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Look to the issues of things and sever thyself from tyranny and oppression and arrogance and lewdness； practising justice and equity and humility and obeying the mandments of God the Most High； applying thyself to gentle dealing with those of His creatures whom He hath mitted to thy governance and being assiduous in fulfilling their prayers unto thee； in accordance with that which is incumbent on thee。 If thou be constant in the practice of these virtues； may thy days be serene and may God of His mercy spare thee and make thee revered of all who look on thee； so shall thine energies be brought to nought； for God the Most High shall put their hosts to the rout； and thou shalt have acceptance with Him and be loved and reverenced of His creatures。'
'Verily；' said the king； 'thou hast quickened mine entrails and enlightened my heart with thy sweet speech and hast opened the eyes of mine understanding； after blindness； and I am resolved to do all thou hast set forth to me； with the help of God the Most High； leaving my former estate of lust and frowardness and bringing forth my soul from duresse into freedom and from fear into safety。 It behoveth thee； then； to be joyful and contented； for that I； for all my greater age； am bee to thee as a son； and thou to me as a dear father； for all thy tenderness of years； and it is grown incumbent on me to do my utmost endeavour in that thou mandest me。
Wherefore I thank the bounty of God the Most High and thy bounty for that He hath vouchsafed me； by thee； fair fortune and good guidance and just judgment to fend off my trouble and anxiety； and the deliverance of my people hath been brought about by means of the excellence of thy skill and the goodliness of thine ordinance。 Henceforward； thou shalt be the governor of my kingdom and equal to myself in all but sitting upon the throne； and all that thou dost shall be law to me and none shall gainsay thy word； young in years though thou be； for that thou art old in wit and knowledge。 So I thank God who hath vouchsafed thee to me； that thou mayst guide me out of the crooked paths of perdition into the way of righteousness。'
Quoth the vizier； 'O august king； know that no merit is due to me for giving thee loyal counsel； for that to succour thee by deed and word is of that which is incumbent on me； seeing that I am but a plant of thy bounty； nor I alone； but my father before me was overwhelmed with thy favours； so that we are both alike partakers in thy munificence； and how shall we not acknowledge this？ Moreover thou； O king； art our shepherd and ruler and he who wards off our enemies from us and to whom is mitted our protection and our guardian； instant in endeavour for our safety。 Indeed； though we lavished our lives in thy service； yet should we not fulfil that which behoveth us of gratitude to thee； but we supplicate God the Most High； who hath set thee in dominion over us and made thee our ruler； and beseech Him to vouchsafe thee long life and success in all thine enterprises and not to try thee with afflictions in thy time； but bring thee to thy desire and make thee to be reverenced till the day of thy death and lengthen thine arms in beneficence and generosity； so thou mayst have mandment over every wise man and subdue every froward one and all men of wisdom and mettle be found with thee in thy realm and all the ignorant and fainthearted be plucked out therefrom； and we pray Him to withhold from thy people scarcity and misfortune and sow among them love and good fellowship and cause them to enjoy of this world its prosperity and of the next its felicity； of His grace and bounty and hidden mercies。 Amen。 For He can all things and there is nought difficult unto Him； in whom all things have their goal and glace of returning。'
When the king heard the vizier's prayers he was mightily rejoiced thereat and inclined to him with his whole heart； saying； 'Henceforth； O vizier； thou art to me in the stead of brother and son and father； and nought but death shall sever me from thee。 Thou shalt have the disposal of all that my hand possesses； and if I have no child to succeed me； thou shalt sit on my throne in my stead； for thou art the worthiest of all the people of my realm； and I will invest thee with my kingship and appoint thee my heir presumptive to inherit the kingdom after me； if it be the will of God the Most High； in the presence of the grandees of my state； and will them to witness thereof。'
Then he called his secretary and bade him write to all the notables of his kingdom； summoning them to his court； and caused proclamation to be made in his city unto all the townsfolk great and small； bidding all the amirs and governors and chamberlains and other officers and dignitaries； as well as the sages and doctors of the law； to his presence。 Moreover he held a grand divan and made a banquet； never was its like； and bade all the folks high and low； thereto。 So they all assembled and abode in eating and drinking and delight a month's space； after which the king clothed all his household and the poor of his kingdom and bestowed abundant largesse on the men of learning。
Then he chose out a number of the sages and wise men； by counsel of the son of Shimas； and caused them go in to him； bidding him choose out six of them； that he might make them viziers under his mandment。 So he chose out six of the oldest of them in years and the most acplished of them in understanding and knowledge and the speediest of memory and judgment； and presented them to the king； who clad them in the vizier's habit and said to them； 'Ye are bee my viziers； under the mandment of this my chief vizier； the son of Shimas。 Whatsoever he saith to you or biddeth you thereto； ye shall not in anywise depart from it； albeit he is the youngest of you in years； for he is the eldest of you in wit。'
Then he seated them upon chairs； adorned with gold； after the usage of viziers； and appointed unto them stipends and allowances； bidding them choose out such of the notables of the kingdom and officers of the troops present at the banquet as were most fit for the service of the state； that he might make them captains of tens and hundreds and thousands and appoint to them dignities and assign them provision； after the manner of grandees。 This they did with all diligence and he bade them also handsel all who were present with largesse galore and dismiss them each to his country with honour and worship。 Moreover he charged his governors rule the people with justice and enjoined them to be tenderly solicitous for rich and poor and bade succour them from the treasury； according to their several degrees。 So the viziers wished him continuance of glory and long life； and he manded to decorate the city three days； in gratitude to God the Most High for His mercies。
When the court was dissolved and all the people had departed； each to his own place； after their affairs had been set in order； the king summoned the son of Shimas and the other six viziers and taking them apart privily； said to them； 'Know； O viziers； that I have been a wanderer from the right way； drowned in ignorance； setting my face against admonition； a breaker of pacts and promises and a gainsayer of folk of good counsel； and the cause of all this was my befoolment by these women and the wiles with which they beset me and the seeming fairness of their speech； wherewith they beguiled me； and my acceptance of this； for that I deemed their words true and loyal counsel； by reason of the sweetness and softness thereof； but behold； they were deadly poison。 And now I am certified that they sought but to ruin and destroy me； wherefore they deserve punishment and requital from me； for the sake of justice； that I may make them an admonition to all who will be admonished。 But what deem ye advisedly of putting them to death？'
'O mighty king；' answered the young vizier； 'I have already told thee that women are not alone to blame； but that the fault is shared between them and the men who hearken to them； but they deserve punishment for two reasons： first； for the fulfilment of thy word； because thou art the supreme king； and secondly； by reason of their presumption against thee and their beguilement of thee and their intermeddling with that which concerns them not and whereof it befits them not to speak。 Wherefore they have right well deserved death； yet let that which hath befallen them suffice them； and do thou henceforth reduce them to servants' estate。 But it is thine to mand in this and other than this。'
Some of the viziers seconded Ibn Shimas's advice； but one of them prostrated himself before the king and said to him； 'May God prolong the king's days！ If thou be indeed resolved to put them to death； do with them as I shall say to thee。' 'And what is that？' asked Wird Khan。 Quoth the vizier； 'It were best that thou bid some of thy female slaves carry the women who played thee false to the apartment； wherein befell the slaughter of thy viziers and sages； and imprison them there； and do thou assign to them a little meat and drink； enough to keep life in them ＇and no more＇。 Let them never be suffered to go forth of that place； and whenever one of them dies； let her abide among them； as she is； till they die all； even to the last of