10. On the day when repentance will not benefit
Back to book10 - قال: أخبرني أبو الحسن علي بن مالك النحوي قال: حدثنا محمد بن الفضل قال: حدثنا محمد بن أحمد بن إبراهيم الكاتب قال: حدثنا يموت بن المزرع قال: حدثنا عيسى بن إسماعيل، عن الأصمعي قال: سمعت أعرابيا وذكر السلطان فقال: لئن عزوا بالظلم في الدنيا ليذلن بالعدل في الآخرة، رضوا بقليل من كثير، وبيسير من خطير، وإنما يلقون العدم حين لا ينفع الندم. قال: وأنشدني أبو الحسن لأبي العتاهية : سبحان ذي الملكوت أية ليلة * مخضت بوجه صباح يوم الموقف لو أن نفسا وهمتها نفسها * ما في المعاد مصور لم تطرف كتب الفناء على البرية ربها * والناس بين مقدم ومخلف وصلى الله على سيدنا محمد النبي وآله وسلم.
10. He said: Abul Hasan ‘Ali ibn Malik al-Nahwi reported to me from Muhammad ibn al-Fadhl, who reported from Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Ibrahim al-Katib, who reported from Yamoot ibn al-Muzarra’, who reported from Isa ibn Ismail from Al-Asmaee’, who said: Once, I heard a Bedouin, before whom a monarch had been mentioned, saying: "If they have attained honour in this world by injustice and tyranny, they will definitely be disgraced by justice in the next world. They have contented themselves with little, leaving aside plenty, with insignificant things, setting aside that which is weightier. They will meet with forfeiture on the day when repentance will not benefit." And Abul Hasan recited the following couplets by Abu al-Ata’hiya: "Glory to the Master of all Dominions! What a night will it be, which will bear the dawn of the Day of Judgement? If a person were to imagine himself, how he will look on the day of Judgement, he may never glance at it. Allah has destined all man to extinction; Some go earlier and some lay behind." And may Allah bless our master Muhammad, the Prophet and his progeny.