قال نَعم خَرَجت في جَماعة
تاجرة لكلنا بِضاعة
He said yes, I went out with a group
Each of us having goods to sell
وَكانَ فينا ناسك تَقي
طَريقه في زهدِهِ مهدي
And among us was an ascetic pious man
Whose path in his asceticism was guided
حَتَّى إِذا سِرنا وَجد السير
قالَ الصَّلاة فافعلوها خَير
Until when we travelled, he found the journey tiring
So he said “prayers, so do them good”
فَلامَهُ أَصحابهُ وَقالوا
سر فَالقَضاء جائز يا مال
His companions blamed him and said
“Press on, making up prayers is allowed, my friend”
فَالجَمع للركب المجد رخصه
فانتهز الفُرصة قَبل الغصه
“To press on is an ease for the caravan”
“So seize the opportunity before distress”
هَذا طَريق شاسع مَجهول
وَالليث لا تَأمنه وَالغول
This is a vast, unknown path
Where neither lion nor ghoul are safe
فَخالف القَوم جَميعاً وَنزل
إِن الخِلاف لمشوم لَم يَزَل
He opposed all the people and dismounted
“Disagreement has always been ill-omened”
حَتَّى إِذا أحرَم بِالصلاة
أَتاه مِن بَين يَديهِ آت
Until when he prepared for prayers
A man came to him from before him
قالَ لَهُ وَقدم السلاما
عَلَيهِ للخدعة عم ظَلاما
He said, greeting him with peace
A dark trick to deceive him
ما أَنتَ يا شَيخ وَذا المَكان
وَهوَ خلاء ما بِهِ إِنسان
“Who are you, O Sheikh, and this place
“Is empty, no man in it”
وَما الَّذي تصنعه وَتفعله
فَإنَّني أنكره وَأجهله
“And what is it you do and act
“I disavow and do not know it”
وَالشَّيخ في صلاته مَشغول
وَعقله بنسكه مَعقول
The Sheikh was busy with his prayers
His mind absorbed in his devotion
ثُمَ قَضى صَلاته وَسلما
وَأَظهر الغلظة وَالتجَهما
Then he finished his prayers and greeted
Showing sternness and frowning
وَقالَ يا جاهل عَمّ تَسأَل
ألست تَدري أَي شَيء أفعل
And said “O ignorant man, what do you ask
“Do you not know what I do?”
أَكافر أَنتَ فَأَنتَ تنكر
عَلى مَن دين الهدى ما تبصر
“You disbeliever, you deny
“One whose religion of guidance you do not perceive”
قالَ لَهُ ما زدتني علماً فَقُل
ماذا الَّذي تفعله يا ذا الرجل
The man said “You have not given me knowledge, just say
“What is it you do, O man?”
فَإِنَّني لَم أَرَ قَط غَيرَكا
يَسير في هَذا الطَّريق سَيرَكا
“I have never seen anyone but you
“Taking this path and journey”
قال أمجنون ألست تعرف
أَم أَنتَ عَن نَهج السبيل تصدف
The Sheikh said “Madman! Do you not recognize
“Or are you veering from the path?”
هَذي صَلاة الناس فَرض واجب
عَلَيهم وَلَيسَ عَنها راغب
“This is people's obligatory prayers
“Binding on them, from which none recoil”
وَقص أمر الشرع قصاً وَشرح
فَصاحَ ذاكَ الشخص عَمداً وَانطرح
And he fully explained religious law
So the man cried out deliberately and fell down
يَظهر أَني قَد عَرَفتُ رَبي
وَلَم أَكُن أعرفه لِذَنبي
Appearing as if he had recognized his Lord
And had not known Him before for his sin
ليخدع الشيخ فَلا يَسير
رَحيله حَتّى تَفوت العير
To trick the Sheikh and stop his travelling
Until the caravan passed by
ففطن الشَّيخ لما أراده
وَاِغتاله بِمكره وَكاده
So the Sheikh realized his intention
And foiled his deceit and cunning
وَقالَ ما أقدر أَن أَريما
وَأظهر التوجع العَظيما
And said “I cannot leave
“Displaying great pain”
هَذا الفَتى لَم يَعرف الرحمانا
وَلا رَسول اللَّه إِلا الآنا
“This lad did not know the Most Merciful
“Nor the Messenger except now”
وَالآن قَد أسلم بَل قَد آمنا
وَاحسرتاه لَو وَجَدت مَأمَنا
“And now he has become Muslim, nay, believed
“How I wish I had found refuge for him”
لَو أَنَّهُ عاش لَكان وَلدي
وَعدة عَظيمة مِن عددي
“If he had lived he would have been my son
“A great help for my number”
وَزَوج تلك الطفلة الحَسناء
وَفاز بالنعمة وَالثراء
“And married that beautiful girl
“And attained blessing and wealth”
فَإِنَّني شَيخ كَثير المال
فرد مِن الأَعمام وَالأَخوال
“I am an old man, rich
“With many paternal and maternal uncles”
وَلَيس لي وَلد سِوى بَنيه
وَالبنت في قَلب الشَّقيق كيه
“And I have no son but him
“And the girl is the apple of her brother's eye”
وَلَيس في أَرضي من أَهواه
لَها وَلا ذو شَرف أَرضاه
“And in my land none I love for her
“Is of noble lineage to please her”
كُلهم لي حاسد عَدوٌّ
لَيس لَهُم مِن حَسدي هُدو
“They are all envious enemies of me
“Their envy leaves them no composure”
وَحَسرة أَن يأخذوا مِن بَعدي
مالي الَّذي جَمَعتهُ بِكَدي
“I regret they take after me
“My wealth I gathered with toil”
لَو عاشَ هَذا كان نعم الصهر
واشتد مني بِقواه الظَهر
“If this lad had lived, he would have been a fine in-law
“And strengthened my back with his strength”
لكنه قَد ماتَ مِن خُشوعه
وَنَفسه تَسيل مِن دُموعه
“But he has died from his devotion
“His soul flowing with tears”
ففهم الفاتك قَصد الناسك
فلج في الحيلة وَالتهالك
So the deceiver understood the ascetic's intention
He played dumb in deceit and destruction
وَلَم يَفق مِن سُكره وَلا انتفع
بِقَوله وَإِنَّما الحَرب خدع
And did not wake from his swoon or benefit
From his words, it was only a war of deceit
فأيقن الناسك أَن سحره
ما رد عَنهُ كَيده وَمكره
So the ascetic was sure his magic
Had not diverted his plot and cunning from him
فَقامَ مِن مَكانه يُنادي
أَصحابه وَاللَّيل ذو اسوداد
So he got up from his place calling
His companions though the night was dark
قَد مات إِنسان فَعودوا وَاشهدوا
جهازه كَما أمرتم وَاجهَدوا
“A man has died, so return and bear witness
“To his funeral as I told you, and strive”
فَخَشي الفاتك أَن يسمعه
رَفيقه الأَدنى وَأَن يمنعه
So the killer feared his nearest
Companion would hear and deny him
فَقامَ مِن صرعته مبادراً
مغالباً بفتكه مكابرا
So he got up from his swoon hastily
Subduing by his murder and arrogance
قال لَهُ الناسك قف قَليلاً
إِن الجَميل يَفعل الجَميلا
The ascetic said “Stop a little
“The beautiful rewards the beautiful”
مَقالة مني استمعها وافهم
وارحم فَما يَرحم مَن لَم يرحم
“A saying, hear me and understand
“And have mercy, for he who does not have mercy”
إِني شَيخ لَيسَ بي حراك
يَخشى وَما مِن عادَتي العراك
“I am an old man, I have no movement
“I fear, fighting is not my custom”
وَلَيس في قَتلي غَير العار
إِذا قَصَدت قَتلتي وَالعار
“And in killing me is no glory
“If you mean to kill me and glory”
قال وَما العار الَّذي يَلحقني
إِن كانَ إثم فاحش يرهقني
The cunning man said “What disgrace attaches to me
“If it is a grave sin that overwhelms me?”
فَقال شَيخ عاجز ضَعيف
يَأنف أن يقتله الشريف
The Sheikh said “A weak, powerless old man
“Is too proud to be killed by the noble”
لا فخر في ذاك وَلا شَجاعة
بَل فيهِ عار ظاهر الشناعة
“There is no pride in that, nor bravery
“But manifest, ugly disgrace in it”
يا صاح ما سَمعت أَن مالكا
أمهل عثمان لأجل ذلكا
“O friend, have you not heard that Mālik
“Spared ‘Uthmān for that reason”
وَصد عَنهُ إذ رآه وحده
مستسلماً قَد حادَ عَنهُ جُنده
“And held back from him when he saw him alone
“His troops having deserted him”
قال لَه محمد إِذ ولى
اقتله يا مالك قال كَلا
“Muhammad said to him “Kill him, Mālik!” He said “Nay,
“I fear the Arabs will say
إِني أَخاف أَن تَقول العرب
وَالعار لا يُنجيكَ منهُ الهَرَب
“And one cannot escape that disgrace by fleeing
“‘The weak old man was killed in single combat’”
النخعى كان شَيخاً عاجِزاً
وَالفَخر لَو قتلته مبارزا
“And pride, had you killed him while he
“Was surrounded, protected by his tribe”
مُرتجزاً مُحتمياً بِقَومِه
فما انتَهى مُحَمَّد للومِه
“So ceaseless were Muhammad's reproaches”
“Thus is the nature of noble morals
فَهَكَذا مَكارِمُ الأَخلاق
وَشَرَف النفوس وَالأَعراق
“And the nobility of souls and lineage
“And so, when the villains camped
وَهَكَذا إِذ بيت الشراة
وَكانَ مِن عاداتِها البيات
“As was their habit at night”
“‘Amr al-Qanā said to them ‘Do not hasten
قال لَهُم عَمروالقَنا لا تَعجلوا
بقتلهم وَهُم نيام تخجلوا
“‘To kill them while they sleep, be ashamed
“‘Rouse them with the neighing of horses
وَأيقظوهم بحوامي الخَيل
وَأنذروهم وَاحذَروا مِن مَيل
“‘And warn them, beware of swerving”
“‘Killing the unprepared or sleeping
فَإن قتل غافل أَو نائم
عار وَبئسَ القَتل للأكارم
“‘Is disgrace, and killing the noble is evil’”
The cunning man said “Triumph is
قالَ لَهُ الشاطر أَن الغَلبه
أَن يُدرك الإِنسان ما قَد طَلَبَه
“To attain what one has sought”
“And the aim is to gain it, however it be
وَالقَصد أَن أَظفر كَيفَ كانا
وَالشّهم مَن يَنتَهز الامكانا
“The bold seize the opportunity”
“And I do not heed the likes of you
وَلَست للأمثال منكَ استمع
وَلا بهذي الترهات انخدع
“Or get taken in by such nonsense”
“You want to trick me to be secure
تُريد أَن تَخدَعَني لتسلما
وَأنثني أعض كَفي نَدَما
“And slacken my grip in regret”
“The mind of the adequate man
وَالعاقل الكافي من الرِّجال
لا يَنثَني بزخرف المقال
“Is not bent by fine phrases”
“Only every weak, powerless man
وَإِنَّما يخدَع كُل عاجز
غمرٍ ضَعيف عوده للغامز
“Is deceived, accustomed to being duped”
“Have you not heard the story of Ẓalīm
أَما سمعت قصةَ الظليم
وَفتكه بالناجش المليم
“And his murder of the wretched Nājish?”
He said “No.” He said “I saw a Nājish
فَقال لا قال رَأَيت ناجِشا
كَأَنَّهُ مثل الفنيق جائِشا
“Moving like a weasel slinking”
“Who had cunningly trapped him
قَد لطف الحيلة حَتّى اِصطادَهُ
وَشَده في حَبلِه وَقاده
“Leashing and leading him”
“Ẓalīm said ‘Why have you seized me
قالَ لَهُ الظليم لِم أَخذتني
وَما الَّذي مِن أَجلِه قَصَدتَني
“‘And why have you accosted me?’”
“He said ‘I am a poor man, with dependents
قالَ لَهُ شَيخ معيل عائل
وَلي بَنات حالَهن حائل
“‘And daughters whose state is precarious’”
“‘Nine small children.’ So Ẓalīm wept
تسعة أَطفال صِغار فَبَكى الظ
ظليم مِما قالَهُ وَضَحِكا
“At his words, and laughed”
“The hunter said ‘This is wondrous
قالَ لَهُ الصياد هَذا عَجَب
مستظرف بَل سفه وَلَعب
“‘An affectation! Rather, folly and play’
“‘In the blink of an eye, weeping and laughing
في لَمحة الطرف بُكاء وَضحك
وَناجذ باد وَدَمع منسفك
“‘A wretched Nājish shedding forced tears!’”
“Ẓalīm said ‘I do not know the reason for it
قالَ الظليم ما عَرَفت سَببه
غَير عَجيب في الأُمور المعجبه
“‘It being wondrous in marvellous matters’
“‘Which obscure their causes
هِيَ الَّتي قَد خفيت أَسبابها
وَاشتبهت عَلى النهى أَبوابها
“‘And confuse the roads to them’”
“‘And what I did seemed strange
وَإِن ما رَأيته مِن فعلي
مستغرباً عَن سَبب وَأَصل
“‘Without cause and origin’”
“The Sheikh said ‘My son, good explanation is preferred
قالَ لَهُ الشَّيخ وَما ذاكَ السَّبب
أبنهُ لي إن البيان مُستَحب
“‘So tell me the reason’”
He said “My weeping was for my chicks
قالَ بُكاي لفراخي إنَّهم
قَد خيبت فيَّ الليالي ظنَهُم
“The nights have deceived their hopes in me”
“I went out to graze for them and return
خَرَجتُ كَي أَرعى لَهُم وَأرجعا
فَقَد وَقَعت الآن هَذا المَوقِعا
“Now I have fallen into this plight”
“They await my return
وَإِنَّهُم يَنتَظِرونَ رَجعَتي
يا وَيلَهُم لَو يَعلمون صرعتي
“Oh, if they knew my death!”
“The Sheikh was reminded by this of his sons
فذكر الشَّيخ بِهم أَولاده
وَلينت قولته فُؤاده
“His heart softened”
“If the decree of destiny were not firmer
لَو لَم يَكُن حُكم القَضاء أوثقه
لحله مِن وَقتِهِ وَأطلقه
“I would release him from his time and free him”
“But he showed him fortitude
لَكنه أَبدى لَهُ التجلدا
إِن الشقي لَشقي أَبدا
“The wretched are wretched forever”
And said “This is the cause of weeping
وَقالَ هَذا سَبب البُكاء
لَيس بِه عَلي من خفاء
“There is no secrecy in it for me”
“Why did you laugh?” He said “Your laughter at me
فَلم ضحكت قالَ منكَ ضحكي
فَأمر أمثالك جداً مضحكي
“The affairs of your likes are very laughable”
“You went out seeking sustenance for dependents
خَرَجت تَبغي الرزق للعيال
وَالرزق في بيتك كَالجِبال
“While sustenance in your house is like mountains”
He said “What is that?” He said “A treasure
قالَ وَما ذَلِكَ قالَ كنز
في دارِكُم حَيث تشد العنز
“In your house where the goat is tied”
“An ancient, buried hoard
دَفينة قَديمة عادية
مِن كُل نَقد جملة سنيه
“Of every kind of coin”
The Sheikh rejoiced at that and was elated
فَفرح الشَّيخ بِذاكَ وَنشط
وَهم أَن يطلقه وَقَد غَلط
And thought to release him, and he had erred
For the decree of destiny has no releaser
وَما لمن غل القَضاء مُطلق
وَما لمن حَل القَضاء موثق
And none bound by destiny has a releaser
So he said “If I released you for what you mentioned
فَقالَ إِن أطلقته لَما ذكر
مِن غَير أن أعمل في ذاك النظَر
“Without reflecting on it”
“I released ready cash in my hands
أطلقت نَقداً عاجِلاً بِكَفي
لِمَوعد لعله ذو خلف
“For a promise which may be unkept”
“People would blame me and say ‘Ignorant man!’
وَلامَني الناس وَقالوا جاهل
فَعاذري فيما فعلت عاذل
“‘So my excuse for what I did is inexcusable’”
Ẓalīm knew his cunning
فعلم الظليم أن حيلته
ما وافقت غرته وَغيلته
Did not match his stupidity and scheming
So he said “What shall I do? I have fallen
فَقالَ ما أصنع قَد وَقَعت
وَكدت لَكِني ما انتفَعت
“And nearly gained, but did not profit”
“There must be cunning thought and subtle stratagem
لابُد مِن فكر وَلُطف حيله
يَكون لي إِلى المُنى وَسيله
“To make me a way to success”
“I am his captive, suffering his tyranny
إِنِّي في قبضته أسير
وَلَيس لي مِن جورهِ مجير
“And have none to save me from his injustice
“Except the Powerful, Forgiving God
إِلا الإِله القادر الغَفور
بِلُطفِه ينجبر الكَسير
“Who gently mends the broken”
“I see nothing for what has happened but to invent
أَقلُّ مِما أَنا فيهِ لا أَرى
سَأَفتَرِي بَيِّنَةً لِما جَرى
“A clear proof, relying on my Creator, Lord of Man
“To move me from captivity to the Abode of Permanence”
وَأَرتجي مِن خالِقي رَبِّ الوَرى
نقلي مِن الأَسر إِلى دارِ القِرى
So the hunter heard and understood his intention
And said to himself, grasping the implication
فَقالَ حَتَّى يَسمَع الصَّياد
لنفسه وَفَهمُه المُرادُ
“A wise, intelligent old fox
“Will doubt my words of his kind”
شَيخ حَكيم عاقل أَريب
بِقول أَمثالي يَستَريب
“One does not accept a claim without witness
“Especially from an opponent”
لا تَسمَع الدَّعوى بِغَير شاهد
لا سيما ما كانَ مِن مُعاند
“If I gave a thousand proofs
“To confirm what I recount as evidence”
لَو أَنَّني أَورَدت ألف بينه
لصدق ما أذكره معينه
“That would not increase him in anything but rejection
“And rebuttal, ever and always”
ما زادهُ ذَلِكَ إِلا صَدا
عَما ذكرت أَبَداً وَردا
