وَلَقَّمَا1And if someone said to youرَحِبًاwelcomeفَاحْكُمْthen make firmبَابَكَyour door
And if someone says to you "Welcome," then make your door firm.
ثُمَّthenأَدِمْcontinueإِصْفَاقَهُ2closing itبَلْratherأَدِمْcontinueإِغْلَاقَهُlocking it
Then keep closing it, rather keep locking it.
فَهُوَfor it isأَوْلَىmore appropriateبِكَfor you
For it is more appropriate for you.
بَلْRatherإِنْifقَدَرْتَyou are ableعَلَىonمُصْمَتٍ3a solidلَاnoحِيلَةَwayفِيهِin it
Rather, if you can make it solid with no way in, that is better.
فَذَلِكَthen thatأَشْبَهُmost similarبِحَزْمِكَto your prudence
That is most in line with your prudence.
وَلَوْAnd ifجَعَلْتَyou madeالْبَابَthe doorمُبْهَمًاimpenetrableوَالْقُفْلَand the lockمُصْمَتًاsolid
And if you made the door impenetrable and the lock solid,
لَتَسَوَّرُواthey would climb overعَلَيْكَupon youمِنْfromفَوْقِكَabove you
they would climb over you from above.
وَلَوْAnd ifرَفَعْتَyou raisedسُمْكَهُits heightإِلَىtoالْعَيُّوقِ4the star Capella
And if you raised its height to the star Capella,
لَنَقَبُواthey would dig throughعَلَيْكَon youمِنْfromتَحْتِكَbeneath you
they would dig through from beneath you.
قَالَSaidأَبُوAbuالدَّرْدَاءِal-Darda«نِعْمَ"Excellentصَوْمَعَةُthe hermitageالْمُؤْمِنِof the believerبَيْتُهُis his house»"
Abu al-Darda said: "Excellent is the hermitage of the believer: his house."
قَالَSaidابْنُIbnسِيرِينَSirin«الْعُزْلَةُ"Seclusionعِبَادَةٌis worship»"
Ibn Sirin said: "Seclusion is worship."
وَحَلَاوَةُAnd the sweetnessحَدِيثِهِمْof their conversationتَدْعُوinvitesإِلَىtoالْإِسْتِكْثَارِseeking moreمِنْهُمْof them
The sweetness of their conversation invites you to seek more of them,
وَتَدْعُوand invitesإِلَىtoإِحْضَارِbringingغَرَائِبِthe strange thingsشَهَوَاتِهِمْof their desires
and invites you to bring forth their rare tales.
فَمِنْSo amongذَلِكَthatقَوْلُis the sayingبَعْضِهِمْof some of themلِبَعْضٍto othersأَصْحَابِهِof his companions
Among such is the saying of one to another of his companions:
«أَكَلَ"He ateرَخْلَةً5a tender lambوَشَرِبَand drankمُشْعَلًا6a burning drink
"He ate a tender lamb and drank a blazing drink,
ثُمَّthenتَجَشَّأَ7he belchedوَاحِدَةًone
then he belched once
لَوْifأَنَّthatعَلَيْهَاon itرَحًى8a millstoneلَطَحَنَتْit would have ground»"
if a millstone had been on it, it would have ground it."
وَمِنْAnd amongذَلِكَthatقَوْلُis the sayingالْآخَرِof the other
Among such is the saying of another:
حِينَwhenدَخَلَhe enteredعَلَىuponقَوْمٍpeopleوَهُمْwhile theyيَشْرَبُونَwere drinking
When he entered upon some people who were drinking,
وَعِنْدَهُمْand with themقِيَانٌsinging girlsفَقَالُواthey said«أَقْتَرِحْ"Chooseأَيَّanyصَوْتٍvoiceشِئْتَyou want»"
and there were singing girls with them, they said, "Choose whatever voice you want."
قَالَHe said«أَقْتَرِحُ"I chooseنَشِيشَthe sizzlingمِقْلًى9of a frying pan»"
He said, "I choose the sizzling of a frying pan."
وَمِنْAnd amongذَلِكَthatقَوْلُis the sayingالْمَدِينِيِّof al-Madini
Among such is the saying of al-Madini:
«مَنْ"Whoeverتَصَبَّحَeats in the morningبِسَبْعِwith sevenمَوْزَاتٍbananasوَبِقَدَحٍand with a cupمِنْofلَبَنِmilkالْأَوَارِكِof camels that eat the orak plant
"Whoever eats seven bananas in the morning and a cup of milk from camels that feed on orak,
تَجَشَّأَwill belchبِخُبْءِwith the scent ofالْكَعْبَةِ10the Kaaba»"
will belch with the scent of the Kaaba's incense."
وَمِنْAnd amongذَلِكَthatقَوْلُهُمْis their sayingلِبَعْضِto someهَؤُلَاءِof these
Among such is their saying to one of these,
وَقُدَّامَهُمْand in front of themخَبِيصٌ11a sweet dish (khabis)
with a sweet dish (khabis) in front of them:
«أَيُّمَا"Which oneأَطْيَبُis betterهَذَاthisأَوِorالْفَالُوذَجُthe faludhajأَوِor
"Which is better: this or the faludhaj or
Footnotes
- 1.يُقَالُ: لَقَّمَهُ فُلَانٌ إِذَا قَالَ لَهُ: لَقَّمَكَ اللهُ خَيْرًا، وَتَفْسِيرُهُ فِي الْمَوْضِعِ هُنَا: إِذَا قِيلَ لَكَ مَرْحَبًا وَأَهْلًا
It is said: "laqqamahu" means to say to someone "may God give you good." Its interpretation here is: if it is said to you "welcome and hello."
- 2.الْإِصْفَاقُ: إِحْكَامُ إِغْلَاقِ الْبَابِ وَتَوْثِيقُهُ
Al-isfaq: tightening and securing the closing of the door.
- 3.الْمُصْمَتُ: الَّذِي لَا خَلَلَ فِيهِ وَلَا مَنْفَذَ لَهُ
Al-musmat: that which has no flaw or opening in it.
- 4.الْعَيُّوقُ: نَجْمٌ فِي السَّمَاءِ، وَهُوَ مِنَ النُّجُومِ الْمَعْرُوفَةِ، وَيُقَالُ إِنَّهُ نَجْمٌ أَحْمَرُ
Al-Ayyuq: a star in the sky, one of the well-known stars; it is said to be a red star.
- 5.الرَّخْلَةُ: وَلَدُ الْبَقَرَةِ الْوَحْشِيَّةِ، وَقِيلَ: هِيَ الْأَرْخَلَةُ، وَهِيَ مِنْ أَطْيَبِ اللُّحُومِ
Ar-rakhlah: the young of a wild cow; it is said to be al-arkhalah, and it is among the best meats.
- 6.الْمُشْعَلُ: الَّذِي اشْتَعَلَتْ فِيهِ النَّارُ وَاشْتَدَّ حَرُّهُ، وَقِيلَ: هُوَ الشَّرَابُ الَّذِي يُشْعَلُ فِيهِ النَّارُ حَتَّى يَغْلِيَ
Al-mush'al: that in which fire has blazed and its heat has intensified; it is said to be a drink that is set on fire until it boils.
- 7.التَّجَشُّؤُ: خُرُوجُ الرِّيحِ مِنَ الْفَمِ بِصَوْتٍ، عِنْدَ الشِّبَعِ
Tajashshu': the emission of wind from the mouth with a sound, upon fullness.
- 8.الرَّحَى: حَجَرُ الطَّحِينِ الَّذِي يُدَارُ بِالْيَدِ
Ar-raha: the grinding stone that is turned by hand.
- 9.النَّشِيشُ: صَوْتُ غَلَيَانِ الشَّيْءِ، وَقِيلَ: صَوْتُ اللَّحْمِ إِذَا شُوِيَ عَلَى النَّارِ
An-nashish: the sound of something boiling; it is said to be the sound of meat when roasted on fire.
- 10.خُبْءُ الْكَعْبَةِ: مَا خَبَأَتْهُ فِي جَوْفِهَا مِنَ الطِّيبِ وَالْعَنْبَرِ وَغَيْرِهِ
Khub' al-Kaaba: what it hides inside it of perfume, ambergris, and other things.
- 11.الْخَبِيصُ: طَعَامٌ يُتَّخَذُ مِنَ الدَّقِيقِ وَالسَّمْنِ وَالسُّكَّرِ وَالزَّعْفَرَانِ، وَهُوَ مِنْ أَطْيَبِ الْأَطْعِمَةِ
Al-khabis: a dish made of flour, clarified butter, sugar, and saffron; it is among the most delicious foods.