أعشابنا بالماء أخرج صبغها

أعشابنا بالماء أخرج صبغها

حاطت به زمناً وأنعم طبخُها

حاطت به زمناً وأنعم طبخُها

The dye of our herbs was extracted with water;

Our herbs reveal their hue when steeped in water,

they had enclosed it for a time, and their cooking was made thorough.

Long steeped to bring out all their strength in the brew.

ونحاسنا دامت ظلال سواده

ونحاسنا دامت ظلال سواده

دهراً فأحكم بالأوابق سلخُها

دهراً فأحكم بالأوابق سلخُها

And the shadows of our copper’s blackness endured

And copper stays as black shadows so long

for an age; their stripping away was perfected with fugitive substances.

That it takes much scouring to scrape off the accrued.

والروح وهي عقارنا إن صادفت

والروح وهي عقارنا إن صادفت

مزجاً من الأجساد أنجب مرخُها

مزجاً من الأجساد أنجب مرخُها

And if the spirit, which is our remedy, encounters

The soul, that strange elixir, when mixed

a mixture of bodies, its anointing bears fruit.

With bodies, breeds powers no eye ever viewed.

والبيض يحصن مدة معلومة

والبيض يحصن مدة معلومة

فيحول ما فيها ويخرج فرخُها

فيحول ما فيها ويخرج فرخُها

And the eggs are sheltered for a known period;

An egg safely hides its secret a little while

then what is within them changes, and their chick emerges.

Then out of the shell comes a chick or a brood.