ألفتكمُ حتى كرهت محاذراً

ألفتكمُ حتى كرهت محاذراً

عليكم ملمّاً أن أغيب وأبعدا

عليكم ملمّاً أن أغيب وأبعدا

I grew so fond of you that I hated—fearing

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

some calamity might befall you—to be absent and far away,

Keeping away from you and distant.

على أنني في القرب والبعد لم أكن

على أنني في القرب والبعد لم أكن

لأدفع عنكم حادثاً جار واعتدى

لأدفع عنكم حادثاً جار واعتدى

though, whether near or far, I could never

Yet in being near or far I have never been

ward off from you a calamity that wronged and assailed you:

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

كورقاء تخشى أن يلمَّ بوكرها

كورقاء تخشى أن يلمَّ بوكرها

وقد بعدت عنه عقابٌ تصيدا

وقد بعدت عنه عقابٌ تصيدا

like a gray dove fearing there might come to her nest,

Like a partridge fearing that a hunter may suddenly pounce,

while she is far from it, an eagle seeking prey;

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

ولو أبصرته فاتكاً بعد عودها

ولو أبصرته فاتكاً بعد عودها

به ما استطاعت أن تمد له يدا

به ما استطاعت أن تمد له يدا

and even if, after returning, she saw it wreaking havoc

And if after returning she saw him coming,

upon her nest, she could not raise a hand against it.

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