قِيلَ:It
It was said:
وَكَانَAndإِسْحَاقُIshaqبْنُson ofمُسْلِمٍMuslimالْعُقَيْلِيُّal-Uqayliجَالِساًsittingعِنْدَwithالْمَنْصُورِal-Mansur
Ishaq bin Muslim al-Uqayli was sitting with al-Mansur
فَمَرَّwhen passed byخَادِمٌa servantوَضِيءُbright-facedالْوَجْهِof face
when a bright-faced servant passed by.
فَقَالَ:He said
He said:
يَاOأَمِيرَCommanderالْمُؤْمِنِينَof the Faithfulأَيُّwhichوَلَدِكَof your childrenهَذَا؟is this?
"O Commander of the Faithful, which of your children is this?"
قَالَ:He said
He said:
مَاnotهُوَhe isلِيto meبِوَلَدٍ.a son.
"He is not a son to me."
قَالَ:He said
He said:
فَأَيُّThen whichإِخْوَةِbrotherأَمِيرِof the Commanderالْمُؤْمِنِينَof the Faithfulهَذَا؟is this?
"Then which of the brothers of the Commander of the Faithful is this?"
قَالَ:He said
He said:
مَاnotهُوَhe isلِيto meبِأَخٍ.a brother.
"He is not a brother to me."
قَالَ:He said
He said:
فَمَنْThen whoهُوَ؟is he?
"Then who is he?"
قَالَ:He said
He said:
فُلَانٌSo-and-soالْخَادِمُ.the servant.
"So-and-so, the servant."
قَالَ:He said
He said:
يَاOأَمِيرَCommanderالْمُؤْمِنِينَof the Faithfulفَبِكَمْthen how muchشَمَّةُa kissهَذَاof this oneوَضَمَّتُهُand his embraceأَحَبُّmore belovedإِلَيْهَاto herمِنْthanشَمَّتِكَyour kissوَضَمَّتِكَ!and your embrace!
"O Commander of the Faithful, how much more beloved to her is a kiss and embrace from this one than your kiss and embrace!"
قَالَ:He said
He said:
فَتَاخَلَSo enteredالْمَنْصُورَal-Mansurمِنْfromذَلِكَthatأَمْرٌa matterعَظِيمٌgreatحَتَّىuntilتَغَيَّرَchangedوَجْهُهُhis faceوَأَمَرَand he orderedبِمَنْعِthe banningالْخَدَمِof servantsمِنْfromدُخُولِenteringدَارِthe houseالنِّسَاءِ.of women.
A great feeling came over al-Mansur because of that, until his face changed, and he ordered that servants be banned from entering the women's quarters.
[مَحَاسِنُ[The Virtuesالْعَبِيدِ]of Slaves]
[The Virtues of Slaves]
قَالَ:He said
He said:
مَرَّPassed byعُبَيْدُUbaydاللَّهِAllahبْنُson ofمَعْمَرٍMa'marبِحَبَشِيٍّan Ethiopianيَأْكُلُeatingتَمْراًdatesوَبَيْنَand beforeيَدَيْهِhimكَلْبٌ،was a dog.
Ubaydullah ibn Ma'mar passed by an Ethiopian eating dates with a dog in front of him.
فَلَمَّاSo whenوَضَعَhe placedفِيinفَمِهِhis mouthلُقْمَةًa morselرَمَىhe threwإِلَىtoالْكَلْبِthe dogبِلُقْمَةٍa morselوَتَمْرَةٍ.and a date.
Whenever he placed a morsel in his mouth, he threw a morsel and a date to the dog.
فَقَالَSaidلَهُto himعُبَيْدُUbaydullahاللَّهِ:Allah:
Ubaydullah said to him:
هَذَاThisالْكَلْبُdogلَكَ؟is yours?
"Is this dog yours?"
قَالَ:He said
He said:
لَا.No.
"No."
قَالَ:He said
He said:
فَكَيْفَThen howصِرْتَdid you comeتُطْعِمُهُto feed itوَأَنْتَwhile youتَأْكُلُ؟are eating?
"Then how did you come to feed it while you are eating?"
قَالَ:He said
He said:
إِنِّيIndeed Iلَأَسْتَحْيِيam truly ashamedذَاpossessor ofعَيْنَيْنِtwo eyesأَنْthatيَنْظُرَit looksإِلَيَّat meوَأَنَاwhile Iآكُلُam eatingفَلَاand notأُطْعِمَهُ.feed it.
"Indeed, I would be ashamed before one possessing two eyes that he should look at me while I eat and I do not feed him."
قَالَSaidلَهُto himعُبَيْدُUbaydullahاللَّهِ:Allah:
Ubaydullah said to him:
أَأَنْتَAre youحُرٌّfreeأَمْorعَبْدٌ؟a slave?
"Are you free or a slave?"
قَالَ:He said
He said:
عَبْدٌA slaveلِبَنِيto the sons ofغَاضِرَةَ.Ghadirah.
"A slave belonging to Banu Ghadirah."
فَأَتَاهُمْSo he went to themفَقَالَ:and said
So he went to them and said:
لِمَنِTo whom doesالْحَبَشِيُّ؟the Ethiopian belong?
"To whom does the Ethiopian belong?"
قَالَSaidصَاحِبُهُ:his owner:
His owner said:
لِي.To me.
"To me."
فَقَالَ:He said
He said:
بِعْهُSell himمَنِّي.to me.
"Sell him to me."
قَالَ:He said
He said:
هُوَHeلَكَ.is yours.
"He is yours."
قَالَ:He said
He said:
لَاNoوَاللَّهِby Allahإِلَّاexceptأَنْthatتَأْخُذَyou takeثَمَنَهُhis priceأَوْorغُلَاماًa boyيَكُونُwho will beمَحَلَّهُ.in his place.
"No, by Allah, unless you take his price or a slave who will take his place."
فَاشْتَرَاهُSo he bought himثُمَّthenقَالَ:he said
So he bought him, then said:
أُشْهِدُكُمْI call you to witnessأَنَّهُthat heحُرٌّis freeلِوَجْهِfor the sake ofاللَّهِAllahجَلَّMajesticوَعَزَّ.and Mighty.
"I call you to witness that he is free for the sake of Allah, Majestic and Mighty."
قِيلَ:It
It was said:
وَمَرَّAnd passed byعَبْدُAbdullahاللَّهِbinبْنُUmarعُمَرَa shepherdرَاعٍownedمَمْلُوكٍherdingيَرْعَىsheepغَنَماًso he said to himفَقَالَsell meلَهُ:a eweبِعْنِيfrom theseشَاةًsheep
Abdullah ibn Umar passed by an enslaved shepherd herding sheep and said to him, "Sell me a ewe from these sheep."
مِنْfromهَذِهِtheseالْغَنَمِ.sheep.
from these sheep.
فَقَالَ:He said
He said:
إِنَّهَاIndeed theyلَيْسَتْare notلِي.mine.
"They are not mine."
فَقَالَ:He said
He said:
أَيْنَWhere isالْعَدْلُ؟the owner?
"Where is the owner?"
فَقَالَ:He said
He said:
فَأَيْنَThen where isاللَّهُAllahجَلَّMajesticوَعَزَّ؟and Mighty?
"Then where is Allah, Majestic and Mighty?"
فَاشْتَرَاهُSo he bought himابْنُIbnعُمَرَUmarوَأَعْتَقَهُ.and freed him.
So Ibn Umar bought him and freed him.
فَقَالَ:He said
He said:
اللَّهُمَّO AllahقَدْYou haveرَزَقَنِيbestowed upon meالْعِتْقَthe lesserالْأَصْغَرَemancipationفَارْزُقْنِيso bestow upon meالْعِتْقَthe greaterالْأَكْبَرَ،emancipation,
"O Allah, You have granted me the lesser emancipation, so grant me the greater emancipation,"
أَوْorقَالَ:he said
or he said:
فَلَاso do notتَحْرِمْنِيdeprive me ofالْعِتْقَthe greaterالْأَكْبَرَ.emancipation.
"so do not deprive me of the greater emancipation."
قَالَ:He said
He said:
وَكَانَAnd there wasلِكَثِيرِfor KathirعَزَّةَAzzaعَبْدٌa slaveرَاعٍshepherdيَتَوَلَّىwho managedبَيْعَthe saleغَنَمِهِof his sheep
Kathir Azza had a slave shepherd who used to manage the sale of his sheep.
فَبَاعَAnd he soldعَزَّةَto Azzaوَهُوَwhile heلَاdid notيَعْرِفُهَاknow herشَيْئاًanythingمِنْofغَنَمِهِ،his sheep.
He sold something to Azza from his sheep while not knowing who she was.
فَقَالَSo he saidيَوْماًone dayوَهُوَwhile heيَتَقَاضَاهَا:was demanding payment from her:
One day, while demanding payment from her, he said:
قَضَىFulfilledكُلُّeveryذِيpossessor ofدَيْنٍa debtفَوَفَىand paidغَرِيمَهُhis creditor......وَعَزَّةُAnd Azza'sمَمْطُولٌis delayedمُعَنًّىand troubledغَرِيمُهَاher creditor
Every debtor has paid his creditor... While Azza's creditor is delayed and troubled
فَقَالَتْSo saidلَهُto himامْرَأَةٌ:a woman:
A woman said to him:
أَتَعْرِفُDo you knowعَزَّةَ؟Azza?
"Do you know Azza?"
قَالَ:He said
He said:
لَا.No.
"No."
قَالَتْ:She said
She said:
فَهَذِهِ"So thisوَاللَّهِby Allahعَزَّةُ،is Azza,"
"Well, this, by Allah, is Azza."
فَقَالَ:He said
He said:
لَاNoوَاللَّهِby AllahلَاI will notآخُذُtakeمِنْهَاfrom herشَيْئاًanythingأَبَداً!ever!
"No, by Allah, I will never take anything from her!"
وَرَجَعَAnd he returnedإِلَىtoكَثِيرٍKathirفَأَخْبَرَهُand informed himفَأَعْتَقَهُso he freed himلِمَاfor whatفَعَلَ.he did.
He returned to Kathir and told him, so Kathir freed him for what he had done.
[مَسَاوِئُ[The Vicesالْعَبِيدِ]of Slaves]
[The Vices of Slaves]
وَعَنْAnd on the authority ofحُمَيْدٍHumaidالطَّوِيلِ:al-Tawil:
And on the authority of Humaid al-Tawil:
كَانَThere wasرَجُلٌa manلَهُwho hadغُلَامٌa slaveفَبَاعَهُso he sold himوَقَالَand saidلِلْمُشْتَرِي:to the buyer:
A man had a slave, and he sold him and said to the buyer:
إِنِّيIndeed Iأَبْرَأُclear myselfإِلَيْكَto youمِنْofكُلِّeveryعَيْبٍdefectبِهِin himإِلَّاexceptعَيْباًone defectوَاحِداً.one.
"I disclaim responsibility to you for every defect in him except for one defect."
قَالَ:He said
He said:
وَمَاAnd whatهُوَ؟is it?
"And what is it?"
قَالَ:He said
He said:
النَّمِيمَةُ.Malicious gossip.
"Malicious gossip."
قَالَ:He said
He said:
أَنْتَYou areبَرِيءٌfreeمِنْهُfrom itفَإِنِّيfor Iلَاwill notأَقْبَلُacceptقَوْلَهُ.his word.
"You are free from it, for I will not accept his word."
قَالَ:He said
He said:
فَمَاSo heلَبِثَتْdid not tarryإِلَّاexceptقَلِيلاًa littleحَتَّىuntilأَتَىhe cameالسَّيِّدَto the masterالسَّيِّدَthe masterوَقَالَ:and said:
Not long after, the slave came to the master and said:
إِنَّIndeedامْرَأَتَكُمْyour wifeبَغِيٌّis unfaithfulوَهِيَand sheتُرِيدُwantsأَنْtoتَقْتُلَكَkill youوَتَتَزَوَّجَand marryغَيْرَكَ.someone else.
"Indeed, your wife is unfaithful, and she wants to kill you and marry someone else."
قَالَ:He said
He said:
وَمَاAnd whatيَدْرِيكَ؟makes you know?
"And how do you know?"
قَالَ:He said
He said:
قَدْI haveعَرَفْتُknownذَلِكَ،that,فَتَنَاوَمْso feign sleepعَلَيْهَاto herفَإِنَّهُfor itسَيَظْهَرُwill become apparentلَكَto youمَاwhatأَقُولُ.I say.
"I have come to know that, so feign sleep around her, and what I say will become apparent to you."
وَأَتَىThen he cameالْمَرْأَةَto the womanفَقَالَ:and said:
Then he went to the woman and said:
إِنَّIndeedزَوْجَكَyour husbandيُرِيدُwantsأَنْtoيَخْلَعَكَdivorce youوَيَتَزَوَّجَand marryغَيْرَكَanotherفَهَلْso wouldلَكَyou likeأَنْthatأَرْقِيَكَI charm youفَيَرْجِعَso there returnsإِلَيْكَto youحُبُّهُ؟his love?
"Indeed, your husband wants to divorce you and marry another, so would you like me to use a charm so his love returns to you?"
قَالَتْ:She said
She said:
نَعَمْYesوَلَكَand for youكَذَاsuchوَكَذَا.and such.
"Yes, and you shall have such and such."
قَالَ:He said
He said:
ائْتِنِيBring meبِثَلَاثِthreeشُعَرَاتٍhairsمِنْfromتَحْتِunderحَنَكِهِ.his chin.
"Bring me three hairs from under his chin."
فَلَمَّاSo whenدَنَتْshe drew nearمِنْهُto himلِتَتَنَاوَلَto takeالشَّعْرَthe hairقَامَhe stood upإِلَيْهَاto herبِالسَّيْفِwith the swordوَلَمْand he did notيَشُكَّdoubtفِيمَاin whatقَالَهُwas said byالْغُلَامُthe slaveفَقَتَلَهَا،so he killed her,
When she drew near him to take the hair, he rose against her with the sword, having no doubt about what the slave had said, and killed her.
وَجَاءَAnd cameإِخْوَةُthe brothersالْمَرْأَةِof the womanفَقَتَلُواand they killedالزَّوْجَthe husbandفَذَهَبَاso they both perishedجَمِيعاًtogetherبِسُوءِdue to the evilصَنِيعِdeedعَبْدِهِمَاof their slaveوَقُبُولِهِمَاand their acceptanceنَمِيمَتَهُ.of his gossip.
The woman's brothers came and killed the husband, so they both perished together because of the evil deed of their slave and their acceptance of his gossip.
وَمِمَّاAnd from whatقِيلَwas saidفِيهِمْabout themمِنَofالشِّعْرِ:poetry:
And from the poetry said about them:
وَإِذَاAnd ifمَاeverجَهِلْتَyou are ignorant ofوُدَّthe affection ofصَدِيقٍa friend......فَاخْتَبِرْthen testمَاwhatجَهِلْتَyou were ignorant ofبِالْغِلْمَانِby the young slaves
And if you are ever ignorant of a friend's affection... Then test what you were ignorant of through the young slaves
إِنَّIndeedوَجْهَthe faceالْغُلَامِof the slaveيُخْبِرُinformsعَمَّاof what......فِيinضَمِيرِthe conscienceالْمَوْلَىof the masterمِنَofالْكِتْمَانِconcealment
Indeed, the slave's face reveals... What is concealed in the master's conscience
قَالَ:He said
He said:
وَكَتَبَAnd wroteالطَّائِيُّal-Ta'iإِلَىtoبَعْضِsomeإِخْوَانِهِof his brothersيَسْأَلُهُasking him forنَبِيذاً،wine,فَأَمَرَso he orderedلَهُfor himبِذَلِكَfor thatوَمَنَعَهُand withheldالْغُلَامَ.the servant.
Al-Ta'i wrote to one of his brethren asking him for wine, and he ordered it to be given to him but withheld the servant.
فَقَالَ:He said
He said:
أَبَاO AbuجَعْفَرٍJa'farوَأُصُولُand the roots ofالْفَتَىthe youth......تَدُلُّare indicatedعَلَيْهِby itبِأَغْصَانِهِthrough its branches
O Abu Ja'far, the roots of a youth... Are indicated by his branches
أَلَيْسَIs it notقَبِيحٌshamefulبِأَنَّthatامْرَأًa man......رَجَاكَhoped in youلِصَالِحِfor the best ofأَزْمَانِهِhis times
Is it not shameful that a man... Hoped in you for the best of his times
فَتَأْمُرُSo you orderأَنْتَyouبِإِعْطَائِهِwith giving it......وَيَأْمُرُand there ordersفَتْحٌFathبِحِرْمَانِهِwith depriving him
So you order it to be given... And Fath orders him to be deprived
وَلَسْتُAnd I am notأُحِبُّfond ofالشَّرِيفَthe nobleالظَّرِيفَwitty......يَكُونُbeingغُلَاماًa slaveلِغِلْمَانِهِto his servants
And I do not love a noble, witty person... To be a slave to his own servants
[مَسَاوِئُ[The Vicesسُوءِof badمُعَامَلَاتِtreatmentالْمَوَالِيby mastersلِعَبِيدِهِمْ]of their slaves]
[The Vices of Masters' Bad Treatment of Their Slaves]
قَالَ:He said
He said:
وَقَالَAnd saidأَبُوAbuالْعَبَّاسِal-Abbasالْمَوْصِلِيُّ:al-Mوصili:
Abu al-Abbas al-Mawsili said:
كَانَThere wasلِيfor meجَارٌa neighborفَسَمِعْتُand I heardمِنْfromدَارِهِhis houseاسْتِغَاثَةَcries for helpمَضْرُوبِينَ،of beaten people,
"I had a neighbor and I heard cries for help from people being beaten in his house."
فَلَمَّاSo whenسَأَلْتُI askedعَنِaboutالْخَبَرِthe newsقِيلَ:it was said:
When I asked about the news, it was said:
إِنَّهُIndeed heفَقَدَlostدَجَاجَةً.a hen.
"He lost a hen."
فَكَتَبْتُSo I wroteأَبْيَاتاًversesفِيonرُقْعَةٍa scrap of paperوَشَدَدْتُهَاand tied itفِيtoرِجْلِthe leg ofدَجَاجَةٍa henوَأَلْقَيْتُهَاand threw itفِيintoدَارِهِhis houseوَضَمَّنْتُهَا:and included in them:
So I wrote verses on a scrap of paper, tied it to the leg of a hen, threw it into his house, and included in them:
يَاOذَاyouالَّذِيwhoمِنْoverأَجْلِthe sake ofفَرُوجَةٍa little chick......أَظْهَرَhas displayedلِلْعَالَمِto the worldأَخْلَاقَهُhis character
O you who, for the sake of a little chick... Has displayed his character to the world
أَلْقَىHe inflictsعَلَىuponالْغِلْمَانِthe young slavesمِنْbecause ofأَجْلِهَاit......بِالضَّرْبِwith beatingوَالتَّعْذِيبِand tortureأَرْوَاقَهُhis harshness
He inflicts upon the young slaves because of it... With beating and torture his harshness
رِفْقاًA little gentlenessقَلِيلاًa bitبِعُقُوبَاتِهِمْwith their punishments......فَإِنَّهُمْfor theyلَمْdid notيَعْقِرُواhamstringالنَّاقَةَthe she-camel
A little gentleness with their punishments... For they did not hamstring the she-camel