Richard Francis Burton’s translation: detailed table of contents
THE CALIPH OMAR BIN ABD AL-AZIZ AND THE POETS85
It is said that, when the Caliphate devolved on Omar bin Abd al- Aziz86 (of whom Allah accept), the poets resorted to him, as they had been used to resort to the Caliphs before him, and abode at his door days and days, but he suffered them not to enter, till there came to him ‘Adн bin Artah,87 who stood high in esteem with him. Jarнr88 accosted him and begged him to crave admission for them to the presence; so Adi answered, “’Tis well;” and, going in to Omar, said to him, “The poets are at thy door and have been there days and days; yet hast thou not given them leave to enter, albeit their sayings abide89 and their arrows from mark never fly wide.” Quoth Omar, “What have I to do with the poets?” and quoth Adi, “O Commander of the Faithful, the Prophet (Abhak!)90 was praised by a poet91 and gave him largesse, and in him92 is an exemplar to every Moslem.” Quoth Omar, “And who praised him?” and quoth Adi, “‘Abbбs bin Mirdбs93 praised him, and he clad him with a suit and said, O Generosity,94 cut off from me his tongue!” Asked the Caliph, “Dost thou remember what he said?” and Adi answered, “Yes.” Rejoined Omar, “Then repeat it;” so Adi repeated,95
“I saw thee, O thou best of human race, * Bring out a Book which
brought to graceless Grace.
Thou showedst righteous road to men astray * From Right, when
darkest Wrong had ta’en its place;Ч
Thou with Islбm didst light the gloomiest way, *Quenching with
proof live coals of frowardness;
I own for Prophet mine Mohammed’s self; * And man’s award upon his
word we base;
Thou madest straight the path that crooked ran, * Where in old
days foul growth o’ergrew its face.
Exalt be thou in Joy’s empyrean * And Allah’s glory ever grow
apace.
“And indeed” (continued Adi), “this Elegy on the Prophet (Abhak!) is well known and to comment it would be tedious.” Quoth Omar “Who is at the door?” and quoth Adi, “Among them is Omar ibn Abi Rabн’ah, the Korashн;96 whereupon the Caliph cried, “May Allah show him no favour neither quicken him! Was it not he who said these verses,
‘Would Heaven what day Death shall visit me * I smell as thy
droppings and drippings97 smell!
Could I in my clay-bed on Salmб lie * There to me were better
than Heaven or Hell!’
“Had he not been” (continued the Caliph) “the enemy of Allah, he had wished for her in this world, so he might after repent and return to righteous dealing. By Allah, he shall not come in to me! Who is at the door other than he?” Quoth Adi, “Jamнl bin Ma’mar al-Uzri98 is at the door;” and quoth Omar, “’Tis he who saith in one of his elegies,
‘Would Heaven conjoint we lived, and if I die * Death only grant
me a grave within her grave:
For I’d no longer deign to live my life * If told upon her head
is laid the pave.’”99
Quoth Omar, “Away with him from me! Who is at the door?” and quoth Adi, “Kuthayyir ‘Azzah”100 ; whereupon Omar cried, “’Tis he who saith in one of his odes,
‘Some talk of faith and creed and nothing else * And wait for
pains of Hell in prayer-seat;101
But did they hear what I from Azzah heard, * They’d make
prostration, fearfull at her feet.’
“Leave the mention of him. Who is at the door?” Quoth Adi, “Al- Ahwas al-’Ansбrн.”102 Cried Omar, “Allah Almighty put him away and estrange him from His mercy! Is it not he who said, berhyming on a Medinite’s slave-girl, so she might outlive her lord,
‘Allah be judge betwixt me and her lord! * Who ever flies with her and I pursue.’
“He shall not come in to me. who is at the door, other than he?” Adi replied, “Hammбm bin Ghбlib al-Farazdak;”103 and Omar said, “’Tis he who saith, glorying in whoring,
‘Two girls let me down eighty fathoms deep, * As low sweeps a
falcon wi’ pinions spread;
And cried; as my toes touched the ground, ‘Dost live * To return,
or the fall hath it done thee dead?
“He shall not come in to me. who is at the door, other than he?” Adi replied, “Al-Akhtal al-Taghlibн”104 and Omar said, “He is the Miscreant who saith in his singing,
‘Ramazan I ne’er fasted in life-time; nay * I ate flesh in public
at undurn day;105
Nor chide I the fair, save in way of love, * Nor seek Meccah’s
plain106 in salvation-way:
Nor stand I praying like rest who cry * ‘Hie
salvationwards’107 at the dawn’s first ray.
But I drink her cooled108 by fresh Northern breeze * And my
head at dawn to her prone I lay.’109
“By Allah, he treadeth no carpet of mine! who is at the door, other than he?” Said Adi, “Jarнr ibn al-Khatafah”; and Omar cried, “’Tis he who saith,
‘But for ill-spying glances had our eyes espied * Eyne of the
antelope and ringlets of the Reems.110
A huntress of the eyes111 by night-tide came and I * Cried,
‘Turn in peace, no time for visit this, meseems!’
“An it must be and no help, admit Jarir.” So Adi went forth and admitted Jarir, who entered, saying.
“Yea, he who sent Mohammed unto man, * A just successor for
Imбm112 assigned.
His ruth and justice all mankind embrace, * To daunt the bad and
stablish well-designed.
Verily now I look to present good, * For man hath ever-transient
weal in mind.”
Quoth Omar, “O Jarir, keep the fear of Allah before thine eyes and say naught save the sooth.” And Jarir recited these couplets,
“How many widows loose the hair in far Yamбmah-land113 * How
many an orphan there abides feeble of voice and eye,
Since faredst thou who wast to them instead of father lost * When
One Thousand and One Nights Page 1001