Sahih al-Bukhari
Sahih al-Bukhari 2908
حَدَّثَنَا سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ، عَنْ ثَابِتٍ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ كَانَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَحْسَنَ النَّاسِ وَأَشْجَعَ النَّاسِ، وَلَقَدْ فَزِعَ أَهْلُ الْمَدِينَةِ لَيْلَةً فَخَرَجُوا نَحْوَ الصَّوْتِ فَاسْتَقْبَلَهُمُ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَقَدِ اسْتَبْرَأَ الْخَبَرَ، وَهْوَ عَلَى فَرَسٍ لأَبِي طَلْحَةَ عُرْىٍ وَفِي عُنُقِهِ السَّيْفُ وَهْوَ يَقُولُ " لَمْ تُرَاعُوا لَمْ تُرَاعُوا ". ثُمَّ قَالَ " وَجَدْنَاهُ بَحْرًا ". أَوْ قَالَ " إِنَّهُ لَبَحْرٌ ".
Anas reported: The Prophet ﷺ was the best-looking and bravest of people. One night the people of Medina were alarmed, so they went toward the sound. The Prophet ﷺ met them after he had investigated the report. He was riding an unsaddled horse belonging to Abu Talha, with a sword at his neck, and saying: “Do not be alarmed! Do not be alarmed!” He then said: “We found him swift as the sea”—or he said: “He is indeed swift as the sea.”
Translation notes
The Arabic uses the image “a sea” for the horse; the English witness interprets it as very fast. “Swift as the sea” preserves the image while reflecting that contextual reading.
وَجَدْنَاهُ بَحْرًا
The Arabic literally calls the horse a sea; the English witness interprets this praise as speed.
Does bahr here specifically express speed, or should a broader image of the horse’s excellence be preserved?