إِذَاIfابْتُلِيتَyou are testedفَثِقْthen trustبِاللَّهِin Godوَارْضَand be contentبِهِwith Him
If you are tested, trust in God and be content with Him.
فَكَاشِفُFor the remover ofالضُّرِّharmوَالْبَلْوَىand afflictionهُوَisاللَّهُGod
For the remover of harm and affliction is God.
وَلِآخَرَAnd for another:
And for another:
كَمْHow manyرَأَيْنَاwe have seenمِنْofصَحِيحٍa healthy personقَدْwho hasهَوَىfallen
How many a healthy person have we seen fall,
وَأَخِيwhile a brother ofسَقَمٍillnessمِنَfromالسَّقَمِthe illnessخَرَجْemerged
while a brother of illness emerged from the illness.
لَاDo notتَكُنْbeإِنْifرَابَdisturbsأَمْرٌa matterآيِساًdespairingly
Do not, if a matter disturbs you, be despairing,
فَلَعِنْدَfor nearالْيَأْسِdespairيَأْتِيكَcomes to youالْفَرَجْthe relief
for near despair comes the relief.
وَلِآخَرَAnd for another:
And for another:
وَإِذَاAnd ifتُصِبْكَbefalls youمِنَfromالْحَوَادِثِeventsنَكْبَةٌa calamity
And if a calamity of events befalls you,
فَاصْبِرْthen be patientفَكُلُّfor everyضَبَابَةٍfogتَتَكَشَّفُlifts
then be patient, for every fog lifts.
[مَسَاوِئُ[The evils ofطَلَبِseekingالرِّزْقِ]sustenance]
[The Evils of Seeking Sustenance]
لَدَيْكَYou haveالْجَنُّ:the jinn:
You have the jinn:
احْلُBe sweetوَامْرُرْand be bitterمَعاًtogetherوَلِنْand be gentleتَارَةًsometimesوَاخْand beشْنُharshوَرِشْand provideأَنْتَyouوَانْتَدِبْand riseلِلْمَعَالِيto noble traits
Be sweet and bitter together, be gentle sometimes and harsh, provide and rise to noble traits.
وَأَغِثْAnd rescueوَاسْتَغِثْand seek rescueبِرَبِّكَfrom your Lordفِيinالْأَزَلِeternity
And rescue and seek rescue from your Lord in eternity,
إِذَاwhenجَلَحَتْbecome severeصُرُوفُthe vicissitudes ofاللَّيَالِيthe nights
when the vicissitudes of the nights become severe.
لَاDo notتَقِفْstandلِلزَّمَانِfor timeفِيinمَنْزِلِthe abode ofالضِّيمِoppression
Do not stand for time in the abode of oppression,
وَلَاand do notتَسْتَكِنْsubmitلِرِقَّةِto the meagerness ofحَالٍa state
and do not submit to the meagerness of a state.
وَأَهِنْAnd exposeنَفْسَكَyour soulالْكَرِيمَةَnobleلِلْمَوْتِto deathوَقَحِّمْand plungeبِهَاitعَلَىintoالْأَهْوَالِterrors
And expose your noble soul to death and plunge it into terrors.
فَلَعَمْرِيFor by my lifeلَلْمَوْتُdeathأَزَيْنُis more adornmentلِلْحُرِّfor the free manمِنَthanالذُّلِّhumiliationضَارِعاًsubmissivelyلِلرِّجَالِto men
For by my life, death is more befitting for the free man than humiliation submissively to men.
أَيُّWhatمَاءٍwaterيَدُورُcirculatesفِيinوَجْهِكَyour faceالْحُرِّfreeإِذَاwhenمَاeverامْتَهَنْتَهُyou degrade itبِالسُّؤَالِby asking
What water circulates in your free face whenever you degrade it by begging?
ثُمَّThenلَاnotسِيَّمَاespeciallyإِذَاwhenعَصَفَstormsالدَّهْرُtimeبِأَهْلِwith the people ofالنَّدَىgenerosityوَأَهْلِand people ofالنَّوَالِbestowal
Then especially when time storms with the people of generosity and bestowal.
غَاضَتِVanishedالْمَكْرُمَاتُnoble deedsوَانْقَرَضَand died outالنَّاسُpeopleوَبَادَتْand perishedسَحَائِبُthe clouds ofالْإِفْضَالِfavor
Noble deeds vanished, people died out, and the clouds of favor perished.
فَقَلِيلٌSo fewمِنَamongالْوَرَىmankindمَنْis he whomتَرَاهُyou seeيُرْتَجَىis hoped forأَوْorيَصُونُpreservesعِرْضاًhonorبِمَالٍwith wealth
So few among mankind is he whom you see is hoped for or preserves honor with wealth.
وَكَذَاكَAnd likewiseالْهِلَالُthe crescent moonأَوَّلَfirstمَاwhatيَبْدُوit appearsنَحِيلًاslenderفِيinدِقَّةِthe thinness ofالْخَلْخَالِan anklet
And likewise the crescent moon, when it first appears, is slender like the thinness of an anklet,
ثُمَّthenيَزْدَادُincreasesضَوْءُهُits lightفَتَرَاهُso you see itقَمَراًas a moonفِيinالسَّمَاءِthe skyغَيْرَother thanهِلَالِa crescent
then its light increases so you see it as a moon in the sky, no longer a crescent.
عَادَReturningتَدْمِيثُكَyour smoothing ofالْمَضَاجِعَbedsلِلْجَنْبِfor the sideفِعَالَis the action ofالْخَرِيدَةِthe maidenالْمِكْسَالِlazy in walking
Your smoothing of beds for the side has become like the action of the lazy maiden.
وَادَّرِعْAnd put onيَلْمَقَa tunicاجْتِيَابِcutting throughدُجَىthe darkness ofاللَّيْلِnightبِطَرْفٍwith a steedمُضَبَّرِcompactly builtالْأَوْصَالِin joints
And put on a tunic to cut through the darkness of night with a compactly built steed.
عَامِلِيَّOf Amiliالنِّتَاجِbreedتُطْوَىis foldedلَهُfor himالْأَرْضُthe earthإِذَاwhenمَاeverاسْتُعِدَّpreparedلِلْأَنْقَالِfor journeys
Of Amili breed, the earth is folded for him whenever he is prepared for journeys.
جُرْشُعٍA sturdy horseلَاحِقِhaving leanالْأَيَاطِلِflanksكَالْأَعْفَرِlike the wild gazelleضَافِيabundantالسَّبِيبِmaneغَيْرِnotمُذَالِdespised
Sturdy, with lean flanks like the wild gazelle, with an abundant mane, not despised.
وَاتَّخِذْAnd takeظَهْرَهُits backمِنَasالذُّلِّhumiliationحِصْناًa fortressنِعْمَwhat an excellentحِصْنُfortressالْكَرِيمِof the nobleفِيinالزَّلْزَالِearthquakes
And take its back as a fortress from humiliation; what an excellent fortress for the noble man in earthquakes.
لَاI do notأُحِبُّloveالْفَتَىthe youthأَرَاهُI see himإِذَاwhenمَاeverعَضَّهُbites himالدَّهْرُtimeجَاثِماًcrouchingفِيinالضَّلَالِerror
I do not love the youth whom I see, whenever time bites him, crouching in error,
مُسْتَكِيناًsubmissiveلِذِيto the possessor ofالْغِنَىwealthخَاشِعَwith a humbledالطَّرْفِgazeذَلِيلَabjectالْإِدْبَارِin retreatوَالْإِقْبَالِand advance
submissive to the wealthy, with a humbled gaze, abject in retreat and advance.
أَيْنَWhere isجَوْبُcrossingالْبِلَادِthe landsشَرْقاًeastوَغَرْباًand west
Where is crossing the lands east and west,
وَاعْتِسَافُand traversingالسُّهُولِplainsوَالْأَجْبَالِand mountains,
and traversing plains and mountains,
وَاعْتِرَاضُand crossingالرِّقَاقِshallow watersيُوضَعُriddenفِيهَاin themبِظِبَاءِwith the gazelles ofالنِّجَادِhighlandsوَالْعُمَالِand tall camels
and crossing shallow waters, ridden in them with highland gazelles and tall camels?
ذَهَبَGone areالنَّاسُthe peopleفَاطْلُبِso seekالرِّزْقَsustenanceبِالسَّيْفِwith the sword
Gone are the people, so seek sustenance with the sword,
وَإِلَّاor elseفَمُتْdieشَدِيدَin severeالْهِزَالِemaciation
or else die in severe emaciation.
[مَحَاسِنُ[The merits ofاسْتِصْلَاحِimprovingالْمَالِ]wealth]
[The Merits of Improving Wealth]
رُوِيَIt was narratedعَنْfromعَبْدِAbdullahاللَّهِbinبْنِJa'farجَعْفَرٍwhoقَالَ:said:
It was narrated from Abdullah bin Ja'far, who said:
بَعَثَنِيsent meعَلِيُّAliبْنُbinأَبِيAbiطَالِبٍTalibإِلَىtoحَكِيمِHakimبْنِbinحِزَامٍHizamيَسْأَلُهُasking him forسَلَفَa loan ofثَلَاثِينَthirtyأَلْفَthousandدِرْهَمٍ،dirhams,
Ali bin Abi Talib sent me to Hakim bin Hizam to ask him for a loan of thirty thousand dirhams,
فَأَتَيْتُهُso I came to himفَانْطَلَقَand he set offبِيwith meإِلَىtoمَنْزِلِهِhis houseفَوَجَدَand he foundفِيinالطَّرِيقِthe pathصُوفاًsome woolفَأَخَذَهُand took it
so I came to him and he set off with me to his house, and he found some wool in the path and took it,
وَمَرَّand he passedبِقِطْعَةِby a piece ofكِسَاءٍgarmentفَأَخَذَهُand took it
and he passed by a piece of garment and took it.
فَلَمَّاWhenصَارَhe reachedإِلَىtoمَنْزِلِهِhis houseأَعْطَانِيhe gave meطَرَفَthe end ofالصُّوفِthe wool
When he reached his house, he gave me the end of the wool,
فَجَعَلْتُand I beganأَفْتِلُهُto twist itوَيُرْسِلُwhile he releasedحَتَّىuntilفَتَلْتُهُ،I twisted it.
and I began to twist it while he released [it] until I twisted it.
ثُمَّThenدَعَاhe called forبِغِرَارَةٍa sackمُخَرَّقَةٍtatteredفَرَقَّعَهَاand patched itبِالْكِسَاءِwith the garmentوَخَاطَهَاand sewed itبِالْخَيْطِwith threadوَصَيَّرَand placedفِيهَاin itثَلَاثِينَthirtyأَلْفَthousandدِرْهَمٍdirhamsوَحَمَلْتُand I carriedمَعِي.with me.
Then he called for a tattered sack and patched it with the garment and sewed it with thread, and placed thirty thousand dirhams in it, and I carried [it] with me.
قَالَ:He said:وَأَتَىAnd cameقَوْمٌa peopleقَيْسَto QaisبْنَbinسَعْدِSa'dبْنِbinعُبَادَةَUbadahيَسْأَلُونَهُasking himفِيregardingحَمَالَةٍa guarantor's debt
He said: And a people came to Qais bin Sa'd bin Ubadah asking him regarding a guarantor's debt.
فَصَادَفُوهُSo they found himفِيinحَائِطٍan orchardلَهُof hisيَتَتَبَّعُgatheringمَاwhatيَسْقُطُfallsمِنَfromالثَّمَرِthe fruit
So they found him in an orchard of his, gathering what falls from the fruit,
فَيَعْزِلُand he separatesجَيِّدَهُits goodعَنْfromرَدِيِّهِits badوَيَجْعَلُand makesكُلَّeveryصِنْفٍcategoryمِنْهَاof itعَلَىonحِدَتِهِ،its own side,
and he separates its good from its bad and makes each category of it on its own side,
فَهَمُّواso they intendedأَنْtoيَرْجِعُواreturnعَنْهُfrom himوَقَالُوا:and said:مَاWe doنَظُنُّnot thinkعِنْدَwithهَذَاthis personخَيْراً،any good,
so they intended to turn back from him and said: We do not think this person has any good,
ثُمَّthenعَزَمُواthey resolvedعَلَىuponلِقَائِهِmeeting himفَأَقَامُواso they stayedحَتَّىuntilفَرَغَhe finishedمِنْfromحَائِطِهِhis orchardفَكَلَّمُوهُand spoke to himفَأَعْطَاهُمْ.and he gave them.
then they resolved to meet him, so they stayed until he finished from his orchard and spoke to him, and he gave them.
فَقَالَSaidرَجُلٌa manمِنَfromالْقَوْمِthe peopleلَهُ:to him:لَقَدْIndeedرَأَيْنَاكَwe saw youتَصْنَعُdoingشَيْئاًsomethingلَاdoes notيُشْبِهُresembleفِعَالَكَ!your actions!
A man from the people said to him: Indeed we saw you doing something that does not resemble your actions!
وَأَخْبَرُوهُAnd they informed himفَقَالَ:so he said:إِنَّIndeedالَّذِيthat whichرَأَيْتُمْyou sawمِنْofصَنِيعِيmy actionقَضَيْتُI fulfilledبِهِthrough itحَاجَتَكُمْ.your need.
And they informed him, so he said: Indeed, that which you saw of my action, I fulfilled your need through it.
عَبْدُAbdulالْعَزِيزِAzizبْنُbinأَبَانَAbanعَنْfromهِشَامٍHishamالثَّقَفِيِّThaqafiعَنْfromرَجُلٍa manأَتَىwho came toطَلْحَةَTalhaبْنَbinعُبَيْدِUbaidاللَّهِAllahيَسْأَلُهُasking him forحَمَالَةًa guarantor's debt
Abdul Aziz bin Aban from Hisham Thaqafi from a man who came to Talha bin Ubaid Allah asking him for a guarantor's debt,
فَرَآهُand he saw himيَهْنَأُsmearing with tarبَعِيراًa camelلَهُof hisفَقَالَ:so he said:يَاOغُلَامُboyأَخْرِجْbring outلَهُfor himبَدْرَةً.a pouch of money.
and he saw him smearing a camel of his with tar, so he said: O boy, bring out for him a pouch of money.
فَقَبَضَهَاSo he took itثُمَّthenقَالَ:he said:أَرَدْتُI intendedأَنْtoأَنْصَرِفَleaveحِينَwhenرَأَيْتُكَI saw youتَهْنَأُsmearing with tarالْبَعِيرَ.the camel.
So he took it, then said: I intended to leave when I saw you smearing the camel with tar.
فَقَالَ:He said:إِنَّاIndeed, weلَاdo notنُضَيِّعُneglectالصَّغِيرَthe smallوَلَاand neitherيَتَعَاظَمُنَاis too great for usالْكَبِيرُ.the great.
He said: Indeed, we do not neglect the small, nor is the great too great for us.
وَكَانَAnd it wasيُقَالُ:said:مَنْWhoeverأَنْفَقَspendsوَلَمْand does notيَحْسُبْcalculateعَطِبَperishesوَلَمْand does notيَشْعُرْ.realize.
And it was said: Whoever spends and does not calculate perishes and does not realize.
وَقِيلَ:And it was said:الْإِفْلَاسُBankruptcy isسُوءُpoorالتَّدْبِيرِ.management.
And it was said: Bankruptcy is poor management.
الْأَصْمَعِيُّAsma'iقَالَ:said:سَمِعْتُI heardبَعْضَsomeالْهَالِبِيِّينَHalibiansيَقُولُsayingلِبَنِيهِ:to his sons:
Asma'i said: I heard some Halibians saying to his sons:
لَاDo notتَشْتَرُواbuyالْغَنَمَsheepفَإِنَّهَاfor they areمَالُwealth ofالرِّقَّةِfragilityوَلَاand do notتَشْتَرُواbuyالْبَقَرَcowsفَإِنَّهَاfor they areمَالُwealth ofالذِّلَّةِhumiliation
Do not buy sheep, for they are wealth of fragility, and do not buy cows, for they are wealth of humiliation.
وَاشْتَرُواAnd buyالْإِبِلَcamelsوَاقْتَنُوهَاand acquire themفَإِنَّهَاfor they areرَقُوءُstoppers ofالدَّمِbloodوَصَدَقَاتُand charities ofالْحَرَائِرِfree womenوَسُفُنُand ships ofالْبَرِّthe landوَفِيهَاand in them isقَضَاءُfulfillment ofالْحُقُوقِ،rights,
And buy camels and acquire them, for they are stoppers of blood, charities of free women, ships of the land, and in them is the fulfillment of rights.
وَلَاAnd do notتَتَزَوَّجُواmarryالْمُمِيتَاتِwomen who cause deathفَإِنَّهُنَّfor theyيَضْرِبْنَstrikeعَلَىoverرُؤُوسِكُمْyour headsمَنْwhoكَانَwasقَبْلَكُمْbefore youوَتَزَوَّجُواand marryالْمُطَلَّقَاتِdivorced womenفَإِنَّهُنَّfor theyأَضْعَفُare weakerنَفْساًin soulوَإِنَّكُمْand youتَضْرِبُونَstrikeعَلَىoverرُؤُوسِهِنَّtheir headsمَنْwhoكَانَwasقَبْلَكُمْ.before you.
And do not marry women who cause death, for they remind you of those who were before you, and marry divorced women, for they are weaker in soul and you remind them of those who were before you.
وَقَالَAnd saidبَعْضُهُمْsome of themفِيregardingجَمْعِgatheringالْقَلِيلِthe smallإِلَىtoالْقَلِيلِ:the small:
And some of them said regarding gathering the small to the small:
رُبَّMany aكَبِيرٍgreat thingهَاجَهُis stirred byصَغِيرُa small thing
Many a great thing is stirred by a small thing,
وَفِيand inالْبُحُورِthe seasتُغْرَقُare drownedالْبُحُورُseas
and in the seas, seas are drowned.
وَقَالَAnd saidآخَرُ:another:
And another said: