The Frankincense Merchant | تاجِرُ اللُّبانِ
"A merchant from Dhofar embarks on a perilous journey along the ancient incense routes"
تاجِرُ اللُّبانِ
The Frankincense Merchant
الفصلُ الأَوَّلُ: أَرْضُ اللُّبانِ
Chapter One: The Land of Frankincense
فِي سُهُولِ ظَفارَ المُبارَكَةِ، حَيْثُ تَنْمُو أَشْجارُ اللُّبانِ تَحْتَ رَذاذِ الخَرِيفِ، وُلِدَ راشِدُ بنُ عَبْدِاللهِ فِي عائِلَةٍ مِنَ التُّجَّارِ. كانَ جَدُّهُ وَأَبُوهُ قَدْ حَمَلا اللُّبانَ إِلى أَقاصِي الأَرْضِ، وَحانَ دَوْرُهُ لِيَحْمِلَ الإِرْثَ.
In the blessed plains of Dhofar, where frankincense trees grow under the mist of autumn, Rashid bin Abdullah was born into a family of merchants. His grandfather and father had carried frankincense to the far corners of the earth, and now it was his turn to bear the legacy.
قالَ لَهُ أَبُوهُ: «يا بُنَيَّ، إِنَّ اللُّبانَ لَيْسَ مُجَرَّدَ تِجارَةٍ. إِنَّهُ رِسالَةٌ مِنْ أَرْضِنا إِلى العالَمِ. فَاحْمِلْهُ بِشَرَفٍ!»
His father said to him: "O my son, frankincense is not merely trade. It is a message from our land to the world. Carry it with honor!"
الفصلُ الثَّانِي: طَرِيقُ البَخُورِ
Chapter Two: The Incense Road
حَمَلَ راشِدٌ قافِلَتَهُ مِنَ اللُّبانِ الفاخِرِ، وَانْطَلَقَ فِي طَرِيقٍ طَوِيلٍ نَحْوَ الشَّمالِ. مَرَّ بِصَحارِي قاحِلَةٍ وَجِبالٍ شاهِقَةٍ، وَواجَهَ قُطَّاعَ الطُّرُقِ وَالعَواصِفَ الرَّمْلِيَّةَ.
Rashid carried his caravan of fine frankincense and set off on a long road northward. He passed through barren deserts and towering mountains, and faced bandits and sandstorms.
ذاتَ لَيْلَةٍ، هاجَمَهُ لُصُوصٌ أَشِدَّاءُ. فَقالَ لَهُمْ بِهُدُوءٍ: «خُذُوا ما شِئْتُمْ مِنَ الذَّهَبِ، لَكِنَّ اللُّبانَ لَنْ أُسَلِّمَهُ. فَهُوَ أَمانَةٌ فِي عُنُقِي.»
One night, fierce thieves attacked him. He said to them calmly: "Take what gold you wish, but the frankincense I will not surrender. It is a trust upon my neck."
أُعْجِبَ زَعِيمُ اللُّصُوصِ بِشَجاعَتِهِ وَقالَ: «هَذا رَجُلٌ لَهُ قَلْبٌ! دَعُوهُ يَمُرَّ بِسَلامٍ.»
The chief of thieves was impressed by his courage and said: "This is a man with a heart! Let him pass in peace."
الفصلُ الثَّالِثُ: البَلاطُ المَلَكِيُّ
Chapter Three: The Royal Court
وَصَلَ راشِدٌ إِلى بَلاطِ مَلِكٍ عَظِيمٍ فِي بِلادِ الشَّامِ. قَدَّمَ لَهُ أَجْوَدَ أَنْواعِ اللُّبانِ، فَمَلَأَ عَبِيرُهُ القَصْرَ كُلَّهُ.
Rashid arrived at the court of a great king in the land of Syria. He presented to him the finest varieties of frankincense, and its fragrance filled the entire palace.
قالَ المَلِكُ: «لَمْ أَشُمَّ رائِحَةً كَهَذِهِ مِنْ قَبْلُ! مِنْ أَيْنَ يَأْتِي هَذا العَجَبُ؟»
The king said: "I have never smelled a fragrance like this before! From where does this wonder come?"
أَجابَ راشِدٌ بِفَخْرٍ: «مِنْ أَرْضِ ظَفارَ، يا مَوْلايَ، حَيْثُ بارَكَ اللهُ الأَرْضَ بِالخَرِيفِ وَالنَّدَى.»
Rashid answered with pride: "From the land of Dhofar, O my lord, where God has blessed the earth with autumn mist and dew."
وَعادَ راشِدٌ إِلى وَطَنِهِ مُحَمَّلاً بِالذَّهَبِ وَالحَرِيرِ، لَكِنَّ أَعْظَمَ ما حَمَلَهُ كانَ شَرَفَ بِلادِهِ فِي قُلُوبِ العالَمِ.
And Rashid returned to his homeland laden with gold and silk, but the greatest thing he carried was the honor of his country in the hearts of the world.
تَمَّتِ القِصَّةُ | The End