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behold, thereon was written what follows: ‘Glory to Him who fore-ordaineth death to all He createth, the Living One, who dieth not! O son of Adam, let not thy days and their delights delude thee, neither thine hours and the sweet of their tides, and know that death cometh to thee and sitteth upon thy shoulders. Beware, then, of his assault and make ready for his onset. As it was with me, so is it with thee; thou wasteth the sweet of thy life and the delight of thine hours. Give ear, then, to my rede and put thy trust in the Lord of Lords and know that there is no stability in the world, but it is as it were a spider’s web and all that is therein shall cease and die. Where is he who laid the foundations of Amid[1] and builded it and builded Farikin[2] and exalted it? Where be the peoples of the strong places? Whenas they had inhabited them [awhile], they descended, after their might, into the tombs. They have been carried off [by death] and we shall be [in like manner] afflicted. None abideth save God the Most High, God the Forgiving One.’
The Amir Mousa wept and copied all this, and indeed the world was belittled in his eyes. Then he descended the hill and rejoined his troops, with whom he passed the rest of the day, casting about for a means of access to the city. And he said to his Vizier [and] Talib ben Sehl and his chief officers, ‘How shall we do to enter this city and view its marvels? It may be we shall find therein wherewithal to propitiate the favour of the Commander of the Faithful.’ ‘God prolong the Amir’s fortune!’ replied Talib. ‘Let us make a ladder and mount the wall therewith, so haply we may come at the gate from within.’ Quoth the Amir, ‘This is what came to my thought also, and it is good counsel.’ And he called for carpenters and blacksmiths and bade them cut wood and make a ladder
