مِنْfromأَبِيfather ofالْعَاصِal-Asبْنِson ofعَبْدِservant ofالْوَهَّابِal-Wahhabبْنِson ofعَبْدِservant ofالْمَجِيدِal-Majidالثَّقَفِيِّal-Thaqafi
From Abu al-As ibn Abd al-Wahhab ibn Abd al-Majid al-Thaqafi to al-Thaqafi.
بِسْمِIn the name ofاللَّهِAllahالرَّحْمَنِthe Most Graciousالرَّحِيمِthe Most Merciful
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
أَمَّاas forبَعْدُafter
To proceed,
فَإِنَّthen indeedجُلُوسَكَyour sittingإِلَىwithالْأَصْمَعِيِّal-Asma'i
Verily, your sitting with al-Asma'i,
وَعَجَبُكَand your admirationبِسَهْلِof Sahlبْنِson ofهَارُونَHarun
and your admiration of Sahl ibn Harun,
وَاسْتِرْجَاحُكَ1and your deeming superiorإِسْمَاعِيلَIsma'ilبْنَson ofغَزْوَانَGhazwan
and your deeming Isma'il ibn Ghazwan superior,
وَطَعْنُكَand your disparagementعَلَىofمُوَيْسِMuwaysبْنِson ofعِمْرَانَImran
and your disparagement of Muways ibn Imran,
وَخُلْطَتُكَ2and your mixingبِابْنِwith IbnمُشَارِكٍMusharik
and your mixing with Ibn Musharik,
وَاخْتِلَافُكَand your frequent visitingإِلَىtoابْنِIbnالتُّوَّمِ3al-Tawwam
and your frequent visiting of Ibn al-Tawwam,
وَإِكْثَارُكَand your frequent mentionمِنْofذِكْرِmentionالْمَالِwealth
and your frequent mention of wealth
وَإِصْلَاحِهِand its improvementوَالْقِيَامِand managementعَلَيْهِof itوَاصْطِنَاعِهِ4and its acquisition
and its improvement, management, and acquisition;
وَإِطْنَابُكَand your prolixityفِيinوَصْفِdescribingالتَّرْوِيجِcirculationوَالتَّثْمِيرِand multiplication
and your prolixity in describing circulation and multiplication of wealth,
وَحُسْنِand goodالتَّعَهُّدِcareوَالتَّوْفِيرِand preservation
and good care and preservation;
دَلِيلُis evidence ofخَبِيءِhiddenسَوْءٍevil
these are evidence of hidden evil
وَشَاهِدٌand a witnessعَلَىtoعَيْبٍa defectوَدَبَرٍ5and a wound
and a witness to a defect and a wound,
بَعْدَafterأَنْthatكُنْتَyou wereتَسْتَثْقِلُdeeming heavyذِكْرَهُمْtheir mention
after you used to find their mention burdensome,
وَتَسْتَشْنِعُand deeming uglyفِعْلَهُمْtheir deed
and deem their deeds repugnant,
وَتَتَعَجَّبُand wonderingمِنْatمَذْهَبِهِمْtheir way
and wonder at their way,
وَتُسْرِفُand being excessiveفِيinذَمِّهِمْblaming them
and being excessive in blaming them.
وَلَيْسَand notيُلْهِجُis obsessedبِذِكْرِwith mention ofالْجَمْعِaccumulation
And no one is obsessed with mention of accumulation
إِلَّاexceptمَنْhe whoقَدْalreadyعَزَمَhas resolvedعَلَىonالْجَمْعِ6accumulation
except he who has already resolved to accumulate.
وَلَاnorيَأْنَسُfinds comfortبِالْبُخَلَاءِwith misers
Nor does one find comfort with misers
إِلَّاexceptالْمُسْتَوْحِشُthe one who is estrangedمِنْfromالْأَسْخِيَاءِthe generous
except the one who is estranged from the generous.
Footnotes
- 1.اسْتِرْجَاحُكَ: تَفْضِيلُكَ وَعَدُّكَ إِيَّاهُ أَرْجَحَ مِنْ غَيْرِهِ.
Your deeming superior: your preferring and considering him more preponderant than others.
- 2.خُلْطَتُكَ: مُخَالَطَتُكَ وَمُعَاشَرَتُكَ.
Your mixing: your associating and socializing with him.
- 3.ابْنُ التُّوَّمِ: رَجُلٌ مَعْرُوفٌ بِالْبُخْلِ.
Ibn al-Tawwam: a man known for stinginess.
- 4.اصْطِنَاعُهُ: اكْتِسَابُهُ وَإِصْلَاحُهُ.
Acquiring it: earning it and improving it.
- 5.دَبَرٌ: جُرْحٌ أَوْ قُرْحَةٌ فِي الظَّهْرِ، وَيُقْصَدُ بِهِ الْعَيْبُ الْخَفِيُّ.
Wound: a wound or sore on the back, meaning a hidden defect.
- 6.الْجَمْعُ: جَمْعُ الْمَالِ وَادِّخَارُهُ.
Accumulation: gathering wealth and hoarding it.