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48 – Muhammad ibn al-Husayn narrated to me; al-‘Abbas ibn al-Fadl al-Azraq narrated to me; he said: A man of the tribe of Azd told me: “I was sitting in one of the gatherings of Banu Hanifah when an elderly man passed by, steadying himself as he walked. Someone in the group remarked, ‘It seems the old man is drunk.’ The sheikh overheard the comment, turned back, stood before us, and said:
(Al-Baḥr al-Ṭawīl)
God forbid, my Lord! I am no drunkard, young man,
My legs give way only because of advancing years.
Whoever is a hostage to the nights and all they bring
Will end up dull of heart, of hearing, and of sight.
٤٨ - حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحُسَيْنِ، حَدَّثَنِي الْعَبَّاسُ بْنُ الْفَضْلِ الْأَزْرَقُ قَالَ: حَدَّثَنِي رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْأَزْدِ قَالَ: كُنْتُ جَالِسًا فِي مَجْلِسٍ مِنْ مَجَالِسِ بَنِي حَنِيفَةَ فَمَرَّ بِنَا شَيْخٌ يَتَعَقَّلُ فِي مِشْيَتِهِ، فَقَالَ بَعْضُ الْقَوْمِ: أَرَى الشَّيْخَ سَكْرَانَ. فَسَمِعَهَا الشَّيْخُ فَرَجَعَ حَتَّى وَقَفَ عَلَيْنَا فَقَالَ:
[البحر الطويل]
مَعَاذَ إِلَهِي لَسْتُ سَكْرَانَ يَا فَتَى ... وَلَا اخْتَلَفَتْ رِجْلَايَ إِلَّا مِنَ الْكِبَرْ
وَمَنْ يَكُ رَهْنًا لِلَّيَالِي وَرَهْنِهَا ... تَدَعْهُ كَلِيلَ الْقَلْبِ وَالسَّمْعِ وَالْبَصَرِ