The Dervish And The Prince

Just as Dervishes must resist the temptation to be co-opted by and as Parsons, they must also resist the temptation to sit in court with Kings.

"To labor for Kings," wrote Sa'adi, "has two sides: hope of bread and fear for one's life. It is contrary to the opinion of the wise to expose oneself to the latter for the sake of the former."

[See Thackston's translation of The Gulistan, 26].