Scribe in a dream: meaning in Ibn Sirin, al-Nabulsi and Ibn Shahin

31 passages from 3 sources, quoted as written, every one linked to its page.

Abd al-Ghani al-Nabulsi, Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam

In a dream he is a cunning, scheming man.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 292

If a scribe sees that he is illiterate, then his cunning, or his mind, or his religion goes away, or he becomes poor.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 292

And if he sees that he is illiterate and that he has become a scribe, then he attains contrivance and cunning against whoever plots against him.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 292

And if he sees that his handwriting is bad, then he repents and stops laying snares for people.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 292

And if a person sees that he is a scribe, it indicates that he will concern himself with the affairs of others rather than his own affairs, and much toil will come to him from that, and he will gain no benefit from it.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 292

And this dream, for the sick, indicates death.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 292

Ibn Shahin al-Zahiri, al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat

The scribe is interpreted as a man of guile and cunning.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, pp. 248–249

Daniel said: Whoever sees that he has become a scribe for the common people, when he was not such, then it is interpreted as taking people's wealth by guile and cunning.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, pp. 248–249

And whoever sees that he has become a scribe for the king, then it is interpreted as the obtaining of benefits from others.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, pp. 248–249

attributed to Ibn Sirin, Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam

The scribe is a man of stratagem, like the cupper: his pen is his lancet and his ink is his blood; and like the embroiderer and the like of them.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 308–312

And perhaps he indicates the ploughman, so his pen is his ploughshare and his ink is the seed.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 308–312

The folded document is hidden news, and the unrolled document is well-known news.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 308–312

Kinds and conditions of Scribe

scribe/writer own page

attributed to Ibn Sirin, Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam

And the scribe is a man of stratagem and delicate craft, like the cobbler: the pen is like the awl and the needle, and the ink is like that with which he pierces, of threads and straps. And he is like the cupper: his pen is his lancet and his ink is his blood. And he is like the embroiderer and the darner and their like. And he may indicate the plowman: the pen is like the plowshare and the ink like the seed.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 666–670

So whoever has an incident befall him involving an unknown scribe, recognise what that description indicates, then attach it to the one it befits, or to whoever in waking life is engaged in a matter in which the scribe's meaning applies to him. Like the one who says: I saw as though I passed by a scribe and he handed me a document, or two, or three, and in them was a debt owed to me or by me, so I took them from him and went on. Look at his condition and his waking circumstances: if he has a sandal or a shoe with a leather-worker who has kept him waiting, or he intends to buy one, then that is it — and what most resembles this aspect is that he take from him two slips or two documents. And if blood has harmed him, or he intends to be cupped, or he was cupped before that night, then that is it — and what most resembles this position is that the slips be three, if he is one who is cupped in that manner. And if he has a garment with an embroiderer or a brocade-maker, then that is it. And if he has an advance payment with a plowman, he has taken from him what was his. Otherwise, reports have been brought to him or matters have come upon him: if the documents are folded, they are frightening reports, and if they are unrolled, they are open, manifest reports.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 666–670

copyist (scribe who transcribes)

Abd al-Ghani al-Nabulsi, Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam

Seeing him in a dream indicates toil and hardship because of transmitting speech.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 356

And perhaps seeing him indicates sowing seed for cultivation, scattering seed for harvests, marriage, and offspring.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 356

Meeting the angels or the noble scribes

Abd al-Ghani al-Nabulsi, Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam

In a dream it indicates falling into hardships and being delivered from them.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 321

Paper-seller / scribe (warraq)

Abd al-Ghani al-Nabulsi, Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam

He, in a dream, is a man who teaches people stratagems, because writing is a stratagem.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 371

13 more passages on this symbol are in the database and used by the interpreter.