一千零一夜-天方夜谭-1001 Nights(英文版)-第45章

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d　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　people。　What　sayst　thou　of　this？'　（A。）　'What　thou　sayst；　O　vizier；　of　his　responsibility　and　sin；　arises　only　in　the　case　of　his　abetting　the　king　in　his　wrongdoing；　but　it　behoves　the　vizier；　when　the　king　takes　counsel　with　him　of　the　like　of　this；　to　show　forth　to　him　the　　against　tyranny　and　oppression　and　expound　to　him　the　principles　of　good　government；　alluring　him　with　the　reward　that　pertains　to　this　and　restraining　him　with　warning　of　the　punishment　that　he　incurs　＇in　following　his　perverse　inclinations＇。　If　the　king　incline　to　his　words；　his　end　is　gained；　and　if　not；　there　is　nothing　for　it　but　that　he　depart　from　him　on　courteous　wise；　for　that　in　separation　is　ease　for　each　of　them。'　（Q。）　'What　are　the　duties　of　the　king　to　his　subjects　and　of　the　latter　to　the　king？'　（A。）　'They　shall　do　what　he　orders　them　with　a　pure　intent　and　obey　him　in　that　which　pleases　him　and　pleases　God　and　His　apostle。　It　is　the　king's　duty　to　protect　their　possessions　and　guard　their　women；　even　as　it　is　their　duty　to　hearken　unto　him　and　obey　him　and　expend　their　lives　freely　in　his　defence　and　give　him　his　lawful　due　and　praise　him　duly　for　that　which　he　bestoweth　upon　them　of　his　justice　and　beneficence。'　（Q。）　'Have　his　subjects　any　claim　upon　the　king　other　than　that　which　thou　hast　said？'　（A。）　'Yes：　the　king's　duty　to　his　subjects　is　more　imperative　than　their　duty　to　him；　for　that　the　breach　of　his　duty　towards　them　is　more　harmful　than　that　of　theirs　towards　him；　because　the　will　of　the　king　and　the　loss　of　his　kingdom　and　fortune　betide　not　but　by　the　breach　of　his　duty　to　his　subjects：　wherefore　it　behoves　him　who　is　invested　with　the　kingship　to　be　assiduous　in　ensuing　three　things；　to　wit；　the　furtherance　of　the　faith；　the　welfare　of　his　subjects　and　the　due　administration　of　government；　for　by　the　assiduous　observance　of　these　three　things；　his　kingdom　shall　endure。'　（Q。）　'How　doth　it　behove　him　to　do　for　his　subjects'　weal？'　（A。）　'By　giving　them　their　due　and　maintaining　their　laws　and　usages　and　employing　wise　and　learned　men　to　teach　them　and　justifying　them；　one　of　the　other；　and　sparing　their　blood　and　defending　their　goods　and　lightening　their　burdens　and　strengthening　their　armies。'　（Q。）　'What　is　the　king's　duty　to　his　vizier？'　（A。）　'None　hath　a　more　imperative　claim　on　the　king　than　the　vizier；　for　three　reasons：　firstly；　because　of　that　which　betides　him　with　him；　in　case　of　error　in　judgment；　and　because　of　the　mon　profit　to　king　and　people　in　case　of　sound　judgment：　secondly；　that　the　folk　may　know　the　goodliness　of　the　rank　which　the　vizier　holds　in　the　king's　estimation　and　so　look　on　him　with　eyes　of　veneration　and　respect　and　submission；　and　thirdly；　that　the　vizier；　seeing　this　from　king　and　people；　may　ward　off　from　them　that　which　they　mislike　and　fulfil　to　them　that　which　they　love。'　（Q。）　'I　have　heard　all　thou　hast　said　of　the　attributes　of　king　and　vizier　and　people　and　approve　thereof：　but　now　tell　me　what　is　incumbent　in　the　matter　of　keeping　the　tongue　from　lying　and　folly　and　slander　and　excess　in　speech。'　（A。）　'It　behoves　a　man　to　speak　nought　but　good　and　kindness　and　to　talk　not　of　that　which　concerns　him　not；　to　leave　detraction　nor　carry　talk　he　hath　heard　from　one　man　to　his　enemy；　neither　seek　to　harm　his　friend　nor　his　enemy　with　his　sultan　and　reck　not　of　any；　neither　of　him　from　whom　he　hopes　for　good　nor　of　him　whose　mischief　he　fears；　save　of　God　the　Most　High；　for；　in　truth；　He　is　the　＇only＇　one　who　liveth　or　profiteth。　Let　him　not　impute　default　unto　any　nor　talk　ignorantly；　lest　he　incur　the　burden　and　the　sin　thereof　before　God　and　earn　hatred　among　men；　for　know　that　speech　is　like　an　arrow；　which；　once　discharged；　none　can　avail　to　recall。　Moreover；　let　him　beware　of　confiding　his　secret　to　one　who　shall　discover　it；　lest　he　fall　into　mischief　by　reason　of　its　disclosure；　after　having　relied　upon　its　concealment；　and　let　him　be　more　careful　to　keep　his　secret　from　his　friend　than　from　his　enemy；　for　the　keeping　a　secret　with　all　folk　is　of　the　performance　of　trust。'　（Q。）　'Tell　me　how　a　man　should　bear　himself　with　his　family　and　friends。'　（A。）　'There　is　no　ease　for　a　son　of　Adam　save　in　good　conduct；　he　should　render　to　his　family　that　which　they　deserve　and　to　his　brethren　that　which　is　their　due。'　（Q。）　'What　should　one　render　to　one's　kinsfolk？'　（A。）　'To　one's　parents；　submission　and　soft　speech　and　affability　and　honour　and　reverence。　To　one's　brethren；　loyal　counsel　and　readiness　to　expend　one's　good　for　them　and　assistance　in　their　undertakings　and　grieving　for　their　grief　and　joyance　in　their　joy　and　closing　of　the　eyes　toward　the　errors　that　they　may　mit；　for；　when　they　experience　this　from　a　man；　they　requite　him　with　the　best　they　can　mand　of　good　counsel　and　expend　their　lives　in　his　defence；　so；　if　thou　know　thy　brother　to　be　trusty；　be　lavish　to　him　of　thy　love　and　helpful　to　him　in　all　his　affairs。'　（Q。）　'I　see　that　brethren　are　of　two　kinds；　brethren　of　trust　（159）　and　brethren　of　society。　（160）　As　for　the　first；　there　is　due　to　them　that　which　thou　hast　set　forth；