The Merchant's Son | ابْنُ التَّاجِرِ
"A wealthy merchant's son chooses poverty to find true happiness and wisdom"
ابْنُ التَّاجِرِ
The Merchant's Son
الفصلُ الأَوَّلُ: الثَّرْوَةُ الخانِقَةُ
Chapter One: The Suffocating Wealth
كانَ يُوسُفُ ابْنَ أَغْنَى تاجِرٍ فِي مَسْقَطَ. لَدَيْهِ قُصُورٌ وَسُفُنٌ وَخَدَمٌ. لَكِنَّهُ كانَ تَعِيسًا!
Yusuf was the son of the richest merchant in Muscat. He had palaces, ships, and servants. But he was miserable!
قالَ لِأَبِيهِ: «يا أَبَتِ، أَشْعُرُ بِفَراغٍ فِي قَلْبِي. الذَّهَبُ لا يَمْلَأُهُ.»
He told his father: "Father, I feel emptiness in my heart. Gold does not fill it."
ضَحِكَ أَبُوهُ: «سَتَفْهَمُ حِينَ تَكْبُرُ!»
His father laughed: "You will understand when you grow up!"
الفصلُ الثَّانِي: الرِّحْلَةُ المُخْتَلِفَةُ
Chapter Two: The Different Journey
قَرَّرَ يُوسُفُ أَنْ يَتْرُكَ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ. لَبِسَ ثِيابًا بَسِيطَةً وَخَرَجَ مِنَ القَصْرِ.
Yusuf decided to leave everything. He wore simple clothes and left the palace.
سافَرَ سَنَواتٍ يَبْحَثُ عَنِ الحَقِيقَةِ. عاشَ مَعَ الفُقَراءِ وَتَعَلَّمَ مِنْهُمْ. اكْتَشَفَ أَنَّ أَسْعَدَ النَّاسِ هُمُ الَّذِينَ يَمْلِكُونَ أَقَلَّ!
He traveled for years seeking truth. He lived with the poor and learned from them. He discovered that the happiest people are those who own least!
قالَ صَيَّادٌ لَهُ: «السَّعادَةُ فِي العَمَلِ الشَّرِيفِ، لا فِي الذَّهَبِ المَكْنُوزِ.»
A fisherman told him: "Happiness is in honest work, not in hoarded gold."
الفصلُ الثَّالِثُ: العَوْدَةُ الحَكِيمَةُ
Chapter Three: The Wise Return
عادَ يُوسُفُ بَعْدَ عَشْرِ سَنَواتٍ. ماتَ أَبُوهُ وَتَرَكَ لَهُ كُلَّ الثَّرْوَةِ.
Yusuf returned after ten years. His father had died and left him all the wealth.
هَذِهِ المَرَّةَ، عَرَفَ كَيْفَ يَسْتَخْدِمُها: بَنَى مَدارِسَ وَمُسْتَشْفَياتٍ، وَوَزَّعَ عَلى الفُقَراءِ، وَعَمِلَ بِيَدَيْهِ كَأَبْسَطِ النَّاسِ.
This time, he knew how to use it: he built schools and hospitals, distributed to the poor, and worked with his hands like the simplest people.
قالَ: «الثَّرْوَةُ لَيْسَتْ سَيِّدَةً، بَلْ خادِمَةٌ. مَنْ عَرَفَ هَذا، عَرَفَ السَّعادَةَ.»
He said: "Wealth is not a master, but a servant. Whoever knows this, knows happiness."
تَمَّتِ القِصَّةُ | The End