتُهُ أَن حَكى مَن قَد فُتِنَتُ بِهِ

في حُمرَةِ الخَدِّ أَو إِخلافِهِ أَمَلي

في حُمرَةِ الخَدِّ أَو إِخلافِهِ أَمَلي

I loved it because it resembled the one who had captivated me,

I loved that he told of her whom I was infatuated with

In the redness of his cheek, or his thwarting of my hope.

In the redness of a cheek or the failing of a hope