一千零一夜-天方夜谭-1001 Nights(英文版)-第49章

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ee　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　unjust　king　taketh　of　the　money；　especially　if　it　be　but　a　little。〃

Then　he　called　down　blessings　on　the　unjust　king　and　said　to　him；　〃O　king；　I　will　ransom　myself　and　this　money　with　a　small　portion　thereof；　from　the　time　of　my　entering　thy　country　to　that　of　my　going　forth　therefrom。〃　The　king　agreed　to　this　and　left　him　at　peace　for　a　year；　till　he　bought　jewels　with　all　＇the　rest　of＇　the　money　and　returned　therewith　to　his　master；　to　whom　he　made　his　excuses；　confessing　to　having　rescued　himself　from　the　unjust　king　as　before　related。　The　just　king　accepted　his　excuse　and　praised　him　for　his　wise　ordinance　and　set　him　on　his　right　hand　in　his　divan　and　appointed　him　in　his　kingdom　an　abiding　inheritance　and　a　happy　life。

Now　the　just　king　is　the　similitude　of　the　next　world　and　the　unjust　king　that　of　this　world；　the　jewels　that　be　in　the　latter's　dominions　are　good　deeds　and　pious　works。　The　merchant　is　man　and　the　money　he　hath　with　him　is　the　provision　appointed　him　of　God。　When　I　consider　this；　I　know　that　it　behoves　him　who　seeks　his　livelihood　in　this　world　to　leave　not　a　day　without　seeking　the　goods　of　the　world　to　e；　so　shall　he　content　this　world　with　that　which　he　gains　of　the　fatness　of　the　earth　and　the　next　with　that　which　he　spends　of　his　life　in　seeking　after　it。'　（Q。）　'Are　the　soul　and　the　body　alike　in　reward　and　punishment　or　is　the　＇body　as　the＇　luster　of　lusts　and　doer　of　sins；　alone　affected　with　punishment？'　（A。）　'The　inclination　unto　lusts　and　sins　may　be　the　cause　of　earning　reward　by　the　withholding　of　the　soul　therefrom　and　the　repenting　thereof；　but　the　affair　（158）　is　in　the　hand　of　Him　who　doth　what　He　will；　and　by　their　contraries　are　things　distinguished。　Thus　subsistence　is　necessary　to　the　body；　but　there　is　no　body　without　soul；　and　the　purification　of　the　soul　is　in　making　clean　the　intent　in　this　world　and　taking　thought　to　that　which　shall　profit　in　the　world　to　e。　Indeed；　soul　and　body　are　like　two　horses　running　for　a　wager　or　two　fosterbrothers　or　two　partners　in　affairs。　By　the　intent　are　good　deeds　distinguished　and　thus　the　body　and　soul　are　partners　in　actions　and　in　reward　and　punishment；　and　in　this　they　are　like　the　blind　man　and　the　cripple　with　the　overseer　of　the　garden。'　'How　so？'　asked　Shimas；　and　the　prince　said；

　The　Blind　Man　and　the　Cripple。

'A　blind　man　and　a　cripple　were　travellingpanions　and　used　to　beg　in　pany。　One　day　they　sought　admission　into　the　garden　of　some　one　of　the　benevolent；　and　a　kindhearted　man　hearing　their　talk；　took　passion　on　them　and　carried　them　into　his　garden；　where　he　left　them　and　went　away；　bidding　them　do　no　waste　nor　damage　therein。　When　the　fruits　became　ripe；　the　cripple　said　to　the　blind　man；　〃Harkye；　I　see　ripe　fruits　and　long　for　them；　but　I　cannot　rise　to　theme　to　eat　thereof；　so　go　thou；　for　thou　art　sound　of　limb；　and　fetch　us　thereof；　that　we　may　eat。〃　〃Out　on　thee！〃　replied　the　blind　man。　〃I　had　no　thought　of　them；　but　now　that　thou　callest　them　to　my　mind；　I　long　to　eat　of　them　and　I　cannot　avail　unto　this；　being　unable　to　see　them；　so　how　shall　we　do　to　get　at　them？〃　At　this　moment；　up　came　the　overseer　of　the　garden；　who　was　a　man　of　understanding；　and　the　cripple　said　to　him；　〃Harkye；　overseer！　I　long　for　some　of　those　fruits；　but　we　are　as　thou　seest；　I　am　a　cripple　and　my　mate　here　is　stoneblind：　so　what　shall　we　do？〃　〃Out　on　ye！〃　replied　the　overseer。　〃Have　ye　fotten　that　the　master　of　the　garden　stipulated　with　you　that　ye　should　do　no　waste　nor　damage　therein？　Take　warning　then　and　abstain　from　this。〃　But　they　answered；　〃Needs　must　we　get　at　these　fruits；　that　we　may　eat　thereof：　so　tell　us　how　we　shall　contrive　this。〃

When　the　overseer　saw　that　they　were　not　to　be　turned　from　their　purpose；　he　said；　〃O　cripple；　let　the　blind　man　take　thee　on　his　back　and　carry　thee　to　the　tree　whose　fruit　pleaseth　thee；　so　thou　mayst　pluck　what　thou　canst　reach　thereof。〃　So　the　blind　man　took　the　cripple　on　his　back　and　the　latter　guided　him；　till　he　brought　him　to　a　tree；　and　he　fell　to　plucking　from　it　what　he　would　and　tearing　at　its　branches；　till　he　had　despoiled　it；　after　which　they　went　round　about　the　garden　and　wasted　it　with　their　hands　and　feet；　nor　did　they　cease　from　this　fashion；　till　they　had　stripped　all　the　trees　in　the　garden。

Then　they　returned　to　their　place　and　presently　up　came　the　master　of　the　garden；　who；　seeing　it　in　this　plight；　was　sore　angered　and　said　to　them；　〃Out　on　ye！　What　fashion　is　this？　Did　I　not　stipulate　with　you　that　ye　should　do　no　waste　in　the　garden？〃　Quoth　they；　〃Thou　knowest　that　we　cannot　avail　to　e　at　any　of　the　fruit；　for　that　one　of　us　is　a　cripple　and　cannot　rise　and　the　other　is　blind　and　cannot　see　that　which　is　before　him：　so　what　is　our　offence？〃　But　the　master　answered；　saying；　〃Think　ye　I　know　not　how　ye　wrought　and　how　ye　have　gone　about　to　do　waste　in　my　garden？　I　know；　as　if　I　had　been　with　thee；　O　blind　man；　that　thou　tookest　the　cripple　on　thy　back　and　he　guided　thee；　till　thou　borest　him　to　the　trees。〃　Then　he　punished　them　grievously　and　put　them　out　of