Library of the World's Best Literature, Ancient and Modern — Volume 13
General
Library of the World's Best Literature, Ancient and Modern — Volume 13
Literature -- Collections
"If thou findest a debater in his moment, a poor man, that is to say,
not thine equal, let not thine heart leap out at him when he is feeble.
Let him alone, let him refute himself, question him not overmuch.[282]
Do not wash the heart[283] of him who agreeth with [?] thee: it is
painful, despising the poor, ... thou strikest him with the punishment
of nobles."[284]
5. [A leader of men should use his authority for justice.]
"If thou art a guide, commanding the conduct of a company, seek for
thyself every good aim, so that thy policy may be without error;[?] a
great thing is justice, enduring and surviving[285]; it is not upset
since the time of Osiris; he who departs from the laws is punished and
... _It is the modest_[?] _that obtain wealth; never did the greedy_[?]
_arrive at their aim; he saith, 'I have captured for mine own self;' he
saith not, 'I have captured by [another's'] command.' The end of justice
is that it endureth long; such as a man will say, 'It is from_ [?] _my
father._'"
6. [Be not a disturber of the peace.]
"Make not terror amongst men;[286] God punisheth the like. There is the
man that saith, 'Let him live thereby who is without the bread of his
lips.' There is the man that saith, 'Strong is he who saith, I have
captured for myself what I have recognized.' There is the man who saith,
'Let him smite another who attaineth, in order to give to him who is in
want:' never _did violence among men succeed: what God commandeth cometh
to pass. Then_[287] _thou mayest live in a palace; pleasure cometh, and
people give things freely._"
7. [Behavior to a patron.]
"If thou art a man of those who sit at the place of a greater man than
thyself, take what he giveth _with thy hand to thy nose_;[288] thou
shalt look at what is before thee; pierce him not with many glances; it
is abomination to the soul for them to be directed at him. Speak not
unto him until he calleth: one knoweth not the evil at heart [that it
causeth]; thou shalt speak when he questioneth thee, and then what thou
sayest will be good to the heart. The noble who hath excess of bread,
his procedure is as his soul[289] commandeth; he will give to him whom
he praiseth: it is the manner of night-time.[290] It befalleth that it
is the soul that openeth his hands. The noble giveth; it is not that the
man winneth [the gift]. The eating of bread is under the management of
God: it is the ignorant that rebelleth [?] against it."
8. [Behavior of a man sent on business from one lord to another.]
"If thou art a man that entereth, sent by a noble to a noble, be exact
in the manner of him who sendeth thee; do the business for him as he
saith. Beware of making ill feeling by words that would set noble
against noble, in destroying justice; do not exaggerate it; but the
washing of the heart shall not be repeated in the speech of any man,
noble or commoner: that is abomination of the soul."
9. [Gain thy living at thy business; do not sponge on relations, nor
hunt legacies.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account