Company of learned men

A sensible young man, who had made

considerable progress in learning and virtue, was at the same time so discreet,

that he would sit in the company of learned men without

littering a word. Once his father said to him, “My son, why do you not also say

something what you know? ”He replied, “I fear lest they should question me

about something of which I am ignorant, whereby I should suffer shame.”

Have you not heard of a Soofee that was

driving some nails into his sandals, when an officer laying hold of his sleeve,

said, ‘Come and shoe my horse? ’ Whilst you are silent, no one has any business

with you; but when you speak, you must be ready with your proofs.

Dispute with an infidel

A man, famous for his learning, happened to

have a dispute with an infidel, and finding that argument had

no effect, he gave up the contest and retired. Somebody said, “How happens it

that you, who possess so much superiority in learning, virtue, and wisdom, are

not a match for this infidel?” He replied, u My learning is the Koran, the

traditions of the prophet, and the doctrines of the fathers, which he will

neither hear nor believe ; and what use is there in my listening to his

blasphemy ? To him who will not be convinced by the Koran and the traditions,

the proper answer is, not to answer him.”

A wise man and disgrace

Galen, on seeing a blockhead lay hold of

the collar of a wise man and disgrace him, said, “If

this man had been really wise, matters would not have come to this pass with

the ignorant. Strife and contention will not happen between two wise men, and a

wise man will not contend with a blockhead. If an ignorant fellow in his

brutality speaks rudely, the wise man will answer him with mildness. Two wise

men will not break a hair: it is the same case between an obstinate person and

one of a mild disposition; but if they are both ignorant, they will break a

chain.”

Considered as unrivalled

Suhban Wahil has been considered as unrivalled in

eloquence, in so much that if he spoke before an assembly for the space of a

year, he did not repeat the same word twice; and if the same meaning recurred,

he expressed it in a different form: and this is one of the qualifications for

a courtier. Although a discourse be captivating and sweet, commanding belief

and admiration, yet when you have once delivered it repeat it not again; for

when you have once eaten sweetmeats it is enough.