قال نعم خرجت في جماعة — Ibn Al Habariya

قال نَعم خَرَجت في جَماعة

تاجرة لكلنا بِضاعة

He said: Yes, I set out with a company

of merchants; each of us had merchandise.

وَكانَ فينا ناسك تَقي

طَريقه في زهدِهِ مهدي

Among us was a devout ascetic,

rightly guided in his path of renunciation.

حَتَّى إِذا سِرنا وَجد السير

قالَ الصَّلاة فافعلوها خَير

When we had traveled and the pace quickened,

he said: Prayer! Perform it; that is better.

فَلامَهُ أَصحابهُ وَقالوا

سر فَالقَضاء جائز يا مال

His companions reproached him and said:

Travel on; making it up later is permitted, O Mal.

فَالجَمع للركب المجد رخصه

فانتهز الفُرصة قَبل الغصه

Combining prayers is a dispensation for a caravan pressing onward,

so seize the opportunity before distress comes.

هَذا طَريق شاسع مَجهول

وَالليث لا تَأمنه وَالغول

This is a remote, unknown road,

and you cannot feel safe from the lion or the ghoul.

فَخالف القَوم جَميعاً وَنزل

إِن الخِلاف لمشوم لَم يَزَل

But he opposed them all and dismounted;

dissent has always been ill-omened.

حَتَّى إِذا أحرَم بِالصلاة

أَتاه مِن بَين يَديهِ آت

When he had begun his prayer,

someone approached him from straight ahead.

قالَ لَهُ وَقدم السلاما

عَلَيهِ للخدعة عم ظَلاما

He spoke to him, first offering a greeting

as a ruse: A pleasant evening to you!

ما أَنتَ يا شَيخ وَذا المَكان

وَهوَ خلاء ما بِهِ إِنسان

What brings you, old man, to this place,

a wilderness with no human being in it?

وَما الَّذي تصنعه وَتفعله

فَإنَّني أنكره وَأجهله

What is it that you are doing and performing?

For I find it unfamiliar and do not understand it.

وَالشَّيخ في صلاته مَشغول

وَعقله بنسكه مَعقول

The old man was occupied with his prayer,

his mind bound up with his devotion.

ثُمَ قَضى صَلاته وَسلما

وَأَظهر الغلظة وَالتجَهما

Then he finished his prayer and gave the closing salutation,

displaying harshness and a scowl.

وَقالَ يا جاهل عَمّ تَسأَل

ألست تَدري أَي شَيء أفعل

He said: Ignorant fellow, what are you asking about?

Do you not know what I am doing?

أَكافر أَنتَ فَأَنتَ تنكر

عَلى مَن دين الهدى ما تبصر

Are you an unbeliever, that you object

to what you see practiced by one of the faith of guidance?

قالَ لَهُ ما زدتني علماً فَقُل

ماذا الَّذي تفعله يا ذا الرجل

He told him: You have taught me nothing; tell me

what it is you are doing, man.

فَإِنَّني لَم أَرَ قَط غَيرَكا

يَسير في هَذا الطَّريق سَيرَكا

For I have never seen anyone but you

follow this path as you do.

قال أمجنون ألست تعرف

أَم أَنتَ عَن نَهج السبيل تصدف

He said: Are you mad? Do you not know,

or do you turn away from the course of the way?

هَذي صَلاة الناس فَرض واجب

عَلَيهم وَلَيسَ عَنها راغب

This is people's prayer, a prescribed obligation

upon them, which none shuns.

وَقص أمر الشرع قصاً وَشرح

فَصاحَ ذاكَ الشخص عَمداً وَانطرح

He recounted the matter of religious law and explained it.

Then that man deliberately cried out and threw himself down,

يَظهر أَني قَد عَرَفتُ رَبي

وَلَم أَكُن أعرفه لِذَنبي

making a show of saying: I have come to know my Lord,

whom I had not known because of my sin.

ليخدع الشيخ فَلا يَسير

رَحيله حَتّى تَفوت العير

He meant to deceive the old man, so he would not resume

his journey until the caravan was gone.

ففطن الشَّيخ لما أراده

وَاِغتاله بِمكره وَكاده

The old man perceived what he intended,

and laid a guileful trap for him and schemed against him.

وَقالَ ما أقدر أَن أَريما

وَأظهر التوجع العَظيما

He said: I cannot move from here,

and displayed great anguish.

هَذا الفَتى لَم يَعرف الرحمانا

وَلا رَسول اللَّه إِلا الآنا

This young man did not know the All-Merciful

or God's Messenger until this very moment.

وَالآن قَد أسلم بَل قَد آمنا

وَاحسرتاه لَو وَجَدت مَأمَنا

Now he has embraced Islam—indeed, he has believed!

Alas! If only I could find a safe haven.

لَو أَنَّهُ عاش لَكان وَلدي

وَعدة عَظيمة مِن عددي

Had he lived, he would have been my son,

and a mighty resource among my resources,

وَزَوج تلك الطفلة الحَسناء

وَفاز بالنعمة وَالثراء

and husband to that beautiful little girl,

enjoying prosperity and wealth.

فَإِنَّني شَيخ كَثير المال

فرد مِن الأَعمام وَالأَخوال

For I am an old man with abundant wealth,

alone, with neither paternal nor maternal uncles.

وَلَيس لي وَلد سِوى بَنيه

وَالبنت في قَلب الشَّقيق كيه

I have no child except a little daughter;

a daughter is a searing wound in a brother's heart.

وَلَيس في أَرضي من أَهواه

لَها وَلا ذو شَرف أَرضاه

In my land there is no one I would desire

for her, nor any honorable man I would approve.

كُلهم لي حاسد عَدوٌّ

لَيس لَهُم مِن حَسدي هُدو

They are all envious enemies of mine;

they never rest from envying me.

وَحَسرة أَن يأخذوا مِن بَعدي

مالي الَّذي جَمَعتهُ بِكَدي

What grief, that after me they should take

the wealth I gathered by my toil!

لَو عاشَ هَذا كان نعم الصهر

واشتد مني بِقواه الظَهر

Had this man lived, he would have been an excellent son-in-law,

and his strength would have strengthened my back.

لكنه قَد ماتَ مِن خُشوعه

وَنَفسه تَسيل مِن دُموعه

But he has died from his reverence,

and his soul flows away through his tears.

ففهم الفاتك قَصد الناسك

فلج في الحيلة وَالتهالك

The murderous rogue understood the ascetic's purpose,

and persisted in his trickery and feigned collapse.

وَلَم يَفق مِن سُكره وَلا انتفع

بِقَوله وَإِنَّما الحَرب خدع

He did not awake from his stupor or profit

from his words; warfare is but deception.

فأيقن الناسك أَن سحره

ما رد عَنهُ كَيده وَمكره

The ascetic became certain that his magic

had not warded off the man's plotting and guile.

فَقامَ مِن مَكانه يُنادي

أَصحابه وَاللَّيل ذو اسوداد

So he rose from his place, calling

to his companions, while the night was black:

قَد مات إِنسان فَعودوا وَاشهدوا

جهازه كَما أمرتم وَاجهَدوا

A man has died! Return and witness

his funeral preparations, as you were instructed, and exert yourselves!

فَخَشي الفاتك أَن يسمعه

رَفيقه الأَدنى وَأَن يمنعه

The rogue feared that he would be heard

by his nearest companion, who would prevent him.

فَقامَ مِن صرعته مبادراً

مغالباً بفتكه مكابرا

So he rose from his collapse, rushing forward,

bent on overpowering him with violence and force.

قال لَهُ الناسك قف قَليلاً

إِن الجَميل يَفعل الجَميلا

The ascetic told him: Wait a little.

A gracious man does gracious deeds.

مَقالة مني استمعها وافهم

وارحم فَما يَرحم مَن لَم يرحم

Hear a word from me and understand,

and show mercy: one who shows no mercy receives none.

إِني شَيخ لَيسَ بي حراك

يَخشى وَما مِن عادَتي العراك

I am an old man with no movement in me

that need be feared; I am not accustomed to fighting.

وَلَيس في قَتلي غَير العار

إِذا قَصَدت قَتلتي وَالعار

There is nothing in killing me but disgrace,

if you seek to kill me and incur disgrace.

قال وَما العار الَّذي يَلحقني

إِن كانَ إثم فاحش يرهقني

He said: What disgrace would cling to me,

if a monstrous sin were to burden me?

فَقال شَيخ عاجز ضَعيف

يَأنف أن يقتله الشريف

He answered: A helpless, feeble old man—

a noble man disdains to kill him.

لا فخر في ذاك وَلا شَجاعة

بَل فيهِ عار ظاهر الشناعة

There is neither glory nor courage in that;

rather, it is disgrace, plainly hideous.

يا صاح ما سَمعت أَن مالكا

أمهل عثمان لأجل ذلكا

Friend, have you not heard that Malik

spared Uthman for that very reason,

وَصد عَنهُ إذ رآه وحده

مستسلماً قَد حادَ عَنهُ جُنده

and turned away when he saw him alone,

surrendered, his troops having deserted him?

قال لَه محمد إِذ ولى

اقتله يا مالك قال كَلا

Muhammad said to him as he turned away:

Kill him, Malik! He said: No indeed.

إِني أَخاف أَن تَقول العرب

وَالعار لا يُنجيكَ منهُ الهَرَب

I fear that the Arabs will say—

and flight will not save you from disgrace—

النخعى كان شَيخاً عاجِزاً

وَالفَخر لَو قتلته مبارزا

Al-Nakha‘i, he was a helpless old man!

Glory would have lain in killing him in single combat,

مُرتجزاً مُحتمياً بِقَومِه

فما انتَهى مُحَمَّد للومِه

chanting battle verse, defended by his people.

Muhammad did not desist because of his reproach.

فَهَكَذا مَكارِمُ الأَخلاق

وَشَرَف النفوس وَالأَعراق

Such are noble morals,

and nobility of souls and lineages.

وَهَكَذا إِذ بيت الشراة

وَكانَ مِن عاداتِها البيات

Likewise, when the Shurat were attacked by night—

night attacks being among their customs—

قال لَهُم عَمروالقَنا لا تَعجلوا

بقتلهم وَهُم نيام تخجلوا

Amr al-Qana told them: Do not hasten

to kill them while they sleep, lest you be ashamed.

وَأيقظوهم بحوامي الخَيل

وَأنذروهم وَاحذَروا مِن مَيل

Wake them with the cavalry's vanguard,

warn them, and beware of injustice.

فَإن قتل غافل أَو نائم

عار وَبئسَ القَتل للأكارم

For killing someone unaware or asleep

is disgrace, and an evil killing for noble men.

قالَ لَهُ الشاطر أَن الغَلبه

أَن يُدرك الإِنسان ما قَد طَلَبَه

The rogue told him: Victory

is that a person attains what he sought.

وَالقَصد أَن أَظفر كَيفَ كانا

وَالشّهم مَن يَنتَهز الامكانا

My aim is to prevail, however it happens;

the resourceful man seizes his opportunity.

وَلَست للأمثال منكَ استمع

وَلا بهذي الترهات انخدع

I will not listen to your parables,

or be duped by this nonsense.

تُريد أَن تَخدَعَني لتسلما

وَأنثني أعض كَفي نَدَما

You wish to deceive me so that you escape unharmed,

while I turn back, biting my hand in regret.

وَالعاقل الكافي من الرِّجال

لا يَنثَني بزخرف المقال

A sensible, capable man

is not turned aside by gilded speech.

وَإِنَّما يخدَع كُل عاجز

غمرٍ ضَعيف عوده للغامز

Only a helpless man is deceived,

a greenhorn whose weak timber yields to pressure.

أَما سمعت قصةَ الظليم

وَفتكه بالناجش المليم

Have you not heard the story of the male ostrich

and his assault on the blameworthy hunter?

فَقال لا قال رَأَيت ناجِشا

كَأَنَّهُ مثل الفنيق جائِشا

He said: No. He said: I saw a hunter

who seemed like a surging stallion camel.

قَد لطف الحيلة حَتّى اِصطادَهُ

وَشَده في حَبلِه وَقاده

He used a subtle ruse until he caught the ostrich,

bound him with his rope, and led him away.

قالَ لَهُ الظليم لِم أَخذتني

وَما الَّذي مِن أَجلِه قَصَدتَني

The ostrich told him: Why have you caught me?

For what reason did you seek me out?

قالَ لَهُ شَيخ معيل عائل

وَلي بَنات حالَهن حائل

He told him: I am an old man with dependents, poor,

and I have daughters whose condition has worsened—

تسعة أَطفال صِغار فَبَكى الظ

ظليم مِما قالَهُ وَضَحِكا

nine little children. Then the ostrich wept

at what he said, and laughed.

قالَ لَهُ الصياد هَذا عَجَب

مستظرف بَل سفه وَلَعب

The hunter told him: This is a marvel,

amusing—no, it is foolishness and play:

في لَمحة الطرف بُكاء وَضحك

وَناجذ باد وَدَمع منسفك

weeping and laughter in the blink of an eye,

an exposed molar and streaming tears!

قالَ الظليم ما عَرَفت سَببه

غَير عَجيب في الأُمور المعجبه

The ostrich said: What you know the cause of

is not strange; truly wondrous things

هِيَ الَّتي قَد خفيت أَسبابها

وَاشتبهت عَلى النهى أَبوابها

are those whose causes are hidden

and whose avenues puzzle the intellect.

وَإِن ما رَأيته مِن فعلي

مستغرباً عَن سَبب وَأَصل

What you saw of my behavior,

though strange, has a cause and a source.

قالَ لَهُ الشَّيخ وَما ذاكَ السَّبب

أبنهُ لي إن البيان مُستَحب

The old man asked him: What is that cause?

Explain it to me, for explanation is welcome.

قالَ بُكاي لفراخي إنَّهم

قَد خيبت فيَّ الليالي ظنَهُم

He said: My weeping is for my chicks; indeed,

the nights have disappointed their hopes in me.

خَرَجتُ كَي أَرعى لَهُم وَأرجعا

فَقَد وَقَعت الآن هَذا المَوقِعا

I went out to forage for them and return,

but now I have fallen into this plight.

وَإِنَّهُم يَنتَظِرونَ رَجعَتي

يا وَيلَهُم لَو يَعلمون صرعتي

They are awaiting my return;

alas for them, if they knew of my fall!

فذكر الشَّيخ بِهم أَولاده

وَلينت قولته فُؤاده

Through them, the old man remembered his children,

and the ostrich's words softened his heart.

لَو لَم يَكُن حُكم القَضاء أوثقه

لحله مِن وَقتِهِ وَأطلقه

Had the decree of fate not bound him,

he would have untied him at once and let him go.

لَكنه أَبدى لَهُ التجلدا

إِن الشقي لَشقي أَبدا

But he displayed firmness toward him;

the unfortunate remains unfortunate forever.

وَقالَ هَذا سَبب البُكاء

لَيس بِه عَلي من خفاء

He said: This is the reason for your weeping;

nothing about it is hidden from me.

فَلم ضحكت قالَ منكَ ضحكي

فَأمر أمثالك جداً مضحكي

But why did you laugh? He said: My laughter is at you,

for the conduct of men like you greatly amuses me.

خَرَجت تَبغي الرزق للعيال

وَالرزق في بيتك كَالجِبال

You went out seeking provision for your family,

while provision lies like mountains in your house.

قالَ وَما ذَلِكَ قالَ كنز

في دارِكُم حَيث تشد العنز

He asked: What is that? He said: A treasure

in your house, where you tether the goat:

دَفينة قَديمة عادية

مِن كُل نَقد جملة سنيه

an ancient buried hoard, from the days of ‘Ad,

a splendid sum in every kind of coin.

فَفرح الشَّيخ بِذاكَ وَنشط

وَهم أَن يطلقه وَقَد غَلط

The old man rejoiced at this and grew lively.

He intended to release him, but he was mistaken:

وَما لمن غل القَضاء مُطلق

وَما لمن حَل القَضاء موثق

none can free one whom fate has shackled,

and none can bind one whom fate has freed.

فَقالَ إِن أطلقته لَما ذكر

مِن غَير أن أعمل في ذاك النظَر

He said: If I release him because of what he mentioned,

without considering the matter,

أطلقت نَقداً عاجِلاً بِكَفي

لِمَوعد لعله ذو خلف

I would let go of ready cash in my hand

for a promise that might be broken.

وَلامَني الناس وَقالوا جاهل

فَعاذري فيما فعلت عاذل

People would blame me and say: An ignoramus!

Even one who would excuse what I did would reproach me.

فعلم الظليم أن حيلته

ما وافقت غرته وَغيلته

The ostrich realized that his ruse

had found no chance to catch him heedless and unawares.

فَقالَ ما أصنع قَد وَقَعت

وَكدت لَكِني ما انتفَعت

He said: What shall I do? I am caught.

I schemed, but gained nothing.

لابُد مِن فكر وَلُطف حيله

يَكون لي إِلى المُنى وَسيله

I must think and devise a subtle ruse

that will be my means of reaching my desires.

إِنِّي في قبضته أسير

وَلَيس لي مِن جورهِ مجير

I am a captive in his grasp,

with none to protect me from his oppression

إِلا الإِله القادر الغَفور

بِلُطفِه ينجبر الكَسير

except God, the All-Powerful, the All-Forgiving;

through His gentleness, the broken is mended.

أَقلُّ مِما أَنا فيهِ لا أَرى

سَأَفتَرِي بَيِّنَةً لِما جَرى

I see no state lower than the one I am in;

I shall fabricate evidence for what has happened.

وَأَرتجي مِن خالِقي رَبِّ الوَرى

نقلي مِن الأَسر إِلى دارِ القِرى

I hope that my Creator, Lord of all creatures,

will move me from captivity to the abode of hospitality.

فَقالَ حَتَّى يَسمَع الصَّياد

لنفسه وَفَهمُه المُرادُ

Then he spoke so that the hunter would hear,

speaking to himself, aiming to be understood:

شَيخ حَكيم عاقل أَريب

بِقول أَمثالي يَستَريب

A wise, sensible, shrewd old man

doubts the words of those like me.

لا تَسمَع الدَّعوى بِغَير شاهد

لا سيما ما كانَ مِن مُعاند

Do not heed a claim without a witness,

especially one that comes from an adversary.

لَو أَنَّني أَورَدت ألف بينه

لصدق ما أذكره معينه

Even if I presented a thousand proofs

supporting the truth of what I say,

ما زادهُ ذَلِكَ إِلا صَدا

عَما ذكرت أَبَداً وَردا

that would only increase his aversion

to what I mentioned, and his unending rejection.