وَذَكَرْتُAnd I mentionedمُلْحَthe witticism of«الْحَرَامِي»1al-Harami
And I mentioned the witticism of al-Harami (1),
وَاحْتِجَاجِand the argument of«الْكِنْدِي»2al-Kindi
and the argument of al-Kindi (2),
وَرِسَالَةِand the epistle of«سَهْلِSahlبْنِibnهَارُونَ»3Harun
and the epistle of Sahl ibn Harun (3),
وَكَلَامِand the speech of«ابْنِIbnغَزْوَانَ»4Ghazwan
and the speech of Ibn Ghazwan (4),
وَخُطْبَةِand the sermon of«الْحَارِثِي»5al-Harithi
and the sermon of al-Harithi (5),
وَكُلِّand allمَاwhatحَضَرَنِيwas present to meمِنْofأَعَاجِيبِهِمْtheir marvelsوَأَعَاجِيبِand the marvels ofغَيْرِهِمْothers
and all that came to mind of their marvels and the marvels of others;
وَلِمَAnd whyسَمَّوْاdid they callالْبُخْلَmiserlinessإِصْلَاحًاreformوَالشُّحَّand stinginessاقْتِصَادًاeconomy
And why did they call miserliness reform and stinginess economy,
وَلِمَand whyحَامُواdid they defendعَلَىtheالْمَنْعِ6refusal
and why did they defend refusal (6),
وَنَسَبُوهُand attribute itإِلَىtoالْحَزْمِprudence
and attribute it to prudence?
وَلِمَAnd whyنَصَبُواdid they set upلِلْمُوَاسَاةِfor mutual aidوَقَرَنُوهَاand link itبِالتَّضْيِيعِwith waste
And why did they set up for mutual aid and link it with waste?
وَلِمَAnd whyجَعَلُواdid they makeالْجُودَgenerosityسَرَفًاextravaganceوَالْأَثَرَةَand preference of selfجَهْلًا7ignorance
And why did they make generosity extravagance and self-preference ignorance (7)?
وَلِمَAnd whyزَهِدُواwere they indifferentفِيtoالْحَمْدِpraiseوَقَلَّand littleاحْتِفَالُهُمْtheir concernبِالذَّمِّwith blame
And why were they indifferent to praise and their concern with blame was little?
وَلِمَAnd whyاسْتَضْعَفُواdid they deem weakمَنْone whoهَشَّwas cheerfulلِلذِّكْرِ8at being mentioned
And why did they deem weak one who was cheerful at being mentioned (8),
وَارْتَاحَand was pleasedلِلْبَذْلِat giving
and was pleased at giving?
وَلِمَAnd whyحَكَمُواdid they ruleبِالْقُوَّةِwith strengthلِمَنْfor one whoلَاdoes notيَمِيلُinclineإِلَىtoثَنَاءٍ9praise
And why did they rule with strength for one who does not incline to praise (9),
وَلَاand does notيَنْحَرِفُturn awayعَنْfromهِجَاءٍsatire
and does not turn away from satire?
وَلِمَAnd whyاحْتَجُّواdid they argueلِظَلَفِfor the harshness ofالْعَيْشِ10life
And why did they argue for the harshness of life (10),
عَلَىagainstلِينِهِits softnessوَلِمُرِّهِand for its bitternessعَلَىagainstحُلْوِهِits sweetness
against its softness and for its bitterness against its sweetness?
وَلِمَAnd whyلَمْdid they notيَسْتَحْيُواfeel ashamedمِنْofرَفْضِrejectingالطَّيِّبَاتِgood thingsفِيinرِحَالِهِمْtheir own homes
And why were they not ashamed of rejecting good things in their own homes,
مَعَwhileاسْتِهْتَارِهِمْtheir indulgenceبِهَاin themفِيinرِحَالِthe homes ofغَيْرِهِمْothers
while they indulged in them in the homes of others?
وَلِمَAnd whyتَتَابَعُواdid they persistفِيinالْبُخْلِmiserliness
And why did they persist in miserliness?
وَلِمَAnd whyاخْتَارُواdid they chooseمَاwhatيُوجِبُnecessitatesذَلِكَthatالِاسْمَname
And why did they choose what necessitates that name,
مَعَwhileأَنَفَتِهِمْtheir aversionمِنْtoذَلِكَthatالِاسْمِname
while they were averse to that name?
وَلِمَAnd whyرَغِبُواwere they eagerفِيinالْكَسْبِearningمَعَwithزُهْدِهِمْtheir asceticismفِيinالْإِنْفَاقِspending
And why were they eager in earning while they were ascetic in spending?
وَلِمَAnd whyعَمِلُواdid they actفِيinالْغِنَىwealthعَمَلَthe action ofالْخَائِفِone fearingمِنْofزَوَالِthe disappearance ofالْغِنَىwealth
And why did they act in wealth like one fearing its disappearance,
وَلَمْand did notيَفْعَلُواthey actفِيinالْغِنَىwealthعَمَلَthe action ofالرَّاجِيone hopingلِدَوَامِfor the continuance ofالْغِنَىwealth
and did not act in wealth like one hoping for its continuance?
وَلِمَAnd whyوَفَّرُواdid they saveنَصِيبَthe portion
And why did they save the portion