The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night — Volume 09 (of 10)
General
The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night — Volume 09 (of 10)
Fairy tales; Tales -- Arab countries
the performance of faithful trust." Q "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 whatso is their due." Q "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;
wherefore, an thou know thy brother to be trusty, lavish upon him thy
love and help him in all his affairs."—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn
of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the Nine Hundred and Thirteenth Night,
She pursued: It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that 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.[FN#114] As for the first who be friends, there is
due to them that which thou hast set forth; but now tell me of the
others who be acquaintances."—As for brethren of society, thou gettest
of them pleasance and goodly usance and fair speech and enjoyable
company; so be thou not sparing to them of thy delights, but be lavish
to them thereof, like as they are lavish to thee, and render to them
that which they render to thee of affable countenance and an open
favour and sweet speech, so shall thy life be pleasant and thy words be
accepted of them." Q "Tell me now of the provision decreed by the
Creator to all creatures. Hath He alloted to men and beasts each his
several provision to the completion of his appointed life-term; and if
this allotment be thus, what maketh him who seeketh his livelihood to
incur hardships and travail in the quest of that which he knoweth 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 seeketh would get ease of
his seeking by ceasing to seek; withal there is no help but that he
seek his fortune. The seeker is, however, in two cases: either he
gaineth his fortune or he faileth thereof. In the first case, his
pleasure consisteth in two conditions: first, in the having gained his
fortune, and secondly, in the laudable[FN#115] issue of his quest; and
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