按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
trusting in his justice and indulgence and fearing not that he will punish me for that which this unjust king taketh of the money； especially if it be but a little。〃
Then he called down blessings on the unjust king and said to him； 〃O king； I will ransom myself and this money with a small portion thereof； from the time of my entering thy country to that of my going forth therefrom。〃 The king agreed to this and left him at peace for a year； till he bought jewels with all ＇the rest of＇ the money and returned therewith to his master； to whom he made his excuses； confessing to having rescued himself from the unjust king as before related。 The just king accepted his excuse and praised him for his wise ordinance and set him on his right hand in his divan and appointed him in his kingdom an abiding inheritance and a happy life。
Now the just king is the similitude of the next world and the unjust king that of this world； the jewels that be in the latter's dominions are good deeds and pious works。 The merchant is man and the money he hath with him is the provision appointed him of God。 When I consider this； I know that it behoves him who seeks his livelihood in this world to leave not a day without seeking the goods of the world to e； so shall he content this world with that which he gains of the fatness of the earth and the next with that which he spends of his life in seeking after it。' （Q。） 'Are the soul and the body alike in reward and punishment or is the ＇body as the＇ luster of lusts and doer of sins； alone affected with punishment？' （A。） 'The inclination unto lusts and sins may be the cause of earning reward by the withholding of the soul therefrom and the repenting thereof； but the affair （158） is in the hand of Him who doth what He will； and by their contraries are things distinguished。 Thus subsistence is necessary to the body； but there is no body without soul； and the purification of the soul is in making clean the intent in this world and taking thought to that which shall profit in the world to e。 Indeed； soul and body are like two horses running for a wager or two fosterbrothers or two partners in affairs。 By the intent are good deeds distinguished and thus the body and soul are partners in actions and in reward and punishment； and in this they are like the blind man and the cripple with the overseer of the garden。' 'How so？' asked Shimas； and the prince said；
The Blind Man and the Cripple。
'A blind man and a cripple were travellingpanions and used to beg in pany。 One day they sought admission into the garden of some one of the benevolent； and a kindhearted man hearing their talk； took passion on them and carried them into his garden； where he left them and went away； bidding them do no waste nor damage therein。 When the fruits became ripe； the cripple said to the blind man； 〃Harkye； I see ripe fruits and long for them； but I cannot rise to theme to eat thereof； so go thou； for thou art sound of limb； and fetch us thereof； that we may eat。〃 〃Out on thee！〃 replied the blind man。 〃I had no thought of them； but now that thou callest them to my mind； I long to eat of them and I cannot avail unto this； being unable to see them； so how shall we do to get at them？〃 At this moment； up came the overseer of the garden； who was a man of understanding； and the cripple said to him； 〃Harkye； overseer！ I long for some of those fruits； but we are as thou seest； I am a cripple and my mate here is stoneblind： so what shall we do？〃 〃Out on ye！〃 replied the overseer。 〃Have ye fotten that the master of the garden stipulated with you that ye should do no waste nor damage therein？ Take warning then and abstain from this。〃 But they answered； 〃Needs must we get at these fruits； that we may eat thereof： so tell us how we shall contrive this。〃
When the overseer saw that they were not to be turned from their purpose； he said； 〃O cripple； let the blind man take thee on his back and carry thee to the tree whose fruit pleaseth thee； so thou mayst pluck what thou canst reach thereof。〃 So the blind man took the cripple on his back and the latter guided him； till he brought him to a tree； and he fell to plucking from it what he would and tearing at its branches； till he had despoiled it； after which they went round about the garden and wasted it with their hands and feet； nor did they cease from this fashion； till they had stripped all the trees in the garden。
Then they returned to their place and presently up came the master of the garden； who； seeing it in this plight； was sore angered and said to them； 〃Out on ye！ What fashion is this？ Did I not stipulate with you that ye should do no waste in the garden？〃 Quoth they； 〃Thou knowest that we cannot avail to e at any of the fruit； for that one of us is a cripple and cannot rise and the other is blind and cannot see that which is before him： so what is our offence？〃 But the master answered； saying； 〃Think ye I know not how ye wrought and how ye have gone about to do waste in my garden？ I know； as if I had been with thee； O blind man； that thou tookest the cripple on thy back and he guided thee； till thou borest him to the trees。〃 Then he punished them grievously and put them out of the garden。 Now the blind man is the similitude of the body； and the cripple that of the soul； for that it hath no power of motion but by the body； the garden is the works； for which the creature is rewarded or punished； and the overseer is the reason； which mandeth to good and forbiddeth from evil。 Thus the body and the soul are partners in reward and punishment。' （Q。） 'Which of the learned men is most worthy of praise； according to thee？' （A。） 'He who is learned in the knowledge of God and whose knowledge profiteth him。' （Q。） 'And who is this？' （A。） 'He who is instant in seeking to please his Lord and avoid His is the most excellent？' （A。） 'He who is most learned in the knowledge of God。' （Q。） 'And which is the most experienced of them？' （A。） 'He who is most constant in doing according to his knowledge。' （Q。） 'And which is the puresthearted of them？' （A。） 'He who is most assiduous in preparing for death and praising God and least of them in hope； and indeed he who familiarizes his soul with the terrors of death is as one who looks into a clear mirror； for that he knows the truth； and the mirror still increases in clearness and brilliance。' （Q。） 'What are the goodliest of treasures？' （A。） 'The treasures of heaven。' （Q。） 'Which is the goodliest of the treasures of heaven？' （A。） 'The praise and magnification of God。' （Q。） 'Which is the most excellent of the treasures of earth？' （A。） 'The practice of kindness。' （Q。） 'Tell me of three different things； knowledge and judgment and wit； and of that which unites them。' （A。） 'Knowledge es of learning； judgment of experience and wit of refection； and they are all stablished and united in reason。 He in bine is perfect； and he who adds thereto the fear of God is in the right course。' （Q。） 'Tell me； is it possible； in the case of a man of learning and wisdom； endowed with sound judgment； lucid intelligence and keen and excelling wit； for desire and lust to change these his qualities？' （A。） '＇Yes＇； for these passions； when they enter into a man； affect his wisdom and understanding and judgment and wit and he is like the eagle； which abode in the upper air of the excess of his subtlety and precaution against the hunters； but； as he was thus； he saw a fowler set up his s and bait them with a piece of meat； which when he beheld； desire and lust thereof overcame him and he fot that which he had seen of s and of the sorry case of all birds that fell into them。 So he swooped down from the sky and pouncing upon the piece of meat； was caught in the same snare and could not win free。 When the fowler came up and saw the eagle taken in his ； he marvelled exceedingly and said； 〃I set up my s； thinking to take therein pigeons and the like of small birds； how came this eagle to fall into it？〃 It is said that when desire and lust incite a man of understanding to aught； he considers the issue thereof and refrains from that which they make fair and overes his passions with his reason； for； when they urge him to aught； it behoves him to make his reason like unto a skilled horseman； who； mounting a skittish horse； curbs him with a sharp bit； so that he goes aright with him and carries him whither he will。 As for the ignorant man； who has neither knowledge nor judgment and things are obscure to him and desire and lust lord it over him； verily he does according to his desire and his lust and is of the number of those that perish； nor is there among men one in sorrier case than he。' （Q。） 'When is knowledge profitable and when availeth reason to ward off the ill effects of desire and lust？' （A。） 'When their possessor uses them in quest of the goods of the next world； for reason and knowledge are altogether profitable； but it behoves their owner to expend them not in the quest of the goods of this world； save in so far as may be needful for gaining his livelihood and defending himself from its mischief。' （Q。） 'What is most worthy that a man should apply himself thereto and occupy his heart withal？' （A。） 'Good an do this； it diverts him from gaining his living： how then shall he do for his livelihood； which