Scam and fraud do not only affect an individual. Sometimes the entire village falls victim to a con artist who knows how to deceive people by exploiting their beliefs, especially if it is related to charity or a religious matter. Complaining is a scourge that blinds one to many positive things. The following story tells an example of those who complain without doing anything useful. The story is about a village whose inhabitants fell victim to a stranger who stole their money and fled to an unknown place.
In one of the villages lived a wise man, renowned for his profound wisdom. People came to him from far and wide, sharing their worries and problems. Every day, the wise man was accustomed to hearing the same complaints about poverty, injustice and misfortune. But he noticed that they weren’t looking for a solution; they were simply looking for someone who would listen to their grievances.
One day, the wise man decided to teach them a different lesson. He gathered the villagers in a large square and told them a funny joke, and everyone burst out laughing. The wise man waited a short while, then told the same joke again. This time, only a few laughed, while some began to wonder why. The wise man waited a few more moments, then told the joke yet again. But this time, no one laughed.
The wise man smiled and said to them, “You cannot laugh at the same joke over and over again, so why do you cry and complain about the same problems every day? If you refuse to laugh at the same joke repeatedly, why do you grieve over the same tragedy repeatedly?” Then, the people realized that they were wasting their time complaining instead of looking for solutions. From that moment on, people began to look at their problems differently.
In one of the villages lived a wise man, renowned for his profound wisdom. People came to him from far and wide, sharing their worries and problems. Every day, the wise man was accustomed to hearing the same complaints about poverty, injustice and misfortune. But he noticed that they weren’t looking for a solution; they were simply looking for someone who would listen to their grievances.
One day, the wise man decided to teach them a different lesson. He gathered the villagers in a large square and told them a funny joke, and everyone burst out laughing. The wise man waited a short while, then told the same joke again. This time, only a few laughed, while some began to wonder why. The wise man waited a few more moments, then told the joke yet again. But this time, no one laughed.
The wise man smiled and said to them, “You cannot laugh at the same joke over and over again, so why do you cry and complain about the same problems every day? If you refuse to laugh at the same joke repeatedly, why do you grieve over the same tragedy repeatedly?” Then, the people realized that they were wasting their time complaining instead of looking for solutions. From that moment on, people began to look at their problems differently.
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Greed destroys the liar
In a quiet village, a man arrived in a luxury car. He impressed everyone with his generosity when he announced a donation of 200 million to build a mosque. He refused to reveal his identity, simply saying that he would return in two months to see the progress of the construction.
After some days, the man returned to find that the mosque was rising. He decided to double his generosity and donated another 100 million, much to the joy of the villagers. As usual, he did not reveal his name, only asking them to pray for him. A month later, the mosque was completed, and the villagers warmly welcomed the generous donor. The villagers tried to persuade him to stay as their guest. He politely declined, explaining that he had to travel immediately to America, where he owned factories and needed 500 workers, whom he would select from the villages.
The villagers were elated and asked him to take the workers from among them, which he agreed to, appreciating their efforts in building the mosque. He told them he would cover all expenses; he only needed the passports quickly. He said he needed three million (presumably Egyptian pounds) for each passport as a symbolic fee to finalize the paperwork. He told them he would pay for the remaining costs, including the plane ticket, visa, accommodation and a generous salary. Everyone was excited, and within a week, 500 passports were collected, each with three million (presumably Egyptian pounds). Strangely, they could not donate to the mosque’s construction, citing poverty. The man took the documents and money, promising to return soon to complete the procedures. Fifteen days later, 500 passports arrived at the mosque, but the man did not return. He vanished with 1.5 billion (presumably Egyptian pounds). This meant he invested 300 million (presumably Egyptian pounds) in the mosque’s construction, but stole many times that amount.
In a quiet village, a man arrived in a luxury car. He impressed everyone with his generosity when he announced a donation of 200 million to build a mosque. He refused to reveal his identity, simply saying that he would return in two months to see the progress of the construction.
After some days, the man returned to find that the mosque was rising. He decided to double his generosity and donated another 100 million, much to the joy of the villagers. As usual, he did not reveal his name, only asking them to pray for him. A month later, the mosque was completed, and the villagers warmly welcomed the generous donor. The villagers tried to persuade him to stay as their guest. He politely declined, explaining that he had to travel immediately to America, where he owned factories and needed 500 workers, whom he would select from the villages.
The villagers were elated and asked him to take the workers from among them, which he agreed to, appreciating their efforts in building the mosque. He told them he would cover all expenses; he only needed the passports quickly. He said he needed three million (presumably Egyptian pounds) for each passport as a symbolic fee to finalize the paperwork. He told them he would pay for the remaining costs, including the plane ticket, visa, accommodation and a generous salary. Everyone was excited, and within a week, 500 passports were collected, each with three million (presumably Egyptian pounds). Strangely, they could not donate to the mosque’s construction, citing poverty. The man took the documents and money, promising to return soon to complete the procedures. Fifteen days later, 500 passports arrived at the mosque, but the man did not return. He vanished with 1.5 billion (presumably Egyptian pounds). This meant he invested 300 million (presumably Egyptian pounds) in the mosque’s construction, but stole many times that amount.
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The philosopher Diogenes lived a life of austerity. His diet consisted only of bread and lentils. The philosopher Aristippus once saw him and remarked, “If you were to flatter rulers, you would eat butter and honey instead of lentils.” Diogenes replied, “If you learned to eat lentils, my dear Aristippus, you would not have to flatter kings.”
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We want rapid development.
Hurry, government, and build everything essential, lest time overtake you, prices rise, people become disillusioned, and a generation that could have enjoyed its country’s projects passes away.
Hurry, government, and build everything essential, lest time overtake you, prices rise, people become disillusioned, and a generation that could have enjoyed its country’s projects passes away.