The Manners of Kings
STORY XXVI
It it narrated that a tyrant who purchased wood from Dervishes forcibly, gave it away to rich people gratuitously. A pious man passing near said: "Thou art a snake, stingest whom thou beholdest, or an owl: wherever thou sittest thou destroyest. Although thy oppression may pass among us, it cannot pass with the Lord, who knows all secrets. Oppress not the denizens of the earth, that their supplications may not pass to heaven."
THe tyrant, being displeased with these words, got angry and took no notice of him; until one night, when fire from the kitchen fell into the store of his wood and burnt all he possessed-transferring him from his soft bed to a hot mound of ashes-the same pious man happened again to pass, and he heard him saying to his friends: "I do not know whence this fire has fallen into my house."
He replied: "From the smoke of the hearts[1] of Dervishes."
- Beware of the smoke of internal wounds,
- Because at last an internal wound will break out.
- Forbear to uproot one heart as long as thou canst,
- Because one sigh may uproot a world.
Upon the diadem of Kaikhosru[2] the following piece was inscribed:
- For how many years and long lives
- Will the people walk over my head on the ground!
- As from hand to hand[3] the kingdom came to us,
- So it will also go to other hands.
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