Come if you wish to come, why do you tread with such slow, hesitant steps? My remaining breaths are now numbered and will last only for a few moments.

The poet lies on the verge of death, longing for one final glimpse of the beloved, but notices them approaching with slow, hesitant steps. There is a poignant contrast here between the beloved counting each reluctant pace and the lover counting their very last dying breaths. It is a tender yet desperate plea: life is slipping away in just a few moments, so set hesitation aside before it is too late.