The Laughable Stories Collected by Mar Gregory John

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PROFITABLE SAYINGS OF THE PERSIAN SAGES.
LXVIII. Cyrus wrote to Hormizd the sage, saying,
"If kings only knew their need of wise men, [and wise
"men knew] their need of kings, kings would never
"marvel if they stood continually at the doors of the
"wise; for the need of kings for wise men is greater
"than that of wise men for kings."
LXIX. Bazarjamhir^ said, "It is better for a man to
^ /. e., Buzurjumihr, the son of Bakhtagan^ ^^^.^^p*, a famous
Persian sage who flourished during the reign of Khusrau Ano-
sharwan, A.D. 531-579. According to Mas'udi (ii. p. 205) this
king one day assembled his wise men and asked them to give
him such advice as would be to the benefit of both himself and
his people. When all had spoken except Buzurjumihr this sage
said, "O king, all that thou desirest to hear I can say in twelve
"sentences," and when ordered to speak on he said that his counsel
was:— I. "When a king is about to fall into lust, or covetous-
"ness, or laziness, or anger, or love, to fear God, and to dread
"in the consequences of these passions not man, but God. 2. To
"be sincere in word and faithful in performing engagements; to
"carry out what has been agreed upon, and bonds and treaties.
"3. To accept the counsel of the sages in every matter. 4. To
"honour the learned, the nobles, the governors of frontiers, offi-
"cers, secretaries and officials each in his grade. 5. To watch
* For this form of the name see Tornberg, Ibn-ei-Athiriy tom. ii.
p. 368, 1. 14.
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