أجساد صنعتنا مركّبة

أجساد صنعتنا مركّبة

ذكرانها وإناثها فِرَقُ

ذكرانها وإناثها فِرَقُ

The bodies of our craft are compounded;

Our bodies are made complex

Their males and their females form distinct groups.

Male and female, different parts

لما تفاوت في بسائطها

لما تفاوت في بسائطها

صور المزاج تفاوت الخُلُقُ

صور المزاج تفاوت الخُلُقُ

When there was variation within their simple constituents

Though their fabrics are unequal

In the forms of temperament, their dispositions varied.

Temperaments make morals stark

ضدّان مختلفان طبعهما

ضدّان مختلفان طبعهما

في مبتدا التركيب متفقُ

في مبتدا التركيب متفقُ

Two differing opposites—their natures

Opposites of differing nature

Are in accord at the outset of composition.

In creation's first they concur

ظهر التعادي فيهما عرضاً

ظهر التعادي فيهما عرضاً

فنغاه تدبير له نسقُ

فنغاه تدبير له نسقُ

Mutual hostility appeared in them as an accidental property;

Conflict appeared between them

Then an orderly regimen dispelled it (reading uncertain).

Which a scheme did then obscure

لما تساوى الوزن تمَّ به

لما تساوى الوزن تمَّ به

جسد له من روحه طبقُ

جسد له من روحه طبقُ

When the weight was balanced, through it was perfected

When in balance were their weights

A body whose spirit was its match,

A body with its soul took form

متكون لونين ذا ذهبٌ

متكون لونين ذا ذهبٌ

في رمز صبغتنا وذا ورقُ

في رمز صبغتنا وذا ورقُ

Formed in two colors: this is gold,

Of two hues made, one gold

In the symbolism of our tincture, and this is silver.

The symbol of our dye, one leaf