Oriental wit and wisdom, or, the "Laughable stories" / collected by Mar Gregory John Bar-Hebraeus ; translated from the Syriac by E. A. Wallis Budge.

  • Bar Hebraeus, 1226-1286.
Date:
1899
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Oriental wit and wisdom, or, the "Laughable stories" / collected by Mar Gregory John Bar-Hebraeus ; translated from the Syriac by E. A. Wallis Budge. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    70/286 (page 28)
    ( PROFITABLE SAYINGS OF THE INDIAN SAGES. CVIII. It is said that when any man belonging to the Indians is dying, his friends arm themselves and go to his door, and say unto [the door-keeper], “Shew “us who hath slain thy friend that we may kill him.’ And when he replies, “He that slayeth him is invincible “and invisible,”, they say, “Grieve not then overmuch “about that which neither thou nor we are able to “withstand;” and thus are they wont to comfort the mourners. CIX. A certain Indian sage used to say, “The wound “of a sharp weapon may be quickly healed, but the “wound caused by words is incurable.” CX. Another Indian sage said, “The lusts of this “world are like unto the waters of the sea, for however “much a man drinketh thereof, his thirst increaseth.” CXI. Another Indian sage said, “Learning addeth “unto the wisdom of the wise man, and folly [addeth “unto the folly] of the fool, even as the sun addeth “sight unto healthy eyes, and doeth harm unto those “which are diseased.” CXII. Another Indian sage said, “Put not thy con- “fidence in thine enemy, even though he shew himself “exceedingly gracious unto thee; for, behold, even