One of the kings of Persia sent a skilful physician to wait on Mustafa (on whom be peace!). He remained some years in the country of Arabia; but no one came to test his abilities, nor asked him for medicine. One day he presented himself before the Chief of the Prophets (on whom be peace!) and complained, saying, “They sent me to heal your companions, and during this long interval no one has addressed himself to me, that this slave might discharge the duty for which he was appointed.” The Prophet (peace be upon him!) said, “This people have a custom of not eating anything till hunger compels them, and of withdrawing their hands from the repast while still hungry.” “This,” said the physician, “is the cause of their good health.” He then kissed the ground respectfully and departed.
The wise will then begin their speech, Then towards food their fingers reach, When silence would with ills be rife, When fasting would endanger life: Such speech were, certes, wisdom, too, And from such food will health accrue.
The wise will then begin their speech, Then towards food their fingers reach, When silence would with ills be rife, When fasting would endanger life: Such speech were, certes, wisdom, too, And from such food will health accrue.
A person made frequent vows of repentance and broke them again, till a venerable personage said to him, “I understand that thou hast the habit of gormandizing, and the bond of thy appetites—that is to say, thy vows of penitence—is finer than a hair; and thy appetites, as thou fosterest them, would break a chain; and a day will come when they will destroy thee.”
A wolf’s whelp had been fostered till, one day, Grown strong, it tore its master’s life away.
In the annals of Ardashir Babakan, it is related that he asked an Arabian physician how much food ought to be eaten daily. He replied, “A hundred dirhams’ weight would suffice.” The king replied, “What strength will this quantity give?” The physician answered, “This quantity will carry thee; and that which is in excess of it thou must carry”; or, “This quantity will support thee, and thou must support whatever thou addest to this.”
A wolf’s whelp had been fostered till, one day, Grown strong, it tore its master’s life away.
In the annals of Ardashir Babakan, it is related that he asked an Arabian physician how much food ought to be eaten daily. He replied, “A hundred dirhams’ weight would suffice.” The king replied, “What strength will this quantity give?” The physician answered, “This quantity will carry thee; and that which is in excess of it thou must carry”; or, “This quantity will support thee, and thou must support whatever thou addest to this.”
We eat to live, God’s praises to repeat; Thou art persuaded that we live to eat.
Two darweshes of Khurasan, travelling together, united in companionship. One was weak, and was in the habit of breaking his fast after every two nights; and the other was strong, and made three meals a day. It happened that at the gate of a city they were seized, on suspicion of being spies, and were both imprisoned, and the door closed up with mud. After two weeks it was discovered that they were innocent. They opened the door, and found the strong man dead, and the weak man safe and alive. They were still in astonishment at this, when a wise man said, “The opposite of this would have been strange; for this man was a great eater, and could not support the being deprived of food, and so perished. But the other was in the habit of controlling himself; he endured, as was his wont, and was saved.”
Two darweshes of Khurasan, travelling together, united in companionship. One was weak, and was in the habit of breaking his fast after every two nights; and the other was strong, and made three meals a day. It happened that at the gate of a city they were seized, on suspicion of being spies, and were both imprisoned, and the door closed up with mud. After two weeks it was discovered that they were innocent. They opened the door, and found the strong man dead, and the weak man safe and alive. They were still in astonishment at this, when a wise man said, “The opposite of this would have been strange; for this man was a great eater, and could not support the being deprived of food, and so perished. But the other was in the habit of controlling himself; he endured, as was his wont, and was saved.”
STANZA.
When to eat little is one’s habit grown, Then, should we want, we bear it easily; Do we indulge when plenty is our own, Then, when want happens, we of hardship die.
Story VIII.
A sage forbade his son to eat much, as satiety causes sickness. The son replied, “O my father! hunger kills. Hast thou not heard what the wits have said? ‘That it is better to die of repletion than to endure hunger.’” The father answered, “Observe moderation; for God Most High has said, ‘Eat and drink; but do not exceed.’”
COUPLET.
Eat not so as to cause satiety; Nor yet so little as of want to die.
STANZA.
The sense by food is gratified; yet still Th’ excess of it brings sickness. Did you eat Conserve of roses in excess, ’twere ill: Eat late; then bread is as that conserve sweet.
Story IX.
They said to a sick man, “What does thy heart desire?” He replied, “Only that it may desire something.”
When to eat little is one’s habit grown, Then, should we want, we bear it easily; Do we indulge when plenty is our own, Then, when want happens, we of hardship die.
Story VIII.
A sage forbade his son to eat much, as satiety causes sickness. The son replied, “O my father! hunger kills. Hast thou not heard what the wits have said? ‘That it is better to die of repletion than to endure hunger.’” The father answered, “Observe moderation; for God Most High has said, ‘Eat and drink; but do not exceed.’”
COUPLET.
Eat not so as to cause satiety; Nor yet so little as of want to die.
STANZA.
The sense by food is gratified; yet still Th’ excess of it brings sickness. Did you eat Conserve of roses in excess, ’twere ill: Eat late; then bread is as that conserve sweet.
Story IX.
They said to a sick man, “What does thy heart desire?” He replied, “Only that it may desire something.”
COUPLET.
For stomachs loaded or oppressed with pain, The costliest viands are prepared in vain.
Story X.
In the city of Wasit, some Sufis had incurred a debt of a few dirams to a butcher. Every day he dunned them, and spoke roughly to them. The society were distressed by his reproaches, but had no remedy, save patience. A holy man among them said, “It is easier to put off the stomach with a promise of food, than the butcher with a promise of payment.”
STANZA.
Better renounce the favour of the great, Than meet their porter’s gibes at thy expense; Rather through want of food succumb to fate, Than bear the butcher’s dunning insolence.
Story XI.
A brave man had received a terrible wound in a war with the Tartars. Some one said to him, “Such a merchant possesses a remedy. If thou ask him, perhaps he may give thee a little.” Now they say that that merchant was as notorious for his stinginess as Hatim Till for his liberality.
For stomachs loaded or oppressed with pain, The costliest viands are prepared in vain.
Story X.
In the city of Wasit, some Sufis had incurred a debt of a few dirams to a butcher. Every day he dunned them, and spoke roughly to them. The society were distressed by his reproaches, but had no remedy, save patience. A holy man among them said, “It is easier to put off the stomach with a promise of food, than the butcher with a promise of payment.”
STANZA.
Better renounce the favour of the great, Than meet their porter’s gibes at thy expense; Rather through want of food succumb to fate, Than bear the butcher’s dunning insolence.
Story XI.
A brave man had received a terrible wound in a war with the Tartars. Some one said to him, “Such a merchant possesses a remedy. If thou ask him, perhaps he may give thee a little.” Now they say that that merchant was as notorious for his stinginess as Hatim Till for his liberality.