Circumstance of my friends indiscretion

One of them jellied, “O God, what a hard saying is this! If you seat yourself on my head and eyes, I admit your gallantry, for you are amiable.” Summarily I seated myself, and conversed on various subjects, till the circumstance of my friend’s indiscretion was brought in. I asked, “What fault was discovered by my most bountiful lord that should have rendered his servant hateful in his sight? To God alone belongeth perfect greatness and benignity, who discovered the crime, and yet withh oldeth not daily bread.”

The great man approved of this speech, and ordered that my friend’s stipend should be restored and the arrears discharged. I praised his generosity, made obeisance, and apologized for my boldness; and at the time of taking leave, made the following observation: “Because the temple of Mecca is the bestower of our wants, multitudes resort to it from many farsangs; you must therefore suffer the importunity of such as myself, since no one flings a stone into a tree that hath no fruit.”

TALE XVIII

A prince inherited from his father abundance of wealth. He opened the hand of liberality, and bestowed innumerable largesse’s and gifts on his troops and subjects.

No odor issues from a tray made of lignum aloes: place it on the fire that it may diffuse fragrance like ambergris. If you wish to be esteemed magnificent, be bountiful; for grain groweth not unless it be scattered bulgaria tours. One of the courtiers inconsiderately began his admonition, saying, that “Former monarchs accumulated this treasure with labour, and stored it up against a time of need, therefore restrain your liberality, for events being in front and enemies on the rear, you must not deprive yourself of resources against the time of necessity.

If you were to lavish your treasure on the multitude, each head of a family would not receive more than a grain of rice for his share: why do you not exact a grain of silver from each individual, which will produce you a treasure daily? ” The prince looked displeased at this discourse, so contrary to his own sentiments, and he said, “The eternal and Almighty God has made me King of these nations, that I might enjoy and distribute; I am not a sentinel to watch the treasure.”

Karoon, who had forty chambers full of treasure, was destroyed; but Nowshirvan died not, having left an immortal name.

They have related that Nowshera, being at a hunting seat, was about to have some game dressed, and as there was not any salt, a servant was sent to fetch some from a village; when tile monarch ordered him to pay the price of the salt, that the exaction might not become a custom, and the village be desolated. They say to him, “From this trifle welt injury can ensue? ” He replied, “Oppression was brought into the world from small beginnings, which every new comer has increased, until it has reached the present degree of enormity. If the monarch were to eat a single apple from the garden of a peasant, the servants would pull up the tree by the roots; and if the Sultan orders five eggs to be taken by force, his soldiers would spit a thousand fowls. The iniquitous tyrant remained not, but the curses of mankind rest on him for ever.”

Debilitated fisherman

TALE XXIV

A powerful fish fell into the net of a debilitated fisherman, who not being able to hold it, the fish got the better of him, snatched the net out of his hand, and escaped. A boy went to fetch water from the river: the flood tide came in and carried him away. The net had hitherto always taken the fish, but this time the fish escaped and carried away the net. The other fisherman grieved at the loss, and reproached him, that having such a fish in his net, he had not been able to hold it. He replied, “Alas, my brethren! what could be done, seeing it was not my lucky day, and the fish had yet a day remaining? A fisherman without luck catcheth not fish in the Tigris, neither will the fish without fate expire on the dry ground.

TALE XXV

One who had neither hands nor feet having killed a millepede, a pious man passing by said, “Holy God, although this had a thousand feet, yet when fate overtook him he could not escape from one destitute of hands and feet. When the enemy who seizes the soul comes behind, fate ties the feet of the swift man. At that moment when the enemy attacks us behind, it is needless to draw the Ivianyan bow.”

Sweet frown it exhibits

The Cazy said to a respectable man of learning, who was in his company, “Behold that beauteous girl, how rude she is; behold her arched eyebrow, what a sweet frown it exhibits! In Arabic they say that, ‘ A blow from the hand of her we love is as sweet as raisin.’ To receive a blow on the mouth from thy hand is preferable to eating bread from one’s own band.” Then again she tempered her severity with a smile of beneficence; as kings sometimes speak with hostility when they inwardly desire peace.

Unripe grapes are sour, but keep them a day or two and they will become sweet. The Cazy having said thus, repaired to his court. Some well-disposed persons, who were in his service, made obeisance, and said that, “With permission they would represent a matter to him, although it might be deemed unpolite, as the sages have said, ‘It is not allowable to argue on every subject; it is criminal to describe the faults of a great personage; ’ but that in consideration of the kindness which his servants, had experienced from him, not to represent what to them appears advisable is a species of treachery.

The laws of rectitude require that you should conquer this inclination, and not give way to unlawful desires, for the office of Cazy is a high dignity, which ought not to be polluted by a crime, You are acquainted with your mistress’s character, and have heard her conversation. She who has lost her reputation, what cares she for the character of another? It has frequently happened that a good name acquired in fifty years has been lost by a single imprudence,”

The Cazy approved the admonition of his cordial friends, praised their understanding and fidelity and said, “The advice which my friends have given in regard to my situation is perfectly right, and their arguments are unanswerable..

Wicked man should escape

RULE XXL

A wicked man is a captive in the hand of the enemy, for wherever he goeth he cannot escape from the clutches of his own punishment. If the wicked man should escape to Heaven from the hand of calamity, lie would continue in calamity from tlie s$nse of his own evil disposition.

RULE XXII.

When you see discord amongst the troops of your enemy, be of good courage; but if they are united, then be upon your guard. When you see contention amongst your enemies, go and sit at ease with your friends; but when you see them of one mind, string your bow, and place stones upon the ramparts.

RULE XXIII.

When the enemy has failed in all other artifices, he will propose friendship, that, under its appearance, he may effect what he could not compass as an open adversary.

RULE XXIY.

Bruise the serpent’s head with the hand of your enemy, which cannot fail of producing one of these two advantages:—If the enemy succeeds, you have killed the snake; and if the latter prevails, you have got rid of your enemy.

In the Jay of battle consider not yourself safe, because your adversary is weak; for he who becomes desperate, will take out the lion’s brains.

RULE XXY.

When you have any thing to communicate that will distress the heart of the person whom it concerns, be silent, in order that he may hear from some one else. 0 nightingale, bring thou the glad tidings of spring, and leave bad news to the owl.

RULE XXYI.

Inform not the King of the perfidy of any one, excepting you are assured that he will entirely approve of it, for otherwise you are only workin your own destruction. When you are purposin to speak any thing, do it when you know that your words will take effect.