Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 4.djvu/59

37 And a fourth

‘O my father,’ said Ali, ‘I hear and obey: what more shall I do?’ ‘Do good when thou art able thereto,’ answered his father; ‘be ever courteous and succourable to men and profit by all occasions of doing a kindness; for a design is not always easy of accomplishment; and how well saith the poet:

‘I hear and obey,’ answered Ali; ‘what more?’ ‘Be mindful of God,’ continued Mejdeddin, ‘and He will be mindful of thee. Husband thy wealth and squander it not; for, if thou do, thou wilt come to have need of the least of mankind. Know that the measure of a man’s worth is according to what his right hand possesses: and how well saith the poet:

‘What more?’ asked Ali. ‘O my son,’ said Mejdeddin, ‘take counsel of those who are older than thou and hasten not to do thy heart’s desire. Have compassion on those that are below thee, so shall those that are above thee have compassion on thee; and oppress none, lest God set over thee one who shall oppress thee. How well saith the poet: