One day the padishah (i.e. the king) asked Afanti, the wise man of the kingdom,
"Afanti, if you were offered money or righteousness, which one would you choose: the former or the latter?"
"MONEY," Afanti replied without thinking.
"What's the matter with you, Afanti?" the padishah said,"If I were choosing I would choose the latter, that is, righteousness. I wouldn't chosen money. What's so rare about money? Righteousness is not easy to find, you know!"
"People always wish to obtain what they are lacking, Your Highness." Afanti said,"What you wish to obtain is just what you are lacking."
[cf. Zhong Qin, Everyday Chinese Selected Prose Readings, 1985]
No comments:
Post a Comment