Buy this blessed book, the poor Youssef Bism Khaur [...]from the priest George son of Qutaib , for the amount of 54 dirhams [...] Whoever reads it [...] and remembers [...] mercy, he will be shown mercy by God.

In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. We begin with the help of God the Most High and His good success to write the story of Haiqar the wise and what happened to him with his nephew Nadan and with the king of Egypt, and with God is the sought-after help.

This Haqar, who was [...] the son of Sennacherib, the son of Salem [...] from Mosul and the city of [...] This Haqar was a wise man [...] skilled and adept, and he was a scribe [...] of the king.

And he says about himself, 'I am Haqar, the scribe of the king. I was young and got married, but I never had a son. I had sixty women and built sixty palaces for them. As I have not been blessed with a child, I performed a sacrifice, burned fragrant incense until it was accepted, and prayed to God to bless me with a child. Then, a voice came to me, saying: 'O Haqar, do not pursue this matter, do not tire yourself, for if a child was not meant for you, then take Nadan, the son of your sister, and raise him as your own, and put him in the place of your child.'

From that time, I took Nadan, the son of my sister, when he was young, and arranged eight nursing women to feed him with milk, honey, and sugar, and his clothing was made of brocade and silk. And he was raised and nurtured until he became like the sun and moon. And I taught him writing, reading, comprehension, intelligence, and all the books of philosophy.

After some days, the king Sennacherib sent for me and when I went to him, he said: 'O Haiqar, you have lived for many years and have grown old, and soon you will weaken and our generation will be weaker after you. So, what do you think should be done?' At that moment, I immediately answered the king and said to him, 'O king of the age, may you live long and prosper, but I have a nephew who is more intelligent and capable than me. Use him instead of me and you will find in him everything you need and more.'

At that time, the king said to me, 'Bring this son of yours so that we may see him, and if we see in him the radiance that we see in you, we will place him before us, and you can rest and enjoy your old age in peace at your home.' So I, Haqar, got up, brought my nephew Nadan, and presented him before the king. The king then seated him on his right side and distinguished him with his attentiveness to his words, his manners, and his knowledge.

At that moment, the king was overjoyed and said to Haqar, 'This is a blessed day, for I have seen in him the same qualities as you, O Haqar. You took care of my father, and you have taken care of me as well. And now, from this day forward, Nadan will take care of me and whoever comes after me.' Then, I answered the king and stood in front of him, saying: 'O king, I have come to you and I want from you, by your grace, to extend your favor to Nadan, the son of my sister. So please bestow it upon me.'

After that, I took him from in front of the king with joy and happiness, and brought him into my house. From that moment, I did not hesitate to teach him knowledge for a single moment, whether at night or during the day, until I satisfied him with knowledge and reading, just as one is satisfied with bread and water. Afterward, I began to advise him, saying, 'O son of my sister, Nadan, remember my words and act upon what I tell you, and do not leave behind a single commandment. And now, I, Haqar, say to you and advise you.'

O son of my sister, Nadan, if you hear an evil word from some people [...]

[…] If you do this, God will not waste your reward.

My son, during the marriage proposal of a woman, do not get involved. If her husband treats her well, she won't remember you. But if he treats her poorly, she will die and curse you, saying, 'Who was the cause?'

My son, when attending a feast, leave early to avoid harm. O my son, if you have a friend and he wrongs you, be kind to him, for God will not waste your reward.

My son, do not feel sorry for your child when he is struck while young, because it benefits him like manure in the earth and like a shield for a door.

My son, tie the donkey to its rein so it doesn't grow up and people ridicule you, trample on your words, and expose you in front of everyone.

My son, choose square-built cattle and donkeys with big hooves.

My son, if you have a friend and he does wrong to you, be kind to him. And know that if you do this, God will not waste your reward.

O my son, do not acquire a slave who is defeated, nor a thieving maid, for all your wealth will be destroyed because of them.

O my son, do not say, 'My master is mean and I am wise,' but rather leave him to his faults and do not distance yourself from him while showing wisdom.

O my son, do not swear or break your oath in front of your master, as it diminishes your honor.

O my son, do not show favor to a better servant than his companion, until you have tested them both, and you have seen who stands with you and remains steadfast in times of hardship.

O my son, it is better to extract the stones with a wise person than to drink wine with a wicked person.

O my son, pour your wine on the tombs of the righteous, and do not drink it with the hypocrites.

O my son, sit with the wise so that you will be respected and become wise yourself, and do not sit with men who are ignorant, lest you become deficient and regretful.

O my son, if there are thorns and thistles under your shoes, you must tread on them and pave the way for your children and your children's children.

My son, know that if a son of a wealthy man eats a snake, people say it's for healing and well-being, but if a son of a poor man eats it, people say it's because of hunger and poverty.

O my son, be content with your share and portion, and do not covet what belongs to others.

O my son, rejoice when a wise person disciplines you with ten strikes, for it is better than a wicked person who will dress you of ten garments.

O my son, keep the secret of your beloved in your heart, and know that if you reveal the secret, you will lose your beloved.

O my son, if you speak a word, let it first pass through your heart, and reform it. It is better for a person, and easier for him to stumble with his head or foot, rather than stumbling with his tongue.

O my son, when you are among those who mock, do not stand, for mockery can lead to striking, and from striking comes murder.

O my son, mention your beloved with good words in front of kings, and you will be like one who pulls something out of a lion's mouth.

O my son, death is easier and more merciful for one who has lost his wealth.

O my son, the voice of mourners is more pleasing to the poor than the sound of singing and dancing.

O my son, one bird in your hand is worth more to you than a thousand birds flying in the sky.

O my son, know that good reputation is better than beauty, because reputation lasts and endures, while beauty fades and perishes.

O my son, do not stand in front of a man in power, nor in front of a river with strong waves.

O my son, a person's eyes are full of words, and they are often greedy and evil. They can never be satisfied, except by a handful of dust.

O my son, conduct yourself with honesty and integrity, for it will earn you respect and dignity in your later years.

O my son, adorn your speech and words to the entire world, and know that, O my son, a dog's mouth is stoned and its tail is fed.

O my son, if you send your beloved in a matter, do not repeat to him what he should say, and if you send a malicious person, you should go yourself and leave him, lest he spoil the matter in which you sent him.

And I, Haiqar, taught him all sciences, manners, and etiquettes, until he became respected and honored by kings and rulers, giving orders, forbidding, and cutting off and reconciling. He became glorious with great dignity, until he became arrogant and ignored my words. And he began to mock me and tell people that my uncle Haiqar had weakened his mind and intellect, and everything he said was wrong, and he didn't know anything about anything.

And he began to beat my slaves, servants, women, and maids, causing destruction and ruin to my property. At that moment, I, Haiqar, stood up and informed the king about my situation and explained my case. Then, the king sent for my nephew Nadan and said to him, 'O Nadan, there is nothing that belongs to Haiqar that you should ever lay a hand on.' And when Nadan heard these words from the king, Nadan became very angry.

At that moment, I, Haiqar, said to Nadan: verifying what has been said in the proverbs is something that the hand works hard on, but the eye does not show mercy towards it. And I left him and stood up, I, Haiqar, and took Nabūḏ, Nadan's brother, disciplined him, raised him, and taught him wisdom in my own household. At that moment, when Nadan saw what had become of me, he started to tell people that Haiqar, my uncle, had weakened his mind and knowledge, and that he had given all his possessions to my brother Nabūḏ.

And when I, Haiqar, heard this talk about myself, I felt sorry for myself and said, 'O woe is me, even my wisdom and words have become a joke in Nadan's mouth.' When Nadan, my nephew, heard that sadness had taken hold in my heart and that I had received harm from his words, he immediately rose up and wrote two letters on my behalf as Haiqar to the enemy kings of my master. The first letter was addressed to Alnakhi, the king of the Persians, and the second was addressed to the king of Egypt.

The letter reads, 'Peace be upon the king of Egypt from Haiqar the Wise, and this is my handwriting and my seal. You are to come to me on the 25th of the month of Ab, and I will surrender to you the cities of Mosul and Nineveh without sword or war. The meeting between us will take place at the plain of Shirin.'

The other letter was also written in it: 'Peace be upon the king of the Persians, Alnakhi.' It says, 'From Haiqar the Wise, the scribe and chancellor of Mosul. This is my handwriting and seal. You will come and visit me on the 25th of the month of Ab, and I will surrender to you the cities of Mosul and Nineveh without a sword or war, and the meeting between me and you will be at the plain of Shirin.' And he beautified the letters as if they were written by my own hand and sealed them with my own seal.

And Nadan took the letters and presented them before the king. And he wrote a letter on behalf of the king and sent it to me, Haiqar, saying that upon receipt of these letters, you should ride with your army and meet me at the plain of Shirin on the 25th of the month of Ab. And if you see me approaching, hasten to me with urgency, as if you were fighting me where I have the messengers of the king of Egypt. If they recognize your firmness, they will be impressed and fearful, and they will inform their master.

And Nadan sent this letter to me, Haqar, in the name of the king, and they worked to deliver them to me after some time. After that, Nadan went and returned to the king and said to him: 'O king, I have a great advice for you, and I have eaten bread and salt with you, and you have been gracious and kind to me since old times, and I want to advise you on what I have heard.'

So he said to him, 'Speak.' And he said, 'I inform you about what Haqar has done.' And the king said, 'What is it?' And he said, 'I found men with these letters.' And at that moment, the king took those letters, opened them, read them, and when he understood their contents, he became very sorrowful and said, 'What have I done to Haqar that he is now repaying me with this rude action.?'

At that point, Nadan said to the king, 'O king, let us rise and go to the plain of Shirin, for if we find Haqar there, then all that is in the letters is true.' Then the king quickly rose up like a bird, rode and went to the plain of Shirin, and behold, there was Haqar with a heavy army, and he drove towards the king. So when all the soldiers were gathered, Nadan drove towards me, Haqar, and said to me, 'O Haiqar, do not wrong the king.'

And the king returned to his kingdom, and Haqar returned to his home. The matter is settled and true. And what Haqar had done remained in the mind of the king, so Nadan said to the king, 'O king of the time, do not be angry or resentful, for I will bring Haqar to serve you.' At that moment, Nadan went down to Haiqar the wise and said to him, 'O my father, the king is in high spirits and he is seeking you to join him.'

So Haqar got up at that time, sent away the soldiers, and rode to the king with Nadan accompanying him. When he arrived to the king, he greeted him and sat down. The king gave him the documents and letters to read. Haiqar took them and began to read the lines, and the handwriting was just as it had been written by him. Then the king looked at him and said, 'O Haiqar, you have become my adversary with my enemies, and you have dealt with the kingdoms and cities, and even with my own killing. I have honored and respected you above all those who are with me, and yet you have done all of this to me.'

Then the king looked at me, Haqar, with the gaze of a lion, and when the reading of the letters was finished, my tongue faltered, my bones weakened, my sight grew dim, and I wished for even one word of the knowledge that I had possessed, but I could not find it at that moment.

At that moment, the king let out a shout at me, a shout like a lion's roar over the cattle, and Nadan said to me, 'Stand up, O wicked elder and ill-natured! Give me your shoulders and bind your feet.' And now the king has turned away from you and shouted to his executioner, 'O Yabusam, hasten to him, take him, cut off his head, and separate it from his body.'

And I, Haqar, at that time prostrated myself in front of the king, threw my face to the ground, and asked the king, saying, 'O king of the time, by the Lord God, do not let anger befall you while you are unaware. Hear from me just one word and know that I am oppressed. So, I request that you command your executioner, Yabusam, to cut off my head at the door of my house and give my body to my family for burial.' Then the king commanded to Yabusam his executioner and said to him, 'Go and cut off his head at the door of his house, and then give his body to someone to bury.'

At that time and hour, I wrote to my wife Shafna that she should come to meet me, and with her a thousand of the purest virgin girls who were residing in my house, dressed in silk and purple, and dancing and coming before me. And prepare a wonderful feast with plenty of food and drink so that the executioner and everyone with him may eat and drink, and I will also eat and drink with them like a traveler.

Then they did as they were commanded, and brought the food and drink, and ate and drank. And when they had finished, I approached the executioner and said to him, 'O Abusam, we have eaten bread and salt together, so look up to the sky and think of the hereafter. Remember when the king ordered me to kill you, and how I did not kill you, but rather hid you until the king had need of you, and he feels remorse for what he has done to you. So I got you out and sent you back to the king.'

Now, I want you to do the same thing with me, knowing that I am oppressed and that you will need me. I have a man in prison who deserves to be killed, and his name is Areef and he looks like me. So take him out and kill him. And spread the word that I have killed the wise Haqar. In my house, there is a store under the doorstep of the door that is six cubits deep and three cubits wide. Put me in it and give me enough food to survive. Then go and tell the king that I have killed Haqar.

At that time, the executioner put me in that store, gave me some food, closed the door, and took my clothes to dress the detained Areef. He then cut off Areef's head, and it was announced that Haqar had been killed.

And the executioner went to the king and told him that we had killed Haqar. The world was stirred up because of him and there was much weeping and lamentation in his house, his maids, his servants, and his slaves. The great sorrow intensified among them. And they used to say, 'O, how unfortunate for Haqar the wise, who guarded and managed the city like his own children. O, woe to you, father of the world, who used to shelter us in times of difficulty and calamity. O, how terrible it is for us after you, as we have become weak and poor. O, how much we miss the presence of a good-hearted and compassionate person like you.'

After that, the king said to Nadan, 'O Nadan, go to the house of Haqar and offer condolences to his family, as is customary, and then come to me.' Then Nadan went from the king's place to Haqar's house to hold a condolence ceremony for him and show complaisance towards Haqar's family and household.

And when Nadan arrived at Haqar's house, he gathered blackmailer, ignorant people, and hypocrites in groups, with wine, songs, dances, and drums. He allowed the beating and punishment of Haqar's women and slaves, and they were subjected to plunder. He did not even hesitate to insult the dignity of Haqar's elder wife, who had raised him and taught him manners in her home. On the contrary, Nadan took pleasure in doing everything that was dishonorable to them in anger.

And Haqar hears everything that is done to his women, servants, and slaves, and what Nadan the oppressor does to them, from underground. And I, Haqar, used to hear that and weep, and my teeth would chatter from the intensity of what was being done. After a while, Yabusam the executioner visited me and cheered me up. He took pity on me and gave me bread and water from the darkness of the earth. The news of Haqar's death spread throughout the world that Haqar had passed away.

Upon hearing the news of Haqar's death, the king of Egypt, who was PharaO, rejoiced greatly and was filled with great joy at the demise of Haiqar. At that time, Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, sent peace letters to Sennacherib, the ruler of Mosul, and to Nineveh, in which he said: 'I want you to choose for me a skilled man from among your people and send him to me so that he can build for me a marvelous palace between heaven and earth, and he will explain to me and execute all my requests.'

'If you are capable of doing this task and fulfill it, I will send you the tribute of Egypt and its taxes for three years. But if you cannot do this task and are not able to fulfill it, then send me the tribute of Mosul and its taxes for three years, along with Nineveh. Otherwise, beware that I will send a heavy army with strong soldiers to wage a fierce war against you.'

When the letters of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, reached King Sennacherib, he immediately read them and called for the lords of the state, scholars, and wise men. He asked them, 'Who among you, O people of goodness, will go to Egypt and do what the king of Egypt has asked for, and bring us the tribute of Egypt and its tax for three years?'

As for the princes, they responded to the king's request and said, 'O King of the Age, you know that in your father's days and in your own days, if you needed something, no one could fulfill that task except for the wise Haiqar. And now Haiqar has passed away and gone, leaving Nadan in his place. He had learned his knowledge and thought to himself that he was more skilled than Haiqar in many ways. So, O King, call upon him and ask him, for he can fulfill the task as you wish, O King.' In that moment, the king sent a request to Nadan and said to him, 'O Nadan, I want you to go and travel to the land of Egypt and build for the king of Egypt a magnificent palace between the heavens and the earth. And for all the tasks he commands, you shall explain them to him and bring us the taxes of Egypt for three years. So, what do you say, O Nadan?'

Then Nadan replied to the king and said to him, 'God, who raised the heavens, cannot build a palace between heaven and earth. How can I do that?' At that moment, the king, in his anger, clenched his fists and struck them against each other, exclaiming 'Woe to you, Haiqar! How I have destroyed and killed you by the words of an ignorant and wicked person!'

Then the king got down from his throne and sat on the ground, feeling sad and distressed. Then the executioner looked at him from under the layer, then left him for a while in a state of gloom. After a little while, the executioner brought his sword and shroud, and knelt in front of the king. He said to him, 'My lord the king, you know that a servant who violates the decree of his master and his order must be killed. And I, my lord, am your servant and have violated your order. Here is my sword and my shroud, and I am standing before you. Do with me as you please.'

The king looked at Yabusam the executioner and said to him, 'And what did you do to disobey me? Explain to me so that I may find cause to execute you.' The executioner replied, 'I disobeyed you and did not kill Haqar the sage.' Upon hearing these words, the king exclaimed loudly, 'Allah, Allah, Allah! I thank and praise Him that Haiqar the sage was not killed. Speak, speak, speak, Yabusam! What you say is true, that you did not kill him.' The executioner replied, 'Yes, my lord, it is true that I did not kill him. And behold, he is imprisoned in the bowels of the earth, from that time until now.'

At that moment, the king said, 'Summon him to me immediately so that I may see him.' At that time, Yabusam left the king's presence and mounted his horse, driving it swiftly like a shining lightning bolt, and arrived at the place where Haqar the sage was imprisoned. He opened the gates and shouted, 'O Haqar, come out of the darkness in which you dwell! The time of our need for you has come. Fine steeds are of no use except in times of war and battles, and splendid armor is not hidden except for the sake of sword strikes and spear thrusts. Today is your day, and the king is anxious and waiting for you.'

So, I threw a rope down into that darkness and pulled him out, and I found him with his hair grown long, falling over his eyes and on his shoulders, and his nails had grown long like an eagle's talons. And his color became yellow. At that moment, I put him on a horse and presented him before the king. Then he requested permission to enter, entered, greeted the king, and stood before him.

When the king looked at him and observed him for a long time, he said to him, 'What do you sense, shining star?' Then, he replied to the king and said to him, 'O king of the time, from the moment your face shone upon me, all my limbs gained strength, and my soul lived in my body, and I remained like a fifteen-year-old.' At that moment, the king bowed his head to the ground and wept for what he had done. After that, he lifted his head and said to the executioner, 'Take him and go to his house. Take care of him, bring him into the bath, and leave him in his house for forty days. On the completion of the forty days, bring him to me.'

So Yabusam stood up and took him to his house, to Haqar's wife, Shafna. He stayed in her house for forty days, and more until blood entered his body, and his soul lived. And on the completion of the forty days, Yabusam brought him to the king, greeted the king, and sat him by his side.

The king began to say to him: 'Do you know, Haqar, what did Pharaoh, the owner of Egypt? He has sent to us, wanting a wise and intelligent man to build for him a marvelous palace between the sky and the earth, and all the questions he asks, he wants their answers. If we do that, he will send us the taxes of Egypt for three years, and if we do not send him someone who can answer his questions, we will send him the taxes of Mosul and Nineveh for three years, or else there will be great evil and war between us. What do you say, Haqar?' Haqar said to the king, 'O king of the time, we do not have anything easier or lighter than this matter.'

In that moment, the king's soul lived on, and he felt immense joy and great happiness, as did all the lords of his kingdom. After that, Haqar sent and caught two chicks of his eagles, and some of his slaves raised them. He took two strips of silk, each as thick as a finger, and tied them to the legs of the eagles. Then he put small children on the backs of the eagles and sent them flying into the sky while the children were tied to them. The children screamed on the backs of the eagles and said, 'We are idle builders, hurry to us with stones and clay so that we can build for you a marvelous palace. Do not hesitate to come to us.'

Haqar the wise taught the children how to ride on the eagles and shout with these words. After that, the children performed this skill in front of King Sennacherib, and he was greatly impressed. Haqar's status and honor increased in the eyes of the king.

After a few days, Haqar requested a decree from the king so that he could travel to the king of Egypt. The king granted him a decree and a constitution to travel to Egypt. And that Haqar the wise took with him a heavy army and marched towards Egypt. When he reached Egypt, he hid the eagles and the children who were with him for a while. And I went to the King and informed him that I came from my master, the owner of Mosul, regarding the matter for which you were sent to my master.

So he ordered his servants at that time to give me a noble place and a good house for me and my soldiers, so they gave me. And after that, I requested to meet him in his presence, and he allowed me to do so. I appeared before him and he asked me, 'What is your position among the servants of your master?' I told him that I am one of the servants who are in front of my master from the Fellow-servants. The Pharaoh said to me, 'We have become insignificant in the eyes of your master, to the extent that he sends some of his servants to us in order to receive our response and resolve our issues.'

And he asked me, 'What is your name?' I said, 'My name is Abiqam.' He then said to me, 'O Abiqam, go to your residence and come to me in the morning.' So I, Haqar, returned to my home and stayed there. The next day, I went to the king, and the king had ordered all his princes to wear azure-colored garments, and the door curtain was to be crimson. The king himself also wore azure, and he sat on his throne and ordered me to come in.

When I entered and stood before him, he said to me, 'O Abiqam, to whom do I and the lords of my state resemble?' At that moment, I answered him and said, 'You resemble Bel, and your nobles resemble his servants.' The king then said to me, 'Go about your day with confidence, and return to us tomorrow.' He also instructed his nobles to wear white the next day, while he himself would wear blue and sit on his throne.

And the next day, they gave me a decree and I appeared before the king. He asked me, 'Who do I resemble, O Abiqam, and who do my courtiers resemble?' I replied, 'You resemble the moon, and your courtiers resemble the stars.' The king said to me, 'Go about your day with confidence, and come back to us tomorrow.' And he commanded his courtiers to wear red and the king wore silk of a color without dye. He ordered me to come to him and said, 'O Abiqam, to whom do I resemble and to whom do my courtiers resemble?'

Then I said to him, 'O king of the time, you resemble the sun and your soldiers to its rays.' He said to me, 'Go, Abiqam, to your house, and come back to us tomorrow.' He ordered his officers to wear different colors, and the curtain to be red. The king himself also wore red. And he sat on his throne and allowed me to enter. He then asked me, 'Who do I resemble, Abiqam, and who do my ministers resemble?' I replied, 'O King, you resemble the month of April and your ministers resemble its flowers.'

The king said to me, 'The first time you likened me to Bel and my courtiers to his servants, the second time you likened me to the moon and my courtiers to the stars, the third time you likened me to the sun and my courtiers to its rays, and the fourth time you likened me to the month of Nisan and my courtiers to its flowers. So, your master, Sennacherib, to whom does he resemble?'

So I said to him, 'May God forgive you for mentioning my master while you are sitting here. Please stand up so I can ask you, to whom does my master resemble? My master resembles every marvelous name, and his courtiers resemble lightning when it flashes. When he wishes, he causes rain and dew to fall, and in the month of April, he destroys its flowers. He stops the sun from moving and its rays from shining, and he stops the moon from rising and the stars from moving. He stops the Bel from slanting, and his servants do not move.'

When Pharaoh heard these words, he was greatly troubled and said to me, 'I want you to tell me your name.' So, I said to him, 'My name is Haqar the Wise.' Pharaoh said to me, 'Haqar, you are still alive.' I replied, 'Yes, I am Haqar.' He said, 'We heard that you were killed.' I told him, 'It was an order, but God did not intend my destruction.' He said to me, 'Go to your house and come back to us tomorrow, early in the morning.' So I went to him the next morning, and he gave me a decree and allowed me to enter. I went in and stood before him.

He said to me, 'What is one cylinder with twelve pine cones on top, and on top of the twelve pine cones, thirty more arranged in a circular pattern? Two of them do not move while the others rotate. One is black, and the other is white.' So I answered him, 'I am Haqar,' and I told him the proverb that even the cows in our country know.' As for the cylinder, it represents the year, and the twelve cones are the twelve months. The black and white ones that rotate are the night and day, because the night is black and the day is white.'

At that time, Pharaoh was amazed by this explanation and said to me, 'Go to your house and come back to us tomorrow.' I left his presence and came back to him the next day, standing before him. He said to me, 'O Haqar, I want you to explain to me how your master's horses in Mosul neighed and when our horses hear them, they started shaking their manes.'

When he said this to me, I left the king's presence and said to my servants, 'Bring me a cat.' They brought me a cat and I tied a ribbon around its neck and dragged it in front of the king's court. I began punishing and hitting it with a stick as it cried out. So the king said to me, 'For what reason are you punishing this cat?' And I said to him, 'O king, there was a time when my master would send me on an errand at night and ask for me during the day. So, I had a rooster that would crow and inform me, and I would get up and go wherever I needed to. But one night, your cat attacked and killed my rooster, and I am punishing it for that.'

So when I said these words, the king looked at me with a stare and said, 'Are you crazy, Haqar? How can this be?' I replied, 'This is what happened, O king of the age. How was it possible for the neighing of my master's horses in Mosul to be heard all the way to Egypt, a distance of three hundred and sixty miles? How could your horses hear them and start shaking their manes?'

When the king heard this, he was amazed and he said to me, 'Haqar, I want you to build me a palace that spans from the sky to the earth.' I replied, 'Show me a place where I can build the palace for you as you desire.' So, when I saw the place, I brought eagles and put the children on their backs, tying silk cords to their feet, and flew them into the sky. Those children shouted from the sky on the back of the eagles, saying, 'We are idle builders. Hurry and bring us stones and clay so we can build for you a wonderful palace.'

And here I am, Haqar, taking a rod and continuing to strike the Egyptians, telling them that the workers are from us, but the builders are from you. So we will build for you a magnificent palace, hurry [...] The children scream, 'Hurry to us, we are the builders, bring us stones and plaster so that we can build for you a magnificent palace from the sky to the earth.'

The king said to me, 'You are crazy, Haqar. Who can lift stones and plaster to the sky for construction? Leave this art, Haqar.' Then I said to him, 'O king of the age, what power do you have to mention my master in your mouth?' I said, 'My master can build two buildings in one day if he wants.' At these words, the king felt small within himself and said to me, 'Leave this work and go to your home, and come back to us tomorrow.'

So I did as he asked and left, and the next day when I returned, he said to me, 'O Haqar, I want you to tell me something that I have not heard in my city or in my country.' So I stood there and thought to myself, and then I wrote a letter from Sennacherib, the king of Mosul, to Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, saying, 'Peace be upon you...The companions are in need of...their most loyal friends...Now I inform you that I am in need this year, and my country is weak. I ask that you send me 800,000 pounds of gold and 100,000 measures of wheat and barley, and after a while we will repay you.'

After folding the paper and taking it in my hand, I went into the king's presence and told him about the news written in it, which had not been heard in his country before. At that moment, the king and all those present responded, 'We have not heard this news before, neither has anyone in our country.'

So I said to them, 'If you hear it, will you act on it?' They said, 'Yes.' At the appointed time, I handed the paper to the king, and he read it out to the people. Everyone in the world was amazed by what was in it. After that, the king gave a decree and ordered his servants to bring me a piece of stone. He said to me, 'I want you to stitch this stone together, piece by piece.' I replied to him, 'I am a stranger and do not have the tools needed for this task. Instead, I suggest that some shoemakers from your city and country be brought to me, and they can provide me with pieces of this stone, so that I can stitch them together for you.'

Then, the king said to me, 'I want you to make two ribbons of dust for me.' At that moment, I said to him, 'O, king of the time, I need an example from you so that I can make something similar for you.' He replied, 'You must make two ribbons of dust for me. If you do not, we will not pay the tax and tribute of Egypt, and we will not give it to you.'

Then, at that moment, I thought to myself and went to the king's dome and made two holes in the wall facing the direction of the sun. As soon as the sun rose and aligned with the qibla, the sun entered those holes, and the beam became strong and remained the same as the ribbon. At that point, I informed the king and said to him, 'I have made two ribbons for you. Send some of your men to roll them up.'

When the king saw the strip, he was amazed at the cunning of Haqar and smiled and laughed. He said, 'The day when Haqar came to us was a blessed day indeed.' Then, he prepared a great feast for me, and he gave me the finest clothing and bestowed upon me many gifts of wealth. He granted me the rights and tributes of Egypt for three years and sent me away with joy, happiness, and delight.

Then, I appeared before my master, Sennacherib the king, and greeted him. He seated me to his right, as well as Yabusam, and prepared a great feast and celebration for me that had never been seen before. Then the king said to me, 'O Haqar, ask me for anything you want, and I will give it to you from my kingdom.' At that point, I replied, 'I do not ask anything of you or make any request. Everything that you bestow upon me, give it to Yabusim, the executioner, because he saved my life and protected me from death.'

And what I ask of you, O king of the time, is that anything you give me, give it to Yabusim. And I also request that you summon the son of my sister, Nadan, so that I may teach him a new knowledge, for the first knowledge he learned did not remain with him. At that point, the king said to me, 'O Haqar, take your nephew Nadan and do with him as you please.'

At that point, I, Haqar, took Nadan with me and brought him to my house. I tied him to the donkey of the carpenters, which was located in the outer gates where the servants usually sit. Then, I beat him a thousand times on his shoulders and another thousand times on his chest. I also threw a large iron ball at his feet and only fed him with small amounts of bread and water. And I handed him over to the scribe who worked for me, and I said to the scribe: 'Whenever I come and go, write down everything I say about Nadan.' And the scribe replied, 'Yes.'

Then I began and said to him, 'O Nadan, whoever does not listen attentively while his eyes are open, will listen while having an iron ball in his foot.'

Nadan responded, 'Why do you bear a grudge against me, o uncle?' So I said to him at that time, 'I sat you on my chair, but you threw me from my seat. However, it was God's mercy that saved me.'

O my son, I anointed you with fragrant oil, and you in return struck me.

O my son, I fed you delicious food, and you fed me with bread and blows, and you didn't satisfy me.

O my son, I raised you up tall like a pine tree, and you bent my stature, and in your wickedness, you intoxicated me.

O my son, I raised you up tall like a towering fortress, and I said if thieves come upon me, I will go up and take refuge in it. But you, my son, betrayed me and sided with my enemies and deceived me in front of them.

At that point, Nadan said, 'If a person errs before God, seeks forgiveness, and repents, then God Almighty will forgive them. And now, o my uncle, I have erred and I ask for your forgiveness. Please allow me to tend to your cattle and groom your horses from now on.'

At that moment, I said to him, 'O my son, I raised you up like a palm tree on the side of the river, and all its fruits used to fall into the water. So I went to cut it, and the palm tree said, 'I want you to leave me this year, and I will hold on to my fruits for your sake.' I said to it, 'You haven't benefited from your position until something is established in you, so how can you expect to benefit in someone else's position?'

O my son, there was a single wolf walking behind the sheep. Someone from the people asked him, 'For what reason do you walk behind these sheep in this murky dust?' The wolf answered him and said, 'Don't you know that this dust is a cure for my eyes and beneficial for me?'

And they also brought the wolf to the teacher to learn how to read. The teacher said to him, 'Say the alphabet.' The wolf replied, 'sheep and goat are tastier.'

O my son, you're like a he-goat that eats oak throughout its life, and by not eating oak, it produces oak gall that dyes its coat.

O my son, you are like a person who shoots an arrow towards the sky, but it never reaches the sky, and as a result, he falls into sin and error.

O my son, a wild beast met a stray donkey. The wild beast greeted the donkey, saying, 'Peace be upon you, O donkey.' The donkey replied, 'Such a greeting should be for the one who tied me up yesterday. If he had tightened and secured the rope more, I wouldn't be able to see your face now, O wild beast. Therefore, advance and grease your lips.'

O my son, a trap was set on a garbage dump and a sparrow came to it and said, 'What are you doing here with your mouth open?' The trap said, 'I am praying to God.' The sparrow asked, 'And what is that in your mouth?' The trap replied, 'Bread, and it is charity for passers-by.' Then the sparrow approached and began to eat from the bread. The trap closed on the sparrow's neck, and then the sparrow said to it, 'God does not accept from you either your fasting, your prayers, or your charity.'

O my son, you are like a dog that warms himself by a potter's furnace. When the owners of the furnace come forward to take fire blanks, the dog jumps at them and barks because they left him warmth.

O my son, you are like a cat. They said to it, 'Leave your mischief until you are reformed, then you can enter the king's house.' The cat said, 'I cannot bear to leave my mischief, even if they made me a neck of gold and ears of silver.'

O my son, you are like a pig that went with the respectable people to the bathhouse. They all cleaned themselves and when they left the bathhouse, they were clean. The pig lifted its head and saw a puddle of muddy water with filth and dirt. It went down and started to swim in it. The respectable people warned him, 'Do not ruin yourself with this action.' The pig replied, 'You do what pleases you, and I will do what pleases me.'

O my son, my fingers are towards your mouth and your fingers are towards my eyes.

O my son, if I can't see with my eye, it's better to pluck it out.

O my son, the proverbs that have been spoken are true, the one you give birth to is called a child, and the one you raise is called a servant.

O my son, what is said in proverbs is true, seize your nephew under your armpit, and pound him on the ground.

O my son, it is God who saved me from death and He is the One who judges between you and me. Whoever does good will receive good in return, but whoever digs a well for his friend will be thrown by God into it, and his standing will be drowned.

When Nadan heard this reproach and censure, he swelled up like a blown-up balloon. His stomach dropped and burst, causing him to die and end up in Hell. Thus ended the tale and story of Nadan and Haiqar.

Praise be to God always and forever. May God have mercy on those who write, read, own, and listen [to this]. May God have mercy on the dead of those who remember the poor writer with compassion, saying 'May God have mercy on him,' and may God have mercy on the dead of those who present and listening. Amen. May God have mercy on everyone who says 'Amen'. Thus ends the story of Haiqar the Wise and what happened to him with Nadan, his nephew. And God is the one sought for help.