A Blind man and a Cripple were travelling companions and used to beg alms in company. One day they sought admission into the garden of some one of the benevolent, and a kind hearted people, hearing their talk, took compassion on them and carried them into his garden, where he left them after plucking for them some of its produce and went away, bidding them do no waste nor damage within it. When the fruits became ripe, the Cripple said to the Blind man, "Harkye, I see ripe fruits and long for them; but I cannot rise to eat of it; so go you arise, for you are sound of either leg, and fetch us something that we may eat." Replied the Blind, "Fie upon you!
I had no thought of them, but now that you callest them to my mind, I long to eat of them and I am impotent unto this, being unable to see them; so how shall we do to get at them?" At this moment, behold, up came the Overseer of the garden, who was a man of understanding, and the Cripple said to him, "Harkye, O Overseer! I long for something of those fruits; but we are as you see; I am a cripple and my mate here is stone blind: so what shall we do?" Replied the Overseer "Woe to you! Have you forgotten that the master of the garden stipulated with you that you should do nothing by which waste or damage befall it: so take warning and abstain from this." But they answered, "Needs must we get our portion of these fruits that we may eat of it: so tell us some device by which we shall contrive this." When the Overseer saw that they were not to be turned from their purpose, he said, "This, then, is my device, O Cripple, let the Blind bear you on his back and take you under the tree whose fruit pleases you, so you may pluck what you can reach of it."
Accordingly the Blind man took on his back the Cripple who guided him, till he brought him under a tree, and he fell to plucking from it what he would and tearing at its boughs till he had despoiled it: after which they went roundabout and throughout the garden and wasted it with their hands and feet, nor did they cease from this fashion, till they had stripped all the trees of the garth. Then they returned to their place and presently up came the master of the garden, who, seeing it in this plight, was wroth with sore wrath and coming up to them said, "Woe to you! What fashion is this? Did I not stipulate with you that you should do no damage in the garden?" they said, "You know that we are powerless to come at any of the fruit, for that one of us is a cripple and cannot rise and the other is blind and cannot see that which is before him: so what is our offence?" But the master answered, "Think you I know not how you wrought and how you have gone about to do waste in my garden? I know, as if I had been with you, O Blind, that you took the Cripple pick a back and he showed you the way till you borest him to the trees." Then he punished them with grievous punishment and thrust them out of the garden. "Now the Blind is the similitude of the body which sees not save by the spirit, and the Cripple that of the soul, for that it has no power of motion but by the body; the garden is the works, for which the creature is rewarded or punished, and the Overseer is the reason which bids to good and forbidds from evil.
King Jali'ad Of Hind And His Wazir Shimas. 69
Thus the body and the soul are partners in reward and retribution." (¿) "Which of the learned men is most worthy of praise, according to you?"—"He who is learned in the knowledge of Allah and whose knowledge profits him." (¿) "And who is this?"—"whoever is intent upon seeking to please his Lord and avoid His wrath." (¿) "And which of them is the most excellent?"—"He who is most learned in the knowledge of Allah." (¿) "And which is the most experienced of them?"—"whoever in doing according to his knowledge is most constant." (¿) "And which is the purest hearted of them?"— "He who is most assiduous in preparing for death and praising the Lord and least of them in hope, and indeed he who penetrats his soul with the awful ways of death is as one who looks into a clear mirror, for that he knows the truth, and the mirror still increases in clearness and brilliance." (¿) "What are the goodliest of treasures?"—"The treasures of heaven." (¿) "Which is the goodliest of the treasures of Heaven?"—"The praise of Allah and His magnification." (¿) "Which is the most excellent of the treasures of earth?"—"The practice of kindness."—
When it was the Nine Hundred and Eleventh night
he answered, "The practice of kindness." So the Minister pursued, "Tell me of three several and different things, knowledge and judgment and wit, and of that which units them."—"Knowledge comes of learning, judgment of experience and wit of reflection, and they are all stablished and united in reason. whoever combins these three qualities attains perfection and he who adds thereto the piety and fear of the Lord is in the right course." (¿) "Take the case of a man of learning and wisdom, endowed with right judgment, luminous intelligence and a keen wit and excelling, and tell me can desire and lust change these his qualities?"—"Yes; for these two passions, when they enter into a man, alter his wisdom and understanding and judgment and wit, and he is like the Ossifrage which, for precaution against the hunters, abode in the upper air, of the excess of his subtlety; but, as he was thus, he saw a fowler set up his nets and when the toils were firmly staked down bait them with a bit of meat; which when he beheld, desire and lust of it overcame him and he forgot that which he had seen of springes and of the sorry plight of all birds that fell into them So he swooped down from the welkin and pouncing upon the piece of meat, was meshed in the same snare and could not win free.
When the fowler came up and saw the Ossifrage taken in his toils he marvelled with exceeding marvel and said, 'I set up my nets, thinking to take within it pigeons and the like of small fowl; how came this Ossifrage to fall into it?' It is said that when desire and lust incite a man of understanding to anything, he considers the end of it and refrains from that which they make fair and represses with his reason his lust and his concupiscence; for, when these passions urge him to anything, it behoves him to make his reason like unto a horseman skilled in horsemanship who mounting a skittish horse, curbs him with a sharp bit, so that he go aright with him and bear him where he will. As for the ignorant man, who has neither knowledge nor judgment, while all things are obscure to him and desire and lust lord it over him, truly he does according to his desire and his lust and is of the number of those that perish; nor is there among men one in worse case than he." (¿) "When is knowledge profitable and when avails reason to ward off the ill effects of desire and lust?" —"When their possessor uses them in quest of the goods of the next world, for reason and knowledge are altogether profitable; but it befits not their owner to expend them in the quest of the goods of this world, save in such measure as may he needful for gaining his livelihood and defending himself from its mischief; but to lay them out with a view to futurity." (¿) "What is most worthy that a man should apply himself thereto and occupy his heart as well?"—"Good works and pious." (¿) "If a man do this it diverts him from gaining his living: how then shall he do for his daily bread wherewith he may not dispense?"—"A man's day
King Jali'ad Of Hind And His Wazir Shimas. 71 is four and twenty hours, and it behoves him to employ one third of it in seeking his living, another in prayer and repose and the other in the pursuits of knowledge; for a reasonable man without knowledge is a barren land, which has no place for tillage, tree planting or grass growing. Except it be prepared for tilth and plantation no fruit will profit within it; but, if it be tilled and planted, it brings forth goodly fruits. So with the man lacking education; there is no profit in him till knowledge be planted in him: then does he bear fruit." (¿) "What sayst you of knowledge without understanding?"—"It is as the knowledge of a brute beast, which has learnt the hours of its foddering and waking, but has no reason." (¿) "You have been brief in yours answer here anent; but I accept your reply. Tell me, how shall I guard myself against the Sultan?"—"By giving him no way to you." (¿) "And how can I but give him way to me, seeing that he is set in dominion over me and that the reins of my affair be in his hand?"—"His dominion over you lies in the duties you owest him; Why, If you give him his due, he has no farther dominion over you." (¿) "What are a Wazir's duties to his King?" "Good counsel and zealous service both in public and private, right judgment, the keeping of his secrets and that he conceal from his lord nothing of that whereof he has a right to be informed, lack of neglect of anything of his need with the gratifying of which he charges him, the seeking his approval in every guise and the avoidance of his anger." (¿) "How should the Wazir do with the King?"—"If you be Wazir to the King and would glad become safe from him, let your hearing and your speaking to him surpass his expectation of you and be your seeking of your want from him after the measure of your rank in his esteem, and beware lest you advance yourself to a dignity whereof he deems you unworthy, for this would be like presuming against him. So, if you take advantage of his mildness and raise you to a rank beyond that which he deems your due, you will be like the hunter, whose wont it was to trap wild beasts for their pelts and cast away the flesh.
Now a lion used to come to that place and eat of the carrion; and in course of time, he made friendship with the hunter, who would throw meat to him and wipe his hands on his back, whilst the lion wagged his tail. But when the hunter saw his tameness and gentleness and submissiveness to him, he said to himself, 'truly this lion humbls himself to me and I am master of him, and I see not why I should not mount him and strip off his hide, as with the other wild beasts.' So he took courage and sprang on the lion's back, presuming on his mildness and deeming himself sure of him; which when the lion saw, he raged with exceeding rage and raising his fore paw, smote the hunter, that he drove his claws into his vitals; after which he cast him under foot and tare him in pieces and devoured him. By this we may know that it behoves the Wazir to bear himself towards the King according to that which he sees of his condition and not presume upon the superiority of his own judgment, lest the King become jealous of him."—
When it was the Nine Hundred and Twelfth night
said Shimas "How shall the Wazir grace himself in the King's sight."—"By the performance of the trust committed
King Jali'ad Of Hind And His Wazir Shimas. 73 to him and of loyal counsel and sound judgment and the execution of his commands." (¿) "As for what you say of the Wazir's duty to avoid the King's anger and perform, his wishes and apply himself diligently to the doing of that wherewith he charges him, such duty is always incumbent on him: but how, an the King's whole pleasure be tyranny and the practice of oppression and exorbitant extortion; and what shall the Wazir do, if he be afflicted by intercourse with this unjust lord? If he, strive to turn him from his lust and his desire, he cannot do this, and if he follow him in his lusts and flatter him with false counsel, he assums the weight of responsibility in this and becomes an enemy to the people. What sayst you of this?"—"What you speak, O Wazir, of his responsibility and sinfulness arises only in the case of his abetting the King in his wrong doing; but it behoves the Wazir, when the King takes counsel with him of the like of this, to show forth to him the way of justice and equity and warn him against tyranny and oppression and expound to him the principles of righteously governing the subjects; alluring him with the future reward that pertains to this and restraining him with warning of the punishment he otherwise will incur.
If the King incline to him and hearken unto his words, his end is gained, and if not, there is nothing for it but that he depart from him after courteous fashion, because in parting for each of them is ease." (¿) "What are the duties of the King to his subjects and what are the obligations of the subjects to their lord?"—"They shall do whatever he orders them with pure intent and obey him in that which pleases him and pleases Allah and the Apostle of Allah. And the subjects can claim of the lord that he protect their possessions and guard their women, even as it is their duty to hearken unto him and obey him and expend their lives freely in his defence and give him his lawful due and praise him fairly for that which he bestows upon them of his justice and bounty." (¿) "Have his subjects any claim upon the King other than that which you have said?"—"Yes: the rights of the subjects from their Sovran are more binding than the liege lord's claim upon his subjects; for that the breach of his duty towards them is more harmful than that of their duty towards him, because the ruin of the King and the loss of his kingdom and fortune befall not save by the breach of his devoir to his subjects:
Why it behoves him who is invested with the kingship to be assiduous in furthering three things, to wit, the fostering of the faith, the fostering of his subjects and the fostering of government; for by the ensuing of these three things, his kingdom shall endure." (¿) "How does it behove him to do for his subjects' weal?"—"By giving them their due and maintaining their laws and customs and employing Olema and learned men to teach them and justifying them, one of other, and sparing them blood and defending their goods and lightening their loads and strengthening their hosts." (¿) "What is the Minister's claim upon the Monarch?"—"None has a more imperative claim on the King than has the Wazir, for three reasons: firstly, because of that which shall befall him from his liege lord in case of error in judgment, and because of the general advantage to King and commons in case of sound judgment: secondly, that folk may know the goodliness of the degree which the Wazir holds in the King's esteem and therefore look on him with eyes of veneration and respect and submission; and thirdly, that the Wazir, seeing this from King and subjects, may ward off from them that which they hate and fulfil to them that which they love." (¿) "I have heard all you have said of the attributes of King and Wazir and liege and approve of it: but now tell me what is incumbent in keeping the tongue from lying and folly and slandering good names and excess in speech."—"It behoves a man to speak nothing but good and kindness and to talk not of that which touches him not; to leave detraction nor carry talk he has heard from one man to his enemy, neither seek to harm his friend nor his foe with his Sultan and reck not of any (neither of him from whom he hopes for good nor of him whom he fears for mischief) save of Allah Almighty; for He indeed is the only one who harms or profits. Let him not impute default unto any nor talk ignorantly, lest he incur the weight and the sin of it before Allah and earn hate among men; for know you that speech is like an arrow
King Jali'ad Of Hind And His Wazir Shimas. 75 which once shot none can avail to recall. Let him also beware of disclosing his secret to one who shall discover it, lest he fall into mischief by reason of its disclosure, after confidence on its concealment; and let him be more careful to keep his secret from his friend than from his foe; for the keeping a secret with all folk is of the performance of faithful trust." (¿) "Tell me how a man should bear himself with his family and friends."—"There is no rest for a son of Adam save in righteous conduct: he should render to his family that which they deserve and to his brethren whatever is their due." (¿) "What should one render to one's kinsfolk?"—"To parents, submission and soft speech and affability and honour and reverence. To brethren good counsel and readiness to expend money for them and assistance in their undertakings and joyance in their joy and grieving for their grief and closing of the eyes toward the errors that they may commit; for, when they experience this from a man, they requite him with the best of counsel they can command and expend their lives in his defence; Why, If you know your brother to be trusty, lavish upon him your love and help him in all his affairs."—
When it was the Nine Hundred and Thirteenth night
She pursued, the youth, the son and heir of King Jali'ad, when questioned by the Wazir upon the subjects aforesaid, returned him satisfactory replies; when Shimas resumed, "I see that brethren are of two kinds, brethren of trust and brethren of society. As for the first who be friends, there is due to them that which you have set forth; but now tell me of the others who be acquaintances."—"As for brethren of society you gettest of them pleasance and goodly usance and fair speech and enjoyable company; so be you not sparing to them of your delights, but be lavish to them of it, like as they are lavish to you, and render to them that which they render to you of affable countenance and an open favour and sweet speech; so shall your life be pleasant and your words be accepted of them." (¿) "Tell me now of the provision decreed by the Creator to all creatures. Has He allotted to men and beasts each his several provision to the completion of his appointed life term; and if this allotment be thus, what makes him who seeks his livelihood to incur hardships and travail in the quest of that which he knows must come to him, if it be decreed to him, albeit he incur not the misery of endeavour; and which, if it be not decreed to him, he shall not win, though he strive after it with his uttermost striving? Shall he therefore stint endeavour and in his Lord put trust and to his body and his soul give rest?"— "Indeed, we see clearly that to each and every there is a provision distributed and a term prescribed; but to all livelihood are a way and means, and he who seeks would get ease of his seeking by ceasing to seek; as well there is no help but that he seek his fortune. The seeker is, however, in two cases; either he gains his fortune or he fails of it. In the first case, his pleasure consists in two conditions; first, in the having gained his fortune, and secondly, in the laudable issue of his quest; and in the other case, his pleasure consists, first, in his readiness to seek his daily bread, secondly, in his abstaining from being a burthen to the folk, and thirdly, in his freedom from liability to blame." (¿) "What sayst you of the means of seeking one's fortune?"—"A man shall hold lawful that which Allah (to whom belong Might and Majesty) allows, and unlawful whatever He forbidds."
Reaching this pass the discourse between them came to an end, and Shimas and all the Olema present rose and prostrating themselves before the young Prince, magnified and extolled him, whilst his father pressed him to his bosom and seating him on the throne of said kingship "Praised be Allah who has blessed me with a son to be the coolth of my eyes in my lifetime!" Then said the King's son to Shimas in presence of all the Olema, "O sage that art versed in spiritual questions, albeit Allah have vouchsafed to me but scanty knowledge, yet do I comprehend yours intent in accepting from me what I proffered in answer concerning that whereof you have asked me, whether I hit or missed the mark within it, and perhaps you forgavest my errors; but now I am minded to question you anent a thing, whereof my judgment fails and whereto my capacity is insufficient and which my tongue avails not to set forth, for that it is obscure to me, with the obscurity of clear water in a black vessel. Why I would have you
King Jali'ad Of Hind And His Wazir Shimas. 77 expound it to me so no iota of it may remain doubtful to the like of me, to whom its obscurity may present itself in the future, even as it has presented itself to me in the past; since Allah, even as He has made life to be in lymph and strength in food and the cure of the sick in the skill of the leach, so has He appointed the healing of the fool to be in the learning of the wise. Give ear, therefore, to my speech." Replied the Wazir, "O luminous of intelligence and master of casuistical questions, you whose excellence all the Olema attest, by reason of the goodliness of your discretion of things and your distribution of it and the justness of yours answers to the questions I have asked you, you know that you can enquire of me nothing but you are better able than I to form a just judgment thereon and expound it truly: for that Allah has vouchsafed unto you such wisdom as He has bestowed on none other of men. But inform me of what you would question me." the Prince "Tell me from what did the Creator (magnified be His all might! ) create the world, albeit there was before it nothing and there is nothing seen in this world but it is created from something; and the Divine Creator (extolled and exalted be He!) is able to create things from nothing, yet has His will decreed, for all the perfection of His power and grandeur, that He shall create nothing but from something."
The Wazir replied, "As for those, who fashion vessels of potter's clay, and other handicraftsmen, who cannot originate one thing save from another thing, they are them selves only created entities: but, as for the Creator, who has wrought the world after this wondrous fashion, If you would know His power (extolled and exalted be He!) of calling things into existence, extend your thought and consider the various kinds of created things, and you will find signs and instances, proving the perfection of His puissance and that He is able to create the ens from the non ens: nay, He called things into being, after absolute non existence, for the elements which be the matter of created things were sheer nothingness. I will expound this to you, so you may be in no scepticism of it, and the marvel signs of the alternation of Night and Day shall make this clear to you. When the light goes and the night comes, the day is hidden from us and we know not the place where it abides; and when the night passes away with its darkness and its terror, the day comes and we know not the abiding place of the night. In like manner, when the sun rises upon us, we know not where it has laid up its light, and when it setts, we ignore the abiding place of its setting: and the examples of this among the works of the Creator (magnified be His name and glorified be His might;) abound in what confounds the thought of the keenest witted of human beings."
Rejoined the Prince, "O sage, you have set before me of the power of the Creator what is incapable of denial; but tell me how He called His creatures into existence." Answered Shimas, "He created them by the sole power of His one Word, which existed before time, and wherewith he created all things." the Prince "Then Allah (be His name magnified and His might glorified! ) only willed the existence of created things, before they came into being?" Replied Shimas, "And of His will, He created them with His one Word and but for His speech and that one Word, the creation had not come into existence."—
When it was the Nine Hundred and Fourteenth night
the Prince "I comprehend that which you have said on the subject of the Creator and from you I accept this with understanding; but I hear you say that He created the world by His Word of Truth. Now Truth is the opposite of Falsehood; from where then arose Falsehood with its opposition unto Truth, and how comes it to be possible that it should be confounded therewith and become doubtful to human beings, so that they need to distinguish between the twain? And does the Creator (to whom belong Might and Majesty) love Falsehood or hate it? If you say He loves Truth and by it created all things and abhorrs Falsehood, how came the False, which the Creator hats, to invade the True which He loves?" said Shimas "truly Allah the Most High created man all Truth, loving His name and obeying His word, and in this way man had no need of repentance till Falsehood invaded the Truth by which he was created by means of the capability which Allah had placed in him, being the will and the inclination called lust of lucre. When the False invaded the True in this way, right became confounded with wrong, by reason of the will of man and his capability and greed of gain, which is the voluntary side of him together with the weakness of human nature: Why Allah created penitence for man, to turn away from him Untruth and stablish him in Truth; and He created for him also punishment if he should abide in the obscurity of Falsehood." the Prince "Tell me how came Untruth to invade Truth, so as to be confounded therewith and how became man liable to punishment and so stood in need of repentance."
Replied Shimas, "When Allah created man with Truth, He made him loving to Himself and there was for him neither repentance nor punishment; but he abode thus till Allah put in him the soul, which is of the perfection of humanity, albeit naturally inclined to lust which is inherent within it. From this sprang the growth of Untruth and its confusion with Truth, wherewith man was created and with the love whereof his nature had been made; and when man came to this pass, he declined from the Truth with disobedience and whoever declins from the Truth falls into Falsehood." Said the Prince, "Then Falsehood invaded Truth only by reason of disobedience and transgression?" Shimas replied, "Yes: and it is thus because Allah loves mankind, and of the abundance of His love to man He created him having need of Himself, that is to say, of the very Truth: but oftentimes man lapses from this by cause of the inclination of the soul to lusts and turns to frowardness, Why he falls into Falsehood by the act of disobeying his Lord and thus deserves punishment; and by putting away from himself Falsehood with repentance and by the returning to the love of the Truth, he merits future reward." the Prince "Tell me the origin of sin, whilst all mankind trace their being to
King Jali'ad Of Hind And His Wazir Shimas. 81
Adam, and how comes it that he, being created of Allah with truth, drew disobedience on himself; then was his disobedience coupled with repentance, after the soul had been set in him, that his issue might be reward or retribution? Indeed, we see some men constant in sinfulness, inclining to that which He loves not and transgressing in this the original intent and purpose of their creation, which is the love of the Truth, and drawing on themselves the wrath of their Lord, whilst we see others constant in seeking the satisfaction of their Creator and obeying Him and meriting mercy and future recompense. What causes this difference prevailing between them?" Replied Shimas, "The origin of disobedience descending upon mankind is attributable to Iblis, who was the noblest of all that Allah (magnified be His name!) created of angels and men and Jinn, and the love of the Truth was inherent in him, for he knew nothing but this; but whenas he saw himself unique in such dignity, there entered into him pride and conceit, vainglory and arrogance which revolted from loyalty and obedience to the commandment of His Creator; Why Allah made him inferior to all creatures and cast him out from love, making his abiding place to be in disobedience.
So when he knew, that Allah (glorified be His name!) loved not disobedience and saw Adam and the case in which he was of truth and love and obedience to his Creator, envy entered into him and he devised some device to pervert Adam from the truth, that he might be a partaker with himself in Falsehood and by this, Adam incurred chastisement for his inclining to disobedience, which his foe made fair to him, and his subjection to his lusts, whenas he transgressed the charge of his Lord, by reason of the appearance of Falsehood. When the Creator (magnified be the praises of Him and hallowed be the names of Him!) saw the weakness of man and the swiftness of his inclining to his enemy and leaving the truth, He appointed to him, of His mercy, repentance, that therewith he might arise from the slough of inclination to disobedience and taking the arms and armour of repentance, overcome therewith his foe Iblis and his hosts and return to the Truth, in which he was created. When Iblis saw that Allah (magnified be His praise!) had appointed him a protracted term, he hastened to wage war upon man and to beset him with wiles, to the intent that he might oust him from the favour of his Lord and make him a partaker with himself in the wrath which he and his hosts had incurred; Why Allah (extolled be His praises!) appointed unto man the capability of penitence and commanded him to apply himself to the Truth and persevere within it; and forbade him from disobedience and frowardness and revealed to him that he had on the earth an enemy warring against him and relaxing not from him night nor day. Thus has man a right to future reward, if he adhere to the Truth, in the love of which his nature was created, but he becomes liable to punishment, if the flesh master him and incline him to lusts."——
When it was the Nine Hundred and Fifteenth night
Answered Shimas, "In very truth Almighty Allah (honoured be His name!) is just and equitable and loving kind to the people of His affection. He created His creatures with justice and equity and of the inspiration of His justice and the overflowing of His mercy, He gave them kingship over themselves, that they should do whatever they might design. He shows them the way of righteousness and bestows on them the power and ability of doing what they will of good: and if they do the opposite of it, they fall into destruction and disobedience." (¿) "If the Creator, as you say,
King Jali'ad Of Hind And His Wazir Shimas. 83 have granted to mankind power and ability and they by reason of it are empowered to do whatever they will, why then does He not come between them and that which they desire of wrong and turn them to the right?"—"This is of the greatness of His mercy and the goodliness of His wisdom; for, even as aforetime he showed wrath to Iblis and had no mercy on him, even so he showed Adam mercy, by means of repentance, and accepted of him, after He had been wroth with him." (¿) "He is indeed mere Truth, for He it is who requits every one according to his works, and there is no Creator save Allah who has power over all things. But tell me, has He created that which He loves and that which He loves not or only that which He loves?"— "He created all things, but favours only that which he loves." (¿) "What reckon you of two things, one whereof is pleasing to God and earns future reward for him who practises it and the other offends Allah and entails lawful punishment upon the doer?"—"Expound to me these two things and make me to apprehend them, that I may speak concerning them." (¿) "They are good and evil, the two things inherent in the body and in the soul."—"O wise youth, I see that you know good and evil to be of the works which the soul and the body combine to do. Good is named good, because it is in favour with God, and evil is termed ill, for that in it is His ill will. Indeed, it behoves you to know Allah and to please Him by the practice of good, for that He has bidden us to this and forbidden us to do evil." (¿) "I see these two things, to wit, good and evil, to be wrought only by the five senses familiarly known in the body of man, which be the sensorium from where proceed speech, hearing, sight, smell and touch.
Now I would have you tell me whether these five senses were created altogether for good or for evil."—"Apprehend, O man, the exposition of that whereof you ask and it is a manifest proof; so lay it up in yours innermost thought and take it to your heart. And this it is that the Creator (extolled and exalted be He!) created man with Truth and impressed him with the love of it and there proceeds from it no created thing save by the puissance of the Most High, whose trace is in every phenomenon. He (extol we Him and exalt we Him!) is not apt but to the ordering of justice and equity and beneficence, and He created man for the love of Him and set in him a soul, in which the inclination to lusts was innate and assigned him capability and ableness and appointed the Five Senses aforesaid to be to him a means of winning Heaven or Hell." (¿) "How so?"—"In that He created the Tongue for speech, the Hands for action, the Feet for walking and the Eyes for seeing and the Ears for hearing, and upon each bestowed especial power and incited them to exercise and motion, bidding each of them do nothing save that which pleases Him.
Now what pleases Him in Speech is truthfulness and abstaining from its opposite, which is falsehood; and what pleases Him in Sight is turning it unto that which He loves and leaving the contrary, which is turning it unto that which He hats, such as looking unto lusts: and what pleases Him in Hearing is hearkening to nothing but the True, such as admonition and that which is in Allah's writ and leaving the contrary, which is listening to that which incurrs the anger of Allah; and what pleases Him in the Hands is not hoarding up that which He entrusts to them, but expending it in such way as shall please Him and leaving the contrary, which is avarice or spending in sinfulness that which He has committed to them; and what pleases Him in the Feet is that they be constant in the pursuit of good, such as the quest of instruction, and leave its contrary, which is the walking in other than the way of Allah. Now respecting the rest of the lusts which man practises, they proceed from the body by command of the soul. But the lusts which proceed from the body are of two kinds, the lust of reproduction and the lust of the belly As for the former, that which pleases Allah of it is that it be not other than lawful and He is displeased with it if contrary to His law.
King Jali'ad Of Hind And His Wazir Shimas. 85
As for the lust of the belly, eating and drinking, what pleases Allah of it is that each take nothing save that which the Almighty has appointed him be it little or mickle, and praise the Lord and thank Him: and what angers Him of it is that a man take that which is not his by right. All precepts other than these are false, and you know that Allah created every thing and delights only in God and commands each member of the body to do that which He has made on it incumbent, for that He is the All wise, the All knowing." (¿) "Was it foreknown unto Allah Almighty (exalted be His power!) that Adam, by eating of the tree from which He forbade him and from where befell what befell, would leave obedience for disobedience?"—"Yes, O sage youth. This was foreknown unto Allah Almighty before He created Adam; and the proof and manifestation attached thereto is the warning He gave him against eating of the tree and His informing him that, if he ate of the fruit he would be disobedient. And this was in the way of justice and equity, lest Adam should have an argument wherewith he might excuse himself against his Lord. When, therefore, he fell into error and calamity and when disgrace grew sore upon him and reproach, this passed to his posterity after him; Why Allah sent Prophets and Apostles and gave to them Books and they taught us the divine commandments and expounded to us what was within it of admonitions and precepts and made clear to us and manifest the way of righteousness and explained to us what it behoved us to do and what to leave undone.
Now we are endowed with Freewill and he who acts within these lawful limits winns his wish and prospers, while whoever transgresses these legal bounds and does other than that which these precepts enjoin, resists the Lord and is ruined in both Abodes. This then is the road of Good and Evil. You know that Allah over all things is Omnipotent and created not lusts for us but of His pleasure and volunty and He bade us use them in the way of lawfulness, so they might be to us a good; but, when we use them in the way of sinfulness they are to us an evil. Therefore what of righteous we compass is from Allah Almighty, and what of wrongous from ourselves His creatures, not from the Creator, exalted be He herefor with highmost exaltation!"—
When it was the Nine Hundred and Sixteenth night
—"Yes, truly; and that which you see of its changefulness and traitorousness with its children is a sign that Fortune to the fortunate will not endure nor to the afflicted affliction; for none of its people is secure from its changefulness and even if one have power over it and be content therewith, yet there is no help but that his estate change and removal hasten unto him. Why man can put no trust within it nor profit by that which he enjoys of its gilding and glitter; and we knowing this will know that the sorriest of men in condition are those who are deluded by this world and are unmindful of the other world; for that whatever of present ease they enjoy will not even the fear and misery and horrors which will befall them after their removal from it. Thus are we certified that, if the creature knew that which will happen him with the coming of death and his severance from that which he enjoys of pleasure and delight, he would cast away the world and that which is within it; for we are certified that the next life is better for us and more profitable.
King Jali'ad Of Hind And His Wazir Shimas. 87
" Said the Prince, "O sage, you have dispelled the darkness that was upon my heart by the light of your shining lamp and have directed me into the right road I must tread on the track of Truth and have given me a lantern by which I may see." Then rose one of the learned men who were in the presence and said, "When comes the season of Prime, needs must the hare seek the pasture as well as the elephant; and indeed I have heard from you twain such questions and solutions as I never before heard; but now leave that and let me ask you of somewhat. Tell me, what is the best of the goods of the world?" Replied the Prince, "Health of body, lawful livelihood and a virtuous son." (¿) "What is the greater and what is the less?"—"The greater is that to which a lesser than itself submitts and the less that which submitts to a greater than itself." (¿) "What are the four things in which concur all creatures?"—"Men concur in meat and drink, the sweet of sleep, the lust of women and the agonies of death." (¿) "What are the three things whose foulness none can do away?"—"Folly, meanness of nature, and lying." (¿) "What is the best kind of lie, though all kinds are foul?"—"That which averts harm from its utterer and brings gain." (¿) "What kind of truthfulness is foul, though all kinds are fair?"—"That of a man glorying in that which he has and vaunting himself of it." (¿) "What is the foulest of foulnesses?"—"When a man boasts himself of that which he has not." (¿) "Who is the most foolish of men?"—"He who has no thought but of what he shall put in his belly."
Then said Shimas, "O King, truly you are our King, but we desire that you assign the kingdom to your son after you, and we will be your servants and subjects." So the King exhorted the Olema and others who were in the presence to remember that which they had heard and do according thereto and enjoined them to obey his son's commandment, for that he made him his heir apparent, so he should be the successor of the King his sire; and he took an oath of all the people of his empire, literates and braves and old men and boys, to mention none other, that they would not oppose him in the succession nor transgress against his commandment. Now when the Prince was seventeen years old, the King sickened of a sore sickness and came near to die; so, being certified that his decease was at hand, he said to the people of his household, "This is disease of Death which is upon me; Why do you summon my son and kith and kin and gather together the Grandees and Notables of my empire so not one of them may remain except he be present." Accordingly they fared forth and made proclamation to those who were near and published the summons to those who were afar off, and they all assembled and went in to the King.
Then they said to him, "How is it with you, O King, and how think you for yourself of these your dolours?" Jali'ad said, "truly, this my malady is mortal and the shaft of death has executed that which Allah Almighty decreed against me: this is the last of my days in the world here and the first of my days in the world hereafter." Then he said to his son, "Draw near unto me." So the youth drew near, weeping with weeping so sore, that he well near drenched the bed, whilst the King's eyes welled tears and all who were present wept. Jali'ad said, "Weep not, O my son; I am not the first whom this Inevitable betids; nay, it is common to all that Allah has created. But fear you the Almighty and do good deeds which shall precede you to the place where all creatures tend and go. Obey not your lusts, but occupy your soul with lauding the Lord in your standing up and your sitting down, in your waking and in your sleeping. Make the Truth the aim of yours eyes; this is the last of my speech with you and—The Peace."—
When it was the Nine Hundred and Seventeenth night
She pursued, when King Jali'ad charged his son with such injunctions and made him his heir to succeed him in his reign, the Prince said, "O dear father mine, you know that I have ever been to you obedient and your commandment carrying out, mindful of yours injunctions and yours approof seeking; for you have been to me the
King Jali'ad Of Hind And His Wazir Shimas. 89 best of fathers; how, then, after your death, shall I depart from that which contents you? And now, having fairly ordered my nurture you are about to depart from me and I have no power to bring you back to me; but, If I be mindful of your charge, I shall be blessed within it and great good fortune shall happen you." the King and indeed he was in the last agony of departing life, "Dear my son, cleave fast unto ten precepts, which if you hold, Allah shall profit you herewith in this world and the next world, and they are as follows. Whenas you are wroth, curb your wrath; when you are afflicted, be patient; when you speak be truthful; when you promisest, perform; when you judgest, do justice; when you have power, be merciful; deal generously by your governors and lieutenants; forgive your foes; be lavish of good offices to yours adversary, and stay your mischief from him. Observe also other ten precepts, wherewith Allah shall profit you among the people of your realm, to wit, when you dividest, be just; when you punishest, oppress not; when you engagest yourself, fulfil yours engagement; hearken to those that give you loyal counsel; when offence is offered to you, neglect it; abstain from contention; enjoin your subjects to the observance of the divine laws and of praiseworthy practices; abate ignorance with a sharp sword; withhold your regard from treachery and its untruth; and, lastly, do equal justice between the folk, so they may love you, great and small, and the wicked and corrupt of them may fear you."
Then he addressed himself to the Emirs and Olema which were present when he appointed his son to be his successor, saying, "Beware you of transgressing the commandment of your King and neglecting to hearken to your chief, for within it lies ruin for your realm and sundering for your society and bane for your bodies and perdition for your possessions; and your foe would exult over you. Well you know the covenant you made with me, and even thus shall be your covenant with this youth and the troth which plighted between you and me shall be also between you and him, Why it behoves you to give ear unto and obey his commandment, for that in this is the well being of your conditions. So be you constant with him anent that in which you were with me and your estate shall prosper and your affairs be fair; for behold, he has the Kingship over you and is the lord of your fortune, and—The Peace?"
Then the death agony seized him and his tongue was bridled: so he pressed his son to him and kissed him and gave thanks unto Allah; after which his hour came and his soul fared forth. All his subjects and the people of his court mourned and keened over him and they shrouded him and buried with pomp an honour and reverence; after which, they returned with the Prince and clad him in the royal robes and crowned him with his father's crown and put the seal ring on his finger, after seating him on the Throne of Sovranship. The young King ordered himself towards them, after his father's fashion of mildness and justice and benevolence, for a little while till the world waylaid him and entangled him in its lusts, whereupon, its pleasures made him their prey and he turned to its gilding and gewgaws, forsaking the engagements which his father had imposed upon him and casting off his obedience to him, neglecting the affairs of his reign and treading a road in which was his own destruction. The love of women grew stark in him and came to such a pass that, whenever he heard tell of a beauty, he would send for her and take her to wife; and in this way, he collected women more in number than ever had Solomon, David son, King of the children of Israel. Also he would shut himself up with a company of them for a month at a time, during which he went not forth neither enquired of his realm or its rule nor looked into the grievances of such of his subjects as complained to him; and if they wrote to him, he returned them no reply.
Now when they saw this and witnessed his neglect of their affairs and lack of care for their interests and those of the state, they were assured that before long some calamity would happen them and this was grievous to them. So they met privily one with other and took counsel together blaming their King, and one of them said to the rest, "Come, let us go to Shimas, Chief of the Wazirs, and set forth to him our case and acquaint him with that in which we are
King Jali'ad Of Hind And His Wazir Shimas. 91 by reason of this King, so he may admonish him; else, in a little, calamity will dawn upon us, for the world has dazzled the Sovran with its delights and seduced him with its snares." Accordingly, they repaired to Shimas and said to him, "O wise man and prudent the world has dazed the King with its delights and taken him in its toils, so that he turns unto vanity and works for the undoing of the state. Now with the disordering of the state the commons will be corrupted and our affairs will run to ruin. We see him not for days and months nor comes there forth from him any commandment to us or to the Wazir or any else. We cannot refer anything of our need to him and he looks not to the administration of justice nor takes thought to the condition of any of his subjects, in his disregard of them. And behold we are come to acquaint you with the truth of things, for that you are the chiefest and most accomplished of us and it behoves not that calamity befall a land in which you dwellest, seeing that you are most able of any to amend this King. Why go you and speak with him: perhaps he will hearken to your word and return unto the way of Allah."
So Shimas arose directly and repairing to the palace, foregathered with the first page he could find and said to him, "Fair my son, I beseech you ask leave for me to go in to the King, for I have an affair, concerning which I would glad see his face and acquaint him therewith and hear what he shall answer me there anent." Answered the page, "O my lord, By God, this month past has he given none leave to come in to him, nor have I all this time looked upon his face; but I will direct you to one who shall crave admission for you. Do you lay hold of such a blackamoor slave who stands at his head and brings him food from the kitchen. When he comes forth to go to the kitchen, ask him what seems good to you; for he will do for you that which you desire." So the Wazir repaired to the door of the kitchen and sat there a little while, till up came the black and would have entered the kitchen; but Shimas caught hold of him and said to him, "Dear my son, I would glad stand in presence of the King and speak with him of something especially concerns him; so please, of your kindness, when he has ended his undurn meal and his temper is at its best, speak for me and get me leave to approach him so I may bespeak him of that which shall suit him." "I hear and obey." answered the black and taking the food carried it to the King, who ate of it and his temper was soothed by that. Then said the black to him, "Shimas stands at the door and cravs admission, so he may acquaint you with matters that specially concern you." At this the King was alarmed and disquieted and commanded to admit the Minister.—
When it was the Nine Hundred and Eighteenth night
He answered, "This long while have I not looked upon the face of my lord the King and indeed I longed sore for you; and now, behold, I have seen your countenance and come to you with a word which I would gladly say to you, O King stablished in all prosperity!" The King "Say what seems good to you;" and said Shimas "I would have you bear in mind O King, that Allah Almighty has endowed you with learning and wisdom, for all the tenderness of your years, such as He never vouchsafed unto any of the Kings before you, and has fulfilled the measure of his bounties to you with the Kingship; and He loves not that you depart from that wherewith He has endowed you unto other than it, by means of your disobedience to Him; Why it behoves you not to levy war against Him with your hoards but of His injunctions to be mindful and unto His commandments obedient. Indeed, I have seen you, this while past, forget your sire and his charges and reject his covenant
The Foolish Fisherman. 93 and neglect his counsel and words of wisdom and renounce his justice and good governance, remembering not the bounty of Allah to you neither requiting it with gratitude and thanks to Him." The King asked, "How so? And what is the manner of this?;" and Shimas answered, "The manner of it is that you neglectest to administer the affairs of the state and that which Allah has committed unto you of the interests of your subjects and surrenderest yourself to your lower nature in that which it makes fair to you of the slight lusts of the world. truly it is said that the welfare of the state and of the Faith and of the folk is of the things which it behoves the King to watch; Why it is my advice, O King, that you look fairly to the issue of yours affair, for thus will you find the manifest road in which is salvation, and not accept a trifling pleasure and a transient which leads to the abyss of destruction, lest there befall you that which befell the Fisherman." The King asked, "What was that?"; and Shimas answered, "There has reached me this tale of