The Manners of Kings
before thou seest the occasion for speaking at hand destroy not thy power by heedless talk.
The King said: "Drive away this impudent and prodigal mendicant, who has in so a short time thrown away so much money. He does not know that the Beit-ulmal[1] is intended to offer a morsel to the needy, and not to feed the brothers of devils."
- The fool who burns by day a camphor-light
- Will soon not have an oil-lamp for the night.
One of the councillor-viziers said: "My lord! It would seem proper to grant to such persons a sufficient allowance to be drawn from time to time, so that they may not squander it. But anger and repulsion, as manifested by thee, are unworthy of a generous disposition [as also], to encourage a man by kindness and then again to distress him by disappointing his expectation. The door ought not to be opened to applicants so that, when it is ajar, it may not be shut again. Nobody sees the thirsty [pilgrims] to Hejâz[2] crowding at the bank of briny water; wherver a sweet spring happens to be, men, birds, and insects flock around it."
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