قَالُواThey saidوَمَاتَand he diedوَعَلَيْهِand upon himلِلدَّقَّاقِ1to the flour merchantوَحْدَهُaloneثَمَانُونَeightyأَلْفَthousandدِرْهَمٍdirhamsلِكَثْرَةِbecause of the abundanceطَعَامِهِof his food
They said: He died owing the flour merchant alone eighty thousand dirhams, because of his excessive eating.
وَقَالُواAnd they saidكَانَwasالْحَكَمُAl-Hakamبْنُson ofأَيُّوبَAyyubالثَّقَفِيُّal-Thaqafiعَامِلًاgovernorلِلْحَجَّاجِfor al-HajjajعَلَىoverالْبَصْرَةِBasraفَاسْتَعْمَلَand he appointedعَلَىoverالْعِرْقِ2al-IrqجَرِيرَJarirبْنَson ofبَيْهَسٍBaihasالْمَازِنِيِّal-Maziniوَلُقِّبَand he was nicknamedجَرِيرٌJarirالْعِطَرِّقُal-'Atarr
And they said: Al-Hakam ibn Ayyub al-Thaqafi was governor of Basra for al-Hajjaj, and he appointed over al-Irq Jarir ibn Baihas al-Mazini, and Jarir was nicknamed al-'Atarr.
فَخَرَجَThen he went outالْحَكَمُAl-Hakamيَتَنَزَّهُfor recreationوَهُوَwhile he wasبِالْيَمَامَةِ3in al-Yamamaفَدَعَاand he invitedالْعِطَرِّقَal-'Atarrإِلَىtoغَدَائِهِhis lunchفَأَكَلَso he ateمَعَهُwith himفَتَنَاوَلَthen he tookدُرَّاجَةً4a francolinكَانَتْthat wasبَيْنَin front ofيَدَيْهِhis handsفَعَزَلَهُso he dismissed himوَوَلَّىand he appointedمَكَانَهُin his placeنُوَيْرَةَNuwairaالْمَازِنِيَّal-Mazini
Then al-Hakam went out for recreation while he was in al-Yamama, and he invited al-'Atarr to his lunch. He ate with him, then he took a francolin that was before him and dismissed him, appointing Nuwaira al-Mazini in his place.
فَقَالَThen he saidنُوَيْرَةُNuwairaوَهُوَwhile he wasابْنُson ofعَمِّthe paternal uncle ofالْعِطَرِّقِal-'Atarr
Then Nuwaira, who was the cousin of al-'Atarr, said:
قَدْindeedكَانَwasفِيinالْعِرْقِal-Irqصَيْدٌgameلَوْif onlyقَنِعْتَyou were contentبِهِwith itفِيهِin itغِنًىsufficiencyلَكَfor youعَنْfromدُرَّاجَةِthe francolin ofالْحَكَمِal-Hakam
There was indeed in al-Irq game; if only you had been content with it, in it there would have been enough for you, sparing you al-Hakam's francolin.
وَفِيand inعَوَارِضَflanksلَاnotتَنْفَكُّceaseتَأْكُلُهَاyou eating themلَوْif onlyكَانَwereيَشْفِيكَwould cure youلَحْمُthe flesh ofالْجَزَرِcarrotsمِنْfromقَرَمٍ5craving
And in the flanks that you never cease eating—if only the flesh of carrots could cure you of craving.
وَفِيand inوَطَابٍa skin bagمُمْتَلِئَةٍfullمُثَمِّمَةٍwith sealed topفِيهَاin itالصَّرِيحُthe pure milkالَّذِيthatيَشْفِيcuresمِنْfromالْقَرَمِthe craving
And in a full skin bag with a sealed top, in it is pure milk that cures craving.
فَلَمَّاThen whenوَلَّىappointedمَكَانَهُin his placeنُوَيْرَةُNuwairaبَلَغَهُit reached himأَنَّهُthat heابْنُson ofعَمٍّan uncleلَهُof hisفَعَزَلَهُso he dismissed himفَقَالَso he saidنُوَيْرَةُNuwaira
Then when Nuwaira was appointed in his place, it reached him that he was his cousin, so he dismissed him, and Nuwaira said:
أَبَاO fatherيُوسُفَof Yusufلَوْifكُنْتَyou wereتَعْرِفُknowingطَاعَتِيmy obedienceوَنُصْحِيand my counselإِذًاthenمَاnotبِعْتَنِيyou would have sold meبِالْمُحَلِّقِ6for al-Muhallaq
O father of Yusuf, if you knew my obedience and my counsel, then you would not have sold me for al-Muhallaq.
وَلَاand notأَنْهَلَhe gave to drinkسُرَّاقُthievesالْعِرَاقِof IraqصَالِحٌSalihعَلَيَّagainst meوَلَاand notكُلِّفْتُI was taskedذَنْبَthe sin ofالْعِطَرِّقِ7al-'Atarr
And may the thieves of Iraq not give Salih to drink against me, and may I not be burdened with the sin of al-'Atarr.
فَذَهَبَتْSo it becameمَثَلًاa proverb
So it became a proverb.
Footnotes
- 1.هُوَ دَقَّاقٌ بِبَغْدَادَ، وَيُقَالُ: إِنَّهُ كَانَ يَبِيعُ الدَّقِيقَ لِلْحَجَّاجِ.
He is a flour merchant in Baghdad, and it is said that he used to sell flour to al-Hajjaj.
- 2.الْعِرْقُ: نَاحِيَةٌ مِنَ الْبَصْرَةِ، وَقِيلَ: قَرْيَةٌ مِنْ قُرَى الْبَصْرَةِ.
Al-Irq: a district of Basra, and it is said a village of Basra.
- 3.الْيَمَامَةُ: إِقْلِيمٌ فِي نَجْدٍ.
Al-Yamama: a region in Najd.
- 4.الدُّرَّاجُ: طَائِرٌ مِنْ فَصِيلَةِ الدَّجَاجِ، وَهُوَ مِنْ أَطْيَبِ اللُّحُومِ.
The francolin is a bird of the chicken family, and it is among the most delicious meats.
- 5.الْقَرَمُ: شِدَّةُ شَهْوَةِ اللَّحْمِ.
Al-Qaram: intense craving for meat.
- 6.الْمُحَلِّقُ: لَقَبُ جَرِيرِ بْنِ بَيْهَسٍ.
Al-Muhallaq: the nickname of Jarir ibn Baihas.
- 7.صَالِحٌ: رَجُلٌ مِنْ بَنِي مَازِنٍ، وَقِيلَ: مِنْ بَنِي عِجْلٍ.
Salih: a man from the Banu Mazin, and it is said from the Banu 'Ijl.