and then why do you permit the safe food of one who does not praise you and who if he praises you does not praise you properly and who does not distinguish between the delicious and the fresh and the thick and the fatty? he said what prevents me from that is what abu alfatak said. they said and who is abu alfatak? he said the judge of the youths. and i have never eaten with anyone except that i saw from him some of what he condemned and some of what he abhorred and disgraced. something that is disgraceful in the clever so what do you think of it if it is among the people of chivalry and the people of the houses? they said so what did abu alfatak say?
وبعد، فلم تبيح مصون الطعام لمن لا يحمدك، ومن ان حمدك لم يحسن أن يحمدك، ومن لا يفصل بن الشهي القدي، وبين الغليظ الزهم ٣ ؟ قال يمنعني من ذلك ما قال أبو الفاتك. قالوا ومن أبو الفاتك؟ قال قاضي الفتيان ٤ . وإني لم آكل مع أحد، قط ألا رأيت منه بعض ما ذمه، وبعض ما شنعه وقبحه. فشيء يقبح بالشطار، فما ظنك به إذا كان في أصحاب المروءات، وأهل البيوتات؟ قالوا فما قال أبو الفاتك.