And he fell
to companying with Persians and with the sons of the merchants, and he
gave himself up to good drinking and good eating till all the wealth
he had with him was wasted and wantoned. Whereupon he betook himself
to his friends and comrades and cup companions and expounded to them
his case, discovering to them the failure of that which was in his
hand of wealth. But not one of them took heed of him or even deigned
answer him.
So he returned to his mother (and indeed his spirit was broken)
and related to her that which had happened to him and what had
befallen him from his friends, how they had neither shared with him
nor requited him with speech. Quoth she: "O Abu al-Hasan, on this wise
are the sons of this time: And thou have aught, they draw thee near to
them, and if thou have naught, they put thee away from them." And
she went on to condole with him, what while he bewailed himself and
his tears flowed and he repeated these lines:
"An wane my wealth, no man will succor me,
When my wealth waxeth all men friendly show.
How many a friend for wealth showed friendliness
Who, when my wealth departed, turned to foe!"
Then he sprang up, and going to the place wherein was the other half
of his goods, took it and lived with it well.
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