One of my friends complained to me about his unfavorable circumstances, saying that he had little income, many dependents, and could not bear the burden of poverty, and that he had often thought of moving to another region so that no one would know about his good or bad fortune, no matter how he lived.

Many a hungry person went to bed, and no one knew who he was

Many a soul reached the lips (was about to die), and no one wept for him

I also think of the gloating of enemies who would mock me behind my back and attribute my efforts towards my family to a lack of generosity, and say:

Look not at the one without zeal who will never

See the face of good fortune

That he chooses ease for himself

And leaves his wife and children in hardship

And as is known, I know something of accounting, and if a path is determined by your position that brings peace of mind, I will not be able to fulfill the gratitude for that blessing for the rest of my life. I said: The work of a king, O brother, has two sides: hope and fear, meaning hope for livelihood and fear for life, and it is against the opinion of the wise to expose oneself to this fear for that hope.

No one comes to the house of a dervish

To demand taxes for land and garden

Either be content with anxiety and sorrow

Or place your loved one before the raven

He said: You have not spoken appropriately to my condition and have not answered my question. Have you not heard that whoever commits treachery, his back trembles from reckoning?

Honesty brings the pleasure of God

I have not seen anyone who was lost from the straight path

And the wise say: Four people suffer greatly from four others: the unlawful from the sultan, the thief from the guard, the libertine from the talebearer, and the prostitute from the inspector, and what fear has he who has a clean account from the accountant?

Do not be extravagant in action, if you wish

That at the time of your elevation, the enemy's opportunity be limited

You be pure and do not fear anyone, O brother

Washermen beat dirty clothes on stones

I said: The story of that fox is appropriate to your situation, whom they saw running away and beside himself, falling and rising. Someone said to him: What calamity is it that causes fear? He said: I have heard that camels are being conscripted.

He said: O fool! What relation is there between a camel and you, and what similarity is there between you and it? He said: Be quiet, for if envious people say out of malice that I am a camel and I am captured, who will care about my release to investigate my condition? And by the time the antidote is brought from Iraq, the snake-bitten person would be dead. You also have virtue, piety, godliness, and trustworthiness, but the fault-finders are lying in wait and the claimants are in seclusion. If what is the goodness of your character is reported contrary to that and you fall under the king's address, will there be room for argument in that situation? Therefore, I see it expedient that you guard the realm of contentment and renounce leadership.

In the sea, there are countless benefits

And if you want safety, it is on the shore

The friend heard this and became upset and frowned at my story and began to say hurtful words, saying: What wisdom and competence, and understanding and insight is this? The saying of the wise is true that they said: Friends are useful in prison who appear as friends at the table of all enemies.

Do not consider as a friend, the one who lives in prosperity

And boasts of friendship and brotherhood

I consider a friend the one who takes the hand of a friend

In distress and helplessness

I saw that he was changing and hearing the advice with ill intent, I went to the vizier due to a prior acquaintance that was between us and explained his situation and told of his worthiness and merit until they appointed him to a minor task. After some time, they saw the kindness of his nature and approved of the goodness of his management, and his work surpassed that and he became established in a higher position than that. Likewise, the star of his fortune was on the rise until he reached the peak of devotion and became close to the court, a person pointed to and relied upon, I rejoiced at his well-being and said:

Do not worry about closed matters and do not keep a broken heart

For the water of the fountain of life is within darkness

Indeed, let not the afflicted one cry out loudly

For the Most Merciful has hidden kindnesses

Do not sit sullen because of the turning of the times, for patience

Is bitter, but has a sweet outcome

In that vicinity, I happened to travel with a group of friends. When I returned from the pilgrimage to Mecca, he met me two stages away. I saw his appearance disheveled and in the guise of dervishes. I said: What is the matter? He said: As you said, a group became envious and attributed me to treachery, and the king, may his kingdom endure, did not thoroughly investigate the discovery of the truth, and old companions and close friends became silent about the word of truth and forgot old companionship.

Do you not see that before the Lord of status

Supplicants place their hands on their chests?

If time brings him down

The whole world will step on his head

In short, I was afflicted with various punishments until this week, when the news of the pilgrims' safety arrived, he freed me from my heavy imprisonment and restored my inherited property. I said: At that time, you did not accept my advice when I said: The work of kings is like a sea voyage, dangerous and profitable; either you gain treasure or you die in the storm.

Either the master holds gold in both hands in his embrace

Or a wave one day throws him dead on the shore

I did not see it expedient to scratch his inner wound with reproach and sprinkle salt on it any further. We concluded with this word:

Did you not know that you would see a fetter on your foot

When the advice of people did not enter your ear?

Next time, since you do not have the strength for the sting

Do not put your finger in the scorpion's hole