This might or might not have been quoted in a Peanuts comic, and if so, the speaker would be Linus Van Pelt. It runs something like this:
“A great ruler asked his chief advisor, ‘How might I best benefit my people?’ The advisor replied, “One day, sleep until noon, that for that interval, you might not afflict them.”
You should sleep late, it’s much easier on your constitution.
A little close to … constituents? Half credit?
It sounds vaguely like a passage from Aristophanes’ The Wasps (though I’m afraid I can’t help much with context):
BDELYCLEON: Very well then, since you find so much pleasure in it, go down there no more, but stay here and deal out justice to your slaves.
PHILOCLEON: But what is there to judge? Are you mad?
BDELYCLEON: Everything as in a tribunal. If a servant opens a door secretly, you inflict upon him a simple fine; that’s what you have repeatedly done down there. Everything can be arranged to suit you. If it is warm in the morning, you can judge in the sunlight; if it is snowing, then seated at your fire; if it rains, you go indoors; and if you don’t rise till noon, there will be no Thesmothetes to exclude you from the precincts.
I’m also almost sure it’s in Peanuts somewhere. Linus telling the story to either Charlie Brown or Lucy, who acts entirely as straight man (never saying a word if I recall correctly), and Snoopy making some remark at the end to serve as a punchline, probably “Back to bed.”
It can be hard to find old Peanuts strips online, even when you know the exact words, but I’ll keep looking.
Well, I was close, and the OP was close as well:
Charlie (Snoopy listens as Charlie is reading to Linus): “An unjust king asked a holy man, ‘What is more excellent than prayer?’ The holy man said: ‘For you to remain asleep till midday, that for this one interval you may not afflict mankind.’”
Snoopy: (walks through the yard and gets on top of his dog box) “Back to bed!”
This is from https://www.facebook.com/groups/238977156555480/posts/1101652036954650, which is quoting the original strip rather than showing it. Also, there’s no date for the original. But the quote sounds right.
And a little further googling reveals أهلاً و سهلاً في موقع الوراق - Arabic books Library , scroll down to 37, where the quote appears. Looks like Fitzgerald’s translation of an Islamic text, not sure which one; the section is titled “Grandeur and Decline of Islam.”
Brilliant! I couldn’t load the Facebook page, but googling the exact quote (thank you) turned up some good references, one of which led back to a book that just happens to be on my shelf - Will Durant’s The Age of Faith. The quote is from the poet Sa’di, in a collection called the Gulistan, or Rose Garden, in 1258. Sa’di is the same poet, apparently, who complained that he had no shoes until he met a man who had no feet.
Cool! You’re most welcome, happy to help. I knew it was familiar from Peanuts.
And how neat you had the quote in one of the books on your shelf.
I like both of these quotes from Sa’di–may have to check out what else he’d written.
And then he took that guy’s shoes, because what did he need them for?
I had almost that actual experience in real life. I injured myself on the job, where I badly stubbed my toe to the point where it swelled up and turned purple. I could walk with a slight limp, but it was painful. I was told by my employer to go to a specific doctor, because I needed to be treated by someone that the company will pay for who can report back to the company. I didn’t even think it was something bad enough to see a doctor about, it looked bad but didn’t hurt that badly and it wasn’t affecting my ability to do anything, but if your employer demands you do something, you do it.
I go to the doctor’s office as told. And after waiting in the waiting room, and getting my vitals checked by a nurse, I sit in the examination room, and in rolls a doctor in a wheelchair.
“What’s the issue today?”
“Um… I stubbed my toe and it seems like it’s bruised. I can walk, it just hurts a little.”
I felt like such an ass complaining to this doctor about my insignificant toe injury, but again, it wasn’t my choice. And sure enough, just a bruise, I was told to put ice on it to reduce the swelling and take some OTC pain medicine for the pain. It didn’t need a cast or splint or boot or anything.
I hope you don’t feel too bad about that because it’s pretty funny and you were doing a reasonable thing, and I’m sure the doctor knew that. It’s like saying a broken leg is unworthy of attention because some people don’t have legs (I honestly hate that quote. Gratitude needs to come from within, as a personal choice, rather than have someone morally superior badger it in to you. That’s just my opinion.)