Prevod

It is told that Alexander the Two-Horned, in the course of his travels, passed through a land whose people were poor and powerless, possessing none of the goods of this world. They had dug graves for their dead at the doors of their houses, and constantly tended them, sweeping away the dust, keeping them clean, visiting them, and worshipping God Most High there. They ate nothing but grass and the plants of the earth. Alexander the Two-Horned sent a man to summon their king, but he refused to come, saying, “I have no need of him.” So the Two-Horned went to him and said, “How do you fare, and what manner of life is this you lead? I see that you have neither gold nor silver, nor do I find among you any of the comforts of this world.” He replied, “No one ever has his fill of worldly comforts.” Alexander asked, “Why have you dug graves at your doors?” He answered, “So that they may always be before our eyes, that we may look upon them and renew our remembrance of death, never forgetting the hereafter. Thus the love of this world leaves our hearts, and we are not distracted by it from the worship of our Lord Most High.” Alexander asked, “How can you eat grass?” He said, “Because we are loath to make our bellies the graves of animals, and because the pleasure of food goes no farther than the throat.” Then he reached out, took up a human skull, and set it before Alexander, saying, “O Two-Horned, do you know who this belonged to?” “No,” he replied. “It belonged to one of the kings of this world. He oppressed his subjects and dealt unjustly with them and with the weak, devoting all his days to gathering worldly trifles. Then God took his soul and made the Fire his dwelling place, and this is his head.”

Then he reached out and set another skull before him, saying, “Do you know this one?” “No,” he replied. “This was one of the kings of the earth. He was just to his subjects and compassionate toward the people of his realm. Then God took his soul, gave him a home in His Paradise, and raised him to a lofty station.” He laid his hand upon the head of the Two-Horned and said, “I wonder, which of these two heads will yours be?” The Two-Horned wept bitterly, clasped him to his breast, and said, “If you would be my companion, I would make you my vizier and share my kingdom with you.” The man replied, “Far from it, far from it! I have no desire for such things.” Alexander asked, “Why is that?” He said, “Because all men are your enemies on account of the wealth and kingship you have been given, while all are truly my friends on account of my contentment and poverty. I have no kingdom and no worldly ambition; I seek nothing from this world and have no desire for anything in it. Contentment alone is mine.” Alexander clasped him to his breast, kissed him between the eyes, and departed.