أتانيcame to me اليومَtoday مِنfrom كافيthe capable one الكُفاةِof the capable ones
أتاني اليومَ مِن كافي الكُفاةِ
كِتابٌa letter جَلَّwas exalted قدراًin worth عنbeyond صِفاتيmy descriptions
كِتابٌ جَلَّ قدراً عن صِفاتي
Today there came to me from Kafi al-Kufat
Today I received from the most competent writer
a letter whose worth surpassed my descriptions.
A letter of great esteem about my qualities
فكانَso it was فُراتَsweet water آمالٍhopes ظمِاءٍthirsty
فكانَ فُراتَ آمالٍ ظمِاءٍ
وكانَand it was حياةَlife أحوالٍcircumstances رُفاتِcrumbled remains
وكانَ حياةَ أحوالٍ رُفاتِ
So it was sweet water for thirsty hopes,
It was a Euphrates of thirsty hopes
and life for circumstances reduced to dust.
And the life of sublime conditions