ثم إن الملك دبشليم لما استقر له الملك، وسقط عنه النظر في أمور الأعداء بما قد كفاه ذلك بيدبا، صرف همته إلى النظر في الكتب التي وضعتها فلاسفة الهند لآبائه وأجداده؛ فوقع في نفسه أن يكون له أيضاً كتابٌ مشروحٌ ينسب إليه وتذكر فيه أيامه كما ذكر آباؤه وأجداده من قبله. فلما عزم على ذلك، علم أنه لا يقوم ذلك إلا ببيدبا: فدعاه وخلا به؛ وقال له: يا بيدبا، إنك حكيم الهند وفيلسوفها. وإني فكرت ونظرت في خزائن الحكمة التي كانت للملوك قبلي؛ فلم أر فيهم أحداً إلا وضع كتاباً يذكر فيه أيامه وسيرته، وينبئ عن أدبه وأهل مملكته؛ فمنه ما وضعته الملوك لأنفسها، وذلك لفضل حكمةٍ فيها؛ ومنها ما وضعته حكماؤها. وأخاف أن يلحقني ما لحق أولئك مما لا حيلة لي فيه، ولا يوجد في خزائني كتابٌ أذكر به من بعدي، وأنسب إليه كما ذكر من كان قبلي بكتبهم. وقد أحببت أن تضع لي كتاباً بليغاً تستفرغ فيه عقلك يكون ظاهره سياسة العامة وتأديبها، وباطنه أخلاق الملوك وسياستها للرعية على طاعة الملك وخدمته؛ فيسقط بذلك عني وعنهم كثيرٌ مما نحتاج إليه في معاناة الملك. وأريد أن يبقى لي هذا الكتاب من بعدي ذكراً على غابر الدهور. فلما سمع بيدبا كلامه خر له ساجداً، ورفع رأسه وقال: أيها الملك السعيد جده، علا نجمك، وغاب نحسك، ودامت أيامك؛ إن الذي قد طبع عليه الملك من جودة القريحة ووفور العقل حركه لعالي الأمور؛ وسمت به نفسه وهمته إلى أشرف المراتب منزلةً، وأبعدها غايةً؛ وأدام الله سعادة الملك وأعانه على ما عزم من ذلك، وأعانني على بلوغ مراده. فليأمر الملك بما شاء من ذلك: فإن صائرٌ إلى غرضه، مجتهداٌ فيه برأيي. قال له الملك: يا بيدبا لم تزل موصوفاً بحسن الرأي وطاعة الملوك في أمورهم. وقد اختبرت منك ذلك، واخترت أن تضع هذا الكتاب، وتعمل فيه فكرك، وتجهد فيه نفسك، بغاية ما تجد إليه السبيل. وليكن مشتملاً على الجد والهزل واللهو والحكمة والفلسفة. فكفر له بيدبا وسجد، وقال: قد أجبت الملك أدام الله أيامه إلى ما أمرني به، وجعلت بيني وبينه أجلاً. قال: وكم هو الأجل؟ قال: سنةٌ. قال: قد أجلتك؛ وأمر له بجائزةٍ سنيةٍ تعينه على عمل الكتاب فبقى بيدبا مفكراً في الأخذ فيه، وفي أي صورةٍ يبتدي بها فيه وفي وضعه.
Then, when the kingdom had become settled for King Dabshalim and the concern for enemies' affairs had fallen away from him because Baydaba had sufficed him in that, he turned his attention to examining the books that the philosophers of India had composed for his fathers and forefathers. It occurred to him that he too should have a book, explained and attributed to him, in which his days would be mentioned as his fathers and forefathers before him had mentioned theirs. When he resolved upon that, he knew that it could not be accomplished except with Baydaba. So he summoned him and spoke with him in private, and said to him: 'O Baydaba, you are the sage of India and its philosopher. I have thought and looked into the treasuries of wisdom that belonged to the kings before me, and I did not see among them anyone who did not compose a book in which he mentioned his days and his conduct, and which informed of his culture and the people of his kingdom. Some of it was composed by the kings for themselves, and that was due to the excellence of wisdom in them; and some of it was composed by their sages. I fear that there may befall me what befell those, of that which I have no means against, and that there may not be found in my treasuries a book by which I may be remembered after me and to which I may be attributed, as those before me were remembered by their books. I have desired that you compose for me an eloquent book in which you exhaust your intellect, whose outward form is the governance of the common people and their discipline, and whose inward meaning is the morals of kings and their governance of subjects unto obedience to the king and service to him; so that thereby there may fall away from me and from them much of what we need in the conduct of kingship. And I want this book to remain for me after me as a remembrance throughout the ages to come.' When Baydaba heard his words, he fell prostrate before him, then raised his head and said: 'O king whose fortune is auspicious, may your star rise high, your ill omen depart, and your days endure. That which the king has been endowed with of excellence of mind and abundance of intellect has moved him to lofty matters; and his soul and ambition have soared to the noblest of ranks in station and the farthest in goal. May God perpetuate the king's happiness and aid him in what he has resolved, and aid me in attaining his desire. So let the king command what he wishes of that, for I shall proceed to his aim, striving in it with my judgment.' The king said to him: 'O Baydaba, you have continually been described for excellence of judgment and obedience to kings in their affairs. I have tested that in you, and I have chosen that you compose this book, apply your thought to it, and exert yourself in it to the utmost of your ability. Let it comprise seriousness and jest, amusement, wisdom, and philosophy.' Baydaba then bowed and prostrated, and said: 'I have answered the king—may God perpetuate his days—in what he has commanded me, and I have set between me and it a term.' He said: 'And how long is the term?' He said: 'A year.' He said: 'I have granted you the term.' And he ordered for him a generous reward to aid him in the work of the book. So Baydaba remained thinking about beginning it, and in what form he should start it and compose it.