وَقَالَAnd saidسَوَّارُSwarبْنُbinعَبْدِAbdاللَّهِ:Allah:
And Swar bin Abdullah said:
قَالَSaidرُؤْبَةُRu'bahبْنُbinالْعَجَّاجِ:Al-Ajaj:
Ru'bah bin Al-Ajaj said:
أَرْسَلَSentإِلَيَّto meسُلَيْمَانُSulaimanبْنُbinعَلِيٍّAli
Sulaiman bin Ali sent for me
وَهُوَwhile heبِالْبَصْرَةِwas in Basraفَقَالَ:and said:
while he was in Basra, and said:
هَذَاThis isرَسُولُthe messenger ofالْأَمِيرِthe AmeerأَبِيAbuمُسْلِمٍMuslim
This is the messenger of Ameer Abu Muslim
قَدِمَwho has arrivedفِيconcerningإِشْخَاصِكَ،your summoning,
who has arrived to summon you.
قُلْتُ:I said:سَمْعاًHearingوَطَاعَةً،and obedience,
I said: I hear and obey,
أَرْجِعُI will returnإِلَىtoأَهْلِيmy familyفَأُصْلِحُand settleمِنْofشَأْنِي،my affairs,
let me return to my family to settle my affairs.
قَالَ:He said:لَيْسَThere isإِلَىtoذَلِكَthatسَبِيلٌ،any way,
He said: There is no way to do that.
ثُمَّThenالْتَفَتَhe turnedإِلَىtoالْحَرَسِيِّthe guardفَقَالَ:and said:
Then he turned to the guard and said:
هَذَاThis isصَاحِبُكَyour companionفَشَأْنُكَ،so handle him,
This is your companion, so take charge of him.
فَلَمْAnd I was notأُنْهْنِهْdelayedأَنْthatحُمِلْتُI was carriedعَلَىonالْبَرِيدِthe mail-post
I was immediately hurried onto the post mount
فَوَافَيْتُand I reachedالْأَنْبَارَAl-Anbarمَعَwithالْجُمُعَةِthe Fridayالْأُخْرَىother
and arrived in Al-Anbar by the following Friday
فَأُدْخِلْتُand I was entered intoسُرادِقاًa tentفِيهِin which wereعَشَرَةُtenآلافِthousandرَجُلٍmen
and led into a tent containing ten thousand men
فِيinالسَّوَادِblack clothingوَاضِعِيplacingأَذْقَانَهُمْtheir chinsعَلَىonقَوَابِعِpommels ofسُيُوفِهِمْtheir swords
dressed in black, resting their chins on the pommels of their swords,
لَاnotيَنْظُرُlookingبَعْضُهُمْsome of themإِلَىatبَعْضٍothersإِلَّاexceptشَزْراًaskanceوَلَاand notيُكَلِّمُهُspeaking to himإِلَّاexceptهَمْساً،in a whisper,
looking at each other only askance and speaking only in whispers.
ثُمَّThenاخْتُرِقَI was passedبِيthroughسُرَادِقٌa tentآخَرُanotherمِثْلُlikeالْأَوَّلِthe firstعَلَىinمِثْلِlikeحَالِهِمْ،their state,
Then I was taken through another tent like the first, in the same state.
فَقُلْتُSo I saidفِيtoنَفْسِي:myself:أَحْسَبُهُI suppose heتَذَكَّرَrememberedعَلَيَّagainst meبَعْضَsomeقَوْلِيof my sayingفِيconcerningبَنِيBaniأُمَيَّةَUmayyah
So I said to myself: I suppose he has remembered something I said against the Umayyads
فَأَرَادَand wantedقَتْلِي،to kill me,فَأَيِسْتُso I despairedعِنْدَatذَلِكَthatمِنَofالْحَيَاةِ،life,
and wants to kill me, so at that moment I despaired of life.
ثُمَّThenخَرَجْتُI went outإِلَىtoسُرَادِقٍa tentثَالِثٍthirdفَإِذَاand beholdقُبَّةٌa domeمَضْرُوبَةٌpitchedفِيinوَسَطِهِits center
Then I came out into a third tent, and behold, there was a dome pitched in its center,
فَدُفِعْتُand I was pushedإِلَيْهِinto itفَسَلَّمْتُand I greetedبِالْإِمَارَةِwith the title of Ameerعَلَيْهِ،him,
and I was brought inside it and greeted him with the title of Ameer.
فَقَالَHe saidلِي:to me:أَنْتَAre youرُؤْبَةُRu'bahابْنُbinالْعَجَّاجِ؟Al-Ajaj?
He said to me: Are you Ru'bah bin Al-Ajaj?
قُلْتُ:I said:نَعَمْ،Yes,جَعَلَنِيmay make meاللَّهُAllahفِدَاكَa ransom for youأَيُّهَاOالْأَمِيرُ!Ameer!
I said: Yes, may Allah make me your ransom, O Ameer!
فَقَالَ:He said:أَنْشِدْنِيRecite to meقَوْلَكَyour sayingيَرْمِيhe hurlsالْجَلَامِيدَthe bouldersبِجَلْمُودِwith a boulderمُدَقِّ،crusher,
He said: Recite to me your verse: "He hurls the boulders with a crushing boulder".
فَحَقَّقَSo confirmedفِيَّin meنَفْسِيmy soulمَاwhatكُنْتُI hadقَدَّرْتُestimatedوَظَنَنْتُ،and thought,
Thus my previous thoughts and estimations about myself were confirmed.
ثُمَّThenقُلْتُ:I said:بَلْRatherأُنْشِدُكَ،I will recite to you,جُعِلْتُmay I be madeفِدَاكَ:your ransom:
Then I said: Rather, let me recite to you, may I be your ransom:
لَبَّيْكَAt your serviceإِذْwhenدَعَوْتَنِيyou called meلَبَّيْكَاat your service
At your service when you called me, at your service,
تَطْلُبُYou seekحَقّاًa rightوَاجِباًobligatoryعَلَيْكَاupon you
You seek a right that is incumbent upon you.
فَسَكَتَSo he fell silentحَتَّىuntilفَرَغْتُI finishedمِنْهَاthem
He remained silent until I finished them,
ثُمَّthenأَقْبَلَhe turnedعَلَيَّto meفَقَالَ:and said:أَنْشِدْنِيRecite to meقَوْلَكَyour sayingيَرْمِيhe hurlsالْجَلَامِيدَthe bouldersبِجَلْمُودِwith a boulderمُدَقِّ،crusher,
then he turned to me and said: Recite to me your verse: "He hurls the boulders with a crushing boulder".
قُلْتُI saidبَلْratherأُنْشِدُكَI recite to youقَوْلِي:my saying:
I said: Rather, I will recite my verse:
مَاCeasedزَالَnotيَبْنِيbuildingخَنْدَقاًa trenchوَيَهْدِمُهُand demolishing it
He kept building a trench and demolishing it,
وَعَسْكراًand an armyيُشْرِعُهُdeploying itوَيَهْزِمُهُand routing it
and deploying an army and routing it,
وَمَغْنَماًand spoilsيَجْمَعُهُgathering themوَيَقْسِمُهُand dividing them
and gathering spoils and dividing them,
مَرْوَانُMarwanلَمَّاwhenغَرَّهُdeluded himمُنَجِّمُهُhis astrologer
Marwan, when his astrologer deluded him.
فَأَمْسَكَSo he stoppedحَتَّىuntilفَرَغْتُI finishedثُمَّthenقَالَ:he said:أَنْشِدْنِيRecite to meقَوْلَكَyour sayingيَرْمِيhe hurlsالْجَلَامِيدَthe bouldersبِجَلْمُودٍwith a boulderمُدَقِّ،crusher,
He remained silent until I finished, then said: Recite to me your verse: "He hurls the boulders with a crushing boulder".
فَقُلْتُSo I saidبَلْratherأُنْشِدُكَ:I recite to you:
So I said: Rather, I will recite to you:
مَاCeasedزَالَnotيَأْتِيcomingالْأَمْرَat the matterمِنْfromأَقْطَارِهِits regions
He kept approaching the matter from all its sides,
عَلَىonالْيَمِينِthe rightوَعَلَىand onيَسَارِهِhis left
on his right and on his left,
حَتَّىuntilأَقَرَّhe settledالْمُلْكَthe kingdomفِيinقَرَارِهِits established place
until he established the kingdom in its firm place,
مُشَمِّراًgirding himselfلَاnotيُصْطَلَىbeing enduredبِنَارِهِits fire
girding himself, whose fire cannot be withstood.
فَقَالَ:He said:أَنْشِدْنِيRecite to meوَيْحَكَwoe to youيَرْمِيhe hurlsالْجَلَامِيدَ!the boulders!
He said: Woe to you, recite "He hurls the boulders!"
فَأَنْشَدْتُهُ:So I recited to him:
So I recited to him:
وَقَاتِمِAnd a dustyالْأَعْمَاقِdepthsخَاوِيhollowالْمُحْتَرِقْwaste
And of dusty depths, hollow and wasted,
مُشْتَبِهِindistinctالْأَعْلَامِlandmarksلَمَّاعِglimmeringالْخَفَقْin shimmer
with indistinct landmarks and glimmering mirage,
فَأَنْصَتَSo he listened quietlyحَتَّىuntilانْتَهَيْتُI reachedإِلَىtoقَوْلِي:my saying:
He listened quietly until I reached my verse:
يَرْمِيHe hurlsالْجَلَامِيدَthe bouldersبِجَلْمُودٍwith a boulderمُدَقِّcrusher
"He hurls the boulders with a crushing boulder".
فَوَقَفْتُ،So I stopped,فَقَالَ:and he said:
So I stopped, and he said:
إِنَّIndeedأَمِيرَthe Ameer ofالْمُؤْمِنِينَthe Believersوَجَّهَنِيdispatched meإِلَىtoخُرَاسَانَKhorasan
Indeed, the Ameer of the Believers dispatched me to Khorasan,
وَبِهَاand in it wereجِبَالُmountains ofالْحَدِيدِironمِنَofالرِّجَالِmen
where there were mountains of iron among men,
فَدَمَّثْتُهَاso I leveled themحَتَّىuntilجَعَلْتُهَاI made themدَهْساًsoft sand
and I smoothed them out until I made them like soft sand.
فَلَمْAnd I foundأَجِدْnotلِيfor myselfمِثْلًاany exampleإِلَّاexceptقَوْلَكَyour sayingيَرْمِيhe hurlsالْجَلَامِيدَthe bouldersبِجَلْمُودٍwith a boulderمُدَقِّ،crusher.
I found no description for myself better than your verse: "He hurls the boulders with a crushing boulder".
أَنَاI amوَاللَّهِby Allahذَلِكَthatالْجَلْمُودُ،boulder,اذْكُرْmentionحَاجَتَكَ،your need,
By Allah, I am that boulder! State your need.
قُلْتُ:I said:جُعِلْتُMay I be madeفِدَاكَ،your ransom,حَاجَتِيmy need isأَنْthatتَرُدَّنِيyou return meإِلَىtoأَهْلِيmy family
I said: May I be your ransom, my need is that you return me to my family
فَقَدْfor indeedخَرَجْتُI came outمِنْfromعِنْدِهِمْthemوَهُمْwhile theyعَلَىare inوَجَلٍ،fear,
for I left them while they were in great fear.
فَقَالَ:He said:يَاOغُلَامُboyعَلَيَّbring meبِبَدْرَةٍ،a bag of money,
He said: Boy, bring me a purse of money.
فَكَأَنَّهَاAnd it was as ifلَمْit had notتَزَلْceased to beبَيْنَbetweenيَدَيْهِ،his hands,
And it was as if it was already right there before him.
فَقَالَ:He said:يَاOأَبَاAbuالْجَحَّافِAl-Jahhafإِنَّكَverily youأَتَيْتَنَاcame to usوَالْأَمْوَالُwhile fundsمَشْفوهَةٌwere scarce
He said: O Abu Al-Jahhaf, you came to us while funds were scarce,
وَقَدْand we haveأَمَرْنَاorderedلَكَfor youبِشَيْءٍsomethingوَهُوَand it isزَرْرٌsmall
and we have ordered a small gift for you.
وَلَوْAnd ifأَتَيْتَنَاyou had come to usوَنَحْنُwhile we wereعَلَىinطُمَأْنِينَةٍtranquilityلَأَوْطَأْتُI would have setالْعَرَبَthe Arabsعَقِيبَكَ،in your tracks,
Had you come to us in a time of peace, I would have sent the Arabs behind you with honors,
وَالدَّهْرُand timeبَيْنَنَاbetween usوَبَيْنَكَand youأَطْرَقُis longمُسْتَبِّ،and enduring,
and time between us and you is long and continuous,
وَلَكَand you haveعَوْدَةٌa returnوَعَلَيْنَاand upon us restsمُعَوَّلٌ.reliance.
and you have a return to us, and upon us is reliance.
قَالَSaidرُؤْبَةُ:Ru'bah:فَوَاللَّهِSo by AllahمَاI didدَرَيْتُnot knowبِمَاwhatأُجِيبُهُ،to answer him,
Ru'bah said: By Allah, I did not know what to answer him.
ثُمَّThenقَالَhe saidيَرُدُّreturningعَلَىonالسَّيْرِthe journeyالَّذِيwhichجَاءَhe cameعَلَيْهِ:on:
Then he said, sending him back on the same postal mount he came on:
فَمَاSo notشَعَرَwas awareبِيof meسُلَيْمَانُSulaimanفِيinالْجُمُعَةِthe Fridayالثَّانِيَةِsecondإِلَّاexceptوَأَنَاthat I wasعِنْدَهُwith him
Sulaiman was unaware of me until the second Friday, when I was right beside him.
فَأَخْبَرْتُهُSo I informed himالْخَبَرَof the newsفَقَالَ:and he said:يَاOأَبَاAbuالْجَحَّافِAl-Jahhafهَذِهِthis isدِيَتُكَyour blood-moneyوَرَبِحْتَand you have profitedنَفْسَكَ.your life.
I told him the news, and he said: O Abu Al-Jahhaf, this is your blood-money, and you have saved your life.
قَالَ:He said:وَحَدَّثَنِيand narrated to meعَبْدُAbdullahاللَّهِbinبْنُAmrعَمْرِوbinبْنِUbaidعُبَيْدِAllahاللَّهِsaid:قَالَ:narratedحَدَّثَنِيto meعُبَيْدُUbaidullahاللَّهِsaid:قَالَ:When
He said: Abdullah bin Amr bin Ubaidullah narrated to me, saying: Ubaidullah narrated to me, saying:
لَمَّاWhenدَخَلَenteredمَرْوَانُMarwanبْنُbinأَبِيAbiحَفْصَةَHafsahعَلَىuponالْمَهْدِيِّAl-Mahdi
When Marwan bin Abi Hafsah entered upon Al-Mahdi
وَأَنْشَدَهُand recited to himشِعْرَهُhis poetryالَّذِيin whichيَقُولُhe saysفِيهِ:therein:
and recited to him his poetry in which he says:
أَنَّىHowيَكُونُcan it beوَلَيْسَwhile it is notذَاكَthatبِكَائِنٍhappening
How can it be, and that is not to be,
لِبَنِيfor the sons ofالْبَنَاتِdaughtersوِرَاثَةُthe inheritance ofالْأَعْمَامِpaternal uncles
that the sons of daughters have the inheritance of paternal uncles?
أَجَازَهُHe rewarded himبِسَبْعِينَwith seventyأَلْفِthousandدِرْهَمٍ،dirhams,فَقَالَso saidمَرْوَانُ:Marwan:
He rewarded him with seventy thousand dirhams, so Marwan said:
بِسَبْعِينَWith seventyأَلْفاًthousandرَاشَنِيhe enriched meمِنْfromحِبَائِهِhis gift
With seventy thousand he enriched me from his gift,
وَمَاand did notنَالَهَاattain itفِيamongالنَّاسِthe peopleمِنْanyشَاعِرٍpoetقَبْلِيbefore me
and no poet among the people attained it before me.
فَحَدَّثَنَاAnd narrated to usإِدْرِيسُIdrisبْنُbinسُلَيْمَانَSulaimanبْنِbinيَحْيَىYahyaبْنِbinيَزِيدَYazidبْنِbinأَبِيAbiحَفْصَةَHafsahقَالَ:saying:
Idris bin Sulaiman bin Yahya bin Yazid bin Abi Hafsah narrated to us, saying:
كَانَWasسَبَبُthe cause ofاتِّصَالِconnection ofمَرْوَانَMarwanبِخُلَفَاءِwith the caliphs ofبَنِيBaniالْعَبَّاسِAl-Abbas
The cause of Marwan's connection with the Abbasid caliphs was
أَنَّthatجَارِيَةًa slave girlيَمَانِيَةًYemeniأُهْدِيَتْwas giftedإِلَىtoأَبِيAbuجَعْفَرٍJa'farالْمَنْصُورِAl-Mansur
that a Yemeni slave girl was gifted to Abu Ja'far Al-Mansur,
فَأَنْشَدَتْهُand she recited to himشِعْراًpoetryلِمَرْوَانَby MarwanيَمْدَحُpraisingبِهِthereinالسَّرِيَّAl-SariبْنَbinعَبْدِAbdاللَّهِAllah
and she recited to him poetry by Marwan praising Al-Sari bin Abdullah,
يَذْكُرُmentioningفِيهِthereinوِرَاثَةَthe inheritance ofالْعَبَّاسِ،Al-Abbas,
in which he mentioned the inheritance of Al-Abbas.
فَسَأَلَهَاSo he asked herلِمَنِto whomالشِّعْرُthe poetryفَأَخْبَرَتْهُ،and she informed him,
He asked her whose poetry it was, and she told him.
فَأَمَرَSo he orderedبِإِحْضَارِthe bringing ofمَرْوَانَ،Marwan,
So he ordered for Marwan to be brought.
فَوَفَاهُHe met himبِالرَّبَذَةِat Al-Rabadhahحَاجّاًwhile on pilgrimageفَلَقِيَand metالرَّبِيعَ،Al-Rabi',
Marwan met him at Al-Rabadhah while on pilgrimage and met Al-Rabi',
وَالْمَنْصُورُwhile Al-Mansurعَلِيلُwas ill withالْعِلَّةِthe illnessالَّتِيwhichمَاتَhe diedفِيهَا،in it,
while Al-Mansur was suffering from the illness in which he died.
فَقَالَHe saidلَهُto himالرَّبِيعُ:Al-Rabi':الْحَقْGo joinبِالْمَهْدِيِّAl-Mahdiوَلَاand do notتَتَخَلَّفْfall behindعَنْهُ.him.
Al-Rabi' said to him: Go join Al-Mahdi and do not fall behind from him.
وَانْصَرَفَAnd departedمَرْوَانُMarwanإِلَىtoالْيَمَامَةِAl-Yamamahفَجَعَلَهَاand made itطَرِيقاًa route
Marwan departed to Al-Yamamah and made it his route,
وَعَلَيْهَاand over it wasبِشْرُBishrبْنُbinالْمُنْذِرِAl-Mundhirوَالِياً،governor,
where Bishr bin Al-Mundhir was governor.
فَأَوْفَدَهُSo he sent him as part of a delegationبِشْرٌBishrفِيمَنْamong those whomأَوْفَدَhe sentوَأَعْطَىand gaveكُلَّeveryرَجُلٍmanأَلْفَthousandدِرْهَمٍ.dirhams.
Bishr sent him among the delegation he dispatched and gave each man a thousand dirhams.
فَقَدِمَSo arrivedمَرْوَانُMarwanعَلَىuponالْمَهْدِيِّAl-Mahdiوَقَدْand he hadمَدَحَهُpraised himبِأَرْبَعِwith fourقَصَائِدَqasidasقَوْلُهُ:his saying:
Marwan arrived at Al-Mahdi having praised him with four qasidas, his saying:
صَحَاHe recoveredبَعْدَafterجَهْدٍstruggleفَاسْتَرَاحَتْso restedعَوَاذِلُهُhis censurers
He recovered after a struggle, so his censurers rested,
وَأَقْصَرَand ceasedعَنْهُfrom himحِينَwhenأَقْصَرَceasedبَاطِلُهُhis falsehood
and his falsehood ceased when it ceased.
وَقَوْلُهُ:And his saying:
And his saying:
طَافَCircledالْخَيَالُthe phantomوَحَيَّهُand greet itبِسَلَامٍwith peace
The phantom wandered, greet it with peace,
أَنَّىhowأُُلِمُّcan I visitوَلَيْسَwhile it is notحِينَtimeلِمَامِfor visiting
how can I visit when it is not the time for visiting?
وَقَوْلُهُ:And his saying:
And his saying:
اعْصِDisobeyالْهَوَىpassionوَتَعَزَّand console yourselfعَنْfromسُعَادَكَاyour Su'ad
Disobey passion and console yourself away from Su'ad,
فَلَمِثْلِfor the like ofحِلْمِكَyour forbearanceعَنْregardingهَوَاكَyour passionنَهَاكَاit forbade you
for your forbearance regarding your passion forbade you.
وَقَوْلُهُ:And his saying:
And his saying:
مَرَىProvokedالْعَيْنَthe eyeشَوْقٌlongingحَالَwhich cameدُونَbetweenالتَّجَلُّدِpatience
Longing provoked the eye, which came between it and fortitude,
فَفَاضَتْso it floodedبِأَسْرَابٍwith floods ofمِنَofالدَّمْعِtearsحَشَّدِيcrowded together
so it overflowed with crowded streams of tears.