أَيْسَرُEasierمِنْthanوَقْفَةٍa standingبِبَابٍat a door
Easier than a standing at a door...
يَلْقَاكَgreets youبَوَّابُهُits doorkeeperبِعَبْسٍwith a frown
...whose doorkeeper greets you with a frown.
وَقَالَAnd he said
And he said:
لَمَّاWhenرَأَيْتُكَI saw youذَاهِباًgoing
When I saw you going...
وَرَأَيْتُنِيand saw myselfأُجْفَىbeing spurnedبِبَابِكَat your door
...and saw myself being spurned at your door,
عَدَّيْتُI divertedرَأْسَthe headمَطِيَّتِيof my mount
I turned the head of my mount away,
وَحَجَبْتُand veiledنَفْسِيmyselfعَنْfromحِجَابِكَyour veil
and kept myself away from your veil.
وَقَالَAnd saidآخَرُanother
And another said:
لَئِنْIfكَانَisالتَّشَرُّفُthe honorفِيinالْحِجَابِthe veil
If honor lies in the veil,
لَقَدْtrulyأَصْبَحْتُI have becomeفِيinالشَّرَفِthe honorاللُّبَابِat the core
then indeed I have reached the very core of honor.
لَقَدْIndeedعَاتَبْتُI blamedنَفْسِيmyselfفِيinوُقُوفِيmy standing
I indeed blamed myself for my standing there,
فَقُلْتُand I saidلَهَاto itوَقَفْتِyou stoodبِأَيِّat whichبَابِdoor
and said to it: At what door have you stood?
بِبَابٍAt a doorتُسْلَبُis strippedالْمَوْتَىthe deadعَلَيْهِupon it
At a door where the dead are stripped,
وَيُسْتَلَبُand is plunderedالْعِرَاقُIraqمِنَfromالْكِلَابِthe dogs
and Iraq is plundered from the dogs?
مَنْصُورُMansurبْنُson ofبَاذَانَBadhan
Mansur bin Badhan:
أَمَاByوَزَمْرِthe faceابْنِof the son ofشَيْبَةَShayba
By the beard of the son of Shayba,
وَقُبْحِand the uglinessلِحْيَةِof the beard ofعَقِبِهِhis follower
and the ugliness of his follower's beard,
كَأَنَّمَاit is as ifشَعْرُthe hairقِرْدٍof a monkey
it is as if monkey hair
مُلَصَّقٌis gluedحَوْلَaroundذَنَبِهِits tail
is glued around its tail.
وَوَجْهُهُAnd his faceحِينَwhenيَبْدُوit appears
And his face when it appears
كَقُبْحِis like the uglinessأَوَّلِof the firstشَرْبِهِdrink of his
is like the ugliness of his first drink.
لَئِنْIfأَطَلْتَyou prolongحِجَابِيmy being veiled
If you prolong keeping me away,
مَاyou areأَنْتَnotإِلَّاexceptابْنُthe son ofقَحْبَةٍa whore
you are nothing but the son of a whore.
وَكَيْفَAnd howتَبْنِيdo you buildالْمَعَالِيglories
And how do you build glories,
يَاOنَجْلَoffspring ofكَلْبٍa dogلِكَلْبَةٍto a bitch
O offspring of a dog to a bitch?
وَهَلْAnd canيَكُونُbeكَرِيماًgenerous
And can he be generous,
يَاOقَوْمِpeopleحَمَّالُbearer ofقِرْبَةٍa waterskin
O people, a bearer of a waterskin!
وَلَهُAnd by him
And by him:
يَاOذَاyou whoالَّذِيwhoقَصَّرَfell shortفِيinمَجْدِهِhis glory
O you who fell short in your glory,
وَزَادَand increasedفِيinعِدَّةِthe number ofحُجَّابِهِhis doorkeepers
and increased the number of his doorkeepers:
أَقْسَمْتُI sworeلَاnotأَقْرَبُto approachبَابَthe door ofامْرِئٍa man
I swore never to approach the door of a man
يَحْجُبُنِيwhose doorkeeper bars meالْبَوَّابُthe doorkeeperعَنْfromبَابِهِhis door
whose doorkeeper bars me from his door.
فَأَدْخَلَMay God putاللَّهُGodرُؤَيْسَthe little head ofامْرِئٍa man
May God put the little head of a man
يَحْجُبُwho barsمِثْلِيthe likes of meفِيinاسْتِthe anus ofبَوَّابِهِhis doorkeeper
who bars the likes of me, into the anus of his doorkeeper.
وَلِأَبِيAnd for AbuعَبْدِAbdاللَّهِAllahمُرَيْقَةَMuriqa
And for Abu Abd Allah Muriqa
فِيconcerningعَلِيِّAliبْنِson ofأَحْمَدَAhmadالْمَعْرُوفِknownبِابْنِas IbnالْحَوَارِيِّAl-Hawari
concerning Ali ibn Ahmad, known as Ibn al-Hawari,
شَاعِرٍa poetوَكَانَwho wasحَجَبَهُbarring him
a poet who used to bar him, so he encountered him
فَتَعَرَّضَand approached himلَهُhimوَقَدْwhileرَكِبَhe was mountedفَقَالَand said
while he was mounted and said:
أَسَلُI askالَّذِيthe One whoصَرَفَturnedالْأَعِنَّةَthe reins
I ask the One who turned the reins
بِالْمَوَاكِبِwith the processionsنَحْوَtowardبَابِكَyour door
with the processions toward your door,
وَأَرَاكَand made you seeنَفْسَكَyourselfدَائِماًalways
and made you always see yourself
مَاwhatلَمْnotيَكُنْwasلَكَfor youفِيinحِسَابِكَyour reckoning
experiencing what was not in your reckoning,
وَأَذَلَّand humbledمَوْقِفِيmy standingالْعَزِيزَproudعَلَيَّto meفِيatأَقْصَىthe furthestرَجَائِكَbounds of your hope
and humbled my standing—which is dear to me—at the furthest bounds of your hope,
أَلَّاthatيُطِيلَhe does not prolongتَجَرُّعِيmy gulping down
that He may not prolong my gulping down
غُصَصَthe agoniesالْمَنِيَّةِof deathمِنْfromحِجَابِكَ1your veil
the agonies of death caused by your veil.
مَحَاسِنُMahasinالْوِلَايَاتِal-Wilayat
[Mahasin al-Wilayat]
قَالَSaidإِبْرَاهِيمُIbrahimبْنُson ofالسِّنْدِيِّal-Sindi
Ibrahim ibn al-Sindi said:
بَعَثَsentإِلَيَّto meالْمَأْمُونُal-Ma'mun
Al-Ma'mun sent for me,
فَأَتَيْتُهُand I came to himفَقَالَand he said
and I came to him. He said:
يَاOإِبْرَاهِيمُIbrahimإِنِّيIأُرِيدُكَwant youلِأَمْرٍfor a matterجَلِيلٍgrave
"O Ibrahim, I want you for a grave matter;
وَاللَّهِby AllahمَاI have notشَاوَرْتُconsultedفِيهِin itأَحَداًanyone
by Allah, I have not consulted anyone about it
وَلَاnorأُشَارِكُdo I shareبِكَwith youأَحَداًanyone
nor will I share anyone in you.
فَاتَّقِSo fearاللَّهَAllahوَلَاand do notتَفْضَحْنِيdisgrace me
So fear Allah and do not disgrace me."
فَقُلْتُI saidيَاOسَيِّدِيmy master
I said: "O my master,
لَوْifكُنْتُI wereشَرَّthe worstخَلْقِof the creation ofاللَّهِAllah
if I were the worst of Allah's creation
مَاI would not haveتَرَكْتُleftمَوْضِعَa place ofقَادِحٍblame
I would not have left any room for criticism,
فَكَيْفَso howوَنِيَّتِيwhen my intentionفِيinطَاعَةِobedience toأَمِيرِthe Commanderالْمُؤْمِنِينَof the Faithful
let alone when my intention in obeying the Commander of the Faithful
نِيَّةُis the intention ofالْعَبْدِthe slaveالذَّلِيلِsubmissiveلِمَوْلَاهُto his master?
is that of a submissive slave to his master?"
قَالَHe said
He said:
قَدْI haveرَأَيْتُseen fitأَنْthatأُوَلِّيَكَI appoint you overخَبَرَthe news ofمَاwhatوَرَاءَlies beyondبَابِthe door ofدَارِيmy house
"I have decided to put you in charge of intelligence regarding what lies beyond the door of my house,
فَانْظُرْso see to itأَنْthatتَعْمَلَyou actبِمَاin accordance with whatيَجِبُis incumbentعَلَيْكَupon youلِلَّهِtoward Allahجَلَّmajesticوَعَزَّand mighty
so ensure that you act according to what is incumbent upon you before Allah, Majestic and Mighty,
وَلِيand toward meوَلَاand do notتُرَاقِبْmonitorأَحَداًanyone
and toward me, and do not show partiality to anyone."
فَقُلْتُI saidيَاOسَيِّدِيmy master
I said: "O my master,
فَإِنِّيIأَسْتَعِينُseek helpبِاللَّهِin AllahعَزَّMightyوَجَلَّand MajesticعَلَىuponمَرْضَاتِهِHis pleasureوَمَرْضَاتِكَand your pleasure
I seek help from Allah, Mighty and Majestic, in attaining His pleasure and yours."
فَبَعَثْتُSo I sentأَصْحَابَthe agentsالْأَخْبَارِof intelligenceفِيinالْأَرْبَاعِthe quartersبِبَغْدَادَof Baghdad
So I sent out intelligence agents in the quarters of Baghdad,
فَرَفَعَand there raisedإِلَيَّto meبَعْضُهُمْone of them
and one of them reported to me
أَنَّthatصَاحِبَthe officer ofرُبْعِthe quarter ofالْحَوْضِAl-Hawd
that the officer of the Al-Hawd quarter
أَخَذَhad seizedامْرَأَةًa womanمُسْلِمَةًMuslimمَعَwithرَجُلٍa manنَصْرَانِيٍّChristian
had seized a Muslim woman with a Christian man
مِنْfromتُجَّارِthe merchants ofالْكَرْخِAl-Karkh
among the merchants of Al-Karkh,
فَافْتَدَىand he ransomedنَفْسَهُhimselfبِأَلْفِfor a thousandدِينَارٍdinars
and the man had ransomed himself for a thousand dinars.
فَرَفَعْتُSo I reportedإِلَيْهِthat to him
So I reported that to him.
فَدَعَاHe summonedعَبْدَAbdullahاللَّهِibnبْنَTahirطَاهِرٍand said
He summoned Abdullah ibn Tahir
فَقَالَand saidلَهُto him
and said to him:
انْظُرْLook intoفِيthisهَذَاwhichالَّذِيthe intelligence chiefرَفَعَهُhas reportedإِلَيَّto meصَاحِبُthe author ofالْخَبَرِthe report
"Look into this matter reported to me by the intelligence officer."
فَقَرَأَهُHe read itوَقَالَand said
He read it and said:
رَفَعَHas reportedيَاOأَمِيرَCommanderالْمُؤْمِنِينَof the Faithfulالْبَاطِلَfalsehoodوَالزُّورَand fabrication
"O Commander of the Faithful, he has reported falsehood and fabrication,
وَأَغْرَاهُand he incited himبِيagainst me
and has stirred him up against me."
فَعَمِلَSo workedقَوْلُهُhis sayingفِيَّupon meوَمَلَأَand filledقَلْبَهُhis heart
So his words took effect upon him and filled his heart.
فَبَعَثَSo he sentإِلَيَّto meفَقَالَand said
He sent for me and said:
يَاOإِبْرَاهِيمُIbrahimتَرْفَعُdo you reportإِلَيَّto meالْكَذِبَfalsehood
"O Ibrahim, do you report lies to me
وَتَحْمِلُنِيand drive meعَلَىagainstعُمَّالِيmy officials?"
and turn me against my officials?
فَكَتَبْتُSo I wroteرُقْعَةًa noteدَفَعْتُهَاwhich I handedإِلَىtoفَتْحٍFathالْخَادِمِthe servant
So I wrote a note and handed it to Fath the servant
لِيُوصِلَهَاso that he might deliver itإِلَيْهِto him
to deliver to him,
قُلْتُin which I saidفِيهَاtherein
saying in it:
إِنَّمَاIndeedيَحْضُرُattendsالْأَخْبَارَthe newsفِيinالْأَرْبَاعِthe quarters
"The news in the quarters is witnessed
الْمَرْأَةُby the womanوَالطِّفْلُand the childوَابْنُand the son ofالسَّبِيلِthe roadوَغَيْرُand otherذَلِكَsuch people
by women, children, travelers, and the like.
وَلَوْAnd ifكَانَتِwereالْأَخْبَارُreportsلَاnotتُرْفَعُreportedإِلَّاexceptبِشُهُودٍby witnessesعُدُولٍjust
If reports were not to be raised except by just witnesses,
مَاwouldصَحَّbe authenticخَبَرٌany reportوَلَاnorكُتِبَwrittenبِهِthereby
no report would be authentic, nor would anything be written about it.
وَلَكِنَّHoweverمَجْرَىthe nature ofالْأَخْبَارِreports
Rather, the way of news is
أَنْthatيَحْضُرَهَاwitnesses themقَوْمٌpeopleعَلَىuponغَيْرِwithoutتُوطُّؤٍcollusion
that people attend them without prior collusion.
فَإِنْSo ifأَمَرَنِيcommands meأَمِيرُthe Commanderالْمُؤْمِنِينَof the Faithful
If the Commander of the Faithful commands me
أَنْthatلَاnotأَكْتُبَI writeإِلَيْهِto himبِخَبَرٍany reportإِلَّاexceptبِعُدُولٍwith just witnessesوَبُرْهَانٍand proof
not to write to him with any report except by just witnesses and proof,
فَعَلْتُI will doذَلِكَso
I will do that.
وَعَلَىAnd uponهَذَاthis basisفَلَاthen notيَرْتَفِعُwill be raisedفِيinالسَّنَةِthe yearخَبَرٌa single reportوَاحِدٌone
And on this basis, not a single report will be raised in the entire year."
فَلَمَّاWhenقَرَأَhe readالرُّقْعَةَthe note
When he read the note,
فَكَّرَhe reflectedفِيهَاon itلَيْلَتَهُthat night
he reflected on it that night,
وَجَاءَنِيand came to meرَسُولُهُhis messengerمَعَwithطُلُوعِthe rising ofالشَّمْسِthe sun
and his messenger came to me at sunrise.
فَأَتَيْتُهُSo I came to himمِنْfromبَابِthe door ofالْحَمَّامِthe bathhouse
So I went to him from the bathhouse door.
فَلَمَّاWhenرَآنِيhe saw meقَالَhe said
When he saw me, he said:
اطْمَئْنِنْ"Be at ease."
"Be at ease."
وَقَامَAnd he stoodفَصَلَّىand prayedرَكْعَتَيْنِtwo units of prayer
Then he stood up and prayed two units of prayer,
أَطَالَprolongingفِيهِمَاin them
prolonging both of them,
ثُمَّthenسَلَّمَhe gave the salutationوَالْتَفَتَand turnedإِلَيَّtoward me
then gave the salutation and turned toward me,
وَلَيْسَwhile there wasفِيinالْمَجْلِسِthe assemblyغَيْرِيno one other than me
with no one else in the assembly.
فَقَالَHe said
He said:
يَاOإِبْرَاهِيمُIbrahimإِنَّمَاtrulyقُمْتُI stoodلِلصَّلَاةِfor prayer
"O Ibrahim, I only stood for prayer
لِيَسْكُنَso that might subsideبَهْرُكَyour panting
so that your panting might subside,
وَيَقْوَىand might strengthenمَتْنُكَyour back
your back grow strong,
وَيُفْرَخَand flutterرَوْعُكَyour fear
and your fear depart.
فَتَمَكَّنْSo settleفِيinقُعُودِكَyour sitting
So settle comfortably in your seat."
وَكُنْتُAnd I wasقَاعِداًsittingعَلَىuponرُكْبَتَيَّmy knees
And I was sitting upon my knees.
فَقُلْتُI said
I said:
لَاI will notأَضَعُlowerقَدْرَthe dignity ofالْخِلَافَةِthe CaliphateيَاOسَيِّدِيmy master
"I will not lower the dignity of the Caliphate, O my master,
وَلَاand norأَجْلِسُwill I sitإِلَّاexceptجُلُوسَin the sitting ofالْعَبْدِthe slaveبَيْنَbeforeيَدَيْhands ofمَوْلَاهُhis master
and I will sit in no other way than the sitting of a slave before his master."
ثُمَّThenقَامَhe stoodفَصَلَّىand prayedرَكْعَتَيْنِtwo units of prayerدُونَshorter thanالْأُولَيَيْنِthe first two
Then he stood up and prayed two units of prayer shorter than the first two,
ثُمَّthenقَالَhe said
and then said:
هَذِهِ"Thisرُقْعَتُكَnote of yoursتَحْتَis beneathرَأْسِيmy head
"This note of yours is beneath my head;
قَدْI haveقَرَأْتُهَاread itأَرْبَعَfourمَرَّاتٍtimes
I have read it four times,
وَقَدْand you haveصَدَقْتَspoken the truthفِيinمَاwhatكَتَبْتَyou wroteبِهِtherein
and you have spoken the truth in what you wrote.
وَلَكِنِّيHoweverامْرُؤٌI am a manأُدَارِيwho placatesعُمَّالِيmy officialsمُدَارَاةَwith the placation ofالْخَائِفِone who is fearful
Yet I am a man who placates my officials with the caution of one who fears,
وَبِاللَّهِand by AllahمَاI doأَجِدُnot findإِلَىa wayأَنْtoأَحْمِلَهُمْdrive themعَلَىontoالْمَحَجَّةِthe clearالْبَيْضَاءِpathسَبِيلًاas a way
and by Allah, I find no way to compel them onto the clear path.
فَاعْمَلْSo actعَلَىin accordance withحَسَبِthatذَلِكَreckoning
So act accordingly,
وَلِنْand be gentleلَهُمْwith themتَسْلَمْso you will be safeمِنْهُمْfrom them
and be gentle with them so you may be safe from them,
وَفِيand inحِفْظِthe protection ofاللَّهِAllahإِذَاwheneverشِئْتَyou wish"
and in the protection of Allah whenever you wish."
فَانْصَرَفْتُSo I departed
So I departed,
فَدَعَوْتُand I summonedأَصْحَابَthe agentsالْأَخْبَارِof intelligence
and I called the intelligence agents
فَتَقَدَّمْتُand instructedإِلَيْهِمْthemفِيregardingمُدَارَاةِplacatingالْقَوْمِthe people
and instructed them to placate the people,
وَالرِّفْقِand kindnessبِهِمْtoward them
to show them gentleness,
وَاللِّينِand softnessلَهُمْtoward them
and mildness toward them.
Footnotes
- 1.مَحَاسِنُ الْوِلَايَاتِ: كِتَابٌ تَارِيخِيٌّ أَوْ أَدَبِيٌّ قَدِيمٌ.
Mahasin al-Wilayat: An ancient historical or literary book.