سِكباجَةٌa sikbaj (vinegar-based meat stew) طَيِّبَةٌpleasant نَشرُهاits fragrance
سِكباجَةٌ طَيِّبَةٌ نَشرُها
كَأَنَّهاas though it were عودٌaloeswood عَلىon مِجمَرِan incense brazier
كَأَنَّها عودٌ عَلى مِجمَرِ
A sikbaj stew, exquisite in its fragrance—
A sikbaj stew, sweet is its fragrance,
as though it were incense wood upon a brazier.
As though it were aloeswood on an incense brazier.
ياoh حُسنَهاits beauty فيin القِدرِthe pot إِذwhen أَقبَلَتit came forth
يا حُسنَها في القِدرِ إِذ أَقبَلَت
وَهيَand it تُحاكيresembles سَفَطَa casket الجَوهَرِthe jewels
وَهيَ تُحاكي سَفَطَ الجَوهَرِ
How lovely it is in the pot when it arrives,
Oh, how lovely it is in the pot when it comes forth,
resembling a jewel casket,
And it resembles a casket of jewels.
وَيَستَنيرُand gleams الشَحمُthe fat فيin لَحمِهاits meat
وَيَستَنيرُ الشَحمُ في لَحمِها
كَغُرَّةٍlike a white forehead blaze فيon فَرَسٍa horse أَشقَرِchestnut
كَغُرَّةٍ في فَرَسٍ أَشقَرِ
while the fat gleams amid its meat
And the fat gleams amid its meat,
like a white blaze on a chestnut horse.
Like a white blaze on a chestnut horse.
ياoh حُسنَthe beauty of باذِنجانِهاits eggplant إِذwhen بَداit appeared
يا حُسنَ باذِنجانِها إِذ بَدا
أَسمَرَbrown وَسطَamid المَرَقِthe broth الأَحمَرِthe red
أَسمَرَ وَسطَ المَرَقِ الأَحمَرِ
How lovely its eggplant when it appears,
Oh, how lovely its eggplant when it appeared,
dusky amid the crimson broth—
Brown amid the red broth,
كَأَنَّهُas though it were ماءٌwater خَلوقٍkhaluq (saffron-based perfume) جَرىflowed
كَأَنَّهُ ماءٌ خَلوقٍ جَرى
وَجالَand swirled فيهِwithin it قِطَعُpieces العَنبَرِthe ambergris
وَجالَ فيهِ قِطَعُ العَنبَرِ
as though saffron-scented water were flowing
As though it were flowing khaluq-scented water,
and pieces of ambergris were gliding through it.
And pieces of ambergris swirled within it.
