قُلتُ أَفدنيها فَقالَ قيلا
وَلَيسَ كُل خَبَر عَليلا
I said, inform me, so he said briefly,
Not all news is frail,
كانَ بِمصر رَجُلٌ خَباز
يَقذفه بِالرفض مَن يَجتاز
There was in Egypt a baker,
Whoever passed by, he would spurn with rejection,
وَكانَ في كُل غَداةٍ يفتح
دُكانَهُ بِالجسر حينَ يُصبِح
And every morning he would open,
His shop at the bridge when dawn emerges,
ثُم يَقوم قائِماً فَيَخطب
وَيَمدَح الحاكم ثُم يطنب
Then he would stand and give a sermon,
And praise the ruler, then prolong,
وَيَلعن القادر لَعناً ظاهِرا
وَلَم يَكُن بِذَنبِهِ مُساتِرا
And curse al-Qadir openly,
Not concealing his sin,
عِشرين عاماً وَإِذا ما ذَكَروا
بَغداد كادَ قَلبهُ يَنفَطر
For twenty years, and when Baghdad was mentioned,
His heart almost ruptured,
لِبغضها وَبُغض مَن بَناها
وَود كُل الناس لَو يَراها
For his hatred of it and who built it,
And everyone wished they could see it,
وَكانَ في بَغداد خَباز دبر
لَكنه بالنسك فيها مُشتهر
And in Baghdad there was a prudent baker,
But he was known there for his devotion,
فَأَمر القادر حينَ أَحضَره
وقالَ هَذي بدرة مبدره
So al-Qadir ordered when he brought him,
And said this is an ingenious scheme,
فَاِذهَب إِلى مصر وَدَع عَنكَ العلل
وَانصب عَلى الخَباز اشراك الحِيَل
Go to Egypt and leave behind the illnesses,
And set upon the baker the snares of tricks,
عَساكَ أَن تقدمه العراقا
فَإنَّهُ قَد شَقني شقاقا
Perhaps you can make him long for Iraq,
For he has caused me great torment and schism,
فَمر ذاكَ الشَّيخ يَبغي مصرا
حَتَّى أَتى جيزتها وَالجسرا
So that elder set out seeking Egypt,
Until he reached its strait and bridge,
وَصبح الخَباز ثُم دَفَعا
إِلَيهِ دِيناراً وَكَيداً صنعا
And the baker awoke, then handed,
A dinar to him and made a cunning effort,
فلمح الخَباز ضَرب القادر
فَثارَ للغيظ كَليث خادِر
The baker noticed insulting al-Qadir,
So he flared up in rage like an enraged lion,
وَضَرب الشيخ إِلى أَن أثخنه
وَشَتَمَ القادر ثُم لَعنه
And struck the elder until he wounded him,
And cursed al-Qadir, then damned him,
وَقذفَ الدينارَ عَن يَديه
تطيراً إذ اسمه عليه
And flung the dinar from his hands,
Flying away when he saw his name on it,
فَجَلَسَ الشَّيخ قَريباً يَبكي
وَالضرب في أَضلاعِهِ وَالفَك
So the elder sat weeping nearby,
With the beating in his ribs and jaw,
وَقالَ قَول وَاله كَئيب
شر الخلال بغضة الغريب
And said words while dejected,
The evil of dispositions is the hatred of a stranger,
شَيخ غَريب بائس كوفي
موحد معتقد شيعي
A wretched stranger poor Kufan,
A monotheist, a Shiite in creed,
ضَرَبتموه إِنَّها عَجيبه
مِن مثلكم في الدين مِن مُصيبه
You have beaten him, it is wondrous,
That the likes of you make such a misstep in religion,
قَصَدتكم للدين مِن بِلادي
تَبَرماً بِصُحبة الأَعادي
I came to you for the religion from my lands,
Loathing the company of enemies,
فَسَمع الخَباز ذاكَ فَبَكى
وَجاءَ يَسعى نَحوَهُ تَنسكا
So when the baker heard this, he wept,
And came hastily toward him in devotion,
مُعتَذِراً مِما جَرى عَلَيه
مُقبلاً لِذَنبِهِ رجليه
Apologizing for what happened,
Kissing his feet for his sin,
يَقول خلت الشيخ بَغداديا
وَلَم أَخله مُؤمِناً كوفيا
Saying, I thought you were from Baghdad,
And did not think you a faithful Kufan,
وَساءَني اسم ذَلِكَ اللعين
فَكانَ ما فعلته للدين
And I hated that damned name,
So what I did was for the religion,
فَطَلَب التحليل مِما فَعَلَه
وَتابَ مِن قَسوته فَحلله
And he sought absolution for what he did,
And repented his harshness, so he pardoned him,
وَقالَ إِني مثلكُم خَباز
وَحَقي الإكرام وَالإِعزاز
And said, I am like you, a baker,
And I deserve respect and honor,
فَاِصطَلَحا وَاِتفَقا وَاِصطَحبا
وَاِشتَرَكا وَاتجرا وَاِكتَسَبا
So they reconciled and agreed, and became friends,
And cooperated, traded, and earned,
وَزَوج المصري مِنهُ ابنته
وَأعمل الشيخ عَلَيهِ حيلته
And the Egyptian married him his daughter,
And the elder schemed upon him his plot,
وَلَم يَزَل يجهَد في التشنع
وَكَثرَة النِفاق وَالتصَنع
And he kept on deceitfully displaying,
Excessive hypocrisy and pretense,
حَتَّى إِذا حالَ عَلَيهِ الحَول
وَجاءَ شَعبان عراه الوَيل
Until when a year passed,
And Shaaban came, worry befell him,
وَلَجَّ في البُكاء وَالنحيب
فَقالَ ما يبكيكَ يا حَبيبي
So he plunged into crying and wailing,
He said why do you weep my dear?
قالَ لَهُ شَوقي إِلى الزياره
وَخدمة المَشاهد المُختاره
He said to him, my longing for visiting,
And serving the chosen shrines,
وَالبَرَكات نازِلات فيها
وَلَم يَزَل بِجُهده يطريها
And the descending blessings in them,
And he kept enticing them persistently,
وَيورِد الفاسدَ وَالصحيحا
مِن فَضلِها وَيُكثر المَديحا
Mentioning the corrupt and right,
Of their virtues, and excessively praising,
حَتَّى اِشتَهى المصري أَن يَزورَها
وَقالَ إِني مزمِعٌ حُضورَها
Until the Egyptian desired to visit them,
And said I intend to be present at them,
لَكِنَّني أَخاف بَطش القادر
فَقَد عَرَفت بَغضه المخامري
But I fear the might of al-Qadir,
For I know his hatred of the intoxicated,
وَإِنَّني أسبه مُجاهِرا
فَحَق لي أَن أغتدى محاذِرا
And I insult him openly,
So I deserve to be cautious,
قالَ لهُ الشيخُ وما يدريه
بحالنا ومن به يأتيه
The elder said, what does he know,
Of our condition, and who informs him?
كَم مثلنا يَزور كُل عام
مِن جهة الحِجاز وَالشآم
Many like us visit each year,
From the Hejaz and Syria,
وَذاكَ عَنهُ غافل لا يَدري
لأَنَّهُ مِن جَهلِهِ في سُكر
And he is oblivious to that, not knowing,
Because of his ignorance, drunk,
فَلَم يَزَل بِقَولِهِ يغره
وَهوَ إِلى حمامه يَجره
So he kept enticing him with his words,
And dragging him to his bath,
حَتَّى إِذا ما قَدم العِراقا
وَفارق الأَصحابَ وَالرفاقا
Until when he arrived in Iraq,
And parted from his companions and friends,
فَكاتب القادر بِالحَقيقه
فَأخَذَت خيولَهُ طَريقه
He wrote to al-Qadir the truth,
So his horses took his route,
وَأحضَروه وَهوَ في وَثاقه
لِسوء ما قَدم مِن شَقاقه
And brought him while shackled,
For the evil of his schism and defiance,
حَتَّى إِذا ما صارَ عَنهُ القادر
أَبدى لَهُ بشر الخدوع الماكر
Until when al-Qadir was done with him,
He revealed to him the guile of the deceitful,
وَقالَ حلوا قَيده وَالغلا
وَأنكر الفعل بِهِ فحلا
And said, “Release his shackles and bonds,
And deny the deed about him,” so he was released,
وَبرَّهُ وَلَم يَزَل في حُجرَتِه
مشاهِداً وَجد في عيادته
And he did not cease to visit him in his room,
Witnessing and finding him in his care,
ثُم حَباه لَيلة بِأَلف
وَزادَ في إِكرامِه وَاللطف
Then he gifted him one night a thousand,
And increased in honoring him and kindness,
وَقالَ لا تَسب مَن لا تَعرفه
إِنَكَ في اِغتِيابِهِ لا تنصفه
And said, “Do not insult who you do not know,
You do not do him justice in defaming him,”
وَرَدهُ مِن وَقتِهِ إِلى الوَطَن
وَبغضه قَد صارَ حُباً وَشجن
And he returned him from his time to the homeland,
And his hatred had become love and yearning,
حَتَّى إِذا ما فَتَحَ الدكانا
وَشاهد الإِخوانَ وَالجِيرانا
Until when he opened his shop,
And saw his brethren and neighbors,
قامَ عَلى عادَتِهِ خَطيباً
وَلَم يَكُن في فعلِهِ مُصيبا
He stood as was his custom speaking,
And he was not right in his action,
وَمَدح القادر أَي مَدح
مُعتَذِراً مِن جرحِهِ وَالقَدح
And praised al-Qadir - what praise!
Apologizing for his wounding and derision,
وَلَم يَزَل يَدعو لَهُ وَيَشكُره
وَبِالجَميل في الدعاء يَذكره
And he did not cease to pray for him and thank him,
And mention him well in his prayers,
فَبَلَغَ الحاكم ذاكَ عَنهُ
فَساءهُ ما قَد أَتاه مِنه
Until this reached the ruler about him,
So he disliked what had come to him from him,
وَاِشتاطَ مِما أَبلَغوه وَغَضب
وَأَصبَحَ الخَباز وَهوَ قَد صلب
And he was enraged by what they told him and was angry,
And the baker awoke while crucified,
وَرقعة في حَلقِهِ مُعَلقَه
نَحنُ صَلَبناه فَخلوا المخرقه
With a paper hanging from his throat,
“We crucified him, so leave the masked pretender,
بِكَف مَن كانَ لَهُ يُوالي
وَذاكَ مِن مَحاسن الأَعمال
By the hand of whoever allies with him,
And that is of the good deeds,
لا يلتحف بِإثمه وَعاره
خَير الأُمور الصَّبر في المَكاره
To not cover himself with his disgrace and shame,
Patience in adversities is best,
وَالرفق في التدبير وَالتلطف
لما يَشا وَأَنتَ لَم تعنف
And leniency in planning and kindness,
For what he wishes while you are not violent,”
عادَ إِلى عادَتِهِ صَبيحُ
وَإِنَّهُ محدث فَصيحُ
The youth returned to his habit in the morning,
And he is a truthful narrator.
قالَ فَلَما شاعَت الأَخبار
وَاِنتَشَرَت بِذَلِكَ الآثار
He said, so when the news spread,
And those traces circulated,
كَذبَها جَميعها الأَمير
بِنَقدِهِ لأَنَّهُ تَحرير
The prince denied them all,
Since it is his transcription,
لَكِنَّهُ صَدقَها في الظاهر
تَوصلاً بِها إِلى السرائر
But he confirmed them openly,
In order to reach the secrets,
فَزين النعمة وَاِستَقصاها
وَمَنَّ بِالمُهجَة إِذ أَبقاها
So he beautified the blessing and examined it,
And obliged with the tribulation when he kept it,
وَقالَ إِن النفي خَير لي وَلَك
وَمَن نَفى عَن أَرضِهِ فَقَد هَلَك
And said denial is better for me and you,
And whoever denies his land, then he is destroyed,
فَجئت هَذا البَلَد الغَريبا
وَلَم أَجد في ربعه نَسيبا
I came to this foreign land,
And did not find in its expanse a relative,
قالَ لَهُ الطاووس قَد عَرَفته
وَكُل ما شَرَحته فَهمته
The peacock said to him, I know him,
And everything you explained I understood,
وَهوَ هَجين الأَصل حينَ ينسب
وَالعرق دَساس إلَيهِ يجذب
And he is of mixed origin when tracing his lineage,
And the lowly lineage pulls him,
كانَت لَهُ أُم من العقاعق
أشبهها في هَذِهِ الخَلائق
His mother was one of the crows,
Resembling her in these traits,
إِن الأُصول تَجذب الفُروعا
وَالعرق دَساس إذا أطيعا
Lineages pull the branches,
And the lowly lineage when obeyed,
ما طابَ فرع أَصلهُ خَبيثُ
وَلا زَكا مِن مَجدِهِ حَديثُ
No branch prospers if its origin is wicked,
Nor is praised from it a new talk,
قَد يَبلغون رتباً في الدنيا
وَيُدرِكون وَطراً مِن عليا
The hoopoe said to him, you spoke truth,
Yes, my friend, what you mentioned,
لَكِنهُم لا يَبلغون في الكَرَم
مَبلَغَ مَن كانَ لَهُ فيهِ قَدم
But when the lineages converge,
And his ancestors were generous,
قالَ لَهُ البوم وَلِلبوم حكم
مغالطاً في قَولِهِ وَقَد ظَلَم
He is apt for sublimity and generosity,
And the best traits emerged in his origin,
خَل الأُصول فَالكَريمُ من كرم
لا يُكرم الفرع إِذا الأَصل لوم
The peacock said to him, let the past go,
And mention it, for it has ended,
قالَ لَهُ الطاووس حَقاً قلتا
وَنعم يا صاحب ما ذَكَرتا
And make for us a scheme that saves us,
From the evil of what we face, for we are ruined.
لَكنَّ مَن تَقابَلَت أَطرافه
في طيبِها وَكرمت أَسلافه
He said, I have a wondrous scheme,
With which we escape this tribulation,
كانَ خَليقاً بِالعَلاء وَالكَرَم
وَبَزَغَت في أَصلِهِ خير الشيَم
We play dead, so when he sees us,
Lifeless, with no benefit, he will toss us away,
قالَ لَهُ الطاووس خَلّ ما مَضى
وَذكرهُ فَإِنَّهُ قَد اِنقَضى
And the hunter came gloating,
So that trick delivered us from him,
واعمل لَنا في حيلة تُنجينا
مِن شَرِّ ما نَلقى فَقَد أردينا
So they pretended death, and the owl threw,
Himself down and said, “Who takes this ill-omened one?”
فَقالَ عِندي حيلة عَجيبه
تَنجو بِها مِن هَذِهِ المُصيبه
And the peacock plucked himself until he dropped,
Out of love for his feathers and tuft,
نَموت فيها فَإِذا رَآنا
مَوتى بِلا مَنفَعَةٍ أَلقانا
So he suffered pain and torture,
Who consults enemies - what befell them!
وَأَقبل الصياد وَهوَ جَذل
فأفلتتنا مِنهُ تِلكَ الحيل
And the hunter went from him while he remained,
Sprawled in confusion at what he faced,
فَأظهرا المَوت فَألقى البوما
وَقالَ مَن يَأخُذ ذا المَشؤوما
And said, “If only when what happened occurred to me,
From the treachery of the companion I would see,
وَنَتف الطاووس حَتّى سَمطه
مَحَبةً لِريشِهِ وَخرطه
I would not have done what I did, fearing,
Them, so I became miserable, ruined.
فَلقي العناء وَالعَذابا
مَن شاوَرَ الأَعداء ما أَصابا
Thus whoever brings enemies,
They return him with deceit and corruption.”
وَذَهَب الصياد عَنهُ وَبَقى
مُنطَرِحاً في حيرة لما لَقى
The owl came to him and took his revenge,
And cooled the anguish of his chest,
وَقالَ لَو أَني أَجدت ما جَرى
عَليَّ مِن جَورِ الأَنيسِ ما أَرى
And came pecking and beating him,
And did not stop torturing him,
فَإِنَّهُم لا يذبَحونَ مثلي
قَصدهم حسني دونَ أَكلي
Saying, “Woe to you! What is my sin? I,
You wrongfully take with the sin of he who sinned?
فَلم فَعلتُ ما فَعَلتُ خائِفا
مِنهم فَأَصبَحت سَليباً تالِفا
Is the innocent taken for the diseased?
And the good man for the villain?”
كَذاكَ مَن يَستَصحب الأَعادي
يردونَهُ بِالغش وَالإِفساد
The owl said to him, “I got my revenge,
From you and cooled my chest’s anguish,
قالَ لَهُ البومُ أَخَذت ثَأري
مِنكَ وَبَردت غَليل صَدري
And she said to him, “Strange what occurred,
Its superiority is clear to whoever contemplates,
وَجاءهُ يَنقره وَيَضربه
وَلَم يَزَل مُجتَهِداً يعذبه
The owl deceives you in the time of affliction,
While he is a fool with no insight,
قالَ لَهُ وَيحَك ما ذَنبي أَنا
تَأخذني ظُلماً بِذَنب من جَنى
And you deceived the fox, and he is,
Not one of ignorance or foolishness,
أَيؤخذُ البريُّ بالسقيم
وَالرجل المُحسن بِاللئيم
When fortune and happiness came to you,
Your scheme and will were completed,
قالَ نَعم ثَأري عِندَ الجنس
وَلَيسَ يَشقى غَير ذاكَ نَفسي
Superiority diminishes in the time of hatred,
And inferiority is superior in the time of seriousness.”
قالَ جَمَعت الجَهل وَالجُبن مَعاً
عيبان ما ظَننت أَن يَجتَمِعا
She said to him, “Truly you spoke,
You knew, O this, and did not ignore,
جُبناً عَلى العَدو وَالجَهل عَلى
سِواه في القَبيح ناراً تَصطلي
But in companionship there are other flaws,
And you know more than me about that,
حَتَّى إِذا أَدماهُ مرَّ عَنهُ
وَقَد شَفى الحقد القَديم مِنه
Their disbelief in their Lord, and their debauchery,
Killing themselves, and their foolishness,
فَلَم يُطق سَعياً وَلا حِراكا
وَعايَن الحيرة وَالهَلاكا
And their stinginess, and wealth does not last,
And their greed, and living on sustenance,
فَجاءهُ أَبو الحصين الثَّعلب
وَما أَطاقَ هَرَبا فَيَهرب
And their hoarding, and they know they will die,
And their sorrow when decline and loss come,
فَاِنتاشَهُ في فَمه وَعادا
لِيُطعم الزوجة وَالأَولادا
The breeze said, “Do you prove the worshipped?
Or are you of those who show disbelief?”
حَتَّى إِذا جاءَ بِهِ إِلَيهم
أَلقاه مِن أَنيابِهِ لَدَيهِم
She said, “Do I know in minds,
That I would deny your Maker, my friend?”
وَقد رأَي المَوت عيانا فَدَعا
رَباً لَطيفاً بِالوَرى قَد صَنَعا
She said, “I know He is Wise,
And He is Knowledgeable in His action.”
لَهُ وَقَد ظَلَّ حَزيناً محرجا
مَن يَتقي اللَّه يُصادف مَخرَجا
He said, “Yes, I have no doubt in His wisdom,
Knowledge, forbearance, and power.”
فَقالَ لِلأُنثى أَنا عَليل
وَإِن جِسمي فاعلمي نَحيل
He said, “So all that occurs and will occur,
Is by wisdom He destined for the matter.”
وَعاقل لا يَأكُل العَليلا
تحرزاً لا سيما نَحيلا
So he said, “Increase me, this does not suffice,
I am not to be tasked while unbenefiting.”
فَإِنَّهُ يعديهِ بِالسقام
وَأكثر الداء مِن الطَّعام
He said, “You are ignorant of the truth, benefit
Is obvious - its secrets are seasoned,
فَلَو صَبَرت مُدة عَن أَكلي
كَيما تَزول علَّتي وَسِلِّي
For He separated between creations,
In general conditions - what a separation!
وَرُبَّما سَمنت أَيضاً فَالسمن
يطيب اللحم وَيرطب البَدَن
So He created mineral, vegetation,
And animals - created diversely,
وَها أَنا لَدَيكُم أَسير
مثلي لا يَسعى وَلا يَطير
And the animal - silent and speaking,
And superior in its creation and perishing,
فَناجت الأُنثى بِذاكَ الذكرا
قالَ لها خَديعة ما ذكرا
And negligent - He neglected it, not tasking it,
And speaking - He ennobled it and tasked it,
فَغَضِبَت مِن قَولِهِ وَقالَت
أَكل العَليل علة مازالَت
So creation would not be one thing,
For ability to be deficient, increasingly,
تريد أَن تَقتُلنا بِلحمه
أَخاف أَن يعدينا بِسقمه
So the True Able absolutely,
Of creating opposites in natures,
فَغلبته قال أَنت أَدرى
لَست بِدان مِنهُ حَتَّى يَبرا
Your creation the opposites,
Maneuvering through them as He wished,
قالَ لَها إِنِّي أَخاف غَدره
وَلَست بِالآمن وَيك مكره
Likewise, know creating kinds,
All differ diversely,
فَاستَحلِفيه لي بِالطلاق
فَرُبَّما يَصدق في المِيثاق
It is best creating elephant and mosquito,
With wisdom displayed to prohibitions,
قالَت لَهُ إِحلف لأَجلي فَحَلَف
لا ناله مادامَ ذا سَقمٍ تلف
And their souls killing themselves - thus,
Some face harm from others,
فَظَلَّ يَسعى نَحوَ حجر الثَّعلب
وَيرتَعي مِن مطعم وَمَشرَب
For in beasts and birds,
There is what you wish of injustice and evils,
حَتَّى إِذا صَح وَطالَ ريشه
وَصارَ لا يُمكن من يَحوشَه
And the previous answer and its excuse went,
And it is clear if you contemplate its secret,
طارَ إِلى غُصن رَفيع فَوقَع
عَلَيهِ وَهوَ آمن أَن يتبع
So the hoopoe was certain the truth,
Was with the breeze, and said, “You spoke truth.”
قالَت لَهُ الأُنثى وَخافَت بَعلَها
وَقَد رَأَت مِما جَنَتهُ جَهلَها
So he submitted to the truth and said mankind
Is a noble genus - there is no doubt in that,
قَد خُنت بِالعُهود وَالأَيمان
غَدراً وَما الغَدر مِن الأَيمان
Then he called me in privacy and apologized,
And repented from blaming them and sought forgiveness,
فَعد إِلَينا آمناً لا خائِفاً
فَلَست تَخشى عِندَنا المتالفا
And said, tell the Great King,
I have repented from my sinful words,
فَقد أَلفناك وَعدت كَالوَلَد
وَلَست ما عشت لَدَينا مُضطَهد
And what was hidden from me is evident,
And my assumption in blaming people has failed,
قالَ لَها خدعت وَالحَرب خدع
فَاستيئسي لا تَطمَعي في أَن أقَع
But I wonder about his actions,
In supporting mankind though they are his enemies in nature,
وَعادَ مَسروراً إِلى أنثاه
وَقَصَّ للطيور ما عاناه
And all of them intend him harm,
And some of them deny the existence of jinn,
قالَت لَهُ الأُنثى عَجيب ما جَرى
وَفَضله باد لِمَن تَفَكَّرا
And some curse them generally,
And some criticize their morals,
يخدعك البوم زَمان المحنه
وَهوَ سَفيه لَيسَ فيهِ فطنه
And some take refuge from their wiles,
And some attribute every evil,
وَتخدع الثعلب وَهوَ داه
لَيسَ بِذي جَهل وَلا سفاه
To them when scheming deceit,
And some blame them for sins and disgraces,
إِذ جاءَت الدولة وَالسَّعاده
تَمت لَكَ الحيلة وَالإرادَه
Mankind do not deserve support from Him,
But rather deserve His hatred and estrangement.”
وَالفَضل نَقص في زَمان الحَد
وَالنَّقص فَضل في أَوان الجد
She said to him, “Take the answer from me,
And convey what I mention about me,
قالَت لَهُ العَنقاء حَقاً قلتا
عَلمت يا هَذا وَما جهلتا
The wise and virtuous is not rewarded,
With evil desires from the condemnable,
لَكن في الأنس عُيوباً أُخرى
وَأَنتُم مني بِذاكَ أَدرى
If you acted like an ignorant one's actions,
You would equal him in nature’s measures.
كُفرهم بِرَبهم وَفسقهم
وَقَتلهم أَنفسهم وَحمقهم
Be superior to your peer - your superiority appears,
Do good to who wronged you - your nobility emerges,
وَبُخلهم وَالمال غَير باق
وَحرصهم وَالعَيش بِالأَرزاق
Be just to the oppressed - you will leave a master,
And give your enemies - you will gain the most glorious,
وَجَمعهم وَقَد دَروا بِالمَوت
وَحزنهم عِندَ الردى وَالفَوت
The Prophet’s bequest - reconcile who severed you,
Be superior over him, and gain from who deprived you.
قالَ الصبا أَتثبت المَعبودا
أَم أَنتَ مِمَن يظهر الجحودا
Do a good deed - receive it and be rewarded for it,
For people's actions are not confusing,
قالَ وَهَل يُمكن في العُقول
إِنكارك الصانع يا خَليلي
Pardon the sinner and promise with your forbearance,
The ignorance in his hiddenness appears with your knowledge,
قالَت علمت أنَّهُ حَكيم
وَأنَّهُ بفعلهِ عَليم
And we repay about them in this tongue,
We meet evil with good action,
قالَ نَعم لا شَكَ لي في حكمته
وَعلمه وَحلمه وَقدرته
And lineages between us also necessitate,
Our zeal over them when they became crooked.”
قالَ فَكُلُّ ما جَرى وَيَجري
بِحكمة قدرها للأمر
He said, “Clarify that lineage to me,
For you have come with what you said is wondrous.”
فَقالَ زدني لَيسَ هَذا يَكفي
إِنَّ العَليل دائِماً يَستَشفي
“Are you not fire, and they of clay?
The black is not like the white of eye.”
قال لَهُ إِن اختلاف الخَلق
وَخَبطهم في باطل وَحَق
She said, “Yes, but the close lineage,
The wise realized with insight,
دلالة واضِحة للمقدره
وَلَيسَ لِلمُفسد فيها مَعذِره
Is kinship of assignment and address,
Between us more intrinsic than lineages,
وَكُلَّما ركب في المَخلوق
مِن اِختِلاف الطَّبع وَالفُروق
We are all people of God’s covenant,
He addressed us with orders and prohibitions,
يَدل أَنَّ اللَّه رَب قادِر
مَقدوره يَعجز عَنهُ الحاصر
And speech and mind - so have you spoken truth,
O King of birds, in what you mentioned?
ثُم اِبتَلاهم ناهياً وَآمِرا
لِيَعلم الأَعمال وَالسرائِرا
And man gives life exerting for his brother,
Though when he counts him among enemies,
وَمُؤمِناً مِن خَلقِهِ وَكافِرا
وَوافياً بِعَهدِهِ وَغادِرا
Have you not heard the story of the two just?
That it is true without inclination?”
لِيجزِي المُؤمن بِالثَّواب
وَيجزِي الكافِر بِالعِقاب
قالَ وَما في ذاكَ قُل وأوضح
فَلَست لِلتكليف بِالمُستَصلِح
قالَ جَهلت الحَق إِن المَصلحه
بادية أَسرارها مُستملحه
لأَنَّهُ فَرَّق بَينَ الخَلق
في جُملة الأَحوال أَي فَرق
فَخَلق المَعدن وَالنباتا
وَالحَيوان خَلَقوا أشتاتا
وَالحَيوان صامت وَناطق
وَفائق في علقه وَمائِق
وَهملٌ أَهمله ما كَلفه
وَناطق كَلفه فَشرفه
كَيلا يَكون الخَلق شَيئاً وَاحِدا
فَتنقص القُدرة نَقصاً زائِدا
فَالقادِر الحَق عَلى الأطلاق
من أَوجد الأَضداد في الأَخلاق
وَجمعت صنعته الأَضدادا
تَصَرفا فيها كَما أَرادا
كَذاكَ فَاِعلَم خَلق الأَصنافا
جَميعها تَختَلف اِختِلافا
أَحسَن خَلق الفيل وَالبَعوضه
بِحكمة عَلى النهى مَعروضه
وَقتلهم نُفوسهُم فَهَكَذا
بَعضهم يَلقى مِن البَعض الأَذى
فَإِن في الوحش وَفي الطيور
ما شِئت مِن ظُلم وَمِن شُرور
وَقَد مَضى جَواب ذا وَعُذره
وَقَد بَدا لَو اِعتبرت سرهُ
فَأيقن العَنقاء أَنَّ الحَقا
كانَ مَعَ الصبا وَقالَ صدقا
فَاِنقادَ للحق وَقالَ الإنس
جنس شَريف ما بِذاكَ لَبس
ثُم دَعاني خالياً فَاِعتَذَرا
وَتابَ مِن ذمهم وَاِستَغفَرا
وَقالَ قُل للملك العَظيم
قَد تبت مِن مَقالي الأَثيم
وَبانَ ما كانَ خَفياً عَني
وَخابَ في ذَم الأَنام ظَني
لَكِنني أعجب مِن فعاله
بِنصرة الأنس وَمِن جداله
عَنهُم وَهُم أَعداؤُهُ بِالطبع
وَكُلهُم يقصده بِالسبع
وَبَعضهُم يَنفي وجود الجن
وَبَعضهُم يعمهم بِاللعن
وَبَعضهُم يطعَن في أَخلاقِهم
وَبَعضهُم يَعوذ مِن طراقهم
وَبَعضهُم ينسب كُل نكر
إِلَيهم عِندَ اِحتيال الغَدر
وَبَعضهُم يحيل بِالذُنوب
عَلَيهم وَفاحش العُيوب
ما تَستَحق الإنس مِنهُ نَصرا
بَل اِستَحَقوا مقته وَالهَجرا
قالَت لَهُ خُذ الجَواب مني
وارو الَّذي اذكر فيهِ عَني
العاقِل الفاضِل لا يُجازى
بِسَيء فَهوى مِن المَخازي
إِذا فَعلت مثل فعل الجاهل
ساويتهُ في دقة الشَّمائل
أفضل عَلى النَّظير يبدُ فَضلكا
أَحسن إِلى المُسيء يظهر نبلكا
وَاِنصف المَظلوم تَدَع سَيدا
وَأَعطِ أَعداءك تَلقى أَمجَدا
وَصية النبِي صِل مَن قَطَعَك
فَضلاً عَلَيهِ وَأَنِل من مَنعك
افعل جَميلاً تَلقَهُ وَتجزَ بِه
فَإِن فعل الناس غَير مُشتَبه
اصفح عَن الجاني وَعُد بحلمكا
يظهر خَفيَّ جَهلِهِ بِعلمِكا
وَنَحنُ نجزي عَنهُم في ذا اللسن
نُقابل القَبيح بالفعل الحَسَن
وَبَيننا الأَنساب أَيضاً توجب
غيرتنا عَلَيهم إِذ نَكَبوا
قالَ أَبِن لي موضحاً ذاكَ النسَب
فَقَد أَتيت بِالَّذي قُلت العَجَب
أَلستُمُ ناراً وَهُم مِن طين
لَيسَ الأُسود كَالظِّباء العين
وَشَيخكُم إِبليس تاهَ وَفخر
عَلى أَبيهم آدم ثُم كَفَر
قالَ نَعم فَالنَّسَب القَريب
يَعرفه المحقق اللبيب
قرابة التكليف وَالخطاب
ما بَيننا أَدنى مِن الأَنساب
نَحنُ جَميعاً أَهل عَهد اللَّه
خاطبنا بِالأَمر وَالنواهي
وَالنطق وَالعَقل فَهل صَدقتا
يا ملك الطير بِما ذَكرتا
وَالمَرء يحيي جاهِداً أَخاه
وَهوَ إِذا ما عد من أَعداه
أَما سمعت قصة العَدلين
وأَنَّها صدق بِغَير مَين
