Story No. 12

Someone asked a scholar: Suppose a man is alone with a beautiful face, the doors shut, the rivals asleep, his desire eager and his lust in full command, as the Arabs say: 'The dates are ripe and the watchman cannot stop you.' Is there any chance he stays safe through the power of self restraint? The scholar answered: Even if he stays safe from the beautiful ones, he will not stay safe from the slanderers. And even if a man is saved from the evil of his own desire, he will never be saved from the malice of those who accuse him. You may manage to keep your own conduct in order, but you can never tie the tongues of people.