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Chapter 2: A Salutation and a Conversation
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38 38 ى � ب ل� ا�ع ش�ل� � ال��ع�� � ب ��ل� � ا م ��� ل�ك � �� و�� م ��� ل�س��� � � ڡ � � ل���� * � ه�� ��ر�دب �ك � � ��س� ا � ل � � ا � �� ��ار ب ��� �ك � �� و�� * � �ب��ا ب ��� �ك � �� * � � � � ا�� ��ر ا� ب � � � ا�� �� ا�� �ا�ب ��س � َ� ��م� � ا�� � ل��ك � �� آ ا�م� � �د��ب � �و�� ب ��� �ك � �� و�� * ب س�ع �� � � �رب ��� �� �ل ا � ل � � م �ل � �� د��ل��ب ل� ى � ب ل � � آ ا�س�� ب ��ل� � ا ب �ا� ب � � � ا�� � �� � ا�ب � �ر ب سم� ا��� آ ا�س�� ب � � �ب � ّ � ��ب �� �ل ك��س��ابر ل ل� � ب �ر ل م � � ا� ا * ء آ ا� ب ��ر ب ع �ل��ل� � ا�� � ل����ا م �ارل � �� او�� ا�� � �� � ب ر ا�ب �م�و�� ا��� آ ا�م�و�� ا��� آ او�ه�و�� ا�� ����ب ��� ل�م�و�� ا�� �ب ��ر ا�ش ��سم�و�� *ر� �ب �لل�� ا ى � ل��ع � ه�ب��و�� � � �ل�� � � �� صب �لا� ب � � � � ه�ب �� �لم�د � ا� ا ع �� � � �و�م� ا�م�ا ل� � ا� � � � � *ر ا�ب ��س�� ا � ل � � او� ب � � ع� ك��ب��ا�س��ل� � ى � ل��ع �و�� *راو�� ُ د��ل� � ا ى � � ر ب ح �او�� * ر� ��ط �� �ار� �� �ب �� � �ا�ط �� �ب � �س� س��ا�ب�� س��و��ر ى � �ر � �� ب � � � ا�� �� � ب ك � � آ ا� ب ��ر ب ع �ل� � ا � �ر ش��� � � �بل � ه�ب � � ه�ب� � �دا ب ر �د � � � �و�� * م � ئ �ا�م�ه �ب ل� ا���ر� �� ب ع �و�� س�� ب �ارب ��ب �� ى � � ر ب ح �او�� * � �� � � � ا�� ��م �ب� ا���ر� �� ب ع �و�� م ��� م� ك � �بل ى � � ر ب ح �او�� * ش س��� ��ب ��ار� �� �ب �� ى � � ر ب ح �او�� * ج ب �� �سم�ا�م�دب� ا���ر� �� ب ع �و�� � �ار ا�م� َ ه �ب ل� ى � � ر ب ح �او�� * ب �ئ��ا��� � � �ب ل� ا���ر� �� ب ع �و�� ع ا�ب ��س � َ ا�ب �� ى � � ر ب ح �او�� ب �و� ب � ُ ���ب � ى � � ر ب ح �او�� * ل��ط �� �ارب ��ب �� ا���ر� �� ب ع �و�� س�� ب ��� ل�� ��ب ل� ى � � ر ب ح �او�� * � �ا�� � ّ ب � � ع�ب ل� ا���ر� �� ب ع �و�� ب � � � ا��� �َ ب �ب �ل ع �ب ل�ا�ب � � ع�ب ل� ى � � ر ب ح �او�� * ع �ب ل�ا�ب �ب � �ب � ا���ر� �� ب ع �و�� س��� ��س��ار ا�ب �� ى � � ر ب ح �او�� * )1(س� �� ��� �ار ا�ب �� ا���ر� �� ب ع �و�� * ع �س�او�ص� �ب �� ى � � ر ب ح �او�� �د ُ �م ُ �ط �ب �� ا���ر� �� ب ع �و�� * ع �� � � � او�ص� �ب �� ى � � ر ب ح �او�� � �ا�ّ � � ّب �ل َ �دب �� ا���ر� �� ب ع �و�� � �� �� �ب �لا�ب س ش ���ل� � او�� � �� �� � � ع� ش ��سل� � ا ل��ك � � � ش �س� ى � ل��ع � � �� �� �ب �لارب ��ب �� ا���ر� �� ب ع �و�� * ب دو�� ا�ش م��س�ب� ى � � ر ب ح �او�� ب م�د�ا�ش م��س�ب� ا���ر� �� ب ع �و�� � �� �� ��ر ا�م�ه �ل� � ا و�� � �� �� � ب ك � � ا ب ��د �ل� � او�� � �� �� ��ر ا� ب �� � � �ل� � او�� � �� �� �ل� ��� ل�� ��ل� � او�� � �� �� ��ر ا�م� ب �ط � ��� او�� � �� �� ��ر ا�ب �� ب �� � �� � او�� ا�م�و�� ه�ب ��ل��ب � � ا�م� س�� ب ��� � � �� ل � ه�ب � � �س�� ر ب ع�س� � ه�ل�� � ل�و�ط �� � � ��� ل�� ��و�� ار��ص ه�ل� � ب سم� م�� � ب �م�و�� * � �� �� �ع � ا�م� � ��ل� � او�� * ه�م�ا�م�ا ا�م�ب� ب �و�� � ّ �س��م� � �� ل س��ا�ب �ل� � او�� ً دا�ب �� ه�ط �� � ُ ش �ع � ُ ب � ب ك � � ه�ل� � � ��� ل�� ��و�� ار��ص ا � ل � � ب سم� م�� � ب �م�و�� * ه�م�ا ّ �د � � � � ١٫٢٫٢ ٢٫٢٫٢ ي ��ص�وص�ر ُ ا ال )1( * ي ��ف ح ����ي��ط ��ف ��ل�ا�ك ي �و��� ف م��ل�� ي � � 39 39 Chapter 2 A Salutation and a Conversation “Good morning, Fāriyāq! How are you and how do you find Alexandria? Have you learned to tell its women from its men (for the women in your country do not veil their faces)? And how do you find its food and drink, its clothes, its air and water, its parks, and how its people honor strangers? Is your head still swimming, your tongue with disparagement of travel still brimming?” Replied he, “So far as the city’s situation is concerned, it’s elegant because it’s on the sea, and the number of foreigners it contains adds to its brio: in it you see some people whose heads are covered with tall pointed hats and others with tarbushes, some with round caps and others with maqāʿiṭ turbans, some with burnooses and others with ordinary turbans , some with aṣnāʿ turbans and others with fillets, some with headgear of a generic nature26 and others with madāmīj turbans, some with sailors’ caps and others with hoods, some with caps and others with bonnets, some with further turbans and others with watermelon-shaped(1) and cantaloupeshaped caps,27 and others with head scarves large and small, some with judges’ tun-caps28 and others with antimacassars,29 some with undercloths for turbans and others with head rags, some with the turban under the name mishmadh and others with the turban under the name mishwadh, and some with Frankish hats shaped like earthenware jars, or carp, or the creases between the cheek, nose, and eye, or the crevices between the same, or the children of the jinn, or armpit sinews, or white varan lizards, or disreputable demons, or babies’ clouts. “Some of them have long saggy drawers that sweep the ground behind and before them and some have no drawers at all, so that their anuses are on display and the people pass their hands over what is in front of the latter.30 2.2.1 (1) The arṣūṣah (plural arāṣīṣ) is a cap like a watermelon. 2.2.2 [3.226.254.255] Project MUSE (2024-03-28 14:34 GMT) 40 40 م �ا� ل�ك � ا� و�� م �ا� ل�س�� ي � � ف � � � م�� � ب �م�و�� * ب �ا�� ��م َ � �ب �� م�� � ب �م�و�� ر ْش ل َ و�ب �� م�� � ب �م�و�� * ب � ْ� ��َ ا ه�ل� � ب سم� ه�ب �م�و�� * ب �ا�ّ ب �� �ل ه�ل� � ب سم� م�� � ب �م�و�� ب سم� م�� � ب �م�و�� *ور��ر ْ� � � � ُ د و�� ا � �رار ْ� � � � َ �دب �� م�� � ب �م�و�� د ْ ر َ و�� ْ ر َ �د ْب�� َ ا�ب �� م�� � ب �م�و�� ) � � � � ا�ط �� � �� � ا ل�� �ل�و�� ار��صل� � ا( ْ ل� َ ب �� �بر ل س��ا�ب �ل� � او�� * م �ا�� �د ب را ى � ب ل � � ل�ب �ل� ا � ل � � او�� * ل� � �� م�ب ح � ل�� او�� ل�� ��ب � � ل�� ا ى � ل��ع � م � ع�ر� �� ب ع �و�� * ل� � ا�ب � � ب �ل� � او�� ر� ��م�� � ل�� ا ب �ك � �� �ر ل م�� � ل��ل� � ا * ر َ ب ح � َ ا م�� � ل��ل� � ا ه�ل� � و� � ��ب ل� آ ��ع � د��ل� � ا ى � ل��ع � ر � ��ب ��� ل� ا � ل � � ب �ا م�� � ب �� ��ب �� ر ئ لا�س��ل��ل� � ى � ب ع � ب � ب ��� � ب ك � � * م �ا�ط �� �� �ل� � ا ى � ب ل � � * هللا�ب �� ب دو�ع � ا * هللا�ب �� � �ب �� � � ��س�ا * هللا ى � ل��ع � � �ل��ك � �� و� � �� * ب ��ط �� � �� � ا م�� � ل��ل� � ا * ب � �� �ب ��ح �ا ب سم� ا� ب �� �� ��ا ب �س ��� �ل� � ا ج � � �ر � ل ا�� � ب ��ا ا � ل � � ا ب س� � ب �� � � �ب ل� ل� � ا�م�ب ح � ى � ب ل� ب � � � � � �ب��ا�ك � �� ب �او�� ى � ه � ب � � � ء آ ا�س�� ب ��ل� � ا ع �� � � � ابر ل ا�م�ا� ب � � � ا ب دا ا�� �� �ل��ع � ب �و�ه �� �� ا � ل � � � ه�� �� �سل�م � � ا ب � ا � ل � � * ر ش ��� � �� ا � �ا�� �� � ب س�� ��ل�� ا ر ّ� ��س�� � � ب �ا ر� �� ب ع � * ب س��ر ئ لا�س�� ج �ب � � س� � � � ه�� ��ئ و��ر ب سم� ب س� لر ب � �� �ا�ب �ل� � ا ب س ّ ل � � ��م � � ب �ا ب �و��د ب سم� � � � � او���� ا � ل � � ا ى � ب ل � � ر� ��ط �� �� �� ب �ا ا�� � �� � ب ��� � � � ب سم� � � ب ح �ر ب ح � * هللا ا�ش �س� ا�م� او��� � و� � ��� � ب ك � � * ا���رار � �� ب � � � ا � ل � � او��ر ّ ب ��� � � � �لو�� ا�� � �� � ا�م�ب ح �و�� ا�� � ب ����ح � او��ر ب � �� �ب �� �ل� � * ا�� � � � م� �� ل�م� ب �ا � ��د� ��� �ع � ا ا�� � �� � ب ر ب��م� ى � ل�� ا � �� � ب � �ر ا ب دا ى � � �ح � * هللا هللا * هللا ل� ب �� � * هللا كر ا�ب �� �ل * � ��� ل� َ �� � �� � او�� ا�� ��ا��د � �� � ا م�� � ب �م�ر ب � �� �� � ب ��� �� � �� ��ا�ب � ب ك � � * ا�ب �� � ا�� �ب �� او� ب �� ب � � ُ ش �س� �د � � � � د��ل��ب �ل� � ا ل����ا ع �� ��مب ح � ا�� � �م��� ا � �� �م ���� و�� ه�ئ ��ا�ب � ب ع � ى � ل�� ا � � � ���� � ب ��ا ّب س ب �ع �س� ى � َّب� ب � � ا�م�ل��ك � � �ب� � � * � �ا�� �ل� � او�م � ا� او�� ر ا�� � ش �س� ا � ل � � او�� ى � ل��ع � ب �س ��ّ ب �ك � � �م� س��ا�ب �ل� � ا � �اور�� � � � � او���� ا � ل � � ا ى � ل�� ا ل�ب �ل�ا�� ��ل� � ا م �و�� صل� � ا ى � ب ل � � � �رل � � �بل ا ب دا� ب � � � * ه�ب �� ب � َّ ب �� َ ش ��س � ��� �� ى � ب ل � � م�� � �� � � �داب ر ب � � � * �ه��� � �� ر� � ل�� او�� ى � ع ���سل� � ا ى � ل��ع � ب س� لردا� � � � � آ ا� ّ � � �سط � ا م�� � ئ �� آ ا�� ��ب ل� ب سم� � � ب � ب ح � ع �� ل� م�� � �� � ا�ب � � ش �س�ا ا�� � � ��ار ئ اور�� * ا�� � ئ ��ا�م�� �او�� ا�� � � ��ار ا�ش �س�ا�ب �� م�� � � � ب ��� � ب ك � �و�� * ا���ر ب ح �ا�� � م� و�� ا�� � � �م�ا�س�� � ك � �و�� * ا���ر ب � � � ا�س��م� ب ��ش ��سك � �� * ا�� � ب � ب � � ع � و�� ا�� � � �� �� �لو�� * ا�� � �� � ا � ل � � دو�� ا�� � ب � � ب � ب سع � و�� * ا���ب ر�ص ب � �و�� ا�� � ل��ب � � َ ع� و�� * ا���ب ر�ص � ا� و�� ا���ب رص�ور�� * ا�� � ئ ��ا�ب �� �لاو�� * ا�� � � � ب � � ��ه� دو�� ا�� � ب � � ب � ب س� � ب �� �ل و�� * ا�� � � � ب � � ب � ب سع �دو�� ا�� � � � ب � � ل��ع �دو�� * ا���ر� ��� ��� � � ��و�� ا�� � ب � ّ ع � �د� ��و�� * ا�� � ل��ك � � � ش �س�و�� ا���و�ه� ب ور�� ٣٫٢٫٢ ٤٫٢٫٢ 41 41 A Salutation and a Conversation Some of them have short breaches and some drawers without legs, some of them have drawstrings and some have belts, some have leggings (drawers made of one piece of material) and others have underwear,31 some have boxers and others briefs. Some ride mules and asses, others dromedaries and horses. Camels are on every side, people collide. One moving among them must never slacken in his pious exclamations,32 saying, ‘God protect! God preserve! God be kind! I have put my trust in God! I seek God’s help! I seek refuge with God!’ “As for women’s face veils, if they conceal the beauty of some, at least they relieve the eye of the ugliness of the rest. It is, however, the ugly ones who most often cover their faces, for the pretty ones think it a pity, when they leave their cages, to fly through the markets without the onlookers being able to see their charms’ array, behold their comeliness, and make much ado over the beauty on display, saying, ‘As God wills!33 God be blessed! How mighty is God! O God, O God!’ when such a one returns to her house, she believes that all the inhabitants of the city have fallen passionately in love with her and sits there expecting them to send her gifts and tokens of esteem, verses and sonnets with an amatory theme. whenever anyone raises his voice in song, she cocks an attentive ear and believes she hears him rhapsodizing over her name, and if, then, she sets off early the following day to the marketplace and finds everyone busy with their work, she’s amazed that they’re still conscious and capable of effort and action. “She therefore shows off more of her hidden charms, her elegance, and her forbidden fruits. She bewitches them with her gestures and nods, her eye-rolling and her gestures behind her back, her expressive looks and glances, her come-hither winks and cow eyes, her billings and cooings, her haughtiness and conceit, her vanity and coquetry, her playfulness and her turning aside of her cheek in pride, her comings and goings and goings and comings, her demurrals and her mincing walk, her glances to the side and her...