لَقَد خِفتُ حَتَّى لَو تَمُرُّ حَمامَةٌ

لَقُلتُ عَدُوٌّ أَو طَليعَةُ مَعشَرِ

I have become so fearful that if a dove were to pass by

I would say, "An enemy or an advance guard."

وَخِفتُ خَليلي ذا الصَّفاءِ وَرابَني

وَقيلَ فُلانٌ أَو فُلانَةُ فَاِحذَرِ

And I feared my dear, pure friend and he avoided me,

And it was said, "So-and-so" or "What's-her-name," so beware.

فَأَصبَحتُ كَالوَحشِيِّ يَتبَعُ ما خَلا

وَيَترُكُ مَأنوسَ البِلادِ المُدَعثرِ

So I have become like a wild beast who follows the lonely places

And avoids the companionable towns in disarray.

إِذا قيلَ خَيرٌ قُلت هَذي خَديعَةٌ

وَإِن قيلَ شَرٌّ قُلتُ حَقٌّ فَشَمِّرِ

If good is spoken of, I say, "This is a trick."

And if evil is spoken of, I say, "Truth, so roll up your sleeves."