Saadi Shirazi Browse All Authors Top 23 quotes by Saadi Shirazi The sage who engages in controversy with ignorant people must not expect to be treated with honour; and if a fool should overpower a philosopher by his loquacity it is not to be wondered at, for a common stone will break a jewel. Saadi Shirazi When a base fellow cannot vie with another in merit he will attack him with malicious slander. Saadi Shirazi Two persons die remorseful: he who possessed and enjoyed not, and he who knew but did not practise. Saadi Shirazi Dost thou desire that thine own heart should not suffer, redeem thou the sufferer from the bonds of misery. Saadi Shirazi Purpose without power is mere weakness and deception; and power without purpose is mere fatuity. Saadi Shirazi Reason is captive in the hands of the passions, as a weak man in the hands of an artful woman. Saadi Shirazi Were all thy fond endeavours vain To chase away the sufferer?s smart, Still hover near, lest absence pain Saadi Shirazi When thou utterest not a word thou hast laid thy hand upon it; when thou hast uttered it, it hath laid its hand on thee. Saadi Shirazi Affairs succeed by patience, and he that is hasty falleth headlong. Saadi Shirazi 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. Saadi Shirazi Be thou generous, and gentle, and forgiving; as God hath scattered upon thee, scatter thou upon others. Saadi Shirazi Eschew that friend, if thou art wise, who consorts with thy enemies. Saadi Shirazi Hast thou not perfect excellence, ?tis best To keep thy tongue in silence, for ?tis this Which shames a man; as lightness does attest The nut is empty, nor of value is. Saadi Shirazi Heed not the flatterer?s fulsome talk, He from thee hopes some trifle to obtain; Thou wilt, shouldst thou his wishes baulk, Ten hundred times as much of censure gain. Saadi Shirazi If thou art a man, speak not much about thine own manliness, for not every champion driveth the ball to the goal. Saadi Shirazi If thy garments be clean and thy heart be foul, thou needest no key to the door of hell. Saadi Shirazi Labour like a man, and be ready in doing kindnesses. He is a good-for-nothing fellow who eateth by the toil of another?s hand. Saadi Shirazi Let thy words between two foes be such that if they were to become friends thou shouldst not be ashamed. Saadi Shirazi No one hath come into the world for a continuance save him who leaveth behind him a good name.* Saadi Shirazi Though you may yourself abound in treasure, teach your son some handicraft; for a heavy purse of gold and silver may run to waste, but the purse of the artisan?s industry can never get empty. Saadi Shirazi
