Presently the wives of the Emirs and Wazirs heard that King Sharrkan had bought a hand maiden unmatched for her beauty and learning and philosophy and account keeping，and versed in all branches of knowledge，that he had paid for her three hundred and twenty thousand dinars，and that he had set her free and had written a marriage contract with her and had summoned the four Kazis to make trial of her，how she would answer all their questions and hold disputetion with them.So they asked leave of their husbands and repaired to the palace wherein was Nuzhat al-Zaman.When they came in to her，they found the eunuchs standing before her；and，as soon as she saw the wives of the Emirs and Wazirs and Grandees of the realm coming to call upon her，she arose to them on her feet and met them with courtesy，her handmaidens standing behind her，and she received them saying，'Ye be welcome！'The while she smiled in their faces so as to win their hearts；and she promised them all manner of good and seated them in their proper stations，as if she had been brought up with them；so all wondered at her beauty and loveliness and said to one another，'This damsel is none other than a Queen，the daughter of a King.'Then they sat down，magnifying her worth and said to her，'O our lady，this our city is illumined by thee，and our country and abode and birth place and reign are honoured by thy presence.The kingdom indeed is thy kingdom and the palace is thy palace，and we all are thy handmaids；so，by Allah，do not shut us out from thy favours and the sight of thy beauty.'And she thanked them for this.All this while the curtains were let down between Nuzhat al-Zaman and the women with her，on the one side，and King Sharrkan and the four Kazis and the merchant seated by him on the other.Presently King Sharrkan called to her and said，'O Queen，the glory of thine age，this merchant hath described thee as being learned and accomplished；and he claimeth that thou art skilled in all branches of knowledge，even to astrology： so let us hear something of all this he hath mentioned，and favour us with a short discourse on such subjects.'She replied，saying： 'O King，to hear is to obey.[259] The first subjects whereof I will treat are the art of government and the duties of Kings and what behoveth governors of command meets according to religious law，and what is incumbent on them in respect of satisfactory speech and manners.
Know then，O King，that all men's works tend either to religious or to laical life，for none attaineth to religion save through this world，because it is the best road to futurity.Now the works of this world are not ordered save by the doings of its people，and men's doings are divided into four divisions，government，commerce，husbandry and craftsmanship.Now government requireth perfect administration with just and true judgment；for government is the pivot of the edifice of the world，which world is the road to futurity；since Allah Almighty hath made the world for His servants as viaticum to the traveller for the attainment of his goal；and it befitteth each man that he receive of it such measure as shall bring him to Allah，and that he follow not herein his own mind and his individual lust.If folk would take of worldly goods with justice and equity，all cause of contention would be cut off；but they take thereof with violence ant after their own desires，and their persistence therein giveth rise to contentions；so they have need of the Sultan，that he do justice between them and order their affairs；and，if the King restrain not his folk from one another，the strong will drive the weak to the wall.Hence Ardeshir[260]saith，'Religion and Kingship be twins'；religion is a hidden treasure and the King is its keeper；and the Divine Ordinances and men's intelligence point out that it behoveth the people to adopt a Sultan who shall withhold oppressor from oppressed and do the weak justice against the strong and restrain the violence of the proud and the rebels against rule.For know，O King，that according to the measure of the Sultan's good morals，even so will be the time；as saith the Apostle of Allah （on whom be peace and salvation！），'There be two classes who，if they be good，the people will be good；and if they be bad，the people will be bad，even the Olema and the Emirs.'And it is said by a certain sage，'There be three kinds of Kings，the King of the Faith，the King who protecteth things to which reverence is due，and the King of his own lusts.'The King of the Faith obligeth his subjects to follow their faith，and it behoveth he be the most faithful，[261] for it is by him that they take pattern in the things of the Faith；and it becometh the folk to obey him in whatso he commandeth according to Divine Ordinance；but he shall hold the discontented in the same esteem as the contented，because of submission to the decrees of Destiny.As for the King who protecteth things to be reverenced，he upholdeth the things of the Faith and of the World and compelleth his folk to follow the Divine Law and to preserve the rights of humanity；and it fitteth him to unite Pen and Sword；for whoso declineth from what Pen hath written his feet slip and the King shall rectify his error with the sharp Sword and dispread his justice over all mankind.As for the King of his own lusts，he hath no religion but the following his desire and，as he feareth not the wrath of his Lord who set him on the throne，so his Kingdom inclineth to deposition and the end of his pride is in the house of perdition.
