Gulistan or flower garden / Sadi ; translated with an essay by James Ross and a note upon the translator by Charles Sayle.

  • Saʻdī.
Date:
[between 1900 and 1999?]
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Gulistan or flower garden / Sadi ; translated with an essay by James Ross and a note upon the translator by Charles Sayle. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    76/334 (page 64)
    We knew thee not suitably to the knowledge of thee ! “ Were any person to ask me to detail his attributes, helpless as I am, how shall I describe what is without a parallel? Lovers fell the devoted victims of the mistress [God], but no tidings are returned of such victims.5’ A good and pious man reclined his head on the bosom of contemplation, and was immersed in the ocean of reverie. At the instant when he awaked from this vision, one of his friends by way of pleasantry said, What rare gift have you brought us from that garden where you have been recreating ? He replied, I fancied to myself and said, when I can reach the rose-bower I will fill my lap with the flowers, and bring them as a present to my friends ; but when I got there the fragrance of the roses so intoxicated me that the skirt dropped from my hands. “ O bird of dawn! learn the warmth of affection from the moth, for that scorched creature gave up the ghost and uttered not a groan ; these vain pretenders are ignorant of him they seek after, for of him that knew him we never heard again. O thou ! who towerest above the flights of conjecture, opinion, and comprehension, whatever has been reported of thee we have heard and read ; the con- gregation is dismissed, and life drawn to a close ; and we still rest at our first encomium of thee ! ” The Panegyric of the Prince of Islamism, or Reigning King; may God perpetuate his Reign. The handsome mention of Sadi, which is current in every mouth; the fame of his sayings, which has