أعليُّO Ali قدindeed وافىhas arrived كتابكyour letter فانطفاand so was quenched
أعليُّ قد وافى كتابك فانطفا
عنيّfrom me بهthrough it حرّheat الهمومcares وقدthough it had وَقَدْblazed
عنيّ به حرّ الهموم وقد وَقَدْ
O Ali, your letter has arrived, and so was quenched
Your letter has arrived, so it has removed
For me, through it, the heat of cares, though it had blazed.
The heat of worries from me, now abated.
وفككتَand you unfastened عنهfrom it فكمso how many فصولٍpassages تنتقىare selected
وفككتَ عنه فكم فصولٍ تنتقى
ونظرتَand you looked فيهwithin it فكمso how many فصوصٍgems تُنتقدare appraised
ونظرتَ فيه فكم فصوصٍ تُنتقد
And you unwrapped it—how many passages to be chosen!
You have untied it, so how many chapters to pick?
And you looked within it—how many gems to be appraised!
You have looked into it, so how many sections to critique?