“My son, the first instruction I give you, is, Not to make yourself familiar with all sorts of people.  The way to live happy is to keep your mind to yourself, and not to tell your thoughts too easily.

“Secondly, Not to do violence to any body whatever, for in that case you will draw every body’s hatred upon you.  You ought to consider the world as a creditor, to whom you owe moderation, compassion, and forbearance.

“Thirdly, Not to say a word when you are reproached; for, as the proverb says, ‘He that keeps silence is out of danger.’  And in this case particularly you ought to practice it.  You also know what one of our poets says upon this subject, ‘That silence is the ornament and safe-guard of life’; That our speech ought not to be like a storm of hail that spoils all.  Never did any man yet repent of having spoken too little, whereas many have been sorry that they spoke so much.

“Fourthly, To drink no wine, for that is the source of all vices.

" Fifthly, To be frugal in your way of living; if you do not squander your estate, it will maintain you in time of necessity.  I do not mean you should be either profuse or niggardly; for though you have little, if you husband it well, and lay it out on proper occasions, you will have many friends; but if on the contrary you have great riches, and make but a bad use of them, all the world will forsake you, and leave you to yourself.

In short, the virtuous Noor ad Deen continued till the last aspiration of his breath to give good advice to his son; and when he was dead he was magnificently interred.

Noor ad Deen was buried with all the honours due to his rank.  Buddir ad Deen Houssun of Bussorah, for so he was called, because born in that city, was with grief for the death of his father, that instead of a month’s time to mourn, according to custom, he kept himself shut up in tears and solitude about two months, without seeing any body, or so much as going abroad to pay his duty to his sovereign.  The sultan being displeased at his neglect, and looking upon it as a alight, suffered his passion to prevail, and in his anger, called for the new grand vizier, (for he had created another on the death of Noor ad Deen), commanded him to go to the house of the deceased, and seize upon it, with all his other houses, lands, and effects, without leaving any thing for Buddir ad Deen Houssun, and to confine his person.

The new grand vizier, accompanied by his officers, went immediately to execute his commission.  But one of Buddir ad Deen Houssun’s slaves happening accidentally to come into the crowd, no sooner understood the vizier’s errand, than he ran before to give his master warning.  He found him sitting in the vestibule of his house, as melancholy as if his father had been but newly dead.  He fell down at his feet out of breath, and alter he had kissed the hem of his garment, cried out, “My lord, save yourself immediately.”  The unfortunate youth lifting up his head, exclaimed, “What news dost thou bring?” “My lord,” said he, “there is no time to be lost; the sultan is incensed against you, has sent to confiscate your estates, and to seize your person.”