English
The King of Rome and the Scholar
I heard that the king of Rome wept before a good and learned man,
saying: The enemy has taken everything; nothing is left to me but this fortress and city.
I worked so hard so that my son might one day lead the assembly after me.
Now a base enemy has gained the upper hand, and all my manly effort has come to nothing.
What plan can I make, what cure can I find, when grief is wearing my soul away inside me?
The wise man said: Brother, grieve for yourself, for most of your life is already spent and gone.
It is enough that you last as long as you do; once you leave, the world belongs to someone else.
Whether your heir is clever or a fool, do not grieve for him; he will bear his own grief.
It is not worth the pain of holding the world, seizing it by the sword and then leaving it behind.
Do not take pride in these five short days of your stay; think instead and prepare for departure.
Which of the Persian kings can you name, from the days of Fereydun, Zahhak, and Jamshid,
whose throne and kingdom did not fall to ruin? Nothing endures except the kingdom of God most high.
Who can still hope to live forever, when you see no one who stays forever?
Whoever leaves behind silver, gold, treasure, and wealth, before long it is trampled by others.
But the one who leaves a lasting good deed, mercy keeps reaching his soul again and again.
A great man who leaves no good name behind, the wise may as well say he never lived.
So keep planting and tending the tree of generosity, if you hope one day to eat its fruit.
Be generous, for tomorrow when the accounts are set out, ranks will be given in measure of the kindness you showed.
The one whose steps of striving ran ahead will hold a higher place at the court of God.
The other, drawn back, treacherous and ashamed, trembles as one who left his work undone.
Let him bite the back of his hand in regret: such a hot oven was ready, yet he baked no bread.
At harvest time you will understand that failing to sow the seed was pure laziness.