434 — Muhammad ibn al-Husayn narrated to us: Yahya ibn Bistām narrated to me, saying:

I asked a neighbor of Daygham, “Did you ever hear Abū Mālik quote any poetry?” He replied, “I only ever heard him quote a single line.” I asked, “What was it?” He replied:

[Basīt meter]
“The pious, God-fearing man may hold his tongue in check …
for fear of speaking, though eloquent indeed.”