一千零一夜-天方夜谭-1001 Nights(英文版)-第50部分

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ided　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　he　cannot　dispense　withal？'　（A。）　'A　man's　day　is　four　andtwenty　hours；　and　it　behoves　him　to　employ　one　＇third＇　part　thereof　in　seeking　his　living；　another　in　prayer　and　rest　and　the　remainder　in　the　pursuit　of　knowledge；　for　a　reasonable　man　without　knowledge　is　as　a　barren　land；　wherein　is　place　for　neither　tillage　nor　treeplanting　nor　grass。　Except　it　be　prepared　for　tillage　and　planted；　no　fruit　will　profit　therein；　but；　if　it　be　tilled　and　planted；　it　brings　forth　goodly　fruits。　So　with　the　ignorant　man：　there　is　no　profit　in　him　till　knowledge　be　planted　in　him：　then　doth　he　bear　fruit。'　（Q。）　'What　sayst　thou　of　knowledge　without　understanding？'　（A。）　'It　is　as　the　knowledge　of　a　brute；　which　hath　learnt　the　hours　of　its　feeding　and　watering　and　waking；　but　hath　no　reason。'　（Q。）　'Thou　hast　been　brief　in　thine　answer　concerning　this；　but　I　accept　thy　reply。　Tell　me；　how　shall　I　guard　myself　against　the　Sultan？'　（A。）　'By　giving　him　no　hold　over　thee。'　（Q。）　'And　how　can　I　but　give　him　hold　over　me；　seeing　that　he　is　set　in　dominion　over　me　and　that　the　rein　of　my　affair　is　in　his　hand？'　（A。）　'His　dominion　over　thee　lies　in　the　duties　thou　owest　him；　so；　if　thou　give　him　his　due；　he　hath　no　＇farther＇　dominion　over　thee。'　（Q。）　'What　are　a　vizier's　duties　to　his　king？'　（A。）　'Good　counsel　and　zealous　service　both　in　public　and　private；　right　judgment；　the　keeping　of　his　secrets　and　that　he　conceal　from　him　nought　of　that　which　he　hath　a　right　to　know；　lack　of　neglect　of　aught　of　his　occasions；　with　whose　acplishment　he　charges　him；　the　seeking　his　approof　on　every　wise　and　the　avoidance　of　his　wrath。'　（Q。）　'How　should　the　vizier　do　with　the　king？'　（A。）　'If　thou　be　vizier　to　the　king　and　wouldst　be　safe　from　him；　let　thy　hearing　and　thy　speech　to　him　overpass　his　expectation　of　thee　and　be　thy　seeking　of　thy　need　from　him　after　the　measure　of　thy　rank　in　his　esteem；　and　beware　lest　thou　advance　thyself　to　a　dignity　whereof　he　shall　not　judge　thee　worthy；　for　this　would　be　like　to　presumption　in　thee　against　him。　So；　if　thou　presume　upon　his　mildness　and　assume　a　rank　beyond　that　which　he　deemeth　thy　due；　thou　wilt　be　like　the　hunter；　who　used　to　trap　wild　beasts　for　their　skins　and　throw　the　flesh　away。　Now　a　lion　used　to　e　to　the　place　＇where　the　hunter　skinned　his　prey＇　and　eat　of　the　carrion；　and　in　course　of　time；　he　clapped　up　an　acquaintance　with　the　hunter；　who　would　throw　＇meat＇　to　him　and　wipe　his　hands　on　his　back；　whilst　the　lion　wagged　his　tail。　When　the　hunter　saw　his　tameness　and　gentleness　and　submissiveness　to　him；　he　said　in　himself；　〃Verily　this　lion　humbleth　himself　to　me　and　I　am　master　of　him；　and　I　see　not　why　I　should　not　mount　him　and　strip　off　his　hide；　as　with　the　other　wild　beasts。〃　So　he　sprang　on　the　lion's　back；　presuming　on　his　mildness　and　deeming　himself　sure　of　him；　which　when　the　lion　saw；　he　was　exceeding　wroth　and　raising　his　paw；　smote　the　hunter；　that　he　drove　his　claws　into　his　guts；　after　which　he　cast　him　under　his　feet　and　tore　him　in　pieces　and　devoured　him。　By　this　thou　mayst　know　that　it　behoves　the　vizier　to　bear　himself　towards　the　king　according　to　that　which　he　seeth　of　his　condition　and　not　to　presume　upon　the　superiority　of　his　own　judgment；　lest　the　king　bee　jealous　of　him。'　（Q。）　'How　shall　the　vizier　grace　himself　in　the　king's　sight？'　（A。）　'By　the　performance　of　the　trust　of　loyal　counsel　and　sound　judgment　mitted　to　him　and　the　execution　of　his　mandments。'　（Q。）　'As　for　that　which　thou　sayst　of　the　vizier's　duty　to　avoid　the　king's　wrath　and　perform　his　wishes　and　apply　himself　diligently　to　the　due　execution　of　that　wherewith　he　charges　him；　that　is　a　matter　of　course：　but　how；　if　the　king's　whole　pleasure　be　in　tyranny　and　the　practice　of　oppression　and　extortion；　and　what　shall　the　vizier　do　if　he　be　afflicted　with　the　frequentation　of　this　unjust　king？　If　he　strive　to　turn　him　from　his　lust　and　his　desire；　he　cannot　avail　unto　this；　and　if　he　follow　him　in　his　lusts　and　flatter　him　with　false　counsel；　he　assumes　the　responsibility　of　this　and　bees　an　enemy　to　the　p