ألفتكمُ حتى كرهت محاذراً

عليكم ملمّاً أن أغيب وأبعدا

I have loved you so much that I have come to hate being wary,

Keeping away from you and distant.

على أنني في القرب والبعد لم أكن

لأدفع عنكم حادثاً جار واعتدى

Yet in being near or far I have never been

Able to ward off from you an impending harm or transgression.

كورقاء تخشى أن يلمَّ بوكرها

وقد بعدت عنه عقابٌ تصيدا

Like a partridge fearing that a hunter may suddenly pounce,

Though a hawk intent on the prey has flown far away.

ولو أبصرته فاتكاً بعد عودها

به ما استطاعت أن تمد له يدا

And if after returning she saw him coming,

She could not stretch out a hand to him, try as she may.