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
She pursued: It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that 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,[FN#140]
thou knowest that I have ever been to thee obedient and thy commandment
carrying out, mindful of thine injunctions and thine approof seeking,
for thou hast been to me the best of fathers; how, then, after thy
death, shall I depart from that which contenteth thee? And now, having
fairly ordered my nurture thou art about to depart from me and I have
no power to bring thee back to me; but, an I be mindful of thy charge,
I shall be blessed therein and great good fortune shall betide me."
Quoth the King, and indeed he was in the last agony of departing life,
"Dear my son, cleave fast unto ten precepts, which if thou hold, Allah
shall profit thee herewith in this world and the next world, and they
are as follows. Whenas thou art wroth, curb thy wrath; when thou art
afflicted, be patient; when thou speakest be soothfast; when thou
promisest, perform; when thou judgest, do justice; when thou hast
power, be merciful; deal generously by thy governors and lieutenants;
forgive thy foes; be lavish of good offices to thine adversary, and
stay thy mischief from him. Observe also other ten precepts,[FN#141]
wherewith Allah shall profit thee among the people of thy realm, to
wit, when thou dividest, be just; when thou punishest, oppress not;
when thou engagest thyself, fulfil thine engagement; hearken to those
that give thee loyal counsel; when offence is offered to thee, neglect
it; abstain from contention; enjoin thy subjects to the observance of
the divine laws and of praiseworthy practices; abate ignorance with a
sharp sword; withhold thy regard from treachery and its untruth; and,
lastly, do equal justice between the folk, so they may love thee, great
and small, and the wicked and corrupt of them may fear thee." Then he
addressed himself to the Emirs and Olema which were present when he
appointed his son to be his successor, saying, "Beware ye of
transgressing the commandment of your King and neglecting to hearken to
your chief, for therein lieth 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 ye wot the
covenant ye 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; wherefore it behoveth you to give ear unto
and obey his commandment, for that in this is the well-being of your
conditions. So be ye constant with him anent that wherein ye were with
me and your estate shall prosper and your affairs be fair; for behold,
he hath the Kingship over you and is the lord of your fortune, and—The
Peace." Then the death- agony[FN#142] seized him and his tongue was
bridled; so he pressed his son to him and kissed him and gave thanks
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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