16
721 — Yaʿqūb ibn ʿUbayd related to me, saying: I read the following inscription on a wall in Alexandria:
[The Long Meter]
“By your life, no guardian of man is like the Lord,
Nor any admonisher to man like his own reason.
Guard your tongue; let not its words lead you astray,
For you will be held to account for whatever you utter.”
٧٢١ - حَدَّثَنِي يَعْقُوبُ بْنُ عُبَيْدٍ قَالَ: قَرَأْتُ عَلَى حَائِطٍ بِالْإِسْكَنْدَرِيَّةِ مَكْتُوبٌ: «
[البحر الطويل]
لَعَمْرُكَ مَا لِلْمَرْءِ كَالرَّبِّ حَافَظُ ... وَلَا مِثْلُ عَقْلِ الْمَرْءِ لِلْمَرْءِ وَاعِظُ،
لِسَانَكَ لَا يُلْقِيكَ فِي الْغَيِّ لَفْظُهُ ... فَإِنَّكَ مَأْخُوذٌ بِمَا أَنْتَ لَافِظُ»