أهْوَى تَباعُدَه والفكرُ يُدْنِيهِ

ضِدَّانِ ما جُمِعا إلاَّ لِتَمْويهِ

I yearn for his distance, yet my thoughts draw him near

Opposites, brought together only for deception

فما تُقرِّبُه منِّي مَحاسِنُه

ولا تُبَعِّدُه عنِّي مَساوِيهِ

His virtues bring him no closer to me

Nor do his flaws push him further away