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245 245 Chapter 17 Snow No doubt, some readers will find what I have to say in this chapter hard to warm to as I wrote it on a “frowning day, inauspicious,”267 a day of cold that was vicious. Snow at the time o’er the rooftops was sifting, had blocked the highways, and into house and palace was drifting. It was almost enough to extinguish any fire, put an end to any patience, and thoughts of moon and of money-wagering inspire.268 Be that as it may, no one can deny that anyone who drinks, eats, or plays with snow derives from it a feeling of heat. The same goes for the reader of my words: if he finds himself getting chilly, all he has to do is seek protection with me from the cold, in which case the goal, which is to put his brain through some warm-up exercises, will have been achieved. This will be especially true if the said brain still carries some traces of anger and indignation left over from the preceding chapter, though I meant nothing by telling the tale but to speak the truth, and, had it crossed my mind to lie or fib, I would have done so in a poem concluding with prayers and praise for some miser; if anyone doesn’t believe me, let him ask the priest himself. All the same, snow differs from my words in one thing: snow falls on what is black and makes it white, while my words fall on paper and make it black. Both, in my opinion, are a delight to the eye, and the two share the following feature: a few days after the sun rises over the snow, it melts, and the same is true of my words, for almost nothing will remain of them in the reader’s head after the passing of one moonlit night or the rising over him of one Shining Orb. And here’s a further point of resemblance: the falling of the snow gives rise to a clearing and brightening of the weather; so too the descent of my words from my head brings about a brightening of the weather of my thoughts, 1.17.1 1.17.2 246 246 ‫ج‬ � � ‫ل‬��‫ث‬ ��‫ل‬� � ‫ا‬ ‫ي‬ � � ‫ف‬ � � � 3،17،1 * ‫ه‬�‫ل‬��‫ح‬ � ‫م‬� ‫ى‬ � ‫�ف‬ � � ‫ى‬ � �‫ر‬ ‫�ذ‬ �‫ع‬ �‫و‬�� ‫ا‬�‫ه‬ � ‫ع‬ �‫ق‬ � � �‫و‬�‫م‬� ‫ى‬ � ‫�ف‬ � � ‫ا‬�‫ن‬ �‫�ه‬ ‫ة‬ ��‫ه‬ �‫ب‬ ��‫ا‬�‫ش‬ ���‫م‬ ‫�ل‬ � ‫ا‬ ‫د‬��‫ج‬ � � ‫ت‬ � ‫ل‬� � ‫ا‬�‫ح‬ � ‫ل‬�‫�ك‬ � �� ‫ى‬ � ‫ل‬��‫ع‬ �‫ف‬ � � � * ‫ع‬ ‫و‬��‫ر‬‫�ي‬‫و‬�� ‫ق‬ � � �‫و‬��‫�ير‬ ‫ا‬�‫م‬� ‫ى‬ � � ‫ر‬ ‫خ‬ � �‫ا‬‫و‬�� ‫ف‬ ��‫ي‬ �‫�ص‬ � ‫ل‬��‫ل‬� � ‫ك�ن‬ � ��‫ا‬�‫س‬��‫م‬� ‫ة‬ ��‫ح‬ �‫ي‬ �‫س‬��� ‫ف‬ ��‫ل‬�� ‫ا‬ ‫م‬ � ‫ه‬�‫ر‬ ‫ا‬�‫ي‬ ��‫د‬ ‫ى‬ � ‫�ف‬ � � ‫ن‬ �‫و‬�� ‫�ذ‬��‫خ‬ � � ‫ت‬ � ‫ي‬ �� ‫�ي�ن‬ ‫ر‬ ‫ث‬ ��‫م‬ ‫�ل‬ � ‫ا‬ ‫ء‬ ‫آ‬ ��‫ن�ي‬ � ‫�غ‬ � ‫ا‬ � ‫ل‬ � � ‫ا‬ ‫ى‬ � �‫ر‬‫ا‬ ‫ى‬ � ‫�ن‬� ‫ا‬� ‫ف‬ � � � ُ ‫ع�د‬ � ‫ب‬ ��‫و‬�� ‫ر‬‫ي‬ ��‫غ‬ � �‫ف‬ � � � ‫د‬��‫ح‬ �‫ا‬‫و‬�� ‫ت‬ �‫ي‬ ��‫ب‬ �� ‫ا‬ � ّ ‫ل‬ � � ‫ا‬ ‫م‬ � ‫ه‬�‫ر‬‫ي‬ �� ‫�غ‬ � ‫�ن‬‫م‬� ‫ه‬�‫ل‬� � ‫ك�ن‬ � � �‫�ي‬ ‫م‬ � ‫�ل‬ � ‫�ن‬‫م‬�‫و‬�� * ‫م‬ �‫ا‬� ‫م‬�‫ح‬ � ‫س�ت‬���‫ا‬� ‫ل‬�‫ل‬�� ‫ر‬ ‫خ‬ � �‫ا‬‫و‬�� ‫ت‬ �‫ي‬ ��‫ب‬ �‫�م‬‫ل‬��‫ل‬� � ‫ا‬� َّ ‫ك�ن‬ � ��� ‫و‬�� ‫ء‬ ‫آ‬ ��‫�ت‬ ‫ش‬ ���‫ل‬��‫ل‬� � ‫ة‬ �‫ر‬ ‫ا‬� ‫ي‬ ��‫�ز‬‫ل‬� � ‫ا‬ ‫ت‬ � ‫�ق‬ � �‫و‬�� ‫ن‬ �‫و‬�‫ك‬ � � �‫�ي‬ ‫و‬�� ‫ا‬ * ‫ة‬ �‫ر‬ ‫ا‬� ‫ي‬ ��‫�ز‬‫ل‬� � ‫ا‬ ‫ت‬ � ‫�ق‬ � �‫و‬�‫ل‬� � ‫ا‬�‫ق‬ ��‫ف‬ � � � ‫ا‬‫و‬�‫م‬� ‫ه‬�‫ت‬ �‫ي‬ ��‫ب‬ �� ‫ن‬ �‫و‬�‫ك‬ � � �‫�ي‬ ‫ي�ن‬ ��‫ح‬ � ‫ا‬ � ّ ‫ل‬ � � ‫ا‬ ‫ه‬�‫ي‬ � ‫ف‬ � � � ‫ر‬‫ا‬‫�ي�ز‬ ‫ن‬ �‫ا‬�‫ب‬ �� ‫�ير‬‫د‬��‫ج‬ � � ‫م‬�‫ه‬ � ‫ل‬� � ‫ا‬‫و‬�� ‫�ذ‬��‫خ‬ � � ‫ت‬ � ‫ي‬ �� ‫ن‬ �‫ا‬ ‫آ‬ ��‫ن�ي‬ � ‫�غ‬ � ‫ا‬ � ‫ل‬ � � ‫ا‬ ‫م‬ � ‫ه‬�‫بر‬ �‫ا‬�‫ك‬ � �� ‫ا‬�‫ب‬ �� ‫ء‬ ‫آ‬ �‫�د‬‫ت‬ � ‫ق‬ � � � ‫ا‬ ‫ء‬ ‫آ‬ ��‫م‬�‫ل‬��‫ع‬ �‫ل‬��‫ل‬� � ‫ى‬ � ‫�غ‬ � ‫ب‬ � ‫ن‬ ��‫ي‬ �� ‫ك‬��‫ل‬� � ‫ذ‬ � ‫ى‬ � ‫ل‬��‫ع‬ � ‫ء‬ ‫آ‬ ��‫�ن‬ ‫ب‬ � ‫�ف‬ � � * ‫ه‬�‫ت‬ �‫ي‬ ��‫ب‬ �‫ل‬� � ‫ا‬�‫ق‬ ��‫ف‬ � � � ‫ا‬‫و‬�‫م‬� ‫ر‬ ‫�ت‬‫ا‬�‫ف‬ ��‫ل‬� � ‫ا‬‫و‬�� ‫د‬‫ر‬ ‫ا‬�‫ب‬ �‫ل‬� � ‫ا‬ ‫م‬ �‫ا‬� ‫ل‬�‫ك‬ � � �‫ل‬�� ‫ا‬ ‫�ن‬‫م‬� ‫م‬�‫ه‬ �‫ي‬ �‫ل‬��‫ع‬ � ‫ى‬ � ‫�ت‬� ‫ا‬�‫ي‬ �� ‫ا‬�‫م‬ ‫�ل‬ � ‫ة‬ ��‫ف‬ ��‫ل‬��‫ت‬ �‫�خ‬ � ‫م‬� ‫ة‬ �‫ع�دد‬ �‫ت‬ �‫م‬� ‫ط�ن‬ �� �‫ا‬‫و‬�‫م‬� ‫آ‬ ��‫ح‬ �‫ي‬ � ‫ف‬ ���‫ل‬�� ‫ا‬ ‫م‬�‫ه‬ �‫�س‬�‫�ؤ‬��‫ر‬ ‫ى‬ � ‫�ف‬ � � ‫�ن‬‫م‬� ‫م‬�‫ه‬ � ‫ك‬ � �� ‫ر‬‫ح‬ � ‫ا‬�‫م‬�‫م‬� ‫ا‬� ‫ل‬�‫ي‬ �‫ل‬��‫ق‬ ��‫�ت‬� ‫د‬‫ر‬ ‫ا‬�‫ب‬ �‫ل‬� � ‫ا‬ ‫ن‬ �‫و‬�� ‫ا‬‫ر‬ ‫ق‬ ��‫�ي‬� ‫ع‬ � ‫ب‬ �‫ط‬ �� � ‫ل‬� � ‫ا‬ ‫ن‬ �‫ا‬�‫ج‬ � �‫ي‬ �‫ه‬�� ‫و‬�� ‫م‬ �‫د‬��‫ل‬� � ‫ا‬ ‫ن‬ �‫ا‬‫ر‬‫و‬� ‫ث‬ �� ‫ت‬ � ‫�ق‬ � �‫و‬�� ‫ى‬ � ‫�ف‬� ‫�ف‬ � � * ‫م‬ �‫ي‬ �‫�م‬‫ح‬ � ‫ل‬�� ‫ا‬ ‫و‬�� ‫�ن‬‫م‬� ‫ب‬ �‫�ه‬ ‫�ذ‬ �‫م‬� ‫ى‬ � ‫ل‬��‫ع‬ � ‫س‬��‫ك‬ � � �‫ع‬ �‫ل‬� � ‫ا‬�‫ب‬ �� ‫و‬�� ‫ا‬ * ‫م‬ �‫ي‬ �‫�م‬‫ح‬ � ‫ل‬�� ‫ا‬ ‫ن‬ �‫و‬�‫ل‬��‫ت‬ �‫�ي‬� ‫ن‬ �‫و‬�‫ك‬ � � �‫��س‬‫ل‬� � ‫ا‬ ‫ت‬ � ‫�ق‬ � �‫و‬�� ‫ى‬ � ‫�ف‬ � �‫و‬�� * ‫ة‬ �‫ر‬‫ا‬‫ر‬‫ح‬ � ‫ل‬�� ‫ا‬ ‫ث‬ �‫ع‬ � ‫ا‬‫و‬�‫ب‬ �� ‫د‬‫ر‬ ‫ا‬�‫ب‬ �‫ل‬� � ‫ا‬ ‫ي�ز‬ ��‫ي‬ �‫�م‬ ‫ت‬ � ‫ى‬ � ‫�ف‬ � � ‫ه‬�‫ت‬ � ‫ق‬ � � �‫و‬�� ‫ع‬ � 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‫ف‬ ��‫ل‬� � ‫ا‬ ‫ك‬�‫ل‬��‫ت‬ �� ‫�ن‬‫م‬� ‫ل‬�‫ص‬�� � ‫ف‬ � � � ‫ل‬�‫�ك‬ � �� ‫ن‬ �‫ا‬ ‫ل‬� � ‫و‬� ‫�ق‬ � � ‫ا‬ ‫ى‬ � ‫�ن‬� ‫ا‬� ‫ف‬ � � � ّ ‫ر‬‫م‬� ‫ا‬ ‫ذ‬ �‫ا‬ ‫ك‬��‫ل‬� � ‫ذ‬ � ‫ل‬� � ‫ا‬�‫ث‬ �‫م‬� * ‫ه‬�‫ل‬��‫ك‬ � �� ‫ل‬�‫ص‬�� � ‫ف‬ ��‫ل‬� � ‫ا‬ ‫ى‬ � �‫ر‬‫د‬ ‫�د‬‫ق‬ ��‫ف‬ � � � ‫ن‬ �‫ا‬‫و‬�‫ن‬ �‫ع‬ �‫ل‬� � ‫ا‬ ‫ى‬ � �‫ر‬‫د‬ ‫�ن‬‫�م‬ ‫�ف‬ � � * ‫ر‬ ‫ا‬�‫ن‬ �‫ل‬� � ‫ا‬ ‫ى‬ � ‫ل‬��‫ع‬ � ‫ن‬ �‫ا‬�‫خ‬ � �‫د‬��‫ل‬� � ‫ا‬ ّ ‫�د‬‫ب‬ �� ‫ا‬� ‫ل‬� ‫ف‬ � � � ‫ة‬ ��‫ب‬ �� َ ‫د‬ ْ ‫ر‬ ‫ا‬ � ‫ل‬ � � ‫ا‬‫و‬�� ‫ا‬ ‫خ‬ � � َ ‫ب‬ �ْ ‫ر‬ َ ‫ب‬ ��‫ل‬� � ‫ا‬ ‫و‬�� ‫ا‬ ‫ة‬ ��‫ع‬ � ‫ا‬� ّ ‫ل‬�‫ب‬ �‫ل‬� � ‫ا‬‫و‬�� ‫ا‬ ‫ة‬ ��‫ع‬ �‫و‬� ّ ‫ل‬��‫ب‬ �‫ل‬� � ‫ا‬‫و‬�� ‫ا‬ ‫ة‬ ��‫ع‬ �‫و‬�‫ل‬� � ‫ا‬�‫ب‬ �‫ل‬� � ‫ا‬ ‫ة‬ ��‫م‬�‫�ج‬ �‫ر‬ ‫�ت‬ ‫ل‬� � ‫و‬�‫ص‬� � ‫ف‬ ��‫ل‬� � ‫ا‬ ‫د‬��‫ح‬ �‫ا‬ ‫ى‬ � ‫�ف‬ � � ‫ك‬��‫ب‬ �� * ‫ة‬ ��‫م‬�‫�ج‬ �‫ر‬ ‫ت‬ ��‫ل‬� � ‫ا‬ ‫و‬�� ‫ا‬ ‫ب‬ � ‫ي‬ ��‫ر‬‫ع‬ �‫ت‬ �‫ل‬��‫ل‬� � ‫ا‬�‫ه‬ �‫ي‬ � ‫ف‬ � � � ‫س‬��‫ط‬ �� � ‫غ‬ � � ‫�د‬ ‫ق‬ � � � ‫�ير‬‫د‬��‫ل‬� � ‫ا‬‫ر‬ ُ ‫�م‬ ُ ‫ح‬ � ‫�ن‬‫م‬� ‫ا‬‫ر‬ ‫ا‬�‫م‬�‫ح‬ � ‫ن‬ �‫ا‬ ‫ى‬ � ‫ل‬�� ‫ا‬ ‫ط�ن‬ �� �‫ف‬ ��‫�ت‬� ‫ن‬ �‫ا‬ ‫�ن‬‫م‬� ‫ك‬��‫ل‬� � * ‫ه‬�‫ت‬ ��‫ا‬‫ر‬ ‫ق‬ � � � ‫�ن‬‫ع‬ � ‫ب‬ �‫ر‬ ‫ض‬ �� �‫ي‬ �� ‫ن‬ �‫ا‬ ‫ن‬ �‫ا‬‫و‬�‫ن‬ �‫ع‬ �‫ل‬� � ‫ا‬ ‫�ن‬‫م‬� ‫ل‬�‫ص‬�� � ‫ف‬ ��‫ل‬� � ‫ا‬ ‫ى‬ � � َ ‫�ز‬ْ‫غ‬ � � َ ‫م‬� ‫ى‬ � �‫ر‬‫د‬ ‫ا‬ ‫ذ‬ �‫ا‬ ‫ى‬ � �‫ر‬ ‫ا‬�‫ق‬ ��‫ل‬��‫ل‬� � ‫ى‬ � ‫�غ‬ � ‫ب‬ � ‫ن‬ ��‫ي‬ �� ‫ا‬ � ‫ل‬ � � ‫ه‬�‫ن‬��‫ا‬ ‫ا‬ � ‫ل‬ � � ‫ا‬ ‫ه‬�‫ي‬ �‫�ن‬�‫ا‬�‫ع‬ �‫م‬� ‫ت‬ �‫ه�م‬ � ‫ف‬ � � �‫و‬�� ‫ق‬ � � � ‫ا‬�‫س‬��‫ل‬� � ‫ا‬ ‫ى‬ � ‫ل‬��‫ع‬ � ‫ق‬ � � � ‫ا‬�‫س‬��‫ل‬� � ‫ا‬ ‫ب‬ �‫ا‬� ‫ت‬ �‫ك‬ � ��� ‫ت‬ �‫ا‬‫ر‬ ‫ق‬ � � � ‫�د‬ ‫ق‬ � � � ‫ه‬�‫ن‬��‫ا‬‫و‬� ‫خ‬ � �‫ا‬‫و‬�� ‫ه‬�‫ن‬��‫ا‬‫ر‬ ‫ق‬ � � � ‫ا‬ ‫ي�ن‬ ��‫ب‬ �� ‫ا‬�‫ح‬ � ّ ‫ج‬ � � ‫ب‬ �‫ت‬ ��‫م‬� ‫ل‬� � ‫و‬� ‫�ق‬�‫�ي‬� ‫م‬ � ‫ث‬ � ‫م‬ �‫و‬�‫ي‬ �‫ل‬� � ‫ا‬ ‫ت‬ �‫ي‬ ��‫ا‬‫ر‬ ‫�د‬ ‫ق‬ � � � )1(‫س‬�� ‫ن‬ ��‫ق‬ ��ُ ‫م‬� ‫ل‬� � ‫و‬� ‫�ق‬ �‫ك‬ � �� ‫ن‬ �‫و‬�‫ك‬ � � �‫�ي‬ ‫ك‬��‫ل‬� � ‫ذ‬ � ‫ن‬ �‫ا‬� ‫ف‬ � � � * ‫ا‬�‫ه‬ � ‫ل‬��‫ك‬ � �� ‫ه‬�‫ل‬� � ‫ا‬ ‫�ذ‬ � ‫ق‬ � � � ‫ا‬ � ّ ‫ل‬ � � ‫ا‬ ‫ه‬�‫ن‬ �‫م‬� ‫ى‬ � � ‫ا‬‫ر‬ ‫ك�ن‬ � � �‫�ي‬ ‫م‬ � ‫�ل‬ � ‫ه‬�‫ن‬��‫ا‬ ‫ع‬ �‫م‬� ‫ه‬�‫ت‬ �‫�م‬‫ل‬��‫ك‬ � �� ‫و‬�� ‫ه‬‫لل‬‫ا‬ ‫�زه‬‫ع‬ � ‫ا‬ ‫ر‬‫ي‬ ��‫م‬� ‫ا‬ � ‫ل‬ � � ‫ا‬ ‫ك‬��‫ل‬� � ‫ذ‬ � ‫ن‬ �‫ا‬�‫ك‬ � �� ‫و‬�� ‫ا‬ * ‫ة‬ ��‫ف‬ �� ‫�ي‬ �‫ر‬ ‫ش‬ ���‫ل‬� � ‫ا‬ ‫�ده‬‫ي‬ �� ‫ل‬� ‫ي‬ �� ‫ب‬ � ‫ق‬ ��‫�ن‬� ‫ه‬�‫ل‬� � ‫ح‬ � ‫ي�ت‬ �� ‫م‬ � ‫�ل‬ � ‫و‬�� * ‫ع�د‬ � ُ ‫ب‬ �� ‫�ن‬‫ع‬ � ‫س‬�� ‫ن‬ ��� َ‫ق‬ � � ‫ى‬ ‫ل‬ ‫ا‬ ‫ى‬ ‫ع‬ � ّ ‫د‬ ‫ا‬ ‫ل‬�‫�ج‬‫ر‬‫ل‬� ‫ا‬ ‫س‬�� ‫ن‬ ��� ‫ق‬ � � ‫ا‬ )1( 1‫س‬��‫�ي‬��‫س‬�� ‫�خ‬ � ‫و‬‫�ه‬‫و‬ )‫ل‬�‫ص‬� ‫ا‬ ‫ى‬ � ‫ا‬( ‫ف‬ ���‫ي‬ �‫ر‬ ‫ش‬ ��� .‫س‬��‫�ي‬��‫س‬�� ‫ن‬ ���‫ح‬ :١٨٥٥ 1 4،17،1 [52.15.112.69] Project MUSE (2024-04-26 02:26 GMT) 247 247 Snow a clearing of my mind, and a readiness on its part to delight and please. In any case, I’m sure you’ll agree that the comparison is appropriate here and my excuse to the point. To proceed. I see that the well-off and well-to-do, in their spacious homes, use one set of living quarters for the summer and another for the winter, one nook for passing the night and another for taking a bath. Others, who have only one house, aren’t worth the visiting, unless that house happens to be close by at the time for visits or the time for visits happens to coincide with closeness to their houses. It follows that, in emulation of their better-off betters, scholars should assign themselves, in their roomy heads, numerous and varied locations for the cold, tepid, and hot words that come to them. That way, when their blood is hot and their natural tempers are aroused, they’ll be able to read something cold and so reduce the underlying causes of the heat that has exercised them, and when things are quiet they’ll be able to recite out loud from the hot, or pursue the opposite strategy, in keeping with the school of those who treat things with their like and not with their opposite. Let no one say that the reader will be wasting his time if he spends it distinguishing between the cold and the hot among these chapters, for the only way to thoroughly digest their contents is to read them through to the end, unlike other books, in which the sin of “cold talk”269 isn’t committed and which follow one set curriculum. Every one of these chapters, I declare, has a title that points to its contents as unambiguously as smoke does to fire; anyone who knows what the title is knows what the whole chapter is about. If, for example, you happen to come across some chapter with the word bālūʿah or ballūʿah or ballāʿah (“drain”) or barbakh (“drainpipe...

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