_ 42 _ pay him in the same coin. You will thus use more gentle words of this sort to rid him of his anger. And what I say about rage I say about any other strong emotion, by always maintaining that he has no reason or cause for taking things so much to heart. So you will talk in the following manner to those who are angry, love-loin or tempted: you will wear them from the passion that afflicts them with a smile. Later you will converse with them in a different way, admonishing them strongly, in accordance with their obedience to reason. Wherever you are, take great pains to find out about all the dealings, manners and means that the men use to earn a living and to trade, both within the country as well as outside. Become well versed in this through people who are conversant with these transactions. These people are the ones who will teach you how you are to make progress in the land where you are living. Besides, they provide reliable information about the wrong- doings that happen there. You can thus receive detailed information about the dealings and usury that takes place between here and Ormuz. On the way, you can also reflect on the manner in which you are to convince them so that they become aware of the errors in which they live and the restitution that they have to make.
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