Saadi quotes

People are crying up the rich and variegated plumage of the peacock, and he is himself blushing at the sight of his ugly feet.

To tell a falsehood is like the cut of a saber: for though the wound may heal, the scar of it will remain.

God gives sleep to the bad, in order that the good may be undisturbed.

The bird alighteth not on the spread net when it beholds another bird in the snare. Take warning by the misfortunes of others, that others may not take example from you.

All human beings are limbs of the same body. God created them from the same essence. If one part of the body suffers pain, then the whole body is affected. If you are indifferent to this pain, you cannot be called a human being.

When thou seest thine enemy in trouble, curl not thy whiskers in contempt; for in every bone there is marrow, and within every jacket there is a man.

A man of virtue, judgment, and prudence speaks not until there is silence.

If a gem falls into mud it is still valuable. If dust ascends to heaven, it remains valueless.

The hand of liberality is stronger than the arm of power.

A man is insensible to the relish of prosperity until he has tasted adversity.

When a mean wretch cannot vie with another in virtue, out of his wickedness he begins to slander. The abject envious wretch will slander the virtuous man when absent, but when brought face to face his loquacious tongue becomes dumb.

Court the society of a superior, and make much of the opportunity; for in the company of an equal thy good fortune must decline.

The wise man tells not what he knows. It is not prudent to sport with one's head by revealing the king's secrets.

It is better to break off a thousand friendships, than to endure the sight of a single enemy.

A tree, freshly rooted, may be pulled up by one man on his own. Give it time, and it will not be moved, even with a crane

Better is the sinner who hath thoughts about God, than the saint who hath only the show of sanctity.

Virtue is in the mind, not in the appearance.

If a piece of worthless stone can bruise a cup of gold, its worth is not increased, nor that of the gold diminished.

Take care what you say before a wall, as you cannot tell who may be behind it.

A little beauty is preferable to much wealth.

Be not so severe as to cause shyness, nor so clement as to encourage boldness.

Have patience. Everything is difficult before it is easy.

Liberty is of more value than any gifts; and to receive gifts is to lose it. Be assured that men most commonly seek to oblige thee only that they may engage thee to serve them.

Better hold the hand for coin, though small, Than lose, for one half a dang, it all.

Every person thinks his own intellect perfect, and his own child handsome.

Publish not men's secret faults, for by disgracing them you make yourself of no repute.

The sea does not contain all the pearls, the earth does not enclose all the treasures, and the flint-stone does not inclose all the diamonds, since the head of man encloses wisdom.

Of journeying the benefits are many: the freshness it bringeth to the heart, the seeing and hearing of marvelous things, the delight of beholding new cities, the meeting of unknown friends, and the learning of high manners.

However much you are read in theory, if thou hast no practice thou art ignorant

Tell no one the secret that you want to keep, although he may be worthy of confidence; for no one will be so careful of your secret as yourself.

Riches are intended for the comfort of life, and not life for the purpose of hoarding riches.

Be generous, and pleasant-tempered, and forgiving; even as God scatter favors over thee, do thou scatter over the people.

That sorrow which is the harbinger of joy is preferable to the joy which is followed by sorrow.

Take care how you listen to the voice of the flatterer, who, in return for his little stock, expects to derive from you considerable advantage. If one day you do not comply with his wishes, be imputes to you two hundred defects instead of perfections.

An enemy to whom you show kindness becomes your friend.

Patience accomplishes its object, while hurry speeds to its ruin.

The world is not a courtroom There is no judge no jury no plaintiff. This is a caravan filled with eccentric beings telling wondrous stories about God.

The best loved by God are those that are rich, yet have the humility of the poor, and those that are poor and have the magnanimity of the rich.

I fear God the most, but after Him, I fear those who don't fear Him.

Whenever you argue with another wiser than yourself in order that others may admire your wisdom, they will discover your ignorance.

There is no great difficulty to separate the soul from the body, but it is not so easy to restore life to the dead.

Whoever gives advice to a heedless man is himself in need of advice.

Make no friendship with an elephant keeper If you have no room to entertain an elephant

Anger that has no limit causes terror, and unseasonable kindness does away with respect. Be not so severe as to cause disgust, nor so lenient as to make people presume.

Shut the door of that house of pleasure which you hear resounding with the loud voice of a woman.

Do good even to the wicked; it is as well to shut a dog's mouth with a crumb.

Joy and sorrow, beauty and deformity, equally pass away.

However much you study, you cannot know without action. A donkey laden with books is neither an intellectual nor a wise man. Empty of essence, what learning has he whether upon him is firewood or book?

Obedience is not truly performed by the body of him whose heart is dissatisfied. The shell without a kernel is not fit for store.

Use a sweet tongue, courtesy, and gentleness, and thou mayest manage to guide an elephant by a hair.

A peace-mingling falsehood is preferable to a mischief-stirring truth.

Whatever is produced in haste goes hastily to waste.

Have patience. All things are difficult before they become easy.

The true disciple should aim to live for the gospel, rather than to die for it.

Do to me, O Allah, what is worthy of Thee; And not what is worthy of me.

It's no virtue to gain the whole world. Just gain the heart of one person.

Whatever makes an impression on the heart seems lovely in the eye.

A wise man among the ignorant is as a beautiful girl in the company of blind men.

Now that another is suffering pain at thy hand, trust not that thy heart shall be exempt from affliction.

Virtue pardons the wicked, as the sandal-tree perfumes the axe which strikes it.

Be sure, either that thou art stronger than thine enemy, or that thou hast a swifter pair of heels.

The bad fortune of the good turns their faces up to heaven; the good fortune of the bad bows their heads down to the earth.

A grateful dog is better than an ungrateful man.

Be not in the desire of thine own ease.

The stranger has no friend, unless it be a stranger.

Ants, fighting together, will vanquish the lion.

Keep belly lightly loaded, if mind would wisdom see;For bodies crammed to bursting, make empty souls to be.

Were the diver to think on the jaws of the shark, he would never lay hands on the precious pearl.

A dog will never forget the crumb thou gavest him, though thou mayst afterwards throw a hundred stones at his head.

I have often found a small stream at its fountain-head, that, when followed up, carried away the camel with his load.

He who is intoxicated with wine will be sober again in the course of the night, but he who is intoxicated by the cupbearer will not recover his senses until the day of judgement.

None can be so true to your secret as yourself.

That which is not allotted the hand cannot reach; what is allotted you will find wherever you may be.

Whoever acquires knowledge but does not practice it is as one who ploughs but does not sow.

Forgiveness is commendable, but apply not ointment to the wound of an oppressor.

The rich man is everywhere expected and at home.

A handsome woman is a jewel; a good woman is a treasure.

If thou art wise, incline to truth; for truth, not the semblance, remains in its place.

Poverty snatches the reins out of the hand of piety.

Holiness comes by holy deeds. Not starving flesh of daily needs.

The rose and the thorn, and sorrow and gladness are linked together.

He who is indifferent to the suffering of others is a traitor to that which is truly human.

Oh God, I say not hear my prayers! I say: Blot with forgiving pen my sins away!

It is safer to be silent than to reveal one's secret to any one, and telling him not to mention it.

When you see contention amongst your enemies, go and sit at ease with your friends; but when you see them of one mind, string your bow, and place stones upon the ramparts.

The sons of Adam are formed from dust; if not humble as the dust, they fall short of being men.

Kings stand more in need of the company of the intelligent than the intelligent do of the society of kings.

He, who learns and makes no use of his learning, is a beast of burden, with a load of books.

The remedy against want is to moderate your desires.

To pardon the oppressor is to deal harshly with the oppressed.

I have never seen a man lost who was on a straight path.

Whoever has his foe at his mercy, and does not kill him, is his own enemy

You who feel no pain at the suffering of others It is not fitting for you to be called human.

He who lives upon the fruit of his own labor, escapes the contempt of haughty benefactors.

Capacity without education is deplorable, and education without capacity is thrown away.

A traveler without knowledge is a bird without wings.

The severity of the master is more useful than the indulgence of the father.

He who is a slave to his stomach seldom worships God.

Whoever recounts to you the faults of your neighbour will doubtless expose your defects to others.

Religion is only in the service of the people; it is not in the rosary and the prayer-carpet.

Whoever interrupts the conversation of others to make a display of his fund of knowledge, makes notorious his own stock of ignorance.

When a man appreciates only eating and sleeping, what excellence has he over the reptiles?

The sons of Adam are limbs of each other, Having been created of one essence. When the calamity of time affects one limb, the other limbs cannot remain at rest. If you have no sympathy for the troubles of others, You are unworthy to be called by the name of a human.

Independence is of more value than any gifts; and to receive gifts is to lose it.

Wherever the tree of beneficence takes root, it sends forth branches beyond the sky!

A friend whom you have been gaining during your whole life, you ought not to be displeased with in a moment. A stone is many years becoming a ruby - take care that you do not destroy it in an instant against another stone.

I fear God and next to God I mostly fear them that fear him not.

Human beings are members of a whole, In creation of one essence and soul. If one member is afflicted with pain, Other members uneasy will remain. If you have no sympathy for human pain, The name of human you cannot retain.

Man is, beyond dispute, the most excellent of created beings, and the vilest animal is a dog; but the sages agree that a grateful dog is better than an ungrateful man.

It is wrong to follow the advice of an adversary; nevertheless it is right to hear it, that you may do the contrary; and this is the essence of good policy.

Riches are for the comfort of life, and not life for the accumulation of riches. I asked a holy wise man, "Who is fortunate and who is unfortunate?" He replied: "He was fortunate who ate and sowed, and he was unfortunate who died without having enjoyed.

Reveal not every secret you have to a friend, for how can you tell but that friend may hereafter become and enemy. And bring not all mischief you are able to upon an enemy, for he may one day become your friend.

Two orders of mankind are the enemies of church and state; the king without clemency, and the holy man without learning.

Be thou good thyself, and let people speak evil of thee; it is better than to be wicked, and that they should consider thee as good.

A lovely face is the solace of wounded hearts and the key of locked-up gates.

The heart is like a musical instrument of many strings, all the chords of which require putting in harmony.

Every leaf of the tree becomes a page of the book, once the heart is opened and it has learnt to read.

When the belly is empty, the body becomes spirit; and when it is full, the spirit becomes body.

O wise man, wash your hands of that friend who associates with your enemies.

O Contentment, make me rich! for without thee there is no wealth.

There is a difference between him who claspeth his mistress in his arms, and him whose eyes are fixed on the door expecting her.

No person learned the art of archery from me, who did not in the end make me his target.

He who learns, and makes no use of his learning, is a beast of burden with a load of books. Does the ass comprehend whether he carries on his back a library or a bundle of faggots?

Nothing is so good for an ignorant man as silence; and if he was sensible of this he would not be ignorant.

In the sea there are countless treasures, But if you desire safety, it is on the shore.