'The girl said that now her only wish in the world was that they should put their hands round each other's waists, and eat sugar from the lips of each other. The youth replied: "My desire is the same, but what can I do? As God the Most High says: 'The intimate friends on that day shall be enemies unto one another, except the pious,' which means that on the day of resurrection friendship of friends will become enmity, except the friendship of the abstemious, which will increase the attachment. I do not wish that on the morn of resurrection the edifice of our love be impaired, and our friendship be turned into enmity." After saying these words, he departed, reciting the following: O heart, abandon this love of two days, Because a love of two days profits not; Choose a love wherewith on the day of reckoning Thou mayest abide in the eternal abode. A KIND FRIEND O heart, when a time of sorrow overtakes thee There will be no sorrow if thou hast a kind friend; For a day of trouble a friend is required, Because in times of comfort, friends are not scarce. A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN A beautiful woman had many admirers, whose attentions were so assiduous that the very street in which she lived became thronged by her visitors, but when her attractions disappeared and she had become ugly, her lovers abandoned her. Then I said to one of them: "She is the same friend as before, with the same eyes, brows, lips, but perhaps her stature is more tall and her body more stout. It is faithless and treacherous on thy part to neglect her." He replied: "Alas for what thou sayest! That which ravished the heart, and enthralled the senses, was the spirit which resided in her form, in the gracefulness of her limbs, the smoothness of her skin, and in the pleasantness of her voice, but as that spirit has departed from the figure, how can I love a dead body, or fondle a withered rose?" SIXTH GARDEN JOCULARITY If a contented man jokes, blame him not, It is a trade licit by the laws of reason and religion; The heart is a mirror, and vexation the rust on it: That rust is best polished away by jocularity. A WEAVER AND A LEARNED PROFESSOR