“Never humble yourself before another person…”;

“Know that no one is able to use the days allotted to you in your stead”;

“Whatever misfortune you encounter, whatever calamity befalls you, do not grieve; show the will to overcome it”;

“If you have helped someone, do not remind him of it under any circumstances, even after time has passed”;

“For anyone who has fallen into trouble by chance and is suffering misfortune, spare no help, material or moral support; be merciful, and do not be indifferent or uncaring”;

“Know that from the moment you gain fame and greatness, your devil — selfishness — and your king — self-love — will strive with all their might to cast down your soul and your mind”;

“If someone comes to your aid in a time of adversity, it is your moral duty to be ready at any moment to come to his aid, yet without giving him reason to read your help as repayment or the discharge of a debt”;

“In the company of noble and chosen sages and discerning people, refrain from misplaced enthusiasm, empty words and useless talk”;

“Know and remember that silence is better than much speaking.”

(Abdullah ibn al-Muqaffa (721–760) was a Persian writer who served as secretary to Isa ibn Ali, uncle of the caliph al-Mansur. Al-Muqaffa belonged to a noble Persian family and received the ancient Iranian name Ruzbeh at birth, which he changed to Abdullah on converting to Islam in maturity. His father served the Umayyads as a tax collector in Basra; when subjected to an inspection accompanied by torture, he lost the use of his left hand and received the nickname al-Muqaffa (“the man with the withered or twisted hand”).

The Umayyads were a dynasty of Arab caliphs founded by Muawiya in 661 (after the fourth rightly guided caliph, Ali). The Umayyads came from the clan of Umayya of the Arab Meccan tribe of Quraysh. They ruled in the Damascus Caliphate until the middle of the 8th century. Under the Umayyads the Arabs conquered North Africa, most of the Iberian Peninsula (today the peninsula is home to the states of Spain, Portugal and Andorra, part of France, and the dependent but very important British territory of Gibraltar), Central Asia and other territories. As a result of the revolt of 747–750 led by Abu Muslim, the Umayyads were overthrown and the Abbasids came to power. One of the Umayyads, Abd al-Rahman I, fled to Spain and founded the Emirate of Córdoba there, beginning the dynasty of the Córdoban Umayyads.

In Basra, Abdullah ibn al-Muqaffa mastered Arabic and grammar under famous teachers. His father prepared Abdullah ibn al-Muqaffa for state service, which required a command of Arabic. Later al-Muqaffa, while serving as secretary to Isa ibn Ali, uncle of the caliph al-Mansur, became involved in Abbasid intrigues and was executed.

Ibn al-Muqaffa translated into Arabic Aristotle’s “Categories”, the “Khoday-Nama” (a source for the “Shahnameh” of the great Ferdowsi) and “Kalila and Dimna” (the fables of Bidpai). The latter work, “Kalila and Dimna”, in his version was translated several times into every language, Eastern and European alike, and had an enormous influence on popular literature.)