812ibn_almuqaffa

8/12/2019 812Ibn_alMuqaffa

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Al-Adab al-Saghir wa al-

Adab al-Kabir

Ibn al-Muqaffa`

Mahmoud, Hisham

Arabic 250No!mb!r 2", 200#


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$%&IA'&% (I)N%SS%S

'! mindful *ha* wh!n!!r on! is confron*!d

wi*h som!*hing h! +nows abou* hims!lf, which h!

had b!!n hiding from o*h!rs and which ano*h!r

!os!d b!for! a sul*an or an.on! !ls! for *ha*

ma**!r, his fac!, !.!s, and *ongu! will ir*uall.

*!s*if. agains* him, r!!aling his s*a*!, his

!mbarrassm!n*, and d!bili*. uon *his un!!c*!d

disclosur!/

2(a*ch ou* for *his, r!*!nd if .ou1r! !!r

chall!ng!d, b! igilan* *ha* i* no* *a+! .ou b.

surris!, and *hin+ abou* wa.s *o d!n. i*/

22

'% HM'&% AN3 IN)$4%$)%3, AN3

'%(A$% 46 A$7M%N)A)I4N

If .ou w!r! abl! *o s!* .ours!lf a d!gr!! b!low

.our righ*ful s*a*us, wh!*h!r in a ga*h!ring or an


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ou*ing, wh!*h!r in s!!ch or d!!d, *h!n do so/

'!au*. is8 wh!n !ol! !al* .ou abo! *h! s*a*us

und!r which .ou ran+ .ours!lf9 wh!n *h!. *r. *o si*

clos!r *o .ou in a ga*h!ring from which .ou *r. *o

dis*anc! .ours!lf9 wh!n *h!. !al* .our affair whil!

.ou r!frain from !al*ing i*9 and wh!n *h!. d!!m

!quisi*! .our s!!ch, .our oinions, and .our

ac*ions whil! .ou r!fus! b!au*if. *h!s!/

'! no* imr!ss!d b. a scholar if h! +nows no*

how *o al. wha* h! +nows, nor b. *h! ar*isan if h!

is ignoran* of *h! *im! and lac! of his craf*/ If .ou

w!r! ou*wi**!d in s!!ch, *h!n r!ail in sil!nc!, for

i* :us* ma.

2"

b! *h! b!**!r of *h! *wo in *!rms of b!au*iful ir*u!s/

I* will s*r!ng*h!n mor! *h! lo! of o*h!rs *owards

.ou, i* will rolong .our digni*. *h! mor!, and i*

will rid .ou of !n. mor! !ffici!n*/


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'!war! of argum!n*a*ion and !s*rang! i*, bu*

l!* no* .our cau*ion of argum!n*a*ion dissuad! .ou

from h!al*h. d!ba*! and discours!/

'! mindful *ha* *h! argum!n*a*i! !rson has

no in*!r!s* in l!arning or in *!aching/ If an.on!

sus!c*s hims!lf *o b! arguing for fals!hood ins*!ad

of *ru*h, ;l!* *h!m b!ar in mind *ha*< an

argum!n*a*i! !rson is on! who do!s no* argu!

b!for! a disc!rning :udg!, r!gardl!ss of how

conincing, cl!ar, or wi**. his argum!n*s w!r!/ His

:udg! is non! bu* his oon!n* and his own mind,

who will bo*h inariabl. :udg! in his faor/ 'u* if

h! w!lcom!d or ho!d for an hon!s* r!sons! from

his comanion b. which h! would oin! agains*

him, *h!n h! has ind!!d b!n!fi*!d hims!lf/ 'u* w!r!

h! *o s!a+ wi*h an. o*h!r uros!, h! would

amoun* *o no*hing mor! *han an argum!n*a*i!

!rson/


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If .ou can manag! no* informing .our bro*h!r

abou* an.*hing r!garding .our *ru! na*ur! !c!*

*ha* .ou in*!nd *h!r!b. *o gain from him som!

b!n!fi*, s!!+ing *h! m!ri* of d!!d o!r word and

b!ing full. r!ar!d *o d!alu! *h! d!!d- and if .ou

can d!alu! *h! d!!d, *h!n do so/

'! mindful *ha* s!**ing d!!d abo! word is

adornm!n*, *ha* lacing word abo! d!!d is d!c!i*,

and *ha* mas*!ring *his abili*. is among *h! mos*

wondrous f!a*s/

2#

=A)I%N>% 6A>I&I)A)%S A3%$SI)I%S

(h!n ad!rsi*i!s amass agains* .ou, don1* la

b. *hin+ing .ou can a!r* *h!m b. aoiding *h!m,

for *h!r! is no comfor* for .ou !c!* in !ngaging

*h!m full./ =a*i!nc! *hroughou* is wha* facili*a*!s


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ad!rsi*i!s, whil! !as!ra*ion is wha* accumula*!s

*h!m/

>onsciousl. aoid wi*hin .ours!lf *ha*

anno.anc! *ha* I ha! no*ic!d in som! !ol! who

ar! cons*an*l. bus./ %r!ssl., a man ma. b!

r!occui!d wi*h a *as+ wh!n ano*h!r com!s u or

wh!n som!on! aroach!s him whos! isi* h!

disli+!s, so h! b!com!s so anno.!d such *ha* his

anno.anc! disru*s bo*h *as+s *o *h! oin* *ha* h!

fulfills n!i*h!r on! a*l./ )hus, if an.*hing similar

occurs *o .ou, l!* .our good r!ason and disc!rning

:udgm!n* b! wi*h .ou, *h!n riori*i?! wha* is uon

.ou and wor+ dilig!n*l. un*il !ach *as+ is

coml!*!d/ '! no* o!rwh!lm!d b. how much is

l!f* undon! and how much *im! has ass!d so long

as .ou ha! focus!d .our *hin+ing and ha! ali!d

.ours!lf indus*riousl.9 and s!* a goal for .ours!lf in


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!ach *as+ *oward whos! !nd .ou will al. .our

!n!rg./

34 N4) 74 )4 %@)$%M%S

'! mindful *ha* if .ou go *o *h! !*r!m! in

worshi, .ou1ll ha! fall!n shor*, and if .ou go *o

*h! !*r!m! in carr.ing +nowl!dg!, .ou1! m!* wi*h

*h! ignoran*9 and if .ou ha! go *o *h! !*r!m! b.

*r.ing *o l!as! !ol! a* all cos*s and r!li!ing

25*h!m of all of *h!ir burd!ns, .ou1d soon b!com!

surround!d b. !ol! who cons*an*l. call uon

.our h!l/

'! conscious *ha* b!n!ol!nc! is som!*im!s

mis!rlin!ss, *ha* candidn!ss som!*im!s caus!s gri!f,

!loqu!nc! is som!*im!s no* finding *h! righ* words,

and +nowl!dg! is som!*im!s ignoranc!/ So if .ou

ar! abl! no* *o or!ss b. .our chari*., or *aun*


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*hrough .our !loqu!nc!, or d!s*ro. wi*h .our

+nowl!dg!, *h!n don1*/

M%M4$I% 3%&I7H)6& AN3 S=&%N3I3

S)4$I%S

Know *ha* .ou will h!ar s*a*!m!n*s *ha* will

gra*if. .ou, bo*h wi**. and r!mar+abl!/ So if .ou

h!ar som!*hing *ha* d!ligh*s .ou, .ou should

m!mori?! i*, for m!mori?a*ion alon! saf!guards *h!

wi**. and r!mar+abl!/ =!ol! will s*ri! af*!r

wha*!!r d!ligh*s *h!m, and such s*riing is inna*!

*o !ol!/ And *hos! who ar! !n*hrall!d b. .ou sa.

ar!n1* n!c!ssaril. !n*hrall!d b. o*h!rs/

2B

If .ou r!la*! som!*hing onc! or *wic! and

obs!r! *ha* .our audi!nc! wasn1* r!c!*i! *o i*,

*h!n r!frain from r!!a*ing i*, for b!ing in


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ama?!m!n* o!r som!*hing *ha*1s no* so ama?ing is

in*!ns!l. foolish/

(! ha! s!!n c!r*ain !ol! who cl!nch hold

of som!*hing and *al+ abou* i* inc!ssan*l. and

r!fus! *o :us* l!* i* go, nor do!s *h! lac+ of his

comanions1 in*!r!s* in i* r!!n* him from

r!!a*ing i*/

)h!n consid!r *h! gr!a* *radi*ions and

m!mori?! *h!m b!caus! !ol! na*urall. inclin!

*owards s*ori!s, !s!ciall. *hos! *ha* ar! !nchan*ing/

Mos* !ol! s!a+ b. ir*u! of wha* *h!. h!ar,

a.ing no mind *o *h! m!ri* of *hos! from whom

*h!.1! h!ard/ )his ruins on!1s cr!dibili*. and

affron*s on!1s alor/ If .ou1r! abl!, *h!n, *o r!la*!

onl. wha* .ou d!!m *ru!, whos! *ru*h .ou1!

arri!d a* onl. b. wa. of roof, *h!n do so/ And sa.

no* *ha* which siml!*ons sa.8 CI r!la*! as I h!ar,D

for mos* of wha* .ou h!ar ar! li!s, and mos*


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narra*ors ar! siml!*ons/ 'u* if .ou ar! w!ll-!rs!d

in *h! ahadithand ha! m!mori?!d *h!m w!ll, *ha*

which .ou b!ar and r!c!i!, in g!n!ral, will !c!!d

b. far *h! gains of *hos! who fabrica*! and r!la*!/

(H4M )4 '%6$I%N3 AM4N7S) )H%

=%4=&%

>onsid!r wis!l. whom .ou b!fri!nd, wh!*h!r

*ha* !rson is on! *o whom .ou ow! a faor b!caus!

of his au*hori*. or s*a*us o!r .ou or o*h!rwis!, i/!/

from .our associa*!s, acquain*anc!s, and clos!

fri!nds/ So r!ar! .ours!lf as a fri!nd *o ardon his

shor*comings and gi! of .ours!lf lib!rall. wh!n

difficul*i!s !nsu! from his fri!ndshi !c!* wh!n

h! r!bu+!s .ou, +!!s .ou wai*ing,

2E

or d!mands !c!ssi!l. of .ou9 for c!nsur! cu*s off

aff!c*ion and s!!+ing incr!as! is from aaric!,


12/22

whil! con*!n*ing on!s!lf wi*h ardoning and

forgi!n!ss of charac*!r flaws will bring .ou clos!r

*o !!r.*hing *ha* .our soul asir!s *owards, in

addi*ion *o ac*uali?ing digni*., aff!c*ion, and

manhood/

'! mindful *ha* !ol! will *r. .ou wi*h

*riiali*i!s and *ha* *h! !**in!ss of !**. !ol! will

bu* s*ir wi*hin .ou !nmi*. *owards *h!m/ 'u* if .ou

gr!!* or m!!* i* wi*h frioli*., .ou would ha!

!ss!n*iall. acc!*!d his !**in!ss and h!a!d uon i*

.our own/ If .ou d!!m *his blam!wor*h., *h!n l!*

.our c!nsur! of him b! in forsa+ing .our urg! *o

r!sond/ As for r!bu+ing him and following his

l!ad, .ou will in *ha* cas! garn!r no or*ion of

aosi*!n!ss/

'%6$I%N3 N4 4N% %@>%=) )$% M%N


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14/22

sur!m! abo! *h!ir associa*!s/ )his amoun*s *o no

mor! *han a d!fici!nc. in in*!ll!c* and a d!f!c* in

moral conduc*/

H4N4$ >4N)S (H%N I)1S 64$G

'! no* imr!ss!d b. *h! !n!ra*ion of *h! on!

who honors .ou for .our ran+ or au*hori*., for

au*hori*. is *h! clos!s* of worldl. ma**!rs *o

disin*!gra*ion9 nor b! imr!ss!d b. *h! on! who

honors .ou for .our w!al*h, for w!al*h is wha*

follows au*hori*. s!!dil. *o dissolu*ion9 nor b!

imr!ss!d wi*h *h!ir r!!r!nc! of .ou on accoun* of

.our lin!ag!, for lin!ag! b!ars *h! l!as* alu! of

*hos! good *hings *ha* can aail on! as r!gards his

ran+ in r!ligion or in *h! world/

'u* if .ou w!r! honor!d for .our r!ligiosi*. or

manhood, *h!n find sa*isfac*ion in *ha* Manhood


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will no* b!li**l! .ou in *h! world, and r!ligion will

no* d!grad! .ou in *h! af*!rlif!/

2

>4(A$3I>% AN3 7$%%3 KI&&S AN3

3%NI%S

Know *ha* cowardic! +ills and *ha*

co!*ousn!ss is r!s*ric*ing/ >onsid!r wha* .ou1!

s!!n or h!ard- who m!!*s d!a*h in war *h! mor!8 *h!

comba*an* who adanc!s or r!*r!a*sJ As+ .ours!lf8

Is h! who as+s of .ou wi*h grac! and digni*. mor!

d!s!ring of .our lib!rali*. in fulfilling his n!!ds or

h! who as+s wi*h gr!!d and imrori!*.J1

'! mindful *ha* w!r! som!on! *o m!n*ion

som!*hing n!ga*i! abou* ano*h!r .ou ha!n *o

admir!, and w!r! .ou *o r!lac! his s*a*!m!n* wi*h


16/22

som!*hing osi*i!, .our doing will no* n!c!ssaril.

b!n!fi* him/ $a*h!r, i* ma. harm him/

&!* no* *h! m!n*ion of an. of .our fri!nds or

!n!mi!s !mbarrass .ou !c!* if .ou ar! abl! *o

d!f!nd or ro*!c* him/ Lour fri!nd, if h! *rus*s *ha*

.ou would do .our b!s* *o ro*!c* him, will no*

conc!rn hims!lf wi*h wha* .ou l!a! ou*, nor will

h! b! righ*l. :us*ifi!d in holding .ou *o accoun* for

*ha*/

)h! mor! :udicious oinion for .ou as r!gards

.our !n!m. is *ha* .ou don1* m!n*ion him !c!*

wh!n .ou can harm him, and *ha* .ou d!!m no* *h!

sligh*!s* in:ur. *o him as !!n sligh*l. harmful/

"0

If .ou find .ours!lf haing *roubl! choosing

b!*w!!n *wo *hings *ha* ha! b!fall!n .ou, *h!n o*

for *ha* which coun*!rs .our d!sir! and .ou will

ha! found *h! b!**!r al*!rna*i!, for *h! b!s* of

!nd!aors is wha* oos!s .our d!sir!s/


17/22

And should .our h!ar* inclin! *owards !ol!

a* *im!s and *urn awa. from *h!m a* *im!s, *h!n

acc!n* .our n!!d of *h!m wi*h g!n*l! words and

:oiali*., and !s*ablish .our ind!!nd!nc! of *h!m

b. urif.ing .our honor and r!s!ring .our

digni*./

"

H4( )4 SI) (I)H =%4=&%

3o no* !ngag! a !rson b!.ond his caaci*. *o

und!rs*and, for if .ou wan*!d *o con!. +nowl!dg!

*o an ignoramus, disc!rnm!n* *o a bru*!, and cl!ar

s!!ch *o *h! unl!**!r!d, .ou will onl. b! was*ing

.our +nowl!dg! and off!nding .our ar*n!r b.

burd!ning him wi*h *h! w!igh* of his ignoranc! and

afflic*ing him wi*h *h! d!gr!! of dis*r!ss an

ar*icula*! man f!!ls wh!n addr!ssing a for!ign!r

who canno* und!rs*and him/


18/22

'! mindful *ha* wh!n +nowl!dg! is con!.!d

*o *h! ignoran*, *h!. scorn and c!nsur! i*, and

cri*ici?! .ou/ )h!. won1* d!sis* un*il *h!. r!nd!r

+nowl!dg! ignoranc!/ %!n *h! ligh*!s* ac*ii*i!s

for !ol!, li+! la. and r!cr!a*ion, for !aml!,

b!com! draining and *aing for *hos! who ar! no*

!r. ac*i!/

$a*h!r, .our fri!nd should f!!l *ha* .ou

s.ma*hi?! wi*h him and his fri!nds, bu* should a

!rson associa*! clos!l. wi*h .ou or accoman.

.ou som!wh!r!, ma+! sur! h! do!sn1* obs!r! .our

ac*s of +indn!ss *owards an. on! of his fri!nds,

bro*h!rs, or confidan*s, for *ha* will robs *h! h!ar*,

and h! will r!c+on .our +indn!ss *owards his fri!nd

gr!a*!r *han .our +indn!ss *owards him/

And wa*ch no* *o a!ar ha. around on!

who gri!!s, for gri!ing !ol! r!s!n* *h!


19/22

coun*!nanc! wi*h a b!aming smil!9 ra*h!r, *h!.

w!lcom! a s.ma*h!*ic fac!/

%!c* *o h!ar from .our si**ing comanions

!rs!c*i!s and s*a*!m!n*s wi*h which .ou will

disagr!!, which .ou will d!!m crud! and

disgrac!fulsham!ful, from on! s!a+ing !i*h!r

abou* hims!lf or o*h!rs, so do no* disaro! or

scorn an.*hing

"2

*ha* h! sa.s, nor f!!l com!ll!d *o sa., H! was

onl. s!a+ing abou* som!on! !ls!,1 b!caus!

who!!r is r!fu*!d will r!ac* wi*h ang!r/ Should

.ou disli+! *ha* his s!!ch wrongl. aff!c* an.on!

among *h! lis*!n!rs b!caus! of a miss*a*!m!n* *ha*

migh* b!com! fi!d in his mind or should .ou f!ar

*ha* som! harm migh* com! *o som!on! on accoun*

of wha* h! sa.s, *h!n cri*iqu! his s!!ch in ria*!/

)his is much !asi!r *han cri*ici?ing him ublicl.

and aoids an*agonism/


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Know *ha* animosi*. is f!ar, aff!c*ion is

s!curi*., and so incr!as! aff!c*ion *hrough sil!nc!,

for sil!nc! will b!c+on i* *owards .ou/ And should

.ou s!a+, *h!n l!* .our words b! g!n*l!, for g!n*l!

s!!ch will in*!nsif. *h! aff!c*ion of .our fri!nds

and will cons*ric* *h! !nmi*. of *h! callous/

Know *ha* low!ring .our oic!, calming on!1s

!ub!ranc!, and wal+ing wi*h uros! is wha*

draws aff!c*ion, so long as *his is no* mi!d wi*h

ba1wun or conc!i*, for conc!i* caus!s a!rsion and

abhorr!nc!/

""

&IS)%NIN7 (%&&

'! as ad!* a* lis*!ning as .ou ar! a* s!a+ing/

Among *h! rincil!s of good lis*!ning is /

allowing *h! s!a+!r *o finish his s!!ch9 2/ no*

d!faul*ing *o answ!ring him9 "/ facing him squar!l.


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and b!holding him9 #/ and b!ing !ngag!d in wha* h!

sa.s/

'! mindful *ha* som! of .our s!!ch ma. u*

down *h! alidi*. of wha* .our fri!nd has *o sa.,

*h!r!b. s*riing his words of *h!ir charm and

d!ligh*, and *ha* .our quic+n!ss *o oos! him and

.our in*!rru*ing him b!for!

"#

h!1s had *h! chanc! *o disclos! wha* li!s d!!

wi*hin hims!lf amoun*s *o ridiculing him/

(HA) IS AS>%)I>ISMJ

If .ou find *ha* .our soul b!li**l!s *h! world or

b!c+ons .ou *o asc!*icism in *h! world b!caus! *h!

world is siml. ou* of .our r!ach, *h!n b! no*

d!c!i!d as *o .our own condi*ion, for *his is no*

asc!*icism, ra*h!r disaoin*m!n*, s!rili*.,

discon*!n* wi*h .our lac+ of m!ans, and ang!r o!r


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.our inabili*. *o rogr!ss in *h! world/ And if .ou

consis*!n*l. r!:!c*!d *h! world and abs*ain!d from

s!!+ing af*!r i*, .ou1ll !!ri!nc! far mor! ang!r

and r!s*l!ssn!ss *han *h! ang!r I :us* m!n*ion!d/ 'u*

should .our soul call .ou *o r!:!c* *h! world whil! i*

is chasing af*!r .ou, *h!n r!sond quic+l. *o *ha*

call/

812ibn_almuqaffa

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