Ab奴-Muhammad Muslih al-D墨n bin Abdall膩h Sh墨r膩z墨, Saadi Shirazi (Persian: 丕亘賵賲丨賲丿 賲氐賱丨 丕賱丿蹖賳 亘賳 毓亘丿丕賱賱賴 卮蹖乇丕夭蹖鈥�, Arabic: 爻毓丿賷 丕賱卮賷乇丕夭賷) better known by his pen-name as Sa士d墨 (Persian: 爻毓丿蹖) or simply Saadi, was one of the major Persian poets of the medieval period. He is not only famous in Persian-speaking countries, but has also been quoted in western sources. He is recognized for the quality of his writings and for the depth of his social and moral thoughts. Saadi is widely recognized as one of the greatest masters of the classical literary tradition.
His best known works are Bostan (The Orchard) completed in 1257 and Gulistan (The Rose Garden) in 1258. Bostan is entirely in verse (epic metre) and consists of stories aptly illustrating the standard virtues recommended to Muslims (justice, liberality, modesty, contentment) as well as of reflections on the behaviour of dervishes and their ecstatic practices. Gulistan is mainly in prose and contains stories and personal anecdotes. The text is interspersed with a variety of short poems, containing aphorisms, advice, and humorous reflections. Saadi demonstrates a profound awareness of the absurdity of human existence. The fate of those who depend on the changeable moods of kings is contrasted with the freedom of the dervishes.
Bustan is a book of poetry by the Persian poet Saadi, completed in 1257. Saadi's first work, and its title means "The Orchard".
The book contains the fruits of Saadi's long experience and his judgements upon life, and is illustrated by a vast collection of anecdotes. It includes accounts of Saadi's travels and his analysis of human psychology. He often mentions his accounts with fervor and advice similar to Aesop's fables.
O darlings of your fathers, learn the trade because property and riches of the world are not to be relied upon; also silver and gold are an occasion of danger because either a thief may steal them at once or the owner spend them gradually; but a profession is a living fountain and permanent wealth; and although a professional man may lose riches, it does not matter because a profession is itself wealth and wherever you go you will enjoy respect and sit on high places, whereas those who have no trade will glean crumbs and see hardships.
Ch 01 Manner Of Kings Story 05:
I saw at the palace-gate of Oglimish the son of a military officer who was endued with marvelous intellect, sagacity, perception and shrewdness; also the signs of future greatness manifested themselves on his forehead whilst yet a small boy.
From his head intelligence caused The star of greatness to shine.
In short, he pleased the sultan because he had a beautiful countenance and a perfect understanding; and philosophers have said: 'Power consists in accomplishments, not in wealth and greatness in intellect, not in years.' His companions, being envious, made an attempt upon his life and desired to kill him but their endeavours remained fruitless.
What can a foe do when the friend is kind?
The king asked: 'What is the cause of their enmity to thee?' He replied: 'Under the shadow of the monarchy of my lord I have satisfied my contemporaries except the envious, who will not be contented but by the decline of my prosperity, and may the monarchy and good fortune of my lord be perpetual.'
I may so act as not to hurt the feelings of anyone But what can I do to an envious man dissatisfied with himself? Die, O envious man, for this is a malady, Deliverance from which can be obtained only by death. Unfortunate men sometimes ardently desire The decline of prosperous men in wealth and dignity. If in daytime, bat-eyed persons do not see Is it the fault of the fountain of light, the sun? Thou justly wishest that a thousand such eyes Should be blind rather than the sun dark.
亘賵爻鬲丕賳 = B奴st膩n = The Orchard: The Bostan Of Saadi Of Shiraz, Saadi
Bustan is a book of poetry by the Persian poet Saadi, completed in 1257 and dedicated to the Salghurid Atabeg Sa'dI or Sa'dII. This book is one of the 100 greatest books of all time according to The Guardian.
It was Saadi's first work, and its title means "the orchard".
The book contains the fruits of Saadi's long experience and his judgements upon life, and is illustrated by a vast collection of anecdotes.
It includes accounts of Saadi's travels and his analysis of human psychology. He often mentions his accounts with fervor and advice similar to Aesop's fables.
It is composed in mathnaw墨 style (rhyming couplets), and has been translated into English. The Bustan was translated into Dutch in 1688 by Daniel Havart, and into France by Garcin de Tassy, and ...
The goodness of God surpasseth imagination; what service can the tongue of praise perform?
Prends seulement ce qui est pur et laisse ce qui est trouble
Le Boustan a 茅t茅 compos茅 par Saadi, un po猫te persan du XIII猫me si猫cle. Il s'agit d'un ensemble d'apologues et de fables regroup茅s par th猫me, et ayant, comme dans le Gulistan, une vis茅e 茅dificatrice. On retrouve des passages entier du Gulistan dans le Boustan.
Les th猫mes abord茅s sont vari茅s: d'un c么t茅 exhalation de la magnanimit茅, de l'humanit茅, de la bont茅, de la prudence; de l'autre, critique des faux d茅vots, de la licence, de la complaisance pour le mal. On a donc au final des maximes, mais qui semblent de prime abord loin de pr茅tendre 脿 former un syst猫me, car on en verra souvent qui paraissent se contredire les unes les autres; c'est qu'elles r茅pondent 脿 des circonstances diff茅rentes.
Saadi livre ainsi tout un faisceau de maximes ench芒ss茅es dans des histoires frappantes, qui permettent de ne pas se trouver d茅muni face aux tours de la fortune. Il parait qu'elles ont influenc茅 le Soufisme, mais n'茅tant pas tr猫s au fait de cette tradition, j'ai surtout 茅t茅 marqu茅 par les liens avec ce que je connais: la tradition hell茅nique et jud茅o-chr茅tienne.
J'ai beaucoup appr茅ci茅 la mani猫re propre 脿 Saadi d'user de l'invention, et de nombreuses histoires en ont fait r茅sonner d'autres dans ma m茅moire. Certaines sont 茅videmment marqu茅es par les m艙urs et affaires particuli猫res du temps o霉 elles ont 茅t茅 茅crites; elle gagnent alors en valeur informative ce qu'elles perdent en valeur universelle. J'ai par contre un peu regrett茅 que les notes soient rejet茅es en fin de chapitre: sur un livre 茅lectronique, ce n'est pas aussi pratique que sur un livre papier.
This is a book listed by the Guardian with the 100 best Books Ever. And it is an interesting read, short and with some wisdom. Perhaps I am wrong and it is a lot or even Infinite Wisdom. It must be surely for some. I have my doubts though鈥� I need to start on a positive note- I am reading some best self-help, psychology and spiritual classics, so I should show some progress, even if one psychologist condemns this habit of imposing on ourselves and calls it 鈥淢ust-arbation鈥�, which is bad and opposed to masturbation which is good.
Bostan contains a lot of sound advice, wise stories accumulated through centuries: it talks about humility, as the path to Greatness, look not for godliness in a self-conceited man, love for virtue, Eminence does not consist in outward show, vaunting words鈥� The language is very beautiful: 鈥淚f thou desire greatness abandon pride鈥� 鈥� how about self 鈥揺steem? A book I am reading now is the psychology classic: The Importance of Self-Esteem鈥�
鈥淎n ass covered with a nice cloth is still an ass鈥濃€ agree and I can see one right next door.
The book gets a bit violent at times: 鈥測our enemy鈥ash out his brains To get the whole point of the book you need to be a believer: Saadi says that it is not the tiger that gets the food, but God gives it to him 鈥揳nd I guess to everyone- I still search for that Truth, indeed for the Truth... 鈥淭he poor man is a king, whose wife is Obedient鈥濃€ow try and appreciate that in the XX-th century. Or this other piece of ancient rhetoric: 鈥淚t is better that a vicious son dies before his father鈥濃€�
Of course there are stories which praise qualities, virtues that are still noble today: kindness, courage- In a desert, this kind man takes his hat to a spring and brings water to a suffering, thirsty dog鈥�
There are cultural, historical and religious differences which impede, at least this reader, from really enjoying this book.
Travelers bring sugar-candy from Egypt as a present to their friends. Although I have no candy, yet have I words that are sweeter.
A sagacious youth of noble family landed at a seaport of Turkey, and, as he displayed piety add wisdom, his baggage was deposited in a mosque. One day the priest said to him, 鈥淪weep away the dust and rubbish from the mosque.鈥� Immediately, the young man went away and no one saw him there again. Thus, did the elder and his followers suppose he did not care to serve. The next day, a servant of the mosque met him on the road and said, 鈥淭hou didst act wrongly in thy perverse judgment. Knowest thou not, O conceited youth, that men are dignified by service?鈥� Sorrow fully, the youth began to weep. 鈥淥 soul-cherishing and heart-illuminating friend!鈥� He answered, 鈥淚 saw no dirt or rubbish in that holy place but mine own corrupt self. Therefore, I retraced my steps, for a mosque is better cleansed from such.鈥�
Written in thirteenth century, the book is full of similar fables and words of wisdom written in verse. I had no intention of taking away fourth star despite the fact that Saadi is often boosting of his virtues, but towards the end - Saadi ridicules idol worshipers. I could tolerate even that, had Saadi not gone out of his way to do it. I love criticism of religions but only as long as it is not done to promote one at cost of other. Except those couple of pages, it is an awesome book.
Though I read a prose translation, the parables and fables were still incredibly poetic - and very quotable, so much so that I think I will find it hard to resist annoying friends with lines from the Bustan for the next few weeks! One of my favorite stories is the Story of a Moth and a Candle, which for me encapsulates the simple beauty of Saadi's style.
If you find this book appealing, proceed to "The Gulistan" (the Rose Garden) next - another amazing creation of Saadi. According to the experts, this translation is as close to the original as humanly possible.
G眉zel deyi艧ler, 枚zl眉 s枚zlerle pek莽ok k谋sa hikaye anlat谋p, tavsiyeler veriyor bu b眉y眉k Do臒u Klasi臒inde, Sadi. G眉n眉m眉zde, toplumsal yap谋 ve anlay谋艧 o kadar farkl谋 ki, ne yaz谋kki pek莽ok tavsiyesi fazlaca iyi niyetli.