The Sacred Books and Early Literature of the East, Volume 6 (of 14): Medieval Arabic, Moorish, and Turkish — John Shaqi
The Sacred Books and Early Literature of the East, Volume 6 (of 14): Medieval Arabic, Moorish, and Turkish
Religion
The Sacred Books and Early Literature of the East, Volume 6 (of 14): Medieval Arabic, Moorish, and Turkish
Oriental literature -- Translations into English
"At length I went to the house of Mansur, and, taking him on one side,
told him the whole story as it had happened, and what my commands were.
When he heard he wept aloud, and fell at my feet, saying: 'In truth the
Commander of the Faithful seeks my life; for his courtiers and many
others know there is no such sum in my house. Nor could I in my whole
life bring together so much; how, then, can I do it in one day? But
do thou show me one favor, for God's sake-. take me to my house, that
I may bid farewell to my children and followers and clansmen, and ask
forgiveness of my offenses from my companions and acquaintances.'
"I took him to his house, as he desired, and when his family and chief
friends heard what had happened there was an outcry among them. They
wept and bewailed so that jinns and men, and wild beasts and birds,
were sorrowful for them, and my heart burned to see them. At last he
brought out what money and valuables he had, amounting to two million
dirhems, and gave it to me, saying: 'In days past, before Haroun al
Rashid was Caliph, I often vexed Yahya the Barmecide, and during this
present reign also he suffered much annoyance and persecution from
me. But on a certain occasion he treated me with kindness, and put my
hand in his, and I knew that he had forgiven my fault, and that there
was no feeling of revenge remaining in his heart; and afterward he
did me many kindnesses with the Caliph. If thou wilt deal kindly with
me—his house is at the head of the way—take me there. It may be his
heart will be touched for me; for all the members of his house are men
of liberality, and they desire that even their enemy and ill-wisher
may take refuge with them, that they may help him in his distress and
misery.'
"I said: 'Thou speakest truly, and it will be a delight to myself to
take thee there. Come, let us go. By Allah the Most High, it must needs
be they will cause thee to rejoice.' When we arrived at the house of
Yahya, he had just finished the afternoon prayer, and was repeating
the _Tesbih_.[8] When he saw Mansur, and he had explained to him his
distress and misery, Yahya came up to me and inquired of me the state
of the case, which I revealed to him. He comforted Mansur, and bade
him keep up his heart; 'For,' said he, 'I will not be wanting in doing
all that is in my power to help thee.' At the same time he called his
treasurer, and said to him: 'Bring me all that is in the treasury.' The
treasurer brought all that he had of coined money and jewels, and the
amount was two hundred thousand dirhems.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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