It is narrated that there was a farm owner who was a very good, pious, and righteous man. He had a brother for evil, he hated from every good word, and he was cunning and thought of evil intentions.
The Farm Owner and His Brother for Good with Good and Deeds: So the farm owner was advising him continuously with benevolence about this issue of evil, and encouraging him continually to restrain himself and control his self, and to remember the good saying, so he was becoming: This is impossible upon me, for I see myself deceiving with the evil of creation, and had built against myself the defects of the human and animals.
Treating the Enemy with Kindness and Reason: So when the farm owner came with his brother this evil brother, he said to him: Get close to me, oh evil brother, and look at this beautiful fat ewe, which it contains a lamb of twins, for I am ready to sacrifice it to you, if you remain patient the length of the day without saying a good word, and remain good and control your evil, and become gentle in nature good of creation.
The Condition and His Self-Control: So the evil brother accepted this condition and rejoiced greatly, except that he returned to the village. And they were loving him for the sake of his speech and his good treatment, and they agreed among themselves on his hatred of this brother. And they spent their days mocking his speech and their goodness, and his speech became soft and kind to them. But the evil controlled himself well and did not speak a word descending to his evil.
So when the evening came, he drove to him the shepherd who had his owner, and said to him: You must become small, oh my son, for you will not be able to control my evil goats, except for the sake of this fat ewe, and if you have good love for God and work with His obedience, then this saying affected the evil. So he repented and corrected his character evil, and became gentle in nature good of creation.
The Father Who Was Faithful and the Man of Evil Character: It is narrated also that in one day of the ancient days there was a man who was a father faithful, and in his extreme. When he opened to him, and did not cut his speech, and looked at his kindness. So when he finished and stood, he followed him to the door of his house.
The Father’s Treatment with His Mind and Tongue: So he stood on his door and said to the man: This is my house. If you have a need, complete it, until there remains nothing in yourself. So the man took refuge in Abu Hanifa and withdrew.
The Best and the Most Faithful: And he was commanded to sacrifice his sheep and bring him with its livers and tongues. So he sacrificed it and came with its liver and tongue. Then he gave him another sheep and commanded him to sacrifice it and bring him with the better that was in it. So he sacrificed it and came with its liver and tongue.
So he asked him about that, and he said: Oh my master, don’t take from both of them. If they were greedy, they would not be better than you if they remained patient.
The Best and the Most Faithful: So he smiled and said: I do not hate doing the known, except that this tree is not suitable to reach its great age. Yes, that was possible in its small age, but as for now it is impossible, and if a group of the monkeys gathered on it, yes that was possible in the time of its smallness.
The Coming of the Wise Man’s Son and His Return: So the wise admired at his son’s behavior and rejoiced with what he had invented from the strength of his mind, and told him: You answered correctly, oh my son (for whoever walks on something, he carries on it, so the small in childhood, you are obligated in your greatness). Mentioning the Wise’s Saying: Then he returned from where he came, and the father kept repeating to himself this saying, what did he teach: self-discipline in the smallness, and what came upon him in greatness. And he mentioned the narrator’s saying:
Small benefit the children in smallness… and do not benefit at the greatness of the old man… Indeed if its children were attached… they will be patient if its children were attached…