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On Hypocrisy
- NYU Press
- Chapter
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٣ 3 On Hypocrisy I have understood the Sheikh’s words, “may God make me his ransom”;1 he does not intend to be a hypocrite in saying this. Mankind is far from being in agreement; yet this2 is a natural trait by which the Sheikh is distinguished from others. People coexist by means of deceit; they have come to invent novel ways of lying. If Queen Shīrīn had said to Kisrā, “May God make me your ransom, whether you are staying here or traveling,” she would be merely have been beguiling him and dissembling, no matter how much she pleased him with her unadorned beauty and appealed to him. He had taken her from a lowly state and brought her to resplendent luxury, while his close friends rebuked him for it. There are several stories and reports about them concerning this.3 It is mentioned that they said to him—but only God knows who is to be blamed or blessed—“How can the King bring himself to approve of this prostitute, who has crept into the sewer?”4 Thereupon the king gave them a parable of a wine cup (if a beautiful woman finds favor, she does not need magic beads5). He put some hair and blood in the cup and said to the person with him, unrepentingly, “Are you willing to drink the contents?” To correct him was his sole intention. “It is not nice,” replied the man, “for it is mixed with filth!” Then the king emptied the cup and rinsed it. He cleaned the vessel, sweetened it with honey, and filled it with wine. He offered it to his drinking companions. All now were happy to drink from it—who would loathe a vintage wine? “It is thus,” he then said, “with Shīrīn. So do not rush into impudence!”6 Many a lion cub dissimulates towards a lion, secretly harboring rancor and envy. Many a lioness flatters the male, liberally displaying her affection but loath to touch him. Many a lion has vented his rage on a whelp, wishing he could bury it in a deep place (“whelp” is a lion’s cub in the language of the tribe of Asad Shanūʾah).7 But the Sheikh—may God cheer this region with his vicinity!—is above being in need of such explanations. However, I fear that this letter may fall into the hands of a young servant boy, who is not very 21.1 21.2 Hypocrisy in humans and animals ٤ 4 GHl Q I ÚVGHI ،& ' aGHIb3 & * ، E P Þ C é67 C =¸ E T C [ s t uE v * [½ Àz {^ & ' ( Q IGHI ، E P Þ C é67 C 1 C q* _FC b3 ` ©1¡ W Ï(º !t GHI : ¹ C D67 C ¡ A P Þ C é67$ %C¸ TUV = A D67 C $ ê Q I W Xë$V * + , - . / E qGHlV . `*ì b3 & 0 g[ E * & ' aGHI ، = A D67 C í Ƴ Ü® :P Þ C é67 C 1GHI¨6 E·67U³î C Y¡ ،`ì * & ' () * _F :¥ * 7F=¸ GHï¸F ! 3R s t uh67= > C ðV A`B »©« { C W Ï 0 Ð ، 3R s t uh67UV & ' () ¨6·67UVGHI .  C 24 CGHI ¥ C 7UV¡ ½ ¾ * GHI ، ÂC YC GHS C` ©1 24R Q IGHSGHI ! C`©B¸F * GHI & ' ( Q IGHI ، E á Q IGHI C® & ' ( Q I = > T * _FGHI ، C E C̄ j Ç { *] & ' (^ * ñ¦C pD67F Ò Q I £ T p) ¥7=GHI : T[ V * ¥7½ÀÊ 9 ~ £a=a `© Ì j¼ GHI ، `© Ì j¼ ¥C 7ò¸FGHI 0R s t uvGHI ، E `© Ì j67 * T A ó£ C \Ç { TUV cY* GH l Q I : & ' (^ C 24 E = > GHl Q I TUV ، Ò Q I = C \Ç { & * `© Ì jÚV : ¬o >GHl Q I TUV ® Z + , - . / GHI ، _F } 9 C xô^ TUV U³´a234¡ * E `© Ì j¼ C A Ò Q I C b3GHI C õVGH C Ý] C0 [ Z Y * & gM E Q I ö ¥7$ C ÷67 YGHø & ' ( Q I E$ 0B) . E 0R s t uv T=aC GHS TUV `© Ì j¼ GHI ، E¥C 7ò¸F _F } 9 C xô^ TUV `© Ì j¼ * :& g» GHI & ' ( Q I GHï¸F .UVUVC Y = > ` Q I [ + , - . / GHI ،UVU³C Ü® 3R s t uAù§ s t uv W X E *+ , - . / ` E Q I [ í ú Q I Ç { ¨67 Y ¥7=GHI & ' () * GHS :GHï¸F GHI * . Ç {C p A \ E¼ Tû = > * R Q I ، Ç {C p A \ E¼ & ' (¢7 [ s t uC v ~ b3 `©1 :0 _FC 234} 9 xy T B \] _F0 3R s t uC vC b3 TUV c 24=a A` Ì j C GHI ، A 24C = > _F E`Bü 9 Å67...
