一千零一夜-天方夜谭-1001 Nights(英文版)-第43部分

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　kinds　of　knowledge　and　report　to　himself　every　seven　days　what　he　had　learnt。　So　they　went　in　to　the　prince　and　stinted　not　from　teaching　him　day　nor　night；　withholding　from　him　nought　of　that　which　they　knew；　and　there　was　manifest　in　him　quickness　of　wit　and　excellence　of　apprehension　and　aptness　to　receive　instruction　such　as　none　had　shown　before　him。　Every　seventh　day　his　governors　reported　to　the　king　what　his　son　had　learnt　and　mastered；　whereby　Jelyaad　became　proficient　in　goodly　learning　and　fair　culture；　and　they　said　to　him；　'Never　saw　we　one　so　richly　gifted　with　understanding　as　is　this　boy；　may　God　bless　thee　in　him　and　give　thee　joy　of　his　life！'

　When　the　prince　had　pleted　his　twelfth　（154）　year；　he　knew　the　better　part　of　all　sciences　and　excelled　all　the　sages　and　learned　men　of　his　day。　So　his　governors　brought　him　to　his　father　and　said　to　him；　'God　solace　thine　eyes；　O　king；　with　this　happy　youth！　We　bring　him　to　thee；　after　he　hath　learnt　all　manner　of　knowledge；　and　there　is　not　one　of　the　learned　men　of　the　time　who　hath　attained　to　that　whereto　he　hath　attained　＇of　proficiency＇。'　The　king　rejoiced　in　this　with　an　exceeding　joy　and　prostrated　himself　in　gratitude　to　God　（to　whom　belong　might　and　majesty）；　saying；　'Praised　be　God　for　His　mercies　that　may　not　be　told！'　Then　he　called　his　chief　vizier　and　said　to　him；　'Know；　O　Shimas；　that　the　governors　of　my　son　are　e　to　tell　me　that　he　hath　mastered　all　kinds　of　knowledge　and　there　is　nothing　but　they　have　instructed　him　therein；　so　that　he　surpasseth　all　who　have　foregone　him　in　this。　What　sayst　thou；　O　Shimas？'

The　vizier　prostrated　himself　before　God　（to　whom　belong　might　and　majesty）　and　kissed　the　king's　hand；　saying；　'The　ruby；　though　it　be　embedded　in　the　solid　rock；　cannot　but　shine　as　a　lamp；　and　this　thy　son　is　such　a　jewel；　his　tender　age　hath　not　hindered　him　from　being　a　sage　and　praised　be　God　for　that　which　He　hath　bestowed　on　him！　But　tomorrow　I　will　call　an　assembly　of　the　flower　of　the　amirs　and　men　of　learning　and　examine　the　prince　and　cause　him　speak　forth　that　which　is　with　him　in　their　presence。'

So　the　king　manded　the　attendance　of　the　keenestwitted　and　most　acplished　of　the　erudite　and　learned　and　sages　of　his　dominions；　and　they　all　presented　themselves　on　the　morrow　at　the　door　of　the　palace；　whereupon　the　king　bade　admit　them。　Then　entered　Shimas　and　kissed　the　hands　of　the　prince；　who　rose　and　prostrated　himself　to　him：　but　Shimas　said；　'It　behoveth　not　the　lionwhelp　to　prostrate　himself　to　any　of　the　beasts；　nor　is　it　seemly　that　light　prostrate　itself　to　darkness。'　Quoth　the　prince；　'When　the　lionwhelp　sees　the　leopard；　he　prostrates　himself　to　him；　because　of　his　wisdom；　and　light　prostrates　itself　to　darkness　for　the　purpose　of　showing　forth　that　which　is　thereas；　'True；　O　my　lord；　but　I　would　have　thee　answer　me　that　whereof　I　shall　ask　thee；　by　leave　of　his　highness　and　his　folk。'　And　the　youth　said；　'With　＇my　father's＇　permission；　I　will　answer　thee。'

So　Shimas　began　and　said；　'What　is　the　Eternal；　the　Absolute；　and　what　are　the　two　essences　（155）　thereof　and　whether　of　the　two　is　the　abiding　one？'　'God；'　answered　the　prince；　'（to　whom　belong　might　and　majesty；）　is　the　Eternal；　the　Absolute；　for　that　He　is　the　first；　without　beginning；　and　the　last；　without　end。　His　two　essences　are　this　world　and　the　next；　and　the　abiding　one　of　the　two　is　the　world　to　e。'　（Q。）　'Thou　sayst　truly：　but　tell　me；　how　knowest　thou　that　one　of　God's　essences　is　this　world　and　the　other　the　world　to　e？'　（A。）　'＇I　know　this＇　because　this　world　was　created　from　nothingness　and　had　not　its　being　from　any　existing　thing；　wherefore　its　affair　is　referable　to　the　first　essence。　Moreover；　it　if　a　modity　swift　of　ceasing；　the　works　whereof　call　for　requital；　and　this　presumes　the　reproduction　（156）　of　that　which　passes　away：　so　the　next　world　is　the　second　essence。'　（Q。）　'How　knowest　thou　that　the　world　to　e　is　the　abiding　one　of　the　two　states？'　（A。）　'Because　it　is　the　stead　of　requital　for　deeds　done　in　this　world；　prepared　by　the　Eternal　without　cease。'　（Q。）　'Who　are　the　people　of　this　world　most　to　be　praised　for　their　practice？'　（A。）　'Those　who　prefer　their　weal　in　the　world　to　e　to　their　weal　in　this　world。'　（Q。）　'And　who　is　he　that　prefers　his　future　to　his　present　weal？'　（A。）　'He　who　knows　that　he　dwells　in　a　perishing　house；　that　he　was　created　but　to　pass　away　and　that；　after　passing　away；　he　will　be　called　to　account；　and　indeed；　were　there　in　this　world　one　abiding　for　ever；　he　would　not　prefer　it　to　the　next　world。'　（Q。）　'Can　the　future　life　subsist　without　the　present？'　（A。）　'He　who　hath　no　present　life　hath　no　future　life：　and　indeed　I　liken　the　people　of　this　world　and　the　goal　to　which　they　fare　to　certain　handicraftsmen；　for　whom　an　amir　builds　a　narrow　house　and　lodges　them　therein；　manding　each　of　them　to　do　a　certain　work　and　assigning　to　him　a　set　term　and　appointing　one　to　act　as　steward　over　them。　Whoso　doth　the　work　appointed　unto　him；　the　steward　brings　him　forth　of　that　straitness；　but　whoso　doth　it　not　is　punished。　After　awhile；　they　find　honey　exuding　from　the　chinks　of　the　house；　and　when　they　have　eaten　thereof　and　tasted　its　sweetness；　they　slacken　in　their　appointed　task　and　cast　it　behind　their　backs。　So　they　endure　the　straitness　and　anxiety　in　which　they　are；　with　what　they　know　of　the　punishment　to　which　they　are　going；　and　are　content　with　this　trifling　sweetness：　and　the　steward　leaves　not　to　fetch　every　one　of　them　forth　of　the　house；　＇for　punishment　or　reward；＇　when　his　appointed　term　is　expired。　Now　we　know　the　world　to　be　a　dwelling；　wherein　all　eyes　are　dazed；　and　that　each　of　its　folk　hath　his　appointed　term；　and　he　who　finds　the　little　sweetness　that　is　in　the　world　and　occupies　himself　therewith　is　of　the　number　of　the　lost；　since　he　prefers　the　things　of　this　world　to　those　of　the　next：　but　he　who　pays　no　heed　to　this　paltry　sweetness　and　prefers　the　things　of　the　world　to　e　to　those　of　this　world；　is　of　those　who　are　saved。'　（Q。）　'I　accept　what　thou　sayest　of　this　world　and　the　next：　but　I　see　they　are　as　two　set　in　authority　over　man；　needs　must　he　content　them　both；　and　they　are　contrary　to　one　another。　So；　if　the　creature　set　himself　to　seek　his　livelihood；　it　is　harmful　to　his　soul　in　the　world　to　e；　and　if　he　devote　himself　to　＇preparation　for＇　the　next　world；　it　is　hurtful　to　his　body；　and　there　is　no　way　for　him　of　pleasing　both　these　contraries　at　once。'　（A。）　'Indeed；　the　quest　of　one's　worldly　livelihood　with　a　＇pure＇　intent　and　on　lawful　wise　is　a　provision　for　the　quest　of　the　＇goods　of　the＇　world　to　e；　if　a　man　spend　a　part　of　his　day　in　seeking　his　livelihood　in　this　world；　for　the　sustenance　of　his　body；　and　devote　the　rest　of　his　day　to　seeking　＇the　goods　of＇　the　next　world；　for　the　repose　of　his　soul　and　the　warding　off　of　hurt　therefrom；　and　indeed　I　see　this　world　and　the　next　as　they　were　two　kings；　a　just　and　an　unjust。'　'How　so？'　asked　Shimas；　and　the　youth　said；

　The　Two　Kings。

There　were　once　two　kings；　a　just　and　an　unjust。　The　latter's　country　abounded　in　trees　and　fruits　and　herbs；　but　he　let　no　merchant　pass　without　robbing　him　of　his　goods　and　his　merchandise；　and　the　merchants　endured　this　with　patience；　by　reason　of　their　gain　from　the　fatness　of　the　land　in　the　means　of　life　and　its　pleasantness；　more　by　token　that　it　was　renowned　for　its　richness　in　precious　stones　and　jewels。　Now　the　just　king；　who　loved　jewels；　heard　of　this　land　and　sent　one　of　his　subjects　thither；　giving　him　much　money　and　bidding　him　buy　jewels　therewith　from　that　country。　So　he　went　thither　and　it　being　told　to　the　unjust　king　that　a　merchant　was　e　to　his　realm；　with　much　money　to　buy　jewels　withal；　he　sent　for　him　and　asked　him　whence　and　what　he　was　and　erchant；　〃I　am　of　such　a　country；　and　the　king　of　the　land　gave　me　money　and　bade　me　buy　therewith　jewels　from　this　country；　so　I　obeyed　him　and　came。〃　〃Out　on　thee！〃　cried　the　unjust　king。　〃Knowst　thou　not　my　fashion　of　dealing　with　the　people　of　my　realm　and　how　each　day　I　take　their　good？　How　then　est　thou　to　my　country？　And　behold；　thou　hast　been　a　sojourner　here　since　such　a　Time！〃　〃The　money　is　not　mine；〃　answered　the　stranger；　〃not　a　doit　of　it；　nay；　it　is　a　trust　in　my　hands；　till　I　bring　it　（157）　to　its　owner。〃　But　the　king　said；　〃I　will　not　let　thee　take　thy　livelihood　of　my　country　or　go　out　therefrom；　except　thou　ransom　thyself　with　this　money；　all　of　it；　else　shalt　thou　die。〃

So　the　man　said　in　himself；　〃I　am　fallen　between　two　kings；　and　I　know　that　the　oppression　of　this　one　embraceth　all　who　abide　in　his　dominions：　and　if　I　content　him　not；　I　shall　lose　both　life　and　money　and　shall　fail　of　my　errand；　whilst；　on　the　other　hand；　if　I　give　him　all　the　money；　it　will　assuredly　prove　my　ruin　with　the　other　king；　its　owner：　wherefore　nothing　will　serve　me　but　that　I　give　this　one　a　small　part　thereof　and　content　him　therewith　and　avert　perdition　from　myself　and　from　the　money。　Thus　shall　I　get　my　livelihood　of　the　fatness　of　this　land；　till　I　buy　that　which　I　desire　of　jewels　and　return　to　the　owner　of　the　money　with　his　need；　trusting　in　his　justice　and　indulgence　and　fearing　not　that　he　will　punish　me　for　that　which　this　un