أَينwhere الرسالاتُthe letters وَالشَوand the longing (partial word)
أَين الرسالاتُ وَالشَو
قُcompletion of ‘longing’ فَالجَوابfor the reply تَأَخّرhas been delayed
قُ فَالجَواب تَأَخّر
Where are the letters and the long-
ing? For the reply is delayed.
كَمhow often قُلتِyou said (feminine) شَوقيmy longing كَثيرٌgreat
كَم قُلتِ شَوقي كَثيرٌ
أَظنُّI think شَوقيmy longing أَكثَرgreater
أَظنُّ شَوقي أَكثَر
How often you said, ‘My longing is great!’
I think my longing is greater.
أُسائلI ask البَدرَthe full moon حَيراbewildered (partial word)
أُسائل البَدرَ حَيرا
نcompletion of ‘bewildered’ عنكabout you إِنif هُوَit أَسفَرshines forth
ن عنك إِن هُوَ أَسفَر
I ask the full moon, bewilder-
ed, about you; if it shines forth,
ذَكَرتُI recalled وَجهكyour face فيهِin it
ذَكَرتُ وَجهك فيهِ
وَالشَيءand the thing بِالشَيءby the thing يُذكرis recalled
وَالشَيء بِالشَيء يُذكر
I recall your face in it,
and one thing brings another to mind.
كَونيbe (feminine) بودّكin your affection كَالبَدlike the full moon (partial word)
كَوني بودّك كَالبَد
رcompletion of ‘full moon’ فَهُوَfor it يَخفىhides وَيَظهرand appears
ر فَهُوَ يَخفى وَيَظهر
Be, in your affection, like the full
moon, for it hides and appears.