them； but now that thou callest them to my mind； I long to eat of them and I cannot avail unto this； being unable to see them； so how shall we do to get at them？〃 At this moment； up came the overseer of the garden； who was a man of understanding； and the cripple said to him； 〃Harkye； overseer！ I long for some of those fruits； but we are as thou seest； I am a cripple and my mate here is stoneblind： so what shall we do？〃 〃Out on ye！〃 replied the overseer。 〃Have ye fotten that the master of the garden stipulated with you that ye should do no waste nor damage therein？ Take warning then and abstain from this。〃 But they answered； 〃Needs must we get at these fruits； that we may eat thereof： so tell us how we shall contrive this。〃
When the overseer saw that they were not to be turned from their purpose； he said； 〃O cripple； let the blind man take thee on his back and carry thee to the tree whose fruit pleaseth thee； so thou mayst pluck what thou canst reach thereof。〃 So the blind man took the cripple on his back and the latter guided him； till he brought him to a tree； and he fell to plucking from it what he would and tearing at its branches； till he had despoiled it； after which they went round about the garden and wasted it with their hands and feet； nor did they cease from this fashion； till they had stripped all the trees in the garden。
Then they returned to their place and presently up came the master of the garden； who； seeing it in this plight； was sore angered and said to them； 〃Out on ye！ What fashion is this？ Did I not stipulate with you that ye should do no waste in the garden？〃 Quoth they； 〃Thou knowest that we cannot avail to e at any of the fruit； for that one of us is a cripple and cannot rise and the other is blind and cannot see that which is before him： so what is our offence？〃 But the master answered； saying； 〃Think ye I know not how ye wrought and how ye have gone about to do waste in my garden？ I know； as if I had been with thee； O blind man； that thou tookest the cripple on thy back and he guided thee； till thou borest him to the trees。〃 Then he punished them grievously and put them out of the garden。 Now the blind man is the similitude of the body； and the cripple that of the soul； for that it hath no power of motion but by the body； the garden is the works； for which the creature is rewarded or punished； and the overseer is the reason； which mandeth to good and forbiddeth from evil。 Thus the body and the soul are partners in reward and punishment。' （Q。） 'Which of the learned men is most worthy of praise； according to thee？' （A。） 'He who is learned in the knowledge of God and whose knowledge profiteth him。' （Q。） 'And who is this？' （A。） 'He who is instant in seeking to please his Lord and avoid His is the most excellent？' （A。） 'He who is most learned in the knowledge of God。' （Q。） 'And which is the most experienced of them？' （A。） 'He who is most constant in doing according to his knowledge。' （Q。） 'And which is the puresthearted of them？' （A。） 'He who is most assiduous in preparing for death and praising God and least of them in hope； and indeed he who familiarizes his soul with the terrors of death is as one who looks into a clear mirror； for that he knows the truth； and the mirror still increases in clearness and brilliance。' （Q。） 'What are the goodliest of treasures？' （A。） 'The treasures of heaven。' （Q。） 'Which is the goodliest of the treasures of heaven？' （A。） 'The praise and magnification of God。' （Q。） 'Which is the most excellent of the treasures of earth？' （A。） 'The practice of kindness。' （Q。） 'Tell me of three different things； knowledge and judgment and wit； and of that which unites them。' （A。） 'Knowledge es of learning； judgment of experience and wit of refection； and they are all stablished and united in reason。 He in bine is perfect； and he who adds thereto the fear of God is in the right course。' （Q。） 'Tell me； is it possible； in the case of a man of learning and wisdom； endowed with sound judgment； lucid intelligence and keen and excelling wit； for desire and lust to change these his qualities？' （A。） '＇Yes＇； for these passions； when they enter into a man； affect his wisdom and understanding and judgment and wit and he is like the eagle； which abode in the upper air of the excess of his subtlety and precaution against the hunters； but； as he was thus； he saw a fowler set up his s and bait them with a piece of meat； which when he beheld； desire and lust thereof overcame him and he fot that which he had seen of s and of the sorry case of all birds that fell into them。 So he swooped down from the sky and pouncing upon the piece of meat； was caught in the same snare and could not win free。 When the fowler came up and saw the eagle taken in his ； he marvelled exceedingly and said； 〃I set up my s； thinking to take therein pigeons and the like of small birds； how came this eagle to fall into it？〃 It is said that when desire and lust incite a man of understanding to aught； he considers the issue thereof and refrains from that which they make fair and overes his passions with his reason； for； when they urge him to aught； it behoves him to make his reason like unto a skilled horseman； who； mounting a skittish horse； curbs him with a sharp bit； so that he goes aright with him and carries him whither he will。 As for the ignorant man； who has neither knowledge nor judgment and things are obscure to him and desire and lust lord it over him； verily he does according to his desire and his lust and is of the number of those that perish； nor is there among men one in sorrier case than he。' （Q。） 'When is knowledge profitable and when availeth reason to ward off the ill effects of desire and lust？' （A。） 'When their possessor uses them in quest of the goods of the next world； for reason and knowledge are altogether profitable； but it behoves their owner to expend them not in the quest of the goods of this world； save in so far as may be needful for gaining his livelihood and defending himself from its mischief。' （Q。） 'What is most worthy that a man should apply himself thereto and occupy his heart withal？' （A。） 'Good an do this； it diverts him from gaining his living： how then shall he do for his livelihood； which he cannot dispense withal？' （A。） 'A man's day is four andtwenty hours； and it behoves him to employ one ＇third＇ part thereof in seeking his living； another in prayer and rest and the remainder in the pursuit of knowledge； for a reasonable man without knowledge is as a barren land； wherein is place for neither tillage nor treeplanting nor grass。 Except it be prepared for tillage and planted； no fruit will profit therein； but； if it be tilled and planted； it brings forth goodly fruits。 So with the ignorant man： there is no profit in him till knowledge be planted in him： then doth he bear fruit。' （Q。） 'What sayst thou of knowledge without understanding？' （A。） 'It is as the knowledge of a brute； which hath learnt the hours of its feeding and watering and waking； but hath no reason。' （Q。） 'Thou hast been brief in thine answer concerning this； but I accept thy reply。 Tell me； how shall I guard myself against the Sultan？' （A。） 'By giving him no hold over thee。' （Q。） 'And how can I but give him hold over me； seeing that he is set in dominion over me and that the rein of my affair is in his hand？' （A。） 'His dominion over thee lies in the duties thou owest him； so； if thou give him his due； he hath no ＇farther＇ dominion over thee。' （Q。） 'What are a vizier's duties to his king？' （A。） 'Good counsel and zealous service both in public and private； right judgment； the keeping of his secrets and that he conceal from him nought of that which he hath a right to know； lack of neglect of aught of his occasions； with whose acplishment he charges him； the seeking his approof on every wise and the avoidance of his wrath。' （Q。） 'How should the vizier do with the king？' （A。） 'If thou be vizier to the king and wouldst be safe from him； let thy hearing and thy speech to him overpass his expectation of thee and be thy seeking of thy need from him after the measure of thy rank in his esteem； and beware lest thou advance thyself to a dignity whereof he shall not judge thee worthy； for this would be like to presumption in thee against him。 So； if thou presume upon his mildness and assume a rank beyond that which he deemeth thy due； thou wilt be like the hunter； who used to trap wild beasts for their skins and throw the flesh away。 Now a lion used to e to the place ＇where the hunter skinned his prey＇ and eat of the carrion； and in course of time； he clapped up an acquaintance with the hunter； who would throw ＇meat＇ to him and wipe his hands on his back； whilst the lion wagged his tail。 When the hunter saw his tameness and gentleness and submissiveness to him； he said in himself； 〃Verily this lion humbleth himself to me and I am master of him； and I see not why I should not mount him and strip off his hide； as with the other wild beasts。〃 So he sprang on the lion's back； presuming on his mildness and deeming himself sure of him； which when the lion saw； he was exceeding wroth and raising his paw； smote the hunter； that he drove his claws into his guts； after which he cast him under his feet and tore him in pieces and devoured him。 By this thou mayst know that it behoves the vizier to bear himself towards the king according to that which he seeth of his condition and not to presume upon the superiority of his own judgment； lest the king bee jealous of him。' （Q。） 'How shall the vizier grace himself in the king's sight？' （A。） 'By the performance of the trust of loyal counsel and sound judgment mitted to him and the execution of his mandments。' （Q。） 'As for that which thou sayst of the vizier's duty to avoid the king's wrath and perform his wishes and apply himself diligently to the due execution of that wherewith he charges him； that is a matter of course： but how； if the king's whole pleasure be in tyranny and the practice of oppression and extortion； and what shall the vizier do if he be afflicted with the frequentation of this unjust king？ If he strive to turn him from his lust and his desire； he cannot avail unto this； and if he follow him in his lusts and flatter him with false counsel； he assumes the responsibility of this and bees an enemy to the p