Inquired the cause

A holy man saw a wrestler distracted and

foaming at the mouth with rage: he inquired the cause,

and was told someone had given him -abuse. He said, “This paltry fellow, who

can lift a stone of a thousand pounds’ weight, is not able to bear a single

word. Resign your boasting pretensions to strength and fortitude; you

weak-spirited Vetch what is the difference between such a man and a woman? Show

your power by engaging others to speak kindly to you; it is not courage to

drive your fist against another man’s mouth, if you are able to tear the front

of an elephant; he is no man who hath not humanity. The sons of Adam are formed

of humble earth; if you possess not humility, neither are you a man.”

Character of his brethren

They interrogated a learned man concerning

the character

of his brethren, the Soofees. He answered, “The meanest of

their excellences is, that they prefer gratifying the desire of their friends

to attending to their own affairs; and the sages have said, ‘The brother who is

intent upon his own affairs, is neither brother nor relation:’ your fellow-traveler,

if he walks faster than yourself, is not your companion; place not your

affections on any one who is not attached to you. If there be not religion and

piety amongst relatives, it is best to break off connections with our kindred.”

I recollected that an adversary objected to

the sentiment in the above distich, and said, that in the Koran the highest God

has forbidden that we should break off connection with relatives, and has

commanded us to prefer friendship with relations to that of others; and that

what I had said above was contrary to this precept. I replied, “You are

mistaken, it agrees with the Koran.

 ‘If

your parents insist that you should join as partners with me those things of

which you are ignorant, then do not obey them.’ A thousand relations, who are

ignorant of God, ought to he sacrifices for one stranger who acknowledges him.”

Merry fellow of Bughdad

A merry fellow of Bughdad married

his daughter to a shoe-maker. The little man having a flinty heart, bit the

girl’s lips in such a manner that they trickled with blood. In the morning her

father, beholding her in such plight, went to his son-in-law and said to him, “0

you worthless fellow what kind of teeth have you got thus to chew her lips, as

if they were made of leather? I am not speaking in jest; leave off’ your jokes,

and have your legal enjoyment.” When bad manners become habitual, they cannot

be got rid of until death.