مَزْحٌJestingوَفُكَاهَةٌand humorوَمِلَحٌand witty anecdotesوَمُضَاحِكُand laughable thingsوَخُرَافَةٌand myths.
Jesting and humor and witty anecdotes and laughable things and myths.
وَكَانُواAnd theyيَجْعَلُونَused to makeالْكِتَابَwritingنَقْرًاan excavationفِيinالصُّخُورِrocks
And they used to make writing an excavation in rocks
وَنَقْشًاand an engravingفِيinالْحِجَارَةِstones
and an engraving in stones
وَحَلْقَةًand a ringمُرَكَّبَةًfittedفِيinالْبُنْيَانِthe structure.
and a ring fitted in the structure.
وَرُبَّمَاAnd sometimesكَانَwasالْكِتَابُthe writingهُوَthe protruding oneالنَّاتِئَprotruding
And sometimes the writing was protruding
وَرُبَّمَاand sometimesكَانَwasالْكِتَابُthe writingهُوَthe engraved oneالْمَحْفُورَengraved
and sometimes the writing was engraved
إِذَاifكَانَthat wasذَلِكَthatتَارِيخًاa historyلِأَمْرٍfor a matterجَسِيمٍgrave
if that was a history for a grave matter
أَوْorعَهْدًاa covenantلِأَمْرٍfor a matterعَظِيمٍimmense
or a covenant for an immense matter
أَوْorمَوْعِظَةًan admonitionيُرْتَجَىwhose benefitنَفْعُهَاis hoped for
or an admonition whose benefit is hoped for
أَوْorإِحْيَاءَthe revival ofشَرَفٍan honorيُرِيدُونَthey wantتَخْلِيدَto immortalizeذِكْرِهِits mention.
or the revival of an honor they want to immortalize its mention.
كَمَاAsكَتَبُواthey wroteعَلَىonقُبَّةِdome ofغُمْدَانَGhumdan
As they wrote on the dome of Ghumdan
وَعَلَىand onبَابِgate ofالْقَيْرَوَانِAl-Qayrawan
and on the gate of Al-Qayrawan
وَعَلَىand onبَابِgate ofسَمَرْقَنْدَSamarkand
and on the gate of Samarkand
وَعَلَىand onعَمُودِpillar ofمَأْرِبَMa'rib
and on the pillar of Ma'rib
وَعَلَىand onرُكْنِcorner ofالْمُشَقَّرِAl-Mushaqqar
and on the corner of Al-Mushaqqar
وَعَلَىand onالْأَبْلَقِAl-Ablaqالْفَرْدِthe solitaryمِنْofتَيْمَاءَTayma
and on the solitary Al-Ablaq of Tayma
وَعَلَىand onبَابِgate ofالرَّهَاءِAl-Raha.
and on the gate of Al-Raha.
يَعْمِدُونَThey resortإِلَىtoالْمَوَاضِعِplacesالرَّفِيعَةِthe loftyالْمَشْهُورَةِfamous
They resort to the lofty famous places
وَالْأَمَاكِنِand placesالْمَذْكُورَةِmentioned
and mentioned places
وَيَضَعُونَand they placeالْخَطَّthe writingفِيinأَبْعَدِthe farthestالْمَوَاضِعِplacesمِنَfromالدُّثُورِruin
and they place the writing in the farthest places from ruin
وَأَمْنَعِهَاand the most protected of themمِنَfromالدُّرُوسِobliteration
and the most protected of them from obliteration
وَأَجْدَرَand most worthyأَنْthatيَرَاهَاsees itمَنْwhoeverمَرَّpasses
and most worthy that whoever passes sees it
وَلَاand notيُنْسَىto be forgottenعَلَىoverمُرُورِthe passage ofالدُّهُورِages.
and not to be forgotten over the passage of ages.
وَعَمَدُواAnd they resortedإِلَىtoالرُّسُومِemblemsوَنُقُوشِand engravings ofالْخَوَاتِيمِsignet rings
And they resorted to emblems and engravings of signet rings
فَجَعَلُوهَاand they made themسَبَبًاa meansلِحِفْظِfor preservingالْأَمْوَالِwealthوَالْخَزَائِنِand treasuries
and they made them a means for preserving wealth and treasuries
وَلَوْلَاهَاand were it not for themلَدَخَلَwould have enteredعَلَىuponالنَّاسِpeopleضَّرَرُthe harmالْكَبِيرُgreat.
and were it not for them great harm would have entered upon people.
وَلَوْلَاAnd were it not forخُطُوطُthe scripts ofالْهِنْدِIndiaلَضَاعَwould have been lostمِنَofالْحِسَابِcalculationأَكْثَرُهُmost of it
And were it not for the scripts of India most of calculation would have been lost
وَلَبَطَلَتْand would have been nullifiedمَعْرِفَةُknowledge ofالتَّضَاعِيفِmultiplications.
and knowledge of multiplications would have been nullified.
وَنَفْعُAnd the benefit ofالْحِسَابِcalculationمَعْلُومٌis known
And the benefit of calculation is known
وَالْخَلَّةُand the voidفِيinمَوْضِعِplace ofفَقْدِهِits absenceمَعْرُوفَةٌis known.
and the void in place of its absence is known.
قَالَSaidاللَّهُAllahعَزَّthe Mightyوَجَلَّand Majestic
Said Allah the Mighty and Majestic
هُوَHeالَّذِيwhoجَعَلَmadeالشَّمْسَthe sunضِيَاءًa radianceوَالْقَمَرَand the moonنُورًاa light
He who made the sun a radiance and the moon a light
وَقَدَّرَهُand determined itمَنَازِلَphasesلِتَعْلَمُواthat you may knowعَدَدَnumber ofالسِّنِينَyearsوَالْحِسَابَand calculation
and determined it phases that you may know the number of years and calculation
وَلَوْلَاAnd were it not forالْكُتُبُbooksالْمُدَوَّنَةُcompiledوَالْأَخْبَارُand reportsالْمُجَلَّدَةُbound
And were it not for compiled books and bound reports
وَالْحِكَمُand wisdomsالْمَخْطُوطَةُwrittenالَّتِيwhichتَجْمَعُgatherالْحِسَابَcalculationوَغَيْرَand otherالْحِسَابِthan calculation
and written wisdoms which gather calculation and other than calculation
لَبَطَلَwould have been nullifiedأَكْثَرُmost ofالْعِلْمِknowledge.
most of knowledge would have been nullified.
وَلَوْلَاAnd were it not forالْكِتَابُwritingلَمْnotيَكُنْwould have beenيَعْلَمُawareأَهْلُpeople ofالرَّقَّةِAl-Raqqahوَالْمَوْصِلِand Al-Mosul
And were it not for writing, the people of Al-Raqqah and Al-Mosul
وَبَغْدَادَand Baghdadوَوَاسِطَand Wasitمَاwhatكَانَwasبِالْبَصْرَةِin Basra
and Baghdad and Wasit would not have known what was in Basra
وَحَدَثَand happenedبِالْكُوفَةِin Kufaفِيinبَيَاضِbroadيَوْمٍday
and happened in Kufa in broad day
حَتَّىuntilتَكُونَisالْحَادِثَةُthe incidentبِالْكُوفَةِin Kufaغُدْوَةًmorning
until the incident is in Kufa in the morning
فَيَعْلَمُهَاand knows itأَهْلُpeople ofالْبَصْرَةِBasraقَبْلَbeforeالْمَسَاءِevening.
and the people of Basra know it before the evening.
وَذَلِكَAnd thatمَشْهُورٌis famousفِيconcerningالْحَمَامِpigeonsإِذَاwhenأُرْسِلَتْthey are sent.
And that is famous concerning pigeons when they are sent.
وَكَانَتِAnd usedالْعَرَبُthe Arabsتَعْمَدُto resortفِيinمَآثِرِهَاtheir glorious deedsعَلَىtoالشِّعْرِpoetryالْمَوْزُونِmetered
And the Arabs used to resort in their glorious deeds to metered poetry
وَالْكَلَامِand speechالْمُقَفَّىrhymed
and rhymed speech
وَكَانَand thatذَلِكَwasدِوَانَهَاtheir record
and that was their record
عَلَىonأَنَّthe basis thatالشِّعْرَpoetryبَقِيَّةُis the remainder ofفَضِيلَةِvirtue ofالْبَيَانِeloquence
on the basis that poetry is the remainder of the virtue of eloquence
عَلَىconcerningالشَّاعِرِthe poetالرَّاغِبِdesiring
concerning the desiring poet
وَفَضِيلَةِand the virtue ofالْأَثَرِlegacyعَلَىuponالسَّيِّدِthe masterالْمَرْغُوبِdesiredإِلَيْهِof.
and the virtue of legacy upon the master desired of.
وَكَانَتِAnd usedالْعَجَمُthe non-Arabsتُقَيِّدُto recordمَآثِرَهَاtheir glorious deedsبِالْبُنْيَانِby structure
And the non-Arabs used to record their glorious deeds by structure
فَبَنَتْso they builtمِثْلَlikeبِنَاءِbuilding ofأَرْدَشِيرَArdashir
so they built like the building of Ardashir
وَبِنَاءِand building ofإِصْطَخْرَIstakhr
and building of Istakhr
وَبَيْضَاءِand White city ofالْمَدَائِنِAl-Mada'in
and White city of Al-Mada'in
وَشِيرِينَand Shirin
and Shirin
وَالْمُدُنِand citiesوَالْحُصُونِand fortsوَالْقَنَاطِرِand archesوَالْجُسُورِand bridges.
and cities and forts and arches and bridges.
ثُمَّThenإِنَّindeedالْعَرَبَthe Arabsشَارَكَتِsharedالْعَجَمَthe non-Arabsفِيinالْبُنْيَانِstructure
Then indeed the Arabs shared the non-Arabs in structure
وَتَفَرَّدَتْand excelledبِالشِّعْرِin poetry.
and excelled in poetry.
فَلَهَاSo they haveمِنَofالْبُنْيَانِstructuresغُمْدَانُGhumdan
So they have of structures Ghumdan
وَكَعْبَةُand Ka'bah ofنَجْرَانَNajran
and Ka'bah of Najran
وَقَصْرُand palace ofمَأْرِبَMa'rib
and palace of Ma'rib
وَقَصْرُand palace ofشَعُوبَSha'ub
and palace of Sha'ub
وَالْأَبْلَقُand Al-Ablaqالْفَرْدُthe solitary
and the solitary Al-Ablaq
وَغَيْرُand otherذَلِكَthan thatمِنَofالْبُنْيَانِstructures.
and other than that of structures.
وَتَصْنِيفُAnd the classification ofالْكُتُبِbooksأَشَدُّis more stronglyتَقْيِيدًاrecordingلِلْمَآثِرِglorious deeds
And the classification of books is more strongly recording glorious deeds
عَلَىoverمَرِّthe passage ofالْأَيَّامِdaysوَالدُّهُورِand ages
over the passage of days and ages
مِنَthanالْبُنْيَانِstructures
than structures
لِأَنَّbecauseالْبُنْيَانَthe structureلَاnotمَحَالَةَdoubtlesslyيَدْرُسُwanes
because the structure doubtlessly wanes
وَتَعْفُوand fadesرُسُومُهُits traces
and its traces fade
وَالْكِتَابُwhile the bookبَاقٍremains
while the book remains
يَقَعُpassingمِنْfromقَرْنٍcenturyإِلَىtoقَرْنٍcentury
passing from century to century
فَهُوَso it isأَبَدًاalwaysجَدِيدٌnew
so it is always new
وَالنَّاظِرُand the examinerفِيهِin itمُسْتَفِيدٌgains benefit
and the examiner in it gains benefit
وَهُوَand itأَبْلَغُis more eloquentفِيinتَحْصِيلِacquiringالْمَآثِرِglorious deeds
and it is more eloquent in acquiring glorious deeds
مِنَthanالْبُنْيَانِstructuresوَالتَّصَاوِيرِand paintings.
than structures and paintings.
وَأَهْلُAnd the people ofالْعِلْمِknowledgeوَالنَّظَرِand investigation
And the people of knowledge and investigation
وَأَصْحَابُand companions ofالْفِكْرِthoughtوَالْعِبَرِand admonitions
and companions of thought and admonitions
وَالْعُلَمَاءُand scholars ofبِمَخَارِجِorigins ofالْمِلَلِreligions
and scholars of origins of religions
وَأَرْبَابُand masters ofالنِّحَلِsects
and masters of sects
وَوَرَثَةُand inheritors ofالْأَنْبِيَاءِthe prophets
and inheritors of the prophets
وَأَعْوَانُand assistants ofالْخُلَفَاءِthe caliphs
and assistants of the caliphs
يَكْتُبُونَwriteكُتُبَbooks ofالظُّرَفَاءِthe wittyوَالْمِلَحَاءِand humorous people
write books of the witty and humorous people
وَكُتُبَand books ofالْمَلَاهِيamusementsوَالْفُكَاهَاتِand jests
and books of amusements and jests
وَكُتُبَand books ofأَصْحَابِadvocates ofالْمِرَاءِdisputationوَالْخُصُومَاتِand disputes
and books of advocates of disputation and disputes
وَكُتُبَand books ofأَصْحَابِpartisans ofالْعَصَبِيَّةِfactionalismوَحَمِيَّةِand zealotry ofالْجَاهِلِيَّةِIgnorance.
and books of partisans of factionalism and zealotry of Ignorance.
فَمِنْهُمْSo among themمَنْis one whoيُفْرِطُgoes to excessفِيinالتَّعَلُّمِlearning
So among them is one who goes to excess in learning
فِيinأَيَّامِdays ofجَهْلِهِhis ignoranceوَخُمُولِand obscurity ofذِكْرِهِhis mentionوَحَدَاثَةِand youth ofسِنِّهِhis age.
in days of his ignorance and obscurity of his mention and youth of his age.
وَلَوْلَاAnd were it not forجِيَادُthe excellentالْكُتُبِbooksوَحِسَانُهَاand fine ones
And were it not for the excellent books and fine ones
لَمَاwould not haveتَحَرَّكَتْbeen stirredهِمَمُaspirations ofهَؤُلَاءِthese peopleلِطَلَبِto seekالْعِلْمِknowledge
would not have been stirred aspirations of these people to seek knowledge
وَنَازَعَتْand yearnedإِلَىtowardحُبِّlove ofالْأَدَبِliterature
and yearned toward love of literature
وَأَنِفَتْand disdainedمِنْfromحَالِstate ofالْجَهْلِignorance
and disdained from state of ignorance
وَأَنْandتَكُونَto beفِيamongغِمَارِthrong ofالْحَشْوَةِthe rabble
and to be among throng of the rabble
وَيَدْخُلَand would enterعَلَيْهِمُupon themالضَّرَرُharmوَالْحَقَارَةُand meannessوَسُوءُand badness ofالْحَالِcondition
and harm and meanness and badness of condition would enter upon them
بِمَاdue to whatعَسَىmightأَنْthatيَكُونَit be
due to what might that it be
لَاnotيُمْكِنُpossibleالْإِخْبَارُto reportعَنْaboutمِقْدَارِهِits extent
not possible to report about its extent
إِلَّاexceptبِالْكَلَامِwith speechالْكَثِيرِabundant.
except with abundant speech.
وَلِذَلِكَAnd thereforeقَالَsaidعُمَرُUmarبْنُson ofالْخَطَّابِAl-Khattab
And therefore said Umar son of Al-Khattab
تَفَقَّهُواacquire understandingقَبْلَbeforeأَنْthatتُسَوَّدُواyou become leaders.
acquire understanding before that you become leaders.