The whole world was shocked and fascinated by the miracle of the Exodus. The name of Moses was on everyone's lips. The news of the great miracle reached the wise king of Arabistan. The king called the best painter and ordered him to go to Moses, paint and deliver his image. When the artist returned, the king gathered all his wise men, skilled in the science of physiognomy, and invited them to determine by his appearance the character of Moses, properties, inclinations, habits, and what his wonderful power was hidden in.
- Sovereign! - answered the sages. “This appearance belongs to a cruel, arrogant man, greedy for profit, obsessed with the lust for power and all the vices that exist in the world.
These words outraged the king.
- How! - he exclaimed. “Is it possible that such a person could be, whose wondrous deeds resound throughout the world?!”
A dispute ensued between the artist and the sages. The artist claimed that he painted the image of Moses quite accurately, and the sages insisted that they accurately determined the nature of Moses from this image.
The wise king of Arabistan decided to find out for himself which of the disputants was right, and personally went to the camp of Israel.
At the first glance, the king was convinced that the image of Moses was depicted by the artist impeccably. Entering the tent of the man of God, the king knelt, bowed to the ground and spoke about the dispute between the artist and the sages.
“At first, before I saw your face,” said the king, “I thought: the artist must have painted your appearance poorly, for my sages are very experienced people in the science of physiognomy.” Now I am convinced that these people are completely insignificant and that their wisdom is vain and insignificant.
“No,” answered Moses, “that’s not so: both the artist and physiognomists are very skilled people; both are right. Let it be known to you that all the vices that the sages spoke about were really inherent in me by nature, and, perhaps, to an even greater extent than they determined from my appearance. But with long and intense efforts of will I fought against my vices, overpowering and suppressing them in myself, until everything opposite to them became my second nature. And this is my highest pride.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru