مَرْيَمُMaryamالصَّنَّاعِthe craftswoman
Maryam the craftswoman
فَأَقْبَلَThen cameعَلَيْهِمْto themشَيْخٌan elderفَقَالَand said
Then an elder came to them and said:
«وَهَلْ"Haveشَعَرْتُمْyou perceivedبِمَوْتِthe death ofمَرْيَمَMaryamالصَّنَّاعِ؟the craftswoman?
"Have you heard of the death of Maryam the craftswoman?
فَإِنَّهَاIndeed sheكَانَتْwasمِنْofذَوَاتِthose possessingالِاقْتِصَادِfrugalityوَصَاحِبَةِand possessor ofإِصْلَاحٍreform
She was one of those who practiced frugality and was an expert in household management.
»"قَالُواThey said«فَحَدِّثْنَا"Then tell usعَنْهَاabout her»"
"They said: 'Then tell us about her.'"
قَالَHe saidنَوَادِرُهَاHer anecdotesكَثِيرَةٌare manyوَحَدِيثُهَاand her storiesطَوِيلٌlongوَلَكِنِّيbut Iأُخْبِرُكُمْwill tell youعَنْofوَاحِدَةٍoneفِيهَاin whichكَفَايَةٌsufficiency
He said: 'Her anecdotes are many and her stories are long, but I will tell you one that is sufficient.'
»"قَالُواThey said«وَمَا"And whatهِيَ؟is it?قَالَHe said
They said: 'And what is it?' He said:
زَوَّجَتْShe married offابْنَتَهَاher daughterوَهِيَwhile sheبِنْتُwas the daughter ofاثْنَتَيْtwelveعَشْرَةَtenسَنَةًyears
She married off her daughter, who was twelve years old,
فَحَلَّتْهَاand she adorned herالذَّهَبَwith goldوَالْفِضَّةَand silver
and adorned her with gold and silver,
وَكَسَتْهَاand clothed herالْمَرْوِيَّ1with marwi (a type of fine cloth)وَالْوَشْيَ2and with variegated clothوَالْقَزَّ3and with silkوَالْخَزَّ4and with khazz (a silk-wool blend)
and clothed her in marwi, variegated cloth, silk, and khazz.
وَعَلَّقَتْand hungالْمُعَصْفَرَ5the safflower-dyed (garment)وَدَقَّتِand poundedالطِّيبَperfumeوَعَظَّمَتْand magnifiedأَمْرَهَاher affairفِيinعَيْنِthe eye ofالْخَتَنِ6the son-in-law
and hung the safflower-dyed garment, and pounded perfume, and magnified her (daughter's) status in the eyes of the son-in-law,
وَرَفَعَتْand raisedمِنْofقَدْرِهَاher worthعِنْدَwithالْأَحْمَاءِ7the in-laws
and raised her worth with the in-laws.
فَقَالَThen saidلَهَاto herزَوْجُهَاher husbandأَنَّىfrom whereلَكِfor youهَذَاis thisيَاOمَرْيَمُ؟Maryam?
Her husband said to her: 'Where did you get this, O Maryam?'
قَالَتْShe saidهُوَIt isمِنْfromعِنْدِnearاللهِAllah
She said: 'It is from Allah.'
قَالَHe saidدَعِيLeaveعَنْكِfrom youوَهَاتِيand giveالتَّفْسِيرَthe explanationوَاللهِBy Allahمَاnotكُنْتِyou wereذَاتَpossessor ofمَالٍwealthقَدِيمًاpreviously
He said: 'Leave that aside, and give the explanation. By Allah, you were not a person of wealth before,
وَلَاnorوَرِثْتِهِdid you inherit itحَدِيثًاrecentlyوَمَاand notأَنْتِare youبِخَائِنَةٍa betrayerفِيinنَفْسِكِyourselfوَلَاnorفِيinمَالِthe wealth ofبَعْلِكِ8your husband
nor did you inherit it recently, and you are not a traitor to yourself or to your husband's wealth,
إِلَّاunlessأَنْthatتَكُونِيyou haveوَقَعْتِfallen uponعَلَىonكَنْزٍa treasure
unless you have come upon a treasure.
وَكَيْفَAnd howeverدَارَturnedالْأَمْرُthe matterفَقَدْindeedأَسْقَطْتِyou have removedعَنِّيfrom meمُؤُونَةً9the burden
And however the matter turned out, you have removed from me a burden,
وَكَفَيْتِنِيand sufficed meهَذِهِthisالنَّائِبَةَ10calamity
and saved me from this calamity.'
قَالَتْShe saidاعْلَمْKnowأَنِّيthat Iمُنْذُsinceيَوْمَthe dayوَلَدْتُهَاI gave birth to herإِلَىuntilأَنْthatزَوَّجْتُهَاI married her off
She said: 'Know that from the day I gave birth to her until I married her off,
كُنْتُI wasأَرْفَعُsetting asideمِنْfromدَقِيقِthe flour ofكُلِّeveryعَجْنَةٍbatch of doughحَفْنَةًa handful
I used to set aside a handful from the flour of every batch of dough.'
Footnotes
- 1.المَرْوِيُّ: نَوْعٌ مِنَ الثِّيَابِ المَوْشِيَّةِ أَوْ المُلَوَّنَةِ.
Al-Marwi: a type of striped or colored garment.
- 2.الوَشْيُ: ثَوْبٌ مُوَشَّى بِنَقْشٍ مُلَوَّنٍ.
Al-Washy: a garment embroidered with colored patterns.
- 3.القَزُّ: الحَرِيرُ.
Al-Qazz: silk.
- 4.الخَزُّ: نَوْعٌ مِنَ الثِّيَابِ يُنْسَجُ مِنَ الحَرِيرِ وَالصُّوفِ.
Al-Khazz: a type of cloth woven from silk and wool.
- 5.المُعَصْفَرُ: ثَوْبٌ مَصْبُوغٌ بِالعُصْفُرِ.
Al-Mu'asfar: a garment dyed with safflower.
- 6.الخَتَنُ: زَوْجُ الِابْنَةِ.
Al-Khatan: the son-in-law (husband of the daughter).
- 7.الأَحْمَاءُ: أَهْلُ زَوْجِ المَرْأَةِ.
Al-Ahma': the husband's family (in-laws).
- 8.البَعْلُ: الزَّوْجُ.
Al-Ba'l: the husband.
- 9.المُؤُونَةُ: التَّكْلِفَةُ وَالنَّفَقَةُ.
Al-Ma'una: the cost and expenditure.
- 10.النَّائِبَةُ: المُصِيبَةُ وَالحَادِثَةُ.
An-Na'iba: the calamity and misfortune.