الملحthe salt ماhow أكثرplentiful إبزارهits seasoning
الملح ما أكثر إبزاره
لاnot ملحsalt أهلpeople of الزهدasceticism والنسكand religious devotion
لا ملح أهل الزهد والنسك
Salt—how plentiful its spices!
The salt holder - how plentiful are its tools!
Not the salt of ascetics and the devout.
No salt for the ascetics and the devout.
كأنas though شهدانجهits hemp seeds بينهamid it
كأن شهدانجه بينه
حباتbeads روميa Roman's منof الفلكspindle-whorls
حبات رومي من الفلك
Its hemp seeds amid it seem
As if its fine grains between them
like a Roman's spindle-whorl beads.
Are beads of Roman musk from the sky.
كأنماas though الشونيزthe nigella seeds منfrom فوقهabove it
كأنما الشونيز من فوقه
ماwhat نفتcast off الفضةthe silver فيin السبكsmelting
ما نفت الفضة في السبك
The nigella seeds atop it seem
As if the crystal salt atop it
like what silver casts off in smelting.
Is silver that hasn't been cast.
كأنماas though العنابthe jujubes فيon وجههits face
كأنما العناب في وجهه
تنقيطdotting قرآنa Qur'an علىupon الصكthe written sheet
تنقيط قرآن على الصك
The jujubes on its face seem
As if the anab fruit on its surface
like the dots of a Qur'an upon a sheet,
Is a Quran inscribed on parchment.
بأنجدانwith asafoetida فضwas scattered منfrom مهرقa parchment
بأنجدان فض من مهرق
وسمسمand sesame قدalready فضwas loosed منfrom سلكa string
وسمسم قد فض من سلك
with asafoetida scattered from a parchment,
With Indian steel knives made in Muharraq
and sesame loosed from a string.
And refined Samsum cord from silk.
يشبهit resembles منfrom ثنىthe midst of ابازيرهits spices
يشبه من ثنى ابازيره
إذاwhen تأملناهwe contemplate it أوor يحكيit imitates
إذا تأملناه أو يحكي
Amid its spices it resembles—
It looks like one who has folded his sleeves
when we contemplate it—or recalls
When observed or described -
سحيقfinely powdered كافورcamphor مشوبmingled بهwith it
سحيق كافور مشوب به
قراضةshavings العنبرambergris والمسكand musk
قراضة العنبر والمسك
powdered camphor mingled with
A thick mix of camphor in it
shavings of ambergris and musk.
With grape pomace and musk.
Sol 6.1