وقال عليه السلام في صفة الْغوغاء
Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said about the crowd of people:
هُمُ الَّذِينَ إِذَا اجْتَمَعُوا غَلَبُوا،
These are the people who, when they assemble together, are overwhelming
وَإِذَا تَفَرَّقُوا لَمْ يُعْرَفُوا
but when they disperse they cannot be recognized.
وقيل: بل قال:
It is related that instead of this Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said:
هُمُ الَّذِينَ إِذَا اجْتَمَعُوا ضَرُّوا،
These are the people who when they assemble together cause harm
وَإِذَا تَفَرَّقُوا نَفَعُوا.
but when they disperse are beneficial.
فقيل:
It was pointed out to him:
قد علمنا مضرة اجتماعهم،
We know their harm at the time of their assembling
فما منفعة افتراقهم؟
but what is their benefit at the time of their dispersal?
فقال: يَرْجِعُ أَصْحَابُ الْمِهَنِ إِلَى مِهَنِهِمْ،
Then he replied: The workers return to their work
فَيَنْتَفِعُ النَّاسُ بِهِمْ،
and people get benefit out of them,
كَرُجُوعِ الْبَنَّاءِ إِلَى بِنَائِهِ،
like the return of the mason to the building site,
وَالنَّسَّاجِ إِلَى مَنْسَجِهِ،
that of the weaver to his loom,
وَالْخَبَّازِ إِلَى مَخْبَزِهِ.
and that of the baker to his bakery.