Читать книгу The Book of Travels - Hannā Diyāb - Страница 20

١ عنوان الفصل غير معروف لأنّ الصفحات الأولى مفقودة.

١،١1.1

... مايدتهم غير الرهبان والمبتديين لا غير فاستقمنا تلك الليله في المنزول الي الصباح وبعدما حضرنا القداس فارسل الريس دعانا الي قلايته فبعدما قبلنا اياديه استرحب فينا وامرنا بالجلوس وبعده فصار يسالنا انكان لنا نية الرهبنه فقلنا له هذه نيتنا من قبل خروجنا من حلب فقلنا الله يبارك عليكم وعلي نيتكم والان لكم عندنا في الدير اربعة ايام فصار عندكم معلوم بسيرتنا وقانوننا والان بيجب تعملوا رياضه ثلاثة ايام^١ وفيها تفحصوا كل واحد منكم ضميره ويهيي ذاته ليعترف اعتراف عام وتتناولوا الاسرار المقدسه. اخيرًا بتلبسوا تياب المبتديين وتمسكوا قانون الرهبنه كما هو مسطر في هل كرازه.

١ الأصل: ايا.

¹ . . . their table were only the monks and the novices. We spent that night at the inn, and after we’d attended mass the next morning, the abbot summoned us to his cell. We kissed his hands and he welcomed us, inviting us to sit. Once we were seated, he asked if we had any interest in joining the order. We confirmed that this had been our intention when we left Aleppo.

“May God bless you and your intention!” he said. “Now that you’ve spent four days with us at the monastery and gotten a sense of our way of life and of our rules, you’ll have to complete a three-day retreat. Each of you should examine his conscience during that time, and prepare himself for a general confession. You’ll then receive the holy sacrament, clothe yourself in novice’s robes, and adhere to the monastic rule, as spelled out in this tract.”

٢،١1.2

واخرج واعطا لكل واحد منا كراسه حتي ندرسها وبعده دعا مدبر الدير الذي هو قس يوسف ابن البودي وامره بانه يسلم لكل واحد منا قلايه وبارك علينا واصرفنا مع المذكور فاعطا لكل واحد منا مفتاح ماطوره وقلايه وكتاب صلاوات فاستقمنا ثلاثة ايام في الرياضه وكان الريس عين لنا كاهن لاجل ارشادنا وتدبيرنا في امور الروحيه وبعد الثلاثة ايام اعترفنا اعتراف عام وتناولنا الاسرار الالهيه اعني القربان المقدس.

He gave us each a booklet to study, and asked the steward of the monastery, Father Yūsuf ibn al-Būdī, to provide us each with a cell.² The abbot blessed us and sent us off with Father Yūsuf, who gave us each a key for our own cubbyhole and cell, and a prayer book.

We spent three days performing our retreat. The abbot had designated a priest to offer us spiritual guidance, and when the three days had elapsed, we made our general confessions and received the holy sacrament, which is to say, Holy Communion.

٣،١1.3

وبعده ادخلنا مدبر الدير الي مكان حوايج الرهبان فقدم لي اولًا قميص ورفيق وقنباز خام سميك وعبايه صوف سوده وزنار ليف وعرقيه سودا ودورين شاش من صوف مسبوغ عسلي غامق ونداس تريسي اسود. حيندٍ قلي المدبر المذكور اشلح يا اخي والبس ثياب التجربه عقبال ما منلبسك الاسكيم الرهباني الملايكي. حيندٍ شلحت ثيابي الرفاع والبست ذلك القميص الخام الغليص وباقيت الحوايج المذكور ولبست فوقهم تلك العبايه الغليظه السميكه وتزنرت بذلك الزنار الليف فبقيت مثل بياعين الليمون عبابي معبيه ورفعت الشاش والقاووق من علي راسي ولبست تلك العرقية السوده ولفيت تلك الشالة العسليه الصوف ولبست ذلك النداس التريسي.

The steward of the monastery then took us into a storeroom containing the vestments of the monks. He presented me with a shirt, some drawers, a thick linen tunic, a black woolen cloak, a hempen belt, a black skullcap, two rounds of woolen turban cloth dyed a dark honey color, and black sandals with plaited cords.

“Get undressed, brother, and put on these novice robes,” the steward said to me. “I look forward to the day when we dress you in the habit of an angelic monk!”

I took off my finery and put on that crude linen shirt and the rest of the clothes. I pulled on the heavy, coarse robe and attached the belt. With my robes all puffed up, I looked like a lemon seller.³ Removing the turban and felt hat I’d been wearing, I put on the black skullcap, wrapped the honey-colored woolen cloth around it, and pulled the sandals on.

٤،١1.4

حيندٍ تاملت في حالي فرايت حالي بقيت مذهر ومن ذلك الوقت نفر قلبي من الرهبنه وندمت علي ما فعلت لكن الكبريا ماسكتني ما بينت علي حالي شي من هذا وبعده لبس رفيقي ايضًا مثل ما لبست انا وكان المذكور جلبي . . ..^١ اخيرًا خرجنا من هنا فاجوا جميع الرهبان والمبتدين باركوا لنا في دخولنا للتجربه وفرحوا فينا قوي كثير وهنونا.

١ في الأصل مطموس: منفتـ[...].

I studied myself. What a sight! At that moment, my heart turned from monasticism and I regretted what I’d done, but I was too proud to let my feelings show.

My friend Çelebi [. . .] and we left the vestry together.⁴ All the monks and novices then came to offer their blessings upon us for beginning our initiation. They seemed delighted with us, and showered us with congratulations.

٥،١1.5

وبعده كل منا دخل قلايته الي حين ما اندق ناقوز الغدا فنزلنا الي بيت المايده فراينا الريس وجميع الرهبان مجموعين فدخل الريس وجلس في راس المايده وتبعوا الكهنه كل من جلس في مكانه وبعدهم دخلوا الرهبان وجلسوا بقيوا المبتدين واقفين وبعد هنيهه اذن لهم الريس بالدخول فدخلنا وكل منا جلس في مكانه اعني الاقدم بيجلس فوق الحديث وحاطين في المايده ثلاثة الوان اول لون شوربة عدس وقمحيه واوقات حبوب وما يشبه ذلك من الحبوب والخضر وثاني لون لبنه وثالث لون تين مكبوس بدبس وبين كل تنين سودة نبيد وبوقال وكل واحد بيشرب علي قدر قوته وكيفه.

We each entered our cell and remained there until the lunch bell rang. We then went down to the refectory and found the abbot and the rest of the monks gathered outside it. The abbot entered first and sat at the head of the table, followed by all the priests, who sat at their places. Next, the monks entered and sat, while the novices remained standing outside. Finally, the abbot permitted the novices to come in. So we did, and each of us sat at his place, with the seniors sitting closer to the head of the table than the juniors.

There were three sorts of food on the table: a soup with lentils, wheat berries, grains, and other similar vegetables and pulses; some curd cheese;⁵ and figs preserved in molasses. A bottle of wine and a glass were placed between each person and the next. Everyone drank to his heart’s content.

٦،١1.6

ورايت مصفوف علي رفوف المايده جماجم موته من الرهبان الذين ماتوا سابقًا وكل جمجمه مكتوب عليها اسم صاحبها وفي اخر المايده في مكان علوه جالس راهب بيقرا اخبار الشهدا وعداباتهم الفادحه الغير محتمله كما هو معلوم عند الجميع فلما رايت هذا انصدمت عن الاكل والشرب وبقيت بهتان. اخيرًا لما بينضر الريس بان الجميع رفعوا ايادهم من الاكل بينهض من مكانه وبينهضوا الجميع معه وبيصلوا صلوة الشكر وبيخرجوا من المايده. حيندٍ بيجي الطباخ والراهب الذي كان بيقرا بيجلسوا بيتغدوا.

Lined up along the shelves of the refectory were the skulls of dead monks, each with the name of the deceased written on it. At one end of the refectory, a monk sat on a dais, reading aloud the stories of martyrs and the torments they’d suffered, whose intolerable horrors were known to all. I was shaken by this frightful scene, and couldn’t bring myself to eat or drink.

Seeing that all had finished eating, the abbot would rise to his feet and everyone would stand with him and say a prayer of thanksgiving.⁶ Following that, all would leave the refectory, and the cook would sit and have lunch along with the monk who’d been reciting.

٧،١1.7

وبعده بيخرج الريس ومعه جميع الرهبان والمبتدين الي برات باب الدير الي مكان علي شكل الديوان خانه منهم بيجلسوا ومنهم بيتمشوا ويتكلموا مع بعضهم بعض في مداكرات روحيه وبيستقيموا مقدار نصف ساعه. اخيرًا كل واحد منهم بيمضي الي شغل المقلد فيه من الريس اعني الخياط الي خياطته والسكاف الي شغل السكافه والكاتب الي كتابته والبستاني الي بستنته وما يشبه ذلك من اشغال المخصوصه بالدير وما بتعود تري احد في الدير غير المدبر لا غير.

The abbot would then take the monks and novices outside, passing through the gates of the monastery into a sort of gathering space.⁷ Some would sit and others would stroll, chatting about spiritual matters. They’d remain there for about half an hour, then each man would go attend to the duties appointed to him by the abbot. The tailor would go to his sewing, the cobbler to his shoemaking, the scribe to his writing, the gardener to his gardening, and so on. Only the steward was left inside the monastery.

٨،١1.8

والمسا بعد صلوة الغروب والستار بيدق ناقوز العشا وبعد العشا بيجتمعوا ايضًا في الديوان المذكور وبيتمشوا كالمعداد وبعده بيدخلوا جميعهم الي الكنيسه بيصلوا كل واحد بمفرده. اخيرًا بيدخل الريس الي قلايته وبيدخل عنده واحد بعد واحد بيكشف افكاره للريس ما هو اعتراف انما هو بطريق الارشاد حتي يعرف الريس انكان تلك الافكار هي من الشيطان ام من الهامات الروح القدس او من بعض ملكات سببة هل افكار. حيندٍ الريس بيرشده وبيعلمه حيل ابليس المحال وانكان را فيه خطيه بيامره بالاعتراف قبل النوم وبهذه الطريقه بينام الراهب والمبتدي بغاية الراحه والسلام.

In the evening, following vespers and compline,⁸ the bell would ring for dinner, following which all would meet again in the same gathering place and go for a walk. Then they would make their way to church, where each person would pray on his own. Finally, the abbot would repair to his cell. Each resident of the monastery would come to visit him, one at a time, to reveal his thoughts. This wasn’t so much a confession as a form of guidance, so that the abbot might discern whether a person’s thoughts had come from Satan or were, rather, inspirations from the Holy Ghost or one of the angels. The abbot would offer his guidance and instruct the man about Satan’s devious tricks. If he perceived any sin in the man’s thoughts, he would order him to perform a confession before going to sleep. That way, every monk and novice slept peacefully each night.

٩،١1.9

وبعدما بيدخلوا الجميع عند الريس وبيخرجوا بيسكتوا وما بيبقاء احد بيقدر يتكلم مع رفيقه الي ثاني يوم بكره. اخيرًا الذي بيريد يدخل الي قلايته والذي بيريد يتمشا في الدير بيتمشا وبعده كل من بيدخل الي قلايته وبينام ونصف الليل محكم بينخرج القندلفت بيدور علي القلالي وفي يده الجرس بينبه الرهبان والمبتديين الي صلوة نصف الليل فبيجتمعوا جميع الرهبان والريس والمبتديين في الكنيسه وبيصلوا صلوة نصف الليله التي بيستقيم مقدار ساعه او اقل وبعده بيرجعوا الي قلاليهم وبيناموا الي محل الفجر بيدق ناقوز الكبير الي صلوه الصبح وبعد خلوص الصلوه بتبدا القدايس وكل واحد منهم بيحضر القداس وبيروح الي شغله الموكل فيه بغير فتور الي حد قبل الظهر بساعة بيصلوا صلوه السادسه وبعده بيدق ناقوز الغدا كما ذكرنا وكل راهب ومبتدي مفروض عليه في كل سبعه بيلتزم بانه يعترف ويتقرب.

After visiting the abbot, each man departed in silence, forbidden from speaking to his companions until the following day. Some would go to their cells, and others, if they wished, would go for a walk in the monastery. Finally, each retired to his cell and went to sleep. At midnight, the sacristan would go around to all the cells carrying a bell. He’d rouse the monks and novices, and all would gather together with the abbot to pray the nocturne, which lasted an hour or less. Then all returned to sleep until dawn.

Each day, the large bell would ring for the morning prayer, and the mass would begin. Everyone attended mass, then went off to their designated work without any breakfast, until an hour before noon. Next they’d pray the sext prayer.⁹ Afterward, the bell would ring for lunch (as described earlier). It was incumbent upon every monk and novice to confess his sins and receive communion every day of the week.

١٠،١1.10

وكان بين المبتديين رجل اختيار طويل القامه شايب بلحيه بيضه مهيب فسالت بعض من الرهبان عن هل رجل كيف انه مسن في العمر ووصل لهل شيخوخه بيدخل للرهبنه وبيقف مع المبتديين فقلي الراهب ان سالت يا اخي عن هل رجل هذا كان شيخ ضيعه ورجل طعام عيش كل ليله بيلتقي في مايدته عشرين نفر واكثر وله من اولاد سبعة شباب مزوجين وبنات مزوجات ايضًا فهذا اتفق هو وامراته بانهم ينبدوا العالم ويكملوا حياتهم الباقيه في الرهبنه فراحت امراته ودخلت في دير راهبات وهو اجا الي هذا الدير من مدة ثلاث سنوات ولما واجه ابونا الريس جرمانوس وطلب منه بانه بيريد يدخل للرهبنه فلما الريس سمع منه هل كلام تعجب.

There was among the novices a tall, dignified elderly man, with gray hair and a white beard. I asked one of the monks about him. Why would a man enter the order at such an advanced age and join the ranks of the novices?

“You’re interested in his story, are you now, brother?” the monk said. “Well, it seems that the old man was once a village elder, and a generous one at that. Each night, he’d welcome twenty people or more to his dinner table. Seven sons he had, all married! And married daughters too. Now, this fellow and wife had made an agreement to give up worldly things and spend the rest of their lives in orders. His wife joined a convent, and he came to this monastery. That was three years ago. He met with the abbot, Father Jirmānūs, and asked him if he could become a monk.¹⁰ The abbot was incredulous.

١١،١1.11

وقله يا اخي اعطيت زهرت عمرك للعالم والان عند اخر عمرك بتريد تعطي شيخوختك للرهبنه وقال هذا ابونا الريس ليمتحن عزمه فاجابه الشيخ الاختيار لعل الله بيقبلني مع الفعلة الاحد عشر ساعه يا ابونا فلا زال بيلح علي الريس ويتوسل اليه حتي حن عليه وقله يا اخي ما بيمكني ادخلك للدير واجملك مع الرهبان الا بعدما امتحن عزمك فقله الشيخ افعل بي كما تريد. حيندٍ قله الريس انكان ولا بد بتستقيم برات الدير من غير شركه مع الرهبان الي حين ما يشا ربنا فاجابه الشيخ فقله الشيخ امرني يا ابونا وانا بطيع امرك.

“‘Brother, you gave the bloom of your life to the world. And now, in old age, you choose to give the rest to monasticism?’ the abbot said, trying to test the old man’s resolve.

“‘Yes, Father,’ the old man replied. ‘And perhaps God will accept me among the laborers of the eleventh hour.’¹¹

“He continued to beg and plead, and finally the abbot took pity on him, but insisted that he wouldn’t admit the old man to the monastery and let him join the monks until he tested his resolve.

“‘Do with me what you will,’ the old man replied.

“‘In that case, you’ll live outside the monastery without mingling with the monks, until such time as our Lord sees fit.’

“‘As you wish, Father,’ he said.

١٢،١1.12

فلما راء الريس هل عزم الذي له امره بانه يستقيم داخل باب الدير التحتاني بواب وكان ورا الباب بيت زغير مثل الكوخ فقله سمعًا وطاعه فاستقام ثلاثة سنين في ذلك البيت الزغير يحتمل برد الشتا وحر الصيف وهو صابر من غير شكوي ويقتنع بقليل من الماكل الذي يفضل من مايدة الدير فلما الرهبان والكهنه راو صبر هل رجل وثباته توسلوا الي ابونا الريس حتي يدخله للدير ويقبله من جملة المبتديين. حيندٍ قبل الريس طلبتهم ودخله ولبسوه توب المبتديين والان له ثلاثة اشهر في التجربه وهذه حكايته والسبب.

“Confronted with the old man’s determination, the abbot ordered him to serve as a gatekeeper, and lodged him in a little hut just inside the lower gate to the monastery. He spent the next three years living in that hut, enduring the cold of winter and the heat of summer without complaint, and contenting himself with the meager scraps he received from the monastery’s table. Seeing his steadfastness and perseverance, the monks and priests begged the abbot to admit the old man to the monastery and accept him among the novices.

“The abbot agreed, and they brought him in and clothed him as a novice. That was three months ago,” the monk concluded. “And that’s his story.”

١٣،١1.13

فلما سمعت من الراهب خبر هل رجل اعتجبت واتخزبلت في ذاتي والاغرب فيوم من ذات الايام دخلنا الي بيت المايده حتي نتغدي كالمعتاد فبعدما دخل الريس والرهبان للمايده وجلسوا الجميع حيندٍ اذن الريس للمبتدين حتي يدخلوا فدخلوا فلما راد يدخل هل رجل الاختيار فزجره الريس ومنعه عن الدخول فارتد الي الورا مكتف الايدين ومحني الراس واستقام هكذا الي حين ما خلصوا الرهبان الغدا وخرج الريس من المايده واتي الي قربه بوجه عبوس مغضب فراكع الشيخ عند اقدام الريس وهو طارق في الارض وبدي الريس يزجره ويوبخه بقوله له يا شيخ الخرفان قليل الاحتشام وصار يهجيه وناهيك عن رجل شاعر اذا راد يهجي انسان فبعدما هجاه ووبخه بكلام منكي مر رفسه برجله وقله قوم يا شقي اتغدا مع الطباخ ففي الحال نهض وقبل يد الريس وطلب منه العفو والمسامحه امام جميع الرهبان والمبتدين ودخل للمايده حتي يتغدا مع الطباخ وخرجنا جميعنا الي مكان المعتاد نتمشا فالفقير لما رايت هل مدهر شربت الشربه وقلت في بالي ان كان رجل اختيار مثل هذا عامله الريس بهذه الصرامه كيف حالي انا اذا وقعت في زله باينا صرامه يعاملني.

The man’s story left me astonished. And yet, an even stranger thing happened some days later, when we went to the refectory to have lunch. After the abbot and monks entered the hall and everyone had sat down, the abbot admitted the novices. But when the old man walked in, the abbot rebuked him and forbade him from taking his place. The old man retreated, his arms folded and his head bowed, and remained in that posture until the monks finished lunch. The abbot, his face twisted into a furious scowl, got up from the table and strode over to him. The old man knelt prostrate at the feet of the abbot, who launched into a tirade.

“You shameless, senile old man!” he shouted, giving him a tongue-lashing as severe as any lampoon a poet ever dished out. When the torrent of abuse finally stopped, the abbot kicked him and said, “Get up, you wretch, and eat with the cook!”

The man rose to his feet, kissed the abbot’s hand, and begged his forgiveness as all the monks and novices looked on. He then went into the hall to have lunch with the cook while we all filed out for our usual walk.

Witnessing this spectacle was a bitter pill to swallow. If the abbot could treat an old man so harshly, I wondered, what would happen to me if I ever crossed him? What sort of rebuke might I face?

١٤،١1.14

واستقمت في هذه الفكره الي المساء وانا موهوم فلما حان وقت كشف الافكار دخلت الفقير حتي اكشف افكاري كالمعتاد وكان اول كلامي للريس باني هذا اليوم كله بفتكر فيك يا ابونا كيف انك عاملت بصرامه هل رجل الاختيار ولمتك في فكري فتبسم الريس وقلي يا اخي حقًا هل رجل ما رايت عليه دنب ابدًا ولكن وظيفتي بتتقضي باني افعل هكذا مع المبتدين حتي امرنهم^١ علي التواضع وكسر الذات حتي ينموا في الفضيله وهذا الرجل انا قوي بحبه لان فيه قداسه وهذا فعلته لتوبيخ بعض متكبرين حتي يستفيدوا من تواضعه^٢ وصبره وطاعته لان مفهوم عند الجميع باني وبخته بغير دنب. المراد لا زال يوعض عليّ ويسليني حتي برد قلبي وخرجت من عنده وانا مريض ومبسوط فرايت حيندٍ بان كشف الافكار لها فايده عظيمه.

١ الأصل: امرهنهم. ٢ الأصل: تواضه.

The incident stayed with me all day, until I felt it was time to reveal my thoughts to the abbot. I went in to see him.

“Father,” I blurted out, “I’ve spent all day thinking about what you did, and how you treated that old man so harshly! I’ve reproached you in my thoughts, Father!”

The abbot smiled.

“To be candid, brother, I knew he’d done nothing wrong,” he said. “But my position demands that I treat the novices harshly. It trains them to be humble and it breaks down their sense of self. When it works, they grow in virtue.

“I love that man,” the abbot continued. “There’s something saintly about him. In fact, that’s why I treated him the way I did. We have certain novices here who are too full of themselves. It’ll do them good to see what real humility and resignation look like, especially since everyone knows the man had done nothing wrong.”

He continued to counsel and comfort me until my nerves had steadied, and I left feeling better. I realized then that the exercise of revealing one’s thoughts to the abbot was profoundly beneficial.

١٥،١1.15

ويوم اخر خرجنا من المايده بعد الغدا وطلعنا برات باب الدير لاجل التنزه كالمعتاد كما ذكرنا فدعا الريس الي راهب كان يسمي موسا وكان هل راهب مخصص لقضي حوايج الدير وكان الريس يرسله الي طرابلس لقضي اشغال الدير والي غير اماكن ايضًا فهذا لما حضر امامه امره بان ياخد الاخ ارسانيوس معه ولما يصل الي طيعة بشره يركبه علي البغله ويوصله الي ضيعة سيدة زغرتا ويسلمه بيد خوري الضيعه ويدير باله عليه ويداريه في الدرب واعطاه مكتوب للخوري توصاي فيه ويحكمه.

Another day, we got up from lunch and went out the gate of the monastery to go for our usual walk. The abbot called for a monk named Mūsā, who was in charge of procuring the monastery’s provisions. The abbot would occasionally send him to Tripoli, among other places, to take care of the monastery’s affairs.

When Brother Mūsā appeared, the abbot ordered him to take Brother Arsāniyūs to the village of Bsharrī and put him on a mule. He was to convey him to the village of Saydat Zgharta, where he’d hand him over to the village priest. The abbot told him to take care of Arsāniyūs and protect him along the way, and gave him a letter recommending Mūsā to the priest, asking him to treat Arsāniyūs.

١٦،١1.16

اخيرًا ارسل احد الرهبان يدعي الي عنده الاخ المذكور اعني ارسانيوس وكان ذلك مريض وما له قوه يمشي في الدير الا بالجهد^١ فلما حضر امام الريس ركع وباس يده. حيندٍ صار يتكلم معه الريس بهذا الكلام فقله انا امرك يا اخي بامر الطاعه بانك تروح مع اخينا موسا الي عند خوري سيدت زغرتا وتكون تحت طاعته في جميع ما بيامرك فيه وانكان بيامرك باكل الظفر تكون تاكل وتقبل الادوية التي يقدمها لك من غير انك تفحص عنها^٢ وفي خلوص كلام الريس معه نهض في الحال وباس يد الريس وتوجه ونزل في الدرج وانتهره الريس ودعاه الي قدامه فلما رجع امام الريس ركع وقله اغفر لي يا ابانا وباس الارض بعدًا الريس يوبخه ويقله يا قليل العقل والتمييز لين رايح هل انك بتقدر تمشي حسب قانونا من هاهنا الي ضيعة زغرتا هل فيك هل قوي لكن الكبريا غالبه عليك يا شقي انهض واسمع ما بقوله لك ولا تخالف فنهض الاخ الوديع وهو محني هامه للارض ويقول اغفر لي يا ابانا فقله حيندٍ لما بتصل الي بشره اركب البغله ولا تمشي ابدًا وامر احد الرهبان بان ياتيه بكتاب صلواته وعكازته وعبايته الفوقانيه فاعطاهم الي الاخ موسا المذكور وبارك عليه واصرفه. حيندٍ التفت الريس الينا وتنهد قايلًا كنت بشتهي^٣ يا اولادي بان تكون هل طاعة العميا التي هي في هل اخ تكون في جميعكم هل نضرتم كيف انه ما اعتدر لي بقوله يا ابانا ما لي قوه لكي امشي بل انه توجه حالًا بطاعته الي كلامي من غير ارتياب بانه بيقدر يمشي واستقام الريس في تلك النصف ساعة التي هي للتنزه يوعض علينا في هل معنا.

١ الأصل: بالجهدد. ٢ بعد «عنها» جملة مشطوبة في الأصل: «وانا امرت الي اخي موسا بانه في بشره يركبك علي البغله فاركب وتكون مطيعه في الدرب». ٣ الأصل: بشتهتي.

The abbot sent another monk to fetch Arsāniyūs, who was ill, and hardly had the strength to walk through the monastery. He dragged himself before the abbot and knelt to kiss his hand.

“Brother, I order you to go with our brother Mūsā to see the priest of Saydat Zgharta. Obey his every word! If he orders you to eat fatty food, then do so, and accept without question the medicine he gives you.”¹² When the abbot finished speaking, the monk rose and kissed his hand. He turned and started down the stairs, but the abbot shouted after him, calling him back. The man returned and knelt before the abbot.

“Forgive me, Father,” he said, kissing the ground.

“Where are you going, you senseless dolt?” the abbot shouted. “Are you going to walk all the way to Zgharta just because our Rule says you should? You don’t have the strength! Pride has overcome you, you wretch! Now stand up and listen carefully, and don’t disobey me.”

“Forgive me, Father,” the monk said meekly as he stood up, head bowed.

“When you arrive in Bsharrī, get on the mule and don’t go another step on foot,” said the abbot, and ordered one of the monks to fetch the man’s prayer book, walking stick, and outer robe. He gave them to Brother Mūsā, blessed him, and sent him off. The abbot turned to us and sighed.

“My sons, I yearn to see the blind obedience of this monk in all of you,” he said. “Did you notice that he made not a single excuse? He didn’t say, ‘Oh Father, I don’t have the strength to walk!’ No, he set off immediately, obeying my orders without any doubt that he was able to walk.”

The abbot continued to preach to us on this subject for the next half hour, which was supposed to be spent strolling outdoors.

١٧،١1.17

والفقير رايت اشيا كثيره في هل رهبنة المقدسه ومن الرهبان الذين سيرتهم سيره ملايكيه وهذا دكرته وهو القليل من الكثير بل انما ذكرته خجلًا لي وتنبيه لغيري ليلا يروح الي الرهبنه بغير استعداد لهذه الدرجة المقدسه وخصوصًا وقبل كل شي يستقيم مده مديده يطلب من الله بان يرويه دعوته ويتدبر علي يد مرشد فهيم عامل ومعلم. حيندٍ بيكون بامان من قبل دعوته.

I saw quite a few things in this sacred order and among the monks, whose conduct is truly angelic. What I’ve recounted here are just a few stories. Even though they may reflect poorly on me, I’ve told these stories in order to warn others not to pursue the path of monasticism without being prepared for such a saintly vocation. Specifically, before doing anything else, you should spend a good long while asking God to reveal His calling to you. And you should train at the hand of a learned and practical guide. Then and only then will you be certain that you have indeed been called.

١٨،١1.18

اخيرًا بعد دخولي للتجربه بقليل من الزمان وقعت في مرض ثقيل واستقمت مريض مدة شهرين وشهر اخر ما بين مريض وطيب وفي ذلك الشهر رفع عني الريس قانون الرهبنه وصار يرسلني مع الرهبان برات الدير لما يخرجوا في اشغال الدير فكنت اروح اتنزه صحبتهم.

Shortly after I began my novitiate, I became very ill. I was ill for two months, and spent another month recuperating. During that month, the abbot freed me from the monastic rule and would send me out with the monks whenever they went to take care of the monastery’s business. I’d join them and take in a walk.

١٩،١1.19

فيوم من ذات الايام راحوا اثنين من الرهبان الي الطاحون حتي يطحنوا قمح للدير فامرهم الريس بان ياخدوني معهم للطاحون حتي اتنزه فمضيت معهم الي مكان يسما راس النهر حيث كانت الطاحون فلما وصلنا ونزلوا القمح عن ظهر الحمير فارءوا بان ما لهم ضور للطحن لان كان قبلهم وصلوا كثيرين حتي يطحنوا فالتزموا بانهم يناموا هناك الي ان يجيهم دور. حيندٍ قالوا لي الرهبان قوم روح يا اخونا للدير وخد معك الاتان واحكي للريس سبب رقادنا في الطاحون حتي لا يبقا باله.

One day, two monks set off for the flour mill to grind some wheat for the monastery. The abbot ordered them to take me along so I could have a walk. We headed out to a place called Rās al-Nahr, where the mill was located.¹³ When we arrived and unloaded the wheat from the donkeys, the monks realized that they wouldn’t be able to grind the wheat right away, as many other people had arrived ahead of them. They’d be compelled to spend the night there, waiting their turn.

“Brother, go back to the monastery and take the donkey with you,” the monks told me. “Explain to the abbot why we’ve stayed over at the mill, so he won’t be worried.”

٢٠،١1.20

فنهضت وسقت الاتان امامي وسرت حتي وصلت الي الوادي وبدينا في النزول من ذلك العلو فنزل الاتان امامي وفي نزوله رايت كانه تهور الي الاسفل فلحقت ومسكت ديله ليلا يتهور فنترني معه وانا ماسك ديله. اخيرًا فلت مني وطلع يركد وانا صرت اتدركل من فوق الي تحت حتي اتكسرت اضلاعي وبعد قليل فقت من غموتي واوعيت علي حالي فما رايت الاتان. وقتيدٍ قلت في بالي بان احد الحميديه اخد الاتان وراح فيه وايش عدت ارد جواب للريس وصرت في فكارات ونسيت اوجاعي وصرت ادور في الوادي وافتش علي الاتان فما رايت له خبر ولا جنيت اثر فحزنت وبقيت في حيره وقطعت^١ الاياس من الاتان. اخيرًا توجهت الي الدير وانا ماشي رويدًا رويدًا الي ان وصلت الي الدير.

١ الأصل: قطت.

I headed out, driving the donkey ahead of me. We began to descend when we reached the valley, the donkey leading the way. As it clambered down the slope, it seemed to me as though the beast was about to slide down to the bottom! So I raced after it, grasping its tail to hold it back, but it yanked me forward, slipped loose, and galloped off while I tumbled all the way down, battering my ribs. As I recovered from my daze a moment later, I looked around. The donkey was nowhere to be seen.

My first thought was that a member of the Ḥamādah tribe must have taken the donkey and made off with it.¹⁴ What was I going to tell the abbot? In my desperation, I forgot my aches and pains and set about searching for the donkey in the valley, but it had vanished without a trace! My heart sank. Unsure what to do next, I gave up the search and trudged all the way back to the monastery.

٢١،١1.21

فاتفق ذلك اليوم بان كام واحد من المبتدين الحلبيه الذي مر ذكرهم كانوا متقلقلين وطلبوا الخروج من الدير وبهذا صعب علي الريس كثير فزعًا علي غيرهم من المبتدين ليلا يرتخي عزمهم فصار يدعي واحد بعد واحد ويفحصه هل هو ثابت ام لا. اخيرًا ارسل دعاني فقالوا له الرهبان بان اخونا راح مع الرهبان للطاحون كما امرت فقلهم لما بيرجع من الطاحون ارسلوه الي عندي وكان وصولي للدير في تلك الساعه فلما صعدت الي الدير وانا في تلك الحاله موهوج ومرعوب من فقدي الاتان قالوا لي الرهبان كلف خاطرك يا اخي الي عند الريس بيدعوك.

As it happened, on that very day, a few of the Aleppan novices I mentioned earlier had grown restless and were asking to quit the monastery. The abbot was upset about this, worried that the other novices would lose their resolve. So he summoned all the novices to him, one by one, and examined each to ascertain whether he was firmly committed or not.

When it was my turn to be summoned by the abbot, some monks reminded him that I’d gone off to the mill with the other monks, as he’d ordered.

“When he returns from the mill, send him to me,” the abbot replied.

Not long afterward, I happened to arrive at the monastery, and as I came inside—feeling ashamed and frightened after the loss of the donkey—I found the monks waiting for me.

“Brother, if you will, go to the abbot,” they said. “He’s calling for you.”

٢٢،١1.22

فلما سمعت منهم هل كلام تحققت بان الريس سمع في فقد الاتان فزاد رعبي رعب فلما امتثلت امام الريس وبست يده امرني بالجلوس فجلست فقلي يا اخي بوجه عابس اتعرف ليش دعيتك لعندي قلتله لا يا ابونا. حيندٍ قلي بان كام واحد من المبتدين طالبين الخروج من الدير ولاجل ان هذا بيضر غيرهم من المبتدين فصرت افحص واحد بعد واحد منهم واختبر هل هو ثابت ام لا ليلا كل مده يخرج واحد وبيصير سبب تجربه لغيره.

At the sound of these words, I was certain the abbot had heard about the donkey’s disappearance. My terror mounted. I presented myself before the abbot and kissed his hand, and he ordered me to sit down.

“Brother, do you know why I summoned you?” he asked, frowning.

“No, Father.”

“A few of the novices have asked to leave the monastery,” he said. “Such an event would be harmful to the other novices, so I’ve been questioning each man to establish whether he’s firm in his resolve or not. I do this to avoid having novices trickling out periodically, which is difficult for the others to bear.”¹⁵

٢٣،١1.23

اخيرًا بعد كلام مستطيل قلي هل انك ثابت ام لا فاجبته علي الفور لا يا ابانا بروح بتحكم في حلب ولما بطيب مليح برجع الي الدير. حيندٍ بش وجهه فيّ وصار يوعضني باناسه ويقلي لا تخلي التجربه تغلبك يا اخي وترجعك الي العالم مغلوب يا ابني ولا زال يلاطفني بالكلام ويريني محبه الي حين ما قلته دعني يا ابانا افتكر اليوم وانضر كيف الله بيوجهني.

After going on at some length in this way, he finally asked if I was determined to stay or not.

“No, Father,” I replied without hesitation. “I need to leave and seek medical treatment in Aleppo. When I’m well again, I’ll return to the monastery.”

He smiled and began to exhort me gently.

“Don’t let the novitiate make you give up and return you to the world a defeated man, my son,” he said. He went on speaking in the same kindly manner until at last I spoke.

“Father, let me think on it today, and see how God guides me.”

٢٤،١1.24

فرضي الريس وباركني ثم اصرفني حتي اروح افتكر ولما خرجت من عنده فرايت بعض من الرهبان واقفين باستنضاري حتي يتلافوني ليلا اغير عزمي عن الرهبنه. حيندٍ سالتهم عن الاتان هل وجدوه ام لا فبهتوا من كلامي وقالولي ما هذا الاتان الذي بتقول عنه فاحكيت لهم بالمجراويه كما تمت فصاروا يتبسموا بقولهم لي ان هذا الاتان الرهبان استعاروه من بشره ولما رجع معك ما هرب بل راح الي مكانه للضيعه لا تخف يا اخي هذا ما ضاع وباقيت الاتن رجعوا الي مكانهم ايضًا الذين كانوا معكم وهذا بيفعلوه دايمًا.

The abbot was satisfied with this response, and he blessed me and sent me on my way to do some thinking. As I emerged from his quarters, I saw some of the monks waiting for me, hoping to convince me to change my mind about leaving the order.

I asked them whether they’d found the donkey.

“What donkey?” they asked, confused.

I told them what had happened, and they broke into grins.

“The monks rented that donkey in Bsharrī,” they replied. “When it came back with you, it didn’t run away—it just went home to its village! Don’t worry, brother, it’s not lost. All the donkeys returned to their stables, including the ones you took to the mill. That’s what they always do.”

٢٥،١1.25

حيندٍ ركن قلبي ومضيت الي قلايتي افتكر ماذا اعمل واستقمت ذلك النهار وتلك الليله في تلك الافكار الي ان اصبح الصباح وبعد كمالت القداديس فجمعنا الريس وسالنا انكان استقمنا عن نيت الخروج من الدير فقلنا له نعم. حيندٍ امر بان يحضروا لنا حوايجنا وشلحونا ثياب التجربه ولبسنا ثيابنا وكنا اربعه الفقير وداود ابن جبور الكويس ويوسف ابن شاهين جلبي وميخاييل بن توما حوا فبعدما لبسنا ثيابنا ودعنا الريس والرهبان وخرجنا من الدير.

Relieved, I went to my cell to think about what I would do. I spent all day and night until morning lost in thought. After the masses were over, the abbot gathered us all together and asked if we still intended to leave the monastery.

“Yes,” we replied.

So the abbot ordered that our personal effects be returned to us. The monks had us remove our initiation robes and we put on our own clothes again. There were four of us: myself, Dāwūd ibn Jabbūr al-Kwayyis, Yūsuf ibn Shāhīn Çelebi, and Mikhāʾīl ibn Tūmā Ḥawā. Once we were dressed, we said goodbye to the abbot and the monks, and left the monastery.

٢٦،١1.26

وفي ذلك الوقت وصل الي الدير ريس العام وهو القس عبد الله ابن قري علي فهذا لما رانا خارجين حزن من جري طلوعنا من الدير فصلي علينا ودعاني الي جانبه واحكي معي سرًا قايلًا اعتقد يا ابني ان كل الذين خرجوا من المبتديين ما عدت اقبل منهم ولا واحد ولكن ان انت رجعت بقبلك وباركني وقلي امضي بسلام.

At that precise moment, the superior general, Father ʿAbdallāh ibn Qarāʿalī, happened to arrive at the monastery.¹⁶ He was saddened to see us leaving, and began to pray for us. He called me over to his side.

“Know this, my son,” he said to me privately. “I’ve never allowed a single novice who left the monastery to return. But if you come back, I’ll accept you.”

He blessed me and told me to go in peace.

٢٧،١1.27

ثم مضينا جميعنا ولا زلنا سايرين حتي وصلنا الي طرابلس فراينا^١ قفل مسافر الي حلب فاستكرينا معه وجينا الي حلب وكل منا راح الي محله فاستقمت ذلك اليوم في البيت حتي استرحت وثاني يوم رحت سلمت علي معلمي المذكور خواجه رمزات فلما راني وبخني وذكرني بكلامه لي سابقًا وما عاد اعطاني التفاته ولا عاد يقبل بان اعاود الي عنده لانه كان انحصر مني كثير.

١ الأصل: فرارينا.

We set off, and made our way to Tripoli, without stopping on the road once. In Tripoli, we found a caravan traveling to Aleppo, so we booked passage and returned home. When we arrived, each of us went to his own house; I spent the remainder of the day resting.

The next day I went to pay respects to my master, the aforementioned khawājah Rémuzat.¹⁷ As soon as he saw me, he set about scolding me, reminding me of what he’d told me earlier.¹⁸ He was so upset he could scarcely look my way, and refused to let me visit him again.

٢٨،١1.28

فاستقمت مقدار ثلاثه اشهر وانا داير بغير شغل ولا عمل فداقت الدنيا فيّ ونويت علي الرجوع للدير فاصطبرت حتي تهيا قفل رايح الي طربلس فرحت استكريت دبه من القاطرجي واريته بان واحد من اصحابي بدي ارسله معه وهذا فعلته حتي لا حد يعرف في خروجي حلب ليلا يمنعوني ايضًا عن الرواح.

I spent three months searching fruitlessly for work. Finding myself in dire straits, I decided I would return to the monastery and wait till a caravan was set to travel to Tripoli. When one was preparing to leave, I rented a horse from the muleteer, telling him it was for a friend. I did this so no one would find out I was leaving Aleppo and try to stop me.

٢٩،١1.29

فتاني يوم استيقظت حكم السلام واخدت بعض حوايج الذي بيلزموني من رفايق وقمصان وما يشبه ذلك وعبيت الجميع في خرج الذي كان عندي من اول سفره وخرجت من البيت وتوجهت الي خان الزيت حيث مكان النازل فيه القاطرجي فلما وصلت وسالت عن القاطرجي قالوا لي بانه راح يحمل الي واحد فرنجي الذي هو نازل في بيت خواجه سيريون خواجة اخي. حيندٍ عرفته وهذا كان رجل سايح من سواح سلطان فرنسا وكان جايي من بلاد الارمنيه وساح في تلك البلاد بصفت حكيم عابر طريق ومن حلب قصده يسوح في بلاد الشرقيه اعني العربيه^١ وكان اسمه بول لوكا.

١ «اعني العربيه» في الهامش.

The next day, I rose just before the call to the dawn prayer and gathered the clothes I’d need: underpants, shirts, and so on.¹⁹ I stuffed them into a satchel I’d used on my first trip and left the house for Khān al-Zayt, where the muleteer was staying. When I arrived and asked after him, I was told he’d gone to handle the luggage of a Frank who was staying at the home of khawājah Sauron, my brother’s master.

I knew who the Frank was. He was a traveler dispatched by the sultan of France, and had arrived from Armenia, which he’d toured as a traveling doctor.²⁰ From Aleppo, his plan was to travel through the East—that is, Arab lands. His name was Paul Lucas.

٣٠،١1.30

اخيرًا حمّلت خرجي علي الكديش وكان موجود هناك كام واحد من الحلبيه مسافرين مع القفل فقلتلهم قوموا بنا نتمشي الي حين ما بيجي القاطرجي. حيندٍ سحبنا كدشنا وسرنا حتي وصلنا الي القبه والعامود وما اجا القاطرجي فجلسنا هناك نستنضره وفي ذلك الوقت انا غيرت حلاسي ولفيت شاشي الابيض ولبست الجزمه وصلحت تنبليتي كما يجب وبقيت علي هيية السفر وبعد هنيهه وصل القاطرجي وبعده وصل ذلك الفرنجي المذكور ومعه اربع خمس خواجكيه وكلهم بيعرفوني ففي الحال ركبت دبتي وسرت وحدي قبلما يصلوا الينا وغبت عن نضرهم.

At last I was able to load my satchel onto the packhorse. There were a few Aleppans traveling with the caravan.

“Come on,” I told them, “let’s start walking while we wait for the muleteer to arrive.” We set off, tugging our horses along, and soon arrived at the dome and column.²¹ The muleteer still hadn’t appeared, so we sat and waited.

Meanwhile, I changed my clothes and wrapped a white turban cloth around my head. I put on my boots and adjusted my satchel properly. I was ready to go. After a short while, the caravan driver arrived, followed by the aforementioned Frank. He had four or five khawājahs with him, each of whom would have recognized me! So I jumped on my horse in a flash and rode off alone, disappearing from view before they arrived.

٣١،١1.31

اخيرًا ودعوه ورجعوا ونحن مشينا والحمال كانت سبقت قبل بيوم الي كفتين لا زلنا سايرين والمطر بيصب علينا حتي وصلنا الي كفتين ونحن غرقانين من تلك الامطار فدخلنا الي بيت القاطرجي وفي الحال اوقد لنا نار في الاوجاق. حيندٍ شلحنا ما علينا وصرنا ننشف ثيابنا والفرنجي نزل في تلك الناحيه هو وخدامه رجل من بلاد الارمنيه مسيحي كاتوليكي قصده كان يقدس فلما استرحنا شويه سمعت الفرنجي والقاطرجي عمالين بيدابلوا لكن الواحد ما بيفهم من الاخر. حيندٍ زعقلي القاطرجي بما انه بيعرفني بفهم في لسان الفرنجي وقلي بحياتك قول لهذا الخواجه ماذا يريد وما هو مطلوبه فسالت المذكور بلسان الفرنساوي ماذا يريد فقلي انا سلمته في حلب بعض حوايج وما رايتهم الان فلما فهمت القاطرجي قلي ها هن موجودات عندي موضوعات في الخرج. حيندٍ انبسط الفرنجي واستكتر بخيري. اخيرًا سالني هل انت مسيحي فقلتله نعم بنعمة الله تعالى قلي لا تواخدني لاني رايتك لافف شاش ابيض خمنت انك مسلم.

The khawājahs finally bid farewell to the Frank, and our caravan set off. Our baggage had been sent the day before to Kaftīn. We made our way there, riding without rest even as the rain poured down. We reached Kaftīn half-drowned, and went to the muleteer’s house. He quickly lit a fire for us in the stove, and we stripped off what we were wearing and set about drying our clothes.

The Frank came in with his servant, a Catholic man from Armenia, on pilgrimage to Jerusalem. After we’d rested awhile, I heard the Frank and the muleteer speaking, but neither could make sense of what the other was saying. The muleteer called for me because he knew I understood the Frankish language.

“Hey, do me a favor and ask the khawājah what he’s after,” the driver said.

I put this to the fellow in French.

“I entrusted some things to the muleteer when we were in Aleppo,” the Frank explained. “And now they’ve vanished!”

When I explained this to the muleteer, he replied that he had the things in question tucked away in one of his bags. The Frank was pleased to hear this, and thanked me profusely.

“Are you a Christian?” he asked.

“I am, by the grace of God.”

“Forgive me,” he said. “I’d seen you wearing a white turban and mistook you for a Muslim.”

٣٢،١1.32

فكلفني باني اجلس عنده واتعشي معه فابيت. اخيرًا لج عليّ بالجلوس فجلست فامر لخادمه بان يحضر العشا وكان معه من حلب زواده وافره ونبيذ طيب فاتعشيت انا واياه وبعد خلوصنا من العشا شربنا القهوه وجاب لنا الغلام غلايين التتن واستقمنا نتصامر انا واياه فسالني قايلًا لي انت من اينا طايفه قلتله انا من طايفة الموارنه وانا بعرفك لما كنت في حلب وكنت نازل في بيت خواجه سيرون الفرنساوي واخي عنده مخزنجي فقلي مخزنجيه هو اخوك قلتله نعم فتعجب بانه كيف ما قلي بانك مسافر معنا. حيندٍ قلتله بان اخي ما صار له خبر في طلوعي من حلب قلي لاي سبب ما صار له خبر قلتله لو يصير له خبر لما اطلقني اسافر.

He asked me to sit and dine with him. I declined, but he insisted, so I joined him. He ordered his servant to prepare dinner. They’d brought plenty of provisions with them from Aleppo, along with some good wine. We had dinner, followed by coffee, and the young servant then brought us a pair of tobacco pipes to smoke. We stayed up, chatting into the night.

“Which community are you from?” he asked.

“I’m a Maronite,” I replied. “I heard of you when you were living in Aleppo. You were staying in the home of the Frenchman, khawājah Sauron. My brother works for him as a warehouseman.”

“The warehouseman was your brother?” he asked me.

“Yes.”

“Why didn’t he tell me that you were traveling with us?” he asked in surprise.

“Because he didn’t know I was leaving Aleppo.”

“Why ever not?”

“If he’d known, he wouldn’t have let me go,” I replied.

٣٣،١1.33

حيندٍ قلي الي اين انت مسافر فاستحيت اخبره بقصتي انما قلتله انا رايح بسوح في الدنيا و بتفرج وهذا قلتله حتي اضيع عليه فهو قطع عقله باني رايح بسوح وهكذا دبر الله فقلي انكان بتريد تسوح ما بتقدر تقشع احسن مني واحكالي بانه مرسل من سلطان فرنسا حتي ادور البلاد واكتب ما اراه وافتش علي تواريخ قدم وعلي مداليا اعني معاملة ملوك القدم وعلي بعض حشايش موجوده في هل بلاد ثم سالني هل بتعرف تقرا بلسان العربي قلتله نعم وبالفرنجي ايضًا قلي ان رحت معي انا بجلسك في خزانت الكتب العربيه وبيصير لك علوفه من الملك وبتعيش طول عمرك تحت نام الملك وانا موصي من الوزير باني اخد رجل يعرف يقرا بالعربي من هل بلاد وهذا بيصير لك منه خير عظيم ابتريد تروح معي قلتله نعم ثم قلي بتعطيني قرار بتبت بانك بتروح معي الي بهريز. حيندٍ قلتله ما بعطيك قرار ثابت الا في طرابلس وقلت في بالي حتي استخبر عنه هل هو صادق في هل كلام ام لا. اخيرًا قلي لا تفارقني في هل درب حتي نصل الي طرابلس وكان قصده حتي اترجمله لان الذي كان معه ما بيفهم بالعربي انما كان يفهم قليلًا بلسان التلياني فاجبته علي الراس والعين. اخيرًا استازنت منه ورحت عند رفقاتي وبتنا تلك الليله الي الصباح فلما اصبحنا قلنا القاطرجي بانه بيريد يكسر ذلك اليوم في الضيعه كعادتهم.

At this, the Frank asked me where I was headed. I was too embarrassed to tell him the real story, so I merely said I was on a voyage to explore the world. This was a ruse meant to throw him off the scent, but as a result, he was convinced that I was indeed setting off on a voyage. Such was God’s plan!

“If you’re interested in travel, you won’t find a better companion than me,” he said, and explained that he’d been sent by the sultan of France to tour these lands and to write an account of what he saw. He was in search of old chronicles and of medallions—coins struck by kings of old—as well as particular plants to be found in this part of the world.

“Do you know how to read Arabic?” he asked.

“Yes, and French as well,” I replied.

“If you come with me, I’ll arrange a position for you at the Arabic Library,” he offered.²²“The king will pay you a salary and you’ll spend your whole life under his protection. The king’s minister has charged me to bring home a man from this part of the world who knows how to read Arabic. You’d benefit greatly from the minister’s good graces. Will you come with me?”

“Yes,” I said.

“Do I have your word that you’ll come to Paris with me?”

“Not until we reach Tripoli,” I said, thinking I should look into whether he was being truthful or not.

“In that case, while we’re on the road to Tripoli, don’t leave my side,” he said, as he intended to have me serve as a translator. The fellow who was traveling with him didn’t understand Arabic, only a little Italian.

“Happily,” I replied.

I took my leave and rejoined my companions. I spent the night with them, and in the morning when we awoke, the muleteer said that he wanted to spend the day in the village, as he usually did.

٣٤،١1.34

فلما سمع الخواجه المذكور بان القفل بيستقيم ذلك اليوم في الضيعه فصار يسال الكفاتنه انكان موجود قريب منهم عماره قديمه من ايام ملوك النصارا فدلوه علي جبل قريب من الضيعه مسافة درب ساعه وقالوله بان هناك موجود عماير نصاري ودير وكنيسه لكنهم خراب انما مكتوب علي بعض حجاره احرف فرنجيه فلما سمع منهم هل كلام دعي القاطرجي وقله بريد اروح الي هل جبل واتفرج فاجابه القاطرجي بان هل مكان بيلتقا من اللصوص والعرب بخاف عليك ليلا يشلحوك فقله هذا ما شغلك انما احضر لي دواب حتي نركب.

When the khawājah heard that the caravan would be spending the day in the village, he asked the residents of Kaftīn if there were any buildings nearby dating to the period of the ancient Christian kings. They pointed out a mountain, about an hour’s journey from the village, and told him there were some Christian buildings there, as well as a monastery and church: They were in ruins, but there was some Frankish writing on some of the stones. On hearing this, he called for the muleteer.

“I wish to go see that mountain,” he said.

“That area is full of bandits and Bedouins,” the muleteer replied. “I worry that you’ll be robbed.”

“That’s none of your concern,” the Frank replied. “Bring me some mounts.”

٣٥،١1.35

فاستكري له كدش من الضيعه لان دوابه تعابا بده يريحهم حتي يسافروا ثاني يوم فلما حضروا الكدش فاخدنا معنا زواده اكل وشرب واستكرينا اربع خمس قواسه حتي يروحوا معنا صيانة من اللصوص وسافرنا وصعدنا لذلك الجبل فمشينا في الجبل قليلًا فراينا تلك العماير التي احكوا لنا عنها الكفاتنه فنزلنا هناك فصار الخواجه يدور في تلك الاماكن وينسخ الكتابات المكتوبه علي بعض من تلك الحجاره فلما انتهي من تلك الكتابات فرحنا الي مكان وجدنا فيه قبر يعلوه حجر قطعة جبل. حيندٍ دار ما يدور القبر لعله يجد مكان يدخل اليه فما راء غير خراقه داخله للقبر فراد بان واحد من القواسه ينزل في هل خراق ما احد نزل منهم وقالوله بيمكن هذا يكون وكر وحش ام ضبع ام نمر او غير ذلك من الوحوش الضاريه من له جرعه ينزل.

The muleteer hired some packhorses from the village, as his own animals were tired and he wanted to rest them so they could travel the next day. They brought us the horses, and we packed some food and drink to bring along, hired four or five guards to protect us from thieves, and set off to climb the mountain.

After going a little way, we came upon the structures the villagers of Kaftīn had told us about and stopped to dismount. The khawājah began walking around the buildings, copying the inscriptions on some of the stones. When he finished with the inscriptions, we walked over to a tomb covered by a boulder.²³ The khawājah circled the tomb, looking for a place where he might enter, but all he could find was a narrow gap that opened onto the interior.

He asked for a volunteer from the guards to go down into the hole, but not a single one would dare. They told him that it might be the lair of some wild beast, perhaps a hyena or a panther, or some other ferocious beast. Who would possibly venture to go in?

٣٦،١1.36

ونحن في كلام مر علينا راعي معزي فقالوله القواسه حتي ينزل فقال لهم ايش بتعطوني حتي انزل فاعطاه الخواجه ثلث ابوكلب فلما راء الثلث في كفه فرمي فوقانيه ونزل في الحال وكان غمق ذلك القبر قامه ومدة يد. حيندٍ الخواجه قال للراعي دور في القبر وايش ما شفت اعطيني اياه فدار الراعي في داخل القبر فشاف جمجمة انسان فاعطانا اياها لكن جمجمه بقدر جبسه كبيره فقلنا الخواجه هذه جمجمة رجل فرد اعطانا جمجمة اخري اصغر من تلك فقال لنا هذه جمجمة امراه فخمن الخواجه بان ذلك القبر هو قبر حاكم تلك الاراضي والبلاد. حيندٍ ارما له محزم وقله قش ما تجده في ارضيت القبر واعطيني هو فجمع الذي وجده واعطانا هو فوجدنا بين الذي قشه خاتم كبير سبط فتامل الخواجه في الخاتم فراه مصدي وما مبين له كتابه ولا عرف معدنه انكان هو ذهب ام فضه او غير معدن فابقاه معه. اخيرًا قال للراعي جس حيطان القبر فراء طاقه وداخلها سراج شبه جيرون السمان وما عرف معدنه فاخده ايضًا وشاله وما عاد راء شي فخرج من القبر وراح في حال سبيله ونحن رجعنا الي الضيعه بسلام.

While we were talking, a goatherd passed by, and the guards asked him to go into the tomb.

“What will you give me if I do?” he asked.

The khawājah handed him a third of an abū kalb. Once the goatherd had the coin in his hand, he threw off his coat and clambered down immediately.²⁴ The tomb was as deep as the height of a man with outstretched arms.

The khawājah called down to the goatherd. “Walk around the tomb and hand me whatever you see inside.”

The goatherd did as he was told, and found a human skull. He handed it to us. It was the size of a large watermelon.

“This is the skull of a man,” the khawājah told us.

The goatherd handed us another skull, smaller than the first, and the khawājah said it was a woman’s. He supposed that the tomb belonged to the ruler of these lands.

He threw a piece of sturdy cloth down to the goatherd. “Collect everything you find on the floor of the tomb and hand it to me.”

The goatherd gathered what he found and handed it all over. Among the objects was a large, plain ring. The khawājah studied it and saw that it was rusty. There wasn’t an inscription that he could see, nor could he tell whether it was made of gold, silver, or some other metal. He kept it.

“Feel around along the walls of the tomb,” he called out to the goatherd, who did as he was instructed, and found a niche. Inside the niche was a lamp, similar to those used by the butter merchants. He didn’t know what sort of metal it was made of, but he took it anyway. There was nothing left to find, so the goatherd climbed out and went on his way, and we all returned safely to the village.²⁵

٣٧،١1.37

وتاني يوم سافرنا من كفتين الي جسر الشغور^١ ومن هناك لا زلنا سايرين حتي وصلنا الي مدينة طرابلس بالسلام فنزل الخواجه المذكور في بيت خواجه بلان الفرنساوي وانا نزلت في خان الغميضا في بيت رهبان الحلابيه اعني بهم رهبان مار يشع ومفتاح البيت دايمًا مودوع عند اوضاباشي الخان فاخدت المفتاح منه ودخلت حوايجي وكان الاوداباشي بيعرفني لما رجعنا من الدير انا ورفقاتي فنزلنا هناك.

١ الأصل: الشغل.

The next day, we left Kaftīn for Jisr al-Shughūr, and continued from there till we arrived safely in Tripoli. The khawājah lodged at the home of khawājah Blanc, the Frenchman. I stayed at the Khān al-Ghummayḍā, in the quarters of the Aleppan monks of Saint Elishaʿ. The keeper of the hostel always held a key to their quarters, so I took it from him and brought my things in. He knew me from the time my friends and I had returned from the monastery, for we’d lodged there.

٣٨،١1.38

فاستقمت ذلك النهار وثاني يوم رحت سلمت علي خواجه رومان الذي كنت جبتله معي مكتوب توصاي فيّ من معلمي خواجه رمزات في اول مره الذي جيت الي طرابلس حتي اترهب فبعدما سلمت عليه اوردتله قضيت خواجه بول لوكا وسالته هل هو صحيح بانه مرسل من سلطان فرنسا لاجل السياحه فقلي نعم صحيح فاستشرته ايضًا هل بتشور عليّ باني اروح الي باريس معه قلي بتكون سعادتك روح لا تخف هذا رجل ناس ملاح.

I spent the rest of the day at the hostel. The next day I went to see khawājah Roman, whom I’d met the first time I passed through Tripoli on my way to the monastery, when I’d brought him a letter of recommendation from my master, khawājah Rémuzat. After greeting him, I told him all about Paul Lucas.

“Is it true that he was dispatched on his voyage by the sultan of France?” I asked.

“Yes,” he replied. “It’s true.”

I also asked his advice. “Would you counsel me to go to Paris with him?”

“This is your chance—take it!” he said. “Go with him and don’t worry; he’s a good man.”

٣٩،١1.39

حيندٍ طلعت من عنده ومضيت الي عند البادره الياس الكرملتاني وهذا البادره كان لي معه معرفه لما كنت في دير مار يشع فسلمت عليه وقصيت له قصتي بالتمام مع المذكور اعني به بول لوكا فلما سمع البادري مني هل كلام قلي ان سالت عن هل رجل انا اخدت خبره بانه سايح من سواح سلطان فرنسا وان ردت تروح معه ما عليك باس روح لا تخف وانا بوصيه فيك.

I left him and went to see Father Ilyās the Carmelite. He knew me from the time I’d spent at the Monastery of Saint Elishaʿ. After greeting him, I told him all about my time with Paul Lucas. The priest listened to my tale from start to finish, then spoke.

“Well, since you ask,” the priest said, “I can tell you that I’ve learned that this man is indeed one of the voyagers dispatched by the sultan of France. Don’t be afraid to go with him, if that’s what you want to do. I’ll vouch for you.”

٤٠،١1.40

حيندٍ صممت النيه بالرواح ورحت الي عنده واعطيته قرار تابت بان اروح معه فلما اعطيته هل قرار فسالني هل معك غير هل حوايج الذي لابسهم؟ فقتله لا لكن لي غير هل حوايج في حلب قوي مكلفات فقلي انكان عندك حوايج مكلفات اكتب الي اخوك يرسلهم لك الي مدينة صيدا لان ان وصلنا الي باريس بالسلامه بريد ادخلك معي امام حضره سلطان فرنسا ولاجل هل سبب تكون لابس ثياب زي بلادكم يكونوا ملاح.

So I made up my mind to go, and went to see the khawājah to give him my word that I’d accompany him.

“Do you have any clothes besides those you are wearing?” he asked after I’d presented him with my decision.

“No, but I do have some other clothes in Aleppo,” I said. “Some very fine clothes indeed.”

“In that case, write to your brother and have him send your clothes to Sidon,” he said. “If we get to Paris safely, I should like to take you with me before His Majesty, the sultan of France. You’ll need to wear your native dress, and it should be elegant.”

٤١،١1.41

فامتثلت امره وفي الحال كتبت الي اخي مكتوب واعلمته بقصتي ودكرت له بان يرسلي حوايجي بالعجل مع اين من توجه الي طرابلس ومن هناك توصي بان يرسلوهم الي صيدا تحت يد واحد من خواجكيت صيدا وترسل ايضًا وتذكر لذلك الخواجه انكان اعتزت منه خرجيه يعطيني والسلام وفي البخت كان ذلك اليوم طالع ساعي الي حلب فارسلت المكتوب معه واحكيت للخواجه باني ارسلت المكتوب الي حلب كما امرتني.

I obeyed his instructions and immediately wrote a letter to my brother, letting him know my story.

“Send my clothes right away with anyone heading to Tripoli,” I wrote. “And from Tripoli, have them send the clothes on to Sidon, in the care of one of its merchants. Be sure to write to the merchant and ask him to provide me with some money, should I need it. Farewell.”

As luck would have it, a messenger was departing for Aleppo that very day! I gave him the letter and told the khawājah that I’d sent it off to Aleppo, as he had instructed.