followers I honored according to their degrees and their stations; and to the good among
them I did good, and the evil I delivered over to their evil actions.
"And whoever attached himself unto me, I forgot not the merit of his attachment, and I
acted towards him with kindness and generosity; and whoever had rendered me services, I
repaid the value of those services unto him. And whoever had been my enemy, and was
ashamed thereof, and, flying to me for protection, humbled himself before me, I forgot his
enmity, and I purchased him with liberality and kindness.
"In such manner Share Behraum, the chief of a tribe, was along with me. And he left me in
the hour of action, and he united with the enemy, and he drew forth his sword against me.
And at length my salt, which he had eaten, seized upon him; and he again fled to me for
refuge, and humbled himself before me. As he was a man of illustrious descent, and of
bravery, and of experience, I covered my eyes from his evil actions; and I magnified him,
and I exalted him to a superior rank, and I pardoned his disloyalty in consideration of his
valor.
"Eleventhly. My children, and my relations, and my associates, and my neighbors, and such
as had been connected with me, all these I distinguished in the days of my fortune and
prosperity, and I paid unto them their due. And with respect to my family, I rent not asunder
the bands of consanguinity and mercy; and I issued not commands to slay them, or to bind
them with chains.
"And I dealt with every man, whatever the judgment I had formed of him, according to my
own opinion of his worth. As I had seen much of prosperity and adversity, and had acquired
knowledge and experience, I conducted myself with caution and with policy towards my