سندبادنامه 311
English (machine translation) 311
- Language
- English
311.1
"Lack of equity has never ceased to sever ties among men, even though they be kinsmen."
I have told this parable so that it may become clear to the correct judgment and piercing resolve of the shah
that God—exalted is His majesty—does not approve of oppression, and leaves no pitied, oppressed one
311.4
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311.5
The Coming of the Fourth Vizier into the Shah's Presence
deprived." When the shah heard this tale, and saw the supplication and tears of the chaste woman,
he ordered the prince to be subjected to punishment.
When the fourth vizier knew that the shah had commanded the punishment of the son, he said to the executioner:
"Hold the punishment in abeyance until I go into the presence of the shah and demonstrate the harm of haste
and the benefit of postponing the punishment, so [we may see] what manner of command issues forth."
The Coming of the Fourth Vizier into the Shah's Presence
The fourth vizier, who possessed splendid excellence and widespread fame, went to the shah,
and after reinforcing praise and spreading supplications, he opened his tongue and said: "God, praised and exalted be He,
has made the coat of kingship and the mantle of emperors the ornament of the states and the adornment of the deeds and acts
of the king, and has made the verses of his praiseworthy traits and the suras of his laudation current in tongues and mouths,
and inscribed; and the fame of his benefactions which he dispenses regarding the masters of excellence and the possessors of intellect
has reached the corners of the world and the regions of the Arabs and the Persians; and the ears of the far and near have heard the mention of his justice
and the fame of his virtue; and the rose-garden of the bounty of his justice has blossomed so that
all the gales of the autumn of oppression and the blowing of the cold winter blast of tyranny
will not strip the freshness of its leaves from the meadow of the horizons; and the market
of his noble traits of character has achieved such currency and circulation that through the adverse turns of vicissitudes
311.22
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311.23
and the calamities of time it suffers neither stagnation nor ruin. The king has traversed the path of equity and justice over the whole world,
which constitutes the dependents of his majesty and the subjects of the heights of his punishment;
that then the offspring of royal good fortune and the cream of majesty should, by the instigation of one deficient in intellect, be made the target of the arrow
of destruction does not appear conformable and suitable to intellect in the Sharīʿa of generosity and the custom of religion,
and the mufti of intellect will not set his pen upon the clean sheet of this legal opinion; and when the report of this punishment,
by means of the news arriving and departing, reaches from the gates of the capital to the hearing of the kings
of the realms, the natures and hearing of kings and sultans will turn in revulsion from sincerity and agreement with this dynasty;
and the eye of greed of the corrupt will open upon the expanse of the kingdom and the realm,
and the hand of interference of the enemies of the state will be stretched forth; and the wise of the world and the learned of the earth,
who watch over the affairs of the public, will consider the execution of this punishment pure error and unmitigated
blunder, and will attribute his viziers and courtiers to weakness of intellect and foolishness of judgment.
And to the world-adorning, justice-decreeing judgment of the shah—before which the sun is
like the shadow of a wall upon the face of time […]—it is firmly established that for kings and amirs
there is no greater fault than paying regard to the words of women; and giving their speech—
which incites upheaval and causes slips—a place in fancy and imagination, and in mind
and thought, is far from intellect and reason. And whoever relies upon the affection of women
and their compliance will, in the end, be trapped in the abyss of loss and regret,
311.40
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311.41
14. The Tale of the Bathhouse Keeper, His Wife, and the Prince
and his heart will become the prey of distress and a morsel for ruin, like that
bathhouse keeper with the prince.” The king said: “How was that? Speak!”
311.44
14. The Tale of the Bathhouse Keeper, His Wife, and the Prince
The vizier said: In bygone times and past ages and years, in the city of
Qanauj there was a bathhouse keeper known and mentioned for his wealth and affluence. And the prince of Qanauj,
who in loveliness and beauty was the wonder of the age, and in delicateness and elegance the center-pearl of the necklace
of days, used to come to his bathhouse; and whatever lay within the realm of possibility for the bathhouse keeper,
he would perform in suitable service and fitting care. And the prince's father had betrothed a noble daughter
from among the grandees of kings and pillars of the world to him, gaining strength and honor through this alliance and affinity
with him; and the time was near for them to engage in the ceremonies of the wedding.
311.52
One day the prince of Qanauj came to the bathhouse, and the bathhouse keeper undertook his accustomed service.
He was scratching his limbs—which were the envy of rose and jasmine, and the jealousy of wild rose and jessamine—
and was gently rubbing them. And because his body was exceedingly fleshy,
his organ of copulation was hidden in the flesh, and appeared invisible from utmost fatness.
311.56
While scratching him, the bathhouse keeper's hand came upon that member, and it appeared exceedingly invisible and small;
311.57
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311.58
14. The Tale of the Bathhouse Keeper, His Wife, and the Prince
weeping overcame him. When the prince saw the mark of his tenderness and compassion, and observed the water
of his eyes, he asked: “What is the cause of this perturbation and sorrow, and the reason for this lamentation and wailing?
Linked texts (1)
- سندبادنامه — Ẓahīrī Samarqandī, Persian