وكنتُ إذا أنفذْتُ فيكَ قصيدةً

فأنجزتُها استغفرتُ ربي هنالكا

Whenever I would compose for you a poem

And complete its composition, I would then seek forgiveness from my Lord

فيحسبُ قومي ذاك مني تأثُّماً

ومن خشيةِ التقصيرِ أفعلُ ذلكا

For my people would think it was out of pretentiousness

Yet it was out of fear of falling short that I would do so