تَقُولُSheوَقَدْsaidكَتَبَتْwhileدَقِيقَwritingخَطِّي:in...myفَدَيْتُكَfineمِمَّhandwriting:تَجْتَنِبُ...الْجَلِيلَا؟May
She said while writing in my fine handwriting: ... May I be your ransom, from what do you avoid the great?
فَقُلْتُSoلَهَا:I said to her:
So I said to her:
نَحَلْتُI grew thinفَصَارَsoخَطِّيmy handwriting......دَقِيقاًgrew thinمِثْلَlikeصَاحِبِهِits thinنَحِيلاًcompanion
I grew thin, so my handwriting grew thin like its thin companion.
وَقَالَAndعَلِيُّAliبْنُbinالْجَهْمِal-Jahmفِيregardingصِفَةِthe descriptionالْكُتُبِ:of books said:
And Ali ibn al-Jahm said regarding the description of books:
إِذَاWhenغَشِيَنِيdrowsinessالنُّعَاسُovercomes meفِيinغَيْرِotherوَقْتِthanالنَّوْمِsleep time
When drowsiness overcomes me at other than sleep time,
تَنَاوَلْتُI takeكِتَاباًa bookفَأَجِدُand findاهْتِزَازِيmy thrillفِيهِin itمِنَfromالْفَوَائِدِthe benefitsوَالأَرْيَحِيَّةِand delight
I take a book and find my thrill in it from the benefits and delight
الَّتِيthatتَعْتَادُنِيaccustom meوَتَعْتَرِينِيand visit meمِنْfromسُرُورِthe joyالاسْتِنْبَاهِof awakeningوَعِزِّand the gloryالتَّبَيِّنِof clarification
that come over me and visit me from the joy of awakening and the glory of clarification
أَشَدَّmore intenselyإِيقَاظاًawakeningمِنْthanنَهِيقِthe brayingالْحِمَارِof a donkeyوَهَدَّةِand the crashالْهَدْمِ،of a demolition,
more intensely awakening than the braying of a donkey and the crash of a demolition,
وَإِنِّيand indeedإِذَاwhenاسْتَحْسَنْتُI find goodكِتَاباًa bookوَاسْتَجَدْتُهُand find it excellentرَجَوْتُI hopeفِيهِin itفَائِدَةً،for a benefit,
and indeed when I find a book good and excellent, I hope for a benefit in it,
فَلَوْso ifتَرَانِيyou saw meسَاعَةًhourبَعْدَafterسَاعَةٍhourأَنْظُرُlookingكَمْat how muchبَقِيَremainsمِنْofوَرَقِهِits pages
so if you saw me hour after hour looking at how much remains of its pages
مَخَافَةَout of fearاسْتِنْفَادِهِof exhausting itوَانْقِطَاعِand the cutoffالْمَادَّةِof the materialمِنْfromقَبْلِهِ،before it,
out of fear of exhausting it and the cutoff of the material before it,
وَإِنْeven ifكَانَthe book wasالْكِتَابُgreatعَظِيمَin sizeالْحَجْمِand the paperوَكَانَwasالْوَرَقُlargeكَبِيرَinالْقَدْرِ.value.
even if the book was great in size and the paper was large in value.
وَذُكِرَAndلَهُthere was mentionedالْعُتْبِيُّto al-Utbiكِتَاباًa bookلِبَعْضِby someالْقُدَمَاءِof the ancientsوَقَالَ:and he said:
And a book by some of the ancients was mentioned to al-Utbi and he said:
لَوْلاWere it not forطُولُهُits lengthلَنَسَخْتُهُ،I would have copied it,
Were it not for its length, I would have copied it,
فَقَالَ:so he said:مَاMyرَغْبِيdesireإِلاis onlyفِيمَاin that whichزَهِدْتَyou turned awayعَنْهُ،from,
so he said: My desire is only in that which you turned away from,
وَمَاandقَرَأْتُI have not readكِتَاباًa largeكَبِيراًbookفَأَخْلَانِيwithout it leaving meمِنْdestituteفَائِدَةٍof a benefitوَلاand norأُحْصِيdo I countكَمْhow many
and I have not read a large book without it leaving me destitute of a benefit, and nor do I count how many
قَرَأْتُI readمِنْofصِغَارِsmallالْكُتُبِbooksفَخَرَجْتُand I emergedمِنْهَاfrom themكَمَاjust asدَخَلْتُI enteredفِيهَا.them.
small books I read and emerged from them just as I entered them.
قَالَSaidابْنُIbnدَاحَةَ:Dahak:كَانَAbdullahعَبْدُibnاللَّهِAbdullahبْنُibnعَبْدِUmarالْعَزِيزِibnبْنِal-Khattab,عَبْدِmayاللَّهِGodبْنِbe pleasedعُمَرَwith him,بْنِdid notالْخَطَّابِ،sitرَضِيَwithاللَّهُpeopleعَنْهُ،and he settledلاin a cemeteryيُجَالِسُfromالنَّاسَthe cemeteriesوَنَزَلَand heمَقْبَرَةًscarcelyمِنَwas seenالْمَقَابِرِexceptوَكَانَthat inلاhis handيَكَادُwas a bookيُرَىreadingإِلاin itوَفِيso heيَدِهِwas askedكِتَابٌaboutيَقْرَأُthatفِيهِ،andفَسُئِلَaboutعَنْhis settlingذَلِكَin the cemeteryوَعَنْso he said:نُزُولِهِI have notالْمَقْبَرَةِseenفَقَالَ:a more admonishingلَمْthing than a grave,أَرَnorأَوْعَظَa more companionableمِنْthing than a book,قَبْرٍnorوَلاa saferآنَسَthing thanمِنْsolitude.كِتَابٍ...وَلا...أَسْلَمَ...مِنَ...الْوَحْدَةِ....
Said Ibn Dahak: Abdullah ibn Abd al-Aziz ibn Abdullah ibn Umar ibn al-Khattab, may God be pleased with him, did not sit with people and settled in a cemetery from the cemeteries and scarcely was seen except that in his hand was a book reading in it, so he was asked about that and about his settling in the cemetery so he said: I have not seen a more admonishing thing than a grave, nor a more companionable thing than a book, nor a safer thing than solitude.
وَقِيلَAndلِابْنِit was saidدَاحَةَto Ibn Dahakوَقَدْwhileأُخْرِجَthere was brought outإِلَيْهِto himكِتَابُthe bookأَبِيof Abuالشَّمْقَمَقِal-Shamqamaq
And it was said to Ibn Dahak while the book of Abu al-Shamqamaq was brought out to him
وَهُوَand itفِيwas inجُلُودٍKufanكُوفِيَّةٍleathersوَوَرَقَتَيْنِand two matchingطَابِقَتَيْنِsheetsلاnotبِخَطٍّin a wondrousعَجِيبٍhandwriting
and it was in Kufan leathers and two matching sheets, not in a wondrous handwriting
فَقَالَ:so he said:لَقَدْIndeedضَيَّعَhas wastedدِرْهَمَهُhis dirhamصَاحِبُthe ownerهَذَاof thisالْكِتَابِ،book,
so he said: Indeed the owner of this book has wasted his dirham,
وَقَالَ:and he said:وَاللَّهِBy Godإِنَّindeedالْقَلَمَthe penلَيُعْطِيكَgives youمِثْلَlikeمَاwhatتُعْطُونَهُyou give it
and he said: By God, indeed the pen gives you like what you give it
وَلَوْand ifاسْتَطَعْتُI were ableأَنْtoأَتَوَدَّعَهُdeposit itسُوَيْدَاءَin the very coreقَلْبِيof my heartوَأَجْعَلَهُand make itمَخْطُوطاًinscribedعَلَىuponنَاظِرَيَّmy eyesightلَفَعَلْتُ.I would have done so.
and if I were able to deposit it in the very core of my heart and make it inscribed upon my eyesight, I would have done so.
وَقَالَAndبَعْضُهُمْ:some of them said:كُنْتُI wasعِنْدَwithبَعْضِsomeالْعُلَمَاءِof the scholarsوَكُنْتُand I usedأَكْتُبُto writeعَنْهُfrom himبَعْضاًsomeوَأَدَعُand leaveبَعْضاًsome
And some of them said: I was with some of the scholars and I used to write from him some and leave some
فَقَالَso he saidلِي:to me:اكْتُبْWriteكُلَّallمَاthatتَسْمَعُyou hearفَإِنَّfor indeedأَخَسَّthe meanestمَاof whatتَسْمَعُyou hearخَيْرٌis betterمِنْthanمَكَانِهِits placeأَبْيَضَ،being blank,
so he said to me: Write all that you hear, for indeed the meanest of what you hear is better than its place being blank,
وَقِيلَ:and it was said:
and it was said:
أَمَاNowلَوْifأَعِيI comprehendedكُلَّallمَاwhatأَسْمَعُI hear......وَأَحْفَظُand preservedمِنْfromذَاكَthatمَاwhatأَجْمَعُI gathered
Now if I comprehended all what I hear ... and preserved from that what I gathered
وَلَمْand did notأَسْتَفِدْbenefitغَيْرَother thanمَاwhatقَدْindeedجَمَعْتُI gathered......لَقِيلَit would be saidهُوَhe isالْعَالِمُthe scholarالْمُقَنَّعُthe accomplished
and did not benefit other than what I indeed gathered ... it would be said he is the accomplished scholar
وَلَكِنَّbutنَفْسِيmy soulإِلَىtowardsكُلِّeveryنَوْعٍkind......مِنَofالْعِلْمِknowledgeتَسْمَعُهُit hearsتَجْزَعُgrows impatient
but my soul towards every kind ... of knowledge it hears grows impatient
فَلَاso neitherأَنَاdo IأَحْفَظُpreserveمَاwhatقَدْindeedجَمَعْتُI gathered......وَلَاnorأَنَاam Iمِنْfromجَمْعِهِgathering itأَشْبَعُsatiated
so neither do I preserve what I indeed gathered ... nor am I from gathering it satiated
وَمَنْand whoeverلَثَّmixesفِيinعِلْمِهِhis knowledgeهَكَذَاlike this......تَرَىyou seeدَهْرَهُhis timeالْقَهْقَرَىbackwardيَرْجِعُreturning
and whoever mixes in his knowledge like this ... you see his time backward returning
إِذَاIfلَمْyou are notتَكُنْa memorizerحَافِظاًand consciousوَاعِياً.........فَجَمْعُكَthen your gatheringلِلْكُتُبِof booksلَاdoes notيَنْفَعُbenefit
If you are not a memorizer and conscious ... then your gathering of books does not benefit
وَقَالَAndبَعْضُهُمْ:some of them said:الْحِفْظُMemorizationمَعَwithالإِقْلَالِfewnessأَمْكَنُis more possibleوَمَعَand withالإِكْثَارِmuchnessأَبْعَدُit is further
And some of them said: Memorization with fewness is more possible and with muchness it is further
وَهُوَand itلِلطَّبَائِعِfor naturesمَعَwithرُطُوبَةِthe moistureالْقَضِيبِof the twigأَقْبَلُ،is more accepting,
and it for natures with the moisture of the twig is more accepting,
وَمِنْهَاand among thatقَوْلُis the sayingالشَّاعِرِ:of the poet:
and among that is the saying of the poet:
أَتَانِيCame to meهَوَاهَاher loveقَبْلَbeforeأَنْI knewأَعْرِفَloveالْهَوَى.........فَصَادَفَso it foundقَلْبِيmy heartخَالِياًemptyفَتَمَكَّنَاand became established
Came to me her love before I knew love ... so it found my heart empty and became established
وَقِيلَ:And it was said:الْعِلْمُKnowledgeفِيinالصِّغَرِyouthكَالنَّقْشِis like engravingفِيinالْحَجَرِ،stone,
And it was said: Knowledge in youth is like engraving in stone,
فَسَمِعَsoذَلِكَal-Ahnafالأَحْنَفُheard thatفَقَالَ:and said:الْكَبِيرُThe older personأَكْثَرُis greaterعَقْلاًin intellectوَلَكِنَّهُbut he isأَكْثَرُmoreشُغْلاً،busy,
so al-Ahnaf heard that and said: The older person is greater in intellect but he is more busy,
وَكَمَاand asقَالَ:he said:
and as he said:
وَإِنَّAnd indeedمَنْwhoeverأَدَّبْتَهُyou disciplineفِيinالصِّبَىchildhood......كَالْعُودِis like the branchيُسْقَىwateredالْمَاءَwith waterفِيinغَرْسِهِits planting
And indeed whoever you discipline in childhood ... is like the branch watered with water in its planting
حَتَّىuntilتَرَاهُyou see itمُورِقاًleafyنَاضِراًand fresh......بَعْدَafterالَّذِيwhatأَبْصَرْتَyou perceivedمِنْofيُبْسِهِits dryness
until you see it leafy and fresh ... after what you perceived of its dryness
وَالصَّبِيُّAnd the childعَلَىregardingالصَّبَىchildhoodأَفْهَمُis more understandingوَلَهُand to itآلِفٌaccustomedوَإِلَيْهِand to itأَنْزَعُ،inclined,
And the child regarding childhood is more understanding and to it accustomed and to it inclined,
وَكَذَلِكَand likewiseالْعَالِمُthe scholarعَلَىtoالْعِلْمِknowledgeوَالْجَاهِلُand the ignorantعَلَىtoالْجَهْلِ،ignorance,
and likewise the scholar to knowledge and the ignorant to ignorance,
وَقَالَandاللَّهُGodتَبَارَكَblessedوَتَعَالَى:and exalted be He said:"وَلَوْ"And ifجَعَلْنَاهُWe had made himمَلَكاًan angelلَجَعَلْنَاهُWe would surely have made himرَجُلاً"a man"
and God blessed and exalted be He said: "And if We had made him an angel, We would surely have made him a man"
لِأَنَّbecauseالإِنْسَانَmanعَلَىtoالإِنْسَانِmanأَفْهَمُis more understandingوَطِبَاعُهُand his natureبِطِبَاعِهِto his natureآنَسُ،is more companionable,
because man to man is more understanding and his nature to his nature is more companionable,
وَمِنْand whoeverالْتَقَطَpicks upكِتَاباًa comprehensiveجَامِعاًbookكَانَit will beلَهُfor himغُنْمُهُits gainوَعَلَىand uponمُؤَلِّفِهِits authorغُرْمُهُ،its loss,
and whoever picks up a comprehensive book, it will be for him its gain and upon its author its loss,
وَكَانَand it will beلَهُfor himنَفْعُهُits benefitوَعَلَىand uponصَاحِبِهِits ownerكَدُّهُ،its fatigue,
and it will be for him its benefit and upon its owner its fatigue,
وَمَتَىand wheneverظَفِرَgainsبِمِثْلِهِthe like of itصَاحِبُa man ofعِلْمٍknowledgeفَهُوَthen he isوَادِعٌtranquilدَامِعٌsereneوَمُؤَلِّفُهُwhile its authorمُتْعَبٌis tiredمَكْدُودٌand exhausted
and whenever a man of knowledge gains the like of it, then he is tranquil and serene while its author is tired and exhausted
وَقَدْandكُفِيَhe has been sparedمُؤْنَةَthe burdenجَمْعِهِof gathering itوَتَتَبُّعِهِand pursuing itوَأَغْنَاهُand it enriched himعَنْfromطُولِthe lengthالتَّفْكِيرِof thinkingوَاسْتِنْفَادِand exhaustingالْعُمْرِ،one's life,
and he has been spared the burden of gathering it and pursuing it, and it enriched him from the length of thinking and exhausting one's life,
كَانَit isعَلَيْهِupon himأَنْtoيَجْعَلَmakeذَلِكَthatمِنَfromالتَّوْفِيقِdivine successوَالتَّسْدِيدِand guidanceإِذَاwhenبَالَغَthe authorصَاحِبُهُexaggeratedفِيinتَصْنِيفِهِcompiling itوَأَجَادَand excelledفِيinاخْتِيَارِهِ،selecting it,
it is upon him to make that from divine success and guidance when the author exaggerated in compiling it and excelled in selecting it,
قَالَsaidأَبُوAbuهَفَّانَ:Haffan:
said Abu Haffan:
إِذَاWhenآنَسَfinds comfortالنَّاسُpeopleمَاwhatيَجْمَعُونَthey gather......أَنِسْتُI find comfortبِمَاin whatيَجْمَعُgathersالدَّفْتَرُthe notebook
When people find comfort in what they gather ... I find comfort in what the notebook gathers
لَهُIt hasوَطَرِيmy desireوَلَهُand it hasلَذَّتِيmy pleasure......عَلَىoverالْكَأْسِthe cupوَالْكَأْسُwhile the cupلَاis notتَحْضُرُpresent
It has my desire and it has my pleasure ... over the cup while the cup is not present
تَدُورُIt circulatesعَلَىamongالشَّرْبِthe drinkersمَحْمُودَةًpraised......لَهَاfor itالْمُورِدُis the watering placeالْخِرْقُthe cleverوَالْمَصْدَرُand the departure
It circulates among the drinkers praised ... for it is the watering place the clever and the departure
يُغَنِّيهِمُSings to themسَاحِرُthe enchanterالْمُقْلَتَيْنِof the two eyes......كَشَمْسِlike the sunالضُّحَىof the morningطَرْفُهُhis glanceأَحْوَرُis dark-eyed
Sings to them the enchanter of the two eyes ... like the sun of the morning his glance is dark-eyed
وَرَيْحَانُهُمْand their sweet basilطِيبُis the fragranceأَخْلَاقِهِمْof their morals......وَعِنْدَهُمُand with themالْوَرْدُis the roseوَالْعَبْهَرُand the narcissus
and their sweet basil is the fragrance of their morals ... and with them is the rose and the narcissus
عَلَىeven thoughأَنَّthatهِمَّتَنَاour ambitionفِيinالْحُرُوبِwars......فَتِلْكَthen thatالصِّنَاعَةُis the tradeوَالْمَتْجَرُand the commerce
even though that our ambition in wars ... then that is the trade and the commerce
قَالَ:He said:لَمَّاwhenقُلْتُهَاI said themعَرَضْتُهَاI presented themعَلَىtoابْنِIbnدِهْقَانَDehqanفَقَالَ:and he said:إِذَاifسَمِعَhearsبِهَاthemالْخَلِيفَةُthe Caliphاسْتَغْنَىhe would be enrichedبِهَاby themعَنِfromالنُّدَمَاءِ.the companions.
He said: When I said them I presented them to Ibn Dehqan and he said: if the Caliph hears them he would be enriched by them from the companions.
وَأَنْشَدَنَاAnd recited to usغَيْرُهُ:someone else:
And recited to us someone else:
نِعْمَExcellentالْمُحَدِّثُis the conversationalistوَالرَّفِيقُand companionكِتَابٌa book......تَلْهُوyou are amusedبِهِby itإِنْifخَانَكَbetray youالأَصْحَابُthe companions
Excellent is the conversationalist and companion a book ... you are amused by it if the companions betray you
لَاNotمُفْشِياًrevealingسِرّاًa secretإِذَاwhenاسْتُودِعْتُهُit is entrusted......وَتَنَالُand you attainمِنْهُfrom itحِكْمَةًwisdomوَصَوَابُand correctness
Not revealing a secret when it is entrusted ... and you attain from it wisdom and correctness
وَقَالَAndآخَرُ:another said:
And another said:
نِعْمَExcellentالْجَلِيسُis the companionبِعَقِبِfollowingقَعْدَةِa sittingضَجْرَةٍof annoyance......لِلْمُلْكِfor the kingوَالأُدَبَاءِand the literatiوَالْكُتَّابِand the writers
Excellent is the companion following a sitting of annoyance ... for the king and the literati and the writers