' Thy late father looked at the
damsels and their favour pleased him; so he said to them, 'Let
each of you tell me something of what she knows of the history of
bygone folk and peoples of times past.' Thereupon one of them
came forward and kissing the earth before him, spoke as follows,
'Know, O King, that it behoves the man of good breeding to eschew
impertinence and adorn himself with excellencies, observing the
Divine precepts and shunning mortal sins; and to this he should
apply himself with the assiduity of one who, if he stray
therefrom, is lost; for the foundation of good breeding is
virtuous behaviour. Know that the chief reason of existence is
the endeavour after life everlasting and the right way thereto is
the service of God: so it behoves thee to deal righteously with
the people; and swerve not from this rubrick, for the mightier
folk are in dignity, the more need they have of prudence and
foresight; and indeed kings need this more than common folk, for
the general cast themselves into affairs, without taking thought
to the issue of them. Be thou prodigal both of thyself and thy
treasure in the way of God and know that, if an enemy dispute
with thee, thou mayst litigate with him and refute him with proof
and ward thyself against him; but as for thy friend, there is
none can judge between thee and him but righteousness and
fair-dealing. Wherefore, choose thy friend for thyself, after
thou hast proved him.
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