هَلّاWhy did you not سألتَyou asked إِذاwhen الكَواكِبُthe stars أَكدَمَتwithheld their rain
هَلّا سألتَ إِذا الكَواكِبُ أَكدَمَت
وَعَفَتand had vanished مَظَنَّةُa hoped-for refuge طالِبٍa seeker أَوor سائِلِa supplicant
وَعَفَت مَظَنَّةُ طالِبٍ أَو سائِلِ
Why did you not ask when the stars withheld their rain,
and the hoped-for refuge of a seeker or supplicant had vanished?