Original content

English translation

They asked Hatim: 'Have you ever seen anyone more generous than yourself?' He said: 'Yes. One day I alighted at the house of an orphan slave-boy who owned ten sheep. At once he slaughtered one sheep, cooked it, and set it before me. A certain piece of it pleased me, and I ate it and said: By God, this was very delicious.' That boy went outside and, one by one, slaughtered the sheep, cooking that same cut and bringing it before me, while I was unaware of it. When I came out to mount my horse, I saw that much blood had been spilled outside the house. I asked: 'What is this?' They said: 'He has slaughtered all his sheep.' I rebuked him: 'Why did you do such a thing!' He said: 'Glory be to God! Would it please you that I should be miserly with something I possess? Among the Arabs that would be an ugly character.' Then they asked Hatim: 'And what did you give in return for that?' He said: 'Three hundred red-haired camels and five hundred sheep.' They said: 'Then you are the more generous.' He said: 'Alas! He gave all that he had, while I gave only a little out of the much that I possessed.' Like a beggar who has but half a loaf of bread and gives it entirely from his own house— that is greater than when the king of the world gives away half of his own treasury.