حَيَّاكُمُgreeted you all الوَجهُthe face الجَميلُbeautiful المُسفِرُradiant
حَيَّاكُمُ الوَجهُ الجَميلُ المُسفِرُ
يَاO مَجلِساًa gathering فِيِهِin it الفُنُونُthe disciplines تُحَرَّرُare expounded
يَا مَجلِساً فِيِهِ الفُنُونُ تُحَرَّرُ
The beautiful, radiant face greets you,
O gathering where the disciplines are expounded.
هَلdo? تَسْمَعونَyou all listen وإنَّمَاand only أنَاI نَائِبٌa deputy
هَل تَسْمَعونَ وإنَّمَا أنَا نَائِبٌ
عَنكُمْon your behalf وأنتُمْand you all بِالإصَابَةِin getting it right أجدَرُbetter qualified
عَنكُمْ وأنتُمْ بِالإصَابَةِ أجدَرُ
Will you listen? I am only a deputy
on your behalf, though you are better qualified to give the right answer.
طَلَبَsought الطُّويرُal-Tuwayr عَنِabout السُّؤالِthe question إجابَةًan answer
طَلَبَ الطُّويرُ عَنِ السُّؤالِ إجابَةً
وسؤالهُand his question ُمِمَّاfrom what مَضَىwent before مُسَتشْعَرٌdiscernible
وسؤالهُ ُمِمَّا مَضَى مُسَتشْعَرٌ
Al-Tuwayr sought an answer to the question,
and his question can be inferred from what has preceded.
إنْif كَانَis يَنْفَعُهُbenefits him المَقالُthe discourse فَإنَّthen indeed فيin
إنْ كَانَ يَنْفَعُهُ المَقالُ فَإنَّ في
تَفويتِthwarting طَمعَتِهِhis hope الضَّمَانَliability مُقَرَّرٌis established
تَفويتِ طَمعَتِهِ الضَّمَانَ مُقَرَّرٌ
If these words benefit him, then for
thwarting his hope, liability is established.
وَإذاand if يَقُولُsays الخَصْمُthe adversary لَستُI am not بِقاصِدٍintending
وَإذا يَقُولُ الخَصْمُ لَستُ بِقاصِدٍ
تَفويتَهَاthwarting it قُلنَاwe said لَهُto him لاَnot تُعْذرُyou are excused
تَفويتَهَا قُلنَا لَهُ لاَ تُعْذرُ
And if the adversary says, “I did not intend
to thwart it,” we tell him, “You are not excused.”
صَيدُgame الحَجيجِthe pilgrims إذاif يَمُوتُdies بِروعَةٍfrom fright
صَيدُ الحَجيجِ إذا يَمُوتُ بِروعَةٍ
مِنfrom غافِلٍan unwitting person فِيهِfor it الجَزاءُthe penalty مٌقَدَّرُis prescribed
مِن غافِلٍ فِيهِ الجَزاءُ مٌقَدَّرُ
If the pilgrims’ quarry dies of fright
caused by an unwitting person, a penalty is prescribed for it.
هَذاthis ولاَand not يُقضَىis made good الطَّعَامُthe food بِمِثلِهِwith its like
هَذا ولاَ يُقضَى الطَّعَامُ بِمِثلِهِ
مُتأخِّرٌdelayed إذْsince هُوَit فِعلٌan act مُنكَرُblameworthy
مُتأخِّرٌ إذْ هُوَ فِعلٌ مُنكَرُ
This being so, the food is not made good with its like
at a later time, for that is a blameworthy act.
فَتَعَيَّنَso it became necessary التَّقويمُvaluation بِالقَدرِat the amount الَّذيthat
فَتَعَيَّنَ التَّقويمُ بِالقَدرِ الَّذي
سَاوىequaled ومَهمْاand whatever زَادَis greater فَهوَthen it is الأظهَرُthe more evident view
سَاوى ومَهمْا زَادَ فَهوَ الأظهَرُ
So valuation is required at an amount that
equals its worth; a higher valuation is the sounder view.
وإذاand if أرادَhe wishes الفِعلَthe action فَلِيَعدلْthen let him turn إلىto
وإذا أرادَ الفِعلَ فَلِيَعدلْ إلى
عَدلٍan upright man خَبِيرexpert بِالفِعالِin deeds وأقدَرُand more capable
عَدلٍ خَبِير بِالفِعالِ وأقدَرُ
And if he wishes to act, let him turn to
an upright man, skilled in action and more capable:
ابنson of الحُسينِal-Husayn عَلِيِّAli البَاشَاthe Pasha الذيwho
ابن الحُسينِ عَلِيِّ البَاشَا الذي
أوقَاتُهُhis hours شَمْسٌsun وَلَيلٌand a night مُقمِرُmoonlit
أوقَاتُهُ شَمْسٌ وَلَيلٌ مُقمِرُ
Ali Pasha, son of al-Husayn, whose
hours are sunshine and a moonlit night.
عَذبِsweet الفُكَاهَةِhumor لاَnot يُمَلُis tired of حَديثُهُhis conversation
عَذبِ الفُكَاهَةِ لاَ يُمَلُ حَديثُهُ
حَتَّىuntil يَمَلَّtires مِنَof الحَياةِlife المُوسِرُthe well-to-do man
حَتَّى يَمَلَّ مِنَ الحَياةِ المُوسِرُ
Sweet in humor, his conversation never wearies,
until the well-to-do man wearies of life.
وَبِكُلَand at every آونةٍmoment يَزِيدُكَgives you more بِرُّهُhis kindness
وَبِكُلَ آونةٍ يَزِيدُكَ بِرُّهُ
لَونٌa dish ألَذُّmore delicious مِنَthan القَدِيمِthe earlier one وأفخَرُand more splendid
لَونٌ ألَذُّ مِنَ القَدِيمِ وأفخَرُ
And at every moment his kindness offers you
a dish tastier and more splendid than the last.
وعَلِيُّand Ali تَكْثُرُmultiply وارِدَاتُincoming gifts نَوالِهِof his bounty
وعَلِيُّ تَكْثُرُ وارِدَاتُ نَوالِهِ
فَهِيso they are الخِيارُthe choicest وأنتَand you بَعدُstill مُخَيَّرُfree to choose
فَهِي الخِيارُ وأنتَ بَعدُ مُخَيَّرُ
And Ali’s gifts of bounty come in abundance;
they are the choicest, and you still have your choice.
أمَّاbut إذاwhen مَاfor emphasis جَدَّbecomes serious فَهوَthen he is بَديهَةٌspontaneous insight
أمَّا إذا مَا جَدَّ فَهوَ بَديهَةٌ
فِيهَاin it أرسطُوAristotle بِالعَجَائِبِof wonders يُخْبِرُrecounts
فِيهَا أرسطُو بِالعَجَائِبِ يُخْبِرُ
But when he turns serious, he is a flash of insight
in which Aristotle recounts wonders.
تَرِدُcome المَسائِلُthe questions فِيin مَجَالِسِgatherings بَحثِهِof his inquiry
تَرِدُ المَسائِلُ فِي مَجَالِسِ بَحثِهِ
مَأنُوسَةًfamiliar حِيناًat times وَحِيناًand at times تُنفِرُcause aversion
مَأنُوسَةً حِيناً وَحِيناً تُنفِرُ
Questions come to the gatherings of his inquiry,
familiar at times, and at times forbidding.
فَيَرُدُّso he brings back شَارِدَهَاtheir strays بِسابِقِwith a swift فِكرَةٍthought
فَيَرُدُّ شَارِدَهَا بِسابِقِ فِكرَةٍ
لِنُفُوذِهَاthrough its penetration صَخرُrock الصَّفاةِthe smooth, hard stone يُسخَّرُis subdued
لِنُفُوذِهَا صَخرُ الصَّفاةِ يُسخَّرُ
He brings their strays back with a swift thought,
whose penetrating force subdues smooth, hard rock.
وَلَكَمْand how often افَادimparted knowledge َفَقَالَthen he said مَنone who لاَnot يَرعَويdesists
وَلَكَمْ افَاد َفَقَالَ مَن لاَ يَرعَوي
عَنfrom غَيِّهِhis error أنَاI بِالإفَادَةِat imparting knowledge أبصَرُmore discerning
عَن غَيِّهِ أنَا بِالإفَادَةِ أبصَرُ
How often he imparted knowledge, yet one said, refusing to turn
from his error, “I am more skilled at imparting knowledge.”
أغفَىhe dozed لِدِقَّةِbecause of the subtlety of مَاwhat جَرىoccurred حتىuntil ادَّعَىhe claimed
أغفَى لِدِقَّةِ مَا جَرى حتى ادَّعَى
مَاwhat فَهمُهُunderstanding it عَنْfrom مِثلِهِsomeone like him مُتَعَذّرُis impossible
مَا فَهمُهُ عَنْ مِثلِهِ مُتَعَذّرُ
He dozed over the subtlety of what occurred, until he claimed
what someone like him could never understand.
عَجَباًhow strange! لِسَابِقِat one first to نُكتَةٍa subtle point وَمُفِيدُهَاand its expounder
عَجَباً لِسَابِقِ نُكتَةٍ وَمُفِيدُهَا
فَطِنٌalert لَهَاto it وَشَهِيدُهُand his witness مُتوَفِّرُavailable
فَطِنٌ لَهَا وَشَهِيدُهُ مُتوَفِّرُ
How strange to claim priority in an insight, while its expounder
is alert to it, and his witness is at hand!
لَكِنَّbut أخلاقَthe manners الأميرof the prince تَحِيدُturn away عَنْfrom
لَكِنَّ أخلاقَ الأمير تَحِيدُ عَنْ
شَيءٍsomething تَرَاهُthey deem it مِنَof القَبيحِthe ugly وتَسْتُرُand conceal
شَيءٍ تَرَاهُ مِنَ القَبيحِ وتَسْتُرُ
But the prince’s manners turn away from
anything they deem ugly, and conceal it.
لاَزالَmay he always remain مَقصُوداًsought لِكُلِfor every إفَادَةٍinstruction
لاَزالَ مَقصُوداً لِكُلِ إفَادَةٍ
والِّسنُّand the tooth مِنهُof him ضَاحِكَsmiling مُستَبْشِرُglad
والِّسنُّ مِنهُ ضَاحِكَ مُستَبْشِرُ
May he ever be sought for every useful lesson,
and may his teeth ever smile in gladness.
وَلَكَمْand how often سَمِعْتَyou heard ومَاyet not سَمِعتَyou heard غَريبَةًa marvel
وَلَكَمْ سَمِعْتَ ومَا سَمِعتَ غَريبَةً
يَكفِيكَsuffices for you مِنْfor إطرَائِهَاpraising it مَاwhat يُذكَرُis mentioned
يَكفِيكَ مِنْ إطرَائِهَا مَا يُذكَرُ
How much you have heard, yet never heard such a marvel
that its mere telling suffices for you as praise.
قَالَsaid الأيِمَةُthe imams أكثَرُthe more numerous الصَّنفَينِof the two kinds فيin
قَالَ الأيِمَةُ أكثَرُ الصَّنفَينِ في
أخذِlevying الزَّكاةِthe alms-tax عَلَىover القَلِيلِthe fewer يُصَدَّرُis given precedence
أخذِ الزَّكاةِ عَلَى القَلِيلِ يُصَدَّرُ
The imams said: “The more numerous of the two kinds, in
levying the alms-tax, takes precedence over the fewer.”
مَثَلاًfor example مِنَof الجَاموسِbuffalo ثُلثاَtwo-thirds of حِصَّةٍa share
مَثَلاً مِنَ الجَاموسِ ثُلثاَ حِصَّةٍ
وَمُكَمِّلُand completing السِّتِّينَthe sixty فِيهَاin it البيقَرُcattle
وَمُكَمِّلُ السِّتِّينَ فِيهَا البيقَرُ
For example, two-thirds of a lot are buffalo,
and cattle complete its total of sixty.
فَتَسَارَعَتْso hastened أفهَامُthe minds حَضرَتِهِof his court إلَىtoward
فَتَسَارَعَتْ أفهَامُ حَضرَتِهِ إلَى
أنَّthat الرُّؤوُسَthe heads مِنَfrom المُقَدَّمِthe preferred kind تَندُرُare taken out
أنَّ الرُّؤوُسَ مِنَ المُقَدَّمِ تَندُرُ
Then the minds of his court hastened to conclude
that the heads would be taken from the preferred kind,
إذsince هُوَit أكثَرُthe most numerous مَاwhat هُناكَthere فَقَالَthen he said لاَno
إذ هُوَ أكثَرُ مَا هُناكَ فَقَالَ لاَ
بَلrather آخِرُthe latter الصّنفَينِof the two kinds هُوَit is الأكثَرُthe more numerous
بَل آخِرُ الصّنفَينِ هُوَ الأكثَرُ
since it was the most numerous there. But he said, “No—
rather, the latter of the two kinds is the more numerous.”
قالواthey said عَجَيباًastonishing! كَيفَhow ذاَthis فَأجَابَهُمْso he answered them
قالوا عَجَيباً كَيفَ ذاَ فَأجَابَهُمْ
عِنديI have لَهَاfor it وَجهُan interpretation عَلَيهِon it تُصَوَّرُis conceived
عِندي لَهَا وَجهُ عَلَيهِ تُصَوَّرُ
They said, “How strange! How is that?” He answered them:
“I have an interpretation by which it can be understood.
خُصَّallot to الثَّلاثينَthe thirty التيthat مِنْof أوَّلthe first kind
خُصَّ الثَّلاثينَ التي مِنْ أوَّل
مَاwhat نَابَهَاfell to their share وإلَىand to البَقيَّةِthe remainder يُنظَرُis considered
مَا نَابَهَا وإلَى البَقيَّةِ يُنظَرُ
Allot to the thirty belonging to the first kind
their due, and let the remainder be considered.
فَالأكْثَرُso the larger group العِشرُونَthe twenty مِنهَاof it مُقتَضىwhat is required for
فَالأكْثَرُ العِشرُونَ مِنهَا مُقتَضى
بَاقِيthe rest of الزَّكاةِthe alms-tax أمثِلُcan the like of هّذاthis يُنكَرُbe denied
بَاقِي الزَّكاةِ أمثِلُ هّذا يُنكَرُ
So the larger group—the twenty among them—is what is required for
the remaining alms-tax. Can anything like this be denied?”
فترَاجَعواso they relented بَعدَafter الجِمَاحِheadstrong defiance لِنُكْتَةٍbecause of a subtle point
فترَاجَعوا بَعدَ الجِمَاحِ لِنُكْتَةٍ
تَأبىrefuses to yield عَلَىto غَيرِanyone but الأميرِthe prince وتَكبُرُand is too great
تَأبى عَلَى غَيرِ الأميرِ وتَكبُرُ
So they relented after their obstinacy, owing to a subtle point
that eludes all but the prince and is too great for them.
ذَوقٌtaste يُناسِبُmatches فيin اللَّطافَةِdelicacy ذاتَهُhis very self
ذَوقٌ يُناسِبُ في اللَّطافَةِ ذاتَهُ
وكِلاهُمَاand both of them فيin كُلّevery حَالٍcircumstance يَسحَرُenchant
وكِلاهُمَا في كُلّ حَالٍ يَسحَرُ
A taste that matches his very self in delicacy,
and both enchant in every circumstance.
فَلِوَجْهِهِso for his face الهَشّcheerful الجَمِيلِbeautiful كَرَامَةٌhonor
فَلِوَجْهِهِ الهَشّ الجَمِيلِ كَرَامَةٌ
وإلىand to شَمَائِلِهِhis virtues السَّلامُgreetings يُسَيَّرُare sent
وإلى شَمَائِلِهِ السَّلامُ يُسَيَّرُ
So honor is due to his cheerful, beautiful face,
and greetings are sent to his virtues.
Sol 6.1