now it has reached me what abu alas has said about us and his mention of our names and his vilification of us. and nothing prevents us from answering him except that if he answers us our answer to his second statement will not be more deserving of being abandoned than our answer to his first statement. if we make an answer to his beginning and make an answer to his second answer we will have come out to quarrel and we will have come to bickering. and whoever comes out to that has accepted a portion of obstinacy and a share of foolishness.
أما بعد فقد بلغني ما كان من ذكر أبي العاص لنا، وتنويهه بأسمائنا، وتشنيعه علينا. وليس يمنعنا من جوابه إلا لأنه، إن أجابنا، لم يكن جوابنا إياه على قوله الثاني، أحق بالترك من جوابنا على قوله الأول، فإن نحن جعلنا لابتدائه جوابا، وجعلنا لجوابه الثاني جوابا، خرجنا الى التهاتر، وصرنا الى التخاير ٣ . ومن خرج الى ذلك، فقد رضي باللجاج ٤ حظا، وبالسخف نصيبا.