The Gulistan; or Rose-Garden of Shekh Muslihu'D-Din Sadi Shiraz

Edward B. Eastwick

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2014
• Print ISBN:
  9780415245357
• eBook ISBN:
  9781136394287
• Topic: Social Sciences
• Subtopic: Ethnic Studies
• Index: Social Sciences

This is Volume I of thirteen in a collection on Persia. Originally published in 1880, this is a translation of The Gulistan or Rose-Garden of Shekh Muslihu'D-Din Sadi Shiraz. The Gulistan of Sadi has attained a popularity in the East which, perhaps, has never been reached by any European work in this Western world. Written in the first half of the thirteen century, in Sadi's code of morals, mercy and charity are not restricted to true believers.

CHAPTER I.

ON THE MANNERS OF KINGS

STORY I.

I have heard of a king who made a sign to put a captive to death. The hapless one, in a state of despair, began in the dialect he spoke⁶² to abuse the monarch, and use opprobrious language; as they say, “Every one, who washes his hands of life, utters all he has in his heart.”

COUPLET.

He that despairs, gives license to his tongue,
As cats by dogs o’erpressed rush madly on.

COUPLET.

The hand, when flight remains not, in despair
Will grasp the point⁶³ of the sharp scymitar.

The King asked, “What does he say ?” One of the vazīrs, who was of a good disposition,⁶⁴ said, “O my Lord ! he says that [Paradise, whose breadth equalleth the heavens and the earth, is prepared for the godly], who bridle their anger, and forgive men; for God loveth the beneficent.”⁶⁵ The King had compassion upon him, and gave up the intention of [spilling] his blood. Another vazīr, who was his rival, said, “ It beseems not such as we are to speak aught but truth in the august presence of kings. This person reviled the king, and spoke unbecomingly.” At this speech the King frowned and said, “That untruth of his is more acceptable to me than this truth which thou hast spoken; for that inclined ⁶⁶ towards a good purpose, and this to malevolence; and the sages have said, ‘Well-intentioned falsehood is better than mischief-exciting truth.’ ”

COUPLETS.

Words which beguile thee, but thy heart make glad,
Outvalue truth which makes thy temper sad.
They by whose counsels kings are ruled, ’twere shame
If good in all they said were not their aim.
This maxim was inscribed over the vaulted entrance of Farīdūn’s⁶⁷ palace.

DISTICHS.

The world, my brother ! will abide with none,
By the world’s Maker let thy heart be won.
Rely not, nor repose on this world’s gain,
For many a son like thee she has reared and slain.
What matters, when the spirit seeks to fly,
If on a throne or on bare earth we die ?

STORY II.

One of the kings of Khurāsān⁶⁸ beheld, in a dream, Sulṭān Maḥmūd⁶⁹ Sabuktagīn, a hundred years after his death, when all his body had dissolved and become dust, save his eyes, which, as heretofore, moved in their sockets and saw. All the sages were at a loss for the interpretation of this, except a darwesh, who made his obeisance, and said, “His eyes still retain their sight, because his kingdom is in the possession of others.”

VERSE.

Full many a chief of glorious name
Beneath the ground now buried lies,
Yet not one token of his fame
On earth’s wide surface meets our eyes.
That aged form of life bereft,
Which to earth’s keeping they commit,
The soil devours; no bone is left,
No trace remains to tell of it.
The glorious name of Nūshīrvān
Lives in his deeds year after year.
Do good, my friend ! and look upon
This life as an occasion won
For acting well, ere yet we hear
Of thee, that thy career is done.

STORY III.

I have heard of a prince who was of low stature and mean appearance, while his other brothers were tall and handsome. One day, his father surveyed him with loathing and contempt. The son had penetration enough to discover [his feelings], and said, “O my father ! an intelligent dwarf is superior to an ignorant giant. Not every thing that is higher in stature is more valuable: ‘The sheep is clean and the elephant unclean.’

COUPLET.

Lead of earth’s mountain’s is Sinai, yet all
In worth and rank with God beneath it fall.

STANZA.

Hast thou heard how the lean sage wittily
A bloated fool’s presumption stilled ?
‘The steed of Arab race, though slim he be,
Transcends a stall with asses filled.’ ”

His sire laughed, and the Pillars of the State approved, and his brothers were mortally offended.

VERSE.

While a man’s say is yet unsaid,
His weakness, merits, none descry;
Think not each waste’s untenanted:
A sleeping tiger there may lie.

I have heard, that at that time a dangerous enemy to the King shewed himself. When the two armies encountered, the first person who galloped forward on the field of battle was that young prince, exclaiming,

STANZA.

I’m not he that, on the battle-day, my back will meet
thy sight;
I’m one whose head thou’lt follow ’mid the dust and
gory fight.
He must stake carelessly his blood who joins in war’s
grim strife;
Who flies in war risks carelessly his fellow-soldier’s life.

He said this, and rushed on the hostile array; after overthrowing several veteran warriors he came back. As soon as he presented himself to his father, he kissed the ground of obedience⁷⁰ and said,

STANZA.

Thou who my stature didst with scorn survey,
Think not that roughness marks the bold in war;
The slender courser in the battle-day
Will the fat stall-fed ox outvalue far.

They relate that the host of the enemy was numerous, and this side fewer. A body of the latter prepared to fly; the young prince uttered a shout and said, “O men ! exert yourselves, that ye may not be clothed in the dress of women.” The horsemen were inspired by his words with increased ardour, and made a simultaneous charge. I have heard that on that day they obtained a victory...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Original Title Page
• Preface to the Second Edition
• Translator’s Preface
• Life of Sadī
• A List of the Writings of Sadī
• Preface
• Table of Contents
• I. On the Manners of Kings
• II. On the Qualities of Darweshes
• III. On the Excellence of Contentment
• IV. On the Advantages of Taciturnity
• V. On Love and Youth
• VI. On Decrepitude and Old Age
• VII. On the Effect of Education
• VIII. On the Duties of Society