Tales from the Gulistan/Preface

by Sa'di

PREFACE

IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, THE MERCIFUL,
THE CLEMENT!

Laudation to the God of majesty and glory! Obedience to Him is a cause of approach, and gratitude an increase of benefits. Every inhalation of the breath prolongs life, and every expiration of it gladdens our nature; wherefore every breath confers two benefits; and for every benefit gratitude is due. Whose hand and tongue is capable to fulfil the obligation of thanks to Him?

It is best to a worshipper for his transgressions
To offer apologies at the throne of God,
Although what is worthy of His dignity
No one is able to accomplish.

The showers of His boundless mercy have penetrated to every spot, and the banquet of His unstinted liberality is spread out everywhere. He tears not the veil of reputation of His worshippers even for grevious sins, and does not withhold their daily allowance of bread for great crimes.^[1]

O bountiful one, who from Thy invisible treasury suppliest the Guebre^[2] and the Christian with food; how couldst thou disappoint Thy friends, whilst having regard for Thy enemies?

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One of the devout who had deeply plunged his head into the cowl of meditation, and had been immersed in the ocean of visions, was asked, when he had come out of that state, by one of his companions, who had desired to cheer him up: “What beautiful gift hast thou brought us from the garden in which thou hast been?”

He replied: “I intended to fill the skirts of my robe with roses, when I reached the rose-tree, as presents for my friends; but the perfume of the flowers intoxicated me so much that I let go the hold of my skirts.”

O birds of the morning! Learn love from the moth, because it burnt, lost its life, and found no voice. These pretenders are ignorantly in search of Him, because he who obtained knowledge has not returns.

Panegyric of the Pâdshâh of Islâm: May Allah Perpetuate
His Reign

The good reputation of Sa'di, which is current among the people, the renown of his eloquence, which has spread on the surface of the earth, the products of his friendly pen, which are consumed like sugar, and the scraps of his literary compositions, which are hawked about like bills of exchange, cannot be ascribed to his virtue and perfection, but the lord of the world, the axis of the revolving circle of time, the vice-gerent of Solomon, protector of the followers of the religion, His Majesty the Shâhanshâh Atabek Aa'zm Muzaffaruddin Abu Bekr Sa'd Ben Zanki - the shadow of Allah on earth! O Lord, be pleased with him and with his Kingdom - has looked upon Sa'di with a favourable eye, has praised him greatly, and has shown him sincere affection, so that all men, gentle and simple, love him because the people follow the religion of their King.

Because thou lookest upon my humble person,

My merits are more celebrated than those of the sun.

Although this slave may possess all faults,

Every fault pleasing the Sultân becomes a virtue. A sweet-smelling piece of clay,^[3] one day in the bath, came from the hand of a beloved one to my hand. I asked: "Art thou musk or ambergris? Because thy delicious odour intoxicates me." It replied: "I was a despicable lump of clay, but for a while in the society of a rose. The perfection of my companion took effect on me, and if not, I am the same earth which I am."

May God, whose name be exalted and hallowed, keep in security and peace the pure country of Shirâz until the time of the ressurrection, under the authority of righteous governors, and by the exertions of practical scholars.

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Knowest thou not why I in foreign countries roamed about for a long time? I went away from the distress of the Turks, because I saw the world entangled like the hair of negroes^[4]; they were all human beings, but like wolves, sharp-clawed, for shedding blood. When I returned I saw the country at rest, the tigers having abandoned the nature of tigers. Within a man of good disposition like an angel, without an army like bellicose lions. Thus it happened that first I beheld the world full of confusion, anxiety, and distress; then it became as it is in the days of the just Sultân Atabek Abu Bekr Sa'd Ben Zanki!

The Cause for Composing the Gulistân

I was one night meditating on the time which had elapsed, repenting of the life I had squandered, and perforating the stony mansion of my heart with adamantine tears.^[5] I uttered the following lines in conformity with the state of my mind: 'Every moment a breath of life is spent; if I consider, not much of it remains. O thou, whose fifty [years] have elapsed in sleep, wilt thou perhaps overtake them in these five days?^[6]Shame on him who has gone and done no work; the drum of departure was beaten, but he had not made his load. Sweet sleep on the morning of departure retains the pedestrian from the road. Whoever had come had built a new edifice; he departed and left the place to another, and that other one concocted the same futile schemes, and this edifice was not completed by anyone. Cherish not an inconstant friend, such a traitor is not fit for amity. As all the good and bad must surely die, he is happy who carries off the ball of virtue. Send provision for thy journey to thy tomb, nobody will bring it after thee; send it before; life is snow, the sun is melting hot,^[7] but little remains, but the gentleman is slothful still. O thou who hast gone empty-handed to the bazâr, I fear thou wilt not bring a towel filled. Who eats the corn has sown while it is still green, must at harvest time glean the ears of it. Listen with all they heart^[8] to the advice of Sa'di; such is the way, be a man and travel on.

'The capital of man's life is his abdomen: if it be gradually emptied there is no fear; but if it be so closed as not to open, the heart may well despair of life; and if it be open so that it cannot be closed, go and wash thy hands of this world's life. Four contending rebellious dispositions^[9] harmonise but five days^[10] with each other; if one of these four becomes prevalent, sweet life must abandon the body; wherefore an intelligent and perfect man sets not his heart upon this world's life.'

After maturely considering these sentiments, I thought proper to sit down in the mansion of retirement to fold up the skirts of association, to wash my tablets of heedless sayings, and no more to indulge in senseless prattle. To sit in a corner, like one with a cut tongue, deaf and dumb, is better than a man who has no command over his tongue.

[I continued in this resolution] Till a friend, who had been my companion in the camel-litter of misery and my companion in the closet of affection, entered at the door, according to his old custom, with playful gladness, and spread out the surface of desire; but I would give him no reply, nor lift up my head from the knees of worship. He looked at me, aggrieved, and said:

"Now, while thou hast the power of utterance, speak, O brother, with grace and kindness; because to-morrow, when the messenger of death arrives, thou wilt of necessity restrain thy tongue."

One of my connections informed him how matters stood, and told him that I had firmly determined and was intent upon spending the rest of my life in continual devotion and silence, advising him at the same time, in case he should be able, to follow my example and to keep my company. He replied:

"I swear by the Great Dignity [of Allah] and by our old friendship that I shall not draw breath, nor budge one step, unless he converses with me as formerly, and in his usual way; because it is foolish [on his part] to insult friends, and easy to expiate an [inconsiderate] oath. It is against propriety, and contrary to the opinions of wise men, that the Zulfiqar^[11] of A'li should remain in the scabbard, and the tongue of Sa'di in his palate."

O intelligent man, what is the tongue in the mouth?

It is the key to the treasure-door of a virtuous man;

When the door is closed how can one know

Whether he is a seller of jewels or a hawker?

Although intelligent men consider silence civil, it is better for thee to speak at the proper time. Two things betoken levity of intellect: To remain mute when it is proper to speak, and to talk when silence is required.

In short, I had not the firmness to restrain my tongue from speaking to him, and did not consider it polite to turn away my face from his conversation; he being a congenial friend and sincerely affectionate. When thou fightest with anyone, consider whether thou wilt have to flee from him or he from thee.

I was under the necessity of speaking, and then went out by way of diversion in the vernal season, when the traces of severe cold had disappeared, and the time of the dominion of roses had arrived:

Green garments were upon the trees,

Like holiday robes on contented persons.

On the first of the month Ardibihesht Jellâli^[12]

The bulbuls^[13] were singing on the pulpits of branches,

Upon the roses pearls of dew had fallen,

Resembling perspiration on an angry sweetheart's cheek.

I happened to spend the night in a garden with one of my friends, and we found it to be a pleasant, cheerful place with heart-ravishing, entangled trees; its ground seemed to be paved with small glass beads, whilst from its vines bunches like the Pleiads^[14] were suspended.

A garden the water of whose river was limpid,

A grove the melody of whose birds was harmonious.

The former full of bright-coloured tulips,

The latter full of fruits of various kinds;

The wind had in the shade of its trees

Spread out a bed of all kinds of flowers.

The next morning, when the intention of returning had prevailed over the opinion of tarrying, I saw that my friend had in his skirt collected roses, sweet basil, hyacinths, and fragrant herbs, with the determination to carry them to town; whereon I said: "Thou knowest that the roses of the garden are perishable, and the season passes away,^[15] and philosophers have said: 'Whatever is not of long duration is not to be cherished.'"

He asked: "Then what is to be done?"

I replied: "I may compose for the amusement of those who look,^[16] and for the instruction of those who are present, a book of a Rose-Garden [Gulistân], whose leaves cannot be touched by the tyranny of autumn blasts, and the delight of whose spring the vicissitudes of time will be unable to change into the inconstancy of autumn.

Of what use will be a dish of roses to thee?

Take a leaf from my rose-garden.

A flower endures but five or six days,

But this Rose-Garden is always delightful. After I had uttered these words he threw away the flowers from his skirts, and attached himself to mine [saying]: "When a generous fellow makes a promise he keeps it."

On the same day I happened to write two chapters, namely on polite society and the rules of conversation, in a style acceptable to orators and instructive to letter-writers. In short, some roses of the garden still remained when the book of the Rose-Garden was finished, but it will in reality be completed only after approbation in the court of the Shâh, who is the refuge of the world, the shadow of God, the ray of His grace, the treasury of the age, the asylum of the Faith, strengthened by heaven, aided against enemies, the arm of the victorious government, the lamp of the resplendent religion, the beauty of mankind, the boast of Islâm, Sa'd, son of Atabek the great, the majestic Shâhanshâh, owner of the necks of nations, lord of the Kings of Arabia and Persia, the Sultân of the land and sea, the heir of the kingdom of Solomon, Muzaffaruddin Abu Bekr, son of Sa'd Zanki, may Allah the Most High perpetuate the prosperity of them both, and direct their inclinations to every good thing.

Perused with a kind glance, adorned with approbation by the sovereign, it will be a Chinese picture-gallery, or design of the Arzank.^[17] Hopes are entertained that he will not be wearied by these contents, because a rose garden is not a plase of displeasure. The more so as its august preface is dedicated to Sa'd Abu Bekr Sa'd, the son of Zanki.

Excuse for Remissness in Service, and Cause for Preferring Solitude

My negligence and backwardness in diligent attendance at the royal court resemble the case of Barzachumihr,^[18] whose merits the sages of India were discussing, but could at last not reproach him with anything except slowness of speech, because he delayed long and his hearers were obliged to wait till he delivered himself of what he had to say. When Barzachumihr heard of this he said: "It is better for me to consider what to speak, than to repent of what I have spoken. A trained orator, old, aged, first meditates, and then speaks; do not speak without consideration; speak well, and if slow what matters it? Deliberate and then begin to talk; say thyself enough, before others say enough. By speech a man is better than a brute, but a beast is better unless thou speakest properly."

How then [could I venture to appear] in the sigh of the grandees of my Lord, may His victory be glorious, who are an assembly of pious men and the centre of profound scholars? If I were to be led in the ardour of conversation to speak petulantly, I could produce only a trifling stock-in-trade in the noble presence; but glass beads are not worth a barley-corn in the bazâr of jewellers, a lamp does not shine in the presence of the sun, and a minaret looks low at the foot of Mount Alvend.^[19]

Who lifts up his neck with pretentions, foes hasten to him from every side. Sa'di has fallen to be a hermit; no one came to attack a fallen man. First deliberation, then speech; the foundation was laid first, then the wall.

I know bouquet-binding, but not in the garden; I sell a sweetheart, but not in Canaan.^[20] Loqman the philosopher,^[21] being asked from whom he had learnt wisdom, replied: "From the blind, who do not take a step before trying the place." First move about, then stir out. Try thy virility first, then marry. Though a cock may be brave in war, he strikes his claws in vain on a brazen falcon. A cat is a lion in catching mice, but a mouse in combat with a tiger.

But, trusting in the liberal sentiments of the great, who shut their eyes to the faults of their inferiors and abstain from divulging the crimes of humble men, we have in this book recorded, by way of abridgment, some rare events, stories, poetry, and accounts about ancient Kings, spending a portion of our precious lives in the task. This was the reason for composing the book Gulistân; and help is from Allah.

The author, having deliberated upon the arrangement of the book, and the adornment of the chapters, deemed it suitable to curtail the diction of this beautiful garden and luxuriant grove, and to make it resemble paradise, which also has eight entrances.^[22]

I. The Manners of Kings. II. On the Morals of Dervishes. III. On the Excellence of Contentment. IV. On the Advantages of Silence. V. On Love and Youth. VI. On Weakness and Old Age. VII. On the Effects of Education. VIII. On Rules for Conduct in Life.

At a period when our time was pleasant
The Hejret^[23] was six hundred and fifty-six.
Our intention was advice and we gave it,
We recommended thee to God and departed.

1. It may be concluded from the lines which follow that by 'grevious sins and great crimes,' only the guilt of those who have the misfortune of not being Moslems is meant.
2. Meaning, Zoroastrian.
3. Balls of perfumed clay are used instead of soap in baths.
4. The word is Zangi, meaning an inhabitant of Zanzibar in particular, and an African negro in general.
5. Tears dropping from the eyes are here likened to diamonds, on account of their limpidity, form, and supposed value.
6. The poet here asks himself whether he will be able to make up for his long inactivity, during the brief span of life still remaining to him.
7. Literally, 'the sun is Tamuz,' and the Syrian month Tamuz corresponds to July.
8. Literally 'with the ears of the soul.'
9. The four humours or temperaments, namely, the bilious, lymphatic, melancholy, and sanguine are meant in this line.
10. Meaning 'a short time.'
11. Name of the celebrated sword of A'li, presented to him by his cousin and father-in-law, the prophet Muhammad.
12. Jellâli is the name of a Moslem era, but the name of the month is Zoroastrian.
13. Name of a bird compared to the nightingale of Europe.
14. The bunches of grapes are here compared to the constellation of the 'seven stars.'
15. Text: 'The season of the garden has no fidelity.
16. By 'those who look' readers, and by 'those who are present' listeners, are meant.
17. This is the name of the Kârkhânah or atelier of the famous painter Mani, the celebrated Heresiarch and founder of the Manichæn sect.
18. Bright as the sun. This was the name of the famous vizier and philosopher of Nurshirvân the Just, King of Persia.
19. Name of a very high mountain in Persia.
20. Here the author hints modestly that he can display his talent, but not in such an august assembly which he calls a garden, and not in Canaan, which contained Joseph, the paragon of male beauty.
21. Supposed by some to have been the same with Æsop.
22. The word bâb of the text means 'door,' 'gate,' and also 'chapter,' both of which are also 'entrances.'
23. A.H. 656, began on the 8th January 1258. The word Hejret, 'absence,' 'flight,' 'exile,' has become Europeanised in the form of hegira.