وردية الخد وارت بالضنى علمي

وردية الخد وارت بالضنى علمي

وورَّدت مدمعي لما نأت بدمي

وورَّدت مدمعي لما نأت بدمي

The rose-cheeked one concealed my banner with wasting sickness.

My cheeks turned rose-hued from love's longing and pain

And when she went far away, she dyed my tear-stream rose-red with my blood.

And my tears turned rosy when blood was shed from me

زوجت حبة قلبي حبَّ وجنتها

زوجت حبة قلبي حبَّ وجنتها

فلم تكن غير متآم من الضرم

فلم تكن غير متآم من الضرم

I wed the kernel of my heart to love for her cheek.

I married my heart's love to love, and concealed her

So it was nothing but a bearer of twins of flame.

Yet she was naught but a squanderer, causing me harm

وما برحت أرى أن المها عرب

وما برحت أرى أن المها عرب

حتى رأيت عيون العين في العجم

حتى رأيت عيون العين في العجم

I had always thought the oryxes were Arabs,

I never stopped believing the moon was an Arab

Until I saw the eyes of the wide-eyed ones among the non-Arabs.

Until I saw the eyes of my eyes among the non-Arabs