Wisdom, Number 6

Iraqi style
English

Wisdom, Number 6

A kingdom takes its beauty from the wise, and faith reaches its perfection through the devout. Kings need the company of the wise far more than the wise need to be close to kings. If you will hear one piece of advice, king, in all the world there is none better than this: Give the running of affairs only to the wise, even though managing affairs is not the work the wise prefer.
Explanation: The final couplet notes a gentle irony: the wise are best suited to govern, though administration is not what they would choose for themselves.

Original · Persian

حکمت شمارهٔ ۶

مُلک از خردمندان جمال گیرد و دین از پرهیزگاران کمال یابد. پادشاهان به صحبت خردمندان از آن محتاج‌ترند که خردمندان به قربت پادشاهان.
پندی اگر بشنوی ای پادشاه در همه عالم به از این پند نیست
جز به خردمند مفرما عمل گرچه عمل کار خردمند نیست