"What you accuse me of is not a wrong,"
I told her, "unlike the miser's way, which is collective harm.
Let's go before two judges, one from my group and one
from yours, impartial men and not unjust ones."
"I want one judge," she said, "from my group only,
lest slanderers hear our case, and embroider on it."
We went before the judge in his curtained chamber,
a worldly man whose eyelids sagged,
and said, "Whatever your decision, we will accept it.
We trust you with adjudication of our case,
which will be binding, so judge between us
as your temper and opinion dictate."
"I am slain,” I told the judge, “with no recrimination.
And wrongs unpunished will proliferate!
Ask her when she’ll make good all that she owes me.
Is grievance ever righted when it's unredressed?"
"The plaintiff is a liar," she said, "and a useless person
whose accusations go on long.
Am I his slayer? Then where’s my weapon?
If I attack him, what fighting strength have I?
Nor have I despoiled his capital. The court will find
the alleged debt is owed to me."
Our ruling was up to the sentencer,
whose legal views were soundly based.
"Bring forth your witnesses," he said.
I said, "God is our witness, the Exalted King."
"The defendant's oath, and I will reach my verdict,"
ordered the judge, whose every verdict was just and fair.
She gave her oath, and said the charge against her
carried lest weight than a date pit's husk.
[When it was over,] I could not help asking,
"Our case was settled in my favor, was it not?"
Buthaynah knit her brows and said, "[You think]
you’ve prevailed? You, who prevail in nothing you do?
And don’t let them find you with me, lest I be
bereft of you. A bereaved woman is no one to mess with!"
From the Dictations of Abu ‘Ali al-Qali
