The Dhow Builder's Apprentice | مُتَعَلِّمُ صِناعَةِ الدُّهُونِ
"A young orphan learns the sacred art of building traditional Omani sailing ships"
مُتَعَلِّمُ صِناعَةِ الدُّهُونِ
The Dhow Builder's Apprentice
الفصلُ الأَوَّلُ: اليَتِيمُ الضَّائِعُ
Chapter One: The Lost Orphan
وَصَلَ إِلى مَدِينَةِ صُورَ طِفْلٌ يَتِيمٌ يُدْعَى عَلِيًّا. لَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ أَهْلٌ وَلا مَأْوَى. كانَ يَنامُ عَلى الشَّاطِئِ وَيَأْكُلُ مِنْ بَقايا السُّوقِ.
An orphan child named Ali arrived in the city of Sur. He had no family and no shelter. He slept on the beach and ate from the market's leftovers.
ذاتَ يَوْمٍ، رَآهُ مُعَلِّمٌ عَجُوزٌ يُدْعَى خَلَفَ بنَ سُلَيْمانَ، أَشْهَرُ صانِعِ سُفُنٍ فِي عُمانَ.
One day, an old master named Khalaf bin Sulayman saw him, the most famous shipbuilder in Oman.
قالَ خَلَفٌ: «يا وَلَدُ، لِماذا تَبْكِي؟»
Khalaf said: "O boy, why do you weep?"
قالَ عَلِيٌّ: «لِأَنَّنِي وَحِيدٌ وَجائِعٌ.»
Ali said: "Because I am alone and hungry."
قالَ خَلَفٌ: «تَعالَ مَعِي. سَأُعَلِّمُكَ صَنْعَةً تُطْعِمُكَ وَتُكْسِبُكَ كَرامَةً.»
Khalaf said: "Come with me. I shall teach you a craft that will feed you and earn you dignity."
الفصلُ الثَّانِي: سِرُّ الخَشَبِ
Chapter Two: The Secret of Wood
بَدَأَ عَلِيٌّ يَتَعَلَّمُ صِناعَةَ الدُّهُونِ. عَلَّمَهُ خَلَفٌ أَنْواعَ الخَشَبِ وَأَسْرارَ البِناءِ.
Ali began learning dhow building. Khalaf taught him the types of wood and the secrets of construction.
قالَ المُعَلِّمُ: «الدَّاؤُنُ لَيْسَ مُجَرَّدَ سَفِينَةٍ. إِنَّهُ كائِنٌ حَيٌّ. يَجِبُ أَنْ تُحِبَّ الخَشَبَ لِتَصْنَعَ سَفِينَةً حَقِيقِيَّةً.»
The master said: "A dhow is not just a ship. It is a living being. You must love wood to make a true ship."
تَعَلَّمَ عَلِيٌّ كَيْفَ يَخْتارُ الخَشَبَ، وَكَيْفَ يَقْطَعُهُ، وَكَيْفَ يَجْمَعُهُ بِدُونِ مَسامِيرَ! كَما فَعَلَ الأَجْدادُ مُنْذُ آلافِ السِّنِينَ.
Ali learned how to choose wood, how to cut it, and how to join it without nails! As the ancestors did for thousands of years.
الفصلُ الثَّالِثُ: الاِمْتِحانُ النِّهائِيُّ
Chapter Three: The Final Exam
بَعْدَ عَشْرِ سَنَواتٍ، قالَ خَلَفٌ: «أَنْتَ جاهِزٌ لِلاِمْتِحانِ النِّهائِيِّ. اِبْنِ سَفِينَةً وَحْدَكَ!»
After ten years, Khalaf said: "You are ready for the final exam. Build a ship by yourself!"
عَمِلَ عَلِيٌّ سِتَّةَ أَشْهُرٍ. صَنَعَ سَفِينَةً صَغِيرَةً بِكُلِّ حُبٍّ وَإِتْقانٍ.
Ali worked for six months. He built a small ship with all love and mastery.
حِينَ رَآها خَلَفٌ، ذَرَفَتْ عَيْناهُ دُمُوعًا. قالَ: «هَذِهِ لَيْسَتْ سَفِينَةً فَقَطْ. هَذِهِ تُحْفَةٌ فَنِّيَّةٌ!»
When Khalaf saw it, his eyes shed tears. He said: "This is not just a ship. This is a work of art!"
الفصلُ الرَّابِعُ: المُعَلِّمُ الجَدِيدُ
Chapter Four: The New Master
أَعْطَى خَلَفٌ عَلِيًّا لَقَبَ «المُعَلِّمُ»، وَهُوَ أَرْفَعُ لَقَبٍ فِي صِناعَةِ السُّفُنِ.
Khalaf gave Ali the title of "Master," the highest title in shipbuilding.
قالَ: «اليَوْمَ تَنْتَهِي تِلْمَذَتُكَ. أَنْتَ الآنَ مُعَلِّمٌ. وَعَلَيْكَ أَنْ تُعَلِّمَ غَيْرَكَ كَما عَلَّمْتُكَ.»
He said: "Today your apprenticeship ends. You are now a master. And you must teach others as I taught you."
وَقَفَ عَلِيٌّ أَمامَ سَفِينَتِهِ، اليَتِيمُ الَّذِي صارَ مُعَلِّمًا.
Ali stood before his ship, the orphan who became a master.
قالَ: «هَذِهِ السَّفِينَةُ سَأُسَمِّيها "خَلَفْ"، تَكْرِيمًا لِمَنْ أَعْطانِي الحَياةَ.»
He said: "This ship I shall name 'Khalaf,' in honor of the one who gave me life."
تَمَّتِ القِصَّةُ | The End