The Merchant of Baghdad (تاجر بغداد) — Page 12

Arabic text · النص

Line-by-line translation · المعاني

وَتَحَيَّرَ «عَلِيُّ كُوجِيَا»؛ فَلَمْ يَعْرِفْ أَيْنَ يَضَعُهَا حَتَّى لَا يَسْرِقَهَا أَحَدٌ مِنَ اللُّصُوصِ.

Ali Cogia was confused; he did not know where to place it so that no one among the thieves would steal it.

ثُمَّ افْتَكَرَ فِكْرَةً جَمِيلَةً، وَهِيَ أَنْ يَضَعَهَا أَمَانَةً عِنْدَ صَدِيقٍ لَهُ مِنَ التُّجَّارِ، اسْمُهُ التَّاجِرُ: «حَسَنٌ».

Then he thought of a beautiful idea, which was to place it as a trust with a friend of his among the merchants, whose name is the merchant: Hassan.

فَأَحْضَرَ «عَلِيُّ كُوجِيَا» جَرَّةً كَبِيرَةً، ثُمَّ وَضَعَ فِيهَا ذَلِكَ الْمَالَ.

Ali Cogia brought a large jar, then he placed that money in it.

وَلَمَّا فَرَغَ مِنْ وَضْعِهِ فِيهَا، كَمَّلَهَا بِالزَّيْتُونِ، ثُمَّ سَدَّ الْجَرَّةَ، وَحَمَلَهَا إِلَى صَاحِبِهِ التَّاجِرِ «حَسَنٍ».

And when he finished placing it in it, he filled it with olives, then he sealed the jar, and carried it to his companion, the merchant Hassan.

وَقَالَ لَهُ: «أَنْتَ صَدِيقِي، وَأَنَا أَعْرِفُ فِيكَ الْأَمَانَةَ وَالْوَفَاءَ.

And he said to him: You are my friend, and I know in you trustworthiness and loyalty.

وَأَنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّنِي قَدْ عَزَمْتُ عَلَى السَّفَرِ إِلَى «مَكَّةَ» بَعْدَ أَيَّامٍ قَلِيلَةٍ لِأَدَاءِ فَرِيضَةِ الْحَجِّ.

And you know that I have resolved to travel to Mecca after a few days to perform the pilgrimage duty.

وَقَدْ أَحْضَرْتُ مَعِي جَرَّةَ زَيْتُونٍ؛ لِتَحْفَظَهَا لِي عِنْدَكَ حَتَّى أَعُودَ مِنَ الْحَجِّ فَتَرُدَّهَا إِلَيَّ».

And I have brought with me a jar of olives; for you to keep it for me with you until I return from the pilgrimage, then you return it to me.

فَقَالَ لَهُ صَاحِبُهُ التَّاجِرُ «حَسَنٌ» مُبْتَسِمًا: «سَأَحْفَظُ لَكَ عِنْدِي هَذِهِ الْجَرَّةَ حَتَّى تَعُودَ مِنْ سَفَرِكَ؛ فَأَرُدَّهَا إِلَيْكَ.

His companion, the merchant Hassan, said to him smiling: I will keep this jar for you with me until you return from your travel; then I will return it to you.

وَأَنَا مَسْرُورٌ مِنْ وُثُوقِكَ بِي».

And I am pleased with your trust in me.

ثُمَّ أَعْطَاهُ مِفْتَاحَ مَخْزَنِهِ، وَقَالَ لَهُ: «هَا هُوَ ذَا الْمِفْتَاحُ.

Then he gave him the key to his warehouse, and said to him: Here is the key.

فَاذْهَبْ إِلَى مَخْزَنِي، وَضَعِ الْجَرَّةَ فِي أَيِّ مَكَانٍ يُعْجِبُكَ.

Go to my warehouse, and place the jar in any place that pleases you.

وَلَنْ يَمَسَّهَا أَحَدٌ مِنَ النَّاسِ حَتَّى تَعُودَ مِنْ سَفَرِكَ، وَتَأْخُذَهَا مِنَ الْمَكَانِ الَّذِي وَضَعْتَهَا فِيهِ».

And no one among the people will touch it until you return from your travel, and take it from the place where you placed it.

فَشَكَرَهُ «عَلِيٌّ كُوجِيَا» عَلَى ذَلِكَ، وَأَخَذَ مِنْهُ مِفْتَاحَ مَخْزَنِهِ، وَوَضَعَ جَرَّتَهُ فِيهِ، ثُمَّ أَعَادَ إِلَيْهِ الْمِفْتَاحَ وَانْصَرَفَ.

Ali Cogia thanked him for that, and took from him the key to his warehouse, and placed his jar in it, then he returned the key to him and left.

Vocabulary · المفردات (25 verbs · 27 nouns)

• تَحَيَّرَ — to be confused
• عَرَفَ — to know
• وَضَعَ — to place
• سَرَقَ — to steal
• افْتَكَرَ — to think of
• أَحْضَرَ — to bring
• فَرَغَ — to finish
• كَمَّلَ — to complete
• سَدَّ — to block
• حَمَلَ — to carry
• قَالَ — to say
• عَلِمَ — to know
• عَزَمَ — to resolve
• حَفِظَ — to keep
• عَادَ — to return
• رَدَّ — to return
• أَعْطَى — to give
• ذَهَبَ — to go
• أَعْجَبَ — to please
• مَسَّ — to touch
• أَخَذَ — to take
• شَكَرَ — to thank
• أَعَادَ — to return
• انْصَرَفَ — to leave
• عَاشَ — to live
• تَاجِرٌ — merchant
• لِصٌّ — thief
• فِكْرَةٌ — idea
• أَمَانَةٌ — trust
• صَدِيقٌ — friend
• اسْمٌ — name
• جَرَّةٌ — jar
• وِعَاءٌ — vessel
• فَخَّارٌ — pottery
• مَالٌ — money
• زَيْتُونٌ — olive
• صَاحِبٌ — companion
• وَفَاءٌ — loyalty
• سَفَرٌ — travel
• يَوْمٌ — day
• أَدَاءٌ — performance
• فَرِيضَةٌ — duty
• حَجٌّ — pilgrimage
• مِفْتَاحٌ — key
• مَخْزَنٌ — warehouse
• مَكَانٌ — place
• نَاسٌ — people
• سُؤَالٌ — question
• صَانِعٌ — craftsman
• غَنِيٌّ — rich man
• فَقِيرٌ — poor man
• مُتَزَوِّجٌ — married