ويمْنعُنِي تقْبيلَ خَدَّيْه أنني

ويمْنعُنِي تقْبيلَ خَدَّيْه أنني

أخافُ إذا ما أبْصَرتْه النَّواظِرُ

أخافُ إذا ما أبْصَرتْه النَّواظِرُ

And what keeps me from kissing his cheeks is that I

His cheeks I long to kiss, but I refrain-

fear whenever the gazing eyes behold him.

Lest eyes that watch my every move complain.

فعلمَني تقبيل رِجْليْه إذْ مَشَى

فعلمَني تقبيل رِجْليْه إذْ مَشَى

وقد قبَّلتْ أقْدامَهُنَّ الضفَّائِرُ

وقد قبَّلتْ أقْدامَهُنَّ الضفَّائِرُ

So he taught me to kiss his feet as he walked,

So I but kiss his feet whene’er we meet-

while the braids had already kissed their feet.

Those same feet kissed by palm fronds at his feet.