Fables, Wisdom Literature and Epic

Selected parables from Sa’di’s The Gulistan

“Those who make an effort to display their virtues, do the same to conceal their vices”.

A zahid was the guest of a king. When he sat down at table he ate more
sparingly from that than his appetite inclined him, and when he stood up at
prayers he continued longer at them than it was his custom; that they might
form a high opinion of his sanctity. —

I fear, O Arab! that thou wilt not

reach the Caabah; for the road that thou art taking leads to Turkistan.

When he returned home he ordered the table to be spread that he might

eat. His son was a youth of a shrewd understanding. He said: “O father,
perhaps you ate little or nothing at the feast of the king?” He answered, “In
his presence I ate scarce anything that could answer its purpose!” Then
retorted the boy, “Repeat also your prayers, that nothing be omitted that can
serve a purpose.” Yes, thy virtues thou hast exposed in the palm of thy
hand, thy vices thou hast hid under thy arm-pit. Take heed, O hypocrite,
what thou wilt be able to purchase with this base money on the day of need
or day of judgment.

“The foundation of injustice in the world began with small unjust deeds.”

They have related that at a hunting seat they were roasting some game for
Nushirowan, and as there was no salt they were despatching a servant to the
village to fetch some. Nushirowan called to him, saying, “Take it at its fair
price, and not by force, lest a bad precedent be established and the village
desolated.” They asked, “What damage can ensue from this trifle?” He
answered, “Originally, the basis of oppression in this world was small, and
every newcomer added to it, till it reached to its present extent: — Let the
monarch eat but one apple from a peasant’s orchard, and his guards, or
slaves, will pull up the tree by its root. From the plunder of five eggs, that
the king shall sanction, his troops will stick a thousand fowls on their spits.”

“The pain you give to others eventually finds its way back to you.”

They tell a story of a tyrant who bought fire-wood from the poor at a low
price, and sold it to the rich at an advance. A good and holy man went up to
him and said, “Thou art a snake, who bitest everybody thou seest; or an
owl, who diggest up and makest a ruin of the place where thou sittest: —
Although thy injustice may pass unpunished among us, it cannot escape
God, the knower of secrets. Be not unjust with the people of this earth, that
their complaints may not rise up to heaven.”
They say the unjust man was offended at his words, turned aside his
face, and showed him no civility, as they have expressed it (in the Koran):
— He, the glorified God, overtook him amidst his sins: — till one night,
when the fire of his kitchen fell upon the stack of wood, consumed all his
property, and laid him from the bed of luxury upon the ashes of
hell torments. That good and holy man happened to be passing and
observed that he was remarking to his friends, “I cannot fancy whence this
fire fell upon my dwelling.” He said, “From the smoke of the hearts of the
poor! — Guard against the smoke of the sore-afflicted heart, for an inside
sore will at last gather into a head. Give nobody’s heart pain so long as thou
canst avoid it, for one sigh may set a whole world into a flame.”
They have related that these verses were inscribed in golden letters upon
Kai-khosráu’s crown:— “How many years, and what a continuance of ages,
that mankind shall on this earth walk over my head. As the kingdom came
to me from hand to hand, so it shall pass into the hands of others.”

“Power and riches cannot exalt one in status.”

A solitary dervish had taken up his station at the corner of a desert. A king
was passing by him. Inasmuch as contentment is the enjoyment of a
kingdom, the dervish did not raise his head, nor show him the least mark of
attention; and, inasmuch as sovereignty is regal pomp, the king took
offence, and said, “The tribe of ragged mendicants resemble brute beasts,
and have neither grace nor good manners.” The vizir stepped up to him, and
said: “O generous man! the sovereign of the universe has passed by you;
why did you not do him homage, and discharge the duty of obeisance?” He
answered and said, “Speak to your sovereign, saying: Expect service from
that person who will court your favor; let him moreover know that kings are
meant for the protection of the people, and not the people for the subjects of
kings. — Though it be for their benefit that his glory is exalted, yet is the
king but the shepherd of the poor. The sheep are not intended for the service
of the shepherd, but the shepherd is appointed to tend the sheep. — To-day
thou mayest observe one man proud from prosperity, another with a heart
sore from adversity; have patience for a few days till the dust of the grave
can consume the brain of that vain and foolish head. When the record of
destiny came to take effect, the distinction of liege and subject disappeared.
Were a person to turn up the dust of the defunct, he could not distinguish
that of the rich man from the poor.”
These sayings made a strong impression upon the king; he said: “Ask me
for something.” He replied: “What I desire is, that you will not trouble me
again!” The king said, “Favor me with a piece of advice.” He answered:
“Attend to them now that the good things of this life are in thy hands; for
wealth and dominion are passing from one hand into another.”

“The fleeting moment of an angry decision has everlasting consequences.”

A king ordered an innocent person to be put to death. The man said, “Seek
not your own hurt by venting any anger you may entertain against me.” The
king asked, “How?” He replied, “The pain of this punishment will continue
with me for a moment, but the sin of it will endure with you forever. — The
period of this life passes by like the wind of the desert. Joy and sorrow,
beauty and deformity, equally pass away. The tyrant vainly thought that he
did me an injury, but round his neck it clung and passed over me.”
The king profited by this advice, spared his life, and asked his
Forgiveness.

“Do not turn away from knowledge even if one has to get it from the teachings of the
ignorant.”

A LAWYER said to his father:

“Those fine speeches of the declaimers make no impression on me , because I do not see that
their actions correspond with their precepts. They teach people to forsake the world, whilst
themselves accumulate property. A wise man who preaches without practising, will l not impress
others. That person is wise who abstain eth from sin, not he who teacheth good to others, whilst
himself committeth evil. The wise man who indulges in sensual gratifications, being himself
bewildered, how can he guide others ? ”
The father replied : O my son ! you ought not, merely from this vain opinion, to reject the
doctrines of the preacher, thus pursuing the paths of vanity, by imputing errors to the learned; and
whilst you are searching for an immaculate teacher, are deprived of the benefits of learning ; like
the blind man, who, one night falling into the mud , cried out , O Muslems, bring a lamp to show
me the way. ’ An impudent woman, who heard him, said, You cannot see a lamp what, then , can
it show you ? Moreover, the society of the preacher resembles the shop of a trader, where, until
you pay money, you cannot carry away the goods, and here, unless you come with good
inclination, you will not derive any benefit. Listen to the discourse of the l earned man with the
utmost attention, although his actions may not correspond with his doctrine. It is a futile
objection of gainsayers, that how can he who is a sleep awaken others ? ” It behooveth a man to
receive instruction, although the advice be written on a wall.