and yet our companions are easygoing confident and relaxed. they know that the food has been made for them and that eating it is more appropriate than having it torn apart by servants and followers. if they needed it they would have called for it and would not have been ashamed of it. it would have been no less than for them to try it once or twice and not to condemn us for being stingy without seeing it. if they were ashamed and we had made it easy for them and their opinion of us was in order despite what they saw of the expense to them then these are people of injustice and indulgence. it is not within my power to reproach the one who is unjust or to turn away the one who indulges.
وبعد، فأصحابنا آنسون واثقون مسترسلون، يعلمون أن الطعام لهم اتخذ، وأن أكلهم له أوفق من تمزيق الخدم والأتباع له. ولو احتاجوا لدعوا به، ولم يحتشموا منه، ولكان لا أقل من أن يجربوا ذلك المرة والمرتين، وأن لا يقضوا علينا بالبخل دون أن يروناه. فإن كانوا محتشمين وقد بسطناهم، وشاء ظنهم بنا مع ما يرون من الكلفة لهم، فهؤلاء أصحاب تجن وتترع ٣ . وليس في طاقتي إعتاب المتجني ولا رد المتترع.