WISDOM OF THE EAST
THE BUSTAN OF SADI
TRANSLATED FROM THE PERSIAN WITH AN INTRODUCTION
BY A. HART EDWARDS
London: John Murray
[1911]
Scanned, proofed and formatted by John Bruno Hare at sacred-texts.com, November 2008. This text is in the public domain in the US because it was published prior to 1923.
Be generous to the extent of thy power. If thou hast not dug a well in the desert, at least place a lamp in a shrine.—p. 48
This is a prose translation of the Bustan of Sadi, originally published as part of the Wisdom of the East series in the early 20th century, and long out of print. This little book is full of practical spiritual wisdom. Sadi doesn’t lean on allegory as much as other Sufi writers of the period; most of the stories in this collection have a pretty obvious moral lesson.
Born in Shiraz, Iran, in 1184, Sādi (pseudonym of Muslih-ud-Din Mushrif ibn Abdullah) is considered one of the major medieval Persian poets. He traveled widely, through regions of what is today Syria, Turkey, Egypt and Iraq. Vignettes of gritty caravan and street scenes give life to his tales. In old age he returned to Shiraz, and composed his two best-known works, the poetic Bustan, or Orchard (in 1257), and the prose Gulistan, the Rose Garden (in 1258). He died in 1283 or possibly 1291.
¶ Index
- Editorial Note
- Introduction
- Prologue
- I. Concerning Justice, Counsel, and the Administration of Government
- Nushiravan’s Counsel to his Son
- Discourse concerning Travellers
- Story illustrating the Need for Deliberation
- Story of the King whose Coat was Coarse
- Story of Darius and the Herdsman
- Story of Abdul Aziz and the Pearl
- Story of how Tukla was rebuked by a Devotee
- Discourse concerning Riches and Poverty
- Story of Qazal Arsalan and the Fort
- A Story of Damascus
- Story of a Bully
- II. Concerning Benevolence
- Story illustrative of doing good to the Evil
- Story concerning Fasting
- Story illustrative of Practical Charity
- Story of a Man and a Thirsty Dog
- Story Apropos of Nemesis
- Story of a Fool and a Fox
- Story of a Devout Miser
- Story of Hatim Tai
- Story of Hatim and the Messenger sent to kill him
- Story illustrative of misdirected kindness
- Discourse concerning Kindness to Orphans
- III. Concerning Love
- Discourse concerning Constancy
- Story of a Dancer
- Story illustrating the Reality of Love
- Story illustrative of Patience
- Story of One who was Assiduous in Prayer
- Story of Sultan Mahmud and his Love for Ayaz
- Story of a Village Chief
- Story of a Fire-fly
- Story of a Moth and a Candle
- Another Story on the same Subject
- IV. Concerning Humility
- Story of a Raindrop
- Story illustrative of Pious Men regarding themselves with Contempt
- Story of Sultan Bayazid Bustami
- Discourse on Conceit
- Story of the Darwesh and the Proud Cadi
- Story of the Honey-seller
- Story illustrating the Forbearance of Good Men
- Story illustrating the Noble-mindedness of Men
- Story of a Kind Master and his Disobedient Slave
- Story of Maruf Karchi and the Sick Traveller
- Story illustrating the Folly of the Ignoble
- Story of One who had a Little Knowledge
- Story illustrating the Humility of the Pious
- Story illustrating the Value of Soft Words
- Story illustrating the Wisdom of Feigning Deafness
- Story illustrating Forbearance for the Sake of Friends
- Story of Luqman, the Sage
- V. Concerning Resignation
- VI. Concerning Contentment
- Story of the King of Khwarazm
- Concerning the Evil of Over-eating
- Story of a Glutton
- Story of a Recluse
- Story illustrating the Evils of Avarice
- Story of an Ambitious Cat
- Story of a short-sighted Man and his High-minded Wife
- Story of a Holy Man who built a House
- Story of a Sheikh who became King
- Discourse concerning Riches
- VII. Concerning Education
- Discourse concerning the Excellence of Taciturnity
- Story concerning the keeping of Secrets
- Story illustrating the Fact that Silence is Best for Fools
- Story illustrating the Folly of Impertinence
- Discourse on Slander
- Story concerning the same Subject
- Why Thieving is better than Slandering
- Sadi and his Envious Class-friend
- Story of Sadi’s Childhood
- Story of a Sufi’s Rebuke
- Concerning Absent Friends
- Where Slander is Lawful
- Tale-bearers worse than Back-biters
- Faridun and his Wise Vazier
- Discourse concerning Wives
- Discourse on the Training of Sons
- Sadi rebuked for his Fault-finding
- VIII. Concerning Gratitude
- A Mother’s Warning to her Son
- Discourse concerning the Art of the Most High God
- Discourse concerning the Condition of the Weak
- Story of Tughral, King of Shiraz, and the Hindu Watchman
- Story of a Thief
- Story of One who was not what he seemed
- Story of a Sage Donkey
- Story illustrating the Evils of Pride
- Story of Sadi and the Idolaters
- IX. Concerning Repentance
- An Old Man’s Lament
- Advice and Warning
- Sadi’s Rebuke from a Camel-driver
- Story concerning Sorrow for the Dead
- Story of a Pious Man and a Gold Brick
- Admonition
- Moral from an Incident in Sadi’s Childhood
- Story of a Man who reared a Wolf
- Story of a Cheat
- A Recollection of Childhood
- Story of One who burned his Harvest
- Discourse on Repentance
- X. Concerning Prayer
- Notes