O dear my son, desire not formal beauty which fadeth and vadeth while fair report endureth unto infinity.  O dear my son, be not deceived by a woman immodest of speech lest her snares waylay thee[FN#22] and in her springes thou become a prey and thou die by ignominious death.  O dear my son, hanker not after a woman adulterated by art, such as clothes and cosmetics, who is of nature bold and immodest, and beware lest thou obey her and give her aught that is not thine and entrust to her even that which is in thy hand, for she will robe thee in sin and Allah shall become wroth with thee.  O dear my son, be not like unto the almond-tree[FN#23] which leafeth earlier than every growth and withal is ever of the latest to fruit; but strive to resemble the mulberry-tree which beareth food the first of all growths and is the last of any to put forth her foliage.[FN#24] O dear my son, bow thy head before thine inferior and soften thine utterance and be courteous and tread in the paths of piety, and shun impudence and louden not thy voice whenas thou speakest or laughest; for, were a house to be builded by volume of sound, the ass would edify many a mansion every day.[FN#25] O dear my son, the transport of stones with a man of wisdom is better than the drinking of wine with one blamed for folly.  O dear my son, rather pour out thy wine upon the tombs of the pious than drain it with those who give offence by their insolence.  O dear my son, cleave to the sage that is Allah-fearing and strive to resemble him, and approach not the fool lest thou become like unto him and learn his foolish ways.  O dear my son, whenas thou affectest a friend or a familiar, make trial of him and then company with him, and without such test nor praise him nor divulge thy thoughts unto one who is other than wise.  O dear my son, as long as thy boot is upon thy leg and foot, walk therewith over the thorns and tread a way for thy sons and thy sons’ sons; and build thee a boat ere the sea break into billows and breakers and drown thee before thou find an ark of safety.  O dear my son, when the richard eateth a snake, folks shall say that ’tis of his subtilty; but when a pauper feedeth upon it, the world shall declare ’tis of his poverty.  O dear my son, be content with thy grade and thy good, nor covet aught of thy fellow.  O dear my son, be not neighbourly with the ignorant nor do thou break with him bread, and joy not in the annoy of those about thee and when thy foe shall maltreat thee meet him with beneficence.  O dear my son, fear the man who feareth not Allah and hold him in hate.  O dear my son, the fool shall fall when he trippeth; but the wise man when he stumbleth shall not tumble and if he come to the ground he shall rise up quickly, and when he sickeneth he shall readily heal himself, whereas to the malady of the ignorant and the stupid there is no remedy.  O dear my son, when a man lesser than thyself shall accost thee, prevent him in standing respectfully before him, and