(CALLED "OF DAMIETTA")[18]
Al Harith, son of Hammam, related: I journeyed to Damietta in a year
of much coming and going, and in those days was I glanced after for
my affluence, desired in friendship: I trained the bordered robes of
wealth and looked upon the features of joy. And I was traveling with
companions who had broken the staff of dissension, who were suckled
on the milk-flows of concord, so that they showed like the teeth of
a comb in uniformity, and like one soul in agreement of desires; but
we coursed on withal apace, and not one of us but had saddled a fleet
she-camel; and if we alighted at a station or went aside to a spring,
we snatched the halt and lengthened not the staying.
Now it happened that we were urging our camels on a night youthful
in prime, raven-locked of complexion; and we journeyed until the
night-season had put off its prime, and the morning had wiped away
the dye of the dark; but when we wearied of the march and inclined to
drowsiness, we came upon a ground with dew-moistened hillocks, and a
faint east breeze: and we chose it as a resting-place for the white
camels, an abode for the night-halt. Now when the caravan had descended
there, and the groan and the roar of the beasts were still, I heard a
loud-voiced man say to his talk-fellow in the camp, "What is the rule
of thy conduct with thy people and neighbors?" The other answered, I am
duteous to my neighbor though he wrong me; and give my fellowship even
to the violent; and bear with a partner though he disorder my affairs;
and love my friend even though he drench me with a tepid draught; and
prefer my well-wisher above my brother; and fulfil to my comrade even
though he requite me not with a tenth; and think little of much if it
be of my guest; and whelm my companion with my kindness; and put my
talk-fellow in the place of my prince; and hold my intimate to be as my
chief; and commit my gifts to my acquaintance; and confer my comforts
on my associate; and soften my speech to him that hates me; and
continue to ask after him that disregards me; and am pleased with but
the crumbs of my due; and am content with but the least portion of my
reward; and complain not of wrong even when I am wronged; and revenge
not, even though a viper sting me.
Then said his companion to him, Alas! my boy, only he who clings
should be clung to; only he who is valuable should be prized. As
for me I give only to him who will requite; I distinguish not the
insolent by my regard; nor will I be of pure affection to one who
refuses me fair-dealing; nor treat as a brother one who would undo my
tethering-rope; nor aid one who would baulk my hopes; nor care for one
who would cut my cords; nor be courteous to him who ignores my value;
nor give my leading rope to one who breaks my covenant; nor be free
of my love to my adversaries; nor lay aside my menace to the hostile;
nor plant my benefits on the land of my enemies; nor be willing to
impart to him who rejoices at my ills; nor show my regard to him who
will exult at my death; nor favor with my gifts any but my friends; nor
call to the curing of my sickness any but those who love me; nor confer
my friendship on him who will not stop my breach; nor make my purpose
sincere to him who wishes my decease; nor be earnest in prayer for him
who will not fill my wallet; nor pour out my praise on him who empties
my jar. For who has adjudged that I should be lavish and thou shouldest
hoard, that I should be soft and thou rough, that I should melt and
thou freeze, that I should blaze and thou smolder? No, by Allah, but
let us balance in speech as coin, and match in deed as sandals, that
each to each we may be safe from fraud and free from hatred. For
else, why should I give thee full water and thou stint me? why should
I hear with thee and thou contemn me? why should I gain for thee and
thou wound me? why should I advance to thee and thou repel me? For how
should fair-dealing be attracted by injury? how can the sun rise clear
with cloud? And when did love follow docilely after wrong? and what man
of honor consents to a state of abasement? For excellently said thy
father:
Whoso attaches his affection to me, I repay him as one who builds on
his foundation:
And I mete to a friend as he metes to me, according to the fulness of
his meting or its defect.
I make him not a loser! for the worst of men is he whose to-day falls
short of his yesterday.
Whoever seeks fruit of me gets only the fruit of his own planting.
I seek not to defraud, but I will not come off with the bargain of one
who is weak in his reason.
I hold not truth binding on me toward a man who holds it not binding
on himself.
There may be some one insincere in love who fancies that I am true in
my friendship for him, while he is false;
And knows not in his ignorance that I pay my creditor his debt after
its kind.
Sunder, with the sundering of hate, from one who would make thee a
fool, and hold him as one entombed in his grave.
And toward him in whose intercourse there is aught doubtful put on the
garb of one who shrinks from his intimacy.
And hope not for affection from any who sees that thou art in want of
his money.
Said Al Harith, son of Hammam: Now, when I had gathered what passed
between them, I longed to know them in person. And when the sun shone
forth, and robed the sky with light, I went forth before the camels
had risen, and with an earliness beyond the earliness of the crow, and
began to follow the direction of that night-voice, and to examine the
faces with a searching glance: until I caught sight of Abu Zayd and
his son talking together, and upon them were two worn mantles. Then
I knew that they were my two talkers of the night, the authors of my
recitation. So I approached them as one enamored of their refinement,
pitying their shabbiness; and offered them a removal to my lodging,
and the disposal of my much and my little; and began to tell abroad
their worth among the travelers, and to shake for them the fruited
branches; until they were whelmed with gifts, and taken as friends.
Now we were in a night-camp, whence we could discern the build of the
villages, and spy the fires of hospitality. And when Abu Zayd saw that
his purse was full, and his distress removed, he said to me, "Truly my
body is dirty, and my filth has caked: Wilt thou permit me to go to
a village, and bathe, and fulfil this urgent need?" I said, "If thou
wilt; but quick! return!" He said, "Thou shalt find me appear again to
thee, quicker than the glancing of thine eye." Then he coursed away,
as courses the good steed in the training-ground, and said to his son,
"Haste! haste!" And we imagined not that he was deceiving, or seeking
to escape. So we stayed and watched for him as men watch for the new
moons of feasts, and made search for him by spies and scouts, until the
sunlight was weak with age, and the wasted bank of the day had nigh
crumbled in. Then, when the term of waiting had been prolonged, and the
sun showed in faded garb, I said to my companions, "We have gone to the
extreme in delay, and have been long in the setting forth; so that we
have lost time, and it is plain that the man was lying. Now, therefore,
prepare for the journey, and turn not aside to the greenness of
dung-heaps." Then I rose to equip my camel and lade for the departure;
and found that Abu Zayd had written on the pack-saddle:
Oh thou, who wast to me an arm and a helper, above all mankind!
Reckon not that I have left thee through impatience or ingratitude:
For since I was born I have been of those who "when they have eaten
separate."
Said Al Harith: Then I made the company read the words of the Koran
that were on the pack-saddle, so that he who had blamed him might
excuse him. And they admired his witticism, but commanded themselves
from his mischief. Then we set forth, nor could we learn whose company
he had gotten in our place.