Sa'di

“ If one of these four becomes prevalent, Sweet life must abandon the body Wherefore an intelligent and perfect man Sets not his heart upon this world's life.
After maturely considering these sentiments, I thought proper to sit down in the mansion of retirement to fold up the skirts of association, to wash my tablets of heedless sayings and no more to indulge in senseless prattle:
To sit in a corner, like one with a cut tongue, deaf and dumb, Is better than a man who has no command over his tongue. ”

“ Verily the world is happy through him; may his happiness endure for ever And may the Lord strengthen him and with the banners of victory. Thus the branch will flourish of which he is the root Because the beauty of the earth's plants depends on the virtue of the seed. ”

“ O thou who art above all imaginations, conjectures, opinions and ideas, Above anything people have said or we have heard or read, The assembly is finished and life has reached its term And we have, as at first, remained powerless in describing thee. ”

“ Obedience to him is a cause of approach and gratitude in increase of benefits. Every inhalation of the breath prolongs life and every expiration of it gladdens our nature; wherefore every breath confers two benefits and for every benefit gratitude is due.
Whose hand and tongue is capable To fulfil the obligations of thanks to him?
Words of the most high: Be thankful, O family of David, and but few of my servants are thankful.
It is best to a worshipper for his transgressions To offer apologies at the throne of God, Although what is worthy of his dignity No one is able to accomplish. ”

“ O bird of the morning, learn love from the moth Because it burnt, lost its life, and found no voice. These pretenders are ignorantly in search of Him, Because he who obtained knowledge has not returned. ”

“ O Lord, be pleased with him and with his kingdom-has looked upon Sa'di with a favourable eye, has praised him greatly, and has shown him sincere affection so that all men, gentle and simple, love him because the people follow the religion of their king.
Because thou lookest upon my humble person, My merits are more celebrated than those of the sun. Although this slave may possess all faults, Every fault pleasing the Sultan becomes a virtue. ”

“ They were all human beings, but Like wolves sharp-clawed, for shedding blood. When I returned I saw the country at rest, The tigers having abandoned the nature of tigers. Within a man of good disposition like an angel, Without an army like bellicose lions. ”

“ It is against propriety, and contrary to the opinions of wise men that the Zulfiqar of A'li should remain in the scabbard and the tongue of Sa'di in his palate.'
O intelligent man what is the tongue in the mouth? It is the key to the treasure-door of a virtuous man. When the door is closed how can one know Whether he is a seller of jewels or a hawker?
Although intelligent men consider silence civil, It is better for thee to speak at the proper time. Two things betoken levity of intellect: to remain mute When it is proper to speak and to talk when silence is required. ”

“ He told the chamberlain of the morning breeze to spread out the emerald carpet and, having commanded the nurse of vernal clouds to cherish the daughters of plants in the cradle of the earth, the trees donned the new year's robe and clothed their breast with the garment of green foliage, whilst their offspring, the branches, adorned their heads with blossoms at the approach of the season of the roses. ”

“ We have not known thee as thou oughtest to be known.
If someone asks me for his description, What shall I despairing say of One who has no form? The lovers have been slain by the beloved. No voice can come from the slain. ”

“ The tradition is that whenever a sinful and distressed worshipper stretches forth the hand of repentance with hopes of acceptance to the court of heaven, God the most high does not notice him, whereon he continues to implore mercy with supplications and tears and God the most holy says: O my angels, verily I am ashamed of my servant and he has no other lord besides myself. ”

“ It is an instance of wisdom if the Creator Causes a servant to make the general welfare his special duty. He has found eternal happiness who lived a good life, Because, after his end, good repute will keep his name alive. No matter whether virtuous men praise you or not A lovely maid stands in no need of a tire woman. ”

“ Cloud and wind, moon and sun move in the sky That thou mayest gain bread, and not eat it unconcerned. For thee all are revolving and obedient. It is against the requirements of justice if thou obeyest not. ”

“ How then could I venture to appear in the sight of the grandees of my lord, may his victory be glorious, who are an assembly of pious men and the centre of profound scholars? If I were to be led in the ardour of conversation to speak petulantly, I could produce only a trifling stock-in-trade in the noble presence but glass beads are not worth a barleycorn in the bazar of jewellers, a lamp does not shine in the presence of the sun, and a minaret looks low at the foot of Mount Alvend.
Who lifts up his neck with pretentions, Foes hasten to him from every side. Sa'di has fallen to be a hermit. ”

“ The showers of his boundless mercy have penetrated to every spot, and the banquet of his unstinted liberality is spread out everywhere. He tears not the veil of reputation of his worshippers even for grievous sins, and does not withhold their daily allowance of bread for great crimes. ”

“ Speak well and if slow what matters it? Deliberate and then begin to talk. Say thyself enough before others say enough. By speech a man is better than a brute But a beast is better unless thou speakest properly. ”

“ But, trusting in the liberal sentiments of the great, who shut their eyes to the faults of their inferiors and abstain from divulging the crimes of humble men, we have in this book recorded, by way of abridgment, some rare events, stories, poetry and accounts about ancient kings, spending a portion of our precious life in the task. ”

“ Every attendant and follower has an appointed duty and if, in the performance thereof, he gives way to remissness and indolence, he is certainly called to account and becomes subject to reproaches, except the tribe of dervishes, from whom thanks are due for the benefits they receive from great men as well as praises and prayers, all of which duties are more suitably performed in their absence than in their presence, because in the latter they look like ostentation and in the former they are free from ceremony. ”