ما حلَّ بي منكَ وَقْتَ مُنْصَرَفي

ما كنتُ إلا فريسةَ التلفِ

What befell me from you when I turned away

I was nothing but prey to ruination

كم قال لي الشوقُ قفْ لتلثمَهُ

فقال خوفُ الرقيبِ لم أَقِف

How often did yearning say to me, stop to kiss it

But fear of the watcher said, Do not stop

بسطتُ خطوي كَرْهاً وقد قبَضَتْ

رجلي عن الخطو شِدَّةُ الكَلَف

I stretched my steps unwillingly, though my feet

Were held back from stepping by utter exhaustion

فكان جسمي في زيِّ منطلِقٍ

وكان قلبي في زيِّ منعطف

So my body was in the garb of one departing

While my heart was in the garb of one held back