Al-Balagha al-Wadiha by al-Jarim & Amin (البلاغة الواضحة) — Page 18

Arabic text · النص

Line-by-line translation · المعاني

الْبَلَاغَةُ الْوَاضِحَةُ

Clear Rhetoric.

مَسْقَطِهِ، خَرَجَ عَنْ حَدِّ الْبَلَاغَةِ، وَكَانَ غَرَضًا لِسِهَامِ النَّاقِدِينَ.

its context, it departs from the bounds of rhetoric and becomes a target for the arrows of critics.

وَمِنْ أَمْثِلَةِ ذَلِكَ قَوْلُ الْمُتَنَبِّي لِكَافُورٍ الْإِخْشِيدِيِّ (١) فِي أَوَّلِ قَصِيدَةٍ مَدَحَهُ بِهَا:

Among the examples of this is the saying of Al-Mutanabbi to Kafur al-Ikhshidi (1) in the first poem with which he praised him:

كَفَى بِكَ (٢) دَاءً أَنْ نَرَى الْمَوْتَ شَافِيًا وَحَسْبُ الْمَنَايَا (٣) أَنْ يَكُنَّ أَمَانِيَا

It is enough of a malady (2) that we see death as a cure, and it is enough for fates (3) that they be wishes (4).

وَقَوْلُهُ فِي مَدْحِهِ:

And his saying in his praise:

وَمَا طَرَبِي لَمَّا رَأَيْتُكَ بِدْعَةً لَقَدْ كُنْتُ أَرْجُو أَنْ أَرَاكَ فَأَطْرَبُ

My joy when I saw you was not a novelty; I had been hoping to see you so that I might rejoice.

قَالَ الْوَاحِدِيُّ (٥) : هَذَا الْبَيْتُ يُشْبِهُ الِاسْتِهْزَاءَ، فَإِنَّهُ يَقُولُ: طَرِبْتُ عِنْدَ رُؤْيَتِكَ كَمَا يَطْرَبُ الْإِنْسَانُ لِرُؤْيَةِ الْمُضْحِكَاتِ.

Al-Wahidi (5) said: This verse resembles mockery, for he is saying: I rejoiced upon seeing you just as a person rejoices at seeing something funny.

قَالَ ابْنُ جِنِّي (٦) : لَمَّا قَرَأْتُ عَلَى أَبِي الطَّيِّبِ هَذَا الْبَيْتَ قُلْتُ لَهُ: مَا زِدْتَ عَلَى أَنْ جَعَلْتَ الرَّجُلَ قِرْدًا، فَضَحِكَ

Ibn Jinni (6) said: When I read this verse to Abu al-Tayyib, I said to him: You have done nothing more than make the man a monkey, and he laughed.

وَنَرَى أَنَّ الْمُتَنَبِّيَ كَانَ يَغْلِي صَدْرُهُ حِقْدًا عَلَى كَافُورٍ، وَعَلَى الْأَيَّامِ الَّتِي أَلْجَأَتْهُ إِلَى مَدْحِهِ، فَكَانَتْ تَفِرُّ مِنْ لِسَانِهِ كَلِمَاتٌ لَا يَسْتَطِيعُ احْتِبَاسَهَا،

We believe that Al-Mutanabbi's chest was boiling with resentment toward Kafur and toward the days that forced him to praise him, so words would escape from his tongue that he could not restrain.

وَقَدِيمًا زَلَّ الشُّعَرَاءُ الْمَعْنَى أَوْ كَلِمَةً نَفَّرَتْ سَامِعِيهِمْ، فَأَخْرَجَتْ كَلَامَهُمْ عَنْ الْبَلَاغَةِ،

In the past, poets have slipped in meaning or used a word that repulsed their listeners, thus removing their speech from the realm of rhetoric.

فَقَدْ حَكَوْا أَنَّ أَبَا النَّجْمِ (٧) دَخَلَ عَلَى هِشَامِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْمَلِكِ وَأَنْشَدَهُ:

They have recounted that Abu al-Najm (7) entered upon Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik and recited to him:

صَفْرَاءُ (٨) قَدْ كَادَتْ وَلَمَّا تَفْعَلِ كَأَنَّهَا فِي الْأُفُقِ عَيْنُ الْأَحْوَلِ

A yellow one (8) that has almost done it, yet has not; as if it were, on the horizon, the eye of a cross-eyed person.

وَكَانَ هِشَامٌ أَحْوَلَ فَأَمَرَ بِحَبْسِهِ.

Hisham was cross-eyed, so he ordered his imprisonment.

لِكَافُورٍ الْإِخْشِيدِيِّ: هُوَ الْأَمِيرُ الْمَشْهُورُ صَاحِبُ الْمُتَنَبِّي، وَكَانَ عَبْدًا اشْتَرَاهُ الْإِخْشِيدُ مَلِكُ مِصْرَ سَنَةَ ٣١٢هـ فَنُسِبَ إِلَيْهِ وَأَعْتَقَهُ، فَتَرَقَّى عِنْدَهُ، وَمَا زَالَتْ هِمَّتُهُ تَسْمُو بِهِ حَتَّى مَلَكَ وَكَانَ مَعَ شَجَاعَتِهِ فَطِنًا ذَكِيًّا حَسَنَ السِّيَاسَةِ، وَتُوُفِّيَ بِالْقَاهِرَةِ سَنَةَ ٣٥٧هـ. (٢) كَفَى بِكَ: أَيْ كَفَاكَ، فَالْبَاءُ زَائِدَةٌ. (٣) الْمَنَايَا جَمْعُ مَنِيَّةٍ، وَهِيَ الْمَوْتُ. (٤) الْأَمَانِيُّ: جَمْعُ أُمْنِيَّةٍ، وَهِيَ الشَّيْءُ الَّذِي تَتَمَنَّاهُ، يُخَاطِبُ أَبُو الطَّيِّبِ نَفْسَهُ وَيَقُولُ: كَفَاكَ دَاءً رُؤْيَتُكَ الْمَوْتَ شَافِيًا لَكَ، وَكَفَى الْمَنِيَّةَ أَنْ تَكُونَ شَيْئًا تَتَمَنَّاهُ. (٥) الْوَاحِدِيُّ: مُفَسِّرٌ عَالِمٌ بِالْأَدَبِ مَوْلِدُهُ وَوَفَاتُهُ بِنَيْسَابُورَ وَكُتُبُهُ الْبَسِيطُ وَالْوَسِيطُ وَالْوَجِيزُ فِي التَّفْسِيرِ مَخْطُوطَةٌ، وَشَرْحُهُ لِدِيوَانِ الْمُتَنَبِّي مَطْبُوعٌ، تُوُفِّيَ سَنَةَ ٤٦٨هـ. (٦) ابْنُ جِنِّي: هُوَ مِنْ أَئِمَّةِ النَّحْوِ وَالْعَرَبِيَّةِ، وُلِدَ فِي الْمَوْصِلِ، وَتُوُفِّيَ بِبَغْدَادَ سَنَةَ ٣٩٢هـ، وَمِنْ مُؤَلَّفَاتِهِ "الْخَصَائِصُ فِي اللُّغَةِ"، اللُّغَةِ"، ، وَكَانَ الْمُتَنَبِّي يَقُولُ ابْنُ جِنِّي أَعْرَفُ بِشِعْرِي مِنِّي. (٧) أَبُو النَّجْمِ: هُوَ الْفَضْلُ بْنُ قُدَامَةَ، وَهُوَ مِنْ رِجَالِ الْإِسْلَامِ وَالْفُحُولِ الْمُتَقَدِّمِينَ، فِي الطَّبَقَةِ الْأُولَى مِنْهُمْ، وَلَهُ مَعَ

(1) Kafur al-Ikhshidi: He is the famous prince, the companion of Al-Mutanabbi. He was a slave bought by Al-Ikhshid, the King of Egypt, in the year 312 AH, so he was attributed to him and he freed him. He rose in rank with him, and his ambition continued to elevate him until he ruled Egypt in the year 355 AH. Along with his courage, he was shrewd, intelligent, and a good politician. He died in Cairo in the year 357 AH.

(٢) كَفَى بِكَ: أَيْ كَفَاكَ، فَالْبَاءُ زَائِدَةٌ.

(2) Kafa bika: Meaning 'it sufficed you', for the 'ba' is extra.

(٣) الْمَنَايَا جَمْعُ مَنِيَّةٍ، وَهِيَ الْمَوْتُ.

(3) Al-Manaya: The plural of maniyyah, which is death.

(٤) الْأَمَانِيُّ: جَمْعُ أُمْنِيَّةٍ، وَهِيَ الشَّيْءُ الَّذِي تَتَمَنَّاهُ، يُخَاطِبُ أَبُو الطَّيِّبِ نَفْسَهُ وَيَقُولُ: كَفَاكَ دَاءً رُؤْيَتُكَ الْمَوْتَ شَافِيًا لَكَ، وَكَفَى الْمَنِيَّةَ أَنْ تَكُونَ شَيْئًا تَتَمَنَّاهُ.

(4) Al-Amani: The plural of umniyyah, which is the thing you wish for. Abu al-Tayyib addresses himself and says: It is enough of a malady for you that you see death as a cure for you, and it is enough for death that it be something you wish for.

(٥) الْوَاحِدِيُّ: مُفَسِّرٌ عَالِمٌ بِالْأَدَبِ مَوْلِدُهُ وَوَفَاتُهُ بِنَيْسَابُورَ وَكُتُبُهُ الْبَسِيطُ وَالْوَسِيطُ وَالْوَجِيزُ فِي التَّفْسِيرِ مَخْطُوطَةٌ، وَشَرْحُهُ لِدِيوَانِ الْمُتَنَبِّي مَطْبُوعٌ، تُوُفِّيَ سَنَةَ ٤٦٨هـ.

(5) Al-Wahidi: A commentator and scholar of literature. His birth and death were in Nishapur. His books 'Al-Basit', 'Al-Wasit', and 'Al-Wajiz' in commentary are in manuscript form, and his commentary on the Diwan of Al-Mutanabbi is printed. He died in the year 468 AH.

(٦) ابْنُ جِنِّي: هُوَ مِنْ أَئِمَّةِ النَّحْوِ وَالْعَرَبِيَّةِ، وُلِدَ فِي الْمَوْصِلِ، وَتُوُفِّيَ بِبَغْدَادَ سَنَةَ ٣٩٢هـ، وَمِنْ مُؤَلَّفَاتِهِ "الْخَصَائِصُ فِي اللُّغَةِ"، وَكَانَ الْمُتَنَبِّي يَقُولُ ابْنُ جِنِّي أَعْرَفُ بِشِعْرِي مِنِّي.

(6) Ibn Jinni: He is one of the imams of grammar and the Arabic language. He was born in Mosul and died in Baghdad in the year 392 AH. Among his works is 'Al-Khasa'is fi al-Lughah'. Al-Mutanabbi used to say: Ibn Jinni knows my poetry better than I do.

(٧) أَبُو النَّجْمِ: هُوَ الْفَضْلُ بْنُ قُدَامَةَ، وَهُوَ مِنْ رِجَالِ الْإِسْلَامِ وَالْفُحُولِ الْمُتَقَدِّمِينَ، فِي الطَّبَقَةِ الْأُولَى مِنْهُمْ، وَلَهُ مَعَ هِشَامِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْمَلِكِ أَخْبَارٌ طَوِيلَةٌ، وَكَانَتْ وَفَاتُهُ آخِرَ دَوْلَةِ بَنِي أُمَيَّةَ.

(7) Abu al-Najm: He is Al-Fadl ibn Qudamah, and he is one of the men of Islam and the early masters of poetry, in the first rank of them. He has long stories with Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik, and his death was at the end of the Umayyad dynasty.

صَفْرَاءُ: قِيلَ: هَذَا الْبَيْتُ فِي وَصْفِ الشَّمْسِ وَالْأَحْوَلُ مَنْ بِعَيْنَيْهِ حَوَلٌ، وَهُوَ ظُهُورُ الْبَيَاضِ مُؤَخَّرَ الْعَيْنِ، وَيَكُونُ السَّوَادُ مِنْ قِبَلِ الْمَآقِي.

(8) Safra': It is said: This verse is in description of the sun, and the 'ahwal' (cross-eyed person) is one who has a squint in his eyes, which is the appearance of the white part at the back of the eye, while the black part is toward the inner corners.

Vocabulary · المفردات (24 verbs · 39 nouns)

• خَرَجَ — to deviate
• كَانَ — to be
• مَدَحَ — to praise
• كَفَى — to suffice
• رَأَى — to see
• طَرِبَ — to be delighted
• أَشْبَهَ — to resemble
• قَرَأَ — to read
• زَادَ — to increase
• جَعَلَ — to make
• ضَحِكَ — to laugh
• غَلَى — to boil
• أَلْجَأَ — to force
• فَرَّ — to flee
• اِسْتَطَاعَ — to be able
• زَلَّ — to slip
• نَفَّرَ — to alienate
• أَخْرَجَ — to cause to depart
• حَكَى — to narrate
• دَخَلَ — to enter
• أَنْشَدَ — to recite
• كَادَ — to be on the verge of
• فَعَلَ — to do
• أَمَرَ — to order
• مَسْقَط — place of falling
• حَدّ — limit
• بَلَاغَة — eloquence
• غَرَض — target
• سَهْم — arrow
• نَاقِد — critic
• مِثَال — an example
• قَوْل — saying
• أَوَّل — beginning
• قَصِيدَة — poem
• دَاء — disease
• مَوْت — death
• شَافِي — healer
• حَسْب — sufficiency
• مَنِيَّة — death
• أُمْنِيَّة — wish
• طَرَب — delight
• بِدْعَة — innovation
• بَيْت — verse
• اِسْتِهْزَاء — mockery
• إِنْسَان — human
• مُضْحِك — funny thing
• رَجُل — man
• قِرْد — monkey
• صَدْر — chest
• حِقْد — hatred
• يَوْم — day
• لِسَان — tongue
• كَلِمَة — word
• اِحْتِبَاس — retention
• شَاعِر — poet
• مَعْنَى — meaning
• سَامِع — listener
• كَلَام — speech
• صَفْرَاء — yellow
• أُفُق — horizon
• عَيْن — eye
• أَحْوَل — cross-eyed
• حَبْس — imprisonment