وَلَيْسَAnd is notهَذَاthisعَلَيَّupon meوَحْدِيalone
And this is not upon me alone...
هَذَاthisشَقَاءٌis miseryعَلَىuponالْأَنَامِmankind
this is misery upon mankind.
وَسَأَلْتَنِيAnd you asked meأَعَزَّكَmay God strengthen youاللَّهُGodتَعَالَىExalted is He
And you asked me, may God Almighty strengthen you,
أَنْtoأَجْمَعَcollectلَكَfor youمَاwhatجَاءَcameفِيconcerningفَضْلِthe virtueالْكَلْبِof the dogعَلَىoverشِرَارِthe worst ofالْإِخْوَانِbrethren
to collect for you what has been reported regarding the virtue of the dog over the worst of brothers
وَمَحْمُودِand the praisedخِصَالِهِtraits of itفِيinالسِّرِّsecretوَالْإِعْلَانِand open
and its commendable traits in private and public.
فَقَدْSo indeedجَمَعْتُI have collectedمَاwhatفِيهِin it hasكِفَايَةٌsufficiencyوَبَيَانٌand clarity
So I have collected in it what is sufficient and clear.
وَلَسْتُAnd I am notأَشُكُّdoubtingأَنَّكَthat youأَعَزَّكَmay God strengthen youاللَّهُGodعَارِفٌare aware ofبِخَبَرِthe story ofعَبْدِAbdullahاللَّهِbinبْنِHilalهِلَالٍthe Kufanالْكُوفِيِّthe leperالْمَجْذُومِownerصَاحِبِof the signet ringالْخَاتَمِsignet ring
And I do not doubt that you, may God strengthen you, are aware of the story of Abdullah bin Hilal the Kufan, the leper, the owner of the signet ring,
وَخَبَرِand the story ofجَارِهِhis neighborلَمَّاwhenسَأَلَهُhe asked himأَنْtoيَكْتُبَwriteكِتَاباًa letterإِلَىtoإِبْلِيسَIblisلَعَنَهُmay God curse himاللَّهُGodفِيregardingحَاجَةٍa needلَهُhe had
and the story of his neighbor when he asked him to write a letter to Iblis, may God curse him, regarding a need he had.
فَإِنْSo ifكَانَwasالْعَقْلُthe intellectيَدْفَعُrejectsذَلِكَthatالْخَبَرَreport
So if the intellect rejects that report,
فَهُوَthen itمِثْلُis likeحُسْنٍHusunيُعْرَفُit is knownمِثْلُهُthe like of itفِيamongالنَّاسِpeople
it is like Husun, the like of which is known among people.
فَكَتَبَSo he wroteإِلَيْهِto himالْكِتَابَthe letterوَأَكَّدَهُand emphasized itغَايَةَthe utmostالتَّأْكِيدِemphasis
So he wrote the letter to him and emphasized it with the utmost emphasis,
وَمَضَىand wentوَأَوْصَلَand deliveredالْكِتَابَthe letterإِلَىtoإِبْلِيسَIblis
and went and delivered the letter to Iblis.
فَقَرَأَهُSo he read itوَقَبَّلَهُand kissed itوَوَضَعَهُand placed itعَلَىuponعَيْنَيْهِhis eyes
He read it, kissed it, placed it upon his eyes,
وَقَالَand saidالسَّمْعُHearingوَالطَّاعَةُand obedienceلِأَبِيto AbuمُحَمَّدٍMuhammad
and said, 'Hearing and obedience to Abu Muhammad.
فَمَاSo what isحَاجَتُكَyour need?'
What is your need?'
قَالَHe saidلِيI haveجَارٌa neighborمُكْرِمٌwho is honorableشَدِيدُintenseالْمَيْلِin inclinationإِلَيَّtoward meشَفُوقٌcompassionateعَلَيَّto meوَعَلَىand toأَوْلَادِيmy children
He said, 'I have a neighbor who is honorable, deeply inclined toward me, compassionate toward me and my children.
إِنْIfكَانَتْthere wasلِيfor meحَاجَةٌa needقَضَاهَاhe fulfilled itأَوْorاحْتَجْتُI neededإِلَىtoقَرْضٍa loanأَقْرَضَنِيhe lent meوَأَسْعَفَنِيand assisted me
If I had a need, he fulfilled it, or if I needed a loan, he lent me and assisted me.
وَإِنْAnd ifغِبْتُI was absentخَلَفَنِيhe looked afterفِيinأَهْلِيmy familyوَوَلَدِيand my offspring
And if I was absent, he looked after my family and offspring,
يَبَرُّهُمْtreating them kindlyبِكُلِّwith everyمَاwhatيَجِدُhe findsإِلَيْهِto itالسَّبِيلَa way
treating them kindly by every means he can find.
وَإِبْلِيسُAnd Iblisكُلَّمَاwheneverسَمِعَhe heardمِنْهُfrom himيَقُولُsaysهَذَاThis isحَسَنٌgoodوَهَذَاand this isجَمِيلٌbeautiful
And Iblis, whenever he heard from him, would say, 'This is good, and this is beautiful.'
فَلَمَّاSo whenفَرَغَhe finishedمِنْdescribingوَصْفِهِhimقَالَhe said
So when he finished describing him, he said,
فَمَاso whatتُحِبُّdo you loveأَنْthatأَفْعَلَI doبِهِwith him?
'So what do you want me to do with him?'
قَالَHe saidأُرِيدُI wantأَنْthatتُزِيلَyou removeنِعْمَتَهُhis blessingوَتُفْقِرَهُand make him poor
He said, 'I want you to take away his blessings and impoverish him,
فَقَدْfor indeedغَاظَنِيangered meأَمْرُهُhis affairوَكَثْرَةُand the abundanceمَالِهِof his wealthوَبَقَاؤُهُand his survivalوَطُولُand the lengthسَلَامَتِهِof his safety.'
for his situation, the abundance of his wealth, his persistence, and his long-lasting well-being have angered me.'
فَضَرَخَSo shriekedإِبْلِيسُIblisصَرْخَةًa shriekلَمْnotيُسْمَعْwas heardمِثْلُهَاits likeمِنْهُfrom himقَطُّever
So Iblis let out a shriek the like of which had never been heard from him before.
فَاجْتَمَعَSo gatheredإِلَيْهِto himعَفَارِيتُهُhis demonsوَجُنْدُهُand his soldiers
His demons and soldiers gathered around him
وَقَالُواand saidلَهُto him:for
and said to him: