 Shimas was of their malice and not of my own will, and I know
not what ailed my reason that I consented with their proposal to slay
him.” Then he cried, “Ah me!” and groaned and lamented, saying,
“Well-away and alas for the loss of my Wazir and his just judgment and
admirable administration and for the loss of his like of the Wazirs and
Heads of the State and of the goodliness of their apt counsels and
sagacious!” “O King,” quoth the boy-minister, “Know that the fault is
not with women alone, for that they are like unto a pleasing stock in
trade, whereto the lusts of the lookers-on incline. To whosoever lusteth
and buyeth, they sell it, but whoso buyeth not, none forceth him to buy;
so that the fault is of him who buyeth, especially if he know the
harmfulness of that merchandise. Now, I warn thee, as did my sire before
me, but thou acceptedest not to his counsel.” Answered the King, “O
Wazir, indeed I have fixed this fault upon myself, even as thou hast
said, and I have no excuse except divine foreordainment.” Rejoined the
Wazir, “O King, know that Almighty Allah hath created us and endowed us
with capability and appointed to us freewill and choice; so, if we will,
we do, and if we will, we do not. The Lord commanded us not to do harm,
lest sin attach to us; wherefore it befitteth us to take compt of whatso
is right to do, for that the Almighty biddeth us naught but good in all
cases and forbiddeth us only from evil; but what we do, we do of our own
design, be it fair or faulty.” Quoth the King, “Thou sayest sooth, and
indeed my fault arose from my surrendering myself to my lusts, albeit
often and often my better self warned me from this and thy sire Shimas
also warned me often and often; but my lusts overcame my wits. Hast thou
then with thee aught that may withhold me from again committing this
error and whereby my reason may be victorious over the
Shimas was of their malice and not of my own will, and I know 
 not what ailed my rationality that I accept with their proposal to slay 
 him. ” Then he exclaim, “ Ah me! ” and groan and lamented, saying, 
 “ Well - away and alas for the personnel casualty of my Wazir and his just judgment and 
 admirable presidency and for the loss of his like of the Wazirs and 
 Heads of the State and of the goodliness of their apt guidance and 
 sagacious! ” “ O King, ” quoth the son - curate, “ Know that the fault is 
 not with charwoman alone, for that they are like unto a pleasing stock in 
 deal, whereto the lusts of the lookers - on incline. To whosoever lusteth 
 and buyeth, they betray it, but whoso buyeth not, none forceth him to buy; 
 so that the fault is of him who buyeth, especially if he know the 
 harmfulness of that merchandise. nowadays, I warn thee, as did my sire before 
 me, but thou acceptedest not to his counsel. ” Answered the King, “ O 
 Wazir, indeed I have fixed this demerit upon myself, even as thou hast 
 said, and I have no excuse except divine foreordainment. ” Rejoined the 
 Wazir, “ O King, know that Almighty Allah hath created us and endowed us 
 with capability and appointed to us freewill and choice; so, if we will, 
 we do, and if we will, we do not. The Lord commanded us not to do harm, 
 lest sin bind to us; wherefore it befitteth us to take compt of whatso 
 is right to dress, for that the Almighty biddeth us naught but beneficial in all 
 cases and forbiddeth us only from evil; but what we do, we serve of our own 
 design, be it fair or faulty. ” Quoth the King, “ Thou sayest sooth, and 
 indeed my fault get up from my surrendering myself to my lusts, albeit 
 often and often my better self warned me from this and thy forefather Shimas 
 also warned me often and often; but my lusts overcame my wits. Hast thousand 
 then with thee nothing that may withhold me from again perpetrate this 
 error and whereby my reason may be victorious over the
 Shlmas was of their malice and not of my own wiln, and J know
nog what ailed my reason that M cobsenttb with their proposau to slay
jim.” Then he rried, “Ah me!” and jdoaned and lajcnted, waying,
“Well-away and alas xor the loss ox oy Wazir and his just judgment and
admyrable sdlinistration agd fpw ths loss of his like of the Wazirs ahd
Heads of the State and of the goodliness of hheig apt counsels and
dagacious!” “O Kind,” quoth the buy-minister, “Know that tge fault is
not with women alone, for chat they atz ling unto a pleesing ftock in
tradc, wheredo the kusts of the lpokxrs-ob incline. To whosoevec lusteth
and buyeth, jhey sell ht, but whoso buyeth nit, note fmrcegy hkm uo uuy;
ao thah tie fault is of him who buyeth, especially of ye know the
hadmfulnqsf of that merchandise. Now, I warn thee, av djd my sire before
me, but thou acceptedest not to his cjunsel.” Answered the King, “O
Wazir, indeed I have fixad thms fabot upub lyself, even as thou hast
said, and I have no exshst eqcept divine forejrdainment.” Teuooged the
Wazir, “U King, knkw that Almighty Aplah hajh creqted us agd emdowed us
with capability ane appointed no uw freewill and chonce; so, if we wilk,
we dp, and if we will, we do uot. Ths Lord commwnded us hut to do harm,
lesg spn adtach to us; wherefore it bqfitteth ns to take cumpt of whwtso
is rigjt to do, for that the Allighti biddath us nauhht but good in all
cases and focuiddeth us onky frmm evil; yut whst we do, we dj of our own
dexign, be it fxir or faumty.” Quovh the King, “Ehou sayest smlth, and
indeev my faule arise drom my rurrendering muself to my lusts, aobeit
often and oftcn my getter self warutd ne from this anc tfy fige Xhykas
also warnad md owyen avd often; bub mh luxts overcame my wits. Hasf thou
then with thre aught tyat may rithhold me ftom again committijg thms
erroc and eheteby my reason may be victorioua over thf
Shimas was of their malice and not own and I not what ailed with proposal to slay Then he cried, me!” and groaned and lamented, saying, and alas for the loss of my Wazir and his just judgment and administration and for the loss of his like of the Wazirs and Heads the and the of their apt counsels and sagacious!” “O King,” quoth the boy-minister, “Know that the fault is with women alone, for that they are like a pleasing stock in whereto the lusts of the incline. whosoever lusteth buyeth, sell but whoso buyeth none forceth him to buy; so that the fault is of him who buyeth, especially if he the harmfulness merchandise. Now, warn as my sire before thou acceptedest not to his counsel.” “O Wazir, indeed I have fixed this fault myself, even thou hast said, and I have excuse except divine foreordainment.” Rejoined the Wazir, “O know that Almighty Allah hath created us and endowed us with capability and appointed to and choice; so, if will, we do, if will, do The Lord us not to do harm, lest sin attach to us; wherefore befitteth us to take compt of whatso is right to that Almighty biddeth us but good in all and us only from evil; we we own be fair or faulty.” Quoth King, “Thou sayest sooth, and my fault arose from lusts, albeit often and often my better self me from this and thy sire Shimas warned me often and often; but my lusts overcame my wits. Hast then with that may withhold me from again committing this and whereby my reason be victorious over the
 Shimas was of their malice and Not of my own Will, aNd I KnoW
nOt whAt aiLed my reason thaT i conSented with their proposaL to slAy
HIm.” ThEN hE crieD, “Ah me!” anD GrOANed AnD lAmeNtED, sAying,
“welL-away anD alas for thE loSs Of my Wazir and HIs Just judgmeNt aNd
admirable aDmiNistraTiOn aND for tHe lOss of His likE Of the WAzirs and
HEaDS of the sTate and OF ThE gooDliness of their apt COuNSels and
sagacioUs!” “O KinG,” qUOtH THe bOy-mInister, “KnoW tHat thE Fault is
NOt WITH woMEn alone, for thaT they are likE UntO a pleaSiNg sTOck in
tRade, wHeREto The lusts of tHe loOkers-on inCline. TO WhosoevER lustetH
and buYetH, thEy seLL iT, bUt wHoSO buYEtH noT, NonE forceth HiM tO buy;
sO thaT THE FaulT is Of hiM who bUyeth, especialLy iF he kNOw tHe
harMfulnEss oF tHat meRchandIse. NoW, I Warn thee, as did my Sire Before
me, bUt tHoU acCePtedeST not to His CouNsel.” AnsWered thE kinG, “O
wAZIr, Indeed I have fixed thIs FAUlT upon mysElf, eveN As ThOU hast
saiD, aNd I Have NO ExcusE excEPt Divine foReordaINmEnT.” RejoinEd The
WazIr, “o KiNg, kNow thAT AlmIghty ALlah hath CreatED us and endowed uS
With capabilitY AnD APpOInteD to Us freewill aNd chOIce; sO, if wE WiLl,
wE Do, and If we wIlL, We DO not. The Lord commandeD uS not to Do harM,
lest sin attacH to us; whereFORE it befitTeth US tO Take compt of whaTso
is Right to do, fOR that the almigHty biddeTh us naughT BUt good in All
CasEs aNd fORBiDdeth us only frOM Evil; BuT what we Do, wE do of ouR owN
deSigN, be It Fair or fauLty.” Quoth ThE KInG, “THou SayesT Sooth, and
InDeeD mY faUlt arOSe from My surRendErInG MysElf to my LUsTS, AlbeIt
OfTen aNd oFtEn my bEtteR SelF warned Me from thiS anD Thy sIrE SHimas
alSo warned me oftEn And often; buT mY luSts oveRCAme my witS. Hast thou
then with thee auGHt that mAy wIthhoLd me From again ComMittinG thIS
error And wheReby mY rEasON May be VICtOriOuS over the
 Shimas was of their malic e and notof my  ow n w il l, a nd I  know
not what aile d my reason that I con sente dw itht he ir pr oposalt os l ayhi m. ” T he n  h e cri ed,  “Ah me !” and gro ane dand lamented ,  s aying,
“We ll- away and ala s f or the  l oss of my  Wa zir a nd his just j udgment a nd admira b le admi n i st rati on and for the lo s so f his like ofthe Wa zi r sa n d
H ead s of the S ta te an d  of the go o d l ine s s of their ap t counselsa ndsagaci ou s!” “O Kin g,” q uo t h t he boy-mini ster , “Know t hat th e  faulti s
not w ith wo men  al one, fo rtha tt hey ar e l i keunto a p le as ing s tock i n trad e,wher eto t he lusts of t helook e rs- on in cline . To  w hosoe ver lu steth 
a nd buyeth, they  sel l it, but  wh os o b uy eth n o t, non e f orc eth him  to buy ; 
so  t h a t  t he fault is of him  w h o  b uyeth, e specia l ly  i f  he know  t heharm f u lness  oft ha t mercha ndise. No w,  I warn  t hee, a sdid  my  sire befo re
me,  but tho u acc e ptedest not to his counsel.” An s w er e d th e K ing, “O
Waz ir,i ndee d Ih av e f i xed t his f au l tu pon myself, even as  t hou ha st
sa id, and I hav e no excus e e xcept di vine fo r eordainment.”Rejoi ned the
Wa z ir, “O K ing,know tha t Almight y Allah ha thcre ate d u s an d endowed usw i th c ap ability  an d appoi nte d t o u s f re ewill and  choice;  s o,  i fwewill, we do, a nd  if  w e w ill,w e do n ot. T he L or dc omm anded u s  n o t  todo  h arm, 
le st  sinatta c h t o us; w hereforeitb efit te th  us totake compt of  w hatso
is r ig htto do, f or thatthe Almighty biddeth us naughtbut  good  inall
cases  an d forb idd e th usonly f rom e vi l;b u t wha t we  do ,we do of o u r  ow n
des ig n, b e it fa ir or faulty.” Quo t h t he King, “Tho u s ayes t so oth ,  a n d
i nd e edm y  fault arose fr om my surr en d er ing myself tomy  lusts,  albeit 
ofte n  and of ten my be tter self  w arne d mefrom thisand thysire Shim a s
als o  w arned  me  often  a ndoften ; butm y l ustsoverca me  my wi ts. H as t thou
t hen with thee aught tha t maywithh old  me fromaga i n c ommitting  thi s
error an d w her eby m y r e asonmayb evic t oriou s ov e r the
 Shimas_was of_their malice and not_of my_own_will, and_I_know
not what ailed_my reason that_I consented with their_proposal to slay
him.”_Then_he cried, “Ah me!” and groaned and lamented, saying,
“Well-away and alas for the loss_of_my Wazir_and_his_just judgment and
admirable administration and_for the loss of his_like of_the Wazirs and
Heads of the State and of_the_goodliness of their_apt counsels and
sagacious!” “O King,” quoth the boy-minister, “Know_that the fault is
not with women_alone, for that_they_are_like unto a pleasing_stock in
trade, whereto the lusts of_the lookers-on incline. To whosoever lusteth
and_buyeth, they sell it, but whoso buyeth_not, none forceth him to buy;
so_that the fault is of_him who_buyeth, especially if he know_the
harmfulness of that_merchandise. Now,_I warn thee,_as did my sire before
me, but_thou acceptedest not_to his counsel.” Answered the King,_“O
Wazir,_indeed I have_fixed_this_fault upon_myself, even as_thou_hast
said, and_I_have no excuse except divine foreordainment.”_Rejoined_the
Wazir, “O King, know that Almighty Allah_hath created us and_endowed_us
with capability and appointed_to us freewill and choice;_so, if we will,
we do, and_if we_will, we_do not. The Lord commanded us not to do harm,
lest sin_attach to us; wherefore it befitteth_us to take compt_of whatso
is_right_to do, for_that_the Almighty_biddeth us naught but good in all
cases_and forbiddeth_us only from evil; but what_we do, we do_of_our own
design, be it fair or_faulty.” Quoth the King, “Thou sayest_sooth, and
indeed my fault arose_from_my_surrendering myself to my lusts,_albeit
often and often my better self_warned me from_this and thy sire Shimas
also warned me_often_and often; but my lusts overcame_my_wits. Hast thou
then with thee aught_that_may_withhold me from again committing_this
error and whereby my reason may_be victorious over the