Kalila Wa Dimna — Page 82

Line-by-line translation · المعاني

مَعْرُوفًا بِالْحِرْصِ وَالشَّرَهِ، أَوْ كَانَ قَدْ أَصَابَهُ ضُرٌّ، أَوْ ضِيقٌ فَلَمْ يُنْعَشْ، أَوْ كَانَ قَدْ أَجْرَمَ جُرْمًا فَهُوَ يَخَافُ الْعُقُوبَةَ، أَوْ كَانَ شِرِّيرًا لَا يُحِبُّ الْخَيْرَ، أَوْ كَانَ قَدْ وُقِفَ عَلَى خِيَانَتِهِ، أَوْ كَانَ قَدْ حِيلَ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ مَا كَانَ فِي يَدِهِ مِنْ سُلْطَانٍ، أَوْ كَانَ يَلِي عَمَلًا فَعُزِلَ عَنْهُ أَوْ فُرِّقَ عَلَيْهِ أَوِ انْتُقِصَ مِنْهُ أَوْ أُشْرِكَ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ غَيْرِهِ فِيهِ، أَوْ كَانَ أَذْنَبَ فِي نُظَرَائِهِ فَعُفِيَ عَنْهُمْ وَعُوقِبَ، أَوْ عُوقِبُوا جَمِيعًا فَبَلَغَ مِنْهُ مَا لَمْ يُبْلَغْ مِنْ أَحَدٍ مِنْهُمْ مِثْلُهُ، أَوْ كَانَ قَدْ أَبْلَى بَلَاءَ نُظَرَائِهِ فَفُضِّلُوا عَلَيْهِ فِي الْمَنْزِلَةِ وَالْجَاهِ، أَوْ كَانَ غَيْرَ مَوْثُوقٍ بِهِ فِي الْهَوَى وَالدِّينِ، أَوْ كَانَ يَرْجُو فِي شَيْءٍ مِمَّا يَضُرُّ بِالْوُلَاةِ نَفْعًا، أَوْ يَخَافُ فِي شَيْءٍ مِمَّا يَنْفَعُهُمْ ضَرًّا، أَوْ كَانَ لِعَدُوِّ السُّلْطَانِ مُوَادًّا، كُلُّ هَؤُلَاءِ لَيْسَ السُّلْطَانُ حَقِيقًا بِالِاسْتِرْسَالِ إِلَيْهِمْ، وَالطُّمَأْنِينَةِ إِلَى مَا قِبَلَهُمْ، وَالِائْتِمَانِ لَهُمْ.

Whether he is known for greed and gluttony, has been afflicted by hardship or distress without relief, has committed a crime and fears punishment, is a wicked person who despises goodness, has been caught in a betrayal, has been stripped of his authority, has held a position and been dismissed, demoted, had his power diminished, or been forced to share it with others, has sinned against his peers and been punished while they were forgiven, or has been punished along with them but suffered more than any of them, has performed as well as his peers only to be passed over for status and prestige, is untrustworthy in his loyalties or faith, hopes for something that harms the rulers, fears something that benefits them, or is friendly to the Sultan's enemy—none of these are worthy of the Sultan's trust, reliance, or confidence.

وَإِنَّ دِمْنَةَ دَاهٍ أَرِيبٌ، وَقَدْ كَانَ بِبَابِي مَطْرُوحًا مَجْفُوًّا، فَلَعَلَّهُ قَدِ احْتَمَلَ عَلَيَّ بِذَلِكَ ضِغْنًا، وَلَعَلَّ ذَلِكَ يَدْعُوهُ إِلَى أَنْ يَخُونَنِي وَيَبْغِيَ عَلَيَّ، وَلَعَلَّهُ يُصَادِفُ صَاحِبَ الصَّوْتِ أَقْوَى مِنِّي وَأَعْظَمَ سُلْطَانًا فَيَرْغَبَ فِيمَا عِنْدَهُ، وَيَمِيلَ عَلَيَّ مَعَهُ فَيَدُلَّهُ عَلَى عَوْرَتِي.

Dimna is a cunning, intelligent man, and since he was cast aside and ignored at my door, he may harbor a grudge against me. That could drive him to betray me or act against me, or he might encounter the owner of that voice, who is stronger and more powerful than I, and, coveting his position, side with him and reveal my vulnerabilities.

فَلَمْ يَزَلِ الْأَسَدُ يُحَدِّثُ نَفْسَهُ بِذَلِكَ وَيُرَاجِعُهَا فِيهِ حَتَّى اسْتَخَفَّهُ ذَلِكَ وَقَامَ مِنْ مَجْلِسِهِ، فَجَعَلَ يَمْشِي وَيَنْظُرُ إِلَى الطَّرِيقِ حَتَّى رُفِعَ لَهُ دِمْنَةُ مِنْ بَعِيدٍ مُقْبِلًا وَحْدَهُ، فَاطْمَأَنَّ وَرَجَعَ إِلَى مَكَانِهِ كَرَاهَةَ أَنْ يَظُنَّ دِمْنَةُ أَنَّ شَيْئًا أَقْلَقَهُ وَأَزْعَجَهُ مِنْ مَكَانِهِ.

The lion continued to turn these thoughts over in his mind until they made him restless. He rose from his seat and paced, watching the road until he saw Dimna approaching from afar, alone. Reassured, he returned to his place, not wanting Dimna to suspect that anything had disturbed or unsettled him.

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Vocabulary · المفردات (69 verbs · 73 nouns)

• أَصَابَ — to afflict
• أَنْعَشَ — to revive
• أَجْرَمَ — to commit a crime
• مَعْرُوف — known/good deed
• حِرْص — greed/eagerness
• شَرَه — gluttony