أتطمع في المزاج وما تهيّا

أتطمع في المزاج وما تهيّا

دواؤك حين تخلطه بسحق

دواؤك حين تخلطه بسحق

Can I hope for the compound when it is not yet prepared—

Do you hope for blending, though not yet ready

Your medicine, when you mix it by grinding?

is your remedy, when you mix it by grinding?

وهل ينمو بما تغذوه حتى

وهل ينمو بما تغذوه حتى

يطير هباؤه في كل عرقِ

يطير هباؤه في كل عرقِ

And will it grow through what you feed it, until

And does it grow on what you feed it, until

Its fine dust flies through every vein?

its fine dust flies through every vein?

أليس الهضم يجعل ما يلاقي

أليس الهضم يجعل ما يلاقي

هباء بعد تسقية ودقِ

هباء بعد تسقية ودقِ

Does not digestion turn whatever it meets

Does digestion not turn whatever it encounters

To fine dust, after moistening and pounding?

into fine dust, after moistening and pounding?

وليس السحق سحق يد ولكن

وليس السحق سحق يد ولكن

حضان الطير في لين ورفقِ

حضان الطير في لين ورفقِ

Grinding is not the grinding of a hand, but

And grinding is not grinding by hand, but

A bird’s brooding, in softness and gentleness.

the brooding of birds, in softness and gentleness.

ويقبله دماً يغدو وينمي

ويقبله دماً يغدو وينمي

تردّد في النزول وفي الترقي

تردّد في النزول وفي الترقي

A brain kills it, then goes on and fosters growth,

And it accepts it as blood, going forth and growing,

Going back and forth in descent and ascent.

with repeated movement in descent and ascent.

كذا يحمرّ من بعد ابيضاض

كذا يحمرّ من بعد ابيضاض

دواؤك إذ تمشّيه بحذقِ

دواؤك إذ تمشّيه بحذقِ

Thus it reddens after having whitened—

Thus it reddens after whitening—

Your medicine, when you set it moving with skill.

your remedy, when you guide it with skill.