وَإِنَّنِيAnd indeed Iفِيinالصَّلَاةِthe prayerأُحْضِرُهَاI attend it
And indeed I in the prayer attend it...
ضَحْكَةُthe laughter ofأَهْلِthe people ofالصَّلَاةِthe prayerإِنْifشَهِدُواthey witnessed
...the laughter of the people of the prayer if they witnessed.
أَقْعُدُI sitفِيinسَجْدَةٍa prostrationإِذَاwhenرَكَعُواthey bowed
I sit in a prostration when they bowed...
وَأَرْفَعُand I raiseالرَّأْسَthe headإِنْifهُمْtheyسَجَدُواprostrated
...and I raise the head if they prostrated.
أَسْجُدُI prostrateوَالْقَوْمُwhile the peopleرَاكِعُونَare bowingمَعاًtogether
I prostrate while the people are bowing together...
وَأُسْرِعُand I hastenالْوَثْبَthe jumpingإِنْifهُمْtheyقَعَدُواsat
...and I hasten the jumping if they sat.
فَلَسْتُso I am notأَدْرِيknowingإِذَاwhenإِمَامُهُمْtheir imam
So I do not know when their imam...
سَلَّمَgreeted with peaceكَمْhow muchكَانَwasذَلِكَthatالْعَدَدُnumber
...greeted with peace, how much was that number.
وَلِآخَرَAnd for another
And for another:
نِعْمَExcellentالْفَتَىthe youthلَوْifكَانَhe wasيَعْرِفُknowingرَبَّهُhis Lord
Excellent is the youth if he knew his Lord...
وَيُقِيمُand establishesوَقْتَthe time ofصَلَاتِهِhis prayerحَمَّادُHammad
...and establishes the time of his prayer, Hammad.
عَدَلَتْdeviatedمَشَافِرُهُhis lipsالدِّنَانَthe wine jarsوَأَنْفُهُand his nose
His lips deviated toward the wine jars and his nose...
مِثْلُlikeالْقَدُومِthe adzeيُسِنُّهُsharpens itالْحَدَّادُthe blacksmith
...is like the adze, sharpened by the blacksmith.
وَابْيَضَّAnd became whiteمِنْfromشُرْبِdrinkingالْمُدَامَةِthe wineوَجْهُهُhis face
And his face became white from drinking wine...
فَبَيَاضُهُso his whitenessيَوْمَon the day ofالْحِسَابِaccountسَوَادُis blackness
...so his whiteness on the Day of Account is blackness.
وَلِآخَرَAnd for another
And for another:
إِنْIfقَرَأَhe recitedالْعَادِيَاتِAl-AdiyatفِيinرَجَبٍRajab
If he recited Al-Adiyat in Rajab...
فَلَيْسَthen he is notيَأْتِيbringingبِهَاitإِلَىuntilرَجَبٍRajab
...then he does not finish bringing it until Rajab.
بَلْRatherهُوَheلَاdoes notيَسْتَطِيعُhave the abilityفِيinسَنَةٍa year
Rather, he is not able in a year...
يَخْتِمُto completeتَبَّتْMay the hands perishيَدَاof the two hands ofأَبِيAbuلَهَبٍLahab
...to complete 'May the hands of Abu Lahab perish'.
مَحَاسِنُThe virtues ofصِفَةِthe description ofالدُّنْيَاthe world
[The Virtues of the Description of the World]
قَالَSaidعَلِيُّAliبْنُson ofأَبِيAbuطَالِبٍTalib
Ali ibn Abi Talib said:
الدُّنْيَاThe worldدَارُis a house ofصِدْقٍtruthلِمَنْfor whoeverصَدَقَهَاwas truthful to it
The world is a house of truth for whoever was truthful to it...
وَدَارُand a house ofعَافِيَةٍwell-beingلِمَنْfor whoeverفَهِمَunderstoodعَنْهَاfrom it
...and a house of well-being for whoever understood from it...
وَدَارُand a house ofغِنىًwealthلِمَنْfor whoeverتَزَوَّدَprovisioned himselfمِنْهَاfrom it
...and a house of wealth for whoever provisioned himself from it.
مَسْجِدُThe mosque ofأَنْبِيَاءِthe prophets ofاللَّهِAllah
The mosque of the prophets of Allah...
وَمَهْبِطُand the descending place ofوَحْيِهِHis revelation
...and the descending place of His revelation...
وَمُصَلَّىand the place of prayer ofمَلَائِكَتِهِHis angels
...and the place of prayer of His angels...
وَمَتْجَرُand the trading place ofأَوْلِيَائِهِHis allies
...and the trading place of His allies.
اكْتَسَبُواThey earnedفِيهَاin itالرَّحْمَةَmercy
They earned mercy in it...
وَرَبِحُواand gainedفِيهَاin itالْجَنَّةَParadise
...and gained Paradise in it.
فَمَنْSo whoذَاis he thatيَذُمُّهَاblames it
So who is he that blames it...
وَقَدْwhileآذَنَتْit has announcedبِبَيْنِهَاits departure
...while it has announced its departure...
وَنَادَتْand called outبِفِرَاقِهَاwith its separation
...and called out with its separation...
وَنَعَتْand mournedنَفْسَهَاitself
...and mourned itself?
فَشَوَّقَتْSo it caused yearningبِسُرُورِهَاby its joyإِلَىtowardالسُّرُورِjoy
So it caused yearning by its joy toward joy...
وَبِبَلَائِهَاand by its trialsإِلَىtowardالْبَلَاءِtrials
...and by its trials toward trials...
تَخْوِيفاًas a frighteningوَتَحْذِيراًand a warningوَتَرْغِيباًand an enticementوَتَرْهِيباًand a deterrence
...as a frightening, a warning, an enticement, and a deterrence.
فَأَيُّهَاSo O youالذَّامُّthe blamerلِلدُّنْيَاof the world
So O you blamer of the world...
وَالْمُتَعَلِّلُand the one finding pretextsبِتَغْرِيرِهَاby its deception
...and the one finding pretexts by its deception:
مَتَىwhenغَرَّتْكَdid it deceive you?
When did it deceive you?
أَبِمَصَارِعِIs it by the places of death ofآبَائِكَyour fathersفِيinالْبِلَىdecay
Is it by the places of death of your fathers in decay...
أَمْorبِمَضَاجِعِby the resting places ofأُمَّهَاتِكَyour mothersفِيinالثَّرَىthe dust
...or by the resting places of your mothers in the dust?
كَمْHow manyعَلَلْتَdid you treatبِكَفَّيْكَwith your palms
How many did you treat with your palms...
وَكَمْand how manyمَرَّضْتَdid you nurseبِيَدَيْكَwith your hands
...and how many did you nurse with your hands...
تَبْتَغِيseekingلَهُمُfor themالشِّفَاءَthe cure
...seeking for them the cure...
وَتَسْتَوْصِفُand asking for descriptionsلَهُمُfor themالْأَطِبَّاءَfrom the physicians
...and asking for medical descriptions for them...
وَتَلْتَمِسُand seekingلَهُمُfor themالدَّوَاءَthe medicine
...and seeking the medicine for them...
لَمْdid notيَنْفَعْهُمْbenefit themتَطَلُّبُكَyour seekingذَلِكَthat
...your seeking that did not benefit them...
وَلَمْand did notيَشْفِهُمْcure themدَوَاؤُكَyour medicine
...and your medicine did not cure them!
مَثَّلَتْHas representedلَكَto youالدُّنْيَاthe worldمَصْرَعَكَyour place of deathوَمَضْجَعَكَand your resting place
The world has represented to you your place of death and your resting place...
حَيْثُwhereلَاdoes notيَنْفَعُكَbenefit youبُكَاؤُكَyour weeping
...where your weeping does not benefit you...
وَلَاand norيُغْنِيavailعَنْكَyouأَحِبَّاؤُكَyour loved ones
...and your loved ones do not avail you.
ثُمَّThenوَقَفَhe stoodعَلَىatأَهْلِthe people ofالْقُبُورِthe graves
Then he stood at the people of the graves...
فَقَالَand said
...and said:
يَاOأَهْلَpeople ofالثَّرْوَةِwealthوَالْعِزِّand might
"O people of wealth and might!
إِنَّIndeedالْأَزْوَاجَthe spousesبَعْدَكُمْafter youقَدْhaveنُكِحَتْbeen remarried
Indeed, the spouses after you have been remarried,
وَالْأَمْوَالَand the wealthقَدْhasقُسِمَتْbeen divided
and the wealth has been divided,
وَالدُّورَand the housesقَدْhaveسُكِنَتْbeen inhabited
and the houses have been inhabited.
فَهَذَاSo this isخَبَرُthe news ofمَاwhatعِنْدَنَاis with us
So this is the news of what is with us...
فَمَاso what isخَبَرُthe news ofمَاwhatعِنْدَكُمْis with you?
...so what is the news of what is with you?"
ثُمَّThenالْتَفَتَhe turnedإِلَىtowardأَصْحَابِهِhis companions
Then he turned toward his companions...
فَقَالَand said
...and said:
أَمَّاAs forوَاللَّهِby Allahلَوْifأُذِنَthey were permittedلَهُمْfor them
"As for by Allah, if they were permitted...
لَقَالُواthey would have said
...they would have said:
إِنَّIndeedخَيْرَthe best ofالزَّادِprovisionالتَّقْوَىis piety.
'Indeed, the best provision is piety.'"
وَفِيAnd inخَبَرٍa reportأَنَّthatعَلِيّاًAliوَقَفَstoodعَلَىatالْمَقَابِرِthe graves
And in a report that Ali stood at the graves...
ثُمَّthenقَالَsaid
...then said:
اعْتَبِرُواTake lessonبِأَهْلِfrom the people ofالدِّيَارِthe abodesالَّتِيwhich
"Take lesson from the people of the abodes which...
طُبِّقَhas been envelopedبِالْخَرَابِwith ruinفِنَاؤُهَاtheir courtyard
...their courtyard has been enveloped with ruin...
وَشِيدَand builtفِيinالتُّرَابِthe dustبِنَاؤُهَاtheir structure
...and their structure built in the dust.
فَمَحَلُّهَاSo their placeمَقْتَرِبٌis nearوَسَاكِنُهَاand their residentمُغْتَرِبٌis a stranger
So their place is near and their resident is a stranger.
لَاThey do notيَتَزَاوَرُونَvisit one anotherتَزَاوُرَthe visiting ofالْإِخْوَانِbrothers
They do not visit one another with the visiting of brothers...
وَلَاand norيَتَوَاصَلُونَkeep in touchتَوَاصُلَthe keeping in touch ofالْجِيرَانِneighbors
...and nor keep in touch with the keeping in touch of neighbors.
قَدْHasطَحَنَهُمْground themبِكَلْكَلِهِwith its chestالْبِلَىdecay
Decay has ground them with its chest...
وَأَكَلَتْهُمْand eaten themالْجَنَادِلُthe stonesوَالثَّرَىand the soil
...and the stones and soil have eaten them.
ثُمَّThenقَالَhe said
Then he said:
إِنَّIndeedالْأَزْوَاجَthe spousesبَعْدَكُمْafter youقَدْhaveنُكِحَتْbeen remarried
"Indeed, the spouses after you have been remarried...
إِلَىup toآخِرِthe end ofالْخَبَرِthe report
...up to the end of the report."
مَسَاوِئُThe vices ofصِفَةِthe description ofالدُّنْيَاthe world
[The Vices of the Description of the World]
قَالَSaidالْحَسَنُAl-HasanالْبَصْرِيُّAl-Basri
Al-Hasan Al-Basri said:
بَيْنَاWhileأَنَاIأَطُوفُwas circumambulatingبِالْبَيْتِthe House
"While I was circumambulating the House...
إِذَاsuddenlyأَنَاIبِعَجُوزٍwith an old womanمُتَعَبِّدَةٍdevoted to worship
...suddenly I [came across] an old woman devoted to worship.
فَقُلْتُSo I said
So I said:
مَنْWhoأَنْتِare you?
"Who are you?"
فَقَالَتْSo she said
So she said:
مِنْFromبَنَاتِdaughters ofمُلُوكِkings ofغَسَّانَGhassan.
"From the daughters of the kings of Ghassan."
قُلْتُI said
I said:
فَمِنْThen fromأَيْنَwhereطَعَامُكِis your food?
"Then from where is your food?"
قَالَتْShe said
She said:
إِذَاWhenكَانَit isآخِرُthe end ofالنَّهَارِthe day
"When it is the end of the day...
فِيinكُلِّeveryيَوْمٍday
...every day...
تَجِيئُنِيcomes to meامْرَأَةٌa womanمُتَزَيِّنَةٌadorned
...an adorned woman comes to me...
فَتَضَعُand placesبَيْنَbetweenيَدَيَّmy handsكُوزاًa pitcherمِنْofمَاءٍwaterوَرغِيفَيْنِand two loaves of bread.
...and places before me a pitcher of water and two loaves of bread."
قُلْتُI saidلَهَاto her
I said to her:
أَتَعْرِفِينَDo you knowالْمَرْأَةَthe woman?
"Do you know the woman?"
قَالَتْShe said
She said:
اللَّهُمَّBy Allahلَاno
"By Allah, no."
قُلْتُI said
I said:
هَذِهِThisالدُّنْيَاis the world
"This is the world.
خَدَمَتْIt has servedرَبَّكِyour LordجَلَّHe is Majesticوَعَزَّand Mighty
It has served your Lord, Majestic and Mighty is He,
فَبَعَثَso He sentإِلَيْكِto youبِالدُّنْيَاthe world
so He sent the world to you
فَخَدَمَتْكِand it served youعَلَىdespiteرَغْمِthe reluctance ofأَنْفِهَاits nose."
and it served you despite its reluctance."
وَزَعَمُواAnd they claimedأَنَّthatزِيَادَZiyadبْنَson ofأَبِيهِhis father
And they claimed that Ziyad ibn Abihi...
مَرَّpassed byبِالْحِيرَةِAl-Hirah
...passed by Al-Hirah...
فَنَظَرَand lookedإِلَىatدَيْرٍa monasteryهُنَاكَthere
...and looked at a monastery there...
فَقَالَand saidلِحَاجِبِهِto his chamberlain
...and said to his chamberlain:
مَاWhatهَذَا؟is this?
"What is this?"
قَالَHe said
He said:
دَيْرُThe monastery ofحُرْقَةَHurqahبِنْتِdaughter ofالنُّعْمَانِAn-Nu'manبْنِson ofالْمُنْذِرِAl-Mundhir.
"The monastery of Hurqah, daughter of An-Nu'man ibn Al-Mundhir."
فَقَالَSo he said
So he said:
مِيلُواTurnبِنَاusإِلَيْهَاtoward it
"Turn us toward it...
نَسْمَعْthat we may hearكَلَامَهَاher speech.
...that we may hear her speech."
فَجَاءَتْSo she cameإِلَىtoوَرَاءِbehindالْبَابِthe door
So she came to behind the door...
فَكَلَّمَهَاand spoke to herالْخَادِمُthe servant
...and the servant spoke to her...
فَقَالَand saidلَهَاto her
...and said to her:
كَلِمِيSpeak toالْأَمِيرَthe prince.
"Speak to the prince."
فَقَالَتْSo she said
So she said:
أَوْجِزُShall I be conciseأَمْorأُطِيلُ؟prolong?
"Shall I be concise or prolong?"
قَالَHe said
He said:
بَلْRatherأَوْجِزِيbe concise.
"Rather, be concise."
قَالَتْShe said
She said:
كُنَّاWe wereأَهْلَa household ofبَيْتٍpeople
"We were a household...
طَلَعَتِroseالشَّمْسُthe sun
...the sun rose...
وَمَاand while notعَلَىonالْأَرْضِthe earthأَعَزُّmore mightyمِنَّاthan us
...and there was none on earth more mighty than us...
فَمَاsoعَابَتْdid it setتِلْكَthatالشَّمْسُsun
...so that sun did not set...
حَتَّىuntilرَحِمَنَاshowed mercy to usعَدُوُّنَاour enemy.
...until our enemy showed mercy to us."
قَالَHe said
He said:
فَأَمَرَSo he orderedلَهَاfor herبِأَوْسَاقٍloadsمِنْofشَعِيرٍbarley.
So he ordered loads of barley for her.
فَقَالَتْSo she said
So she said:
أَطْعَمَتْكَFed youيَدٌa handشَبْعَىfullجَاعَتْthat grew hungry
"A hand that was full and grew hungry fed you...
وَلَاand neitherأَطْعَمَتْكَdid feed youيَدٌa handجَوْعَىhungryشَبِعَتْthat grew full.
...nor did a hungry hand that grew full feed you."
فَسُرَّSo was pleasedزِيَادٌZiyadبِكَلَامِهَاwith her speech
Ziyad was pleased with her speech...
وَقَالَand saidلِشَاعِرٍto a poet
...and said to a poet:
قَيِّدْRecordهَذَاthisالْكَلَامَspeechلَاlestيَدْرُسْit be forgotten.
"Record this speech lest it be forgotten."
فَقَالَSo he said
So he said:
سَلِAskالْخَيْرَfor goodأَهْلَfrom the people ofالْخَيْرِgoodقِدْماًof oldوَلَاand do notتَسَلْask
Ask for good from the people of good of old, and do not ask...
فَتًىa youthذَاقَwho tastedطَعْمَthe taste ofالْخَيْرِgoodمُنْذُsinceقَرِيبٍrecently.
...a youth who tasted the taste of good since recently.
وَفِيAnd inمِثْلِlikeهَذَاthisقَوْلُis the saying ofأَعْرَابِيٍّa Bedouin
And similar to this is the saying of a Bedouin...
وَقَدْwhileدَعَاhe invokedلِرَجُلٍfor a manبَرَّهُwho was dutiful to him
...as he invoked for a man who was dutiful to him:
مَسَّتْكَMay touch youيَدٌa handأَصَابَتْthat sufferedفَقْراًpovertyبَعْدَafterغِنىًwealth
"May a hand that suffered poverty after wealth touch you,
وَلَاand norمَسَّتْكَtouch youيَدٌa handأَصَابَتْthat attainedغِنىًwealthبَعْدَafterفَقْرٍpoverty."
and may a hand that attained wealth after poverty never touch you."
وَيُقَالُAnd it is said
And it is said:
إِنَّthatفَرْوَةَFarwahبْنَson ofإِيَاسِIyasبْنِson ofقَبِيصَةَQabisah
Farwah ibn Iyas ibn Qabisah...
انْتَهَىreachedإِلَىthe monastery ofدَيْرِthe monastery ofحُرْقَةَHurqahبِنْتِdaughter ofالنُّعْمَانِAn-Nu'man
...reached the monastery of Hurqah, daughter of An-Nu'man...
فَأَلْفَاهَاand found herوَهِيَwhile sheتَبْكِيwas weeping.
...and found her while she was weeping.
فَقَالَSo he saidلَهَاto her
So he said to her:
مَاWhatيُبْكِيكِ؟makes you weep?
"What makes you weep?"
فَقَالَتْSo she said
So she said:
مَاThere is noمِنْfromدَارٍabodeامْتَلَأَتْthat filled withسُرُوراًjoy
"There is no abode that filled with joy...
إِلَّاexceptامْتَلَأَتْit filled withثُبُوراًgrief.
...except it filled with grief."
ثُمَّThenقَالَتْshe said
Then she said:
فَبَيْنَاSo whileنَسُوسُwe managedالنَّاسَthe people
So while we managed the people...
وَالْأَمْرُand the commandأَمْرُنَاwas our command
...and the command was our command...
إِذَاsuddenlyنَحْنُweفِيهِمْamong themسُوقَةٌcommonersنُقَسَّمُbeing divided.
...suddenly we are commoners among them being divided.
وَقَالَتْAnd she said
And she said:
فَأُفٍّSo woeلِدُنْيَاto a worldلَاdoes notيَدُومُlastنَعِيمُهَاits bliss
So woe to a world whose bliss does not last...
وَأُفٍّand woeلِعَيْشٍto a lifeلَاdoes notيَزَالُceaseيُهْضَمُbeing diminished.
...and woe to a life that does not cease being diminished.
قَالَHe said
He said:
وَقَالَتْAnd saidحُرْقَةُHurqahبِنْتُdaughter ofالنُّعْمَانِAn-Nu'manلِسَعْدِto Sa'dبْنِson ofأَبِيAbuوَقَّاصٍWaqqas
And Hurqah, daughter of An-Nu'man, said to Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas:
لَاMay notجَعَلَmakeاللَّهُAllahلَكَfor youإِلَىtoلَئِيمٍan ignoble personحَاجَةًa need
"May Allah not make you have a need toward an ignoble person,
وَعَقَدَand may He tieلَكَfor youالْمِنَنَfavorsفِيinأَعْنَاقِthe necks ofالْكِرَامِthe noble ones.
and may He tie favors for you in the necks of the noble ones.
وَلَاAnd may He notأَزَالَremoveبِكَfrom youعَنْfromكَرِيمٍa noble personنِعْمَةًa blessing
And may He not remove a blessing from a noble person because of you,
وَلَاand norأَزَالَهَاremove itبِغَيْرِكَby someone other than youإِلَّاexceptجَعَلَهَاHe makes itالسَّبَبَthe reasonلِرَدِّهَاfor its returnعَلَيْهِto him."
and nor remove it by someone other than you except that He makes you the reason for its return to him."