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A short story by John Payne |
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Haroun Er Reshid And The Woman Of The Barmecides |
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Title: Haroun Er Reshid And The Woman Of The Barmecides Author: John Payne [More Titles by Payne] HAROUN ER RESHID AND THE WOMAN OF THE BARMECIDES.[84] [Footnote 84] Breslau Text, vol. vi. pp. 189-191, Night ccccxxxiv. They tell that Haroun er Reshid was sitting one day to do away grievances, when there came up to him a woman and said to him, "O Commander of the Faithful, may God accomplish thine affair and cause thee rejoice in that which He hath given thee and increase thee in elevation! Indeed, thou hast done justice[85] and wrought equitably."[86] Quoth the Khalif to those who were present with him, "Know ye what this woman meaneth by her saying?" And they answered, "Of a surety, she meaneth not otherwise than well, O Commander of the Faithful." "Nay," rejoined Haroun; "she purposeth only in this an imprecation against me. As for her saying, 'God accomplish thine affair!' she hath taken it from the saying of the poet, 'When an affair is accomplished, its abatement[87] beginneth. Beware of cessation, whenas it is said, "It is accomplished."' As for her saying 'God cause thee rejoice in that which He hath given thee,' she took it from the saying of God the Most High, 'Till, whenas they rejoiced in that which they were given, we took them suddenly and lo, they were confounded!'[88] As for her saying, 'God increase thee in elevation!' she took it from the saying of the poet, 'No bird flieth and riseth up on high, but, like as he flieth, he falleth.' And as for her saying, 'Indeed, thou hast done justice and wrought equitably,' it is from the saying of the Most High, '[If ye deviate[89] or lag behind or turn aside, verily, God of that which ye do is aware;'[90] and] 'As for the transgressors,'[91] they are fuel for hell[-fire]."[92] [Footnote 85] Syn. (Koranic) "Thou hast swerved from justice" or "been unjust" (adeita).
[Footnote 93] Name of the Persian ancestor of the Barmecide (properly Bermeki) family. [The end] GO TO TOP OF SCREEN |