وَقَالَAnd saidبَعْضُsomeالْحُكَمَاءِ:of the wise:
And some of the wise said:
ذَهَبَتِHave departedالْمَكَارِمُnoble traitsإِلَّاexceptمِنَfromالْكُتُبِ.the books.
Noble traits have departed except from books.
وَقَالَAnd saidاللَّهُGodعَزَّmightyوَجَلَّ:and majestic:
And God, mighty and majestic, said:
اقْرَأْ"Readوَرَبُّكَand your Lordالْأَكْرَمُis the Most GenerousالَّذِيWhoعَلَّمَtaughtبِالْقَلَمِby the pen""
"Read, and your Lord is the Most Generous, who taught by the pen",
فَوَصَفَso He describedنَفْسَهُHimselfتَعَالَىexaltedجَدُّهُis His majestyبِأَنَّهُthat Heعَلَّمَtaughtبِالْقَلَمِby the pen
so He described Himself, exalted is His majesty, that He taught by the pen
كَمَاjust asوَصَفَHe describedنَفْسَهُHimselfبِالْكَرَمِwith generosity
just as He described Himself with generosity
وَاعْتَدَّand considered it importantبِذَلِكَtherebyفِيinنِعَمِهِHis favorsالْعِظَامِgreat
and considered it among His great favors
وَأَيَادِيهِand His bountiesالْجِسَامِimmense
and immense bounties
وَوَضَعَand placedالْقَلَمَthe penفِيinالْمَكَانِthe placeالرَّفِيعِlofty
and placed the pen in the lofty place
وَنَوَّهَand praisedبِذِكْرِهِits mention
and praised its mention
وَأَقْسَمَand sworeبِهِby itكَمَاjust asأَقْسَمَHe sworeبِمَاby whatيَخُطُّis writtenبِهِwith it
and swore by it just as He swore by that which is written with it
فَقَالَ:so He said:" ن"Nunوَالْقَلَمِand the penوَمَاand whatيَسْطُرُونَ،they write",
so He said: "Nun. By the pen and what they inscribe",
وَالْقَلَمُand the penأَرْجَحُis weightierمِنَthanاللِّسَانِthe tongue
and the pen is weightier than the tongue
لِأَنَّbecauseكِتَابَتَهُits writingتُقْرَأُis readبِكُلِّin everyمَكَانٍplace
because its writing is read in every place
وَيَظْهَرُand appearsمَاwhatفِيهِis in itعَلَىuponكُلِّeveryلِسَانٍtongue
and what is in it appears upon every tongue
وَيُوجَدُand existsمَعَwithكُلِّeveryزَمَانٍ،time.
and exists with every time.
وَمَنَاقَلَةُAnd the shifting ofاللِّسَانِthe tongueوَهَدِيَّتُهُand its delivery
And the shifting of the tongue and its delivery
لَاdo notتُجَاوِزَانِexceedمَجْلِسَthe gathering ofصَاحِبِهِits owner
do not exceed the gathering of its speaker
وَمَبْلَغَand the reach ofصَوْتِهِ،his voice.
and the reach of his voice.
وَالْكِتَابُAnd the bookيُخَاطِبُكَaddresses youمِنْfromبَعِيدٍ،afar,
And the book addresses you from afar,
وَقَدْandقَالُوا:they have said:الْقَلَمُThe penأَحَدُis one ofاللِّسَانَيْنِ،the two tongues,
and they have said: The pen is one of the two tongues,
وَقَالُوا:and they said:كُلُّeveryoneمَنْwhoعَرَفَknewالنِّعْمَةَthe favorفِيinبَيَانِthe eloquence ofاللِّسَانِthe tongue
and they said: Everyone who knew the favor in the eloquence of the tongue
كَانَwasأَعْرَفَmore knowingلِفَضْلِof the virtue ofالنِّعْمَةِthe favorفِيinبَيَانِthe eloquence ofالْقَلَمِ.the pen.
was more knowing of the virtue of the favor in the eloquence of the pen.
وَقَدْAndيَعْتَرِيafflictsالْقَلَمَthe penمَاwhatيَعْتَرِيafflictsالْمُؤَدِّبَthe teacherعِنْدَatضَرْبِهِhis beatingوَعِقَابِهِ،and punishing,
And the pen is afflicted by what afflicts the teacher at the time of his beating and punishing,
فَمَاso howأَكْثَرَmany areمَنْthose whoيَعْزِمُintendعَلَىuponعَشَرَةِtenأَسْوَاطٍlashes
so how many are those who intend ten lashes
فَيَضْرِبُand then strikesمِائَةًa hundred
and then strikes a hundred
لِأَنَّهُbecause heابْتَدَأَbeganالضَّرْبَthe strikingوَهُوَwhile he wasسَاكِنُcalm inالطِّبَاعِnature
because he began the striking while he was calm in nature
فَأَرَاهُso showed himالسُّكُونُcalmnessأَنَّthatالصَّوَابَthe rightفِيinالْإِقْلَالِkeeping it little
so calmness showed him that the right course is in keeping it little
فَلَمَّاthen whenضَرَبَhe struckتَحَرَّكَstirredدَمُهُhis blood
then when he struck, his blood stirred
فَأَشَاعَand spreadالْحَرَارَةَheatفِيهِin him
and spread heat in him
وَزَادَand increasedفِيinغَضَبِهِhis anger
and increased his anger
فَأَرَاهُso showed himالْغَضَبُangerأَنَّthatالرَّأْيَthe opinionفِيinالْإِكْثَارِ،making it much.
so anger showed him that the proper view is in increasing it.
وَكَذَلِكَAnd likewiseصَاحِبُthe master ofالْقَلَمِthe pen
And likewise the master of the pen
فَمَاso howأَكْثَرَmany areمَنْthose whoيَبْتَدِئُbeginالْكِتَابَthe writing
so how many are those who begin writing
وَهُوَwhile heيُرِيدُwantsمِقْدَارَthe amount ofسَطْرَيْنِtwo lines
while he intends the amount of two lines
فَيَكْتُبُand then writesعَشَرَةً.ten.
and then writes ten.
وَقَدْAndقِيلَ:it has been said:الْقَلَمُThe penالشَّاهِدُis the witnessوَالْغَائِبُand the absent
And it has been said: The pen is the witness and the absent
يُقْرَأُit is readبِكُلِّin everyلِسَانٍtongueوَفِيand inكُلِّeveryزَمَانٍ.time.
it is read in every tongue and in every time.
وَقَالُوا:And they said:ظَاهِرُThe outwardعُقُولِminds ofالرِّجَالِmenفِيinاخْتِيَارِهَاtheir choice
And they said: The outward aspect of men's intellects in their choice
مُدَوَّنٌis recordedفِيinأَطْرَافِthe tips ofأَقْلَامِهَا،their pens,
is recorded in the tips of their pens,
وَمِصْبَاحُand the lamp ofالْكَلَامِspeechحُسْنُis the goodness ofالِاخْتِيَارِ.selection.
and the lamp of speech is the goodness of selection.
وَقَالُوا:And they said:الْقَلَمُThe penمُجَهِّزُis the outfitter ofجُيُوشِarmies ofالْكَلَامِ،speech,
And they said: The pen is the outfitter of the armies of speech,
يَخْدُمُit servesالْإِرَادَةَthe willوَلَاand does notيَمَلُّgrow weary ofالِاسْتِزَادَةَ،asking for more,
it serves the will and does not grow weary of asking for more,
وَيَسْكُتُand it is silentوَاقِفاًwhile standingوَيَنْطِقُand speaksسَائِراًwhile movingعَلَىuponالْأَرْضِ،the earth,
and it is silent while standing and speaks while moving upon the earth,
بَيَاضُهُits whitenessمُظْلِمٌis darkوَسَوَادُهُand its blacknessمُضِيءٌ،is luminous,
its whiteness is dark and its blackness is luminous,
وَقَالَand saidالشَّاعِرُ:the poet:
and the poet said:
قَوْمٌA peopleإِذَاwho whenخَافُواthey fearعَدَاوَةَenmity ofمَعْشَرٍa tribe......سَفَكُواthey shedالدِّمَاbloodبِأَسِنَّةِwith the points ofالْأَقْلَامِthe pens
A people who, when they fear the enmity of a tribe... shed blood with the points of pens
وَلَمَشْقَةٌAnd a strokeمِنْfromكَاتِبٍa writerبِمِدَادِهِwith his ink......أَمْضَىis sharperوَأَقْطَعُand more cuttingمِنْthanصَنِيعِthe work ofحُسَامِa sharp sword
And a stroke from a writer with his ink... is sharper and more cutting than the work of a sharp sword
وَقَالَAnd saidآخَرُanotherأَيْضاً:also:
And another also said:
مَاNotالسَّيْفُis the swordوَالسَّيْفُand the swordسَيْفُis the sword ofالْكَمِيِّthe brave warrior......بِأَخْوَفَmore fearedمِنْthanقَلَمِthe pen ofالْكَاتِبِthe writer
Not is the sword—and the sword is the sword of the brave—more feared than the writer's pen
لَهُIt hasغَايَةٌan endإِنْifتَأَمَّلْتَهَاyou contemplate it......ظَهَرَتْit appearsعَلَىuponسَوْءَةِthe fault ofالْغَائِبِthe absent person
It has an end, if you contemplate it... it exposes the fault of the absent one
أَدَاةُThe instrument ofالْمَنِيَّةِdeathفِيinجَانِبَيْهِits two sides......فَمِنْso fromمِثْلِهِits likeرَهْبَةُis the terror ofالرَّاهِبِthe monk
The instrument of death is in its two sides... so from its like is the terror of the monk
سِنَانُThe spearhead ofالْمَنِيَّةِdeathفِيis inجَانِبٍone side......وَسَيْفُand the sword ofالْمَنِيَّةِdeathفِيis inجَانِبِa side
The spearhead of death is in a side... and the sword of death is in a side
أَلَمْHave you notتَرَseenفِيinصَدْرِهِits chestكَالسِّنَانِlike the spearhead......وَفِيand inالرِّدْفِthe rearكَالْمَرْهَفِlike the sharpالْقَاضِبِcutting sword
Have you not seen in its chest like the spearhead... and in the rear like the sharp cutting sword
فَيَجْرِيSo runsبِهِwith itالْكَفُّthe palmفِيinحَالَةٍa state......عَلَىuponهَيْئَةِthe manner ofالطَّاعِنِthe one thrustingالضَّارِبِand striking
So the hand runs with it in a state... upon the manner of the one thrusting and striking
وَقَالَAnd saidآخَرُanotherأَيْضاًalsoمُلْغِزاً:speaking in riddles:
And another also said, speaking in riddles:
وَأَعْجَفُAnd a lean oneرِجْلَاهُwhose two legs areفِيinرَأْسِهِits head......يَطِيرُit fliesحَثِيثاًswiftlyعَلَىuponالْأَمْلَسِthe smooth surface
And a lean one whose two legs are in its head... it flies swiftly upon the smooth surface
مَطَايَاهُIts mounts areمِنْfromتَحْتِهِbeneath itالْإِصْبَعَانِthe two fingers......وَلَوْلَاand had it not been forمَطَايَاهُits mountsلَمْit would notيُلْمَسْbe touched
Its mounts from beneath it are the two fingers... and had it not been for its mounts it would not be touched
وَقَالَAnd saidآخَرُ،another,سَامَحَهُmay God forgiveاللَّهُ:him:
And another, may God forgive him, said:
وَأَعْجَفُAnd a leanمُنْشَقِّsplitالشِّبَاةِat the tipمُقَلَّمِtrimmed......مَوْشَىpatternedالْقَرَاon the backطَاوِيhollowedالْحِشَاin the bellyأَسْوَدُblackالْفَمِin the mouth
And a lean one, split at the tip, trimmed... patterned on the back, hollowed in the belly, black in the mouth
إِذَاWhenهُوَheأَضْحَىisفِيinالدَّوَاةِthe inkwellفَأَعْجَمُthen he is non-Arab/silent......وَيُضْحِيand he becomesفَصِيحاًeloquentفِيinيَدَيْthe hands ofغَيْرِother thanأَعْجَمِa non-Arab
When he is in the inkwell he is silent... and he becomes eloquent in the hands of one who is not non-Arab
يُنَاجِيHe whispersمُنَاجَاةًa whisperأَغَرَّto a nobleمُرْزَأًtested......مَتَىwheneverمَاyouاسْتَمَعَlisten toمَعْرُوفَهُhis kindnessيَتَبَسَّمِhe smiles
He whispers a secret to a noble, tested one... whenever you listen to his kindness he smiles
وَقَالَAnd saidآخَرُ،another,رَحِمَهُmay God have mercy onاللَّهُ:him:
And another, may God have mercy on him, said:
لَكَYours isالْقَلَمُthe penالَّذِيwhichلَمْdid notيَجْرِstrayلُؤْماًwickedly......بِغَايَةِwith the utmostمَنْطِقٍspeechفَكَبَاand stumbledبِعِيٍّin speechlessness
Yours is the pen which did not stray wickedly... with the utmost speech and stumbled in speechlessness
وَمُبْتَسِمٌAnd a smiling oneعَنِuponالْقِرْطَاسِthe parchmentيَأْسُوhe heals......وَيَجْرَحُand woundsوَهُوَwhile heذُوis possessor ofبَالٍa stateرَخِيٍّat ease
And a smiling one upon the parchment, he heals... and wounds while he is in an easy state
فَمَاNot isالْمِقْدَادُal-Miqdadأَعْضَبَsharperمِنْthanشَبَاهُits edge......وَلَاnorالصَّمْصَامُal-Samsamسَيْفُthe sword ofالْمَذْحِجِيٍّthe Madhhijite
Not is al-Miqdad sharper than its edge... nor al-Samsam, the sword of the Madhhijite
وَقَالَAnd saidوَأَجَادَ:and excelled:
And he said and excelled:
أَحْسَنُBetterمِنْthanغَفْلَةِthe heedlessness ofالرَّقِيبِthe watcher......وَلَحْظَةِand the glance ofالْوَعْدِthe promiseمِنْfromحَبِيبِa beloved
Better than the heedlessness of the watcher... and the glance of the promise from a beloved
وَالنَّغْمِAnd the tuneوَالنَّقْرِand the tappingمِنْfromكَعَابٍyoung maidens......مُصِيبَةِthe striking ofالْعُودِthe oudوَالْقَضِيبِand the rod
And the tune and tapping from young maidens... the striking of the oud and the rod
وَمِنْAnd fromبَنَاتِthe daughters ofالْكُرُومِvinesرَاحاًwine......فِيinرَاحَتَيْthe two palms ofشَادِنٍa fawn-like youthرَبِيبِreared
And from the daughters of vines, wine... in the palms of a reared, fawn-like youth
كَُّتُبُLetters ofأَدِيبٍa literary manإِلَىtoأَدِيبٍa literary man......طَالَتْhas lengthenedبِهِthrough itمُدَّةُthe period ofالْمَغِيبِabsence
Letters from a writer to a writer... whose period of absence has grown long through it
فَنَمَّقَتْSo adornedكَفُّهُhis palmسُطُوراًlines......تُنَمِّقُthat adornالصَّبْرَpatienceفِيinالْقُلُوبِhearts
So his hand adorned lines... that adorn patience in hearts
تَتْرُكُIt leavesمَنْhim whoسُطِّرَتْwas writtenإِلَيْهِto......أَطْرَبَmore enrapturedمِنْthanعَاشِقٍa loverطَرُوبِjoyful
It leaves the one to whom they were written... more enraptured than a joyful lover
وَقَالَAnd saidآخَرُ:another:
And another said:
إِذَاWhenاسْتَمَدَّتْit drew inkصَرَفْتُI turnedالطَّرْفَthe gazeعَنْfromيَدِهَاits hand......خَوْفاًfearingعَلَيْهَاfor itلِمَاdue to whatأَخْشَىI fearمِنَofالتُّهَمِsuspicions
When it drew ink, I turned my gaze from its hand... fearing for it due to what I fear of suspicions
كَأَنَّمَاAs thoughقَابَلَfacedالْقِرْطَاسَthe parchmentإِذْwhenمَشَقَتْit drew......مِنْهَاfrom itثَلَاثَةَthreeأَقْلَامٍpensعَلَىuponقَلَمِa pen
As though it faced the parchment when it drew... from it three pens upon one pen
وَقَالَAnd saidأَشْجَعُAshja'فِيregardingجَعْفَرِJa'farالْبَرْمَكِيِّ:al-Barmaki:
And Ashja' said regarding Ja'far al-Barmaki:
إِذَاWhenأَخَذَتْtookأَنَامِلُهُhis fingertips......تُبَيِّنُthey make clearفَضْلَهُhis virtueالْقُلُمَاthe pens
When his fingertips took... the pens make clear his virtue
تَطَأْطَأَHumbledكُلُّeveryمُرْتَفِعٍlofty one......لِفَضْلِfor the virtue ofالْكَتْبِwritingمِذْsinceنَجَمَاit arose
Humbled every lofty one... for the virtue of writing since it arose
يُقَدِّمُHe puts forwardوَيُؤَخِّرُ،and delays,أَرَادَ:he meant:إِذَاWhenأَخَذَتْtookأَنَامِلُهُhis fingertipsالْقَلَمَthe penتَبَيَّنَbecame clearفَضْلُهُ.his virtue.
He puts forward and delays, meaning: When his fingertips took the pen, his virtue became clear.
وَفِيAnd regardingالْخَطِّhandwritingقَالَ:he said:نَظَرَLookedالْمَأْمُونُal-Ma'munإِلَىatمُؤَامَرَةٍa documentبِخَطٍّwith handwritingحَسَنٍgoodفَقَالَ:so he said:
And regarding handwriting he said: al-Ma'mun looked at a document with good handwriting and said:
لِلَّهِTo Godدَرُّis the praise ofالْقَلَمِthe penكَيْفَhowيَحُوكُit weavesوَشْيَthe embroidery ofالْمَمْلَكَةِ!the kingdom!
To God is the praise of the pen, how it weaves the embroidery of the kingdom!
وَقَالَAnd saidيَحْيَىYahyaبْنُson ofخَالِدٍKhalidالْبَرْمَكِيُّ:al-Barmaki:الْخَطُّHandwritingصُورَةٌis an imageرُوحُهَاwhose soul isالْبَيَانُeloquence
And Yahya ibn Khalid al-Barmaki said: Handwriting is an image whose soul is eloquence
وَيَدُهَاand its hand isالسُّرْعَةُspeedوَقَدَمَاهَاand its two feet areالتَّسْوِيَةُevennessوَجَوَارِحُهَاand its limbs areمَعْرِفَةُknowledge ofالْفُصُولِ،the pauses,
and its hand is speed and its two feet are evenness and its limbs are knowledge of the pauses,
وَقَالَAnd he saidفِيregardingمِثْلِهِ،its like,رَحِمَهُmay God have mercy onاللَّهُGodتَعَالَى:exalted:
And he said regarding its like, may God the Exalted have mercy on him: