Quotes from Saadi Shirazi

People are crying up the rich and variegated plumage of the peacock, and he is himself blushing at the sight of his ugly feet.

A man is insensible to the relish of prosperity 'til he has tasted adversity.

Affairs succeed by patience, and he that is hasty falleth headlong.

Anger that has no limit causes terror, and unseasonable kindness does away with respect. Be not so severe as to cause disgust, nor so lenient as to make people presume.

Be thou generous, and gentle, and forgiving; as God hath scattered upon thee, scatter thou upon others.

Dost thou desire that thine own heart should not suffer, redeem thou the sufferer from the bonds of misery.

Eschew that friend, if thou art wise, who consorts with thy enemies.

Hast thou not perfect excellence, ?tis best To keep thy tongue in silence, for ?tis this Which shames a man; as lightness does attest The nut is empty, nor of value is.

Heed not the flatterer?s fulsome talk, He from thee hopes some trifle to obtain; Thou wilt, shouldst thou his wishes baulk, Ten hundred times as much of censure gain.

Labour like a man, and be ready in doing kindnesses. He is a good-for-nothing fellow who eateth by the toil of another?s hand.

Let thy words between two foes be such that if they were to become friends thou shouldst not be ashamed.

No one hath come into the world for a continuance save him who leaveth behind him a good name.*

Purpose without power is mere weakness and deception; and power without purpose is mere fatuity.

Reason is captive in the hands of the passions, as a weak man in the hands of an artful woman.

The sage who engages in controversy with ignorant people must not expect to be treated with honour; and if a fool should overpower a philosopher by his loquacity it is not to be wondered at, for a common stone will break a jewel.

Though you may yourself abound in treasure, teach your son some handicraft; for a heavy purse of gold and silver may run to waste, but the purse of the artisan?s industry can never get empty.

Two persons die remorseful: he who possessed and enjoyed not, and he who knew but did not practise.

Were all thy fond endeavours vain To chase away the sufferer?s smart, Still hover near, lest absence pain His lonely heart.

When a base fellow cannot vie with another in merit he will attack him with malicious slander.