وَعَنْAndأَبِيfrom AbuدَفَافَةَDafafahالْعَبْسِيِّal-Absiقَالَ:who said:
And from Abu Dafafah al-Absi who said:
حَدَّثْتُI narratedالْمَنْصُورَto al-Mansurبِحَدِيثِthe story ofالْعِجْلَانِal-IjlanبْنِbinسَهْلٍSahl
I narrated to al-Mansur the story of al-Ijlan bin Sahl
وَكَانَand he hadدَخَلَenteredعَلَىuponعَبْدِAbdالْعَزِيزِal-Azizبْنِbinالْقَعْقَاعِ،al-Qa'qa',
and he had entered upon Abd al-Aziz bin al-Qa'qa',
فَبَيْنَاso whileهُوَheجَالِسٌwas sittingإِذْsuddenlyدَخَلَenteredرَجُلٌa manمَتَلَطِّخُstainedالثَّوْبِin garmentبِالطِّينِ،with mud,
so while he was sitting, suddenly a man entered whose garment was stained with mud,
فَقَالَso saidعَبْدُAbdالْعَزِيزِ:al-Aziz:مَاwhat isلَكَ؟the matter with you?
so Abd al-Aziz said: What is the matter with you?
قَالَ:He said:رَكِبَrodeهَذَاthisالْأَحْوَلُ،cross-eyed one,
He said: This cross-eyed one rode,
يَعْنِيmeaningهِشَامَHishamبْنَbinعَبْدِAbdالْمَلِكِ،al-Malik,
meaning Hisham bin Abd al-Malik,
فَنَفَرَتْso startledنَاقَتِيmy she-camelفَسَقَطْتُ،and I fell,
so my she-camel was startled and I fell,
فَانْتَزَعَso drewالْعِجْلَانُal-Ijlanسَيْفَهُhis swordفَنَفَحَهُand struck himبِهِwith it
so al-Ijlan drew his sword and struck him with it
وَوَثَبَand leapedالرَّجُلُthe manفَأَخْطَأَهُso missed himالسَّيْفُthe swordوَوَقَعَand it fellفِيinوِسَادَةٍa cushionفَقَطَّعَهَاand cut it up
and the man leaped, so the sword missed him and fell into a cushion and cut it up
وَقَالَ:and said:يَاOلُكَعُdespicable one,أَعْيَاكَdid it weary youأَنْtoتُسَمِّيَهُname himبِأَمِيرِby Amirالْمُؤْمِنِينَal-Mu'minin
and said: O despicable one, did it weary you to name him by Amir al-Mu'minin
وَبِاسْمِهِand by his nameالَّذِيwhichسَمَّاهُnamed himبِهِwith itأَبُوهُhis fatherأَوْorبِكُنْيَتِهِby his kunyah
and by his name which his father named him with, or by his kunyah,
وَنَظَرْتَand you lookedإِلَىatالَّذِيthat whichيُعَابُhe is faultedبِهِwithفَسَمَّيْتَهُso you named himبِهِ،by it,
and you looked at that which he is faulted with and named him by it,
أَمَّاnowوَاللَّهِby AllahلَوَدِدْتُI would have wishedأَنَّthatالسَّيْفَthe swordأَخَذَtookمِنْكَfrom youمَآخِذَهُ!its places of taking!
now by Allah, I would have wished that the sword took from you its places of taking!
قَالَ:He said:فَكَانَso wasالْمَنْصُورُal-Mansurيَسْتَعِيدُنِيasking me to repeatهَذَاthisالْخَبَرَnewsكَثِيرًاfrequentlyوَيَقُولُ:and saying:
He said: So al-Mansur would ask me to repeat this news frequently and say:
كَيْفَHowصَنَعَdid actالْعِجْلَانُal-Ijlanبْنُbinسَهْلٍ؟Sahl?
How did al-Ijlan bin Sahl act?
مَعَWithمِثْلِهِthe like of thisيَطِيبُbecomes pleasantالْمُلْكُ.sovereignty.
With the like of this, sovereignty becomes pleasant.
قَالَ:He said:وَأَخْبَرَنَاand informed usعَطَّافٌAttafقَالَ:who said:
He said: And Attaf informed us, who said:
بَيْنَاWhileعَبْدُAbdاللَّهِAllahبْنُbinطَاهِرٍTahirمُقْبِلٌcomingمِنْfromمَنْزِلِthe house ofعُبَيْدِUbaidاللَّهِAllahبْنِbinالسِّيِّىءِal-Siyi'بِمِصْرَin Egypt
While Abd Allah bin Tahir was coming from the house of Ubaid Allah bin al-Siyi' in Egypt
حَتَّىuntilإِذَاwhenدَنَاhe drew nearمِنْtoبَابِهِhis doorإِذَاsuddenlyبِشَيْخٍan old manقَدْhadقَامَstoodإِلَيْهِtowards him
until when he drew near to his door, suddenly an old man had stood towards him
فَنَاوَلَهُand handed himرُقْعَةًa noteكَانَتْthat wasمَعَهُwith himوَقَالَ:and said:
and handed him a note that was with him and said:
أَصْلَحَMay rectifyاللَّهُAllahالْأَمِيرَ!the Amir!نَصِيحَةٌAn adviceوَاجِبَةٌobligatoryفَافْهَمْهَا،so understand it,
May Allah rectify the Amir! An obligatory advice so understand it,
فَأَخَذَso he tookالرُّقْعَةَthe noteوَدَخَلَ،and entered,
so he took the note and entered,
فَمَاso it was notهُوَheإِلَّاexceptأَنْthatدَخَلَhe enteredوَخَرَجَand came outالْحَاجِبُthe chamberlainفَقَالَ:and said:
so no sooner had he entered than the chamberlain came out and said:
أَيْنَWhere isصَاحِبُthe owner ofالرُّقْعَةِ؟the note?
Where is the owner of the note?
فَقَامَSo stoodإِلَيْهِto himالشَّيْخُthe old manفَأَخَذَand tookبِيَدِهِby his handفَأَدْخَلَهُand made him enterإِلَىtoعَبْدِAbdاللَّهِAllah
So the old man stood to him and took him by the hand and made him enter to Abd Allah
فَقَالَ:so he said:قَدْI haveفَهِمْتُunderstoodرُقْعَتَكَyour noteهَذِهِthisوَمَاand whatتَنَصَّحْتَyou gave sincere adviceبِهِwith itإِلَيْنَاto usفَانْصِفْنِيso be fair with meفِيinمُنَاظَرَتِكَ.your debate with me.
so he said: I have understood this note of yours and what sincere advice you gave us with it, so be fair with me in your debate with me.
فَقَالَSo saidالرَّجُلُ:the man:لِيَقُلِLet sayالْأَمِيرُthe Amirمَاwhatأَحَبَّ.he liked.
So the man said: Let the Amir say what he liked.
قَالَ:He said:أَخْبِرْنِيInform meهَلْdoesيَجِبُthere become obligatoryشُكْرُgratitude ofالنَّاسِpeopleبَعْضُهُمْsome of themلِبَعْضٍ؟to some?
He said: Inform me, does gratitude of people to one another become obligatory?
قَالَ:He said:نَعَمْ.Yes.
He said: Yes.
قَالَ:He said:وَبِمَAnd by whatيَجِبُ؟does it become obligatory?
He said: And by what does it become obligatory?
قَالَ:He said:بِإِحْسَانِBy the kindness ofالْمُحْسِنِthe doer of goodوَبِفَضْلِand by the bounty ofالْمُنْعِمِ.the bestower of favor.
He said: By the kindness of the doer of good and by the bounty of the bestower of favor.
قَالَ:He said:صَدَقْتَ،You spoke the truth,
He said: You spoke the truth,
جِئْتَyou cameإِلَيَّto meوَأَنَاwhile I amعَلَىonهَذِهِthisالْحَالِstateالَّتِيwhichتَرَىyou see
you came to me while I am on this state which you see
خَاتَمِيmy signetبِفَرْغَانَةَis in Ferganaوَآخَرُand anotherبِبَرْقَةَis in Barcaوَحُكْمِيand my decreeوَنْهْيِيand my prohibitionوَأَمْرِيand my commandجَائِزٌis effectiveفِيمَاinبَيْنَbetweenهَذَيْنِthese twoالطَّرَفَيْنِextremities
my signet is in Fergana and another is in Barca, and my decree and prohibition and command is effective between these two extremities,
وَقَدْand there has beenجُمِعَgatheredلِيfor meمِنَofالْعَمَلِauthorityمَاwhatلَمْhas notيُجْمَعْbeen gatheredلِأَحَدٍfor anyoneقَطُّever
and there has been gathered for me of authority what has not been gathered for anyone ever
مِنْfromوِلَايَةِgovernorship ofالْمَشْرِقِthe Eastوَالْمَغْرِبِand the Westوَالشُّرْطَةِand the policeوَمَاand whatخَرَجَwent outمِنْfromهَذِهِthisالطَّبَقَةِclass
from governorship of the East and the West and the police and what went out from this class
وَلَسْتُand I am notأَلْتَفِتُturningإِلَّاexceptإِلَىtoنِعْمَةِthe favor ofهَؤُلَاءِtheseالْقَوْمِpeopleوَمِنَّتِهِمْ،and their beneficence,
and I am not turning except to the favor of these people and their beneficence,
لَاnotأَسْتَفِيءُI seek shadeإِلَّاexceptبِظِلِّهَاin its shadeوَلَاand notأَعْرِفُI recognizeغَيْرَهُمْother than themسَادَةًas mastersوَلَاnorكُبَرَاءَeldersوَلَاnorأَئِمَّةًimamsوَلَاnorخُلَفَاءَ،caliphs,
I do not seek shade except in its shade, and I do not recognize other than them as masters, nor elders, nor imams, nor caliphs,
فَأَرَدْتَso you wantedأَنْthatأَكْفُرَI denyهَذِهِthisالنِّعْمَةَfavorوَأَجْحَدَand rejectهَذَاthisالْمَعْرُوفَgood deed
so you wanted me to deny this favor and reject this good deed
وَأُبَايِعَand give allegiance toرَجُلًاa manمَاwho has notامْتُحِنَbeen testedلِلتَّقْوَىfor pietyوَلَاnorأَفَادَacquiredعِلْمًاknowledgeلِلْهُدَىfor guidance
and give allegiance to a man who has not been tested for piety, nor acquired knowledge for guidance,
وَلَاnorجَرَتْranلَهُfor himعَلَىoverمِلِّيٍّa Muslimوَلَاnorذِمِّيٍّa dhimmiيَدٌa handسَالِفَةٌpastوَلَاnorنِعْمَةٌfavorسَائِرَةٌ،current,
nor has there been for him over a Muslim or a dhimmi any past hand or current favor,
افْتَرَىwho fabricated liesعَلَىagainstاللَّهِAllahجَلَّmajestic isذِكْرُهُ،His mention,
who fabricated lies against Allah, majestic is His mention,
وَلَوْand ifفَعَلْتُI had doneهَذَاthisالَّذِيwhichدَعَوْتَنِيyou called meإِلَيْهِto itكُنْتَwould youتَرْضَىbe pleasedبِهِwith itفِيinمَكَارِمِnoble traits ofالْأَخْلَاقِcharacterوَشُكْرِand gratitude ofالْمُنْعِمِينَthe bestowers of favor
and if I had done this which you called me to, would you be pleased with it regarding noble traits of character and gratitude of the bestowers of favor?
قَالَ:He said:فَسَكَتَso remained silentالرَّجُلُthe manوَلَمْand did notيُحِرْutterجَوَاباً،an answer,
He said: So the man remained silent and did not utter an answer,
وَكَانَand he hadدَعَاهُinvited himإِلَىtoبَيْعَةِthe allegiance ofابْنِIbnطَبَاطَبَا.Tabataba.
and he had invited him to the allegiance of Ibn Tabataba.
وَقَالَAnd saidبَعْضُهُمْ:some of them:إِنَّهُthat heكَانَwasدَسِيسَa secret agent ofالْمَأْمُونِ.al-Ma'mun.
And some of them said: That he was a secret agent of al-Ma'mun.
بَرُونَBarunالْكَبِيرُthe Elderقَالَ:said:وَجَّهَdirectedإِلَيَّto meالْمَأْمُونُal-Ma'mun
Barun the Elder said: Al-Ma'mun directed to me
وَقَدْwhenمَضَىhad passedمِنَofاللَّيْلِthe nightالثُّلُثُone thirdفَقَالَso he saidلِي:to me:
when one third of the night had passed, so he said to me:
يَاOبَرُونُBarun,قَدْhasأَكْثَرَmade frequentعَلَيْنَاto usأَصْحَابُthe reporters ofالْأَخْبَارِnews
O Barun, the reporters of news have made frequent reports to us
فِيregardingأَنَّthatشَيْخًاan old manيَرِدُfrequentsخَرَابَاتِthe ruins ofالْبَرَامِكَةِthe Barmakidsفَيُبْكِيهِمْand makes them weepوَيَنْدُبُهُمْand laments themوَيُنْشِدُand recitesأَبْيَاتًاversesمِنَofالشِّعْرِpoetry
that an old man frequents the ruins of the Barmakids and makes them weep and laments them and recites verses of poetry
فَارْكَبْso rideأَنْتَyouوَعَلِيُّand AliبْنُbinمُحَمَّدٍMuhammadوَدِينَارُand DinarبْنُbinعَبْدِAbdاللَّهِAllah
so you ride, along with Ali bin Muhammad and Dinar bin Abd Allah,
حَتَّىuntilتَرِدُواyou reachهَذِهِtheseالْخَرَابَاتِruinsفَتَصِيرُواand you becomeمِنْfromوَرَاءِbehindجُدْرَانِهَاtheir walls
until you reach these ruins and get behind their walls,
فَإِذَاso whenرَأَيْتُمُyou seeالشَّيْخَthe old manقَدْhasوَرَدَarrivedوَبَكَىand weptوَأَنْشَدَand recitedفَأْتُونِيthen bring himبِهِ.to me.
so when you see the old man has arrived and wept and recited, then bring him to me.
قَالَSaidبَرُونُ:Barun:فَرَكِبْتُso I rodeمَعَwithالْقَوْمِthe peopleحَتَّىuntilوَرَدْنَاwe reachedالْخَرَابَاتِ،the ruins,
Barun said: So I rode with the people until we reached the ruins,
وَإِذَاand suddenlyالْخَادِمُthe servantقَدْhadأَتَىcomeوَمَعَهُand with him wasزِلِّيَّةٌa rugرُومِيَّةٌRomanوَكُرْسِيٌّand a chairجَدِيدٌ،new,
and suddenly the servant had come and with him was a Roman rug and a new chair,
وَإِذَاand suddenlyشَيْخٌan old manوَسِيمٌhandsomeجَمِيلٌbeautifulلَهُwho hadصَلْعَةٌbaldnessوَهَامَةٌand a prominent headفَجَلَسَso he satيَبْكِيweepingوَيَقُولُ:and saying:
and suddenly a handsome, beautiful old man who had baldness and a prominent head, so he sat weeping and saying:
وَلَمَّاAnd whenرَأَيْتُI sawالسَّيْفَthe swordقَدْhasقَدَّseveredجَعْفَرًاJa'far......وَنَادَىand calledمُنَادٍa callerلِلْخَلِيفَةِfor the caliphفِيregardingيَحْيَىYahya
And when I saw the sword has severed Ja'far ... And a caller for the caliph called regarding Yahya
بَكَيْتُI weptعَلَىoverالدُّنْيَاthe worldوَأَيْقَنْتُand I became certainأَنَّهُthatقُصَارَىthe utmost ofالْفَتَىthe youthيَوْمًاone dayمُفَارَقَةُis partingالدُّنْيَاthe world
I wept over the world and I became certain that the utmost of the youth one day is parting the world
أَجَعْفَرُO Ja'farإِنْifتَهْلِكْyou perishفَرُبَّthen many aعَظِيمَةٍcalamityكَشَفْتَyou uncoveredوَنُعْمَىand bountyقَدْhasوَصَلْتَyou joinedبِهَاwith itنُعْمَىbounty
O Ja'far, if you perish, then many a calamity you uncovered and bounty you joined with bounty
فَقُلْso sayلِلَّذِيto the one whoأَبْدَىshowedلِيَحْيَىto Yahyaوَجَعْفَرٍand Ja'farشَمَاتَتَهُhis gloatingأَبْشِرْrejoiceلِتَأْتِيَهُمُthat will come to themالْعُقْبَىthe consequence
So say to the one who showed his gloating to Yahya and Ja'far: Rejoice, for the consequence will come to them
لَئِنْIf indeedزَالَdepartedغُصْنُthe branch ofالْمُلْكِsovereigntyعَنْfromآلِthe family ofبَرَمَكَBarmakفَمَاthen itزَالَremainedحَتَّىuntilأَثْمَرَit bore fruitالْغُصْنُthe branchوَاسْتَعْلَىand rose high
If indeed the branch of sovereignty departed from the family of Barmak, then it remained until the branch bore fruit and rose high
وَمَاand notالدَّهْرُtimeإِلَّاexceptدَوْلَةٌa stateبَعْدَafterدَوْلَةٍstateتُبَدِّلُit exchangesذَاpossessor ofمُلْكٍsovereigntyوَتُعْقِبُand causes to followذَاpossessor ofبَلْوَىtribulation
And time is nothing but a state after a state; it exchanges the possessor of sovereignty and causes to follow the possessor of tribulation
عَلَىonأَنَّهَاthat itلَيْسَتْis notتَدُومُlastingلِأَهْلِهَاfor its peopleوَلَوْand even ifأَنَّهَاitدَامَتْhad lastedلَكُنْتُمْwould you have beenبِهَاto itأَوْلَىmost worthy
Yet it is not lasting for its people, and even if it had lasted, you would have been most worthy of it
بَنِيO sons ofبَرَمَكَBarmakكُنْتُمْyou wereنُجُومًاstarsمُضِيئَةًluminousبِهَاby themيَهْتَدِيis guidedفِيinظُلْمَةِdarkness ofاللَّيْلِthe nightمَنْwhoeverأَسْرَىjourneyed by night
O sons of Barmak, you were luminous stars by which whoever journeyed by night in the darkness of the night is guided
لِأَيِّكُمْFor which of youأَبْكِيdo I weepأَلِلْفَضْلِis it for al-Fadlذِيthe possessor ofالنَّدَىgenerosityأَمِorالشَّيْخِthe old manيَحْيَىYahyaأَمْorلِمَحْبُوسِهِfor his imprisonedمُوسَىMusa
For which of you do I weep? Is it for al-Fadl the possessor of generosity, or the old man Yahya, or for his imprisoned Musa?
أَمِOrالْمَلِكِthe kingالْمَصْلُوبِcrucifiedمِنْafterبَعْدِafterعِزَّةٍmightأَمْorأَبْكِيdo I weepبُكَاءَthe weeping ofالْمُعَوَّلَاتِthe wailing womenأَمِorالثَّكْلَىthe bereaved mothers
Or the king crucified after might, or do I weep the weeping of the wailing women or the bereaved mothers?
لِكُلِّكُمْFor all of youأَبْكِيdo I weepبِعَيْنٍwith an eyeغَزِيرَةٍprofuse in tearsوَقَلْبٍand a heartقَرِيحٍwoundedلَاneitherيَمُوتُdoes it dieوَلَاnorيَحْيَاdoes it live
For all of you do I weep with an eye profuse in tears and a wounded heart that neither dies nor lives