fadl al kilab ibn al marzuban

Page 15

وَامْرَأَتُكَand is your wifeطَالِقٌ؟divorced?

And is your wife divorced? So he swore an oath.

فَحَلَفَ.So he swore.

So he swore an oath.

فَأَقْبَلَThen turnedيَحْيَىYahyaعَلَىtowardالْغَسَّانِيِّAl-Ghassaniوَمَنْصُورِand Mansurبْنِson ofزِيَادٍZiyadوَالْأَشْعَثِيِّAl-Ash'athiوَمُحَمَّدِand Muhammadبْنِson ofمُحَمَّدٍMuhammadالْعَبْدِيِّAl-Abdi

Then Yahya turned to Al-Ghassani, Mansur bin Ziyad, Al-Ash'athi, and Muhammad bin Muhammad Al-Abdi,

وَكَانُواand they wereحُضُوراًpresentفِيinالْمَجْلِسِthe gathering

and they were present in the gathering,

فَقَالَso he saidمَاwe do notحَسِبْنَاthinkإِلَّاexceptوَقَدِthat indeedاحْتَجْنَاwe have neededإِلَىtoأَنْthatنُجَدِّدَwe renewلِأَبِيfor AbuسَمَاعَةَSama'ahمَنْزِلاًa houseوَآلَةًand equipmentوَحَوْماًand furnishingsوَمَتَاعاًand goods

and said: 'We thought only that we needed to renew for Abu Sama'ah a house, equipment, furnishings, and goods.'

يَاOغُلَامُboyادْفَعْpayلَهُto himعَشَرَةَtenآلافِthousandدِرْهَمٍdirhamsوَتَخْتَافِيهِand clothe him inعَشَرَةَtenأَثْوَابٍgarments

'O servant, pay him ten thousand dirhams and provide him with ten garments.'

فَدَفَعَSo he paidإِلَيْهِto him

So he paid it to him.

فَلَمَّاThen whenخَرَجَhe went outتَلَقَّتْهُmet himأَصْحَابُهُhis companionsيُهَنِّئُونَهُcongratulating himوَيَسْأَلُونَهُand asking himعَنْaboutأَمْرِهِhis matter

When he went out, his companions met him, congratulating him and asking him about his affair.

فَقَالَHe saidمَاwhatعَسَيْتُcan Iأَنْthatأَقُولَsayإِلَّاexceptأَنَّهُthat he isابْنُson ofزَانِيَةٍan adulteressأَبَىhe refusedإِلَّاexceptكَرَماًgenerosity

He said: 'What can I say except that he is the son of an adulteress; he refused to be anything but generous.'

فَبَلَّغَتْSo reachedيَحْيَىYahyaكِلْمَتُهُhis wordمِنْfromسَاعَتِهِits hour

His remark reached Yahya immediately.

فَأَمَرَSo he orderedبِهِconcerning himفَحَضَرَand he was broughtفَقَالَand he saidلَهُto himيَاOأَبَاAbuسَمَاعَةَSama'ahلَمْdid you notتُفَرِّقْscatterفِيinهِجَائِنَاour satireوَلَمْand did you notتَغْرِفْscoopفِيinشَمَاتِنَاour gloating

So he ordered him to be brought, and when he appeared, he said to him: 'O Abu Sama'ah, did you not spread our satire and gloat over us?'

قَالَSaidأَبُوAbuسَمَاعَةَSama'ahمَاnotعَرَفْتُهُI knew itأَيُّهَاOالْوَزِيرُMinisterافْتِرَاءًit is a fabricationوَكَذِبٌand a lieعَلَيَّagainst me

Abu Sama'ah said: 'I did not do it, O Minister; it is a fabrication and a lie against me.'

فَنَظَرَSo he lookedإِلَىatيَحْيَىYahyaمَلِيّاًfor a long timeثُمَّthenأَنْشَأَhe beganيَقُولُrecitingوَافِرٌ:Wafir meter:

He looked at Yahya for a long time, then began to recite in the Wafir meter:

إِذَاWhenمَاeverالْمَرْءُa manلَمْdoes notيَخْدِشْscratchبِظُفْرٍwith a nail......وَلَمْand is notيُوجَدْfoundلَهُfor himأَنْthatعَضَّbitنَابُa fang

If a man does not scratch with a nail, nor is it found that a fang has bitten,

رَمَىcastsفِيهِat himالْغَمِيزَةَweaknessمَنْhe whoبَغَاهَاsought it......وَذَلَّلَand subduesمِنْfromقرَائِنِهِits peersالصِّعَابُthe difficult ones

Then whoever seeks weakness in him will cast it upon him, while the difficult ones among his peers are subdued.

قَالَSaidأَبُوAbuسَمَاعَةَSama'ah-كَلَّاNot soأَيُّهَاOالْوَزِيرُ-Ministerوَلَكِنَّهُbut rather he isكَمَاasقَالَsaidبَسِيطٌ:Basit meter:

Abu Sama'ah said: 'Not so, O Minister, but rather he is as the Basit meter says:'

لَمْHave notيَبْلُغِattainedالْمَجْدَgloryأَقْوَامٌpeoplesوَإِنْeven thoughشَرُفُواthey were noble

Peoples have not attained glory, even if they were noble,

حَتَّىuntilيَذِلُّواthey humble themselvesوَإِنْeven ifعَزُواthey are mightyلِأَقْوَامِto others

until they humble themselves to others, even if they are mighty.