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saying, “O my lord, I will nought of thee save that thou be well; for indeed the wealth that I have is exceeding abundant upon me.”
So Zein ul Asnam abode with Mubarek four days and every day the chief men of Cairo came to salute him, whenas it reached them that this was Mubarek’s lord, the Sultan of Bassora; then, after he was rested, he said to his host, “O Mubarek, indeed the time is long upon me;”[1] and Mubarek said to him, “Thou must know, O my lord, that this whereof thou art come in quest is a hard[2] matter, nay, even unto danger of death, and I know not if thy fortitude may suffice thee for the achievement thereof.”[3] “Know, O Mubarek,” rejoined Zein ul Asnam, “that wealth [is gotten] by blood[4] and there betideth a man nought except by the will and foreordinance of the Creator (to whom belong might and majesty); so do thou take heart and concern not thyself on my account.” Accordingly Mubarek forthright commanded his slaves equip them for travel; so
- ↑ Tal aleyya el wect, i.e. I am weary of waiting. Burton, “My tarrying with thee hath been long.”
- ↑ Or “difficult” (aziz); Burton, “singular-rare.”
- ↑ Lit. “If the achievement thereof (or attainment thereunto) will be possible unto thee [by or by dint of] fortitude.”
- ↑ Lit. “Wealth [is] in (or by) blood.”
