وَكَانَAnd there wasرَجُلٌa manيَغْشَىwho used to frequentطَعَامَthe foodالْجَوْهَرِيِّof al-Jawhari
There was a man who used to frequent al-Jawhari's meals.
وَكَانَand he usedيَتَحَرَّىto seek preciselyوَقْتَهُits timeوَلَاand notيُخْطِئُmiss
He would time his visits accurately and never miss.
فَإِذَاThen whenدَخَلَhe enteredوَالْقَوْمُwhile the peopleيَأْكُلُونَwere eatingوَحِينَand at the timeوُضِعَwas placedالْخِوَانُthe dining cloth
When he entered, as the people were eating and when the dining cloth was laid,
قَالَhe said«"لَعَنَMay curseاللهُGodالْقَدَرِيَّةَ1the Qadariyya»"
he said, 'May God curse the Qadariyya (1),'
مَنْwhoكَانَisيَسْتَطِيعُableأَنْtoيَصْرِفَنِيturn me awayعَنْfromأَكْلِeatingهَذَاthisالطَّعَامِfood؟?
'Who can turn me away from eating this food?'
وَقَدْand alreadyكَانَit wasفِيinاللَّوْحِthe tabletالْمَحْفُوظِthe preservedإِنِّيthat Iسَآكُلُهُwill eat it»"
It is written in the Preserved Tablet that I will eat it.'
فَلَمَّاAnd whenأَكْثَرَhe did muchمِنْofذَلِكَthat،,
When he did this often,
قَالَsaidلَهُto himرِيَاحٌRiyah::
Riyah said to him:
«"تَعَالَComeبِالْعَشِيِّin the eveningأَوْorبِالْغَدَاةِin the morning،,
'Come in the evening or in the morning,
فَإِنْfor ifوَجَدْتَyou findشَيْئًاsomething،,فَالْعَنِthen curseالْقَدَرِيَّةَthe Qadariyyaوَالْعَنْand curseآبَاءَهُمْtheir fathersوَأُمَّهَاتِهِمْand their mothers»2"
If you find something, then curse the Qadariyya and curse their fathers and mothers.' (2)
وَجَاءَAnd cameغُلَامٌa boyإِلَىtoخَالِدِKhalidبْنِibnصَفْوَانَ3Safwanبِطَبَقِwith a plate ofخَوْخٍpeaches
A boy came to Khalid ibn Safwan (3) with a plate of peaches;
إِمَّاeitherأَنْthatيَكُونَit beهَدِيَّةًa gift،,وَإِمَّاorأَنْthatغُلَامَهُhis servantجَاءَcameبِهِwith itمِنَfromالْبُسْتَانِthe orchard
either it was a gift, or his servant brought it from the orchard.
فَلَمَّاAnd whenوَضَعَهُhe placed itبَيْنَin front ofيَدَيْهِhis hands،,قَالَhe said::
When he placed it before him, he said:
«"لَوْلَاIf it were notأَنِّيthat Iأَعْلَمُknowأَنَّكَthat youأَكَلْتَhave eatenمِنْهُfrom it،,لَأَطْعَمْتُكَI would feed youوَاحِدَةًone»"
'If I did not know that you have eaten from it, I would give you one.'
وَقَالَAnd saidرَمَضَانُRamadan::
And Ramadan said:
كُنْتُI wasمَعَwithشَيْخٍan old manأَهْوَازِيٍّfrom Ahwazفِيinجَعْفَرِيَّةٍ4Ja'fariyya
I was with an old man from Ahwaz in Ja'fariyya (4).
وَكُنْتُand I wasفِيinالذَّنَبِthe stern (back)وَكَانَand he wasفِيinالصَّدْرِthe front (chest)
I was at the stern and he was at the bow.
فَلَمَّاAnd whenجَاءَcameوَقْتُthe time ofالْغَدَاءِthe lunch،,
When lunchtime came,
أَخْرَجَhe took outمِنْfromسَلَّةٍa basketلَهُof hisدَجَاجَةًa chickenوَفَرْخًاand a chickوَاحِدًاoneمُبَرَّدًاcold
he took out from his basket a chicken and one cold chick.
وَأَقْبَلَand he beganبِأَكْلٍeatingوَيَتَحَدَّثُand chattingوَلَاand notيُعَرِّضُofferingعَلَيَّto me
He began eating and talking without offering me any.
وَلَيْسَand notفِيinالسَّفِينَةِthe shipغَيْرِيother than meوَغَيْرُهُand other than him
There was no one on the ship besides me and him.
فَرَآنِيAnd he saw meأَنْظُرُlookingإِلَيْهِat himمَرَّةًonce،,وَإِلَىand atمَاwhatبَيْنَin front ofيَدَيْهِhis handsمَرَّةًonce
He saw me looking at him sometimes and at what was before him other times.
فَتَوَهَّمَAnd he assumedأَنِّيthat Iأَشْتَهِيهِdesired itوَاسْتَبْطَأَهُand found him slow (to offer)
He thought I craved it and was slow to offer, so he said to me:
فَقَالَand he saidلِيto me::
He said to me:
«"لِمَWhyتُحَدِّقُdo you stareالنَّظَرَthe look؟?
'Why do you stare?'
مَنْWhoeverكَانَhasعِنْدَهُwith himأَكْلٌfoodمِثْلِيlike mine،,وَمَنْand whoeverلَمْnotيَكُنْhasعِنْدَهُwith himنَظَرٌa lookمِثْلَكَlike yours»"
Whoever has food like mine eats; whoever does not, looks like you.'
قَالَHe said::ثُمَّthenنَظَرَhe lookedإِلَيَّat meوَأَنَاand Iأَنْظُرُlookingإِلَيْهِat him،,
He said: Then he looked at me as I was looking at him,
فَقَالَand he said::
and said:
«"يَاOهَنَاهْfellowأَنَاIرَجُلٌa manحَسَنُwellالْأَكْلِeating
'Hey you! I am a good eater;
لَاnotآكُلُI eatإِلَّاexceptطَيِّبَgoodالطَّعَامِfood»"
I eat only good food.'
Footnotes
- 1.الْقَدَرِيَّةُ: فِرْقَةٌ تُنْكِرُ الْقَدَرَ وَتَزْعُمُ أَنَّ الْعَبْدَ يَخْلُقُ فِعْلَهُ.
The Qadariyya: a sect that denies divine decree and claims that the servant creates his own deeds.
- 2.أَيْ: إِنْ وَجَدْتَ طَعَامًا فَالْعَنْهُمْ، وَإِنْ لَمْ تَجِدْ فَلَا تَلُمْهُمْ.
Meaning: If you find food, then curse them; if you do not find it, do not blame them.
- 3.خَالِدُ بْنُ صَفْوَانَ: أَدِيبٌ وَخَطِيبٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْبَصْرَةِ.
Khalid ibn Safwan: a literary figure and orator from Basra.
- 4.جَعْفَرِيَّةُ: مَوْضِعٌ قُرْبَ الْأَهْوَازِ أَوْ مَدِينَةٌ.
Ja'fariyya: a place near Ahwaz or a town.