وقال عليه السلام لما بلغه إغارةُ أصحاب معاويةَ على الاَنبار، فخرج بنفسه ماشياً حتى أتى النُّخَيْلَةَ فأدركه الناسُ وقالوا: يا أميرالمؤمنين نحن نكفيكَهُمْ. فقال عليه السلام :
When the news of the attack of Mu'awiyah's men on al-Anbar reached Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, he himself came out walking till he reached an-Nukhaylah, where people overtook him and said: "O' Amir al-mu'minin, we are enough for them," then he said:
وَاللهِ مَا تَكْفُونَنِي أَنْفُسَكُمْ،
You cannot be enough for me against yourselves,
فَكَيْفَ تَكْفُونَنِي غَيْرَكُمْ؟
so how can you be enough for me against others?
إِنْ كَانَتِ الرَّعَايَا قَبْلِي لَتَشْكُوا حَيْفَ رُعَاتِهَا،
Before me the people used to complain of the oppression of their rulers
وَإِنَّنِي الْيَوْمَ لاَشْكُو حَيْفَ رَعِيَّتِي،
but now I have to complain of the wrongful actions of my people;
كَأَنَّنِيَ الْمَقُودُوَهُمُ الْقَادَةُ،
as though I am led by them and they are the leaders
أَوِ ألْمَوْزُوعُ وَهُمُ الْوَزَعَةُ.
or that I am the subject and they are the rulers.
فلما قال عليه السلام هذا القول، في كلامٍ طويلٍ قد ذكرنا مختارَه في جملةِ الخُطَب، تقدّم إليه رجلان من أصحابه فقال أحدهما: إنّي لا أملك إلاّ نفسي وأخي، فَمُرْنا بأمرك يا أميرالمؤمنين نُنْفِد له. فقال عليه السلام :
The narrator says: When Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, uttered this during his long speech which we have included in the collection of sermons (No.27), two men from his companions advanced towards him and one of them said: I rule no one except myself and my brother (Qur'an, 5:25). So, order us with your command, O Amir al-mu'minin and we will accomplish it. Thereupon, Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said:
وأَيْنَ تَقَعَانِ مِمَّا أُريدُ؟
How can you two accomplish what I aim at?
