…The minister (the royal advisor) approached the king (Debshilem) at the appropriate time and informed him that a Brahmin named ‘Pydba’ was coming to offer his services. The king granted permission, and the Brahmin entered and stood before him, bowing respectfully. After a moment of silence, the king dismissed Pydba.

Debshilem reflected on the philosopher’s silence and stated that wise men are richer than kings through knowledge, and that kings are not richer than wise men through wealth. He observed that knowledge and humility are inseparable, and that the loss of one means the loss of the other. He concluded that those who fail to respect and honor wise men, and to recognize their worth, are considered foolish, and that they forfeit their reason and lose their worldly possessions, thus becoming a disgrace to wisdom.What advice did the wise philosopher “Bidpa” give to the king? Al-Maqfi, the author of *Qullu and Dimna*, alerted us to the author’s intention by stating: “Those who read this book should not merely skim through it, but should carefully study its contents, paying attention to each proverb and word, and reflecting upon their meaning.” He also warned: “Anyone who reads this book and fails to understand its purpose, either explicitly or implicitly, will not benefit from its content.”