A Present to Kings — Page 58
( 58 ) + be noted, what is sought to be described is that, as a general rule, man gives to worldly profit and sensual pleasures preference to religion and the commandments of God. Now, the point to be considered is, that of the two things mentioned ae tending to make men oblivious of religion, viz. , trade and play, which one is productive of greater oblivion, literary. Frhich elegance requiring that the same should come first in the order of mention. And it is clear that 'trade' is a more potent source of oblivion than sport; because in trade there is the additional incentive of profit, whereas in play it is forgetfulness pure and simple without the lure of profit. . There are several powerful motives which impel men's minds to trade, e. g. , earning one's livelihood, maintaining one's wife and children, etc. In play there is no such compelling circumstance. Man may without any risk of harm forego his play, but he can not abandon his trade without such a risk. . Trade, therefore, exercises a greater attraction for the human mind than play, and it is therefore right that in the verse under reference it should be given precedence to play. A reverse order would indeed be a defect. . Then as to the question why in the succeeding portion of (play) لهر و قل ما عند الله خير من اللهو و من التجارة the verse رن has been mentioned before (trade) and the previous order has not been adhered to, the answer is that the subject matter here described is not the same as in the first portion of the verse. . On the contrary the change in the purport has necessitated a change in the order of words. Adherence to the first order should have here proved a defect. Here the purport is that the blessings which God has to give are more valuable than play' and 'trade. ' In this case the point to be attended to in the arrangement of the words is not that, of the two things mentioned, which is the one productive of greater oblivion, but the point is that of the two things named which is the more largely surpassed in excellence by the blessings with God. If it is 'play' that is so surpassed then $