 they are like every king who has ever been on the face of the earth. if someone were to say that they were like the kings in the same way as the limbs and organs are like he would have the right to say so since we have not seen nor have we been informed of from the kings who have passed on the kings of the persians and those who came before them the kings of the sects and others impudence and stinginess.
فهما قرينا كل ملك كان على وجه الأرض. ولو قال قائل إنهما ركبا في الملوك كتركيب الأعضاء والجوارح، كان له أن يقول؛ إذ كنا لم نشاهد، ولم يبلغنا عمن مضى من الملوك، ملوك العجم ومن كان قبلهم، وملوك الطوائف وغيرهم، القحة والبخل.