One Thousand and One Nights

by Richard Burton

  Be careful not to hurt men’s hearts nor work them aught of dole,

  For hard it is to bring again a once estranged soul;

  And hearts, indeed, whose loves in twain by discord have been

  rent Are like a broken glass, whose breach may never be made

  whole.

  The wise say (continued she), “The best of friends is he who is the most assiduous in good counsel, the best of actions is that which is fairest in its result, and the best of praise is (not) that which is in the mouths of men.” It is said also, “It behoves not the believer to neglect to thank God, especially for two favours, health and reason.” Again, “He who honoureth himself, his lust is a light matter to him, and he who makes much of small troubles, God afflicts him with great ones: he who obeys his own inclination neglects his duties and he who listens to the slanderer loses the true friend. He who thinks well of thee, do thou fulfil his thought of thee. He who exceeds in contention sins, and he who does not beware of upright is not safe from the sword.”

  Now will I tell thee somewhat of the duties of judges. Know, O King, that no judgment serves the cause of justice except it be given after deliberation, and it behoves the judge to treat all people alike, to the intent that the rich and noble may not be encouraged to oppression nor the poor and weak despair of justice. He should extract proof from him who complains and impose an oath upon him who denies; and compromise is lawful between Muslims, except it be a compromise sanctioning an unlawful or forbidding a lawful thing. If he have done aught during the day, of which he is doubtful, the judge should reconsider it and apply his discernment to elucidating it, that (if he have erred) he may revert to the right, for to do justice is a religious obligation and to return to that which is right is better than perseverance in error. Then he should study the precedents and the law of the case and do equal justice between the suitors, fixing his eye upon the truth and committing his affair to God, to whom belong might and majesty. Let him require proof of the complainant, and if he adduce it, let him put the defendant to his oath; for this is the ordinance of God. He should receive the testimony of competent Muslim witnesses, one against another, for God the Most High hath commanded judges to judge by externals, He Himself taking charge of the secret things. It behoves the judge also to avoid giving judgment, whilst suffering from stress of pain or hunger, and that in his decisions between the folk he seek to please God, for he whose intent is pure and who is at peace with his conscience, God shall guarantee him against what is between him and the people. Quoth Ez Zuhri, “There are three things, which if they be found in a Cadi, he should be deposed; namely, if he honour the base, love praise and fear dismissal.” It is related that Omar ben Abdulaziz once deposed a Cadi, who asked him why he had done so. “It has come to my knowledge,” replied Omar, “that thy speech is greater than thy condition.” It is said also that Iskender said to his Cadi, “I have invested thee with this function and committed to thee in it my soul and my honour and manhood; so do thou guard it with thy soul and thine understanding.” To his cook he said, “Thou art the governor of my body; so look thou tender it.” To his secretary he said, “Thou art the controller of my wit: so do thou watch over me in what thou writest for me.”’

  With this the first damsel retired and a second one came forward and kissing the earth seven times before the King thy father, spoke as follows: ‘The sage Lucman said to his son, “There are three men whom thou shalt not know, but in three several cases; thou shalt not know the merciful man but in time of anger, nor the brave man but in time of war nor thy friend but when thou hast need of him.” It is said that the oppressor shall repent, though the people praise him, and that the oppressed is safe, though the people blame him. Quoth God the Most High, “ Think not that those who rejoice in their deeds and love to be praised for that which they have not done, shall escape punishment; indeed there is reserved for them a grievous punishment.” Quoth Mohammed (on whom be peace and salvation), “Works are according to intentions, and to each man is attributed that which he intends.” He saith also, “There is a part of the human body, which being whole, all the rest is whole, and which being corrupt, the whole body is corrupt; it is the heart. And indeed the heart is the most marvellous part of man, since it is that which ordereth his whole affair; if covetise stir in it, desire destroys him, and if affliction master it, anguish slays him: if anger rage in it, danger is sore upon him, and if it be blest with contentment, he is safe from discontent; if fear overtake it, he is filled with mourning, and if calamity smite it, affliction betideth him. If a man gain wealth, his heart is peradventure diverted thereby from the remembrance of his Lord, and if poverty afflict him, his heart is distracted by care, or if disquietude waste his heart, weakness reduces him to impotence. So, in any case, there is nothing will profit him but that he be mindful of God and occupy himself with gaining his living and securing his place in Paradise.” It was asked of a certain wise man, “Who is the most ill-conditioned of men?” “He,” replied the sage, “whose lusts master his manhood and whose mind exceeds in the pursuit of objects of high emprise, so that his knowledge increases and his excuse diminishes; and how excellent is what the poet says:

  The freest of all men from need of the arrogant meddler am I, The

  fool who’s unguided of God and judges the folk all awry;

  For wealth and good gifts are a loan and each man at last shall

  be clad As it were in a mantle, with that which hid in his

  bosom doth lie.

  If thou enter on aught by a door that is other than right, thou

  wilt err; But the right door will dead thee aright, for

  sure, if thou enter there by.”

  As for anecdotes of devotees (continued the maiden), quoth Hisham ben Besher, “I said to Omar ben Ubeid, ‘What is true devoutness?’ and he answered, ‘The Prophet (whom God bless and preserve) hath expounded it, when he says, “The devout is he who takes thought to death and calamity and prefers that which is eternal to that which passes away, who counts not the morrow as of his days, but reckons himself among the dead.”’“ And it is related that Abou Dherr used to say, “Poverty is dearer to me than riches and sickness than health.” Quoth one of the listeners, “May God have mercy on Abou Dherr! For my part, I say, ‘He who puts his trust in the goodness of the election of God the Most High should be content with that condition of which the Almighty hath made choice for him.’” Quoth one of the Companions (of the Prophet), “Ibn Ali Aqfa prayed with us the morning-prayer one day. When he had done, he read the seventy-fourth chapter (of the Koran), beginning, ‘O thou that coverest thyself!’ till he came to where God says, ‘When the trumpet is blown,’ and fell down dead.” It is said that Thabit el Benani wept till he well nigh lost his eyes. They brought him a man to tend him, who said to him, “I will cure thee, provided thou do my bidding.” “In what respect?” asked Thabit. “In that thou leave weeping,” replied the physician. “What is the use of my eyes,” rejoined Thabit, “if they do not weep?” Said a man to Mohammed ibn Abdallah, “Exhort me.” “I exhort thee,” replied he, “to be an abstinent possessor in this world and a greedy slave in the next.” “How so?” asked the other; and Mohammed said, “The abstinent man in this world possesses both this world and the world to come.” Quoth Ghauth ben Abdallah, “There were two brothers among the people of Israel, one of whom said to the other, ‘What is the worst thing thou hast done?’ ‘One day,’ answered the other, ‘I came upon a nest of young birds; so I took out one and threw it back into the nest; but the others drew apart from it. This is the worst thing I ever did; so now tell me what is the worst thing thou hast ever done.’ ‘When I betake myself to prayer,’ rejoined the first, ‘I am fearful to have done so only for the sake of the reward. This is the worst thing I have done.’ Now their father heard what they said and exclaimed, ‘O my God, if they speak the truth, take them to Thyself!’ Quoth one of the wise men, ‘Verily these were of the most virtuous of children.’” Quoth Said ben Jubeir, “I
was once in company with Fuzaleh ibn Ubeid and said to him, ‘Give me some good counsel.’ ‘Bear in mind these two things,’ replied he. ‘Attribute no partner to God, and do no hurt to any of His creatures.’ And he repeated the following verses: