ch words
to a person possessed of learning and competent to understand his own
interests. Thou art powerful. The reason of this affection that thou
showest for me now is ill-timed. Guided, however, by my own interests, I
myself am firm in peace and war that are themselves very unstable. The
circumstances under which peace is to be made or war declared are changed
as quickly as the clouds change their form. This very day thou wert my
foe. This very day, again, thou wert my friend. This very day thou hast
once more become my enemy. Behold the levity of the considerations that
move living creatures. There was friendship between us as long as there
was reason for its existence. That reason, dependant upon time, has
passed away. Without it, that friendship also has passed away. Thou art
by nature my foe. From circumstances thou becomest my friend. That state
of things has passed away. The old state of enmity that is natural has
come back. Thoroughly conversant as I am with the dictates of policy that
have been thus laid down, tell me, why I should enter today, for thy
sake, the net that is spread for me. Through thy power I was freed from a
great danger. Through my power thou hast been freed from a similar
danger. Each of us has served the other. There is no need of uniting
ourselves again in friendly intercourse. O amiable one, the object thou
hadst hath been accomplished. The object I had has also been
accomplished. Thou hast now no use for me except to make me your meal. I
am thy food. Thou art the eater. I am weak. Thou art strong. There cannot
be a friendly union between us when we are situated so unequally. I
understand thy wisdom. Having been rescued from the net, thou applaudest
me so that thou mayst succeed in easily making a meal of me. Thou wert
entangled in the net for the sake of food. Thou hast been freed from it.
Thou feelest now the pangs of hunger. Having recourse to that wisdom
which arises from a study of the scriptures, thou seekest verily to eat
me up today. I know that thou art hungry. I know that this is thy hour
for taking food. Thou art seeking for thy prey, with thy eyes directed
towards me. Thou hast sons and wives. Thou seekest still friendly union
with me and wishest to treat me with affection and do me services. O
friend, I am incapable of acceding to this proposal. Seeing me with thee,
why will not thy dear spouse and thy loving children cheerfully eat me
up? I shall not, therefore, unite with th