فَوَرَدَAnd arrivedالْكِتَابُthe letterعَلَىtoالْفَيْضِal-Faydقَبْلَbeforeنُفُوذِهِits passingكِتَابَهُhis bookإِلَيْهِto him
The letter reached al-Fayd before his own book arrived to him.
فَلَمَّاAnd whenقَرَأَهُhe read itاسْتَرْجَعَhe said 'Inna lillahi...'وَكَتَبَand wroteإِلَيْهِto him
When he read it, he uttered the return (to God) and wrote to him:
«يَاOأَخِيmy brotherتَضَاعَفَتْhas doubledعَلَيَّupon meالْمُصِيبَةُthe calamityحَتَّىuntilجَمَعَتْit gatheredخَلَّةَthe needعِيَالِكَof your dependentsإِلَىtoخَلَّةِthe needعِيَالِيof my dependents
O my brother, the calamity has doubled upon me, so that it has joined the need of your dependents to the need of mine.
وَقَدْAnd indeedكُنْتُI wasعَلَىuponالِاحْتِيَالِthe devisingلَهُمْfor themوَسَأَضْطَرِبُand I will stirفِيinوُجُوهِthe waysالْحِيَلِof stratagemsغَيْرَother thanهَذَاthisالْاِضْطِرَابِstirring
I had been devising for them, and I will stir in other ways than this stirring.
وَسَأَتَحَرَّكُAnd I will moveفِيinبَيْعِsellingمَاwhatعِنْدِيI haveوَلَوْeven ifبِبَعْضِwith someالطَّرْحِ1reduction
And I will set about selling what I own, even at some reduction.
»”
”
فَلَمَّاAnd whenرَجَعَreturnedالْكِتَابُthe letterإِلَىtoابْنِibnعَبَّادٍAbbadسَكَنَhe calmed
When the letter returned to Ibn Abbad, he calmed down.
وَأَلْقَىAnd he threwصَاحِبَهُhis companionفِيintoأَشَدِّthe most severeالْحَرَكَةِmovementوَأَتْعَبِand most tiringالتَّعَبِfatigue
And he cast his companion into the most intense activity and the most exhausting fatigue.
وَكَانَAnd there wasرَجُلٌa manمِنْfromأَبْنَاءِthe sonsالْحَرْبِيَّةِof al-Harbiyyaلَهُhavingسَخَاءٌgenerosityوَأَرِيحِيَّةٌand cheerfulness
There was a man from the sons of al-Harbiyya who had generosity and cheerfulness.
وَكَانَAnd he wasيُكْثِرُfrequentlyمِنْofاسْتِزَارَةِ2invitingابْنِibnعَبَّادٍAbbadوَيَتَتَلَّفُand he would spendعَلَيْهِon himمِنَofالْأَمْوَالِwealth
He often invited Ibn Abbad and lavished wealth on him.
مِنْfromطَرِيقِthe pathالرَّغْبَةِof desireفِيinالْأُدَبَاءِthe literatiوَفِيand inمَشَايِخِthe eldersالظُّرَفَاءِthe witty
Out of desire for the literary men and the witty elders.
وَكَانَAnd he thoughtيَظُنُّhe thoughtبِكَرَمِهِdue to his generosityأَنَّthatزِيَارَةَvisitingابْنِibnعَبَّادٍAbbadفِيinمَنْزِلِهِhis houseزِيَادَةٌan increaseفِيinالْمُؤَانَسَةِintimacy
He thought that, due to his generosity, Ibn Abbad's visiting him at home would add to his sociability.
وَقَدْAnd indeedكَانَhadبَلَغَهُreached himإِمْسَاكُهُhis restraintوَلَكِنَّهُbut heلَمْdid notيَظُنَّthinkأَنَّهُthat itلَاnoحِيلَةَdeviceفِيinسَبَبِهِhis matter
News of his frugality had reached him, but he did not think there was no remedy for his case.
فَأَتَاهُSo he came to himيَوْمًاone dayمُتَطَرِّئًا3uninvitedوَقَالَand said
One day he came to him uninvited and said:
«جِئْتُكَI came to youمِنْwithoutغَيْرِother thanدُعَاءٍinvitationوَقَدْand indeedرَضِيتُI am satisfiedبِمَاwith whatحَضَرَis present»”
I came to you without an invitation, and I am content with whatever is available.
قَالَHe said«فَلَيْسَBut there is notيَحْضُرُpresentشَيْءٌanythingوَقَوْلُكَand your saying«بِمَاwith whatحَضَرَis present»”لَاnotبُدَّavoidمِنْfromأَنْthatيَقَعَit fallsعَلَىuponشَيْءٍsomething
He said, 'But nothing is present. And your saying 'with what is present' must refer to something.'
قَالَHe said«فَقِطْعَةُThen a pieceمَالِحٍof salted meat»”قَالَHe said«وَقِطْعَةُAnd is a pieceمَالِحٍof salted meatلَيْسَnotهِيَitشَيْءٌsomething؟?
He said, 'Then a piece of salted meat.' He said, 'And is a piece of salted meat not something?'
قَالَHe said«بَلَىYes»”ثُمَّThenقَالَhe said«فَنَحْنُThen weنَشْرَبُdrinkعَلَىonالرِّيقِan empty stomach»”
He said, 'Yes.' Then he said, 'Then we drink on an empty stomach.'
قَالَHe said«لَوْIfكَانَthere wereعِنْدَنَاwith usنَبِيذٌwineكُنَّاwe would beفِيinعُرْسٍ4a wedding»”
He said, 'If we had wine, we would be at a wedding.'
قَالَHe said«فَأَنَاThen Iأَبْعَثُwill sendإِلَىforالنَّبِيذِthe wine»”
He said, 'Then I will send for the wine.'
قَالَHe said«فَإِذَاThen whenصِرْتَyou goإِلَىtoتَحْوِيلِchangingالنَّبِيذِthe wineفَحَوِّلْthen changeأَيْضًاalsoمَاwhatيَصْلُحُis suitableلِلنَّبِيذِfor wine»”
He said, 'When you go to procure wine, also procure what goes with wine.'
قَالَHe said«لَيْسَNotيَمْنَعُنِيprevents meمِنْfromذَلِكَthatوَمِنْand fromإِحْضَارِbringingالنُّقْلِthe appetizersوَالرَّيْحَانِand the basilإِلَّاexceptأَنِّيthat IأَحْتَسِبُI countلَكَfor youهَذِهِthisالزَّوْرَةَvisitبِدَعْوَةٍas an invitationوَلَيْسَand notيَجُوزُis permissibleذَلِكَthatإِلَّاexceptبِأَنْthatيَكُونَbeلَكَfor youفِيهَاin itأَثَرٌa trace
He said, 'Nothing prevents me from that and from bringing appetizers and basil, except that I count this visit as a favor to you, and that is not permissible unless you have a part in it.'
قَالَHe saidمُحَمَّدٌMuhammad«فَقَدِIndeedانْفَتَحَopenedلِيfor meبَابٌa doorلَكُمْfor youفِيهِin itصَلَاحٌbenefitوَلَيْسَand notعَلَيَّupon meفِيهِin itفَسَادٌharm
Muhammad said, 'A door has opened for me in which there is benefit for you and no harm to me.'
فِيInهَذِهِthisالنَّخْلَةِpalm treeزَوْجُa pairوَرَشَانٍ5of ring dovesوَلَهُمَاand they haveفَرْخَانِtwo chicks
In this palm tree there is a pair of ring doves, and they have two chicks.
Footnotes
- 1.الطَّرْحُ: الْإِرْخَاصُ فِي الثَّمَنِ.
Al-tarh: reduction in price.
- 2.الِاسْتِزَارَةُ: طَلَبُ الزِّيَارَةِ أَوِ الدَّعْوَةُ إِلَى الزِّيَارَةِ.
Al-istizara: asking for a visit or invitation to visit.
- 3.مُتَطَرِّئًا: أَيْ قَادِمًا بِغَيْرِ دَعْوَةٍ وَلَا مَوْعِدٍ.
Mutatarri'an: coming without invitation or appointment.
- 4.الْعُرْسُ: الْوَلِيمَةُ، وَقِيلَ: كُلُّ فَرَحٍ.
Al-urs: wedding feast, or any joy.
- 5.الْوَرَشَانُ: ذَكَرُ الْقَمَارِيِّ، وَهُوَ نَوْعٌ مِنَ الْحَمَامِ.
Al-warashan: the male of the collared dove, a type of pigeon.