The laughable stories collected by Mâr Gregory John Bar Hebræ

PROFITABLE SAYINGS OF THE PERSIAN SAGES. 23
LXXXIV. Anosharwan said, "Idleness exciteth the
"thoughts, and the thoughts provoke sadness."
LXXXV. Another king commanded his son, saying,
"When thou art king do not add unto the riches of thy
"soldiers, lest they cease from thy service through
"having no need of thee; neither do thou reduce them
"to poverty, lest they hate thee. But give thou unto
"every man that which is meet for him in his own
"capacity, and act in such a way that their hope in
"thee may be ever more and more increased even
"though thy gifts to them be not multiplied."
LXXXVI. Bazarjamhir said, "Of the supporters of
"a king some are like spears which can only be used
"by those who guard [him] at a distance; and some are
"like arrows which are shot away and return not; and
"some are like swords for which it is not meet that
"they should turn away from him."
LXXXVII. Khusrau said, "Do not show hatred to
"one whom thou art unable to remove from thee."
LXXXVIII. Bazarjamhir was asked, "Why do friends
"so easily turn into enemies, for with much more diffi-
"culty do enemies become friends?" And he replied,
"Even in the same way that to overthrow a house is
"easier than to build it up, and the breaking of a
"vessel is easier than the making of it, and the spending
"of money is easier than the acquisition of it."
LXXXIX. Bazarjamhir also said, "In the season of
"Teshrin' months the crops are beautiful, and in the
"time of the month Nisan^ [we] have the flowers.
'
The first and second Teshrln months correspond roughly to
our October and November.
^ Nisan corresponds roughly to our April.