Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 5.djvu/62

44 If I be haled away to slaughter for Thy sake Or yearning yield Thee up the last spark of my spright, ’Tis in Thy hand; hold off, grant or deny, ’tis one; At that which Thou ordainst ’tis vain to rail or flite. No aim in this my love have I but Thine approof; So, an thou choose to hold aloof, ’tis good and right. THE KING OF THE ISLAND.

There was once a rich and notable man of the children of Israel, who had a pious and blessed son. When the former’s last hour drew nigh, his son sat down at his head and said to him, ‘O my lord, give me an injunction.’ ‘Dear my son,’ replied his father, ‘I charge thee, swear not by God, whether truly or falsely.’ Then he died and certain lewd fellows of the children of Israel heard of the injunction he had laid on his son and fell to coming to the latter and saying, ‘Thy father had such and such monies of mine, and thou knowest it; so give me what is due to me or else make oath [to the contrary].’ The man would not disobey his father’s injunction, so gave them all they claimed; and they ceased not to deal thus with him, till his wealth was exhausted and he fell into sore distress.

Now he had a pious and blessed wife, who had borne him two little sons; so he said to her, ‘The folk have multiplied claims on me and what while I had wherewithal to quit myself of them, I stinted not to give it up; but now there is nothing left us, and if others make claim upon me, we shall be distressed and tormented, I and thou; so it were better for us to flee to some place, where none knows us, and earn our bread among the uttermost of the folk.’ Accordingly, he took ship with her and his two children, knowing not whither he should go; but God decreeth; there is no reverser of His decrees; and quoth the tongue of the case: