Siyar al-mutaʾakhkhirin 18.13.1

18.13.1

" Men in power, do not oppress those that have preceded you in it, " For the world is not likely to remain for ever under the same command. " Do not tear (take care) people's feet from their place, " As it is uncertain whether your own feet shall ever remain where they are. " A number of hearts gained is of more use than a full treasury ; " But better still an empty treasury than a throng of alienated hearts. " Do not push any one so rudely as that his feet should stagger and fail, " Lest some day it may be thy fate to fall at those very feet. — " Never think an enemy too inconsiderable; " For I have seen a large mountain grown up from a small stone. " Do'st not thou see that when pismires have joined together, " They can force groans from the most formidable Lions ? " Is there anything in the World so feeble as the silk threads, when asunder ? " And yet when twisted together, nothing is so strong; they become equal to a chain. Seradj-ed-doulah finding himself left alone for a whole day in his palace, without a single friend to unbosom his mind with, and without a single companion, to speak to, took a desperate resolution. — In the dead of the night he put Lutf-en-nessa, his consort, and a number of favourites into covered coaches and covered chairs, loaded them with as much gold, and as many as jewels as they could contain, and taking with him a number of elephants with his best baggage and furniture, he quitted his palace about three in the morning, and fled ;