compassion for the folk and in tender solicitude over them.
Indeed, it is said, O king, that good troops[FN#170] are like the
druggist; if his perfumes reach thee not, thou still smallest the
sweet scent of them; and ill troops are like the black-smith; if
his sparks burn thee not, thou smellest his nauseous smell. So it
behoveth thee take unto thyself a virtuous vizier, a man of good
counsel, even as thou takest unto thee a wife displayed before
thy face, for that thou hast need of the man's righteousness for
thine own amendment,[FN#171] seeing that, if thou do righteously,
the commons will do likewise, and if thou do evil, they also will
do evil."

When the king heard this, drowsiness overcame him and he slept
and presently awaking, called for the candles. So they were
lighted and he sat down on his couch and seating Shehrzad by him,
smiled in her face. She kissed the earth before him and said, "O
king of the age and lord of the time and the day, extolled be the
perfection of [God] the Forgiving One, the Bountiful Giver, who
hath sent me unto thee, of His favour and beneficence, so I have
informed thee with longing after Paradise; for that this which
thou wast used to do was never done of any of the kings before
thee. As for women, God the Most High [in His Holy Book] maketh
mention of them, [whenas He saith, 'Verily, men who submit
[themselves unto God] and women who submit] and true-believing
men and true-believing women and obedient men and obedient women
and soothfast men and soothfast women [and long-suffering men and
long-suffering women and men who order themselves humbly and
women who order themselves humbly and charitable men and
charitable women and men who fast and women who fast] and men who
guard their privities and women who guard their privities [and