SHETH—GREETING TO HIM.

Sheth was the son of Adam, and the teacher of Edris [Enoch]. The Sabians acknowledge him to be a prophet, and consider themselves to be his descendants. They pos­sess a book consisting of one hundred and twenty chapters, which they call the first [collection of] Psalms. The following are some of the sayings of Sheth: ‘The best of pleasures is an open heart and a noble mind.—The best deeds and words are those which entail praise in this, and salvation in the next world.—Silence is better than con­versation with fools, and solitude is better than the company of the wicked.’ Sheth was one of the sons of Adam, the youngest in age, but the greatest in intellect.

The following are also of his sayings: ‘He whom God has distinguished by wealth and prosperity, ought not to be proud, nor to exalt himself above others, and ought only by his good acts to incline the needy to be thankful and humble towards him, because the rich and the poor are equal in the sight of God, and bound to serve Him.— When you are angry, restrain your tongue from uttering words which will afterwards cause you to blush for shame. —The greatest misfortune of a man is his want of prudence and wisdom, and his remissness in trying to acquire them. —The acts of a man are the index of his character, and not his fine clothes, nor large body.—He is an intelligent king who abstains from manifesting antagonism towards another king who is not able to resist him.’