h his essence was created； but he bees liable to punishment； if his soul master him and drag him into lusts。' 'But tell me；' rejoined the prince； 'by what power is the creature able to transgress against his Creator； seeing that His power is without bounds； even as thou hast set forth； and that nothing can overe Him nor depart from His will？ Deemst thou not that He is able to turn His creatures from disobedience and pel them to adhere eternally to the truth？' 'Verily；' answered Shimas； 'God the Most High （honoured be His name！） is just and equitable and tenderly solicitous over the people of His love。 （169） He created His creatures with justice and equity and of the inspiration of His justice and the abundance of His mercy； He gave them dominion over themselves； that they should do whatever they would。 He shows them the way of righteousness and bestows on them the power and ability of doing what they will of good： and if they do the opposite thereof； they fall into destruction and disobedience。' （Q。） 'If the Creator； as thou sayest； hath granted men power and ability （170） and they by reason thereof avail to do what they will； why then doth He not e between them and that which they desire of error and turn them to the truth？' （A。） 'This is of the greatness of His mercy and the excellence of His wisdom； for； even as aforetime He showed wrath to Iblis and had no mercy on him； so He showed Adam mercy； by means （171） of repentance； and accepted of him； after He had been wroth with him。' （Q。） 'He is indeed the very Truth； for He it is who requiteth every one according to his works； and there is no Creator but God； to whom belongeth power over all things。 But tell me； hath He created that which He loveth and that which He loveth not or only that which He loveth？' （A。） 'He created all things； but favours only that which He loveth。' （Q。） 'What hast thou to say of two things； one whereof is pleasing to God and earns reward for him who practices it？' （A。） 'Expound to me these two things and make me to apprehend them； that I may speak concerning them。' （Q。） 'They are good and evil； the two things innate in the body and the soul。' （A。） 'O wise youth； I see that thou knowest good and evil to be of the works that the soul and the body do ＇in conjunction＇。 Good is named good； because in it is the favour of God； and evil evil； for that in it is His wrath。 Indeed； it behoveth thee to know God and to please Him by the practice of good； for that He hath manded us to this and forbidden us to do evil。' （Q。） 'I see these two things； that is； good and evil； to be wrought only by the five senses known in the body of man； to wit； the seat of taste； whence proceed speech； hearing； sight； smell and touch。 Tell me whether these five senses were created for good altogether or for evil。' （A。） 'Hear； O man； the exposition of that whereof thou askest and lay it up in thy memory and notify thy heart thereof； for it is a manifest proof。 Know that the Creator （blessed and exalted be He！） created man with truth and informed him with the love thereof and there proceedeth from it no created thing save by the Most High decree； whose impress is on every phenomenon。 It （172） is not apt but to the ordering of justice and equity and beneficence and created man for the love of itself and informed him with a soul； wherein the inclination to lusts was innate and assigned him ableness and appointed the five senses aforesaid to be to him a means of winning Paradise or Hell。' （Q。） 'How so？' （A。） 'In that He created the tongue for speech and the hands for doing and the feet for walking and the eyes for seeing and the ears for hearing and gave them power and incited them to exercise and motion； bidding each of them do that only which pleaseth Him。 Now what pleaseth Him in speech is truthfulness and abstaining from its opposite； which is falsehood； and what pleases Him in sight is turning it unto that which He liveth and leaving the contrary； which is turning it unto that which He abhorreth； such as looking unto lusts： and what pleaseth Him in hearing is hearkening to nought but that which is truth； such as admonition and that which is in the scriptures of God； and leaving the contrary； which is hearkening to that which incurreth the wrath of God； and what pleaseth Him in the hands is not hoarding up that which He entrusteth to them； but spending it on such wise as shall please Him and leaving the contrary； which is avarice or spending that which He hath mitted to them in disobedience； and what pleaseth Him in the feet is that they be instant in the pursuit of good； such as the quest of instruction； and leave its contrary； which is the walking in other than the way of God。 As for the other lusts that man practices； they proceed from the body by mandment of the soul。 The lusts that proceed from the body are of two kinds； that of reproduction and that of the belly。 As for the first； that which pleaseth God thereof is that it be not except in the way of law； and if it be in the way of sin； He is displeased with it。 As for the lust of the belly； eating and drinking； what pleaseth God thereof is that each take nought but that which God hath appointed him thereof； be it little or much； and praise God and thank Him： and what angereth Him thereof is that a man take that which is not his by right。 All precepts other than these are false； and thou knowest that God created all things and delighteth only in good and mandeth each member of the body to do that which He hath made incumbent thereon； for that He is the allwise； the allknowing。' （Q。） 'Was it foreknown unto God （exalted be His power！） that Adam would eat of the tree from which He forbade him and so leave obedience for disobedience？' （A。） 'Yes； O sage。 This was foreknown unto God the Most High； before He created Adam； and the proof and manifestation thereof is the warning He gave him against eating of the tree and His giving him to know that； if he ate thereof； he would be disobedient。 And this was in the should have an argument wherewith he might excuse himself against his Lord。 When； therefore； he fell into error and calamity and reproach and disgrace were sore upon him； this passed to his posterity after him； wherefore God sent prophets and apostles and gave them scriptures and they taught us the divine ordinances and expounded to us what was therein of admonitions and precepts and made clear to us the way of righteousness and what it behoved us to do and what to leave undone。 Now we are endowed with ableness （173） and he who acts within these limits （174） attains ＇felicity＇ and prospers； whilst he who transgresses them and does other than that which these precepts enjoin； sins and is mined in both worlds。 This then is the road of good and evil。 Thou knowest that God can all things and created not lusts for us but of His pleasure and will； and He manded us to use them in the way of lawfulness； so they might be a good to us； but； when we use them in the way of sin； they are an evil to us。 So what of good we pass is from God the Most High and what of evil from ourselves （175） His creatures； not from the Creator； exalted be He for this with great exaltation！' （Q。） 'I understand that which thou hast expounded to me concerning God and His creatures； but tell me of one thing； concerning which my mind is perplexed with extreme wonderment； and that is that I marvel at the sons of Adam； how careless they are of the life to e and at their lack of taking thought thereto and their love of this world； albeit they know that they must needs leave it and depart from it； whilst they are yet young in years。' （A。） 'Yes； verily； and that which thou seest of its changefulness and perfidious dealing with its children is a sign that fortune will not endure to the fortunate； neither affliction to the afflicted； for none of its people is secure from its changefulness and even if one have power over it and be content therewith； yet needs must his estate change and removal （176） hasten unto him。 Wherefore man can put no trust therein nor profit by that which he enjoyeth of its painted gauds； and knowing this； we know that the sorriest of men in case are those who are deluded by this world and are unmindful of the world to e； for that this present ease they enjoy will not pensate the fear and misery and horrors that will befall them after their removal therefrom。 Thus are we certified that； if the creature knew that which will betide him with the ing of death and his severance from that which he presently enjoyeth of delight and clearance； he would cast away the world and that which is therein； for we are assured that the next life is better for us and more profitable。' 'O sage；' said the prince； 'thou hast with thy shining lamp dispelled the darkness that was upon my heart and hast directed me into the road I must travel in the ensuing of the truth and hast given me a lantern whereby I may see。'
Then rose one of the learned men who were present and said； 'When the season of Spring eth； needs must the hare seek the pasture as well as the elephant； and indeed I have heard from you both such questions and solutions as I never before heard； but now let me ask you of somewhat。 What is the best of the goods of the world？' 'Health of body；' replied the prince； 'lawful provision and a virtuous son。' （Q。） 'What is the greater and what the less？' （A。） 'The greater is that to which a lesser than itself submitteth and the less that which submitteth to a greater than itself。' （Q。） 'What are the four things in which all creatures concur？' （A。） 'Meat and drink； the delight of sleep； the lust of women and the agonies of death。' （Q。） 'What are the three things whose foulness none can do away？' （A。） 'Folly； meanness of nature and lying。' （Q。） 'What is the best kind of lie； though all kinds are foul？' （A。） 'That which averteth harm from its utterer and bringeth profit。' （Q。） 'What kind of truthfulness is foul； though all kinds are fair？' （A。） 'That of a man glorying in that which he hath （177） and boasting himself thereof。' （Q。） 'What is the foulest of foulnesses？' （A。） 'When a man boasteth himself of that which he hath not。' （178） （Q。） 'Who is the most foolish of men？' （A。） 'He who hath no thought but of what he shall put in his belly。'
Then said Shimas； 'O king； verily thou art our king； but we desire that thou assign the kingdom to thy son after thee； and we will be thy servants and subjects。' So the king exhorted the learned men and others who were present to remember that which they had heard and do according thereto and enjoined them to obey his son's mandment； for that he made him his heirapparent； so he should be the successor of the king his father； and he took an oath of all the people of his empire； doctors and braves and old men and boys； that they would not oppose him ＇in the succession＇ nor transgress against his mandment。
When the prince was seventeen years old； the king sickened of a sore sickness and came nigh unto death； so； being certified that his last hour was at hand； he said to the people of his household； 'This is a mortal sickness that is upon me； wherefore do ye summon the grandees and notables of my empire； so not one of them may remain except he be present。' Accordingly； they made proclamation to those who were near and made known the summons to those who