مُذ عَلا وَردُ خَدّه كَعِذار

مُذ عَلا وَردُ خَدّه كَعِذار

قيلَ هَذا هوَ العِذارُ الشّريفُ

قيلَ هَذا هوَ العِذارُ الشّريفُ

When the rose of his cheek rose like beard-down,

When the rose of his cheek rose like cheek-down,

it was said, “This is genuine beard-down.”

It was said, “This is the noble cheek-down.”

قُلتُ مَهلاً فَلَيسَ ذا بِعذار

قُلتُ مَهلاً فَلَيسَ ذا بِعذار

بَل بخارٌ مِنَ الورودِ ظَريفُ

بَل بخارٌ مِنَ الورودِ ظَريفُ

I said, “Gently—this is no beard-down,

I said, “Wait—for this is not cheek-down,

but virginal vapor from the rose:

But a delicate vapor from the roses:

إِذ لَظى وَجنَتيهِ بِالوَردِ شَبَّت

إِذ لَظى وَجنَتيهِ بِالوَردِ شَبَّت

فَعَلاهُ هَذا البخارُ اللّطيفُ

فَعَلاهُ هَذا البخارُ اللّطيفُ

for the blaze of his two cheeks had flared with roses,

For the blaze of his cheeks flared with roses,

and over that blaze rose this delicate vapor.”

So this gentle vapor rose over him.”