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FROM THE PERSIAN

THE GU LIS TAN

BKINO THE

ROSE-GARDEN OF SHAIKH SADI

Sle tftst Uux IMte, 9X «*€K«teteat«

»»

TRANSLATBP IN PKOSB AND VBKSB BY

Sir EDWIN ARNOLD
Attthor of "The Light of Asia" etc.

HARPER ft BROTHERS PUBLISHERS

NEW YORK AND LONDON

1899

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\W\ ^

CONTENTS

Author's Preface v

Preface by Sa'di xv

GATEWAY THE FIRST
The Manners of Kings 3

GATEWAY THE SECOND
Concerning Darweeshes 85

GATEWAY THE THIRD
The Excellency of Moderation . . .153

GATEWAY THE FOURTH
The Benefits of Taciturnity 209

AUTHOR'S PREFACE

Extract from article in Literature, Novem-
ber 12, 1898

SA*DI

Op late, when I have wished — in my
study and among my books — to take
refuge from politics and bodily pain,
and that ocean of careless and worthless
written work upon which float the scat-
tered islands that are fair and good in
current literature, I have betaken my-
self to good old Sa'di, and especially to
his Gulistan, The Shaikh was really the
Horace and Marco Polo of the Far East
combined into one rich and gracious
nature. Ancient enough to carry with
him a fine flavor of the Old World, he is

AUTHOR'S PREFACE

as modern and as much for all times as
the Roman poet himself or American
Emerson.

A brilliant romance might be made
out of his life ! Born at Shiraz in a.d.
1 193, and educated at the famous college
of Baghdad, he set himself in his man-
hood, with a keen and genial curiosity,
to see and understand the world. Pious,
albeit shrewd and philosophical, he made
at one date or another no less than four-
teen pilgrimages to Mecca ; came to
Europe ; and wandered through Asia
Minor, Barbary, Abyssinia, Egypt, Syria,
Palestine, Armenia, Arabia, all Persia,
of course, and India. Naturally, in such
wide peregrinations, he met with many
adventures. What a picture might be
painted, for example, of that particular
one when, roaming about the western
coast of Gujerat, he came to the Holy
Shrine of Siva in Pattan-Sumanat, and
nearly paid with his life for his restless
inquisitiveness ! Every morning at sun-
rise the image of the god in the great
temple, with its eyes made of dia-

AUTHOR'S PREFACE

monds and its robes of jewelled gold,
lifted its hands in blessing to all the vo-
taries who flocked from far and near
to witness the mighty miracle. Sa*di,
though a believer in divine things, was
a bit of a sceptic about Darweeshes and
priestly humbug generally, and so, hav-
ing hidden himself one day behind the
image, he saw the attendant priest work-
ing its arms with a rope, and thereby
" pulling-off " the portent. Unluckily,
the priest also observed Sa'di, and hav-
ing attempted to capture him, that gen-
tle-hearted but intrepid traveller found
no alternative except to throw the Brah-
man into the deep well of the temple
and to fly for safety, having first, how-
ever, smashed the deceitful effigy.

At Delhi he picked up Hindustani as
perfectly as he had acquired Arabic in
Baghdad. He made journeys to Yemen
and even to Ethiopia, and for some time
lived as a renowned and inspired teach-
er in Damascus. At Baalbec — where
those glorious Corinthian columns still
rise in the green Lebanon valley, majes-

vii

AUTHOR'S PREFACE

tic relics of the Trilithon^ or " Temple
of the three great stones " — he delivered
many spiritual addresses, some of which
are still preserved in the second Rishlah;
and the cultured grace and devout eleva-
tion of them even an archbishop might
envy. Weary of his Oriental pulpits he
dwelt alone for some time in the desert
near Jerusalem, till he was made prisoner
there or thereabouts by some crusading
soldiers, one of whom (it shames our
common Christianity to state) is said
to have driven his stupid spear -blade
through the shoulder of this delicious
poet and moralist. Romantically rescued
by a wealthy lord of Aleppo, who ran-
somed him and also gave him a daughter
for a wife, Sa'di went off wandering
again; nor was it until his seventieth
year that he came back to Shiraz, to sit
down tranquilly under the protecting
shadow of the Sultan Abubakr, and to
write, in a little charming garden out-
side the city, the sweet prose and mys-
tical Sufic poetry of his Bustan and
Gulistan. Truly that "grand old man '*

• • •

vui

AUTHOR'S PREFACE

of Persia must have come home full of
garnered wisdom and abounding obser-
vation of men and things, to his lovely
retreat beneath the cypresses and rose-
bushes, where he wrote the ** Rose-Gar-
den " and the " Garden of Fragrance."
I have myself elsewhere paraphrased
what the wise old traveller says so elo-
quently of himself, after his many voy-
ages and travels. Ba dilgoftam az Mizr^
it begins :

In many lands I have wandered^ and
wondered, and listened, and seen ;

And many my friends and companions,
and teachers and lovers have been.

And nowhere a corner was there but I
gathered up pleasure and gain;

From a hundred gardens the rose-blooms,
from a tJiousand granaries grain ;

And I said to my soul in secret, ''^ Oh,
thou who from journeys art come!

It is meet we should bear some token of
love to the stayers at home ;

AUTHOR'S PREFACE

For where is the traveller brings not from
Nile the sweet green reedy

Or Kashmiri silk, or musk-bags^ or coral,
or cardamum seedV

I was loath from all tliat Pleasaunce of
the Sun, and his words and ways.

To come to my country gift less, and show-
ing no fruit of my days:

But, if my hands were empty of honey,

and pearls and gold.
There ivere treasures far sweeter than

honey y and marvellous things to be

told.

Whiter than pearls and brighter than
the cups at a Sultan's feast,

And these I have brought for love-tokens,
from the Lords of Truth, in my East,

Sa'di died at Shiraz, in a.d. 1292,
and notwithstanding his long journeys
and various adventures — in days, more-
over, when travel was rugged work,
and Messrs. Cook & Son and Pullman-

AUTHOR'S PREFACE

cars did not exist — the legend is that he
had reached the wonderful age of io8
years. What a body ! and what a mind !
so to have enjoyed Allah's glorious
world with all the beautiful and wise
people, as well as evil and foolish, which
it always contains; and afterwards to
have bequeathed to that world — as a
deathless joy of scholars — a precious
treasure of letters, the exquisite books
mentioned, together with the Diwdn and
the Kulliydtt^ and all the rest. As for
Sa'di's Gulistan it is a sort of intellectual
pillaw: a literary curry; a kabab of
versatile genius, where grave and gay,
humor and wisdom, laughter and tears
are threaded together on the skewer of
wit, and spiced by a soft worldliness
and gentle stoicism that makes the dish
irresistible, however jaded may be the
mental appetite.

One feels that any one and every one
of taste and breeding must have loved
the Shaikh Maslah-uddin Sa'di al Shirazi
wherever and whenever they met him.
He wins his way into all quiet and wise

AUTHOR'S PREFACE

hearts, like Horace himself, or Charles
Lamb and Emerson. In the elegant sim-
plicity of his Persian prose and in the
sweetness and subtlety of his verse he re-
mains inimitably and eternally a classic,
and modern writers might go to worse
schools for style and form than to the
grave playfulness of his measured pages,
and to the natural music with which his
paragraphs blend into his poetic kita*
and baita^ like the breeze in the rose-
bushes with the murmurs of the garden-
stream. Sometimes un peu malin^ he
could indite a work like the A I Khabi-
saty whose pages could not be safely
recommended to the "young person";
but for the major part he is as clean
and wholesome as he is vivacious. His
books are full of graceful and sagacious
sayings. Ouseley calls him " the bright-
est ornament of Persia, the matchless
possessor of piety, genius, and learning."
Vamb^ry declares : " This great poet
and scholar is an object of veneration
not only to the people of Persia, but to
every Mohammedan in the Asiatic world.

• •

Xll

AUTHOR'S PREFACE

His Gulistan is still read with admira-
tion and rapture in the middle of China,
as well as on the extremest borders of
Africa. European scholars have long
since appreciated and admired the un-
dying freshness of his style, his brill-
iant language, and his witty and tell-
ing similitudes." And Jamj calls him
"the nightingale of the groves of Shi-
raz.

"They asked me," he writes in the
Gulistan^ "Of whom didst thou learn
manners ?" I replied : " From the un-
mannerly. Whatever I saw them do
which I disapproved of, that I abstained
from doing."

These also are anecdotes of the noble
old Shaikh :

" I never complained," he once said
" of my condition but on a single occa-
sion, when my feet were bare, and I had
not money to buy shoes ; but I saw a
man without feet, and became instantly
contented with my lot."

Being asked from whom he learned
his philosophy, Sa'di replied: " From the

• • •

Xlll

AUTHOR'S PREFACE

blind, because they never advance a step
until they have tried the ground."

No one will be without a friend and
instructor who can turn from the turmoil
of vulgar life to sip the cup of patience
and wisdom on the carpet of tranquil-
lity with Shaikh Maslah-uddin Sa'di al
Shirazi.

Edwin Arnold.

PREFACE BY SA'DI

By Allah's help now is concluded
this my book, entitled, The Garden of
Roses, From beginning to end 1 have
shunned that evil habit of authors who
collect from by -gone scriptures the
things they write :

Better wear rags that are entirely thine
Than basely in a borrowed garb to shine.

These words of Sa'di shall be found,
in the larger part, mirthful and mixed
with pleasantry, for which reason cer-
tain of the more purblind folk shoot out
a tongue of reproach, saying that to
tickle the marrow of the brain foolishly,
and to swallow smoke of the lamp un-
profitably, is not the part of the wise.
Yet will men of light and learning, from

AUTHOR'S PREFACE

as modern and as much for all times as
the Roman poet himself or American
Emerson.

AUTHOR'S PREFACE

monds and its robes of jewelled gold,
lifted its hands in blessing to all the vo-
taries who flocked from far and near
to witness the mighty miracle. Sa'di,
though a believer in divine things, was
a bit of a sceptic about Darweeshes and
priestly humbug generally, and so, hav-
ing hidden himself one day behind the
image, he saw the attendant priest work-
ing its arms with a rope, and thereby
** pulling-off " the portent. Unluckily,
the priest also observed Sa'di, and hav-
ing attempted to capture him, that gen-
tle-hearted but intrepid traveller found
no alternative except to throw the Brah-
man into the deep well of the temple
and to fly for safety, having first, how-
ever, smashed the deceitful effigy.

• «

vii

PREFACE BY SA'DI

whom the true countenance of a dis-
course is not concealed, be well aware
that herein the pearls of good counsel
which heal are threaded on strings of
right sense ; that the bitter physic of
admonition is constantly mingled with
the honey of good humor, so that the
spirits of listeners grow not sad, and
that they remain not exempt from bless-
ings of acceptance.

After my means have I writ this,
spending many days thereon. If it en-
tereth not into an ear of welcome, upon
the messenger the message rested to de-
liver it, Wa das /

Oh thou that readest this book, im-
plore for its author the mercy of God,
and pardon for him that did transcribe
it. It is finished through the might and
succor of that King of all Kings who
alone bestoweth what is good.

THE GULISTAN

ROSE-GARDEN

SHAIKH SA'DI

<3atewai? tbe fitet

THE MANNER OF KINGS

THE MANNERS OF KINGS

I HEARD of a certain King, who had
given orders to put to death one of
his captives. The helpless wretch,
in that hour of despair, set himself to
curse his Majesty, in the tongue of his
own country, as it hath been said :

Whoever hath washed his hands of liv-
ing
Utters his mind without misgiving.

And

In straits which no escape afford
The hand takes hold of the edge of the
sword.

The King inquired, " What sayeth he ?'*

THE GULISTAN

A minister of kindly nature replied :
"He sayeth, in his vernacular, oh, my
lord :

God's mercy on the merciful
Lighteth; He loi>es the pitiful^

On this the desire to take away the
man's life passed from the King's mind.
But another, Wuzeer, who was of differ-
ent mood, observed : " It becometh not
people of our quality, in presence of
sovereigns, to utter aught save truth.
This fellow did abuse the King, and say
shameful words." The King's face at
such a speech puckered into frowns, and
he said : " Better came that lie from him
than thy truthfulness from thee, since
the lie was of good intent, but the truth-
fulness builded on malignity." The
Hakims have declared :

Sweeter than truth ivhich aims at ill
Is falsehood^ from a well-meant will.

And

When that the King doth counsel needy
Woe unto him who will mislead.

THE MANNERS OF KINGS

On the porch of the Palace of Feridun
was written what followeth :

This life's show^ my brother^ endureth for
none ;

Give thy heart to the Maker of all things^
alone;

To the kingdom of this world trust no-
wise ; * twill glide

From thy grasps as for others who dal-
lied and died:

When the soul is a-flitting^ what differ-^
ence is found

*Twixt the King on his throne, and the
hind on the ground/

III

One among the lords of Khorasan saw
in vision Sultan Mahmud Sebuktagin, a
hundred years after his death, when all
his body had mouldered into fragments
and become dust, excepting his eyes.

THE GULISTAN

Those, as ever, moved about in their
eyeholes, and darted their regards. All
the Hakims were helpless at interpret-
ing that dream, until a darweesh, mak-
ing obeisance, said : " He goggles still,
because some one else has got hold of his
country."

Many a lord hath been shovelled away
Leaving no mark on his lands to-day ;
Those proud old carcasses under the

stones
The grave Jiath eaten their last little

bones;
But the name of Nurshtvan from year

to year
LiveSy for his largesses, deathless and

dear,
O Kingy do good! fetch profit from

breathy
Before they say: *Tis thine hour of death.

Op a King's son I heard who was small

in stature, and plain featured, whereas

THE MANNERS OP KINGS

his brothers were goodly in height and
countenance. On a certain occasion
his father, chancing to look at him with
dislike and aversion, the son had in-
sight to perceive this, and said, "Ah,
my father ! a little man who is wise
counts for more than a long man who
is foolish. Not everything which is big
is good."

Came it to your ears to hear
What the thin philosopher
One day^ in his wisdom^ said
To a proud^ fat^ pudding-head?
^^ Friend/'* quoth he^ ''''an Arab steed
Though he should be lean indeed
By his quality surpasses
All a stableful of asses.

On this the King, his father, laugh-
ed, the pillars of the State approved,
and the brothers were pricked to the
heart.

While sword is sheathed and speech un-
spoken
Of valor or wisdom ye get no token ;

THE GULISTAN

But call not the jungle empty— may be
A tiger sleeps there that ye did not see.

At that very time, as I heard, a for-
midable opponent made head against
the King ; and, the two armies coming
face to face, the foremost to urge his
steed towards the maidan of battle was
that same dwarfed ugly Prince. Quoth
he :

/ am not one in the battle of whom they

shall see the back ;
Look for me where the blood runs thick

and the dust rolls black .•
Leaders that flee from the fields with the

lives of their men m,ake war ;
Stake your own souls on the fight ye who

the chieftains are !

With such words he assailed the
enemy, and slew many warriors of re-
nown. When he returned to the King*s
presence he kissed the dust of obedience,
and said :

Ye who judge by mere outsides
Heedless of what blemish hides^

THE MANNERS OF KINGS

Learn that in the battle-shocks
Lean horse helps^ not fatted ox.

They say, moreover, that the soldiers
of the foe being many, and those of the
King few, a tayifah of the latter show-
ed mind to fly, whereupon the young
Prince cried aloud: ^^AiMardan! bear
yourselves like men, or else put on
the clothes of women !" Hearing that
scornful speech the sowars regained
good heart, and, charging all together,
they obtained that day a great vic-
tory.

Afterwards the King kissed the head
and the eyes of his son, and folded him
to his bosom ; and, every day showing
him fresh kindness, finally appointed
him his Wazir and successor.

The brothers of the Prince, growing
envious, mixed poison with his food,
but his sister spied this from an upper
window, and closed the shutters with a
loud, warning noise, which signal he
comprehending, withheld hand from the
food, observing : " 'Twere pity if the

THE GULISTAN

wise should die, and fools should seek to
take their place."

If there were never a Homa-Bird to

keep guard of kings^
Think ye for that that men would go

under the gray owts wings?

Of all these things the King, his father,
being informed, summoned the brothers,
and having sternly rebuked them, ban-
ished each to a suitable corner of his
kingdom, giving them the government
there, in order that strife and jealousy
might be removed, for as has been truly
said:

Ten darweeshes upon one mat sleep well
But in one kingdom two kings cannot
dwell.

And again :

The man of God^ with Italf a loaf to

munchy
To fellow-beggars gives a broken hunch ;
But if a king a whole dominion seizes
Till he take such another nothing pleases,

THE MANNERS OF KINGS

A TAiPAH of Arab robbers had gath-
ered on the top of a hill, and thence
blocked the passage of caravans. The
rayats of the district were sore troubled
by their evil schemes, and even the
force of the Sultan became baffled, be-
cause, having laid hands on a fortress
upon the high ridge, they made it their
habitual dwelling. Those who took
counsel for that part of the country de-
bated how such a trouble might be quick-
ly removed, because, if suffered to con-
tinue, the extirpation of the robbers
would become impossible.

A tree that to-day its first twig shoots
The hand of a little child lightly up-
roots^
But^ if for a season ye shall delay
Oxen and cords will not drag it away;
With a straw may ye stop the springs^

which drown
The lordly elepliants lower down.

THE GULISTAN

Their deliberations came to this — to
send forth some one to spy, who should
report a fair opportunity when the rob-
bers would be absent plundering a tribe,
and when their lair would be empty.
Also they sent chosen men of under-
standing, tried in fight, who were to re-
main hidden in the pass under the hill.

At night when the freebooters re-
turned from a raid, bringing their spoil
with them, they loosened their fighting
coats, and laid aside the loot ; and then
the first enemy that assailed them was
slumber, when a watch of the night had
passed.

The sun went down into Nighfs black
valley
As into their hungry tnaws the bread;
And as Yunus slid into the white whale's
belly.
Each heavy eye sank into its head*

The brave soldiers leaped from their

* An attempt to give the double entendre of
Sa'di's words.

THE MANNERS OF KINGS

hiding-place, and tied the wrists of all
the robbers behind their backs. At
dawn they brought them down into the
Dargah of the King, who gave command
to slay them one and all.

By chance there was among them a
stripling whose youth had but just come
to fruit. The fresh blossoms of the rose-
garden of his cheeks were but newly
opened. One of the Wuzeers kissed the
footstool of the King's seat, and laying
forehead of intercession upon the earth,
said : " This boy hath not yet eaten any
pomegranates from the orchard of life,
nor tasted enjoyment of the sweetness
of youth. My trust is, that in the com-
passionateness of our lord's heart, he
will forego the blood of this foolish one
to me his slave, conferring thereby a
great favor.'* At this the King wrin-
kled his face with frowns, the thing not
being conformable to his exalted under-
standing, and he said :

In ever so good a soil the bad seed never
will shoot ^

THE GULISTAN

Nuts may grow on a stone ere the worth-
less can come to fruit.

" Nay ! cut them off, tribe and scion
together ! It were better ! Tear them
up root and stalk ! To quench the fire
and leave the spark ; to slay the serpent
and spare its butcltas is not the act of
the wise."

If the Water of Life were to rain
The willows would bear ye no plmns;

On the worthless bestow not your pain^
From the marsh-mallow no sugar comes.

The Wuzeer heard these words, and,
against his will, admired them, crying
" Afrin /" to the good sense of the King ;
but observed : " What the Khudawund
(may his kingdom be eternal !) has
deigned to let fall is absolutely true,
that had this youth continued in the
company of such wretches he too must
have become evil. But your slave is
hopeful that by the society of the up-
right the lad may obtain education and
the morals of the wise, being still only a

THE MANNERS OF KINGS

child ; so that in the path of rebellion
and perverseness, such as those follow,
his feet cannot yet have become estab-
lished."

The wife of LAt^ by wicked friends^
Brought all her house to shameful ends;
But in the Cave^ with men of grace ^
The Dog soon grew like Adam's race.

Thus spoke the Wuzeer, and a group
of the courtiers of the King made part
with him in pleading ; so that his Maj-
esty finally forewent his inclination for
the boy's blood, saying, " I pardon him,
albeit I do not see that it is right."

What Zal once said to Rustum, dost

thou know?
Think none contemptible wlio is thy foe ^
At fountain-head the rillet trickles small
Whichy lower, drowns the camel, load

and all.

In brief the Wuzeer took the youth to
his own house, and there nourished him
with favor and kindness. And a teacher,
a gifted man, was appointed to instruct

THE GULISTAN

him in correct language and polite con-
versation, as well as in all the manners
of a court, so that he became approved
in the estimation of everybody. Once
the Wuzeer was speaking, in the pres-
ence of the King, about the lad*s good
qualities and manners, and how the
teaching of virtuous people had taken
effect upon him, so that the old naughti-
ness had gone forth from his disposition,
at which the King laughed, and said :

The wolf's cub still a wolf will be
Though kept in saints^ society.

Only two years afterwards a band of
runagates in his quarter of the city
joined with him, tying the knot of friend-
ship, until that, at a time of opportunity,
he killed th e Wuzeer together with his
two sons, carried off a vast amount of
booty, and, taking his father's place as
chief of the robbers of the cave, became
an arch offender like him. When they
told the King of all this he seized the
hand of astonishment in the teeth of in-
dignation, but remarked :

THE MANNERS OF KINGS

None forges from bad iron a good blade ^
Nor — Oh^ ye Hakims / is a villain made
Honest by teaching. The impartial rain —
Which falls on all alike — brings goldeii

grain
Forth of tilled fields^ and from the gar-
den-plot
The tulip's beauteous cup. But waste

thou not
Seed on the sands that will no spikenard
grow;
I He hurts the good who treats the wick- I

ed so.

A Serang's son I saw at the gate of
the Serai of Ughlumish who was en-
dowed with good sense, sagacity, infor-
mation, and a perspicacity beyond all
praise. Even during his childhood the
marks of dignity were stamped upon his
forehead.

On his bro2i\ with Wisdom bright^

Seemed to sit a star of Light,
B 17

THE GULISTAN

Soon he grew well approved of the
Sultan, because of his comely face and
form, and great intelligence ; for the
learned have said :

Worth not by wealthy but merits gauge;
And wits by wise words ^ not by age.

His fellows grew envious of him, and
falsely accusing him of treason, tried
vainly to have him put to death, but

What can foe do

When friend stands true ?

The King inquired; "Where is the
reason of this jealousy against your
state?" The young man replied: "Un-
der the shadow of the greatness of my
lord I have gained favor with all save
the envious ones, whose only happiness
would be in the decline of my good fort-
une. May the splendor and prosperity
of my lord endure forever !"

/ would not wound another's breast

But he that envies is possessed

THE MANNERS OF KINGS

Of self -made hurts, Die^ ye who hate !
Since death alone from such estate
Can free you.

Men of evil mind
Wish woe to all above them, blind
As bats are in the daylight. None
For that accuse the shiniftg Sun /
Will ye hear truth? Better that such

should pine
Blind by the thousand, than the Sun not
shine.

VII

They tell a tale of one of the Kings
of Ajam, how he put forth the hand of
oppression over the goods of his raiyats,
and began a course of injustice and vexa-
tion, so that the people, under the tricks
of his tyranny, wandered afar into the
world, going on roads of separation, out
of distress at his evil rule. As the peas-
ants diminished in number the riches of
the country suffered loss, the treasury
grew empty, and enemies on all sides
brought up strength against him.

THE GULISTAN

Wkoso with help in storm would meet
Must bear himself in sunshine sweet;
The slave^ his ring fixed in his ear^
Flees frightened^ if ye make him fear;
Be gentle^ generous ; and so make
Strangers your slaves for kindness' sake.

One day in the Presence they were
reading a book, the Shahnameh, relating
the downfall of the Kingdom of Zuhak
and the reign of Feridun. The Wuzeer
put it to the King — why did Feridun,
without treasures, lands, or dignities,
thus get the throne conferred upon him?
-The King replied : " Surely, as you have
heard, the people drew to him by in-
clination, and, thus rendered strong, he
became Padishah." " My lord," rejoined
the Wuzeer, " if to gather subjects around
one be the means towards gaining govern-
ment, why dost thou scatter thine, unless
it be that thou no longer desirest rule ?"

As his own life a King his m,en should
cherish^

Without them power departs and king-
doms perish,

THE MANNERS OF KINGS

The King inquired : " What is the way
to gather together soldiers and sub-
jects ?" The Wuzeer answered : "A Ruler
must be just, so that men will assem-
ble to him, and merciful, so that men
may sit safe in shadow of his power;
and these two tokens have been absent
from thee."

Tyrants their lordship cannot keep,
Nor wolves be shepherds to the sheep;
Who rules by tyranny makes fall
The fooistones of his kingdom's wall.

To the King the counsels of his Wu-
zeer, thus admonishing, did not recom-
mend themselves. He commanded that
they should bind him and cast him into
prison. No long time elapsed before the
sons of the King's uncle rose in arms and
gathered an army, seeking to seize the
sovereignty. And then many of those
that had fled because of his oppressions
joined the rebellion and gave it aid, so
that the kingdom departed from that
Sultan's possession.

THE GULISTAN

WAo tyrannizes those beneath his hand
In time of trouble finds his friends do

stand
Strong on the foeman's side. Live sweet

for ally
And then sit safely with an open wall;
Fear then 7to enemies ! A right eojis King
Hath his realm round him like an iron

ring,

VIII

A King was sitting in a boat with a
Persian slave, who had never before been
upon the sea, nor borne the unpleasant
motion of its waves ; consequently he
fell to moaning and lamenting, and his
whole body trembled with terror ; nor,
however much he might be reassured,
could anything give him tranquillity.
The King's comfort was troubled by his
outcry, and no remedy could be found.
There was a Hakim in the boat who said :
** If the Presence deign to order it I will
put silence upon him.** The King re-
plied : " That would be the greatest kind-

THE MANNERS OF KINGS

ness !'* Thereupon the Hakim bade the
crew cast the slave into the water. After
he had undergone several sousings they
seized his hair and dragged him to the
end of the boat, where he clung with
both hands to the rudder. On getting
out he sate in a corner, and obtained
tranquillity. Pleasure came to the King
thereat. He asked : " What is the trick
in this ?" The Hakim replied : ** Hither-
to he had not tasted the true terror of
plunging in the sea, nor known the real
value of safety. In like manner he only
understands how sweet is comfort who
has been beforetimes plunged into mis-
ery."

Thou that art fat with feasting — what

to thee
Is this my barley -loaf ? She who to me
A Huri looks shows slut to wearier eyes.
And if a Huri were from Paradise
Exiled to 'Ardf that as Hell would seem.
While those in Hell would *Ardf Heaven

deem.

And again :

THE GULISTAN

W/io clips his mistress hath contentment
more

Than he whose eyes watch for her open-
ing door,

They questioned King Hormuz, say-
ing: "In the ministers of my lord's
father, what fault was discerned that he
should commit them to prison?" The
King replied : " I found no fault, but I
perceived that an excessive dread of me
was on their hearts, and that upon my
pledges they set no firm trust. I was
apprehensive, therefore, lest in fear of
injury to themselves they might try to
compass my destruction, so I adopted
the counsel of the Hakims, who have
said :"

Of him who fears thee stand af eared.
Albeit a hundred times more great ;

The wild-cat at the leopard's beard
Darts, in her terror desperate ;

Bites at the soldier's foot the snake

To save himself from stone and stake,

THE MANNERS OF KINGS

One of the Kings of the West had
fallen sick, being very old ; and all hope
of life was cut off from him, when sud-
denly a sowar entered at the gate and
brought good news that, by the might
of his lord's majesty, a certain fortress
had been taken, the hostile garrison capt-
ured, and sepoys, raiyats, and the rest
of the folk had all become obedient to
Government. Which when the King
heard, he heaved a mournful sigh, and .
exclaimed: " This is not good tidings for /
me, but for those who hate me — namely, J^^
the successors to my kingdom.*' /

In one fond hope my foolish time has

passed

Bethinking it should come to fruit at
last ;

It comes ! but all too late to pluck !

Death's day
Gives me my wish and takes my life

away.

THE GULISTAN

The hand of Fate beats the departure-
drum :

Ohy my two eyes! the heavy hour is come ;

Say farewell to this head! Palm of my
hand

Take leave of wrist and arm! Nigh
fne doth stand

Deaths the fell master of all mortal
strife ;

Sweet friends^ draw round me once again!
my life

Ends purposeless ! I strove with folly;
nought

I did achieve ! Be by my failure taught.

One year I was making devotion by
the pillow of the tomb of the Prophet
Yahiya (alayeh as saldm, peace be upon
him !) in the Mosque of Damascus, when
a Prince of Arabia, infamous for his op-
pressions, came thither on a pilgrimage,
and performed the prayers, and made
supplications.

THE MANNERS OF KINGS

Rich ones and poor alike
Are bondsmen of the clay ;

And they who most possess

Have most from Heaven to pray.

As he kneeled he turned his face tow-
ards me, and said: " For the reason that
pure - mindedness is with Darweeshes,
and that their ways are righteous, let
thy spirit, I beg, go the same road with
mine (in these prayers), because I live in
fear of a powerful enemy." Then said
I : " Show mercy to the humble, if thou
wouldst not be in terror of the strong."

With iron arm and angry frown
*Tis base to push the poor man down;
Who pity not the weak^ nor aidy
Shall find no help, being betrayed;
Who sow ill seedy and look to reap
Good fruity a foolish fancy keep;
Pluck wool from ear, and justice grant.
That thou mayst hav't in hour of want.

Limbs of a body are we, sons of men.
Made from same clayy born of same
origin ;

THE GULISTAN

When one limb suffers by misfortune's

stress
Their fellows will not fare in happiness:
Thou, who unmoved canst others' sorrows

scan
May be a monarch, but nowise a man.

XII

A Darweesh, famed for the accepta-
tion of his prayers, arrived in Baghdad.
Hajaj Yusuf sent for him and said: "Pray
a good prayer for me !" The Darweesh
clasped his palms and cried: "O God!
take away this man's life !'* Hajaj broke
forth: "O* God's name! what kind of
benediction is this ?" The holy man an-
swered : " A right good benediction for
thee and for all Mussulmans."

Oh, heavy-handed Prince ! scourge of the

poor !
How long, think'st thou, shall earth's

bazaar endure ?
How long mak'st market of men's grief?

Nay die !

Rid life of thee, and them of tyranny,

THE MANNERS OF KINGS

XIII

Among unjust Kings was one who in-
quired of a holy man : " What form of
service to Heaven were it best for me to
perform ?" He replied : " Sleep every
day at noon ; for so doing, there will be
a moment when thou wilt not be op-
pressing thy people."

That King I saw by day asleep^

And said: ^^'Tis goody slumber should

keep
His evil eyes shut : but to die
Were better than, thus loathed^ to lie /"

XIV

One lord I did hear spoken of who,
having passed a whole night of pleasure,
and being full-drunken, was singing :

Never to me came rosier hour than thiSy
Who care not whether good is^ or bad is^
And let no meddler plague my perfect

bliss,

THE GULISTAN

But a Darweesh, who was sleeping
naked in the snow outside, called aloud :

Oh^ happy Prince ! of state unequalled^

see,
^Tis well for you, but what say you of me ?

The King was tickled by this snatch,
and flung a bag containing a thousand
dinars out of the window, crying " Ho,
Darweesh! hold up thy skirt!" To which
the beggar replied : " How shall I hold
up my skirt who have not a coat to my
back ?" The Padishah, more and more
compassionating his miserable state,
made him the additional present of a
garment.

In a little while that Darweesh ate up,
or otherwise wasted, all his money, and
came back. Wealth will not make long
stay in the palms of holy men, nor pa-
tience in the hearts of lovers, nor water
in a colander. They mentioned the
beggar's return at a moment when the
King was concerned with nothing so
little, wherefore his Majesty became en-
raged, and turned away a frowning face.

THE MANNERS OF KINGS

In this respect those of sagacity and
knowledge have warned us that we should
be on our guard against the impatience
and anger of Kings, who frequently have
their minds full of important matters
of state, and do not brook the burden of
vulgar troubles.

Vainly the King's grace shall we seek
Who watcheth not fit time to speak;
Until speech find an open way
Be still— then fairly say thy say.

So the King cried, ** Drive off this
troublesome wastrel, who, in so brief a
space, has squandered so much money !
Teach him that the treasure of my Bait-
al-Mal is to furnish a morsel for the
hungry poor, not to glut the brother-
hoods of Shaitan/*

WIio burns a torch by daylight — the man

of little wit--^
Will luive no oil for burning when lamps

at night are lit.

But one of the. Wuzeers, a wise coun-
* cillor, spake : " Ai, Khudawand ! it

THE GULISTAN

seemeth proper that for such manner
of folk fixed doles should be specially
allotted, so that in the charges of daily
need they may not exceed. But in that
my lord hath commanded that such be
altogether met with impediment and
prohibition, this appeareth not suitable
to the path pursued by lords of gener-
osity, at one time causing the needy to
be full of hopes by kindness, and at an-
other by hopelessness, bursting his liver."

Admitted to the Presence by open door of

grace.
No Prince may stmt it hard again in any

suppliant's face ;
None sees the thirsty hadjis thronging the

salt sea-shore.
Men, birds, and ants flock thither where

the sweet spring pours its store,

Among ancient Kings was one who in
matters of rule lived negligent, and kept
his army short of supplies. Accord-

THE MANNERS OF KINGS

ingly, when a formidable enemy showed
face against him his soldiers turned their
backs.

Keep from a fighting-man his lawful pay ^
And grudgingly on hilt his hand he'll lay.

One among those deserters was of my
acquaintance. I loaded him with re-
proaches. I said it is base, unthankful,
and contemptible if on account of any
little difference of treatment a man turns
away from an old master, forgetting the
favors of many years. The soldier re-
plied : " If I told you all, you would ex-
cuse me. How know you but that my
horse v^nt without barley, and that my
numdah was in pawn?" A Prince who
has gold and stints it to his troops, for
the sake of such an one soldiers will not
joyfully yield their lives.

Give the brave man his guerdon
Who risks for thee his skin,

Lest he shall turn offended
And a better master win,

c 33 -i^

THE GULISTAN

XVI

There was a certain minister who,
losing his post, found a company of Dar-
weeshes, and the comfort of their society
had the effect of bringing peace to his
mind. At a later time the heart of his
royal master grew again kindly towards
him, so that he ordered him to be put
back in office. But to this the Wuzeer
was no longer willing to consent, saying
that he had found disgrace better than
employment.

They who in corner of retirement sit
* Scape moutfts of rogues ; by dogs are

never bit ;
Tearing the scroll^ and laying down the

pen.
No more they fear the tongues and hands

of men.

The King said it is precisely a person
of such wisdom that I lack for the man-
agement of my government ; to which

THE MANNERS OF KINGS

the Wuzeer responded that the best
sign of such wisdom was for a man
not to give himself to any troublesome
labors.

The Homa-bird is honored all feathered

things abovey
Since harming nothing livings it feedeth

in the grove.

They asked the black - eared lynx :
•' Why dwell you as a slave with the lion ?
for what reason makst thou such a
choice ?" The lynx answered : " I eat
the leavings of my lion*s hunting, and
from the fierceness of all enemies I live
safe under the shadow of the lion's
might."

Then they inquired of the W uzeer :
"But now, since thou art beneath the
shadow ' of the King's protection, and
hast full conviction of his favor, why
not come nearer, so as to be one of the
circle of his trusted servants?" The
Wuzeer replied : ** I am not quite sure of
safety from the temper of my lion."

THE GULISTAN

Though for a hundred faithful years the

Guebir feeds his flame^
Let him one moment fall therein^ it bums

him all the same.

The courtier of a King may chance to
amass treasure, and may also chance to
lose his head. Sages have dwelt on the
dangers of this inconstancy of Princes,
who will sometimes be offended by com-
pliments, and sometimes will bestow a
Khilat for actual abuse. And they have
said : " Since wittiness, which is a need-
ful art in courtiers, is a defect in wise

men,"

Keep high and safe thy state of self-
command^

And leave their follies to the courtly
band,

XVII

One of my friends was bewailing to
me the hardness of the times, saying
how that he possessed such small means
and many children, and knew not how

THE MANNERS OF KINGS

to face penury. " Ofttimes, therefore,"
spake he, " it has entered my heart to go
into some other land, where, in what-
ever manner I might exist, information
about me, whether good or bad, would
come to no one."

Many with empty bellies have slept ^ and

nobody heeded their ache;
Many a soul hath come to the lips^ and

no eyes wet for its sake I

" On the other hand, I am in dread of
the malignity of enemies, who will mock
at me behind my back and blame my
conduct, alleging that what I did for
the sake of my children was lack of man-
hood, saying : * Look at that dishonored
one, who merits never to see again the
face of good fortune. For the sake of
his ease he leaves in misery his own wife
and children.* And, since in the art of
arithmic I have, as you wot, some little
skill — if, by your influence, any office of
court could be appointed to me, by
means of which tranquillity of mind

THE GULISTAN

might return, the remainder of life would
not suffice to express my gratitude."

"Oh, friend!" I answered, "the ser-
vice of a King hath two aspects: the
hope of bread, and the fear of death;
and it is contrary to the counsel of the
wise, for such a hope, to risk falling into
such danger."

Nobody comes the Darweesh to rouse^
Crying^ '^Pay dues for garden and house T
Make your account with woes to dance^
Or trust your guts^ like the croWy to chance.

He said, " What you have observed
does not apply to me, nor have you
answered my question. Have you not
heard how it has been declared that
the hand of the man who practices dis-
honestly shakes as he renders his ac-
count ?"

On honesty God's favor is bestowed^
I never saw one lost in a straight road.

The Hakims have also remarked that
there are four persons who stand in
deadly fear of other four : the murderer

THE MANNERS OF KINGS

of the Sultan ; the thief of the constable ;
the adulterer of the informer, and the
harlot of the muhtasib. But by him
whose account is clear at the rendering
what fear needs to be felt ?

In office waste not^ if thou will be free^
At quitting^ from the stings of calumny :
Be Just, then have no fear of any one,
'Tis the foul cloth the fuller bangs on
stone.

Said I, "The story of that jackal ex-
actly suits you, whom they saw running
away at a gallop, and one cried out to him,
" What catastrophe has befallen you so ?**
The jackal panted forth, " I have heard
that they are looking everywhere for
camels, to put them to service." They
replied, " Oh, fool ! what have you to do
with camels, or camels with you ? What
sort of likeness is there betwixt ye?*'
He answered, " Khamoosh ! be silent !
for if any of the envious should cry,
only for mischief s sake, *This is a camel!*
and I be seized, who, out of concern for
my release, will demand investigation

THE GULISTAN

of my case— and while the physic was
being brought from Irak he who was
bitten by the snake became dead."

Thus, too, as to yourself — albeit you
are gifted with such moral excellence
and integrity — there will be envious ones
on the watch, enemies hiding round the
corner ; and if, in regard to that beauti-
ful conduct of yours, they should report
something quite to the contrary, and on
an evil occasion you come into the pre-
cincts of the King's wrath and fall under
his displeasure, where will be the power
of speech for you ? It seems to me far
better for you to keep inside the Realm
of Contentment, abandoning all peril-
ous preferment, since the elect have re-
marked :

^Mid the deep sea are precious things in

storey
But if you wish for safety stay ashore.

My friend, listening to these words,
became angry, made a frowning face,
and broke forth in accents of discontent :
"What is there in all this of reason or

THE MANNERS OF KINGS

adequacy, of understanding or convic-
tion? It does but justify* the saying of
the Hakims, that * in prison must one
judge of friends, for sitting at meals all
your enemies assume their appearance.* "

Reckon not him for a friend who ^ in good
times, prates of his friendship.

Loads thee with brotherly love, boasts he
will never deceive ;

Friend I consider him only who, when ad-
versity darkens.

Holds to his grip of thy hand, joys in thy
grieving to grieve,

I noticed that he here became dis-
turbed in temper, and regarded my
counsel but as a hinderance. Moved
thereby I repaired to a near friend, a
Diwan, between whom and myself close
intimacy had existed, and made repre-
sentation of my friend's circumstances
to the minister, by reason of which a
small preferment was conferred on him.
Before many days had elapsed they dis-
cerned the amiability of his nature, and
praised the excellence of his manage-

THE GULISTAN

ment. From that time forth matters
prospered with him. He was advanced in
rank — the star of his good fortune was in
the ascendant, rising to the very merid-
ian of his desires, until he even became
a near favorite of the Sultan. At the
deep contentment of his state I was re-
joiced, and said :

Let go past troubles^ have no more heart-
strife.

In depths of Darkness springs the Fount
of Life;

Rail not at fickle Fortune / Those who
eat

The fruit of bitter Patience find it sweet.

At that period it happened to me to
go a journey to Mecca with a company
of friends. When I was returning from
my pilgrimage, he came out two stations
to meet me. His outward appearance
was of much distress, and he wore the
look and dress of a Darweesh. " What
is ill with thee T I asked. " In the very
manner," replied he, "which you fore-
saw. A party in the court took grudge

THE MANNERS OF KINGS

against me, and made charge of treason
about me ; whereon the King willed not
to seek the truth by close inquiry, while
my old friends and my acquaintances —
even the best — held silence in the matter
of truth, forgetting all our by-gone inti-
macies.**

When, by the Will of God, a man doth
faU,

The world treads on his head — yea^ one
and all;

But when they see Luck take him by the
hand.

With palms on breast round him the flat-
terers stand.

In the end I was cast into prison with
many indignities, until the present week,
when arrived the glad tidings of the
pilgrims* safe return. Then they set me
free from my cruel bonds, but deprived
me of my family estates. Truly the
service of the Padishah is like a voyage
upon the sea : profitable yet perilous.
Either we gain the treasure, or we per-
ish in the buffeting waves. Ah — yes ! -

THE GULISTAN

Wit A ruddy gold in both his palms the

mercltant comes to land^
Or else the waves, some bitter day, roll

him upon the sand,

I had no mind, at this, to probe his
bleeding inner wounds, or to rub salt
into them, and therefore cut short what
I had to remark into these two " baits."

What I knew ye not that those will see

upon their feet the c/iain
Into whose ears good counsel comes but

to go forth again ?
Another time, if scorpion's sting to bear

your powers fail,
Put not a foolish finger in hole of " Cur-

ly-taiir

XVIII

In my fellowship were once certain holy
persons, whose outward behavior ap-
peared to be adorned with rectitude, so
that one of our principal men had an ex-
cellent opinion of them, and allotted a
regular stipend for their support. But a

THE MANNERS OF KINGS

certain member of the company happen-
ing to do something thought unbecom-
ing in Darweeshes, that good opinion be-
came adversely changed, and the market
of favor was shut against them all. I
wished, if possible, to obtain a restitu-
tion of the allowance for my acquaint-
ances, and resolved to pay my respects,
in that view, to the great man. But the
door-keeper shut the gate upon me, with
much incivility, which I forgave, because
it has been remarked :

If to the gate of Wuzeer^ Mir, or Prince^
You go unrecomtnended^ hurry thence /
Dog and Door-keeper^ when they see you

poor^
Drag you by skirt or collar from the door.

But as soon as the servants of his
Highness better understood my position,
they gave me entrance with all respect,
and offered me a superior waiting-place.
I, however, took in all humility a lower
seat than that assigned — observing, as
runs the bayt:

THE GULISTAN

Excuse me ; slave I am — not fit^
Except in bandah-khan to sit !

One exclaimed : " Allah, Allah ! what
reason is there to speak thus ?"

Sit where tlwu wilt ! Sit on my head, my
eyes !

We know thee gallant, worthy^past dis-
guise.

So I sate me down and joined in vari-
ous topics of talk, until the story of the
abasement of my friend came into men-
tion, when I cited this KVta :

Wliat fault beyond forgiving did our

high lord discern.
That from a faithful servant he should

so harshly turn ?
Alas! to God only pertains the greatness

of such grace
As marks the slip, yet not for that

averts the pardoning face.

Being reported to the Presence, these
words pleased, and it was commanded
that the means of subsistence should be

THE MANNERS OF KINGS

restored to my friend, and that, in the
manner of the past, they should prepare
his daily food, allowing for the interval
of intermission. As for me, I thanked
the Prince for such favor, kissing the
dust of service, and excusing the bold-
ness of my plea; while, at the moment
of dismissal, I spoke this KVtd:

To Mecca's holy Kibleh men turn them

when they pray^
And journey thither many a league^ der

many a weary way;
So must my lord be patient with tJiose

t/iat importune —
We pelt the loaded fruit-tree^ but fling

not at the moon.

XIX

There was a Prince's son, who inher-
ited from his father a prodigious patri-
mony. He spread wide the hand of
liberality, bestowing countless bounties
and gifts on his sepoys and subjects.
What saith the KVta ?

THE GULISTAN

Tliere issueth naught of odor from teb-
lahs piled with spice^

But freely burn it in the flame ^ and fra-
grance shall arise !

Wouldst thou be praised for bounty?
bestow with might and main ;

Seed scattered grows to harvest^ and not
the hoarded grain.

One among the courtiers lacking dis-
cretion began to give advice, saying how
the King's ancestors had gathered to-
gether all their treasure by strenuous
efforts and with a view to some hour of
need. ** Therefore/* said he, ** withdraw
thy hand from such action, lest when
events press thee in front and enemies
attack thee behind, thou be found desti-
tute in the face of danger. Even though
one should squander the whole wealth
of the state upon the multitude, every
householder would not thus receive more
than a grain of rice. Far better to take
from each of them a grain of silver, which
would accumulate for thee day by day
into vast resources."

THE MANNERS OF KINGS

At this speech the Prince frowned,
because it was not conformable to his
feelings, and he said, " The Lord of all
Glory and Majesty hath made me King
in order that I should occupy and dis-
tribute, not that I should behave like a
mere watchman of treasure, for there
runneth a verse :"

KarUn, zvith forty chambers full of gold,
None names : Nowshirwan's name never
grows old.

It is recorded how that Nowshirwan,
who was called " The Just " — being at his
Shikargahi a-hunting — was for having
some roasted game, but there was no
salt. A slave was therefore sent to the
village to fetch some salt, with money
to pay for it, so that such a demand might
not become customary and the villagers
be impoverished. They said to him," Oh,
my lord ! from such a trifle how could
any injury occur?*' The Prince rejoin-
ed: "The beginning of injustice in the
world came by little wrongs, which every
new tyrant hath since made bigger, un-
D 49

THE GULISTAN

til we have ended in monstrous oppres-
sions; as saith that verse:"

If from the garden of tlie poor the King
eats one small fruity

His slaves will take occasion the whole
tree to uproot ;

If lie shall seize five eggs to make a dish,
not paying cost.

The people of his camp will spit a thou-
sand fowls for roast.

And again :

An end comes to the proud oppressor's

state.
But no end to the people's curse and hate,

I KNEW of an Omlah, a gatherer of rev-
enues, who ruined the dwellings of the
raiyats in order that the treasure-cham-
ber of the Prince, his master, might be
full, unmindful of the decree of the wise,
which hath said: "Whosoever sinneth
against the Most High, in order to gain

THE MANNERS OF KINGS

the favor of mortal man — God the Al-
mighty will turn against him, making
that very mortal to become during life
his destruction,"

Flames in the wild dry rue no such

smoke make
As mounts^ in smoke of siglis^ when sad

hearts break.

They say the lion is the chief of all
beasts, and the ass the meanest, yet —
by agreement of wise men — the ass
carrying his load is better than the lion
devouring men.

The lowly ass, that hath no wit.
Bearing his load is blest for it ;
Pack-cattle at their patient toil
Count more than rogues who vex and
spoil.

And the King, becoming informed of
some among the tax-gatherer's wicked
acts, caused him to be stretched on the
shikanjah, and by various modes of tor-
ment put him to death.

THE GULISTAN

The King's love he shall best attain
Who first his subjects' hearts can gain;
Wilt thou have God be good to thee^
From harshness to His creatures flee!

One who had had experience of the
man's cruelties passed nigh to him at
the hour of doom, and remarked :

Not all — / see ! — because of might un-
hallowed^
Can safely make the poor man's state
accurst;
The throat may gulp the bone^ but — be-
ing swalloived —
'Twill bulge the navel, and the belly
burst.

XXI

Op a ruffian soldier they relate a tale,
how he once flung a rock at the pate of
a Darweesh. The holy man, unable to
revenge the affront, kept the stone to
himself, until a time when the Malek,
being incensed against this lashkari, or-
dered him to be cast into a pit. Thither

THE MANNERS OP KINGS

came presently the Darweesh and threw
the stone at the soldier's head. The
man said, " Who art thou ? and why dost
thou hurl this stone at my head?" Quoth
the Darweesh, *' I am such and such an
one, and that stone is the very same
which on a certain day thou didst fling
at me!" The soldier said, "And all
this while long, why didst thou wait?"
Answered the Darweesh, "At that time
I was afraid because of thy calling, but
seeing thee in the pit, I counted the
present a fortunate opportunity."

When strong and rich the wicked ones
you see^

' Tis good to live resigned^ and let them
be:

Not /laving nails to tear away their
eyeSy

The least of fighting is the most of
wise :

Wtw grapples against an arm of iron
breaks

His own wrist — were it silver. Pru-
dence makes

THE GULISTAN

The cautious wait^ till Fate their

strength constrains^
Then — to the joy of all — dash out their

brains,

XXII

A CERTAIN King was afflicted with a
disease so horrible that to give descrip-
tion of it would not be proper. A num-
ber of foreign physicians agreed that no
remedy existed for this except the gall
of a male child who had certain especial
bodily marks. The King commanded
search to be made for such an one, and
he was found in the son of a raiyat,
bearing all the qualities prescribed. The
King summoned the father and mother,
and, by boundless largesses, purchased
their assent — while his kazi also issued a
fetwa that to spill peasant's blood for
the purpose of restoring health to his
Majesty would be an eniinently lawful
thing.

The Jallad (executioner) was prepar-
ing to despatch the youth, when he lifted

THE MANNERS OP KINGS

his face towards heaven, and laughed.
The King asked : " What can there pos-
sibly be in thy present situation that
thou shouldest laugh ?" The boy replied:
"Affection children expect from their
father and mother ; a private wrong
they carry to the kazi ; and they look
for justice from their sovereign. In my
case my father and mother, for the sake
of paltry worldly profit, have given me
over to slaughter ; my protector, the
kazi, has decreed me to die, and the
Sultan hopes for his own recovery only
by my murder. Except in Almighty
God I possess no refuge."

Where elsewhere look? when my sad

plaint is laid
* Gainst King^ Judge, parents — by them

all betrayed.

At these words the King's heart grew
troubled, and the water came into his
seeing. " Better it were," spake he, " for
me to die than to shed the blood of the in-
nocent." Therepuon he kissed the head

THE GULISTAN

and eyes of the lad, and embraced him,
and gave him splendid presents, and let
him go free. Moreover, they say that
the Malek quite recovered his health
that same week. And this gives to think
of what a pil-bdn* remarked on the
banks of the River Nile :

To know how the little ant doth feel
Under thy pitiless passing heel.
Lie in the elephant's path thou must^
And let his great foot crush thee to dust.

XXIII

Umrooleesh had among his slaves
one who ran away from service, and the
people who went after and captured him
having brought him back, the minister
of the Prince, feeling ill-will against the
fugitive, ordered him to be put to death.
The slave placed his head on the earth
before the Prince, and said :

* Mahoot, elephant-driver.

THE MANNERS OF KINGS

Whatever falls, falls justly, if ordered by

the King,
The slave against his lord's behest utters

not anything,

"But," continued he, "since I have
been nourished under the glories of this
royal house, I am loath that on the judg-
ment-day my lord shall be charged with
my blood. If you desire to have your
slave slain, do it, in fine, with just obedi-
ence to the law. Kill me so that, at the
resurrection, you may not be called to
account."

The King made answer : ** What obe-
dience can I render to the law ?" The
slave replied : " Grant permission that I
kill your minister, and then, in revenge
of him, order me to be put to death, so
that I may be justly executed." At this
the King in turn laughed, and, turning
to the Wuzeer, asked what advice he
would deem proper to offer? His Ex-
cellency responded : " Ai Khudawand !
set free this rascal I pray, as a sacrifice
at the tomb of thy fathers, so that I also

THE GULISTAN

may not be caused to fall into misfortune.
On my part is the fault, who did not
bear in mind the weighty words of the
Hakims, that have said :*'

When with a clod- thrower thou wages t
fight
Expect a miry game;
When thou hast shot thy shaft in foe-
man's sights
Sit where he cannot aim f

XXIV

The King of Zazan had an agent of
kindly nature and goodly bearing, who
was courteous to all alike coming into
his presence ; and in their absence spoke
equally well of all. By chance some act
of his was found unpleasing in the sight
of the Prince, who fined him and ordered
him to be punished. His Majesty's sar-
hangs^ holding themselves bound by
former favors to be grateful to their
prisoner, during the period of his captiv-
ity showed him politeness and consid-

THE MANNERS OP KINGS

eration ; and prohibited any harsh treat-
ment or severity.

Peace with an enemy if you desire^
Praise him the more he blames: let
him be hitter ;
At last in malice even the worst must tire.
Make your mouth sweety and his will
not be bitter.

Of what caused the anger of the King,
some few things were by inquiry cleared
away; but for others he still remained
in prison. One of the neighboring lords
of the region secretly sent him a message,
saying : " High personages in thy vicin-
ity have, alas ! not known the worth of
thine Excellency, and have done thee
dishonor. If the disposition of one so
noble (Allah prosper all thy future un-
dertakings !) be well - disposed towards
our service, we will entreat him well in
paying regard to his deserts in all possi-
ble ways, since those in authority here
would be rejoiced in welcoming him, and
now await his answer."

The agent received and understood

THE GULISTAN

this; and, recognizing his peril, wrote the
reply which he judged fit on the back of
the same letter, duly returning it. One
of the King's muthallakin came to know
of these matters, and informed his Ma-
jesty, saying : " A certain one, whose im-
prisonment the Presence commanded,
holds intercourse by letter with great
persons of the neighborhood." The King
grew very angry and ordered search to
be made ; so they seized the Kdsid, and
read the despatched letter which he was
carrying. Thus was it written on the
back : "The gracious opinion of the great
senders far exceeds all merit of their
lowly servant, but any acceptance of the
honor proffered is not in possibility, for-
asmuch as, having been provided for by
the bounty of my lord's household, I can-
not — for a little change in the mind of
my good master — show towards him
traitorous ingratitude. Hath it not
been declared?"

Against thy lover bear it not in mind

If once y or twice ^ in life he prove unkind,

THE MANNERS OF KINGS

With the King this high sense of right
was very well accepted. He bestowed
rich presents and a Khilat upon the
agent, and craved his forgiveness, say-
ing : " I have committed a fault : I have
wrought unkindly with thee who hast
done no wrong." That one answered,
"Aye! Khudawand! your servant per-
mitteth not himself to see any fault of
his lord herein ; but being as it was the
takdiroiAWah that some calamity should
befall me, best happened it coming by
that hand from which in past days so
many favors and benefits and so much
grace have descended."

If by mankind misfortunes seem to fall
Rail not I they cannot fnake thee joy
or woe ;
Know tliat from God alone — Who governs
all —
Proceed these contraries of friend and
foe.
From bowstring starts the shafts but^

who is wise,
Looks to the bowman to learn why it flies.

THE GULISTAN

XXV

One of the Western Kings command-
ed the officers of his Diwan to increase
the pay of a certain person, because
he was always faithful to his orders,
while the other attendants were given
to play and dissipation, neglecting their
duties. A lord of judgment heard this
and remarked : ** The high degrees of
service in the Durgah of divine glory and
power are in the same way obtained."

Who serves for two dawnings with duty
his King

Will win the third morning those glances
t/iat bring

Contentment and favor. True worship-
pers know

They shall not unhopeful from Allah* s
face go.

By dutifulness greatness grows ; the way

To diminution is to disobey:

Those who the forehead of good fate will

owe

On threshold of fair service lay it low.

THE MANNERS OF KINGS

XXVI

Op an unjust person they record a
story, how he was wont to buy hezum-
fuel from the poor at unfair prices, and
sell it to rich folks at their own fancy.
A perceptive man, walking by his shop,
said :

Snake ! that at every passing heel dost

bite!
Owl! that dost foul wherever thou

dost perch !
Albeit thy sins may now evade the lights
They shall not Allah's searching

judgment lurch;
Quit thine oppressions of earth's feeble

poor^
That to the sky their curses mount no

more.

The unjust dealer, incensed at these
words, turned a frowning countenance
upon the speaker, and cherished ill-will
against him, until one night, when flames
from the kitchen (matbakli) caught upon
the pile of his firewood, and burned

THE GULISTAN

up all his goods, out of his comfortable
bed making a heap of ashes. It chanced
that the sagacious one came by at that
very time and overheard the dealer say-
ing to his friends : " I know not whence
these flames have sprung to seize upon
my serai" Whereat the wise man ex-
claimed, " From the fire of the burning
hearts of the poor they came !"

Beware of the smoke that from souls doth
part,
For the flame will burst from the
ashes at length!
Wrong not too deeply one human heart,
For a sigh to overturn the world hath
strength !

Have in mind what was written upon
the diadem of Shah Kaikhosran :

Throughout what years, wJtat ages, men

will tread —
Crowned now, but covered then with dust

— this head.
This diadem, passed to me, brow by brow.
Others must wear it as I wear it now.

THE MANNERS OF KINGS

XXVII

A CERTAIN person in the art of wrest-
ling had reached the very top. Three
hundred and sixty different grips and
falls did he know — all good — and every
day would show off some fresh sleight.
Having a special corner of his heart for
one among his pupils, a handsome youth,
he taught him three hundred and fifty-
nine out of his tricks, but kept the
knowledge of the last one from him.
The young man thus became first among
all rivals in skill and strength, and none
of them could at all cope with him. To
such a pitch, in consequence, rose his
vanity that before the Sultan himself he
said : " The superiority of my master
over me is that which I allow to him
on account of his age, and because he
has educated me; otherwise in point of
strength I am not his inferior, and in
point of skill I am his equal." The Sul-
tan did not like this departure from
reverence on the youth's part, and com-
manded that there should be held a
E 65

THE GULISTAN

wrestling-match between them. An open
spot was selected; those columns of the
country, the ministers, and those eyes
of Majesty, the nobles, were all present,
when the youth, like an elephant in
" wust," strode into the ring, showing a
force which seemed as though it could
move a mountain of iron.

The teacher, who well knew that his
pupil was now of greater bodily force
than himself, laid hold of his adversary
with that cunning clinch which he had
withheld in his instructions ; and the
youth, being ignorant how to encounter
it, was lifted with both hands by the
Master high above his head, and dashed
upon the earth. Shouts arose from the
spectators : as for the Sultan, he direct-
ed that a robe of honor and presents in
money should be given to the teacher,
while he rebuked and derided the young
man, saying : " Thou didst rudely dare
to put thyself in competition with him
who made thee, and thou hast shame-
fully failed."

The defeated man m\ittered : "Aye,

THE MANNERS OF KINGS

Khuddwund! my master did not pre-
vail over me by strength, nor yet by
science, but because there remained one
little secret of his art which he would
not impart, and by that slight thing he
hath got the upper hand of me.'* "Aye,"
said the teacher, " on account of such
a day as this I kept it back, for the wise
have remarked, *not even to a friend
allow so much advantage, as that, some
day becoming an enemy, he may hold
you in his power.' Heard ye never the
verse about him who suffered wrong
from the very one whom he had nour-
ished and brought up?"

Either fidelity's no more afoot ^

Or none doth practise it on earth be-
low:
I never taught a young hand Jiow to
shoot^
But^ in the end^ at me he drew his
bow.

THE GULISTAN

XXVIII

A Darweesh, living all alone, was
sitting in a desert spot. The Sultan
passed that way ; but the Darweesh, for
the reason that freedom from desires is
in itself a kingdom of contentment, did
not so much as lift up his head, nor show
the smallest attention. On this the
Sultan, full of the glory of his kingdom,
grew wroth and said : " Truly these rag-
wearing folks have only the manners of
brute beasts !" Whereon the Wuzeer of
the Sultan said to the man : " My lord,
who is lord over the face of all the
earth, passed but lately by thee ! Why
mad'st thou no humble obeisance, nor
perform'dst even ordinary salutations of
reverence?" The beggar replied : "Tell
thy Kiiig to set his expectation of rever-
ences on such as hope to receive favor
and profit from him, and bid him also
know that Kings are created for the
care-taking of their people, and not the
people for prostrating themselves to the

Kings."

THE MANNERS OF KINGS

The King is sentry for the poor
Despite of power and wealth in store ;
Not for the shepherd are the sheep^
The shepherd hath the flock to keep.

To-day this one is prosperous^ and that

a stricken slave ;
Wait for a while, till earth has eat

the brains of fool and knave,
Then shall be seen what difference sur-

viveth 'twixt those two —
King's majesty, slave's misery — when

Fate's full scroll comes true.
Open the tombs and see the bones there

mixed in mockery !
Which dust was servant, which ivas

lord's ? — open the tombs, and see !

To the King the speech of the Dar-
weesh seemed of sturdy sense. He said :
"Ask whatever thou wilt from me."
The man replied, " I ask that thou wilt
not further trouble me !" Quoth the
Sultan, "Well, then, give me some of thy
counsel !" The beggar responded with
this verse :

THE GULISTAN

Bethink ye^ Kings! while lordly and

opulent ye standi
Kingdoms^ and gold, and sceptres must

pass from hand to hand.

XXIX

An officer of state appeared before
Zulnun of Egypt, and sought encour-
agement from him, saying : " Night and
day I am occupied in the service of my
lord, hoping reward from his liberality,
and dreading punishment from his dis-
pleasure." Sultan Zillnun wept, and said :
" If I had only been to Allah, as thou to
thy master, by this time I were high
among the elect !"

From hope of Heaven and fear of Hell

if piety were free
The feet of all the Darweeshes in Heaven

would planted be :
And if the Wuzeer dreaded God as he

doth fear the King,

With archangels of Paradise that man

might soar and sing !

THE MANNERS OF KINGS

XXX

A Padishah gave command to put an
innocent person to death. He said : "Aye,
Malek ! by reason of your wrath against
me inflict not on yourself an injury !"
" In what way ?" asked the King. The
man replied, "This torment will cease
for me with my breath, but the sin of it
will endure upon you for ever and ever."

Like the breath of tlie desert time pass-
eth away^

Glad and sad— fair and foul — all condi-
tions decay:

The tyrant bethought to wreak evil on me^

It rides on his own neck^ and mine goeth
free !

The King profited by the counsel ; de-
sisted from inclination for the man's
blood, and prayed his forgiveness.

XXXI

The state officers of Nowshirwan were
busy one day in considering some great

THE GULISTAN

affair of the kingdom, and each, to the
extent of his understanding, was de-
livering his opinion. The King also,
in like manner, expressed a judgment.
Bazer - chameher, when his turn came,
declared himself for the view of his
Majesty. The ministers asked him, in
private, "What superiority didst thou
discern in the opinion of the Sultan over
those of so many sagacious councillors?"
He answered : " Seeing that the issue of
a business is never known beforehand,
and that all judgments must be judged
by the pleasure of Allah the Most High,
whether they be right or wrong, there-
fore accordance with the opinion of the
King is the best course. Then, if things
go amiss, on account of my deference
my error shall surely escape blame."

In counsel Against the wish of Kings to

stand
Is in a man's own blood to wash his hand;
If he shall call the broadest daytime Night
Say " Yea^ Sire ! Moon and Planets swim

in sight r

THE MANNERS OF KINGS

XXXII

One who was a pretender, and had
twisted his hair in ringlets, as being of
Ali's line, coming into the city with the
Kafilah from Hedjaz, gave himself out
as a Hadji returning, and laid a thesis
before the King, saying that it was of his
own composition. Among the King's
attendants was one just arrived from
journeying, who remarked, "I saw this
man at the Eed of Uzrah in Bassora;
how then can be be a Hadji ?" Another
observed, " His father was a Nazarani of
Mallatee ; how then can he be of the
line of Ali?" As for his verses, they
presently found those in the Diwan of
Anwari.

The King commanded that they should
beat him and drive him away, first ask-
ing him why he had uttered so many
lies. He answered, " Ai, Khudawand !
lord of the face of the earth ! one thing
more will I say, which if it be not true,
then, in whatever way you order, I shall
indeed deserve punishment." "What

THE GULISTAN

thing is that?" quoth the King. He
replied :

Vou ask for butter-milk: the dealer brings
Drink two parts water ^ and one spoon-
ful^ sooth ;
Be not so angered with your slave who
flings
Some travellers' lies into his bowl of
truth !

The King laughed and said: "Thou
hast never spoken more truly !'* and
directed them to allot him the ma'mul
customary for his class.

XXXIII

They relate how a certain person of
state, who had borne himself merciful to
those beneath him, and sought harmony
and peace with each, came by chance
into the Sultan's displeasure. Then did
all those others spend endeavors in ob-
taining his release ; while his guards,
during his imprisonment, were gentle

THE MANNERS OF KINGS

towards him ; and many great ones along
with the rest spoke so well of his virtue
to the King that at last his Majesty
overlooked the offence.

One of good parts, hearing these cir-
cumstances, observed :

The hearts of friends your own to make
Burn down a father's garden ! Break
The house up ! All its chattels spoil
To set a friend's pot 07i the boil !
Be kind to rogues and slanderers —
Sweet morsels shut the mouths of curs.

XXXIV

Haroun - AL - RASHtD had a son who
came once into his father's presence, high-
ly enraged, saying that the son of a certain
Sarhang had used words of abuse about
his mother. Haroun asked those pillars
of the state, his ministers, what was a be-
fitting penalty for such an offence. One
was for the man's execution ; another
suggested cutting out his tongue ; and
yet another proposed to fine and banish

THE GULISTAN

the culprit. But Haroun said : " Oh, my
son ! punish him with pardon — that is
best ! and if thou art not able to be so
great, then do thou in turn abuse his
mother, yet not so rudely that — intigdrn
— vengeance should pass beyond limits,
since so the injury would be wrought by
our side !" It is written :

Not so much man — the wise declare —
Is he who brings wild beasts to zvar^
As he^ who even in anger's heat^
Utters no words which are not meet.

And again :

An ill-conditioned fellow railed amain^
A wise one took't with thanks: '^ Sir f

why complain
Of aught you say ? I am much worse

than so^
If you knew all my faults^ as I them

know /"

XXXV

I WAS on board a ship with people of
quality, when, close at hand, a shallop
became capsized, and two fishermen —

THE MANNERS OF KINGS

brothers — fell into the broken water.
One of my company cried to a sailor,
" Lay hold of those two and save them,
and I will give you a hundred dinars !"
The sailor made efforts and rescued one
of the two ; the other perished by drown-
ing. I remarked : " There was no des-
tined remainder of his life left ; for that
cause delay took place in getting hold
of him.'* The Mallah (sailor) smiled,
and replied: "That which thou sayest
is correct, but, beside this, my own in-
clination to help the man I saved was
stronger, because, on a certain day, when
I was very weary in the desert he put me
upon his camel, while from the hand of
the lost man I got the tdziydnah — the
whip — in the days of my childhood."

Vex no man's secret soul — if that cafi be —
The path of life hath far too many
a thorn !
Help who7n thou mafst — for ^surely —
unto thee
Sharp need of help will^e'er the end
— be borne,

THE GULISTAN

XXXVI

Two brothers there were : one did ser-
vice for the Sultan, and the other by the
labor of his hands ate daily bread. The
richer brother once asked of the poorer,
" Why do you not take his Majesty's em-
ploy, so as to be freed from the abjectness
of toil ?" whereat the poor one said, " And
why dost thou not work, in order to be re-
lieved from the disgrace of dependency ?"
For the Hakims remark that "to sit and
eat one's own bread is better than stand-
ing on duty with a golden girdle, while
— service for service."

Better be plasterer^ using thy hands mix-
ing the quick and the slacks

Than to cross those hands on a hirelings
breast — a slave at the Amir's back.

And again :

Ye waste the days of your lifetime^ think-
ing with care and fear

" What shall we eat in the summer^ in
winter what shall we wear f'

-^ —

— I

THE MANNERS OF. KINGS

AyCy shikam! Ignoble belly! Content

thyself with a cake^
Lest thy better ^ the manly backbone^ with

shameful bending sitould break.

XXXVII

Somebody brought as glad tidings to
Nowshirvan, the Just, news that the God
of all Majesty had been pleased to re-
move by death one of his antagonists.
The Sultan inquired : " Have you by
chance heard, then, that God means to
exempt from such a fate thy master T

To know mine enemy is dead hath nought

of joy for me^
Only I learn the lesson that I shall be

as he,

XXXVIII

A CABINET of ministers, at the court
of Kisra, were talking together upon an
affair of state ; and, Bazarchemeher re-

THE GULISTAN

maining silent, they inquired why he
uttered no word in the discussion. He
replied : " Wuzeers are made in the fash-
ion of physicians, and your tabtb^ the
doctor, administereth not physic save
to the sick. Therefore, so long as I ob-
serve your counsels going judiciously, for
me to speak a single word would be un-
wise."

When work moves well, the less tliafs
said

Is so much gain — / bide my time ;
But if I see the blind man led

Straight to the pit, silence were crime.

XXXIX

HAROUN-AL-RASHtD, whcn the land of
Egypt had been subdued by him, made
proclamation : " In order to shame that
rebel who, in the pride of possessing the
Kingdom of Misr, boasted himself to be
God, I will bestow this throne of Egypt
on the very meanest of my slaves." And

THE MANNERS OF KINGS

he gave it, indeed, to a dull-witted Ethi-
opian black, whom he owned, named
Khusaheb. As to the wisdom and sense
of this man, they relate that when a band
of cultivators made complaint to him
that their cotton, sown on the banks of
the Nile, had been ruined by untimely
rain, he replied, " The proper thing for
you to do then is to sow wool." A wise
man, hearing this, remarked ;

If wealth did wax with wisdom^ fools

Would all die hungry. But God gives
Such bounty to his fool as serves

To feed a hundred wiser lives.
Fortune and wealth come not by wit

Save when Heaven wills. It doth be-
fall
The silly ones win dignities^

The worthy ones go to the wall.
Seeking for gold the alchemist died poor^
The fool found plenty under an old
door.

THE GULISTAN

IsKANDBR the Grecian was asked : " By
what means didst thou occupy so many
realms of East and West, seeing that
monarchs before thee, with larger treas-
ure, vaster territories, riper years, and
more numerous troops, did not achieve
such conquests?" The great victor re-
plied, "Whenever, by the favor of the
Gods, I subdued a kingdom, I abstained
from oppressing its inhabitants, and
never named the names of their Kings
without words of respect."

Him great the wise will never style
Who of great men utters things vile.

And again :

These all are nought^ after their hour —
Treasures and crowns^ command and

power^
Possession^ conquest^ victory.
Yet let no dead be blamed by thee
Who greatly livedo that thou mafst have
A lasting name even in thy grave,

THE GULISTAN

ROSE-GARDEN

SHAIKH SA'DI

©atewae tbe SeconD

CONCERNING DARWEESHES

One of the great ones asked a pious
man what was his opinion about a cer-
tain devotee of whose moral character
people had spoken disparagingly. He
answered, " In his outward appear-
ance I perceive no fault, and as to
what is concealed within him I know
nought."

Whom in holy clothes you see
Take him holy man to be;
What he hideth let him hide^
Mohtesibs * step not' inside,

* Police inspectors.
85

THE GULISTAN

A Darweesh I once saw at Mecca,
who, with his forehead laid against the
Kiblah, was moaning and praying : " Vay
GhafUr! Oh, thou that pardonest ! Ya^
Rahean ! Oh, Thou that art merciful !
Only Thou knowest what is fit to be utter-
ed or offered to Thee, can go forth from
me, the most sinful and ignorant of men !
I say not forgive me the faults of my ser-
vice, for I have not served nor obeyed.
They who know Thee, and have offend-
ed, ask and obtain pardon for their im-
perfections. The devout claim reward
for their devotion, as merchants take
the price of their trading stock. I, thine
unworthy slave, have brought Thee not
my piety but my hope — I am come
hither to beg, not to bargain !"

Whether 'tis death or mercy^ my face

and forehead I lay
Here at thy holy threshold, A slave

must hear and obey /

Yea ! I heard that poor but wise men-

CONCERNING DARWEESHES

dicant at the gate of the Ka'aba, bitterly
weeping, and crying sweetly :

Oh^ God^ I say not hear my prayers ! I say
Blot with forgiving pen my sins away /

III

Abdul Kadur Gilan!, also, lay with
his face upon the dust before the sacred
enclosure of the Ka'aba at Mecca, and
what he said was " Ai, Khudawand !
grant me pardon ! — but if I may not be
pardoned, then, at the Judgment, raise
me up blind, so that I shall not stand
ashamed in the presence of the right-
eous."

Head in the dusty with contrite hearty
when morn brings sense I say,

^^Ohy God! of Whom I ever think, think
Thou of me to-day T

A THIEF effected entrance into the
abode of a pious man ; but for all the

THE GULISTAN

searching he made could not lay hands
upon a single article of worth, and he
therefore grew sorely troubled in spirit.
Knowledge of this coming to the pious
man, he threw the gilttn on which he
himself was sleeping in the pathway of
the robber, so that he should not return
wholly disheartened.

/ heard tJiat fmn who walk God's way
Not even to foemen ill things will say ;
How canst thou reach this noble height
Who with thine own dost wrangle and

figktf

The goodness of upright men is the
same in presence and in absence — not
like the false sweetness of those who
abuse you behind your back, and to your
face protest themselves ready to die for
you.

As meek as lambs if there be fear^
Savage as wolves when they can tear.

He who recounts to thee faults of thy

brothers
Hastens to tell thy faults^ too^ to the others,

CONCERNING DARWEESHES

A COMPANY of people were travelling
together, sharing the pleasures and
troubles of the journey. I had a wish to
join them, but they withheld their con-
sent. At this I said it was not comform-
able with the manners of worthy persons
to turn away their faces from companion-
ship with the necessitous, and to deny the
advantage of society, the more so as I
could profess myself to be of a spirit to
make an useful friend and no mer^ bur-
den of their hearts. One among them,
however, replied : " Take not too much
to heart our refusal, because not long
ago a person, habited as a Darweesh — but
a thief in reality — threaded himself on
the string of our association.'*

How can one guess what man a garment

hides ?
The scribe knows what he writes — and

none besides,

"And since the state of a Darweesh

should be good and trustworthy, we

THE GULISTAN

did not suspect, but admitted him to our
number."

The Dariveesh dons his woollen shroud
And shows religious to the crowds
But body may — if heart be right —
Wear what it will^ a diadem bright^
Or cap of felt, *Tis not their dress
Makes saints! Wear satin^ and sin

less !
Holiness comes by holy deeds^
Not starving flesh of daily needs.
In padded coats the soldiers fare^
But eunuchs want no arms of war,

" Briefly we had been journeying until
nightfall, and, when darkness fell, lay
down at the foot of a hissar, at which
time that graceless thief, taking the
water-pot of one of our companions, and
saying that he was going for his occa-
sions, set forth to steal.'*

If such a7t one were holy for his garb of

piety.
The veil that drapes the Ka'aba an ass's

rug might be.

CONCERNING DARWEESHES

"As soon as he was gone clear from
the sight of us Darweeshes, and became
concealed, he climbed into a tower and
stole a box. By the time daylight was
abroad, the black-hearted wretch had
fled afar off, and we, his unoffending as-
sociates, who were sleeping quietly, were
seized and carried into the castle, and
cast into dungeons. From that time we
have determined to avoid companion-
ship and to pursue the road of retire-
ment. If any in a company commits
folly, there is no difference made be-
tween the better and the worse among
them. Have you not seen how a
single mad cow will lead the herd
astray ?"

" Truly !" I replied ; " but, thanks to
the God of all Majesty and Glory, I shall
not be quite deprived of the benefit of
the wisdom of Darweeshes, albeit I am
to be debarred from their holy society,
for I have gathered admonition from
this story which will be of utility to
men of my kind all the days of our
lives."

THE GULISTAN

In the chaplet of good conduct one stone

blemished spoils it all ;
Tanks of rose -water grow filthy if a

dog thereinto fall.

There was a Zahid who was guest of a
Sultan. While they sat at the cloth he
ate less than was his wont, and when
they rose for the Namaz he prayed
longer than was usual, so that the opin-
ion of his temperance and piety might
be increased.

Ohy Arab man! the Ka'aba meseems

thou' It never see I
It is the road to Turkestan * is travelled

now by thee.

When he was come back to his own
place he bade the table be brought that
he might take food. His son, a youth
of penetration, said : " Oh, father ! Did

* Country of infidels.
92

CONCERNING DARWEESHES

you not eat anything, then, at the Sul-
tan's feast ?" He replied : " In the Pres-
ence I did not eat, that advantage might
come." The boy rejoined : " Say now
your prayers over again, because they
had thus no meaning."

Ye who on palm of hand virtues display^
And vice under the armpit hide away^
What look ye— fools and blind — at last

to buy
With such false coin in day of agony ?

VII

I RECALL that in the days of my child-
hood I was devout, a night -riser for
prayers, fond of religion, and abstinent.
One night, sitting in the company of my
father, I had passed the entire time with-
out once closing my eyes, holding the
holy, precious Book to my breast, while
many around us were sleeping. So I
said to my father : " Among all these
not one so much as lifteth his head to
perform one act of worship. The slug-

THE GULISTAN

gards slumber, as though they were
dead." To which he answered : " Life
of thy father ! if thou didst sleep it
would be far better than to be awake,
remarking upon the faults of thy fel-
lows."

Self -glory nothing save itself can see^
Before its eyes hangs veil of vanity ;
If it had vision^ as God /lath, not one
Would seem more worthless underneath
the sun.

VIII

They were applauding a certain fa-
mous man in an assembly, and speaking
of his virtues in exalted language, when
he lifted up his face and said : " I am
only such as I know myself to be."

Outward^ to men's eyes^ I go great and

proud,
Inwardly, for my faults, my head is bowed;
The peacock, praised for beauteous plume

and pile,
Hates himself for his ugly feet the while.

■s*.

CONCERNING DARWEESHES

One of the holy men of Mount Leba-
non, whose makdntdt were famous in all
the western regions, and whose wonder-
ful works were everywhere related, en-
tered the mosque of Damascus, and was
making purification on the brink of the
water of a tank there, when, his foot
slipping, he fell into the reservoir, and
was drawn out of it only with much
pains. When prayers were concluded,
one among those present said : " I have
a difficulty !" The Shaikh asked : "What
is it T The worshipper replied : ** I call
to mind how once thou didst walk on
the face of the western sea, and thy
sandals were not so much as wetted ;
and to-day from this water, of a man's
stature only in depth, a narrow chance
hath saved thee ! In this what is the
teaching ?" He buried the head of si-
lence in the bosom of meditation, and
then, raising it again, said : " Have ye
not known how Sayed Alum, the Prince
of the World, Muhamad the Chosen One

THE GULISTAN

(on him be the peace and blessing of
Allah !), once heard these words : * There
be seasons when thou dost not cease to
consort with the angels Jibrael and Mi-
chael, and there be seasons when thou
art well contented with thy women
Hafzeh and Zeynab, because the vision
of the Most High discloseth itself and
concealeth itself.* "

He showeth now^ and hideth now^ his

face,
TJiat keener be our craving for His

grace.

It was once demanded of Yakub, when
he had lost his son, "Oh, glory of our peo-
ple ! Wisest Pir ! Thou didst smell the
smell of Yusuf s garment all the way from
Egypt, why couldst thou not see him in
the pit at Canaan ?'* Yakub made an-
swer: "Our condition is the condition of
the lightning, one moment all is mani-
fest, one moment all is hidden. Some-
times I sit on the crest of the heavenly

CONCERNING DARWEESHES

dome ; sometimes I cannot see the heels
of my own feet.'*

If always in one state the saint re-
mained^

His hands would drop ; Heaven would
not be attained.

In the mosque of Baalbek I was speak-
ing certain sentences of the nature of
admonition before an audience whose
hearts seemed dead and cold, nor had
they ever known the pathway from visi-
ble things to those things which are in-
visible and true. I perceived that the
breath of my soul did not reach them ;
that the flame of my zeal could not
kindle the damp fagots of their spirits.
I grew indignant with efforts to instruct
such animals, with holding up mirrors in
the abode of the blind ; but the door of
interpretation being still open, the chain
of my discourse extended to the explana-
tion of that ayat^ " We are nearer to him
G 97

THE GULISTAN

than his neck-vein," and I was come as
far as saying :

A friend more near than I myself to me,
A nd yet — most wonderful ! — / cannot

see,
Nor hear, nor know, nor speak one word

to Him
Who yet lives in my blood, bone, vein^

and limb,

I was intoxicated with the wine of
mine own discourse, and the dregs of the
holy cup were at my lips, when a way-
farer passing at the edge of this throng,
caught by the last going - round of that
divine cup, uttered a cry of gladness so
piercing that the whole company par-
took in its ecstasy, and even the most
stupid joined in the rapturous outbreak :
" O God ! those that are far off from
Thee know Thee, and those that are
nighest to Thee are ignorant and sepa-
rate !"

When understanding lacks, no power of

speech

Shall pass into the stubborn soul to teach;

CONCERNING DARWEESHES

Widen Desire's plain^ the preacher then
Can strike Truth's ball straight to the
hearts of men.

XII

One night, in the Mecca desert, my
feet, for want of sleep, had not strength
to go farther. I laid my head on the
sand, and bade the camel-driver abstain
from disturbing me.

The foot-farer shall not go far^ me-

thinks^
When in the dust even the strong camel

sinks ;
And while fat ones by hunger grow but

lean,
Lean men may die, no food their lips

between.

The camel -man made reply: "Oh,
brother ! Mecca is in front, and rob-
bers* are behind ! If you go on you

* There is a word - play here upon Haram
and Harami.

THE GULISTAN

may live; if you rest here you will
die !"

* Tis sweet to sleep on night of march un-
der the feathery trees^

But wise men know who onward go^
Death cometh soon to these.

XIII

Once I saw on the bank of a river a
holy man who suffered from a wound in-
flicted by a tiger, which no medicines
could heal. He had been a long time
afflicted thereby, yet was continually
giving thanks to God, and saying ; " Al
hamd' Allah ! Glory be to God that I
am stricken by misfortune and not by
sin !"

Jf the Great Friend assigns to me to die^
Lest ye should deem for love of life I

cry,
Not life I asky but only this to know :
What unseen sin brings me this right-
eous woe,

lOO

CONCERNING DARWEESHES

XIV

A CERTAIN one, being in hard straits,
stole 2igultmt (a blanket) from the house
of a Darweesh, his friend. The Hakim
commanded that they should cut off his
hand. The owner of the blanket, how-
ever, interceded, saying : " I have par-
doned him !" " But," quoth the Hakim,
" I cannot suffer the line of the law to be
set aside on account of an intercession."
" Thou hast well spoken," was the reply ;
" yet whosoever stealeth from the store
of the wakify of property dedicate to
religious uses, doth not, by the law, incur
mutilation, because that which belongeth
to the darweesh is wakif, and belongeth
already to the poor." The judge upon
that withdrew his hand from the prison-
er, and said : ** Was the world so small
that thou couldest only find the abode of
such a good one as this to steal from ?"
" Ah, Khudawand ! " answered the culprit,
" hast not heard what hath been said :
* Ransack the house of a friend at need,

lOI

THE GULISTAN

but do not so much as knock at the
door of an enemy.'"

Give not thy heart to chill despair when

evil times begin^
Strip rather from thy foe their coats^

and from thy friend his skin,

One of the great Sultans said to a holy
man, " Cometh recollection of me at any
time to thee?" "Yea, lord !" he replied,
"whensoever forgetfulness cometh of
God !"

Hither and thither goes the man whom
God drives from His gate,

But those He calls for guests and friends
at no door need to wait,

XVI

A CERTAIN person among the saints
saw in a vision of sleep a Sultan sitting
in Paradise, and a religious person suf-
fering in Hell, and inquired what was
the reason of the elevation of the one

I02

CONCERNING DARWEESHES

and of the falling downward of the other,
since, said he, " I had myself expected
contrariwise !" They replied : " That
Sultan for his love of pious persons has
ascended to Heaven, and that religious
person, by associating with Sultans, has
gone to Hell."

Thy woollen f rocky thy beads ^ thy rags —

what virtue lives in these?
Keep thyself clear from inward sin^ and

wear what thou shall please /
No need to ape humility in cap of felted

brown ;
Be Darweesh at thy hearty and then don^

if tliou wilty a crown !

XVII

A WAYFARER with head and feet bare,
coming from Kufeh, joined the Mecca
caravan, accompanying us on the road.
He went swinging along, saying :

No camel do I ride^ and no mule -pack
do I carry !
I am not lord of raiyats, nor yet a

Sultan's slave/

103

THE GULISTAN

My present frets me nothings and past
troubles did not tarry !
I draw my breath at ease^ and I live
the life I have !

One who was mounted upon a camel
cried aloud to him: "Ai, Darweesh !
whither wendest thou ? Turn back, or
thou wilt perish of the long road." The
man answered nought, but, with foot on
the desert sand, lightly proceeded.

When we were come to Nakleh-i-Mah-
mood his time arrived for the well-to-do
traveller, and he died. The Darweesh
stood beside his pillow and murmured :
" Here am I alive and well, who had the
hardships ; and thou, on thy bakhti^ thy
fine riding beast, art no more !"

A man there was spent night in tears

beside a sick one*s bed;
At dawn the sick one rose refreshed^ the

weeping one was dead.
Ah! many a steed of strength and

speed /tath foundered on the way^
While some lame jackass limped alive to

closing of the day ;

104

CONCERNING DARWEESHES

And many an unhurt^ healthy one hath

found his windijig-sheet^
While weaklings and sore - stricken men

live on and drink and eat.

XVIII

A Padishah summoned a Darweesh
to his palace. The holy man thought by
taking a medicine to render himself
meagre, so that his Majesty might come
to a better belief of his sanctity, but it
is related that the physic he swallowed
was a poison, and so he died.

He who7n^ pistachio - nut — all meat, I

thoughty
Peeled like an onion, coat by coat, to nought!
Oh, Darweeshes! with eyes worldward

alway.
Turn your vile backs to Mecca when ye

pray /
A Bandah-Khuda art thou? Allah's

slave ?

Well, then, none other master must thou

have !

105

THE GULISTAN

XIX

A KAFiLAH in the land of Yunan was
attacked, and plundered of immeasur-
able wealth. The merchants set up much
grieving and lamentation, calling upon
Allah and his Messenger to be their pro-
tection, but in vain.

W/ien the dark-luarted robbers lay ftands
on beast and man^

Little they heed the crying of the scat-
tered caravan,

Lokman the Wise happened to be
with them, and one of the caravan
people said to him : " Speak, then, a
few words of wisdom and admonition
to these robbers, peradventure they
may restore to us some little portion
of the property, for it would be a pity
that all our goods should be lost." The
sage Lokman replied : " Say, rather,
it would be a pity if words of wisdom
should be wasted on such folk !"

The rusted iron grows not bright^ nor
rugged natures meek;

io6

CONCERNING DARWEESHES

Tent-pegs into hard rock to drive only the
foolish seek.

In season of prosperity Itave hapless ones
in thought^

So shall ye not^ for sake of that^ to mis-
ery be brought;

Give when the poor man asks of thee^
comfort his falling tears^

Lest what ye saved be torn away by tK
unforgiving years.

For all that the Shaikh Shamsuddin
Abutfersh Ben Jasi was wont to say,
bidding me forsake music and counsel-
ling me to lead the quiet life of the
recluse, the spring-time of youth over-
came ; and passion and desire prevailing
with me, past restraint, I did frequent
with vast pleasure the company of sing-
ers. At times, when the advice of my
spiritual guide came back to me, I would
recite that verse :

107

THE GULISTAN

The Kaziy were he in company^

Would clap his hands for pleasure and

glee :
The Mohtasiby quaffing a wine like this,
Would pardon our drunkards their tipsy

bliss.

Until one night I entered the assem-
bly of a sect who had among them a
singer — such a singer !

You'd say the string of life must break
with scraping of that bow,

A father howling for dead sons makes
no such sounds of woe.

At times the fingers of my friends
were stuffed into their ears, and at times
laid sadly on their mouths.

Such singing cannot any please.
Save at the moment when you cease.

When that minstrel broke into voice
I said to the master of the house : " For
love of God, put quicksilver into mine
ear, that I hear him not, or open the
door for me that I may flee." Finally,

1 08

CONCERNING DARWEESHES

for the sake of my associates, I made
submission, and with much self-com-
mand sate it through until daybreak.

Too late the Mouzzin called the prayers^

nor knew
How fast the watches of the darkness

flew ;
Ohy Mouzzin ! take the time from these

sad eyeSy
Which /mve not closed the nighfs long

horror through.

At day dawn, by way of expiation, I
took the dtistar from my head, and some
dinars from my girdle, and, placing them
before the minstrel, embraced him and
gave him many thanks. My friends re-
garded this conduct as contrary to con-
sistency, and, imputing it to fickleness of
judgment, secretly laughed at me ; one
among them, indeed, lolled out the tongue
of ridicule and began to reproach me, say-
ing : " This thy action was not conform-
able to the conduct of reasonable people
— to give the headgear of a holy man to
a common singer, and dinars to one who

109

THE GULISTAN

never before in all his life had a diram
in his hand nor a karat of gilding upon
his drum. Such a performer (God keep
him far from us and this abode of
peace !) is never seen twice in the same
place ! When the uproar proceedeth
from his mouth, the hairs of men stand
on end ! The bird of the balcony in
terror of him flies away. He hath scat-
tered our brains and cracked his own
windpipe." I made reply : " It is well
that thou shouldst quickly draw in the
tongue of complaint, since in my judg-
ment he is one that worketh miracles !"
" Make that thy discovery good,*' quoth
he, " that we may be in accord, and per-
adventure ask pardon for the laughter
which hath passed." I answered that
my Shaikh had many a time admon-
ished me as to the duty of avoiding
gatherings for song, with anxious coun-
sels which had not entered an ear of ac-
ceptance, until this very night, when a
happy fate and lucky fortune had guided
me to the present place, and to a min-
strel through whom I have sworn a vow

CONCERNING DARWEESHES

never more to be found frequenting
convivial or singing companies.

A soft voice from sweet mouth and rosy
lips
Makes pleasant music^ though the art
be slighty
But Ushdky Sifuhdn, and Hedjaz * fail
From rough throat of a brawler to
delight,

XXI

They put the question to Lokman,
"Where didst thou learn courtliness?"
He made answer, " From those destitute
of good manners, since whatever I ob-
served them do which was unpleasing,
from that I heedfully abstained."

They say not one light word is spoke infest
But the wise man will learning from
it gain ;

Yet to a fool a hundred cliapters read
Of wisdom^ all is jest to him and vain,

* Musical modes.
Ill

THE GULISTAN

XXII

A TALE is told of a religious man who
in one night would eat ten 7nan of food,
and then, before morning, go right
through the Namaz from beginning to
end. A person of true piety, hearing
this, remarked : " It would be far better
for him if he had eaten half a loaf, and
gone to sleep afterwards."

Keep belly lightly loaded^ if mind would

wisdom see ;
For bodies crammed to burstings tnake

empty souls to be.

XXIII

There was one had forfeited the
Heavenly favor by his sins, when sud-
denly the lamp of Allah's grace, shining
upon his road, so gleamed that he was
led into the circle of men of true life,
and by the felicity of their society,, and
the blessedness of their spirit, his evil
manners became altered into praise-

112

CONCERNING DARWEESHES

worthy ways, and he withdrew his hands
from fleshly things. Yet the tongues of
slanderers continued long against him,
and they said : " He is still of the former
fashion,* and his devotion and upright-
ness are really not in any earnest."

By tobah — deep repentance — GoSs anger
ye may shun^

But from tfie bitter tongues of men es-
cape in life is none.

Not being able to bear the violence of
the tongues which thus reproached him,
he carried complaint of it to his spiritual
master. The old Shaikh cried for joy,
and said : " How canst thou give thanks
enough for this blessing, in that thou art
so much better than men consider thee
to be ? Of ttimes wilt thou have to learn
how the evil-hearted and envious are on
the watch for the faults of the lowly.
Yet, if they conspire to shed thy blood,
or sit content with wishing ill to thee,
rest satisfied with being good, while men
speak evil against thee, which is happier
than if thou wert bad, while they regard-
H 113

THE GULISTAN

ed thee as virtuous. Behold me, of
whom all the world cherishes opinions
altogether too high, that am neverthe-
less in the very heart and essence of un-
worthiness."

Did I live as tJiey will fmve it^ I might
be wliat I would be;

But we shut the door of self hood fast
and close^ that none may see

Faults and failings. Wliere's advan-
tage? Through all bolts and bars
He spies —

Gody th' All-knowing! hid and open are
the same unto His eyes.

XXIV

I MADE lamentation before a high
reputed Shaikh, because a certain one
had spread abroad calumnious tales of
my misconduct. He replied to me,
" Make him ashamed by your rectitude !'*

Be yourself good, and let the bad ones rave!

They hold no power to harm save what

ye gave,

114

CONCERNING DARWEESHES

If tliat the strings be all in tune^ the lyre
No meddling minstreVs fingers will re-
quire,

XXV

It was asked from one of the patriarchs
of Esh-Shams what was the present con-
dition of the sect of Sufis. He gave
answer : " In times bygone these people
dwelt among men a tribe in outward
appearance miserable, but in reality well-
contented. Now they are a tribe in out-
ward seeming satisfied, but inwardly ill-
content."

When the heart wanders^ seeking endless

cliange^
And from its own safe solitude doth

range^
No peace it finds ^ nor any virtue more ;
But though a man had merchandise in

store
And rank and wealth and lands^ his

heart being stilly
He may live Allah's Darweesh^ if he

will,

115

THE GULISTAN

XXVI

I HAVE a remembrance how once I
had been travelling all night with our
caravan, and now towards morning,
sleeping at the edge of the desert, I was
awakened by an excited person, journey-
ing as our companion on that road, who,
uttering a loud cry, and never for a mo-
ment ceasing from wild movements,
rushed away from us along the sandy
path. When it was broad daylight I
questioned him, saying : " What was the
matter with you?" He replied, "I heard
the bulbuls from the thickets, the red-
legged kabk from the mountains, and
the gukh — the frog — from the water,
and all the jungle creatures from the
desert together uplifting their voices,
so I reflected that when the whole
creation was thus praising God, each
upon his own particular tasbih — his
rosary — it could not be becoming that
human creatures should lie asleep and

voiceless."

ii6

CONCERNING DARWEESHES

*Twas but a bird at early dawning
wailedy

Yet over strength^ sense^ power her note
prevailed ;

My friend^ to whom my cry came^ mar-
velled much

I could be moved to tears and prayers by
such^

Yea, unto madness; but I gave reply:

** What! shall a bird praise Allah and

not ir

XXVII

Once I was travelling in the Hedjaz,
having for close friends and constant
companions some virtuous young men,
who at times would break forth into
happy singing, and recite divers pleas-
ant verses. An Abid, a devotee, was of
our party, and did not like these manners
with Darweeshes, of whose secret austeri-
ties he was not aware. Presently we ar-
rived at the palm groves of Beni Hallal,
where a dark-complexioned boy came
forth from an Arab house, and sang to us

117

THE GULISTAN

with so sweet a voice that the birds flew
down from the air the better to listen.
Even the Abid's own camel, as I ob-
served, started off, dancing to the boy's
music, and, flinging the devotee from his
saddle, ran joyously away into the desert.
" See," I afterwards said, ** oh, Shaikh !
the sweet sounds make an impression
on a brute beast, although they can
make none oh you !"

Know'st thou what word the Bulbul sang
this morning in the groife ?

" What man art thoUy that, being Man^
hast in thy heart no lovef**

If a camel will go mad with pleasure
at a desert song, and a man not feel it,
he is but an ass.

All things make sikr^ Allah's praise to

tell,
The understanding heart knoweth this

well !

Oh, not alone the Bulbul and the Rose,

But Thorns have tongues to praise Him

like to those.

ii8

CONCERNING DARWEESHES

XXVIII

A CERTAIN Sultan, with whom the
course of mortal life was nearly con-
cluded, and who was without an heir,
ordered in his testament that on the
morning following his death, the first
individual entering at the gate of the
city should have the diadem of roy-
alty placed upon his head, and should
be intrusted with the government of
the royal dominions. It befell that the
earliest incomer at the gate after the
Sultan's demise was a gad&y a common
mendicant, who all his life long had
been feeding on scraps, and stitching
rags together to make his clothes. The
ministers — those pillars of the State — .
and the nobles — those men of majesty —
duly fulfilled the will of the Sultan, be-
stowing upon the beggar the kingdom
and the treasury. For a time that Dar-
weesh managed the public affairs well
and ably, until certain among the amir-
ud-dowlats withdrew their necks from

his authority, and the lords of the sur-

119

THE GULISTAN

rounding countries rose up in contest
against him, and prepared their armies.
Very soon afterwards his soldiers and
people were overborne, and some of
his possessions passed from beneath
his sway. The royal Darweesh became
heart-sore at these events, until one of
his old friends, who had been his asso-
ciate in days of poverty, returning from
a tramp, saw him still in an exalted
though diminished station, and said :
" Praise be to Allah, Lord of all Worthi-
ness and Majesty ! inasmuch as high
fortune hath helped thee and happy
ikbAl hath been thy guide — ^seeing, too,
that such a rose hath issued from that
old bramble of thine that the thorns
have been drawn out of thy foot, and
that thou hast attained to such an emi-
nence !"

One bud doth blossom^ all the others fall ;
One tree gets leaves^ the others none at
all!

The crowned beggar made answer :

"Ah, brother! lament for me, since this

1 20

CONCERNING DARWEESHES

is no occasion for felicitations ! When
thou didst see me last, I had no anxiety
except about my next cake of bread. To-
day the trouble of all the wide world
seemeth to be upon me. If things go
amiss I am in distress ; if they go well
I am foot-bound in what are called lux-
uries and pleasures. There is nothing
so bad as greatness and state in this
world, because if you are prosperous
they weary, and if you are unfortunate
they overwhelm."

IVt/^ thou have wealth ? Seek it in sweet

content !
Envy not him who scatters gold^ nor

praise him /
Wise ones have said better than largesse

spent
Is patience for the poor. If Bahram

braize him
A whole wild ass and give't^ a locust* s

thigh
Is to the ant as grand a charity.

THE GULISTAN

XXIX

There was one had a friend, busied in
the duties of a diwan, and for a long
time no occasion had befallen of their
meeting. Somebody remarked : " All
this while thou hast not seen thy friend."
** Nay," answered the other, " and I de-
sire not to see him !" An associate of
the diwan was present, who inquired
what fault the minister had committed,
to make the speaker loath to encounter
him. " There is no fault !" said the
other ; " but the time for seeing diwans
is when they have been disgraced from
their dignities. Amid the greatness and
splendors of their rule they have no lei-
sure for friendship ; in the day of dis-
comfiture, when they are cast down,
they will bring their sorrows back for
sympathy."

XXX

Abu Horeru was wont every day to
seek the presence of the Chosen One (on

122

CONCERNING DARWEESHES

•

him be the blessing and peace of the Most
High). On one occasion Muhammad
said : " Oh, brother ! come not every
day, in order that friendship may in-
crease." They said once to a person of
learning : " Strange must it seem that
though the sun is so splendid and boun-
tiful, we have not heard of any who ever
speak of him with love." And the reply
came : " It is for the reason that men
can see him every day, except in the
winter; and then, because he is con-
cealed, he grows longed for."

Frequent your friends ! 'tis friendship's

honest proof I
But not so often that they cry^ " Enough /"

XXXI

At a time when the society of my
friends at Damascus no longer pleased
I set my face for the wilderness of El
Khuds, and dwelt for a time among the
brute beasts. There presently I became
a prisoner in the hands of the Franks,

123

THE GULISTAN

who put me to work in a ditch at Ta-
rabulus, digging clay along with Jews.
But one of the principal men of Aleppo,
with whom I had anciently been friends,
passed that way, and knew me at sight,
and asked: **What condition is this I
find you in, and what are you doing ?"
I said :

To rocks and wastes from man I fled

away^
Because y except in God^ I found no stay ;
fudge of my state / here in a hovel

chained
With men whose evil ways beasts had

disdained.
But better chains^ now that a friend I

seCy
Than a green garden^ and such company /

He had compassion on my misery, and

by his moneys freed me from captivity

with the Franks, and, setting me at

liberty, did carry me back with him

to Aleppo. There he had a daughter

whom he gave to me in marriage, to-

124

CONCERNING DARWEESHES

gether with a portion of a hundred di-
nars. But, as time passed, this lady
began to display a deplorable charac-
ter: was quarrelsome, disobedient, and
long-tongued, destroying my peace of
mind. As has been said :

An evil woman in a good man's home^
It is as if in this life Hell were come!

Beware how thou encounterest such !
Once on a certain day, loosening the
tongue of reproach, she said : " Art thou
not the wretch whom my father bought
out of captivity with the Franks for ten
dinars ?" " Yes," I answered ; " for ten
dinars he did release me, and for one
hundred dinars made me again a captive
to thee." As I have heard :

Was one wlio did by force of arm set

free,

From claws and fangs of ravening

wolf a goat ;

But that same evening, all unpiteously.

He put a' sharp knife to its bleating

throat.

125

THE GULISTAN

^^ Little I thank thee forT quoth the
beast^ dying,
" From the fierce wolf thou didst de-
liver me ;
Now^ vainly on such clemency relying^
I find my worst and fiercest enemy in
theer

xxxn

One of the Sultans inquired from a
holy man how he passed the hours of
his pious existence. The saint replied :
" Wellnigh all the night I give to pray-
ers, and in the morning also I would
offer invocations and supplications ; but
the whole day is occupied by close at-
tention to household expenses." There-
upon the Sultan ordered that an allow-
ance should be made for him, sufficient
for daily food, so that the burden of
his family should be taken off his
heart.

For prisoner bound by homely chains^
No hope of liberty remains /

126

CONCERNING DARWEESHES

Children and debts and clothes and foody
These shut me front all inner good ;
By day I think " To-night Til pray*'
All night I plot to meet the day.

XXXIII

One of the devotees of Esh-Shams had
dwelled for many years in the desert,
living mainly on the leaves of trees. The
Sultan of that country paid a visit to
the man, and said : "If it seem to thee,
holy sir ! meet and right, we will pro-
vide a place for thee inside the city,
where thou shalt be in better safety and
happier circumstances of worship than
here, and where others may be benefited
by the spirit of thy pious example, and
imitate thy good deeds." The recluse,
however, did not accept the Sultan's
offer. Then came certain ministers —
pillars of the State — saying, " It would
be fitting, in order to gratify his Majes-
ty, that thou shouldest enter the gates,
and see the nature of this place for a

127

THE GULISTAN

few days ; after which, if the serenity of
thy holy hours be indeed disturbed by
the propinquity of the unblessed, the
choice still remains to thee of depart-
ure." And they relate how the devotee
did at length come into the city, and
how the Sultan prepared for him a
palace and garden — a most heart-ravish-
ing and spirit-soothing spot — its scarlet
roses like the cheeks of beautiful damsels,
its hyacinths lustrous as the locks of a
beloved mistress. Even under the sun-
shine of winter the parterres had the
freshness of a new-born babe that hath
not yet tasted the breasts of the nurse.
The Sultan sent to him, on his arrival
there, a sweet-faced girl :

A countenance fair as the crescent-moon^
deadly to saintly state ;

Like an angel's from heaven her beauti-
ful form; Iter swellings graceful gait

Tlie pace of the peacock ! A sage who
saw^ though never so holy and wise,

Were lost to his prayers and his pieties
—finding fresh Paradise.

128

CONCERNING DARWEESHES

Furthermore, after her steps followed
a slave-boy of the rarest bodily beauty
and carriage :

The sights in seeing him, waxed not con-
tent,
As Far-ab * is by water-skins unspent.

This holy man took to daily eating of
delicious meats, to the wearing of ele-
gant attire, and also indulged in enjoy-
ment of all sorts of fruits and fragrances,
while casting regards upon the handsome
slave and lovely damsel — for have not
the sages said : " The tresses of beauti-
ful ones are chains upon the feet of
prudence, and a snare for the wings of
the Bird of Wisdom." "

/ am the captive Bird, and the Snare

thou ;
For thee heart, faith, and reason are

lost now I

Briefly his worth and dignity in a lit-
tle space wasted away, after the rule

* The river Euphrates.
I 129

THE GULISTAN

which hath been declared that whenever
your Vakeel, or your Pir, or your scholar,
or your rhetorician of elevated nature
become involved in matters of the flesh
they stick fast in their quagmire like a
fly's foot in the honey.

The Sultan had, by and by, a desire to
see the devotee ; and, paying a visit,
found him vastly changed in outward
aspect, having a complexion all red and
white, and grown to a portly body. He
was lapped upon pillows of brocaded silk,
and the peri -cheeked girl was standing
by his head with a fan of peacock feath-
ers. The Sultan felicitated him on his
state of contentment, and conversed with
him on many subjects, finishing by the
remark : " I have a high regard for two
kinds of people in this earth, the learned
and the holy." One of the ministers, a
man of wisdom, who knew the world, ob-
served : " Oh, my lord, the condition of
benevolence stands that towards both
tribes of such folks thou shouldest do
good. To the learned give gold, in order

that others be encouraged to study ; but

130

CONCERNING DARWEESHES

to men of religion give nothing if thou
wilt have them continue religious."

Direms and dinars no saint needeth

much ;
When he asks these look somewhere else

for such!
Who is of holy mind and lives with

God
Seeks not allowances and pensioned food.

It is as with the beautiful woman un-
adorned :

The finger and the ear-tip show so fair
No turkis and no pearl are needed there.
Yea ! he is Darweesh who dwells pure

and free^
Albeit he eat no bread of charity ;
As she is lovely who shows frame and

face
Which ask no painty nor gold^ nor gems

to grace.
If Jiaving God^ for other goods I faint ^
Call me what thing you will — but not

a saint.

131

THE GULISTAN

XXXIV

In connection with the foregoing story
this also may be narrated. A Sultan,
being confronted by an important busi-
ness, declared that if the issue of the
matter fell out according to his desire he
would bestow so many direms among
religious persons. When all had hap-
pened according to his wishes, and in
agreement with his promise it was nec-
essary to keep the terms of it, he gave a
bag of direms to one of his trusted ser-
vants, bidding him distribute them
among the devotees. The servant, they
report, was prudent and clever. All day
long he wandered round, and at evening
time came back with the direms, which
he laid down before his lord, kissing his
foot, and saying : " I could not find any
Zahids!" **How is that?" quoth his
Majesty. "What tale is this, when I my-
self know that there are four hundred
in my city?" The servant made an-
swer : " Oh, Lord of the World ! Those

132

CONCERNING DARWEESHES

who be true Zahids will not receive thy
money, and those who will receive it are
not true Zahids." The Sultan laughed at
this, and said merrily to his surrounding:
"For all that I desired so greatly to ben-
efit these holy men, and had avowed my
desire, this sly-faced fellow sets himself
against me, and, by Allah ! hath, more-
over, all the right upon his side." For

When holy men for gold and silver

care,
Search somewhere else for holy men than

there !

XXXV

From one among the very wise and
pious they inquired what he thought
about ndn-i'2vakf the ** bread of pious
purposes." He made reply: "If Dar-
weeshes accept it solely for the sake of
a quiet mind and greater freedom for
devotion, it is lawful, hallal. But if they
receive it wholly from an appetite for
food, it is haram, unlawful !"

133

THE GULISTAN

That he may pray the true man takes

thy foody
The false one worships for his belly's

^ood.

XXXVI

A Darwbesh arrived at the abode of a
Saheb of kindly soul. There was a com-
pany there around him of pleasant and
witty people, each of whom in turn was
delivering some quip or clever sentiment,
as is the custom sometimes with men of
parts. The Darweesh, who had come
along the desert road, was terribly weary,
and a-hungered beside, not having eaten
anything. One of the company, by way
of a joke, protested that he, too, must
utter something or other. The Darweesh
said : " I have not any wit or elegant im-
agination like my masters here, nor have
I studied such things, yet there is one
verse with which ye might perhaps put
up just now from me." All of them with
joy and eagerness cried aloud, ^^ BigoT

134

CONCERNING DARWEESHES

(Speak! speak!) whereupon the beggar-
man said :

Fin hungry^ and to spy your table's store —
' Tis like a lusty youth of twenty-four
Standing outside the Women's Ham-
mam door.

They were all much amused ; and the
table was ordered anew for him, the lord
of the feast observing : " Oh, friend ! wait
a little while, because my people are pre-
paring some Kuftah (stewed mince),
which will be delicious !" The Darweesh
lifted his head, and said :

Kuftah upon the table do not lay
Cuffed by the wind and hail; Fll freely

say
The bread is Kuftah^ being on the tray /*

XXXVII

A SCHOLAR said to his master, "What
shall I do, sir, for I am troubled inward-

* There is a Persian pun here.
135

THE GULISTAN

ly very much by swarms of friends and
others who visit me, and my time, which
is so valuable, becomes frittered away by
their distracting chatter ?" The teacher
made reply : " To those who are needy
among them advance some small loan,
and upon those who are well-to-do make
some difficult demand. None of them
will hover about you any longer."

If at the head of Islam a beggar
marched along^

The Kafirs would to China fly for ter-
ror of his tongue.

XXXVIII

A STUDENT of law Said to his father :
" None of the eloquent discourses of our
doctors affect me at all, because I do not
see that a single action on their part cor-
responds to their words. They preach
to men the tark-i-duni (renunciation of
the world), but themselves meanwhile
eagerly gather up wealth and worldly
possessions. The preceptor who merely

136

CONCERNING DARWEESHES

says, * Thus and thus do thou/ and stops
there, cannot surely influence anybody's
heart. A true teacher is he who, know-
ing sin to be evil, abstains from it, not
he who cries to the world, * Sin not,' and
then himself perpetrates evil. Such an
instructor — self-indulgent, and pamper-
ing his own body — being himself gone
astray, how can he give guidance to
others ?"

The father replied : " Oh, my son ! on
the strength of an opinion so usual but so
shallow as this of thine, it would be very
wrong to turn the face away from the
instruction of the competent, and to fol-
low the path of vanity. While accusing
the instructed of faults, and while search-
ing for men of wisdom who are immacu-
late, thou art like to be shut off alto-
gether from the benefits of knowledge ;
thus resembling that blind man who,
one night, falling into a quagmire, cried
aloud, * Ai, Mussulmanis ! show a lamp
that I may see my way !' A woman of
the town passing by heard and exclaim-
ed, * Thou canst not discern a lamp ;

137-

THE GULISTAN

how shalt thou see then by aid of a
lamp?* Moreover, the assembly of ad-
monition is like unto the shop of the
cloth-seller; until thou hast paid down
ready money thou shalt not take any
goods away ; so there, too, unless thou
bringest good inclination thou shalt
bear off no happy results." Well was it
written :

Hear what by learned men is wisely

taught^
With little wisdom though tlieir lives be

fraught.
Think not that idle argument goes deep^
" Can he wake others^ when himself s

asleep ?"
Drink wisdom in by eyes^ ears — one and

all —
Though it be wisdom scrawled upon a

wall

XXXIX

A PERSON of religious life whom I
knew quitted the monastery where he
had dwelled, and broke the bond of com-

•138

CONCERNING DARWEESHES

panionship with its devotees to enter a
Madrissa. I asked him : " Between the
society of the religious and the learned
what distinction didst thou perceive
that thou shouldst prefer the college to
the convent ?" He answered me :

The Darweedi from the Sea of Sin his

own rug strives to save,
The Hakim drags the souls of men out

of that watery grave.

There was a man lying on the high-
road drunken with wine, the bridle of
self-control being slipped from his hand,
when an Abid passed nigh to him, and
cast regards of contempt upon his hate-
ful condition. The young sot lifted up
his head and said :

Thou who art holy, roll not thus thine
eyes t

Nor with such pride a sinful one de-
spise!

139

THE GULISTAN

Am I so brutish ? Better cause that I
SItould learn from thee w/iafs real hu-
manity,

XLI

A TAYiPA of reprobates got into dis-
putation with a student of religion, and
by uttering evil words hugely distressed
him. He carried his complaint to the
ears of his Pir, telling what had be-
fallen. That personage said : " Ah, son !
the Khirka of a Darweesh is the garment
of resignation. Whoever wearing such
a dress cannot bear evil-speaking and
contumely is an enemy to his faith, and
those holy rags misbecome him."

A great stream grows not muddy by
one stone^

A Darweesh vexed is like a puddle blown;

If wrong be done^ thine injur ers for give ^

By pardoning them thyself may'st par-
doned live I

Ah, brothers/ since the last day brings
to dusty

Be dust and ashes now, as then we must,

140

CONCERNING DARWEESHES

XLII

Hear now this little story : Once in
Baghdad a contention fell out between
the Flag and the Purdah. The Flag,
by reason of the dust of the road and
the worry of the staff-leather, said, in a
temper of high displeasure, to the Cur-
tain : " Thou and I be both servants of
one master, slaves in the court of the
same Sultan ; but I never for one mo-
ment obtain respite from duty, being
continually upon the march. Thou, on
the contrary, dost experience no kind of
trouble. Thou art not called upon to
storm the walls of the Hissar, or to
traverse the desert, or confront the
storm -ring (whirlwind) and the sand.
In every adventure my foot goeth first ;
why, therefore, is thy glory greater than
mine ? Thou dwellest amid moon-faced
slaves and damsels scented with jas-
mine ; I am roughly borne by men-at-
arms, my feet tied in the flag-stirrup,
my head ruffling in the breeze." Meekly
replied the Purdah : " I lay my head

141

THE GULISTAN

upon the threshold ; thou Hftest up
thine own to the sky. Whoso stretcheth
forth his neck too far exposes himself to
neck-wringing."

XLIII

One of the Lords of Wisdom observed
a public wrestler mightily enraged and
foaming at the mouth. Inquiring what
was the matter, some one explained that
the man had been the subject of some
abuse. The sage remarked : " This ridic-
ulous person can lift a thousand man
of rock, but cannot support the weight
of one single evil word."

Pride in brute strength and noisy beasts

resign^
Man while you fight ^ and wofnan when

you whine:
Make sweet the mouths of men by decent

deedy
*Tis better than to bash them till they

bleed ;

142

CONCERNING DARWEESHES

If one could tear the trunks from ele-
phants^

He is not man who human feeling wants:

Since Adam's sons are moulded from
the clay^

' Tis only mortal to be humble— pray !

XLIV

They questioned a distinguished per-
son among the Sufis as to the way of
life among that brotherhood. He re-
plied : " The least among their merits is
that their passion for the good of their
fellows is greater with them than care
for their own affairs ; and the wise have
laid it down, * No brother is he, nor so
much as even a kinsman, who is brother
and kinsman only to himself.* "

Who goes the road with us must keep beside ^
No fellow traveller if he outstride.
Bind not thy heart to one who will not be
Heart-bound, Of blood-relations e'en live

free
Where there is kinship but not piety !

143

THE GULISTAN

I call to mind how a certain opponent
did take umbrage at the thought in this
verse, alleging that in the Glorious Book
the Most High Allah hath prohibited the
abandonment of connection with rela-
tives, commanding us to rather esteem
friendship with them beyond that with
any others, so that what I had cited was
contrary to the Sacred Word. But I
made answer that he was wrong, and
that my verse was conformable to the
Koran. Allah hath said : " If a man's
parents bid him to join any as partners
with me, let him not obey them." Also,
it is written :

From fifty score of kinsfolk far better

shalt thou part
Than one true-spoken stranger with the

fear of God at heart.

XLV

A MAN of law possessed a daughter of
extreme ugliness, for whom, when ar-
rived at the marriageable age, he could

144

CONCERNING DARWEESHES

find no willing suitor, albeit a good
dower and possessions besides were at-
tached to her person.

If she who wears them doth ill-favored

shoWy
Lustrous brocades and silks lose half

their glow.

In fine, by the behest of necessity, he
tied her nuptial knot with a blind man.
About the same time, the story runs,
there arrived from Sundeya a famous
Hakim, who could restore vision to the
sightless. They inquired from the man-
of-law why he did not apply the treat-
ment to his son-in-law. " Nay, nay !"
says he ; "I fear if he became clear-
sighted he might divorce my daughter."

The husband of the ugly wife
Is better blinded all his life.

XLVI

There was a Sultan who turned a
special eye of contempt upon all the
K 145

THE GULISTAN

tayifas of the Darweeshes. One among
these, quick at perception, discovered
his Majesty's sentiment, and said : " Oh,
Malek, we, in this world, are far below
thee now, as regards station and state,
but in love of our kind much happier.
In death all shall be equal, and on the
Judgment Day we shall be thy supe-
riors."

The lord of many lands hath all wants
fed.

The Darweesh ofttimes lacks a crust of
bread ;

Yet both at hour of death will bear
away

Only a winding-sheet to house of clay;

Ah / at that titne^ for beggar and for
kingy

Light loads pack easiest for far journey-
ing.

In outward garb the Darweesh goes
ragged and with a shaven pate, but the
truth dwells living in his heart, and his
sensual self hath been vanquished.

146

CONCERNING DARWEESHES

He waiteth not at Accusation's door^
And being injured injur eth none the
more ;
If from the Hill of Fate a rock roll
down.
The fnan of faith sits where he sate
before.

The rules of the true recluse are zikr^
commendation ; and shukur, thankful-
ness ; and khidmut^ serviceableness ; and
td'aty obedience ; and aithar^ almsgiving ;
and kand'at^ contentment ; and towaliid^
profession of unity ; and tavakkul^ reli-
ance ; and tasalidn^ rendering obedi-
ence ; and tahammul^ endurance. Who-
ever is endued with these qualities is
a Darweesh indeed, though he wear a
splendid dress ; but one who utters fool-
ishness, one who lives without prayer ;
a worshipper of his own desires, a sen-
sualist ; one who turns night into day in
the bonds of concupiscence, and day into
night with the sleeps of sloth ; one who
eats and drinks all he can, and speaks
whatever cometh to his tongue — he is

147

THE GULISTAN

Randy a profligate, even though he wears
the dalak of a Darweesh.

Oh tliau thai /tost of /witness the seem-
ing outward dresSy

With inside void of piety^ and filled with
rottenness I

Hang not a curtain^ Hypocrite! of many
colored sheen

At door of that low reed-hut wJtere thy
vile soul lives unseen !

XLVII

I SAW some fresh-blown roses, a great
handful of them, tied upon a gateway
with some grass, and I asked, "What is
grass — mere common grass — that it
should thus dwell in the company of
roses?" The grass spake full sorrow-
fully : " Khamoosh, keep silence ! The
kind-minded forget not their associates !
Albeit I possess neither beauty, nor rich
color, nor fragrance, yet am I a herb of
the Garden of God ; I also am a servant

among the servants of the Hasrat, the

148

CONCERNING DARWEESHES

Eternal Presence, by whose bounty I
have been nourished until now, so that
whether I be destitute of all dignity, or
whether by His grace I possess any merit,
in my Lord is my trust and my desire.
Notwithstanding that I have no ability
to serve Him, and no methods of my own
for obedience. He is able to employ the
willingness of his humble slave, who
hath himself no strength or virtue. It is
the custom, moreover, that the lords of
contract should set free their bondsmen
when they are old."

OK Sadi! take ttu Temple road^ the

way of humbleness^
Oh^ Man of God i walk in the path

which goes with gentilesse I
III falls the foot that wanders / that

stumbles in its pride :
This is the gate to Righteousness^ there

openeth none beside !

XLVIII

They inquired of a Hakim which was
the greater, Courage or Liberality? His

149

THE GULISTAN

answer was, "Whoso practiseth liberality-
hath not need of courage. It is written
on the tomb of Bahram - Goor : * The
hand of bounty is better than the arm of
Strength; "

Dead long ago is Hatim Tai^ yet his

name lives brightly on
For noble works of largesse and deeds

of bounty done ;
Give of thy store/ the vine- dresser lops

many a branch away
That grapes may hang the thicker at \

time of harvest-day !

THE GULISTAN

ROSE-GARDEN

SHAIKH SA'DI

(3atewai? tbe ^bfrd

THE EXCELLENCY OF MODERATION

THE EXCELLENCY OF MODERA-

TION

A NEGRO mendicant from the West,
walking through the quarter of the cloth-
merchants of Aleppo, was heard to say :
"Ai, lords of much riches! if ye, so
wealthy, knew justice, and we, so poor,
possessed contentment, my trade of
begging would be at an end."

Ohy fair Contentment ! make me rich
with thee!

For wealthy lacking such gift^ is pov-
erty ;

To nook of patience Lokman happy went.

For none is wise who is not patient.

153

THE GULISTAN

There were two Amir-zadahs, sons of
a great man in Egypt, of whom one at-
tained great learning, the other immense
possessions, so that the former grew to
be the wisest personage of his time, while
the latter became Aziz-i-Misr, the Lord
of Egypt. In later days the wealthy
Prince cast the eye of contempt upon
the erudite one, his brother, and said :
" I have arrived at the Sultanate, whilst
thou abidest in thy old penury as at first."
The poor man answered: "Oh, my broth-
er ! needs must I thank the most High
God for His favor in this, that I have
acquired the heritage of the Prophets,
that is to say. Wisdom ; while thou hast
only reached to the inheritance of
Fara'un and of Haman — namely, the
throne of Egypt."

/ am the ant who underfoot doth go^
And not the wasp men curse for sting-
ing so ;

154

^ - I I ifc — \m

EXCELLENCY OF MODERATION

How shall I not laud Allah loud and

long.
Who hath bereaved me of the pozver to

wrong?

Ill

I HEARD about a Darweesh who was
burning slowly on the fire of poverty,
and stitching patch after patch upon his
old rags, but who found consolation in
this bait which he would hum :

Gladly I munch my hunk of bread, and

wear the rags you see.
Because to be beholden is worse than

starving free.

Somebody said to him, "Wherefore
dost thou remain thus, when there is
many a one in the city of most kindly
nature who possesses bowels of noble
compassion towards religious folk in dis-
tress, ever sitting at the doors of suffer-
ing hearts. On growing acquainted with
thy condition, such a man would hold
it his duty to succor the necessities of

155

THE GULISTAN

one of God's favorites." " Khamoosh !*'
answered that devotee, " be silent ! for
to perish of want is better than to carry
our woes before people ;" and wise ones
have said :

Sit in tlie corner of Content/ patcfies

on patches stitch /
*Tis happier than to cadge for clot/tes^

petitioning the rich ;
By God! 'twere less the pains of Hell

with good resolve to meet.
Than to be spurned to Paradise by un-

concerning feet.

One of the monarchs of Persia de-
spatched a physician of high skill to take
service with Mustapha (may peace be
upon him !). He remained some years
in Arabia, without anybody coming to
him, even for consultation, and no one
asked him even once for physic. One
day, standing in presence of the Chief of
all Prophets (peace be ever with him !),

156

■<s.--» «■»«.«-.

EXCELLENCY OF MODERATION

the physician complained of this, saying :
" They did send me hither for the pur-
pose of furnishing medicines to thy
friends and followers ; yet all this while
not a soul hath made recourse to me, so
that thy servant might discharge the
task laid upon him." The holy Rasul
(may the peace of Allah remain with
him!), replying, said: *'It is the habit
with my people never to eat a mouthful
until the call of hunger demands, and to
abstain from food while something of
appetite still remaineth." The physician
bowed, and spake : " Truly that is the
way to preserve a perfect health," and
therewith he departed, having first kissed
the dust of obedience.

The doctor waves his tiand or nods his

head
Only when something fitting must be said;
When too free food the pampered body

fills,
Or too long fasting bringeth weakly ills.
Then may he safely counsel that thy board
Not too much nor too little shall afford,

157

THE GULISTAN

One who made many oaths of amend-
ment and afterwards brake them, was
thus addressed by an old Shaikh : " I
know that thou hast the habit of glutton-
ous feeding, and that thou dost seek to
restrain thine appetites, which would
burst an iron chain, with the cord of thy
good resolutions, which is thinner than a
hair. Beware, for the day will arrive
when they will destroy thee !"

He who a wolf -cub kept^ the beast to

tame.
Was torn to pieces when to wolf it came.

In the Strst of Ardashtr Babukan it
stands related how he inquired from a
physician of Arabia what amount of food
ought to be consumed in a single day.
The Hakim said that the weight of a

158

EXCELLENCY OF MODERATION

hundred direms should suffice. Ardashtr
asked how life could be sustained on so
limited a quantity, and the physician re-
plied : " It is enough to keep you alive,
and in regard of what thou eatest beyond
this thy belly is the mere hamal of thy
meat."

Food is for life^ and therewith praise to
Heaven ;

Life's not for food^ nor mouth for guz-
zling given I

VII

Two Darweeshes of Khorasan had
formed a close companionship, and were
travelling together. One, being weakly,
ate only every second night, and the
other, being robust, would take food
three times a day. It befell that at the
gate of a city they came under suspicion
of being spies, and were both flung into
the same cell, the door of it being plas-
tered up with mud. After two weeks it
was found that they were guiltless, and

159

THE GULISTAN

the door was opened. The strong man
was lying dead, but the weak one had
carried his life safe through the trial.
The city people were amazed, but a
Hakim remarked that the contrary
would rather be wonderful, because the
constant eater had no habit or faculty
of abstinence, while the other one, hold-
ing his body under control, and inured
to patience, more easily endured.

VIII

A Hakim there was who warned his
son against overeating, because gluttony
causes illness. The boy said : ** Oh, fa-
ther, hunger slayeth; and hast thou not
heard what hath been told by the wise
that it is better to die of a surfeit than
to put up with hunger?" The father
responded : " Nevertheless, have thou
regard to moderation !"

Eat not so much that ye be choked like

swine,
Eat not so little that your bodies pine.

i6o

EXCELLENCY OF MODERATION

Food is to nurture life — but^ too much

meat /
* Twere better you should bitter poison

eat,
Gulashkar — rose-cakes — irk the over-fed^
But hungry stomaclts love the driest

bread,

They questioned a sick man what in
his heart he most wished for. His answer
was : " I most of all desire not to desire
anything !"

When belly with bad pains doth swells
It matters nought wtiat else goes well.

A FLESHER there was in the city of
Wasit who had dealings with the Sufis
to the extent of some direms, and did
ask for payment every day with much
violence of speech. The association, by
reason of his reproaches, had sore livers ;
but there was no help except by pa-
L i6i

THE GULISTAN

tience. A worthy man among- their
number sorrowfully observed : " Ye can
more easily put off appetite by promise
of food than this butcher with promise
of money !"

Better forego the rich matCs aid
Ttian at his gate to cower afraid ;
Better for lack of collops die
Than face stuh importunity.

A CERTAIN brave man, in battle with
the Tartars, received a dreadful wound.
Some one remarked to him that there
was a merchant who possessed a sover-
eign electuary for hurts, and might give
him some if requested. But that same
merchant was infamous for his niggard-
liness.

If on his boards in lieu of breads there

lay the golden sun^
No man had sitared his sunshine till

day of judgment — none I

162

EXCELLENCY OF MODERATION

The brave man made reply : " If I
shall ask for the medicine, he may give
it, or he may not give it ; and if he give
it, it may do me good, or not do me
good ; so that in any case it is all much
the same as deadly poison. Whatever
one obtains from grudging givers by
entreaty may help the body but must
damage the soul, and wise ones have de-
clared that if the Ab-i-hayat (the Water
of Immortality) were to be had at the
price of honor, the good man would not
buy it, because to die with credit is bet-
ter than to live with disgrace."

Front a kind hand the colocynth tastes

sweety
And sweetmeats bitter when a churl

bids eat.

XII

One among the learned, who had many
mouths to fill at home, and but scanty
means, told his plight to a great person-
age with whom he had formerly stood

163

THE GULISTAN

in high estimation. The great man re-
sented the application, as not becoming
any personage of self-respect, and made
an evil face over it.

JV/icn ill-liuk sours thy visage do not wend^
Taking thy sick looks to a clurisJied

friend;
For thou dost spoil his pleasure by thy

woe ;
But with a countenance of courage go^
Pleasant and bold — so shall the matter

speedy
And^ with an open brow^ lie' II meet thy

need.

They relate that, in respect to the woe-
begone one's wasif the great man some-
thing augmented it, but the warmth of
his good-will suffered diminution. After
some days the petitioner himself re-
marked this failure of the old feeling
and mournfully observed :

He made my loaf large^ but mine honor
stnall ;

Than agony of asking best lack all!

164

EXCELLENCY OF MODERATION

XIII

A HOLY man being in straits, somebody
said to him : " There is such an one who
hath wealth beyond counting. If he were
made acquainted with thy necessity, he
would permit no delay in readjusting
that." The Darweesh responded : " But
I know him not !" Quoth the other: "I
shall perform the service of conducting
you thither," and so took him by the
hand, until they reached the abode of
the rich man. There the Darweesh saw
one sitting gloomily with a hanging lip,
and without a word turned round again
and came back. " What didst thou with
him?" inquired his friend. "Why," says
the holy man, " he gave me the pleasure
of a sight of him, and I made him a
present of his bounty !"

Carry no suings to the crabbed-faced^

Where hard glance sends thee back

ashamed^ disgraced ;

If thou must bare thy heartache^ let it be

To one whose smile speaks ready sympathy.

165

THE GULISTAN

XIV

A YEAR of drought befell in Iskandersh,
of such severity that the restraints of
human patience were relaxed — the doors
of heaven seeming to be shut against
the supplications of the people, which
vainly ascended to them.

No creature was there of the earthy or

sky,

Or water — all that creepy and swim, and

fly-
But sent up lamentations y lacking food.

* Twas strange tliat reek of sorrow did

not brood
Into a tear-cloud under the fierce sun^

And fall in deluge o'er the land undone.

In that same year there was in the
city a mukhannas — an hermaphrodite —
(God keep us from the like !) whom to
descant upon would be the abandonment
of politeness, particularly in the hearing
of superior people, while on the other
hand, lest it be set down by some to the
incompetence of the present narrator, he

1 66

EXCELLENCY OF MODERATION

must not wholly pass over the description
of the man, and will here, therefore, for
brevity, cite but two verses, by way of
hint and guidance, since from one word
many may be gathered, and ye shall
judge of a whole ass's load by a single
handful.

If any Tatar slew him where he stood^
No righteous judge would ask the

Tatar's blood :
Thou Bridge of Baghdad! how long wilt

thou go^
Men on the top of t/iee^ water below ?

The personage, then, of whose habits
a partial glance hath been so afforded,
possessed wealth beyond imagination,
and lavished gold and silver upon the
empty-handed, providing also a well-
spread table for travellers. A band of
Darweeshes, who by pinch of fartiine
had come to the point of life or death,
took thought to share his bounty, and
asked counsel from me. I drew my head
back from consenting. I repeated to
them this verse :

167

THE GULISTAN

The lion a hound's leavings will not eat^
Though in his den lie die for lack of
meat.

Rather yield up your bodies to the
helplessness of hunger than hold forth
beseeching hands to the worthless.

Count not the vile thy friends^ albeit

they be
Prouder than FeridAn^ and rich as he;
When knaves their muslins and brocades

display^
* Tis gold and lazuli on mounds of clay.

They asked of Hakim Tai : ** Hast
thou seen, or hast thou heard of one in
all the world more remarkable than thy-
self for greatness of mind ?" " Yea !" he
replied ; "on a certain day I did slaughter
forty camels for a feast, and afterwards,
riding with an Arab Omrah on the edge
of the desert, I saw a hedger and ditcher

who had collected a fagot of thorns.

168

EXCELLENCY OF MODERATION

*Why goest thou not, oh friend/ I said,
*to the feast of Hakim Tai, since
throngs of folk are flocking to his vict-
uals ?* " He answered me :

He who by sweat of brow's his own

bread-winner
Should owe no thanks to Hakim for a

dinner.

I regarded that person, for great-mind-
edness and manhood, as very much my
superior.

XVI

MoosA the Prophet (may the peace of
Allah be upon him !) saw a Darweesh
who, by reason of his nakedness, had
covered his body up with sand. The
man cried : " Ya, Moosa ! say a prayer
for me to God that He may send me
clothing and subsistence, since by want
of strength I am dwindling to a ghost !"
So Moosa (on whom be peace!) made
supplication, and God sent the man sub-
sistence. Some days subsequently, when

169

THE GULISTAN

the prophet was coming from devotions,
he saw the Darweesh a prisoner, with a
crowd gathered around him, and in-
quired: "What hath happened with
this one ?" The people said : " He hath
drunk wine, and engaged in a conflict
whereby he killed a man, and now we
are executing the law upon him."

If prowling cats had wings as they have

They would not leave us any sparrows^

eggs ;
And when a base man comes to power

and pelf^
He twists tlte wrists of weaker than

himself

Moosa (on whom be the peace of Al-
lah !) confessed the wisdom of the Crea-
tor, and begged forgiveness for his own
presumption, uttering an Ayat from the
Koran.

When churls win dignities and things of

COSty

A clout upon their skulls is wanted most,

170

"^ ■■ ■ ■ ■ »■ ■ ^ ■ - - — « 111 ^Mi

EXCELLENCY OF MODERATION

This is most certain ! Wise was he who

singSy
^^*Twere better if the ant never had

wingsy

A father may have honey in plenty,
bujt will not give it to a son who is burn-
ing with fever. Verily, He who hath
not made thee rich knew what was well
for thee better than thyself.

XVII

I SAW an Arab sitting in a ring of
jewel-dealers at Basra, and telling a
story how once upon a time in the
desert he had lost his road, and had not
a morsel of food remaining, so that he
had settled in his heart that he must
die. "Suddenly," said he, "I lighted
upon a bag which felt to be full of grain.
Never can I forget the zuk wa shadi —
the relish and the joy — of thinking that
it was indeed parched corn, and then
again the agony and despair to find it
was only a bag of pearls.

171

THE GULISTAN

The desert traveller mid the driving
sands^

Sinking with thirst — what matter if his
hands

Hold pearls or dust? His dried mouth
curseth both /
So^ when a man with hunger falls to die^

What difference whether in his girdle-
cloth
He hideth gold or only frippery ?

XVIII

There was, indeed, an Arab traveller
who became lost in the great wilder-
ness. His provisions, and with them his
strength, all gave out, and only some
direms were left in his waistband. Long
he wandered without finding the path,
and at last perished in his misery. A
company of men afterwards passed that
way and saw the direms scattered in
front of his head, and there were written
with finger -point on the sands these

words :

172

EXCELLENCY OF MODERATION

Lie there ^ thou gold ! Whafs all earth's
gold

To him that must not live?
For one boiled turnip all my gold

And silver I zvould give.

XIX

Never did I complain of the chances
of fortune, nor make a wry face at the
resolution of fate, but once, when I was
brought to the pass of going barefoot-
ed, and had nothing with which to buy
shoes. Just then I entered the mosque
at Kusa with a heavy heart, and there I
observed a person who had no feet at
all. At this I offered up praise and
thanks to the Almighty God, and glad-
ly submitted to this accident of being
shoeless.

To one well fed a roasted chicken means
Less than a plate of common kitchen

greens;
But unto him that hath no food to eat^
A cabbage^ like a roasted fowl^ seems sweet.

173

THE GULISTAN

A Sultan there was who, being gone
a-hunting with some few of his attend-
ants, in the winter, got belated towards
nightfall in a spot far from any inhabit-
ed place. They came upon the hut of a
rustic, and the Sultan said : "We will
make refuge here, to escape the pinch
of cold." One of the Wuzeers objected
that it would ill befit the dignity of a
prince to seek shelter in the abode of a
common peasant, and said it would be
better to pitch a tent and kindle a fire.
The peasant, informed of the Sultan's
arrival, hastily prepared from his scanty
store what food could be easily cooked,
and, taking it to the Sultan, kissed the
dust of obeisance, and spake : " The
lofty glory of my lord can suffer no
lessening by condescending to his slave,
but these fine people did not wish that
a poor man should have honor." His
speech pleased the Sultan, who accord-
ingly spent the night in his cottage, and
at morning -time bestowed upon him

174

EXCELLENCY OF MODERATION

money and a khildt of honor. I further
heard how the peasant walked a few
steps at the stirrup of the Prince, and
uttered this :

From my lord^s greatness and high maj-
esty

Nought is abated that he lodged with
me^

But higher than the sun has risen my
head

Since o'er it such a gracious shade was
spread,

XXI

There is a story of a disagreeable fel-
low who had amassed much wealth, and
one of the Sultans made application to
him, saying : " It appeareth that thou
dost possess boundless riches, and as we
have an important business to settle, if
thou wilt advance us a little of this, in
way of loan, when our revenues come in
it shall be returned." The man replied:
"It doth not become the dignity of a
Lord of the World, such as thou art, to

175

THE GULISTAN

foul the palm of magnanimity with the
money of ?igaddH like me, collected scrap
by scrap." The Sultan answered : " Irk
thyself not on that account, for we shall
bestow it on the Tatars !"

T/tough water from a Christian welts

unfits
IV/iat oddSy when a dead Jew we wash

with it?

I heard that he turned his head away
from the Sultan's request, and com-
menced to haggle and make insolent
eyes. On that his Highness command-
ed the cause of his misbehavior to be
taken from him by violent methods :

Wlien by fair means no gains betide^
Needs must that foul means should be

tried;
Who doth not of a good grace give^
Will see kings take without his leave,

XXII

I MET a merchant who owned one hun-
dred and forty camels and fifty slaves

176

•^ •■<-

EXCELLENCY OF MODERATION

and porters. One evening, on Kish Isl-
and, he took me to his lodging, and did
not cease all the night through from
foolish talk like this: "Such and such
of my property lies in Turkestan; and
such and such goods are in Hindustan ;
and this document is the contract for
such and such an estate, and such an one
is my security." Then would he go on :
** I have sometimes the desire to wend to
Iskanderieh, where the climate is good ;
and sometimes I say * No,* because the
sea of the West is stormy. Oh, Sa'di !
there is yet only one long journey before
me, and, that accomplished, I will sit in
my own little corner and give up busi-
ness." I inquired what journey that was
to be. He answered me : ** I want to
carry sulphur of Persia to China, which
in that country, as I hear, bears a high
price ; and thence to take Chinese ware
to Roum; and from Roum to load up
with brocades for Hind ; and so to trade
Indian steel — pillad — to Halib. From
Halib I will convey its glass to Yemen,and
carry the painted cloths of Yemen back
M 177

THE GULISTAN

to Persia. Afterwards I will give up
trade, and take mine ease in my shop."
So much of such nonsense he poured
forth as at last to be unable to chat-
ter more, and then said : " Thou, too,
oh Sa'di ! tell me something about the
things which thou hast seen and heard."
Whereat I rejoined :

A lord titer e zvas set forth to cross the
wilderness of Ghor^

He tumbled from his camel^ and he
never travelled more;

Ahy greedy eyes of those t/iat toily roving
from spot to spot^

*Tis grave-dust t/iat must fill ye^ if con-
tentment fills ye not.

XXIII

I HEARD tell of a rich person who was
as famous for niggardliness as Hakim
Tai for liberality. In outward appear-
ance he showed magnificent, but the
meanness of his soul was such, and so

essential to his nature, and so rooted,

178

EXCELLENCY OF MODERATION

that he never gave so much as a crust
of bread to anybody, and would not have
pelted with one morsel the cat of Abu
Horeiru, nor flung a bone to the dog of
the Companions of the Caves. In effect
no man ever saw his door open or his
table spread. The passing beggar tasted
no more of his victuals than he could
win by smell, and of his bread-breakings
the birds got never a crumb. It was re-
lated to me how, upon the Sea of the
West, voyaging to Egypt, with all the
pride of a Pharaoh in his head, suddenly
an adverse wind beat upon his ship, and
a tempest arose. He lifted up hands of
supplication and began to make useless
prayers.

W/ia( profits ^^ God be pitiful*' and

hajids in danger raised
To him who in prosperity not once said,

" God be praised r
Buy with thy white and yellow good

for others.

It shall bring weal to thee as to thy

brothers.

179

THE GULISTAN

This is a house will last when thou art

dead,
With bricks of gold and silver 'stab-

lishbd.

Some poor relations in Egypt inherited
his possessions and became rich thereby.
They tore up their old clothes at his
death, and fashioned themselves new
ones from silks and brocades. That
very week I saw one of them riding a
steed, fleet-footed as the wind, and a
fair-faced gholam running behind him,
whereupon I said to myself :

Wah / if the dead should come to life

again
Amidst his wives and kinsmen, would

the pain
Of all this gear relinquished not be

keener
Than even their sorrow when they knew

him slain?

By reason of an old friendship existing

between us I pulled the sleeve of that

rider, and said :

i8o

EXCELLENCY OF MODERATION

Eat and enjoy ^ oh worthy one! the goods

thy luck did send
From him of Destiny deject ^ who saved

but would not spend.

XXIV

There happened a stout fish into the
net of a feeble old fisherman, who had
not strength enough to secure it, so that
the fish got the better of its captor, and
went away, taking the net with it. What
saith the verse ?

The slave went to the river to Jill his

water jar ;
He brought none ^ for the river rose and

washed his corpse afar.

Every other time the net had taken
the fish ; this time the fish departed,
taking away the net. The other fisher-
men were vexed, and vented reproaches
against their companion for having en-
closed such a prey and not being able to

bring it ashore. He said : " Ah, my

i8i

THE GULISTAN

brothers ! what could I do ? seeing it
was not my day for luck, while the fish
had yet more of existence destined to
him?"

Bereft of luck^ the fis/ierman in Tigris

catcheth naught ;
And^ not yet doomed^ the fish that kicks

upon the sand's uncaught.

XXV

There was a man who, having neither
hands nor feet, killed an insect of the
kind called " thousand - legs." A pious
person passing by exclaimed : " So-bahn
Allah/ Holy God ! For all the thou-
sand limbs that this creature possessed,
here is one comes along with no arms
and no legs and the beast doth not es-
cape from him !"

When the soul-seizer comes behind^ he

stays the fleetest foot ;
Death's breath once felt on warrior's

neck^ vain is it if he shoot,

182

EXCELLENCY OF MODERATION

XXVI

I SAW once a foolish fellow, very fat,
his body clad in a costly robe of honor,
riding on a high - bred horse, and with
muslin of Egypt wound round his head
for a turban. Somebody said to me:
"Oh, Sa'di! How regardest thou this
rich brocade wrapped upon a creature
so ignorant?" I replied : " He remindeth
me of ill writing done in golden ink."

Naught unto men resembleth in this ape.
Except his coat and hat and outward

shape.
Nothing is his of all this gear and

good.
Wealthy worldly show, save his vile,

muddy blood!
Think not, if one fall poor, of noble

mind.
His dignity thereby must be declined ;
Nor deem a rich knave noble, tho* he

thrives.
And gold nails in his silver threshold

drives.

183

THE GULISTAN

XXVII

Quoth a thief to a beggar : " Hast
thou not shame to hold thy hand forth
in front of every stingy fellow who
passes for a mite of money ?" The men-
dicant answered :

Two barleycorns of silver are better in

the fiand
Than for a dang and Italf a dang to

have it shorn by brand.

XXVIII

They relate the story of a young
athlete who, by contrarieties of fortune,
had come to the question of life or death,
and with craving belly and empty hands
repaired to his father, and requested in-
dulgence for his desire for travel, urging
that by the strength of his arms he
might perhaps lay hold of the hem of

Fortune's garment :

184

EXCELLENCY OF MODERATION

Good gifts and skill are vain^ until dis-
cerned^

Musk must be rubbed and aloes * must
be burned.

The father said : " Ah, my son \ thrust
forth absurd imaginations from thy
head, and draw the foot of discontent
back into the skirt of safety, since the
wise ones have declared that wealth
accrueth not by endeavor so quickly as
the lust of it may be overcome."

No man by tricks can Fortune's skirt

surprise^
Nor with collyrium cure a blind man's

eyes.
If for each hair thou hadst two hun-

dred gifts ^

They would not steel thee 'gainst ill fort-
une's shifts.

What can the strongs but luckless^ hope
to catch?

Thine arm 'gainst Fate's finds an une-
qual match.

* Lignum aloes.
185

THE GULISTAN

The son said : " Oh, my father ! of jour-
neying the benefits are many, videlicet^
the freshness it bringeth to the heart,
the profitable acquisitions, the seeing and
hearing of marvellous things, the de-
light of beholding new cities, the coming
into contact with unknown friends, the
obtaining of reputation, the learning of
high manners, the augmentation, may-
be, of goods, the experiences as to live-
lihood, novel connections, and familiar-
ity with the world ; for which reasons
the guides of the Tarifat — those Mas-
ters of the Path of Life — have declared :

While thou dost cleave to house and shop
thou art but half a man /

Go^ see the great world for thyself whilst
Destiny cries ^Can' "

The father made reply : " Oh, my
son ! the excellences of travel, as thou
hast named them, are assuredly nu-
merous, but these are reserved for five
descriptions of mankind. First, there
is the merchant, who, being one of large
means and influence, hath slaves, and

i86

EXCELLENCY OF MODERATION

heart-entangling handmaids, and sharp
serving-men, wherewith he may every
day visit a new city, and every night
sleep in a different place, enjoying all
the luxuries of the world.

He that owns wealthy in mountain^ wold^

and waste,
Plays master — pitches tent at his own

taste ;
Whilst he who lacks that which the world

commands
Must pace a stranger, e'en in his own

lands.

" Secondly, there is the learned person,
who, by sweet persuasiveness and the
power of speech, and his gathered wis-
dom, causes people, wherever he goeth,
to show him deference and treat him
with attention.

A wise man's presence is like gold re-
fined,
Everywhere money and its value
known ;

187

THE GULISTAN

Fools are tliose counters no folks will be
blind
To take for current coin except their
own,

" Thirdly, there is the person of hand-
some bearing, towards whom the inner
selves of people turn, desiring his com-
panionship, and deriving from it great
pleasure, and considering service to such
a distinction. Accordant to what hath
been said : * Good looks are better than
great riches. A sweet face is balm to
sore hearts, and the key to closed
doors.*

Fair faces will win favor south and

norths
Though fatfier and though mother drive

them forth ;
There was a peacock's feather in The

Book
Laid 'mid those holy leaves. ^ An honor

took
Insultingly/' I cried. But the plume saidy
' Silence^ good friend, since unto goodli-

head

i88

EXCELLENCY OF MODERATION

And grace is everywhere right proper

room^
And all with joy receive us where we

come*

When in the child beauty and charm

reside^
None asks the father's name, nor aught

beside :
*A pearl it is,* they cry, ^inside its shell!
Let it not stop! Such is to buy and

sell!*

" Fourthly, should travel a sweet- voiced
one, who with a throat like David's stops
the very stream in its course, and stays
the birds in the air ; much more by the
aid of such accomplishments may he
take the hearts of men prisoner, and
cause even the wise to display pleasure
in his society."

How ravishing to lovers* ears, with wine

of morning mad.
At dawn of day some tender lay, sung

musical and sad ;

189

THE GULISTAN

Ah ! better than a Jiandsome face I deem

a lovely votce.
For that brings pleasure to the sense;

this makes the soul rejoice,

" Fifthly, the artificer should travel, he
who by skill of fingers can obtain liveli-
hood, so as to keep his self-respect from
the dishonor of asking for bread. This
accords with the saying of the wise :

Cobbler or patcher — if they quit their
home —

No want or woe fear, wheresoever they
roam ;

But if the Sultan of Nimrdz should creep

Forth from his kifigdom he would hun-
gry sleep,"

These five qualifications, then, said the
father, as described, are those which upon
a journey bring peace to the spirit, and
are the causes of satisfaction. But who-
ever is destitute of all of them will go
forth into the world with vain expecta-
tions, and nobody will hear of his name

or purpose.

190

EXCELLENCY OF MODERATION

On this revolving wheel of earthly state

Whoso is ear -marked by the hand of
Fate

Goes falsely tempted ; like the foolish
dove

Which — destined not to see his nest and
love —

Flies by the way that brings to grain
and trap^

Andy self-misguided^ makes his own mis-
hap.

Quoth the son : " But how, oh my
father ! shall I fly in the face of that
maxim of the prudent who say: * Albeit
the daily elements of life are apportioned
for all, yet it is indispensable to have re-
course to the means for obtaining them ;
and although mishap be foreordained,
it is still proper to avoid the gateways
by which it may enter*?

Cometh, no doubt^ our daily food^ yet way

of sense is so
That we should seek it from outside^ and

where it groweth go;

191

THE GULISTAN

And we must die at time of deaths yet

no man holds it law
For thaty to run, ere life be done^ into

the dragon's jaw,

" In my present condition I am strong
enough to fight with a furious elephant,
or to wrestle to the ground a ravening
lion ; and it is ail the fitter that I should
journey, because my spirit will not en-
dure poverty.

When a man falls from dignity and

grace.
Why eat more dirt? The wliole world

is his place !
Each night the rich one for his serai

makes him^
The beggar's inn is where the night

overtakes him**

Speaking thus, the son, asking his fa-
ther's benediction, took farewell and de-
parted. At the moment of leaving he
was heard to say :

Wise men who seek a happier life to own
Go to a country where they are not known,

192

EXCELLENCY OF MODERATION

He travelled till he reached the bank
of an impetuous river whose current was
dashing rock against rock, with an up-
roar heard many farsangs away.

A terrible water it was, so that even

the fowl were afraid;
And a millstone cast in its wave like a

feather was lightly conveyed.

He saw there a group of people, each
one with a little piece of money, squatted
at the crossing, and goods for the tran-
sit packed up. As to our young man, the
hand of giving was closed for him, and
he put forth instead the tongue of flat-
tery, but notwithstanding all entreaty
they showed small friendliness, saying :

No pay no ferry f you can* t force us row
Unguerdoned! Give the fare, and fair
you go/

So spake the unfeeling inallaj\ and
turned away with laughter, continuing :

A strapping szvain ! But swim the river

then.
Bring one man's money if you talk as ten,

N 193

THE GULISTAN

Exasperated at their taunts, the young
man desired to be revenged. The boat
had put off, but he shouted out that if
they would be content he would give
them the garment upon his back. The
boatman, yielding to avarice, brought
the boat back again to shore :

Greed will sew up eyelids of watchful-
ness,

Greed brings the fish and bird into dis-
tress.

As soon as the young man got his
hands within touch of the boatman's
beard and neck, he drew him close, and
without ado knocked him flat. A com-
rade, who came out of the boat to help,
was handled with such severity as to
give it up. The boatmen concluded
that it would be well to come to terms,
and as to the fare, it was forgiven :

When thou seest quarrels, hold afar !
Fair words can shut the gates of war;
Match hasty blood with Mercfs milk,
A sharp sword cannot cut soft silk.

194

EXCELLENCY OF MODERATION

By gentle speech^ and soft, persuasive ways^
Led with one hair, the elephant obeys.

In excuse for the past they touched
the hem of his gown, and bestowed false
kisses of friendship on his head and face,
and, leading him into the boat, put off
anew. Presently they arrived at a stone
pier in the middle of the water, built by
men of Yunan, when the boatmen cried
out : " There is peril to the boat ! Who-
ever is bravest and most manly must
spring to this stone-work and hold her
warp so that we may make a landing."
The young man, proud of the courage
which he imagined himself to have
shown, and forgetting the offended feel-
ings of the crew, disregarded that maxim
of the sages : " In whomsoever thou hast
caused animosity to arise, albeit it be
followed by a hundred acts of kindness
on thy part, free not thyself from anxi-
ety of revenge from that single deed —
seeing that though the arrow hath been
extracted the pain still rankles in the
wound."

195

THE GULISTAN

Quoth Yaktash unto Khiltash — and wiser

words were notie —
^^ If thou but scratch thine enemy, fear

him till life be doneT
When by thy deed another's lieart hath

wrong.
Trust not thyself to be at ease for long ;
And if against a fort thou fling' st a

stone
Wonder not if another thence be throwtif

As soon as the young man had coiled
the rope round his wrist and leaped upon
the masonry a boatman dragged it from
his hand, and the boat was pushed away.
Helpless and bewildered he remained on
the pillar, and for two days suffered
much hardship and misery. On the
third day a deadly sleep seized him by
the collar, and he fell into the water.
Not until after another night did he
reach the shore, only a spark of life re-
maining. Subsisting on leaves of trees
and wild roots, he by-and-by gathered a
little strength, and then took his course
into the waste, until, thirsting, hungered,

196

EXCELLENCY OF MODERATION

and feeble, he arrived at a well, where
many people were assembled, buying
drinks of water with money. Not pos-
sessing any, the hapless youth begged
hard for a draught, and when it was re-
fused put forth the hand of violence, but
in vain. Some of them he struck to the
earth, but the others soon overcame him
and mercilessly beat and wounded him.

Gnats^ in a cloudy the elephant will pierce^
For all he is so sovran and so fierce ;
And ants the lion's skin will eat away,
If Fortune sendeth such a lordly prey.

Broken and bleeding, he fell in with
the rear of a caravan, to which, in his
necessity, he attached himself. In the
evening they came to a spot dangerous
on account of robbers. He observed the
people of the Kafilat trembling with
fear, and their thoughts all full of im-
pending destruction. " Be not appre-
hensive," he said ; " I am one who can
answer for fifty freebooters, if your
young men will stand by me." Reani-
mated by his valiant words, the caravan

197

THE GULISTAN

people took heart again, and were glad
to be in such company, giving him at
the same time victuals and drink. But
the fire of hunger in the young man's
belly was so fierce, that he ate and
drank hard until the devil of famine
lay quiet inside him, and then slumber
overcame his eyes. An old man in the
company, much experienced, and one
who had seen the world, remarked : " Oh,
friends ! I am more suspicious of this
guardian of ours than of the robbers !
Is it not recorded how a certain Arab,
who had amassed a few direms, dared
not to sleep in his house alone for fear
of the Lurian brigands, but brought
one of his neighbors indoors, out of his
dread of solitude ? This man tarried with
him for several nights, until coming to
learn where the direms were hidden, he
laid hands on them and went off. In the
morning they found the Arab stripped
of his property and bitterly complain-
ing. * What can be amiss with thee ?*
they asked, * except that thieves have
carried away that silver of thine?'

198

EXCELLENCY OF MODERATION

* Nay, by Allah !' cried the Arab, * but
It is my friend has carried it away.'

None sits at ease and trusts a snake^
knowing the snake will sting ;

But to be bit by tooth of friend^ that is
a sharper thing !

" How wot ye, my friends ! that this
young man is not of the number of
the robbers, and hath not, by cunning,
got into our midst in order that, at
the moment of opportunity, he may
carry information to his associates?
The better thing, methinks, to do is to
leave him here asleep and quickly to
depart." This counsel of the much-
travelled graybeard seemed judicious
to the younger men, being already sus-
picious of the stranger, and consequent-
ly, packing up their goods, they left him
slumbering and started off. When the
rising sun beat upon his back, he sate
up, and perceived that the caravan had
disappeared. Much did he wander about
without finding a road. Once more
parched with thirst and foodless*, he lay

199

THE GULISTAN

with his face in the dust and his heart
set deathward, mournfully saying :

They pity ivayfarers ttte least
Who have not been themselves dis-
tressed.

While uttering this, a padishah-zadah,
a king's son, who had been hunting
game and had become separated from
his camp, came thither, and standing
near, heard what the young man said,
and seeing his outward aspect good,
though his condition was of distress,
asked of him: "Whence art thou, and
how camest thou hither ?"

The young man related a little of
that which had passed over his head ;
and the prince made compassionate be-
stowal on him of a Khilat and some mon-
ey, and bade a person of trust conduct
him to his own place. His father, at sight
of him, was overjoyed, and gave God
thanks for his safe return. That even-
ing, what had befallen him — the boat,
and the violence of the boatmen, and of
the villagers, and the deceitfulness of

200

EXCELLENCY OF MODERATION

the caravan people — he told it all to his
father. "Oh, my son!" said the old
man ; "spake I not unto thee, at hour
of departure, that the strong hand, be-
ing empty, is useless, and the lion's
strength (without money) is feebleness?"

Welly said the warrior ^ in his evil hour,
One jow of gold's worth fifty maund of
power /

The son gave answer : " Yet, oh my
father ! until one confronts difficulty
one shall not obtain wealth, and without
putting life in peril none can gain vic-
tory ; and if you never sow grain, you will
never fill a granary ! See you not that
for those small hardships which I en-
dured I have brought back much riches
of experience, and for the stings that I
bore a plentiful stock of honey ?"

Albeit 'tis only once a day we eaty
Needs must we rustle for our daily meat !
The diver y did he dread the sharp-toothed

sharky
Would seldom fetch the white pearls from

the dark,

20 1

THE GULISTAN

The lower millstone never moves, and so
Bears its great burden of enduring woe.
Wftat eats a hungry lion in his home?
Wliat quarry to a lighted hawk will

come ?
If in our houses for our bread we wait^
To grow as lean as spiders is our fate.

Quoth the parent : "Ah, my son ! on
this occasion Heaven hath helped thee,
and good fortune hath guided, so that
thou hast plucked thy rose out from the
thorns, and the thorns from forth thy
foot. Moreover, a man of good heart
appeared, and showed compassion on
thee, and did relieve thine afflicted state.
But this is rare, and wonders like it are
not to be awaited."

The hunter doth not always kill his prey ^
One day the tiger doth the hunter slay.

It is very much as chanced with a cer-
tain Sultan of Persia, who had a precious
jewel set in an amulet, and being on a
jaunt of pleasure with some of his favor-
ites to Masla Shiraz, would needs have

202

EXCELLENCY OF MODERATION

them fix the amulet on the dome of Asad,
announcing that whosoever with his
arrow should shoot clean through it
might possess the jewel. It happened
that there were four hundred bowmen
in the Sultan's surrounding, who all of
them shot, and missed. But a lad on the
roof of an inn, firing away at random, for
sport, sent one shaft which, borne by the
breeze of morning, was carried directly
through the ring, and to him the jewel
was given, with many other marks of
favor. The boy, after this, burned his
bow and quiver, and when they asked
him why, replied, " In order that the
glory of my first attempt may con-
tinue!"

The cotin$€ls of the wise may go awry^
The fool may hit his mark at the first
try,

XXIX

I SAW a Darweesh living in a cave, who

had shut himself off from the world, no

more regarding princes and great men

203

THE GULISTAN

with an eye of fear, nor abating his own
dignity for them.

He tliat sits at door of askings will be
poor until lie die.

He who asks not reigns a Sultan^ want-
ing naughty his neck is high.

One of the Sultans of that region had
it conveyed to the Darweesh that, be-
lieving in the good disposition of holy
people, he desired that the recluse would
condescend to eat bread and salt at the
palace. The Shaikh acquiesced, because
to comply with such invitations is con-
formable with the Sunnat. Afterwards,
when the Sultan, on the excuse of some
service, visited him, the devotee rose up
and cordially saluted his Majesty, em-
bracing him with kindliness. The Sultan
gone, one of the Shaikh's companions
inquired whether such politeness tow-
ards him was not a violation of his rule,
and where was the reasonableness of
this ? The Shaikh replied : " Have ye

not heard how they have said :

204

EXCELLENCY OF MODERATION

If at a good man's table thou shalt sit^

* Tis just to rise and greet the lord of

it.

The ear may go through life and never

hear
One note of drum^ or flute ^ or dulcimer ;
The eye may lack the garden's grace^

and be
Unblessed by rose^ or vine^ or rosemary ;
The head which hath no pillow of soft

stuff
May on a stone find rest and peace

enough ;
And if no pleasant bedfellow ye own.
Thrust hand iii bosom and sleep zvell

alone;
But bellies are impatient^ and rebel
In discontent^ unless ye fill them welly

THE GULISTAN

ROSE-GARDEN

SHAIKH SA'DI

Gatewai? tbe fourtb

THE BENEFITS OF TACITURNITY

Unto one among my friends I said :
" The resolve hath come upon me to re-
strain myself in speaking, for the reason
that over and over again one happens to
speak ill as much as well, and the obser-
vation of enemies lighteth only on that
which is ill." He replied : "Ah, brother !
the best of all enemies is he who observes
not the good !"

Virtue in eyes of hatred hateful skowSy
And Sa'di seems a thorn instead of rose.
The orb of day^ the splendor of the sun^
To the blind bat sheds little lights or

none,
o 209

THE GULISTAN

A BAZAAR dealer, having incurred a
loss of one thousand dinars, enjoined
upon his son not to mention the subject
to anybody. He answered : " Oh, my
father I it is thy firman, and assuredly I
will not speak ; but acquaint me with the
advantage and reason of keeping it
secret." Quoth the sire : " In order that
our disaster may not become twofold
instead of single only, first by losing the
money, and next by incurring the re-
marks of our neighbors.**

Tell not your trouble to the enemy !
Tliey chuckle^ while " God be your help /"
ttiey cry.

Ill

There was a young man of good
parts who had gained good taste of
sciences and erudition, and yet withal
a modesty so remarkable that he would
sit in an assembly of learned peo-
ple and never speak one word. His

2IO

BENEFITS OF TACITURNITY

father put it to him once : " Why, O
my son ! utterest thou, too, not some-
thing about the things which thou dost
know?" " I dread," answered he, "lest
they should question me, perchance,
upon something of which I am igno-
rant, and that so I might endure re-
proach."

Hast thou not lieard of the Siiji was

driving nails in his s/wi\
When a Sarhang seized his sleeve^ and

cried: ''It is you, friend / you/
Must rise and be farrier for us /" Be

silent, and none ivill know ;
But with word and with deed comes need

the proofs of thyself to show.

One of high reputation among the
most learned, engaged in discussion
with an unorthodox person, and, not
succeeding against him in argument,
flung down the target of fight, and re-
tired. Some one said ; " Thou who hast

211

THE GULISTAN

so much erudition, such skill, such virt-
ue, and such wisdom, how earnest thou
to be worsted in contest with this un-
believer ?" Quoth the learned doctor :
" What knowledge I have is knowledge
of the Koran, and of the Hadish, and
the sayings of the Shaiks ; while he, as
regardeth these, hath neither belief in
them nor patience to hear them ; there-
fore what profiteth it to me to listen
longer to his Kafir talk ?"

Whoso the Koran will not heed, nor tJu
traditions take,

Best is he answered in disputes when an-
swer none ye tnake I

THALtNOOS (Galen), observing a rude
fellow lay hold of a wise man's neck and
put him to affront, said : " If this rever-
end person had been truly wise, things
would not have come to such a pass be-
tween him and such an ignoramus."

212

BENEFITS OF TACITURNITY

Where both are wise^ strife doth not su-
pervene^
Nor will one wise man with a churl be

seen
Contending. If a fool in folly speaks
The wise by mildness to convince him

seeks ;
If both be wise^ a hair's enough to bind
The contact of their wits — in the same

kind
If one hath wisdom; but two brutish fools
Will break an iron cluxin as well as
rules.

Op Subhan Wahil they have spoken
as being in eloquence incomparable. If
he discoursed for a whole year before
the face of an assembly he would never
commit the fault of using the same
word twice over ; but should a similar
meaning be required, he employed a dif-
ferent expression ; and this is among the
number of the accomplishments of the
companions of princes.

213

THE GULISTAN

Though a discourse be heart - subduing

sweety
Fit to be heard y and for approval

meet^
Being spoken^ let it rest ! Too much is

twice
For sweetmeats and for speech^ if once

suffice.

VII

I OVERHEARD a sagc fcllow remark :
" None doth his own character of fool-
ishness so plainly declare as the man
who beginneth his own part of the con-
versation before another hath brought
what he had to say to a conclusion."

Discourse, good friend, a head liath, and

a tail—
Jumble not words with words till noise

prevail I
A lord of understanding, judgment,

grace.
Speaks not, till silence make for him a

place.

214

BENEFITS OF TACITURNITY

VIII

Certain among the attendants of
Sultan Mahmud inquired of Hasan Mai-
mandi what his Majesty had said to him
that day concerning some business.
"How !" quoth he, "do ye not already
know ?" " Nay, but," spake they, " thou
art minister of the state, and what the
Sultan sayeth to thee he doth not deem
proper to tell to the like of us." "Quite
so," replied Hasan ; " and seeing that my
lord imparteth such things, believing
that I will not declare a word of it to
any one, why did you ask me?"

Not all he knoweth will the wise man

say ;
He stakes his neck who with the King

doth play.

In the matter of bargaining about a
house, I was wavering, when a Jew said
to me : "I am an old house - master in

215

THE GULISTAN

this quarter; as to the character of
this abode, inquire about it from me, and
buy it on my word, for it hath no fault !"
I answered, angrily, "Except, indeed,
that thou art neighbor to it !"

Ten dinars of base coin might buy the
house thafs next door to a wretch^

Though to-morrow — if chance make him
die — a thousand good dinars Hwould
fetch.

One that was poet and musician be-
took him to the chief of a gang of rob-
bers, and recited the praise of that per-
sonage. He, in return, commanded the
singer to be stripped of his clothes, and
driven forth from the village. The dogs
also attacked him from behind, and
wishing to take up stones against them
from the ground he found them frozen
hard. Thus rendered helpless, he ex-
claimed: "What haramzadah! What
base-born scoundrels are these, who let

216

BENEFITS OF TACITURNITY

their curs loose, but tie up their pebbles !"
The robber-chief overheard this from a
window, and, laughing merrily, said :
" Ai, man of much sense ! Ask some
favor from me !" Says the poet : " I ask
for my clothes only, if thou hast the
bounty to bestow those !"

Get wfiat thou mafst^ and be glad^ from
them not wont to be givers ;

* Scape with thy skin^ if thou canst ^ when
thou dost parley with rogues.

The Salar of the robbers became well
disposed towards him at this ; restored
to him his plundered garments, and be-
stowed on him a pushteen of fur, and
some direms.

A MunjjAmi — a soothsayer — entering
unexpectedly into his house, found a
strange man there, sitting with his wife,
whereat he did mightily abuse the man,
and spake wild words, by which ensued

217

THE GULISTAN

clamor and calamity. A person of sense,
becoming acquainted with the circum-
stances, observed :

Wfiat could he know of sky and stars,
or heaven* s all-hidden life.

Who did not see in his own house the
knave that kissed his wife ?

XII

A Khatibih, a public reader, who had
a disagreeable voice, yet fancied it mel-
lifluous, was droning as usual, to no pur-
pose. You would have taken his harsh
accents for a croaking crow of the wil-
derness. The people of the place, by
reason of the office which he held, put
up with him, not considering it proper
to complain, till such time as another
of the public readers, who bore him a
hidden grudge, came visiting him, and
said : " I have had a dream about thee !
May it turn out well !" " What didst
thou see ?" asked the man. " I dreamed,"

218

BENEFITS OF TACITURNITY

quoth the other, " that thou didst possess
a pleasant voice, and that at its sound the
listeners had tranquillity." After musing
a little the hoarse-throated preacher ob-
served : " It is a dream of blessing to me
which thou hast beheld, because it hath
made known to me my defect, in that I
have an unpleasant organ and that con-
gregations are troubled when I read. I
make vow that from this time forth I will
read only in a gentle and governed tone."

Ill fall the friends who let my failings go
For merits^ silent of those faults they

know ;
Who suffer me to think my thorns are

roses^
And breath such as the jasmine bud dis-
closes ;
Give me instead that sharp-eyed enemy
Who sees me as I am, and makes me
see !

XIII

There was one also in the Mosque
of Sanjarieh who made gratis the call

219

THE GULISTAN

to Namaz, but with an accent that of-
fended all his hearers. The master of
the mosque, a just and kindly Amir,
desiring not to grieve him, said : " My
good young man ! This Musjid pos-
sesseth several old Muwazzans, who
each receive five dinars a month, so I
will give thee ten dinars to go some-
where else." To this he assented, and
went away. After an interval he reap-
peared before the mosque master, and
said: " Ay, Khudawand ! Thou didst me
mischief sending me hence with these
ten dinars, for in the place whither I
repaired they do now desire that I shall
take twenty dinars and go away from
them, but I have not consented." The
mosque master laughed, and responded :
" Hark ye ! Do not accept it, for they
will be, by-and-by, willing to offer you
fifty."

NonCy with a mattock^ shall so scrape a

stone.

As thou our spirits with thy raucous

tone.

220

BENEFITS OF TACITURNITY

XIV

Another unpleasantly voiced person
was reciting the Koran aloud, when a
lord of hearts passed by and inquired
of him : " How much is thy monthly al-
lowance ?" " Heech ! Nothing !" quoth
he. Said the holy man : " Why, then,
dost thou take all this zahmat on thy-
self?" "I read," he replied, "for the
love of God !" Rejoined the other : "For
the love of God read no more !"

If with a croak so damned thou read'st

the Booky
The splendor from our Islam will be

took.

THE END

By lew. WALLACE

THE WOOING OF MALKATOON: COM-
MODUS. Two Poems. Illustrated by F.
V. Du MoND and J. R. Weguelin. 8vo,
Cloth, Ornamental, Deckel Edges and Gilt
Top, $2 50.

A notable work, which will cause no little stir in
the literary world. Whatever we may think of its
sentiments, all must admit its great skill, and most
readers will be profoundly moved by it. The pub-
lishers have bestowed upon it a gorgeous setting in
all the externals of high-class book-making, while
the illustrations are uncommonly beautiful. — Brook'
lyn Standard' Union.

The author of **Ben-Hur" has unquestionably
entitled himself to new laurels by this performance.
His conceptions are full of mental grace, and sung
in numbers almost as soft and flowing as those of
Moore. Wonderful versatility is revealed in the
apt treatment of two themes so diverse, and in liter-
ary forms so far apart. — Watchman, Boston.

The title poem is an Oriental love-story, and con-
tains much of the richness of detail for which the au-
thor is famous — * ' Commodus " is a strong drama—
and Mr. Wallace's qualities of picturesqueness and
command of scenic effect are in full force here. —
Book- Buyer, N. Y.

HARPER & BROTHERS, Publishers

NEVir YORK AND LONDON

' Tke above work will be sent by maH, postage Prepaid^
to any part of the United States t Canada^ or Mexico^ on re-
ceipt o/tke Price,

By WILLIAM DEAN HOWELLS

STOPS OF VARIOUS QUILLS. Poems.
Illustrated by Howard Pyle. 4to, Cloth,
Ornamental, Uncut Edges and Gilt Top,
$2 50. Edition de Luxe, limited to 50 cop-
ies, on hand-made paper, signed by Author
and Artist, $1 5 00.

The verses are always thoughtful and virile. —
Dial^ Chicago.

The verse is so skilful and the figures are so full
of life and power that one of these alone — "The
Bewildered Guest" — is enough to make the book
eminently worth while. — Literary World, Boston.

The admirers of sincere verse should be glad that
these poems have been put in a book. Each poem
contains a thought which is pressing for utterance,
and with direct and straightforward words it comes
forth. The thought in nearly every instance is a
flash of light into the depths of the human heart, or
else it is a sword piercing the consciousness with poig-
nant agony. — Brooklyn Eagle.

Mr. Howells has given us here a remarkable book,
and one which we would select as an infallible touch-
stone of the poetic knowledge or ignorance of its
readers. — Mail and Express, N. Y.

HARPER & BROTHERS, Publishers

NEW YORK AND LONDON

%^^The above work will be sent by mail, postage Prepaid,
to any part of tJie United States, Canada, or Mexico, on re^
ceipt of the Price.

3 2044 038 408 07(

DATE DUE

DEMCO, INC. 38-2931

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