فَقَالَSo saidلَهُto himالْحَسَنُ:Al-Hasan:
Al-Hasan said to him:
سَلْAskمَاwhatشِئْتَyou wishوَتَمَنَّand desireمَاwhatأَحْبَبْتَ،you love,
Ask what you wish and desire what you love,
فَلَوْfor ifخَرَجْتُI went outإِلَيْكَto youمِنْfromمُلْكِيmy kingdomكُلِّهِall of itمَاit would notكَافَأْتُكَ.reward you.
for if I were to give you all my kingdom, it would not reward you.
فَقَالَ:He said:تَشْتَرِيYou buyلِيfor meغُنَيْمَاتٍsome little sheepوَتَرُدُّنِيand return meإِلَىtoالْبَادِيَةِ.the desert.
He said: You buy me some small sheep and return me to the desert.
فَقَالَ:He said:نَحْنُWe areإِلَىatمَكَانٍa placeتَصِفُهُyou describeبِهَذِهِwith thisالصِّفَةِ.description.
He said: We are in a place you describe with this description.
قَالَ:He said:الْوَطَنَThe homelandالْوَطَنَ.the homeland.
He said: The homeland, the homeland.
فَاشْتَرَىSo he boughtلَهُfor himأَلْفَa thousandشَاةٍsheepوَأَعْطَاهُand gave himعِشْرِينَtwentyأَلْفَthousandدِرْهَمٍdirhamsوَرَدَّهُand returned himإِلَىtoوَطَنِهِ.his homeland.
So he bought him a thousand sheep, gave him twenty thousand dirhams, and returned him to his homeland.
وَمِمَّاAnd from whatقِيلَwas saidفِيمَنْabout whoeverكَرِهَdislikedالْغُرْبَةَexileقَالَsaidابْنُIbnأَبِيAbiالسَّرْجِ:Al-Sarj:
And among what was said about those who disliked exile, Ibn Abi Al-Sarj said:
قَرَأْتُI readعَلَىonحَائِطِthe wallخَانٍof an innبِالْأَهْوَازِ:in Ahwaz:
I read on the wall of an inn in Ahwaz:
إِنَّIndeedالْغَرِيبَthe strangerوَلَوْeven ifيَكُونُhe isبِبَلْدَةٍin a town......يُجْبَىis collectedإِلَيْهِto himخَرَاجُهَاits tributeلَغَرِيبُis [still] a stranger
Indeed, the stranger—even if he be in a town whose tribute is collected for him—is [still] a stranger.
وَأَقَلُّAnd the leastمَاwhatيَلْقَىencountersالْغَرِيبُthe strangerمِنَofالْأَذَىharmأَنْis thatيُسْتَذَلَّhe is humiliatedوَقَوْلُهُand his wordمَكْذُوبُis deemed false
And the least of what the stranger encounters of harm is that he is humiliated and his word is disbelieved.
قَالَ:He said:وَقَرَأْتُAnd I readعَلَىonحَائِطِthe wallخَانٍof an innبِعَسْكَرِin AskarمُكْرَمٍMukramمِنَofالْأَهْوَازِ:Ahwaz:
He said: And I read on the wall of an inn in Askar Mukram in Ahwaz:
إِنَّIndeedالْغَرِيبَthe strangerإِذَاwhenيُنَادِيhe calls outمُوجِعاًpainfullyعِنْدَatالشَّدَائِدِhardshipsكَانَisغَيْرَun-مُجَابٍanswered
Indeed, when the stranger calls out in pain during hardships, he is unanswered.
فَإِذَاSo ifنَظَرْتَyou lookإِلَىatالْغَرِيبِthe strangerفَكُنْthen beبِهِto himمُتَرَاحِماًmercifulلِتَبَاعُدِdue to the remotenessالْأَحْبَابِof loved ones
So if you see a stranger, be merciful to him because his loved ones are far away.
قَالَ:He said:وَقَرَأْتُAnd I readعَلَىonحَائِطِthe wallخَانٍof an innبِبَغْدَادَin Baghdadفِيinالْجَانِبِthe sideالْغَرْبِيِّ:western:
He said: And I read on the wall of an inn in Baghdad on the western side:
غَرِيبُThe strangerالدَّارِof the house/abodeلَيْسَhas notلَهُfor himصَدِيقٌa friend
The stranger in a foreign land has no friend,
جَمِيعُallسُؤَالِهِof his questioningكَيْفَhowالطَّرِيقُis the path
all his questioning is about how the way is.
تَعَلَّقَHe hangs onبِالسُّؤَالِto askingبِكُلِّto everyشَيْءٍthing
He clings by asking to every single thing,
كَمَاjust asيَتَعَلَّقُclingsالرَّجُلُthe manالْغَرِيقُdrowning
just as the drowning man clings.
فَلَاSo do notتَجْزَعْdespairفَكُلُّfor everyفَتًىyouthسَتَأْتِيwill come
So do not despair, for to every youth there will come
عَلَىuponحَالَاتِهِhis statesسَعَةٌabundanceوَضِيقُand hardship
in their various states times of ease and hardship.
قَالَ:He said:وَوَجَدْتُAnd I foundعَلَىonبَابٍa doorمَكْتُوباً:written:
He said: And I found written on a door:
عَلَيْكَUpon youسَلَامُbe the peaceاللَّهِof GodيَاOخَيْرَbestمَنْزِلٍdwelling
Upon you be the peace of God, O best dwelling,
رَحَلْنَاwe departedوَخَلَفْنَاكَand left you behindغَيْرَother thanذَمِيمٍblameworthy
we departed and left you behind unblamed.
فَإِنْAnd ifتَكُنِareالْأَيَّامُthe daysفَرَّقْنَhaving separatedبَيْنَنَاbetween us
And if the days have separated between us,
فَمَاthen notأَحَدٌanyoneمِنْfromرَيْبِهَاtheir vicissitudesبِسَلِيمِsafe
no one is safe from their vicissitudes.
وَأَنْشَدَ:And he recited verse:
And he recited:
أَقَمْنَاWe stayedمُكْرَهِينَcompelledبِهَاin itفَلَمَّاso when
We stayed in it compelled, and when
أَلِفْنَاهَاwe grew accustomed to itخَرَجْنَاwe leftمُكْرَهِينَاcompelled
we grew accustomed to it, we left compelled.
وَمَاAnd notحُبُّlove ofالْبِلَادِthe landsبِنَاusوَلَكِنْbut
And it is not love of the lands that keeps us, but
أَمَرُّthe bitterestالْعَيْشِof lifeفُرْقَةُis partingمَنْfrom whomهَوَيْنَاwe loved
the bitterest part of life is parting from those we loved.
وَلِآخَرَ:And to another:
And to another:
أَقَمْتُI stayedبِأَرْضِكُمْin your landبِالْكُرْهِreluctantlyمَنِّيfrom me
I stayed in your land against my will,
فَلَمَّاthen whenطَابَbecame pleasantلِيfor meفِيهَاin itالْمَقِيلُthe resting place
then when my resting place in it became pleasant,
وَأَوْطَنْتُand I made a homeالْبِلَادَin the landوَحَنَّand yearnedقَلْبِيmy heart
and I made the land my home and my heart yearned
بِغِزْلَانٍfor gazellesبِهَاin itأَزَفَdrew nearالرَّحِيلُthe departure
for gazelles therein, departure drew near.
وَلِآخَرَ:And to another:
And to another:
وَإِنَّAnd indeedاغْتِرَابَthe estrangementالْمَرْءِof a manمِنْfromغَيْرِother thanفَاقَةٍpoverty
And indeed, a man's estrangement without poverty
وَلَاnorحَاجَةٍneedيَسْمُوhe aspiresلَهَاto itلَعَجِيبُis truly strange
or any need he aspires to is truly strange.
فَحَسْبُSufficientالْفَتَىfor the youthبَخْساًas a lossوَإِنْeven ifأَدْرَكَhe attainedالْغِنَىwealth
Sufficient as a loss for the youth—even if he attained wealth
وَنَالَand acquiredثَرَاءًrichesأَنْis thatيُقَالَit is saidغَرِيبُhe is a stranger
and acquired riches—is that it is said of him: A stranger.
وَلِآخَرَ:And to another:
And to another:
أَيُّWhatسُرُورٍjoyلِعَيْشِis there for the lifeمُغْتَرِبٍof an exile
What joy is there for the life of an exile,
فَرْدٍsolitaryوَحِيدٍlonelyنَأَىfarعَنِfromالْوَطَنِthe homeland
solitary, lonely, far from the homeland?
لَاNeitherتَطْمَعُdoes desireالنَّفْسُthe soulفِيinهَوَاهُits desireوَلَاnor
Neither does the soul long for what it desires, nor
يُكَحِّلُdoes it sootheعَيْناًan eyeبِمَنْظَرٍwith a viewحَسَنِgood
does it soothe an eye with a good view.
وَلِآخَرَ:And to another:
And to another:
سَلِAskاللَّهَGodالْإِيَابَfor the returnمِنَfromالْمَغِيبِabsence
Ask God for the return from absence,
فَكَمْfor how manyقَدْhasرَدَّreturnedمِثْلَكَthe likes of youمِنْofغَرِيبِa stranger
for how many like you of strangers has He returned!
وَسَلِAnd consoleالْحُزْنَthe sadnessعَنْكَaway from youبُحُسْنِwith goodظَنٍّexpectation
And dispel sadness from yourself with good expectations,
وَلَاand do notتَيْأَسْdespairمِنَofالْفَرَجِthe reliefالْقَرِيبِnear
and do not despair of the near relief.
وَلِآخَرَ:And to another:
And to another:
تَصَبَّرْHave patienceوَلَاand do notتَعْجَلْhastenوُقِيتَmay you be savedمِنَfromالرَّدَىdestruction
Have patience and do not hasten, may you be saved from destruction,
لَعَلَّperhapsإِيَابَthe returnالظَّاعِنِينَof the travelersقَرِيبُis near
perhaps the return of the travelers is near.
فَقُلْتُSo I saidوَفِيwhile inقَلْبِيmy heartجَوىًis a burning passionلِفِرَاقِهَاfor her parting
So I said, while in my heart is a burning passion for her parting:
أَلَّاDo notلَاdo notتُعَزِّينِيconsole meفَلَسْتُfor I am notأُجِيبُanswering
Ah, do not console me, for I will not answer.
أَعَاذِلَO female censurer,حُبِّيmy loveلِلْغَرِيبِfor the strangerسَجِيَّةٌis a natural disposition
O female censurer, my love for the stranger is a natural disposition,
وَكُلُّand everyغَرِيبٍstrangerلِلْغَرِيبِto the strangerحَبِيبُis a beloved
and every stranger is a beloved to a stranger.
لَئِنْIfقُلْتُI saidلَمْdid notأَجْزَعْdespairمِنَfromالْبَيْنِthe separationإِنْwhenمَضَوْاthey went
If I said I did not despair from separation when they went
لِطِيَّتِهِمْon their journeyإِنِّيindeed Iإِذاًthenلَكَذُوبُam a liar
on their journey, then I am indeed a liar.
بَلَىNayغُبَّرَاتُthe lingering dustالشَّوْقِof longingأَضْرَمَتِignitedالْحَشَاthe innards
Nay, the lingering dust of longing has ignited my innards,
فَفَاضَتْso overflowedلَهَاbecause of itمِنْfromمُقْلَتَيَّmy two eyesغُرُوبُtears
so streams of tears overflowed from my eyes for it.
وَلِآخَرَ:And to another:
And to another:
إِذَاWhenاغْتَرَبَgoes into exileالْكَرِيمُthe noble personرَأَىhe seesأُمُوراًmatters
When the noble person goes into exile, he sees matters
مَحَجَّلَةًmarked/severeيَشِيبُturn greyلَهَاbecause of themالْوَلِيدُthe newborn child
so severe that the newborn child would turn grey because of them.
قَالَSaidأَبُوAbuالْحُسَيْنِAl-HusseinمُحَمَّدُMuhammadبْنُson ofأَحْمَدَAhmadبْنِson ofيَحْيَىYahyaبْنِson ofأَبِيAbiالْبَغْلِ:Al-Baghli:
Abu Al-Hussein Muhammad bin Ahmad bin Yahya bin Abi Al-Baghli said:
أَنْشَدَRecitedأَبُوAbuالْعَبَّاسِAl-AbbasأَحْمَدُAhmadبْنُson ofيَحْيَىYahyaثَعْلَبٌ:Tha'lab:
Abu Al-Abbas Ahmad bin Yahya Tha'lab recited:
مَاI did notكُنْتُuse toأَحْسَبُthinkأَنْthatيَكُونُwould be
I did not think our parting would be
كَذَاthusتَفَرُّقُنَاour separationسَرِيعاًso quickly
thus, so quickly,
بَخِلَwas stingyالزَّمَانُtimeعَلَيَّwith meأَنْthat
time was stingy with me that
نَبْقَىwe remainكَمَاasكُنَّاwe wereجَمِيعاًtogether
we remain as we were together.
فَأَحَلَّنِيSo it settled meفِيinبَلْدَةٍa town
So it settled me in a town
وَأَحَلَّكَand settled youالْبَلَدَin the landالشَّسِيعَاdistant
and settled you in the distant land.
قَدْI hadكُنْتُbeenأَنْتَظِرُwaiting forالْوِصَالَthe reunion
I had been waiting for the reunion,
فَصِرْتُso I becameأَنْتَظِرُwaiting forالرُّجُوعَاthe return
so I became waiting for the return.
وَلِآخَرَ:And to another:
And to another:
إِلْفَانِTwo companionsكَانَاwereلِهَذَاfor thisالْحُبِّloveقَدْindeedخُلِقَاcreated
Two companions who were indeed created for this love,
دَامَاthey lastedعَلَيْهِupon itفَتَمَّand was completedالْوَصْلُthe unionوَاتَّفَقَاand they agreed
they remained steadfast on it, so union was completed and they agreed.
كُنَّاWe wereكَغُصْنَيْنِlike two branchesفِيinعُودٍone stemفَغَالَهُمَاthen destroyed them
We were like two branches on one stem, then destroyed them
رَيْبُthe vicissitudes ofالزَّمَانِtimeوَصَرْفُand the turns ofالدَّهْرِfateفَافْتَرَقَاso they separated
the vicissitudes of time and the turns of fate, so they separated.
فَاصْفَرَّSo turned yellowعُودُهُمَاtheir stemsمِنْafterبَعْدِtheirخُضْرَتِهِgreenness
So their stems turned yellow after their greenness,
وَأَسْقَطَand made fallالْبَيْنُseparationمِنْfromعُودَيْهِمَاtheir two stemsالْوَرَقَاthe leaves
and separation caused the leaves to fall from their stems.
وَلِآخَرَ:And to another:
And to another:
أَتَظْعَنُDo you departوَالَّذِيwhile the oneتَهْوَىyou loveمُقِيمٌremains
Do you depart while the one you love remains?
لَعَمْرُكَBy your lifeإِنَّindeedذَاthisخَطْبٌis a matterعَظِيمٌgrave
By your life, this is indeed a grave matter.
إِذَاWhenمَاeverكُنْتَyou wereلِلْحَدَثَانِto the calamitiesعَوْناًa helper
If ever you were a helper to calamities
عَلَيْكَagainst yourselfوَلِلْفِرَاقِand to separationفَمَنْthen whomتَلُومُdo you blame
against yourself and to separation, then whom do you blame?
وَلِآخَرَ:And to another:
And to another:
لَقَدْIndeedشَفَّنِيhas emaciated meأَنِّيthat Iأَدُورُwanderبِبَلْدَةٍin a town
Indeed, it has emaciated me that I wander in a town
أَخْلَايَmy friendsمِنْهَاfrom itنَازِحُونَare farبَعِيدُdistant
while my friends from it are far and distant.
أُقَلِّبُI turnطَرْفِيmy glanceفِيinالْبِلَادِthe landsفَلَاand I do notأَرَىsee
I turn my glance across the lands and do not see
وُجُوهَthe facesأَخْلَايَof my friendsالَّذِينَwhomأُرِيدُI desire
the faces of my friends whom I desire.
وَلِآخَرَ:And to another:
And to another:
قِفْStopبِالْمَنَازِلِat the dwellingsوَقْفَةَwith the stoppingالْمُشْتَاقِof the yearning one
Stop at the dwellings with the pause of the yearning one,
وَاسْفَحْand shedبِهَاthereinمِنْfromدَمْعِكَyour tearsالْمِهْرَاقِthe poured
and pour out therein your shed tears.
لَاDo notتَبْخَلَنَّbegrudgeعَلَىtoالدِّيَارِthe abodesبِأَدْمُعٍtears
Do not begrudge the abodes tears
يَجْرِينَflowingبَيْنَbetweenمَحَاجِرٍeye socketsوَمَآقِيand tear ducts
flowing between eye sockets and tear ducts.
تِلْكَThoseالدِّيَارُabodesكَمَاasعَهِدْتَyou knew themعَمِيرَةٌare inhabited
Those abodes, as you knew them, are inhabited,
لَكِنَّهَاbut theyصِفْرٌvoidمِنَofالطُّرَّاقِvisitors
yet they are void of visitors.