The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night, vol 2 | Page 8

His malady gained ground and restlessness was longsome
upon him and weakness bound him like a chain; so he called out,
"Hither with my son;" and when Nur al-Din Ali came he said to him,
"O my son, know that man's lot and means are distributed and decreed;
and the end of days by all must be dree'd; and that every soul drain the
cup of death is nature's need." The he repeated these lines,
"I die my death, but He alone is great who dieth not! * And well I wot,
soon shall I die, for death was made my lot: A King there's not that dies
and holds his kingdom in his hand, * For Sovranty the Kingdom is of
Him who dieth not."

Then he continued, "O my son, I have no charge to leave thee save that
thou fear Allah and look to the issues of thine acts and bear in mind my
injunctions anent Anis al-Jalis." "O my father!" said Nur al-Din, "who
is like unto thee? Indeed thou art famed for well doing and preachers
offer prayers for thee in their pulpits!" Quoth Al-Fazl, "O my son, I
hope that Allah Almighty may grant me acceptance!" Then he
pronounced the Two Testimonies,[FN#21] or Professions of the Faith,
and was recorded among the blessed. The palace was filled with crying
and lamentation and the news of his death reached the King, and the
city-people wept, even those at their prayers and women at household
cares and the school-children shed tears for Bin- Khákán. Then his son
Nur al-Din Ali arose and made ready his funeral, and the Emirs and
Wazirs and high Officers of State and city-notables were present,
amongst them the Wazir al-Mu'ín bin Sáwí. And as the bier went forth
from the house some one in the crowd of mourners began to chant these
lines,
"On the fifth day I quitted al my friends for evermore, * And they laid
me out and washed me on a slab without my door:[FN#22] They
stripped me of the clothes I was ever wont to wear, * And they clothed
me in the clothes which till then I never wore. On four men's necks
they bore me and carried me from home * To chapel; and some prayed
for him on neck they bore: They prayed for me a prayer that no
prostration knows;[FN#23] * They prayed for me who praised me and
were my friends of yore; And they laid me in a house with a ceiling
vaulted o'er, * And Time shall be no more ere it ope to me its door."
When they had shovelled in the dust over him and the crowd had
dispersed, Nur al-Din returned home and he lamented with sobs and
tears; and the tongue of the case repeated these couplets,
"On the fifth day at even-tide they went away from me: * farewelled
them as faring they made farewell my lot: But my spirit as they went,
with them went and so I cried, * 'Ah return ye!' but replied she, 'Alas!
return is not To a framework lere and lorn that lacketh blood and life, *
A frame whereof remaineth naught but bones that rattle and rot: Mine
eyes are blind and cannot see quencht by the flowing tear! * Mine ears
are dull and lost to sense: they have no power to hear!'"
He abode a long time sorrowing for his father till, one day, as he was
sitting at home, there came a knocking at the door; so he rose in haste

and opening let in a man, one of his father's intimates and who had
been the Wazir's boon-companion. The visitor kissed Nur al-Din's hand
and said to him, "O my lord, he who hath left the like of thee is not
dead; and this way went also the Chief of the Ancients and the
Moderns. [FN#24] O my lord Ali, be comforted and leave sorrowing."
Thereupon Nur al-Din rose and going to the guest-saloon transported
thither all he needed. Then he assembled his companions and took his
handmaid again; and, collecting round him ten of the sons of the
merchants, began to eat meat and drink wine, giving entertainment after
entertainment and lavishing his presents and his favours. One day his
Steward came to him and said, "O my lord Nur al-Din, hast thou not
heard the saying, Whoso spendeth and reckoneth not, to poverty
wendeth and recketh not?" And he repeated what the poet wrote,
"I look to my money and keep it with care, * For right well I wot 'tis
my buckler and brand: Did I lavish my dirhams on hostilest
foes,[FN#25] * I should truck my good luck by mine ill luck trepanned:
So I'll eat it and drink it and