ating, the
Compassionate! Peace be upon him who hath gotten pardon and deliverance
and the mercy of the Merciful! But after. O thou who pretendest thyself
a mighty King and art but a King in word and not in deed, we give thee
to know that thy letter hath reached us and we have read it and have
taken note of that which is therein of absurdities and peregrine
extravagances, whereby we are certified of thine ignorance and ill-will
to us. Verily, thou hast put out thy hand to that whereunto thou canst
never reach; and, but that we have compassion on Allah’s creatures and
the lieges, we had not held back from thee. As for thy messenger, he
went forth to the market-streets and published the news of thy letter to
great and small, whereby he merited retaliation from us; but we spared
him and remitted his offence, of pity for him, seeing that he is
excusable with thee and not for aught of respect to thyself. As for that
whereof thou makest mention in thy letter of the slaying of my Wazirs
and Olema and Grandees, this is the truth and this I did for a reason
that arose with me, and I slew not one man of learning but there are
with me a thousand of his kind, wiser than he and cleverer and wittier;
nor is there with me a child but is filled with knowledge, and I have,
in the stead of each of the slain, of those who surpass in his kind,
what is beyond count. Each man of my troops also can cope with an horde
of thine, whilst, as for monies I have a manufactory that maketh every
day a thousand pounds of silver, besides gold, and precious stones are
with me as pebbles; and as for the people of my possessions I cannot set
forth to thee their goodliness and abundance of means. How darest thou,
therefore, presume upon us and say to us, Build me a castle amiddlemost
the main? Verily, this is a marvellous thing, and doubtless it ariseth
from the slightness of thy wit; for hadst thou aught of sense, thou
hadst enquired of the beatings of the billows and the waft
ating, the 
 Compassionate! Peace be upon him who hath gotten pardon and deliverance 
 and the mercy of the Merciful! But after. O thousand who pretendest thyself 
 a mighty baron and artwork but a King in word and not in deed, we hold thee 
 to know that thy letter hath reached us and we have take it and have 
 taken note of that which is therein of absurdity and peregrine 
 extravagances, whereby we are certified of thine ignorance and ill - volition 
 to us. Verily, thou hast put out thy hand to that whereunto thou canst 
 never reach; and, but that we have compassion on Allah ’s creature and 
 the lieges, we had not held back from thee. As for thy messenger, he 
 went forth to the market - street and published the news of thy letter to 
 great and little, whereby he merited retaliation from us; but we spared 
 him and remitted his offence, of commiseration for him, seeing that he is 
 excusable with thee and not for aught of respect to thyself. As for that 
 whereof thou makest mention in thy letter of the slaying of my Wazirs 
 and Olema and Grandees, this is the accuracy and this I did for a reason 
 that arose with me, and I slew not one man of learning but there constitute 
 with me a thousand of his kind, wiser than he and cleverer and wittier; 
 nor is there with me a child but is filled with knowledge, and I have, 
 in the stead of each of the slain, of those who surpass in his kind, 
 what is beyond count. Each man of my troops also can cope with an horde 
 of thine, whilst, as for monies I suffer a manufactory that maketh every 
 day a thousand egyptian pound of silver medal, besides gold, and precious stones are 
 with me as pebble; and as for the people of my possession I cannot set 
 forth to thee their goodliness and abundance of means. How darest thousand, 
 therefore, presume upon us and say to us, Build me a castle amiddlemost 
 the main? Verily, this is a marvellous thing, and doubtless it ariseth 
 from the slightness of thy wit; for hadst thou aught of sense, thou 
 hadst enquired of the beating of the billows and the pennant
atijg, the
Compassionate! Peact be upon him who hath gmtten lardon avd deliverance
and the mercy lf the Nerciful! But after. O tfou who pgetendest thywwlf
a mightb King akb art nut a Jing in word akd not in daed, we give thae
go know that thy letter hath reached ts and ee have read it wnd nwve
tzken note of that which is therein of abslrdities and perebrine
extravagances, whereby we wre certified of tjine ignorabce wbd ill-will
to us. Verily, thou hast pot out thy hand to that whereuntu thob canst
nevet dewwh; and, but vhat wv have compassion on Dllah’s vreatures and
tme lixges, we had not held back from thee. As for jhy messencex, he
went forth to the mqrket-vtreats xbd oubmixhsd the nexs of thy lstter to
greqt and small, wherebu rv merited retzliatijn from us; but we spared
him and remitted vis offence, of pity for hin, seeing that he is
exfusable wyth thee and not for aught of respect to thyself. Ds foc ghau
wmcreow tjou makest mention in thy letter of the slayigf pf my Wazirs
and Jlema and Gtajdrgs, this is the truth ans this I did for a reason
jhat aeose with me, snd I slew not one man of lwarning but nherw are
with me a thobsand of his kinc, wisrr than he and cleverer and wittier;
nor is there dith me a child cut iv filled with knowledge, anq I have,
ii the stead uf esch of the slain, of tmmse who surpass in his nitd,
what is heyond count. Each man of my troops also can cppa wpth an hoxde
of bhine, whilst, as for monies I kave a mcnufacgory that jaketh xvery
day a trousand poundv of silver, bxsides gojd, abd peecious rtones are
with me as peyyles; and qs for the people pf og possessions I cabnot set
forth tp tfee tjemr gojgliness and dbunaanzr of oeans. How dcrdst yhou,
therefore, presuma upkn us and say to ux, Nuild me q castle amiddlemost
tne main? Verily, thid is e marvxllous thyng, and doubtless it ariseth
frkm the sllghbness of thy rit; nor radst thou aught of sense, thou
hadst enquired of tie beatings of the billiws and the waft
ating, the Compassionate! Peace be upon him gotten and deliverance the mercy of thou pretendest thyself a King and art a King in word and not deed, we give thee to know that thy letter hath reached us and have read it and have taken note of that which is therein of and extravagances, we certified of thine ignorance and ill-will to us. Verily, thou hast put out thy hand to whereunto thou canst never reach; and, but that have compassion on Allah’s and the lieges, we had held from thee. for messenger, went forth to market-streets and published the news of thy letter to great and small, whereby he merited retaliation from but we and remitted offence, pity him, seeing that excusable with thee and not for to thyself. As for that whereof thou makest in thy of the slaying of my Wazirs Olema and Grandees, this is the truth and I did for a reason that arose with me, and I slew not one man but there are with a thousand of kind, than and and wittier; is there with me a child but is filled with knowledge, I have, in the stead of each of the slain, who in his kind, is beyond count. Each of troops also can cope horde thine, monies have manufactory that maketh every a thousand pounds of silver, gold, and precious stones and as for the people of my possessions cannot set forth to thee their goodliness abundance of means. How darest thou, therefore, presume upon us and say us, Build castle amiddlemost the main? Verily, this is a thing, and doubtless it from the slightness of thy wit; for hadst thou of thou hadst of the beatings the billows and waft
ating, the
Compassionate! PeacE be upon him Who haTh gOttEn PardOn anD deliverance
anD The mErcy of the Merciful! But afTer. O tHoU Who pREtEndesT thyselF
A mIGHty kiNg And ArT BuT a KinG in Word and Not in deed, wE giVe Thee
to know thAT tHy letter haTh rEached us and wE haVe read It And HAve
taKen Note oF that wHIch is tHerein of aBsURditieS And pereGRInE
extRavagances, whereby WE aRE certified of thIne ignOrANcE ANd iLl-wIll
to us. VerIlY, thou HAst put oUT tHY HAnd TO that whereuntO thou canst
nEVer Reach; aNd, But THat we hAve coMpASsiOn on Allah’s cReatUres and
thE liegeS, We had noT Held bacK from tHee. as fOr thY MeSsEngEr, HE
weNT fOrtH To tHe market-StReEts anD pubLISHEd thE neWs of Thy leTter to
great anD smAll, wHEreBy he mEriteD retAlIatioN from uS; but wE sPared
him and remiTted His offencE, of PiTy fOr Him, seEIng thaT he Is
eXcusablE with thEE anD nOT FOr Aught of respect to thYsELF. AS for that
WhereoF ThOu MAkest menTiOn iN thy LETter oF the SLaYing of my wazirs
ANd olEma and GRaNdees, tHiS is The Truth ANd thIs I did For a reasOn
thaT Arose with me, and i Slew not one man OF lEARnINg buT thEre are
with mE a thOUsanD of hIS kInd, WIser tHan he AnD ClEVerer and wittier;
nor iS tHere wiTh me a Child but is filLed with knoWLEDge, and I hAve,
iN ThE Stead of each of tHe slaIn, of those wHO surpass In his Kind,
what Is beyond cOUNt. Each maN of My tRooPs aLSO cAn cope with an hORDe
of ThIne, whilSt, aS for monIes i haVe a ManUfActory thaT maketh eVeRy
DaY a ThoUsand POunds of sIlVer, BeSidEs golD, And preCious StonEs ArE
WitH me as peBBlES; And aS fOr The pEopLe Of my pOsseSSioNs I cannOt set
fortH to THee tHeIr GoodlinEss and abundanCe Of means. How DaResT thou,
tHERefore, prEsume upon us and say to us, BuILd me a caStlE amidDlemOst
the maiN? VeRily, thIs iS A marveLlous tHing, aNd DouBTLess iT ARiSetH
fRom the sligHTNesS of thY wIt; foR hadst tHou aught of sense, thoU
HadSt enquired of tHe bEatiNGS oF thE BiLLowS aND thE WAft
ating, the
Compassionate!Peace be u pon h imwho  h athgott en pardon andd eliv erance
and the mercy o f the  M e rcif u l!  Butafter.O  t h o u w ho  p ret en d es t thy sel f
a mig hty King a ndar t but a King in  word andnot  in deed, we  gi ve the etok now t hat  thyletter hath r eached us  a n d we h a ve read i tandhave
taken note o f  t h at which is th ereinof ab s u rdi tie s and pere gr ine
e x travaga n ce s , whe r eby we are ce rtified oft hin e igno ra nce and il l-wil lt o u s. Verily,thou  hast put  out t h y handt o thatwhereu nto  th ou c a ns tnev er rea c h;  an d , b ut thatwe  h ave c ompa s s i o n on  Al lah’ s cre atures and
th e l iege s , w e had  notheld  b ack f rom th ee. A sfor thy messeng er,he
went f ort htoth e mar k et-str eet s a nd publ ished t h e n ew s o fthy letter to
grea ta n dsmall, w hereby he  m e rited re ta lia tion f rom u s; b u twe spare d
hima nd  r emitted  h is off en ce,  of  pity forhim, s eeing th at he is
excusable w i th thee and n o tf o ra ught  of  respect to  thy s elf.  Asf or  th a t
whe reofth o um akest mention in th yletter  of t he slaying of  my Wazirs a n d OlemaandG ra n dees, this isthe t ruth and t h is I did  fora reason 
that aro s e  with me , a ndI s lew n ot  one man of l e a rnin gbut the reare
wit h m e a  th ous an d of hiskind, wi se rth an  he  andc levereran d w it tie r;
no r  is th ere w ithme  a chi ld buti sf i lled  w it h kn owl ed ge, a nd I hav e,
in t he steadofe achof  t he slai n, of those w ho  surpass i nhis  kind, w hat is b eyond count. Each man o f  my tro ops  also  can  cope wit h a n hord e
o f  thine , whil st, a sfor m onies I  h ave  a  manufacto r y  th at ma ke th e very
da y a thousand pound s  of  silver, besi des  gol d ,  a ndp re c iou ss ton e s  are
with me as  pebbles;an d  a s for thep eop le  of mypossess ionsI  cannot  set
fort h to thee  t heir g ood liness and  abundan ce of mea n s. Ho w  d arest  th ou,
th er efo re, p resume upo n usand sa yto us,  Buil dme a cas tle amiddlemost
the mai n? Ver ily,thi s is a ma rve l lou s thing,anddoubtlessitari sethfro m  theslig h tn ess of th y wi t ; for had s ttho u au ght of sens e , tho u
had ste nquire d of  the beatings oft he billows and  the w aft 
ating, the
Compassionate!_Peace be_upon him who hath_gotten pardon_and_deliverance
and the_mercy_of the Merciful!_But after. O_thou who pretendest thyself
a_mighty King and_art_but a King in word and not in deed, we give thee
to know that_thy_letter hath_reached_us_and we have read it_and have
taken note of that_which is_therein of absurdities and peregrine
extravagances, whereby we are_certified_of thine ignorance_and ill-will
to us. Verily, thou hast put out thy_hand to that whereunto thou canst
never_reach; and, but_that_we_have compassion on Allah’s_creatures and
the lieges, we had not_held back from thee. As for_thy messenger, he
went forth to the market-streets_and published the news of thy_letter to
great and small, whereby_he merited_retaliation from us; but we_spared
him and remitted_his offence,_of pity for_him, seeing that he is
excusable with_thee and not_for aught of respect to thyself._As_for that
whereof thou_makest_mention_in thy_letter of the_slaying_of my_Wazirs
and_Olema and Grandees, this is the_truth_and this I did for a reason
that_arose with me, and_I_slew not one man_of learning but there are
with_me a thousand of his kind,_wiser than_he and_cleverer and wittier;
nor is there with me a child but is_filled with knowledge, and I have,
in_the stead of each_of the_slain,_of those who_surpass_in his_kind,
what is beyond count. Each man of_my troops_also can cope with an horde
of_thine, whilst, as for_monies_I have a manufactory that maketh_every
day a thousand pounds of silver,_besides gold, and precious stones_are
with_me_as pebbles; and as for_the people of my possessions I_cannot set
forth to_thee their goodliness and abundance of means._How_darest thou,
therefore, presume upon us and_say_to us, Build me a castle_amiddlemost
the_main?_Verily, this is a marvellous_thing, and doubtless it ariseth
from the_slightness of thy wit; for hadst thou aught of_sense, thou
hadst enquired_of the beatings of the_billows_and_the waft