It is very good that they did not come to visit me in my illness; had they come, rivals would have accompanied them, and their presence would have caused me grief.

There is a tender, bittersweet irony here where the lover finds solace in his beloved's absence during his sickness. Though he yearns for their healing presence, he knows their visit would inevitably draw jealous rivals into his sanctuary. Preferring to suffer alone rather than watch the beloved surrounded by strangers, he captures the delicate, jealous pride that often accompanies deep love.