| Dos gardenias para ti… | Two gardenias I bring to you— |
| con ellas quiero decir | through their pallid speech I confess |
| te quiero, mi vida, cariño. | my love, my soul’s delight, my dear. |
| ponle toda tu atencion | Weave your gaze around them wholly, |
| que seran de tu corazon y el mio | for they will be the twin pulse of your heart and mine. |
| Dos gardenias para ti. | Two gardenias I bring to you. |
| que tendran todo el calor. de un beso | They will cradle the warmth of a kiss, distilled— |
| de esos besos que te di, | the kind of kiss I once bestowed, |
| y que jamas encontraras, | whose echo you shall never trace, |
| en el calor de otro querer… | within the fevered hush of another’s arms… |
| a tu lado viviran, | They will dwell at your side, |
| y te hablaran, | and will whisper to you— |
| hay como cuando tu estas conmigo | ah, like the hush when you are near me— |
| y hasta creras. que te diran | and you will almost believe they murmur |
| mami te quiero. | my love for you, as if breathed by the dusk. |
| pero si un aterdecer | But should some twilight hour descend, |
| las gardenias de mi amor | when the gardenias of my love |
| ay. se mueren. | ah, begin to wither— |
| sera porque han adivinado | perhaps it is because they have divined |
| que tu amor me ha traisionado | that your love has turned traitor to mine, |
| porque existe otro querer | because another flame glimmers in your world. |
| pero si un aterdecer | But should some twilight hour descend, |
| las gardenias de mi amor | when the gardenias of my love |
| ay. se mueren. | ah, begin to wither— |
| sera porque han adivinado | perhaps it is because they have divined |
| que tu amor me ha traisionado | that your love has turned traitor to mine, |
| porque existe otro querer | because another flame glimmers in your world, |
| porque existe otro querer (bis) | because another flame glimmers in your world. |