 you what is handed down in the Koran of prohibition versets
on the subject of oppression and Allah-gifted is he who said these
couplets:—

 Oppression ambusheth in sprite of man ✿ Whom naught withholdeth save the
    lack of might:
 The sage shall ne’er apply his wits to aught ✿ Until befitting time
    direct his sight:
 The tongue of Wisdom woneth in the heart; ✿ And in his mouth the tongue
    of foolish wight.
 Who at occasion’s call lacks power to rise ✿ Is slain by feeblest who
    would glut his spite.
 A man may hide his blood and breed, but aye ✿ His deeds on darkest
    hiddens cast a light.
 Wights of ill strain with ancestry as vile ✿ Have lips which never spake
    one word aright:
 And who committeth case to hands of fool ✿ In folly proveth self as fond
    and light;
 And who his secret tells to folk at large ✿ Shall rouse his foes to work
    him worst despight.
 Suffice the generous what regards his lot ✿ Nor meddles he with aught
    regards him not.

And he went on to admonish his brothers and bid them to equity and
forbid them from tyranny, doubting not but they would love him the
better for his boon of good counsel[549] and he relied upon them and
honoured them with the utmost honour; but notwithstanding all his
generosity to them, they only waxed in envy and hatred of him, till, one
day, the two being together alone, quoth Nasir to Mansur, “O my brother,
how long shall we be mere subjects of our brother Abdullah, and he in
this estate of lordship and worship? After being a merchant, he is
become an Emir, and from being little, he is grown great: but we, we
grow not great nor is there aught of respect or degree left us; for,
behold, he laugheth at us and maketh us his assistants! What is the
meaning of this? Is it not that we are his servants and under his
subjection? But, long as he abideth in good case, our rank will never be
raised nor shall we be aught of repute; wherefore we shall not fulfil
our wish, except we slay him and win to his wealth, nor will it be
pos