There lived onceof old daysin the land of Khorassana merchant called Mejdeddinwho had great wealth and many slaves and servantsblack and white；but he was childless until he reached the age of threescorewhen God the Most High vouchsafed him a sonwhom he named Ali Shar. The boy grew up like the moon on the night of its fulland when he came to man's estate and was endowed with all kinds of perfectionhis father fell sick of a mortal malady and calling his son to himsaid to him'O my sonthe hour of my death is at handand I desire to give thee my last injunctions.'And what are theyO my father？'asked Ali. 'O my son，'answered Mejdeddin'I charge theebe not [too]familiar with any and eschew what leads to evil and mischief.
Beware lest thou company with the wicked；for he is like the blacksmith；if his fire burn thee nothis smoke irks thee： and how excellent is the saying of the poet：
There is no man in all the world whose love thou shouldst desire，No friend whoif fate play thee falsewill true and constant be.
Wherefore I'd have thee live apart and lean for help on none. In this I give thee good advice；so let it profit thee.
And what another saith：
Men are a latent malady；Count not on themI counsel thee.
An if thou look into their caseThey're full of guile and perfidy.
And yet a third：
The company of men will profit thee in noughtExcept to pass away the time in idle prate；
So spare thou to converse with themexcept it be For gain of lore and wit or mending of estate.
And a fourth If a quickwitted man have made proof of mankindI have eaten of themwhere but tasted hath he，And have seen their affection but practice and nought But hypocrisy found their religion to be.'
'O my father，'said Ali'I hear and obey： what more shall I do？'
'Do good when thou art able thereto，'answered his father；'be ever courteous and succourable to men and profit by all occasions of doing a kindness；for a design is not always easy of accomplishment；and how well saith the poet：
'Tis not at every time and season that to do Kind offices，indeedis easy unto you；Sowhen the occasion servesmake haste to profit by'tLest by and by the power should fail thee thereunto.'
'I hear and obey，'answered Ali；'what more？'Be mindful of God，'continued Mejdeddin'and He will be mindful of thee.
Husband thy wealth and squander it not；forif thou dothou wilt come to have need of the least of mankind. Know that the measure of a man's worth is according to what his right hand possesses： and how well saith the poet：
If wealth should failthere is no friend will bear me company，But whilst my substance yet aboundsall men are friends to me.
How many a foe for money's sake hath companied with me！ How many a friend for loss thereof hath turned mine enemy！'
'What more？'asked Ali. 'O my son，'said Mejdeddin'take counsel of those who are older than thou and hasten not to do thy heart's desire. Have compassion on those that are below theeso shall those that are above thee have compassion on thee；and oppress nonelest God set over thee one who shall oppress thee. How well saith the poet：
Add others'wit to thine and counsel still ensue；For that the course of right is not concealed from two.
One mirror shows a man his facebutif thereto Another one he addhis nape thus can he view.
And as saith another：
Be slow to move and hasten not to match thy heart's desire： Be merciful to allas thou on mercy reckonest；
For no hand is there but the hand of God is over itAnd no oppressor but shall be with worse than he opprest.
And yet another：
Do no oppressionwhilst the power thereto is in thine hand；For still in peril of revenge the sad oppressor goes.
Thine eyes will sleep anonwhat while the oppreston wakecall down Curses upon theeand God's eye shuts never in repose.
Beware of drinking winefor it is the root of all evil： it does away the reason and brings him who uses it into contempt；and how well saith the poet：
By Allahwine shall never invade mewhilst my soul Endureth in my body and my thoughts my words control！
Not a day long will I turn me to the zephyr-freshened bowlAnd for friend I'll choose him only who of wine-bibbing is whole.
Thisthen，'added Mejdeddin'is my charge to thee；keep it before thine eyesand may God stand to thee in my stead.'Then he swooned away and kept silence awhile. When he came to himself，he besought pardon of God and making the profession of the Faith，was admitted to the mercy of the Most High. His son wept and lamented for him and made due preparation for his burial. Great and small attended him to the grave and the readers recited the Koran about his bier；nor did Ali Shar omit aught of what was due to the dead. Then they prayed over him and committed him to the earthgraving these words upon his tomb：
Created of the dust thou wast and cam'st to life And eloquence didst learn and spokest many a word；Then to the dust again returnedst and wast deadAs 'twere from out the dustindeedthou'dst never stirred.
His son Ali Shar grieved for him and mourned him after the wont of men of condition；nor did he cease therefrom till his mother died alsonot long afterwardwhen he did with her as he had done with his father. Then he sat in the shopselling and buying and consorting with none of God's creaturesin accordance with his father's injunction.
On this wise he abode for a yearat the end of which time there came in to him certain whoreson fellows by craft and companied with himtill he turned with them to lewdness and swerved from the right waydrinking wine in goblets and frequenting the fair night and day；for he said in himself'My father amassed this wealth for meand if I spend it notto whom shall I leave it？
By AllahI will not do save as saith the poet：
If all the days of thy life thou get And heap up treasureto swell thy hoard，When wilt thou use it and so enjoy That thou hast gathered and gained and stored？'
