أَتانيcame to me منكَfrom you ياO خليmy dear friend كِتابa letter
أَتاني منكَ يا خلي كِتاب
أَلَذُّmore delightful مِنthan نَيلattaining الأَمانيthe wishes
أَلَذُّ مِن نَيل الأَماني
A letter came to me from you, my dear friend,
A letter came to me from you, O friend
more delightful than the fulfillment of wishes.
Sweeter than attaining wishes
كِتابa letter حَشوهits contents شعرpoetry موشىembroidered
كِتاب حَشوه شعر موشى
بِأَلفاظwith words تُسابقهاrace against them المَعانيthe meanings
بِأَلفاظ تُسابقها المَعاني
A letter filled with verse embroidered
A letter filled with poetry adorned
with words whose meanings race against them.
With words racing their meanings
إِذاwhen أَصغىlistened attentively لَهاto them سَمعhearing وَفهمand understanding
إِذا أَصغى لَها سَمع وَفهم
حَسبتهماyou would think them both مَعاًtogether فَرَسيtwo horses of رِهانa race
حَسبتهما مَعاً فَرَسي رِهان
When hearing and understanding listen attentively to them,
When hearing and understanding listen to it
you would think the two together a pair of racehorses.
You'd think them both my betting horses
Sol 6.1