Sunan an-Nasa'i
Sunan an-Nasa'i 5385
Arabic hadith text
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ آدَمَ بْنِ سُلَيْمَانَ، عَنِ ابْنِ الْمُبَارَكِ، عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي ذِئْبٍ، عَنِ الْمَقْبُرِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " إِنَّكُمْ سَتَحْرِصُونَ عَلَى الإِمَارَةِ وَإِنَّهَا سَتَكُونُ نَدَامَةً وَحَسْرَةً يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ فَنِعْمَتِ الْمُرْضِعَةُ وَبِئْسَتِ الْفَاطِمَةُ ".
Translation
It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Prophet said: You will eagerly seek authority, but it will become regret and grief on the Day of Resurrection. How excellent it is as a nursing mother, and how terrible it is as a weaning mother.
Translation notes
The closing phrase is a metaphor: authority nourishes its holder during life but is bitter to leave behind.