إذاif التركيبthe compound سميناهwe name it باسمby a name
إذا التركيب سميناه باسم
وفيهand in it سواهsomething other than it فهوthen it is لناfor us وتيرهa customary practice
وفيه سواه فهو لنا وتيره
If we give the compound a name,
If we name the structure with a name
Though it contains something else—that is our custom.
And liken it to something else, it is ours and its loss is slight
كماjust as قيلit was said العوالمthe worlds لاجتماعfor a gathering
كما قيل العوالم لاجتماع
حوتcontained أشياءthings لاnot تحصىare counted كثيرةmany
حوت أشياء لا تحصى كثيرة
Just as “the worlds” was said of a gathering
As it is said worlds exist for the gathering
That contained many things beyond counting.
Of countless, innumerable things
فمنso among درpearls الرموزthe symbols علىupon الاساميthe names
فمن در الرموز على الاسامي
ففيهنso among them الحقيرةthe lowly والخطيرهand the precious
ففيهن الحقيرة والخطيره
Among the pearls of symbolism applied to names,
So whoever ponders names and symbols
There are the lowly and the precious:
Will find among them the petty and the momentous
فمنso among درpearls وياقوتand rubies ثمينprecious
فمن در وياقوت ثمين
وأملاحand salts وزاجاتand vitriols حقيرهlowly
وأملاح وزاجات حقيره
Among them are pearls and precious rubies,
So whoever ponders gems and treasures
And lowly salts and vitriols.
As well as salts and worthless compounds
سواءwhether سمّيwere named الأخلاطthe mixtures فيهin it
سواء سمّي الأخلاط فيه
نحاساًcopper أرصاصاًkinds of lead أوor شحيرهshaḥīra (meaning uncertain)
نحاساً أرصاصاً أو شحيره
Whether the mixtures in it are named
It makes no difference whether the mixtures in it
Copper, kinds of lead, or shaḥīra,
Are called copper, lead or rubbish
فلاso do not تستعظمdeem formidable التدبيرthe processing واعملand work
فلا تستعظم التدبير واعمل
إذاif ماemphatic particle كنتyou are منهof it علىupon بصيرهclear insight
إذا ما كنت منه على بصيره
So do not deem the processing formidable; set to work
So do not magnify the act of creation but rather work
If you have clear insight into it.
If you have insight into it
يسيرٌeasy فيهin it تدبيرprocessing يسيرslight
يسيرٌ فيه تدبير يسير
بلاwithout تعبtoil مؤوتتهits expense (spelling unclear) يسيرهslight
بلا تعب مؤوتته يسيره
It is easy; the processing involved is slight,
There is little effort in it, its passing being slight
Without toil; its expense is slight.
Without toil, its end is trivial
تكاتمkept concealed from one another سرهits secret الحكماءthe sages ضنّاًreluctant to share
تكاتم سره الحكماء ضنّاً
بماwith what علمواthey knew وفيand in الكتمانconcealment خيرهits benefit
بما علموا وفي الكتمان خيره
The sages kept its secret from one another, jealously guarding
The wise conceal its secret unwillingly
What they knew; and in concealment lies its benefit.
Knowing concealment is best though they discerned
Sol 6.1