One day, as Mullah Nasruddin sat in the village square, a passing friend said, “Mullah, forgive me for saying so, but your clothes and your turban need washing.”

The Mullah looked at his robe, and said, “But if I wash them, then they will get dirty again.”

“Yes,” said the friend, “and then you must wash them again.”

“And after that?” Nasruddin said. “Won’t they get dirty again?”

“Of course,” the friend said patiently. “And when they do, you must wash them again.”

Nasruddin shook his head. “Is this the wisdom of God? It seems that man is born into this world only to wash clothes!”