الملحthe salt ماhow أكثرabundant إبزارهits seasoning
الملح ما أكثر إبزاره
لاnot ملحsalt أهلthe people of الزهدasceticism والنسكand worship
لا ملح أهل الزهد والنسك
Salt—how abundant are its seasonings!
The salt—how abundant its seasoning!
No salt of ascetics and pious devotees, this.
Not the salt of those devoted to asceticism and worship.
كأنas though شهدانجهits hemp seeds بينهwithin it
كأن شهدانجه بينه
حباتbeads روميRoman منfrom الفلكthe celestial sphere
حبات رومي من الفلك
Its hempseed amid it seems
As though its hemp seeds within it
like Byzantine beads from the celestial sphere.
Were Roman beads from the celestial sphere.
كأنماas though الشونيزthe nigella seeds منfrom فوقهabove it
كأنما الشونيز من فوقه
ماwhat نفتcast off الفضةsilver فيduring السبكmelting
ما نفت الفضة في السبك
The black cumin scattered over it seems
As though the nigella seeds atop it
like dross cast off by silver in the smelting.
Were what silver casts off during melting.
كأنماas though العنابthe jujubes فيon وجههits face
كأنما العناب في وجهه
تنقيطdotting قرآنa Qur'an علىupon الصكthe document
تنقيط قرآن على الصك
The jujubes upon its surface seem
As though the jujubes on its face
like the dotted script of a Qur’an upon a parchment.
Were the dots of a Qur'an upon a document.
بأنجدانwith asafoetida فضscattered منfrom مهرقa parchment sheet
بأنجدان فض من مهرق
وسمسمand sesame قدalready فضscattered منfrom سلكa string
وسمسم قد فض من سلك
Asafoetida spilled from a paper packet,
With asafoetida scattered from a parchment sheet,
and sesame spilled from a string of beads.
And sesame already scattered from a string.
يشبهit resembles منfrom ثنىthe folds of ابازيرهits spices
يشبه من ثنى ابازيره
إذاwhen تأملناهwe contemplate it أوor يحكيit mirrors
إذا تأملناه أو يحكي
It resembles one who has doubled its spices,
With its layers of spices, it resembles—
when we contemplate it—or else it evokes
When we contemplate it—or mirrors—
سحيقfinely ground كافورcamphor مشوبmingled بهwith it
سحيق كافور مشوب به
قراضةscrapings العنبرambergris والمسكand musk
قراضة العنبر والمسك
finely ground camphor, mingled with
Powdered camphor mingled with
shavings of ambergris and musk.
Scrapings of ambergris and musk.
Sol 6.1