Sol 6.1

  1. قد قلت للتلميذ أذهله

    عما سواه مراسه الأرقا

    I said to the pupil, distracted

    From all else by his struggle with sleeplessness:

  2. أطفيء سخونة حرّنا بندى

    أو ما ترى المريخ محترقا

    Quench our burning heat with dew;

    Or do you not see Mars ablaze?

  3. بالمشتري برّده فهو له

    نعم البرود إذا هما اعتنقا

    Cool it with Jupiter, which serves it

    As an excellent coolant when the two embrace.

  4. وهو الحديدُ الكيرُ أحرقه

    في معدن التسخين فاحترقا

    And it is iron; the furnace burned it

    In the heating-place, and so it burned.

  5. مزج الرصاص به فأصلحه

    وكساه لوناً منه مؤتلقا

    Lead was mixed with it and restored it,

    And clothed it in its own gleaming hue.

  6. ضدان لما طال مكثهما

    في الحبس لانا فيه واتفقا

    Two opposites: when their stay grew long

    In confinement, they softened there and agreed.

  7. فافتح برفقٍ بابَ حكمتنا

    واصبر فإنَّ لبابنا غَلَقا

    So gently open the door of our wisdom,

    And be patient, for our door has a lock.

  8. واكشف غطاءك حين يبرد ما

    في جوفه وتجنّبِ الحرقا

    And lift your lid when that has cooled

    Which lies within it; and avoid burning.

  9. فالزئبق الفرّار تصحبه

    أرواح أجساد إذا أَبِقا

    For fugitive mercury is accompanied

    By the spirits of bodies when it flees.

  10. والروح إن خرجت فلا عوض

    عنها فإنَّ الجسم قد رهقا

    And if the spirit leaves, there is no replacement

    For it, for the body is already exhausted.

  11. يدعونها ذهباً لحمرتها

    وبياضها يدعونها ورقا

    They call it gold for its redness,

    And for its whiteness they call it silver.

  12. لما وجدنا الأمر مختصرا

    سهلاً سددنا دونه الطرقا

    When we found the process short

    And easy, we barred the paths to it.