The ruler said to one of his sages:
“My soul thirsts for three things.” My first wish is that no one commits such an act that I would not be able to forgive. The second wish is that it never happens that I cannot satisfy the request of someone who turned to me in need. My third wish is that no one can match my longevity.
Hearing this, the sage smiled, and the ruler asked him:
- Why are you laughing?
“How can I not laugh,” said the sage, “if you wanted for yourself what is characteristic of God alone?!”
The ruler answered him:
“Let my words be a secret, bury them with yourself, don’t divulge them, for I know that everyone who hears them will laugh at me.”
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru