一千零一夜-天方夜谭-1001 Nights(英文版)-第49章

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or　your　country　and　sundering　for　your　union　and　hurt　for　your　bodies　and　perdition　for　your　goods；　and　your　enemies　would　exult　over　you。　Ye　know　the　covenant　ye　made　with　me；　and　even　thus　shall　be　your　covenant　with　this　youth；　and　the　pact　that　is　between　you　and　me　shall　be　also　between　you　and　him；　wherefore　it　behoveth　you　to　give　ear　unto　his　mandment　and　obey　him；　for　that　in　this　is　the　wellbeing　of　your　estates。　So　be　ye　constant　with　him　unto　that　wherein　ye　were　with　me　and　your　affair　shall　prosper　and　your　case　be　good；　for；　behold；　he　hath　the　kingship　over　you　and　is　the　lord　of　your　fortune；　and　so　peace　be　on　you！'　Then　the　deathagony　seized　him　and　his　tongue　was　bridled：　so　he　pressed　his　son　to　his　bosom　and　kissed　him　and　gave　thanks　unto　God；　after　which　his　hour　came　and　his　soul　departed　＇his　body＇。

All　his　subjects　and　the　people　of　his　court　mourned　over　him　and　they　shrouded　him　and　buried　him　with　pomp　and　honour　and　reverence；　after　which　they　returned　with　the　prince　and　seating　him　on　the　throne　of　kingship；　clad　him　in　the　royal　robes　and　crowned　him　with　his　father's　crown　and　put　the　sealring　on　his　finger。　He　ordered　himself　towards　them；　a　little　while；　after　his　father's　fashion　of　mildness　and　justice　and　benevolence；　till　the　world　waylaid　him　and　tempted　him　with　its　lusts；　whereupon　he　seized　on　its　pleasures　and　turned　to　its　vain　delights；　forsaking　the　engagements　which　his　father　had　mended　to　him　and　casting　of　his　obedience　to　him；　neglecting　the　affairs　of　his　kingdom　and　walking　in　a　road　wherein　was　his　own　destruction。　In　particular；　the　love　of　women　was　stark　in　him　and　came　to　such　a　pass　that；　whenever　he　heard　tell　of　a　fair　woman；　he　would　send　and　make　her　to　wife。　After　this　wise；　he　collected　women　more　in　number　than　ever　had　Solomon；　son　of　David；　King　of　the　children　of　Israel；　and　would　shut　himself　up　with　a　pany　of　them　for　a　month　at　a　time；　during　which　he　went　not　forth　neither　enquired　of　his　kingdom　or　its　governance　nor　looked　into　the　grievances　of　such　of　his　subjects　as　plained　to　him；　and　if　they　wrote　to　him；　he　returned　them　no　answer。

When　they　saw　his　neglect　of　their　affairs　and　interests　and　those　of　the　state；　they　were　assured　that　ere　long　some　calamity　would　betide　them　and　this　was　grievous　to　them。　So　they　foregathered　privily　and　took　counsel　together；　and　one　of　them　said　to　the　rest；　'Let　us　go　to　Shimas；　chief　of　the　viziers；　and　set　forth　to　him　our　case　and　acquaint　him　with　the　strait　wherein　we　are　by　reason　of　this　king；　so　he　may　admonish　him；　else；　in　a　little；　calamity　will　betide　us；　for　the　world　hath　intoxicated　the　king　with　its　delights　and　beguiled　him　with　its　snares。'　Accordingly；　they　repaired　to　Shimas　and　said　to　him；　'O　wise　and　prudent　man；　the　world　hath　dazed　the　king　with　its　delights　and　taken　him　in　its　snares；　so　that　he　turh　unto　vanity　and　worketh　for　the　disordering　of　the　state。　Now　with　the　disordering　of　the　state　the　mons　will　be　corrupted　and　our　affairs　will　e　to　ruin。　Months　and　days　we　see　him　not　nor　eth　there　forth　from　him　any　mandment　to　us　or　to　the　vizier　or　whom　else。　We　cannot　refer　aught　to　him　and　he　looketh　not　to　the　administration　of　justice　nor　taketh　thought　to　the　case　of　any　of　his　subjects；　in　his　heedlessness　of　them。　And　behold　we　are　e　to　acquaint　thee　with　the　truth　of　the　affair；　for　that　thou　art　the　chiefest　and　most　acplished　of　us　and　it　behoveth　not　that　calamity　befall　a　land　wherein　thou　dwellest；　seeing　that　thou　art　most　able　of　any　to　amend　this　thing。　Wherefore　go　thou　and　speak　with　him：　belike　he　will　hearken　to　thy　word　and　return　unto　God。'

So　Shimas　arose　forthright　and　repairing　to　the　palace；　foregathered　with　the　first　of　the　king's　officers　to　whom　he　might　win　and　said　to　him；　'Good　my　son；　I　beseech　thee　ask　leave　for　me　to　go　in　to　the　king；　for　I　have　an　affair；　concerning　which　I　would　fain　see　his　face　and　acquaint　him　therewith　and　hear　what　be　shall　answer　me　thereof。'　'O　my　lord；'　answered　the　officer；　'by　Allah；　this　month　past　hath　he　given　none　leave　to　e　in　to　him；　nor　all　this　time　have　I　looked　upon　his　face；　but　I　will　direct　thee　to　one　who　shall　crave　admission　for　thee。　Do　thou　lay　hold　of　such　a　black；　who　standeth　at　his　head　and　bringeth　him　food　from　the　kitchen。　When　he　eth　forth；　to　go　to　the　kitchen；　ask　him　what　seemeth　good　to　thee；　for　he　will　do　for　thee　that　which　thou　desirest。'　So　the　vizier　repaired　to　the　door　of　the　kitchen　and　sat　there　a　little　while；　till　up　came　the　black　and　would　have　entered　the　kitchen；　but　Shimas　＇caught　hold　of　him＇　and　said　to　him；　'O　my　son；　I　would　fain　see　the　king　and　speak　with　him　of　somewhat　that　nearly　concerh　him；　so　prithee；　of　thy　kindness；　when　he　hath　made　an　end　of　his　morningmeal　and　his　soul　is　refreshed；　speak　thou　for　me　to　him　and　get　leave　for　me　to　e　in　to　him；　so　I　may　bespeak　him　of　that　which　shall　please　him。'　'I　hear　and　obey；'　answered　the　black　and　taking　the　food；　carried　it　to　the　king；　who　ate　thereof　and　his　soul　was　refreshed。

Then　said　the　black　to　him；　'Shimas　standeth　at　the　door　and　craveth　admission；　so　he　may　acquaint　thee　with　matters　that　particularly　concern　thee。'　At　this　the　king　anded　to　admit　the　vizier。　So　the　black　went　forth　to　Shimas　and　bade　him　enter；　whereupon　he　went　in　and　prostrating　himself　before　God；　kissed　the　king's　hands　and　called　down　blessings　upon　him。　Then　said　the　king；　'O　Shimas；　what　hath　betided　thee　that　thou　seekest　admission　unto　me？'　And　he　answered；　saying；　'This　long　while　have　I　not　looked　upon　the　face　of　my　lord　the　king　and　indeed　I　longed　sore　for　thee。　So；　behold；　I　have　seen　thy　countenance　and　e　to　thee　with　a　word　which　I　would　fain　say　to　thee；　O　king　stablished　in　all　prosperity。'　Quoth　the　king；　'Say　what　seemeth　good　to　thee；'　and　Shimas　said；　'O　king；　verily　God　the　Most　High　hath　endowed　thee；　for　all　the　tenderness　of　thy　years；　with　knowledge　and　wisdom　such　as　He　never　vouchsafed　unto　any　of　the　kings　before　thee；　and　hath　fulfilled　the　measure　of　His　bounties　to　thee　with　the　kingship；　and　He　liveth　not　that　thou　depart　from　that　wherewith　He　hath　endowed　thee　unto　other　than　it；　by　means　of　thy　disobedience　to　Him；　wherefore　it　behoveth　thee　not　to　wage　war　upon　（179）　Him　with　thy　treasures；　but　to　be　mindful　of　His　injunctions　and　obedient　unto　His　mandments。　This　I　say　because　I　have　seen　thee；　this　while　past；　fet　thy　father　and　his　injunctions　and　forswear　his　covenant　and　neglect　his　admonition　and　renounce　his　justice　and　wise　governance；　remembering　not　God's　bounty　to　thee　neither　requiting　it　with　gratitude　to　Him。'

'How　so？'　asked　the　king。　'And　what　is　the　manner　of　this？'　'The　manner　of　it；'　replied　Shimas；　'is　that　thou　neglectest　to　attend　to　the　affairs　of　the　state　and　that　which　God　hath　mitted　unto　thee　of　the　interests　of　thy　subjects　and　surrenderest　thyself　to　thine　own　inclinations；　in　that　which　they　make　fair　to　thee　of　the　paltry　lusts　of　the　world。　Verily　it　is　said　that　the　welfare　of　the　state　and　the　faith　and　the　people　is　of　the　things　over　which　it　behoveth　the　king　to　keep　watch；　wherefore　it　is　my　counsel；　O　king；　that　thou　look　well　to　the　issue　of　thine　affair；　for　thus　wilt　thou　find　the　manifest　road　wherein　is　salvation；　and　give　not　thyself　up　to　a　trifling　evanescent　delight　that　leadeth　to　the　abyss　of　destruction；　lest　there　befall　thee　that　which　befell　the　fisherman。'　'What　was　that？'　asked　the　king；　and　Shimas　said；　'I　have　heard　tell　that

　The　Foolish　Fisherman。

A　fisherman　went　forth　one　day　to　a　certain　river；　to　fish　there；　as　of　his　wont；　and　when　he　came　thither　and　walked　upon　the　bridge；　he　saw　a　great　fish　in　the　water　and　said　to　himself；　〃It　will　not　serve　me　to　abide　here；　but　I　will　follow　yonder　fish　whithersoever　it　doeth；　till　I　take　it。　for　it　will　dispense　me　from　fishing　days　and　days。〃　So　he　put　off　his　clothes　and　plunged　into　the　river　after　the　fish。　The　current　bore　him　along　till　he　overtook　it　and　laid　hold　of　it；　when　he　turned　and　found　himself　far　from　land。　However；　he　would　not　loose　the　fish　and　return；　but　ventured　himself　and　gripping　it　fast　with　both　hands；　let　his　body　float　with　the　current；　which　carried　him　on　till　it　cast　him　into　a　whirlpool　which　none　might　enter　and　be　saved　therefrom。　With　this　he　fell　to　crying　out　and　saying；　〃Save　a　drowning　man！〃　And　there　came　to　him　folk　of　the　keepers　of　the　river　and　said　to　him；　〃What　ailed　thee　to　cast　thyself　into　this　grievous　peril？'　Quoth　he；　〃It　was　I　myself　who　forsook　the　plain　way　wherein　was　salvation　and　gave　myself　over　to　coveting　and　perdition。〃　〃O　fellow；〃　said　they；　〃why　didst　thou　leave　the　way　of　safety　and　cast　thyself　into　this　destruction；　knowing　from　of　old　that　none　may　enter　herein　and　be　saved？　What　hindered　thee　from　throwing　away　what　was　in　thy　hand　and　saving　thyself？　So　hadst　thou　escaped　with　thy　life　and　not　fallen　into　this　perdition；　from　which　there　is　no　deliverance；　and　now　not　one　of　us　can　rescue　thee　from　this　strait。〃　So　the　man　gave　up　hope　of　life　and　lost　that　which　was　in　his　hand　and　for　which　his　soul　had　prompted　him　to　venture　himself　and　perish　miserably。　And　I　tell　thee　not　this　parable；　O　king；'　added　Shi