12 At that moment a volley of shots was fired, a fanfare of trumpets was sounded, and king and tent were enveloped in a pall of smoke.  When it had cleared, the king, ensconced upon his throne, was seen surrounded by a suite of ministers, princes, and dignitaries of state who, having taken their places, were standing at attention in his presence.  A captured thief was then brought before the king, who gave the order that the offender should be beheaded.  Without a moment’s delay the chief executioner cut off the thief’s head, whence a blood-like liquid came forth.  After this the king held audience with his court, during which intelligence was received that a rebellion had broken out on a certain frontier.  Thereupon the king reviewed his troops and despatched several regiments supported by artillery to quell the uprising.  A few moments later cannons were heard booming from behind the tent, and it was announced that a battle had been engaged.

13 This Youth regarded the scene with great amazement.  When the royal audience was ended, the curtain was drawn, and, after some twenty minutes, a man emerged from behind the tent carrying a box under his arm.

14 “What is this box,” I asked him, “and what was the nature of this display?”

15 “All this lavish display and these elaborate devices,” he replied, “the king, the princes, and the ministers, their pomp and glory, their might and power, everything you saw, are now contained within this box.”

16 I swear by My Lord Who, through a single word of His Mouth, hath brought into being all created things!  Ever since that day, all the trappings of the world have seemed in the eyes of this Youth akin to that same spectacle.  They have never been, nor will they ever be, of any weight and consequence, be it to the extent of a grain of mustard seed.  How greatly I marvelled that men should pride themselves upon such vanities, whilst those possessed of insight, ere they witness any evidence of human glory, perceive with certainty the inevitability of its waning.  “Never have I looked upon any thing save that I have seen extinction before it; and God, verily, is a sufficient witness!”

17 It behoveth everyone to traverse this brief span of life with sincerity and fairness.  Should one fail to attain unto the recognition of Him Who is the Eternal Truth, let him at least conduct himself with reason and justice.  Erelong these outward trappings, these visible treasures, these earthly vanities, these arrayed armies, these adorned vestures, these proud and overweening souls, all shall pass into the confines of the grave, as though into that box.  In the eyes of those possessed of insight, all this conflict, contention and vainglory hath ever been, and will ever be, like unto the play and pastimes of children.  Take heed, and be not of them that see and yet deny.