The laughable stories collected by Mâr Gregory John Bar Hebræ

78 THE LAUGHABLE STORIES OF BAR-HEBR^US.
"of kings and those of their servants, but they cannot
"be distinguished, for they are all alike."
CCCXIX. Unto another ascetic the king said, "Ask
"whatsoever thou wishest me to give to thee." He
replied, "[Give me] the life which is everlasting, and
"the youth which is without old age, riches which are
"never ending, and the joy which is not mingled
"with sorrow." And the king said, "I have not power
"over these things to give them to thee," whereon
the ascetic replied, "Leave me, then, to ask them of
"Him that hath power over them," that is to say, from
God in the world to come.
CCCXX. Another ascetic used to say, "If God had
"said that He was about to punish one man only, I
"should have been horribly afraid lest I might be that
"man ; and
similarly, if He had said that He was about
"to shew mercy on one man only I should not have
"despaired of being that man. For although God is
"strong and His judgment is terrible, yet His mercies
"are exceedingly manifold."
CCCXXI. Another sage said, "Whatsoever thou
"wishest to possess not to-morrow, that let go to-day;
"and that which thou wouldst have to-morrow possess
"thou thyself thereof this day."
CCCXXII. Another sage said unto certain rich men,
" I swear to you, by God, that when ye go forth from
"this world ye will lust for nothing further, except to
"return to the world, and to work righteousness that
"ye may be reckoned worthy of happiness and be
"delivered from punishment. Do righteousness then in
"the world before ye go out therefrom, for ye will
"never have the power to return here again."
CCCXXIII. Another ascetic used to say, "For forty