Sa di

Ch 01 Manner of Kings Story 11

A dervish, whose prayers met with answers, made his appearance, and Hejaj Yusuf, calling him, said: "Utter a good prayer for me", whereon the dervish exclaimed: 'O God, take his life. " He replied: "For God's sake, what prayer is this? " The dervish rejoined: "It is a good prayer for thee and for all Musalmans. " O tyrant, who oppressest thy subjects, How long wilt thou persevere in this? Of what use is authority to thee? To die is better for thee than to oppress men. THE GULISTAN OF SA'DI Translated by Richard Francis Burton (1821-1890)