me." The king asked, "How?" He replied, "The pain of this punishment
will continue with me for a moment, but the sin of it will endure with
you forever.--The period of this life passes by like the wind of the
desert. Joy and sorrow, beauty and deformity, equally pass away. The
tyrant vainly thought that he did me an injury, but round his neck it
clung and passed over me."

The king profited by this advice, spared his life, and asked his
forgiveness.


XXXI

The cabinet ministers of Nushirowan were debating an important affair of
state, and each delivered his opinion according to the best of his
judgment. In like manner the king also delivered his sentiments, and
Abu-zarchamahr, the prime minister, accorded in opinion with him. The
other ministers whispered him, saying, "What did you see superior in the
king's opinion that you preferred it to the judgment of so many wise
heads?" He replied: "Because the event is doubtful, and the opinion of
all rests in the pleasure of the most high God whether it shall be right
or wrong. Accordingly it is safer to conform with the judgment of the
king, because if that shall prove wrong, our obsequiousness to his will
shall secure us from his displeasure.--To sport an opinion contrary to
the judgment of the king were to wash our hands in our own blood. Were
he verily to say this day is night, it would behoove us to reply: Lo!
there are the moon and seven stars."


XXXII