قَالَ:He
He said:
وَدَعَاAnd calledيَحْيَى بْنُYahya son ofخَالِدٍKhalidالْبَرْمَكِيُّthe Barmakidابْنَهُhis sonإِبْرَاهِيمَIbrahimيَوْماًone day
Yahya ibn Khalid al-Barmaki called his son Ibrahim one day,
وَكَانَand he wasيُسَمَّىcalledدِينَارَDinarبَنِيof the sons ofبَرْمَكٍBarmakلِجَمَالِهِfor his beautyوَحُسْنِهِand his handsomeness
and he was called the Dinar of the Barmakids for his beauty and handsomeness,
وَدَعَاand he summonedبِمُؤَدِّبِهِhis tutorوَبِمَنْand whoeverكَانَwasضُمَّattachedإِلَيْهِto himمِنْofكُتَّابِهِ،his scribes,
and he summoned his tutor and those of his scribes who were assigned to him,
وَأَجَابَهُ،and he answered,
and he responded,
فَقَالَ:so he said:مَاWhat isحَالُthe state ofابْنِيmy sonهَذَا؟this?
so he said, 'What is the state of this son of mine?'
قَالُوا:They said:قَدْHe hasبَلَغَattainedمِنَfromالْأَدَبِliteratureكَذَاsuch and suchوَكَذَاand such and such
They said, 'He has attained such and such in literature
وَنَظَرَand lookedفِيintoكَذَاsuch and suchوَكَذَاand such and such.'
and studied such and such.'
قَالَ:He said:لَيْسَIt is notعَنْaboutهَذَاthisسَأَلْتُ،I asked,
He said, 'It is not about this I asked.'
قَالُوا:They said:قَدْWe haveاتَّخَذْنَاacquiredلَهُfor himمِنَfromالضِّيَاعِestatesكَذَاsuch and such
They said, 'We have acquired for him such and such of estates
وَغَلَّتُهُand their yieldكَذَاis such and such.'
and their yield is such and such.'
قَالَ:He said:وَلَاNorعَنْaboutهَذَاthisسَأَلْتُdid I ask
He said, 'Nor about this did I ask;
إِنَّمَاratherسَأَلْتُI askedعَنْaboutبُعْدِthe loftiness ofهِمَّتِهِhis ambition
I only asked about the loftiness of his ambition,
وَهَلْand whetherاتَّخَذْتُمْyou have incurredلَهُfor himفِيinأَعْنَاقِthe necks ofالرِّجَالِmenمِنَناًfavorsوَحَبَّبْتُمُوهُand made him belovedإِلَىtoالنَّاسِ؟the people?
and whether you have placed favors upon men's necks for him and made him beloved to the people?'
قَالُوا:They said:لَاNo.
They said, 'No.'
قَالَ:He said:فَبِئْسَthen evil areالْعُشَرَاءُthe companionsأَنْتُمْyouوَالْأَصْحَابُ،and associates,
He said, 'Then evil companions and associates are you!
هُوَHeوَاللَّهِby Allahإِلَىtoهَذَاthisأَحْوَجُis more in needمِنْهُthanإِلَىtoمَاwhatقُلْتُمْ!you said!'
He, by Allah, is more in need of this than what you have mentioned!'
ثُمَّThenأَمَرَhe orderedبِحَمْلِthe carrying ofخَمْسِfiveمِائَةِhundredأَلْفِthousandدِرْهَمٍdirhamsإِلَيْهِto him,
Then he ordered five hundred thousand dirhams to be brought to him,
فَفُرِّقَتْand they were distributedعَلَىamongقَوْمٍa peopleلَاnotدْرِيhe knowsمَنْwhoهُمْ.they are.
and they were distributed to people whose identity he did not know.
قَالَ:He said:وَقَالَAnd saidالْمَأْمُونُal-Ma'munلِوَلَدِهِto his sonوَعِنْدَهُwhile with him wereعَمْرُو بْنُAmr ibnمَسْعَدَةَMas'adahوَيَحْيَى بْنُand Yahya ibnأَكْثَمَ:Aktham:
He said: Al-Ma'mun said to his son, while Amr ibn Mas'adah and Yahya ibn Aktham were with him:
اعْتَبِرُواTake exampleفِيinعُلُوِّthe loftiness ofالْهِمَّةِambitionبِمَنْby those whomتَرَوْنَyou seeمِنْofوُزَرَائِيmy viziersوَخَاصَّتِي،and my intimates.
'Consider the loftiness of ambition in those you see of my viziers and intimates.
إِنَّهُمْIndeed, theyوَاللَّهِby Allahمَاnotبَلَغُواdid they reachمَرَاتِبَهُمْtheir ranksعِنْدِيwith meإِلَّاexceptبِأَنْفُسِهِمْ،by themselves.
By Allah, they did not reach their ranks with me except through themselves.
إِنَّهُIndeed,مَنْwhoeverتَبِعَfollowsمِنْكُمْamong youصِغَارَthe smallالْأُمُورِmattersتَبِعَهُwill be followed byالتَّصْغِيرُbelittlementوَالتَّحْقِيرُand contempt.
Whoever among you pursues petty matters will be pursued by belittlement and contempt.
وَكَانَAndقَلِيلُwhat is little ofمَاwhatيَفْتَقِدُis missedمِنْofكِبَارِهَاits major mattersأَكْثَرُis greater thanمِنْthanكَثِيرِmuch ofمَاwhatيُسْتَدْرَكُis recoveredمِنَofالصِّغَارِ،the minor ones.
What is missed of the major matters is greater than much of what is recovered of the minor ones.
فَتَرَفَّعُواSo riseعَنْaboveدَنَاءَةِbaseness ofالْهِمَّةِambitionوَتَفَرَّغُواand devote yourselvesلِجَلَائِلِto the grandالْأُمُورِmattersوَالتَّدْبِيرِand management,
So rise above base ambitions, devote yourselves to grand matters and administration,
وَاسْتَكْفُواand suffice yourselves withالثِّقَاتِtrustworthy people,وَكُونُواand beمِثْلَlikeكِرَامِthe nobleالسِّبَاعِbeasts of preyالَّتِيwhichلَاdo notتَشْتَغِلُbusy themselves withبِصِغَارِthe smallالطَّيْرِbirdsوَالْوَحْشِand gameبَلْratherبِجَلِيلِهَاwith their grandوَكِبَارِهَا،and large ones.
rely on trustworthy people, and be like noble beasts of prey that do not busy themselves with small birds and game, but rather with their grand and large ones.
وَاعْلَمُواAnd knowأَنَّthatأَقْدَامَكُمْyour feetإِنْifلَمْthey do notتَتَقَدَّمْadvanceبِكُمْwith youفَإِنَّthenقَائِدَكُمْyour leaderلَاwill notيُقَدِّمُكُمْadvance you
And know that if your feet do not advance you, your leader will not advance you,
وَلَاand norيُغْنِيwill availالْوَلِيُّthe guardianعَنْكُمْfor youشَيْئاًanythingمَاas long asلَمْnotتُعْطُوهُyou give himحَقَّهُ،his due.
and the guardian will not avail you anything as long as you do not give him his due.
وَأَنْشَدَهُ:And he recited to him:
And he recited to him:
نَحْنُWe areالَّذِينَthose whoإِذَاwhenتَخَمَّطَragesعُصْبَةٌa band
We are those who, when a band rages...
مِنْfromمَعْشَرٍa tribeكُنَّاwe wereلَهَاfor itأَنْكَالَاshackles
Of a people, we were shackles for it.
وَنَرَىAnd we seeالْقُرُومَthe chieftainsمَخَافَةًout of fearلِقُرُومِنَاof our chieftains
And we see the chieftains, out of fear of our chieftains,
قَبْلَbeforeاللِّقَاءِthe encounterتُقَطِّرُdrippingالْأَبْوَالَاurine
Before the encounter, dripping urine.
نَرِدُWe resort toالْمَنِيَّةَdeathلَاnotنَخَافُfearingوُرُودَهَاits arrival
We frequent death, not fearing its arrival,
تَحْتَbeneathالْعَجَاجَةِthe dust cloudوَالْعُيُونُwhile the eyesتَلَالَاare flashing
Beneath the dust cloud while eyes are flashing.
نُعْطِيWe giveالْجَزِيلَabundantlyفَلَاand do notنَمُنُّbestow with remindersعَطَاءَنَاour gift
We give abundantly and do not remind of our gift,
قَبْلَbeforeالسُّؤَالِthe askingوَنَحْمِلُand we bearالْأَثْقَالََاthe burdens
Before the asking, and we bear the burdens.
وَإِذَاAnd ifالْبِلَادُthe landsعَلَىuponالْأَنَامِcreaturesتَزَلْزَلَتْquake
And if the lands quake upon the creatures,
كُنَّاwe wereلِزَلْزَلَةِfor the quaking ofالْبِلَادِthe landsجِبَالَاmountains
We were mountains for the quaking of the lands.
وَلِبَعْضِهِمْAnd for some of themفِيregardingأَبِيAbuدُلَفَ:Dulaf:
And by some of them regarding Abu Dulaf:
لَهُHe hasهِمَمٌambitionsلَاnoمُنْتَهَىendلِكِبَارِهَاfor their grand ones
He has ambitions whose grand ones have no end,
وَهِمَّتُهُand his ambitionالصُّغْرَىthe smallestأَجَلُّis greaterمِنَthanالدَّهْرِtime
And his smallest ambition is greater than time.
لَهُHe hasرَاحَةٌa palmلَوْifأَنَّthatمِعْشَارَa tenthجُودِهَاof its generosity
He has a palm that if a tenth of its generosity
عَلَىuponالْبَرِّthe landكَانَwasالْبَرُّthe landأَنْدَىmoisterمِنَthanالْبَحْرِthe sea
Were upon the land, the land would be moister than the sea.
وَلَوْAnd ifأَنَّthatخَلْقَcreation ofاللَّهِAllahفِيinمِسْكِthe mold ofفَارِسٍa knight
And if all creation were in the mold of a knight,
فَبَارَزَهُand due to him in combatكَانَwould beالْخَلِيَّdevoidمِنَofالْعُمْرِlife
And fought him, he would be devoid of life.
أَبَاO AbuدُلَفِDulafبُورِكْتَmay you be blessedفِيinكُلِّeveryوِجْهَةٍdirection
O Abu Dulaf, may you be blessed in every direction,
كَمَاjust asبُورِكْتَyou were blessedفِيinشَهْرِهَاits monthلَيْلَةُthe night ofالْقَدْرِAl-Qadr
Just as the Night of Decree is blessed in its month.
وَلِغَيْرِهِ:And by someone else:
And by someone else:
لَاDo notتَهْدِمَنَّdemolishبُنْيَانَthe building ofقَوْمٍa peopleوَجَدْتَهُمْwhom you found
Do not demolish the building of a people whom you found
بَنَوْاhaving builtلَكَfor youبُنْيَاناًa buildingوَكُنْand beأَنْتَyouبَانِياًa builder
Having built a building for you, and be you a builder.
وَإِنْAnd ifزَهِدَshowed disdainالْأَقْوَامُthe peopleفِيinطَلَبِseekingالْعُلَىloftiness
And if people show disdain in seeking loftiness,
فَسَامِthen aim highبِكَفَّيْكَwith your palmsالنَّدَىfor generosityوَالْمَعَالِيَاand sublime things.
Then aim high with your hands for generosity and sublime things.
عَبْدُAbdullahاللَّهِ بْنُibnطَاهِرٍ:Tahir:
Abdullah ibn Tahir:
فَتًىA youthخَصَّهُwhom singled outاللَّهُAllahبِالْمَكْرُمَاتِwith noble traits
A youth whom Allah singled out with noble traits,
فَمَازَجَso blendedمِنْهُwithin himالْحَيَاmodestyوَالْكَرَمُand generosity.
So modesty and generosity blended within him.
إِذَاWhenهِمَّةٌan ambitionقَصَّرَتْfalls shortعَنْofيَدٍ،a hand,
When an ambition falls short of a hand,
تَنَاوَلَhe reachesبِالْمَجْدِwith gloryأَعْلَىthe highestالْهِمَمِambitions.
He reaches with glory the highest ambitions.
وَلَاAnd he does notيَنْكُتُtapالْأَرْضَthe earthعِنْدَuponالسُّؤَالِasking
And he does not tap the earth upon being asked
لِيُثْنِيَto turn awayزوَّارَهُhis visitorsعَنْfromنِعَمٍfavors.
To turn his visitors away from favors.
بَدَاHe appearedحِينَwhenأَثْرَىhe grew wealthyلِإِخْوَانِهِto his brothers
He appeared when he grew wealthy to his brothers,
فَفَلَّلَso he bluntedعَنْهُمْfrom themشَبَاةَthe edge ofالْعَدَمِdestitution.
So he blunted the edge of destitution from them.
وَذَكَّرَهُAnd reminded himالْحَزْمُprudenceغِبَّof the aftermath ofالْأُمُورِmatters
Prudence reminded him of the aftermath of matters,
فَبَادَرَso he hastenedقَبْلَbeforeانْتِقَالِthe passing ofالنِّعَمِblessings.
So he hastened before the passing of blessings.