Section: The Vizier's Attentiveness to the King

Section

(The Vizier's Attentiveness to the King)

The third section of the canons of this vizierate: that he be for the king a seeing eye and a hearing ear, reporting up what he has witnessed as it truly is and giving word of what he has heard as it truthfully is; for he has been given a share with the king, marked out by privileged access, and deputed to the interests of the realm. It therefore became binding upon him to be the one charged with the king's interests, standing in his place in the witnessing of what is out of sight and the hearing of what is far off, since he is set before all others. And in this three obligations lie upon him. The first: that he keep up the examination of the conditions of the realm until he knows what is out of sight as he knows what is present, and knows what is concealed as he knows what is manifest, so that the true side of a matter is not palmed off on him for its false side, nor the veracity of a statement confused for him with its falsity. For it has been said: the truth is clear-shining and falsehood stammers. If he falls short in these matters until they become concealed, or lets himself drift in them until they are palmed off on him, he is held to account for the offence of falling short and the guilt of the harm. The second: that he neither hasten his informing of the king of them nor delay it — though a delay in acting upon them is permissible, since the reporting up is his charge and the acting is not. And it is said in the wisdom of the house of Dāwūd, peace be upon him: he who conceals his ignorance is better than he who conceals his wisdom. And since he stands to him in the place of his seeing eye and his hearing ear, by which knowledge of a thing is had at once, it is required that he proceed with him according to the rule of these, so that the king may take up at once what must be hastened and set deliberation before what may be deferred. If the vizier delays informing the king of them, having already cut off their harm, he has discharged good counsel but stands in fear of the king. And in this respect the vizier of delegation differs, in his undertaking the management of them without reporting them up, because the one is confined to the reporting up and the other is deputed to the acting. The third: he makes the realities of affairs plain to him, holding the small and the great equal in this, neither leaning toward one who is near nor encroaching upon one who is far, neither magnifying what is small among affairs nor belittling what is great among them; for whoever fears