Sufi parable from Attar Once upon a time there lived two scientists, and each of them constantly praised himself. From time to time they attended meetings in the palace of the Shah, who had great intelligence and deep knowledge. With his insight, the Shah immediately recognized arrogant people in these scientists and decided to test each of them in private.
The Shah asked one of them about the other:
- What kind of person is this learned man?
And I received the answer:
- Oh Shah, he is an ass, a dirty, vain talker!
Then he asked the other:
- What kind of person is that scientist?
- This is a headless and voracious bull, his only virtues are a beard and a turban! - said the second scientist about the first.
Having tested their character in this way, the Shah concluded that the price for both of them was low and that they deserved not honor, but only contempt.
The next day, these scientists came to a meeting with the Shah, which was attended by all the emirs and wazirs. And the Shah decided to play a joke on them. He ordered the fisherman to serve everyone a delicious dish - fried chicken with rice, and to place a dish of barley with straw and a basket of cotton seeds in front of the arrogant scientists. When all this was done and in front of all the guests, except these two scientists, there was fried chicken and rice, they both began to cry and asked the Shah:
- Explain to us the reason for this. What have we said or done to deserve such punishment?
— Smart people should always follow the instructions of scientists: you said that this husband is a voracious bull, and he compared you to a donkey. The ox is entitled only to cotton seed, and people usually give donkeys barley, and I decided to follow the generally accepted rules,” answered the Shah.
And they realized that evil is never rewarded with good.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru