Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night - Volume 5.djvu/316

 So turn Thee to or fro, to me 'tis one; * What Thou ordainest none shall dare defame: My love hath naught of aim but Thine approof * And if Thou say we part I say the same.'" And of the tales they tell is one concerning THE ISLAND KING AND THE PIOUS ISRAELITE.

There was once a notable of the Children of Israel, a man of wealth who had a pious and blessed son. When his last hour drew nigh, his son sat down at his head and said to him, "O my lord, give me an injunction." Quoth the father, "O dear son, I charge thee, swear not by Allah or truly or falsely." Then he died and certain lewd fellows of the Children of Israel heard of the charge he had laid on his son and began coming to the latter and saying, "Thy father had such and such monies of mine, and thou knowest it; so give me what was entrusted to him or else make oath that there was no trust." The good son would not disobey his sire's injunction, so gave them all they claimed; and they ceased not to deal thus with him, till his wealth was spent and he fell into straitest predicament. Now the young man had a pious and blessed wife, who had borne him two little sons; so he said to her, "The folk have multiplied their demands on me and, while I had the wherewithal to free myself of debt, I rendered it freely; but naught is now left us, and if others make demands upon me, we shall be in absolute distress, I and thou; our best way were to save ourselves by fleeing to some place, where none knoweth us, and earn our bread among the lower of the folk." Accordingly, he took ship with her and his two children, knowing not whither he should wend; but, "When Allah judgeth, there is none to reverse His judgment;" [FN#499] and quoth the tongue of the case,

"O flier from thy home when foes affright! * Whom led to weal and happiness such flight, Grudge not this exile when he flees abroad * Where he on wealth and welfare may alight. An pearls for ever did abide in shell, * The kingly crown they ne'er had deckt and dight."