24 – al-Ḥasan ibn al-Ṣabbāḥ related to me; he said: I was informed by ʿUbāda ibn Kalb, who said:

Al-Muʾammal the poet came to me and said, “I know you will not transmit anything on my behalf, but at least hear these verses tonight:

When the fool begins to speak, answer him not—
for silence is better than replying to him.
⦗35⦘
The vilest of the tribe reviles me to curry favor,
yet even were I to spill his blood, I would win no favor.

And so I shall never resemble a base man;
disgrace be on whoever stoops to trade insults with him—disgrace indeed.”