دَارِيMy houseرَجُلٌis (near) a manمِنْfromبَنِيBanuبَرْجَاBarjaكَبِيرٌgreat
My house is near a great man from Banu Barja,
فَهُوَand heفِيinبِنَائِهِhis buildingلَاdoes notيَفْتُرُfalterوَلَاnorيُقَصِّرُfall short
and in his building he neither falters nor falls short.
فَقَالَSo he saidلِيto meأَتَعْرِفُهُDo you know him?
So he said to me: "Do you know him?"
قُلْتُI saidلَاNo
I said: "No."
قَالَHe saidكَانَIt wasيَنْبَغِيfittingلَكَfor youفِيinقَدْرِكَyour rankوَمَحَلِّكَand your stationمِنْfromهَذِهِthisالدَّوْلَةِstate
He said: "It was befitting for your rank and station in this state
أَلَّاthatيَجْتَرِئَdareأَحَدٌanyoneأَنْtoيَشْتَرِيَbuyشَيْئاًsomethingفِيinجِوَارِكَyour neighborhood
that no one should dare buy anything in your neighborhood
إِلَّاexceptبِأَمْرِكَby your command
except by your command,
لَاlet aloneسِيَّمَاespeciallyإِذَاifكَانَit wasمُلَاصِقاًadjacentلَكَto you
especially if it is adjacent to you,
وَلَاand do notتَرْضَىacceptلِنَفْسِكَfor yourselfإِلَّاexceptبِجَارٍa neighborتَعْرِفُهُyou know
and you should not accept for yourself anything other than a neighbor you know."
فَقُلْتُSo I saidلَمْdid notيَمْنَعْنِيprevent meمِنْfromذَلِكَthatإِلَّاexceptمَاwhatكُنْتُI wasفِيهِin itمِنَofالشُّغْلِoccupationبِهَذِهِwith thisالدَّعْوَةِcallالْمُبَارَكَةِblessed
I said: "Nothing prevented me from that except my preoccupation with this blessed cause."
فَقَالَHe saidلِيto meفَأَيْنَSo where isالْحَائِطُthe wallالَّذِيthatيَتَصِلُconnectsبِدَارِهِto his house?
He said to me: "So where is the wall that connects to his house?"
فَأَوْمَأْتُSo I pointedإِلَيْهِto it
So I pointed to it.
فَقَالَHe saidعَلَيَّBring meبِنَجَّارٍa carpenter
He said: "Bring me a carpenter."
فَأُتِيَSo he was broughtبِهِto him
So he was brought to him,
فَقَالَand he saidافْتَحْOpenهَاهُنَاhereبَاباًa door
and he said: "Open a door here."
فَأَقْبَلَThen came forwardعَلَيْهِto himأَبُوهُhis fatherوَقَالَand saidنَشَدْتُكَI adjure you byاللَّهَGodيَاOبُنَيَّmy son
His father came forward to him and said: "I adjure you by God, my son,
أَنْthatلَاyou do notتَهْجُمَbarge inعَلَىuponقَوْمٍpeopleلَاwhoتَعْرِفُyou knowلَهُمْfor themسَبَباًcause
not to barge in upon people whose circumstances you do not know."
وَأَقْبَلَAnd came forwardعَلَيْهِto himأَخُوهُhis brotherبِمِثْلِwith the like ofذَلِكَthat
His brother came forward to him with the like of that,
فَامْتَنَعَso he refrainedدُونَfromفَتْحِopeningالْبَابِthe door
so he refrained from opening the door.
فَلَمَّاWhenرَأَيْتُهُI saw himقَدْhadرَدَّturned awayأَبَاهُhis fatherوَأَخَاهُand his brother
When I saw that he had turned away from his father and brother
أَمْسَكْتُI withheldعَنْfromمَسْأَلَتِهِquestioning him
I refrained from questioning him.
فَفَتَحَSo he openedالْبَابَthe doorوَدَخَلَand enteredوَأَدْخَلَنِيand made me enterمَعَهُwith him
So he opened the door and entered, and made me enter with him.
فَدَخَلْتُSo I enteredدَاراًa houseحَارَwas dazzledبَصَرِيmy sightفِيهَاin itمِنْfromحُسْنِهَاits beauty
So I entered a house whose beauty dazzled my sight,
كُلُّهَاall of itلُؤْلُؤٌpearlsتُعْشِيdazzlingالْعُيُونَthe eyes
all of it pearls dazzling the eyes.
فَانْتَهَىThen he reachedإِلَىaرِوَاقٍhallwayفِيهِin which wereمِائَةُa hundredمَمْلُوكٍmamluksفِيinقَدٍّone statureوَاحِدٍsingleوَزِيٍّand attireوَاحِدٍsingle
Then he reached a hallway in which were a hundred mamluks of one stature and one attire,
عَلَيْهِمُupon them wereالْأَقْبِيَةُthe tunicsالدِّيبَاجُbrocadeالْمَنْسُوجَةُwovenوَالْمَنَاطِقُand beltsالْمُذَهَّبَةُgilded
wearing woven brocade tunics and gilded belts.
فَلَمَّاWhenنَظَرُواthey lookedإِلَىatالْفَضْلِal-Fadlعَدَوْاthey ranوَوَقَفُواand stoodبَيْنَbetweenيَدَيْهِhis hands
When they looked at al-Fadl, they ran and stood before him.
وَإِذَاAnd beholdشَيْخٌan old manبَهِيٌّdignifiedقَدْhadخَرَجَcome outمِنْfromبَعْضِsomeتِلْكَof thoseالْمَجَالِسِchambers
And behold, a dignified old man had come out from some of those chambers
فَقَبَّلَand kissedيَدَهُhis hand
and kissed his hand.
فَقَالَHe saidمُرَّLet us passبِنَاusنَنْظُرْthat we may lookفِيatمَرَافِقِfacilities ofهَذِهِthisالدَّارِhouse
He said: "Let us go and inspect the facilities of this house."
فَمَاSo I did notدَخَلْتُenterمَجْلِساًa chamberمِنْofمَجَالِسِهِits chambers
So I did not enter any of its chambers
إِلَّاexceptوَقَدْthatفُرِغَhad been finishedتَخْشِيبُهُits woodworkبِالْفَرْشِwith the furnishingsالَّذِيthatلَاcannotيُحِيطُencompassبِهِitالْوَصْفُdescription
except that its woodwork had been completed with furnishings that description cannot encompass,
وَكَذَلِكَand likewiseمَرَافِقُهَاits facilitiesمِنَfromالسُّتُورِcurtainsوَالْبُسُطِand carpetsوَغَيْرِand otherذَلِكَthat
and likewise its facilities of curtains, carpets, and other such things.
ثُمَّThenقَالَhe saidلِلشَّيْخِto the old manمُرَّLet us goبِنَاusإِلَىtoعِنْدِthe place ofالدَّوَابِّthe beasts
Then he said to the old man: "Let us go to the stables."
فَدَخَلْنَاSo we enteredإِصْطَبْلاًa stableفِيهِin which wereأَرْبَعُمِائَةِfour hundredرَأْسٍheadsمِنَofالدَّوَابِّbeastsوَالْبِغَالِand mulesوَغَيْرِهَاand others
So we entered a stable containing four hundred heads of beasts, mules, and others.
فَوَجَدْتُAnd I foundذَلِكَthatالْإِصْطَبْلَstableأَحْسَنَbetterبِنَاءًin buildingمِنْthanدَارِيmy house
And I found that stable to be better built than my house.
ثُمَّThenخَرَجَhe wentنَحْوَtowardدُورِquarters ofالنِّسَاءِthe womenوَالشَّيْخُand the old manبَيْنَbeforeيَدَيْهِhim
Then he went toward the women's quarters with the old man walking before him.
فَلَمَّاWhenانْتَهَىhe reachedإِلَىtheالْبَابِdoorوَقَفَstoppedالشَّيْخُthe old man
When he reached the door, the old man stopped
وَدَخَلَand enteredالْفَضْلُal-Fadlوَجَذَبَنِيand pulled meإِلَىtoنَفْسِهِhimselfوَأَنَاwhile I wasمَعَهُwith him
and al-Fadl entered, pulling me to himself while I was with him,
حَتَّىuntilدَخَلْتُI enteredبَعْضَsome ofتِلْكَthoseالدُّورِquarters
until I entered some of those quarters.
فَإِذَاAnd beholdفِيهَاin them wereمِائَةُa hundredوَصِيفَةٍmaidservantsكَأَنَّهُنَّas if they wereالْأَقْمَارُthe moons
And behold, in them were a hundred maidservants as if they were moons,
قَدْhavingأَقْبَلْنَcome forwardفِيinحُلِيِّهِنَّtheir ornamentsوَحُلَلِهِنَّand their garmentsفَوَقَفْنَand stoodبَيْنَbetweenيَدَيْهِhis hands
having come forward in their ornaments and garments, and stood before him.
فَقَالَHe saidيَاOمُحَمَّدُMuhammadهَذِهِthisالدَّارُhouseأَجَلُّmore grandأَمْorدَارُكَyour house?
He said: "O Muhammad, is this house grander, or your house?"
فَقُلْتُSo I saidيَاOسَيِّدِيmy masterوَمَاand whatأَنَاam Iوَمَاand what isدَارِيmy house?
I said: "O my master, what am I and what is my house!
هَذِهِThisتَصْلُحُbefitsلِلْأَمِيرِthe princeلَاnotغَيْرَهُanyone elseعَلَىuponتَحَرُّجٍhesitationمِنِّيfrom meفِيinقَوْلِيmy saying
This befits the prince and no one else," with some hesitation on my part in saying so.
فَقَالَHe saidيَاOمُحَمَّدُMuhammadهَذِهِthisالدَّارُhouseبِمَاwith whatفِيهَاis in itمِنَofالدَّوَابِّbeastsوَالرَّقِيقِand slavesوَالْفَرْشِand furnishingsوَالْأوانِيand utensilsلَكَis yours
He said: "O Muhammad, this house with what is in it of beasts, slaves, furnishings, and utensils is yours,
وَلَكَand you haveعِنْدِيwith meزِيَادَةٌan addition
and you have more coming from me."
فَقُلْتُSo I saidفِيinنَفْسِيmyselfيَهَبُHe is grantingلِيto meمُلْكَthe kingdom ofغَيْرِهِsomeone else!
So I said to myself: "He is granting me someone else's kingdom!"
فَعَلِمَSo he knewمَاwhatفِيwas inنَفْسِيmy soul
So he knew what was in my soul
فَقَالَand saidيَاOمُحَمَّدُMuhammadإِنِّيverilyلَمَّاwhenسَأَلْتُكَI asked youهَذِهِthisالدَّعْوَةَinvitation
and said: "O Muhammad, when I asked you for this invitation,
تَقَدَّمْتُI instructedإِلَىthisهَذَاthisالْقَهْرَمَانِstewardبِشِرَاءِto buyالْبَرَاحِthe vacant land
I instructed this steward to buy the vacant land
وَأَنْand thatيُعَجِّلَhe hastenالْفَرَاغَthe completionمِنْهُof itوَمِنْand ofبِنَائِهِits building
and to hasten its completion and building,
وَحَوَّلْتُand I transferredإِلَيْهَاto itمَاwhatتَرَىyou see
and I transferred to it what you see.
فَبَارَكَMay God blessاللَّهُGodلَكَfor youفِيهَاin it
May God bless it for you!"
وَانْصَرَفَHe turned awayبِيwith meإِلَىtoعِنْدِthe presence ofأَبِيهِhis fatherوَأَخِيهِand his brother
He walked away with me to his father and brother
وَحَدَّثَهُمَاand spoke to themبِمَاabout whatجَرَىhad transpired
and told them what had happened.
فَرَأَيْتُSo I sawأَخَاهُhis brotherجَعْفَراًJa'farقَدْhadأَمْعَضَbeen angeredمِنْbyذَلِكَthat
So I saw that his brother Ja'far was angered by that,
وَتَغَيَّرَand changedوَجْهُهُhis faceتَغَيُّراًwith a changeعَرَفْتُهُI recognized
and his face changed in a way I recognized.
ثُمَّThenأَقْبَلَhe turnedعَلَىtoأَبِيهِhis fatherيَشْكُوcomplaining aboutالْفَضْلَal-Fadlوَيَقُولُand saying
Then he turned to his father, complaining about al-Fadl and saying:
يَتَفَرَّدُHe takes sole creditبِمِثْلِwith the like ofهَذِهِthisالْمَكْرُمَةِnoble deedمِنْto the exclusionدُونِيof me
"He takes sole credit for a noble deed like this to the exclusion of me.
فَلَوْHadشَارَكَنِيhe shared itفِيهَاin itلَكَانَتْit would have beenيَداًa favorأَشْكُرُهَاI would thankمِنْهُhim for
Had he let me share in it, it would have been a favor I would thank him for."
فَقَالَHe saidيَاOأَخِيmy brotherبَقِيَThere remainsلَكَfor youمِنْهَاof itقُطْبُهَاits pivot
He said: "O my brother, its pivot remains for you."
قَالَHe saidوَمَاAnd whatهُوَis it?
He said: "And what is it?"
قَالَHe saidإِنَّIndeedمَوْلَانَاour masterهَذَاthisلَاit is notيَتَهَيَّأُfeasibleلَهُfor himضَبْطُto manageهَذِهِthisالدَّارِhouseبِمَاwith whatفِيهَاis in it
He said: "Indeed, it is not feasible for this master of ours to manage this house and all that is in it
إِلَّاexceptبِدَخْلٍwith an incomeجَلِيلٍsubstantial
except with a substantial income,
فَأَعْطِهِso give himذَلِكَthat
so grant him that."
فَقَالَHe saidفَرَّجْتَYou have relievedعَنِّيmeيَاOأَخِbrotherفَرَّجَMay relieveاللَّهُGodعَنْكَyou
He said: "You have relieved me, O brother, may God relieve you!"
فَدَعَاSo he calledمِنْfromوَقْتِهِhis momentبِصِكَاكٍfor deedsلِخَمْسِof fiveقَرْيَاتٍvillagesوَاحْتَمَلَand boreعَنِّيfrom meخَرَاجَهَاtheir land-tax
So he immediately called for deeds to five villages and took their land-tax upon himself for me.
فَخَرَجَSo he departedعَنِّيfrom meوَأَنَاwhile I wasأَيْسَرُthe wealthiestأَهْلِpeople ofزَمَانِيmy time
So he departed from me while I was the wealthiest person of my time.
فَهَلْSo doتَلُومُنِيyou blame meيَاOأَمِيرَCommanderالْمُؤْمِنِينَof the Faithfulعَلَىforذِكْرِهِمْmentioning themوَالْقَوْلِand speakingبِفَضْلِهِمْof their virtues?
So do you blame me, O Commander of the Faithful, for mentioning them and speaking of their virtues?"
فَقَالَSo saidالْمَأْمُونُal-Ma'munذَهَبَHave goneالْقَوْمُthe peopleوَاللَّهِby Godبِالْمَكَارِمِwith noble deeds!
Al-Ma'mun said: "By God, the people have gone away with all noble deeds!"
ثُمَّThenأَمَرَhe orderedلِمُحَمَّدٍfor Muhammadبِمِائَةِone hundredأَلْفِthousandدِرْهَمٍdirhams
Then he ordered one hundred thousand dirhams for Muhammad
وَتَقَدَّمَand instructedإِلَىIbnابْنِAbiأَبِيKhalidخَالِدٍconcerningبِرَدِّthe restoration ofمَرْتَبَتِهِhis rankوَتَصْيِيرِهِand making himفِيamongجُمْلَةِthe company ofخَوَاصِّهِhis intimates
and instructed Ibn Abi Khalid to restore his rank and place him among the number of his intimates.