{"id":887,"date":"2024-04-26T13:03:38","date_gmt":"2024-04-26T07:33:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gih.al-emam.org\/?p=887"},"modified":"2024-04-26T13:03:38","modified_gmt":"2024-04-26T07:33:38","slug":"story-4-the-manners-of-kings-gulistaan-e-sa-adii","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gih.al-emam.org\/?p=887","title":{"rendered":"Story 4 -The Manners of Kings – gulistaan-e-sa.adii"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
Saadi Shirazi<\/a><\/h5>\n

A <\/span>band <\/span>of <\/span>Arab <\/span>brigands <\/span>having <\/span>taken <\/span>up <\/span>their <\/span>position <\/span>on <\/span>the <\/span>top <\/span>of <\/span>a <\/span>mountain <\/span>and <\/span>closed <\/span>the <\/span>passage <\/span>of <\/span>caravans, <\/span>the <\/span>inhabitants <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>country <\/span>were <\/span>distressed <\/span>by <\/span>their <\/span>stratagems <\/span>and <\/span>the <\/span>troops <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>sultan <\/span>foiled <\/span>because <\/span>the <\/span>robbers, <\/span>having <\/span>obtained <\/span>an <\/span>inaccessible <\/span>spot <\/span>on <\/span>the <\/span>summit <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>mountain, <\/span>thus <\/span>had <\/span>a <\/span>refuge <\/span>which <\/span>they <\/span>made <\/span>their <\/span>habitation. <\/span>The <\/span>chiefs <\/span>of <\/span>that <\/span>region <\/span>held <\/span>a <\/span>consultation <\/span>about <\/span>getting <\/span>rid <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>calamity <\/span>because <\/span>it <\/span>would <\/span>be <\/span>impossible <\/span>to <\/span>offer <\/span>resistance <\/span>to <\/span>the <\/span>robbers <\/span>if <\/span>they <\/span>were <\/span>allowed <\/span>to <\/span>remain. <\/span><\/p>\n

A <\/span>tree <\/span>which <\/span>has <\/span>just <\/span>taken <\/span>root <\/span><\/p>\n

May <\/span>be <\/span>moved <\/span>from <\/span>the <\/span>place <\/span>by <\/span>the <\/span>strength <\/span>of <\/span>a <\/span>man <\/span><\/p>\n

But, <\/span>if <\/span>thou <\/span>leavest <\/span>it <\/span>thus <\/span>for <\/span>a <\/span>long <\/span>time, <\/span><\/p>\n

Thou <\/span>canst <\/span>not <\/span>uproot <\/span>it <\/span>with <\/span>a <\/span>windlass. <\/span><\/p>\n

The <\/span>source <\/span>of <\/span>a <\/span>fountain <\/span>may <\/span>be <\/span>stopped <\/span>with <\/span>a <\/span>bodkin <\/span><\/p>\n

But, <\/span>when <\/span>it <\/span>is <\/span>full, <\/span>it <\/span>cannot <\/span>be <\/span>crossed <\/span>on <\/span>an <\/span>elephant. <\/span><\/p>\n

The <\/span>conclusion <\/span>was <\/span>arrived <\/span>at <\/span>to <\/span>send <\/span>one <\/span>man <\/span>as <\/span>a <\/span>spy <\/span>and <\/span>to <\/span>wait <\/span>for <\/span>the <\/span>opportunity <\/span>till <\/span>the <\/span>brigands <\/span>departed <\/span>to <\/span>attack <\/span>some <\/span>people <\/span>and <\/span>leave <\/span>the <\/span>place <\/span>empty. <\/span>Then <\/span>several <\/span>experienced <\/span>men, <\/span>who <\/span>had <\/span>fought <\/span>in <\/span>battles, <\/span>were <\/span>despatched <\/span>to <\/span>keep <\/span>themselves <\/span>in <\/span>ambush <\/span>in <\/span>a <\/span>hollow <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>mountain. <\/span>In <\/span>the <\/span>evening <\/span>the <\/span>brigands <\/span>returned <\/span>from <\/span>their <\/span>excursion <\/span>with <\/span>their <\/span>booty, <\/span>divested <\/span>themselves <\/span>of <\/span>their <\/span>arms, <\/span>put <\/span>away <\/span>their <\/span>plunder <\/span>and <\/span>the <\/span>first <\/span>enemy <\/span>who <\/span>attacked <\/span>them <\/span>was <\/span>sleep, <\/span>till <\/span>about <\/span>a <\/span>watch <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>night <\/span>had <\/span>elapsed: <\/span><\/p>\n

The <\/span>disk <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>sun <\/span>went <\/span>into <\/span>darkness. <\/span><\/p>\n

Jonah <\/span>went <\/span>into <\/span>the <\/span>mouth <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>fish. <\/span><\/p>\n

The <\/span>warriors <\/span>leapt <\/span>forth <\/span>from <\/span>the <\/span>ambush, <\/span>tied <\/span>the <\/span>hands <\/span>of <\/span>every <\/span>one <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>robbers <\/span>to <\/span>his <\/span>shoulders <\/span>and <\/span>brought <\/span>them <\/span>in <\/span>the <\/span>morning <\/span>to <\/span>the <\/span>court <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>king, <\/span>who <\/span>ordered <\/span>all <\/span>of <\/span>them <\/span>to <\/span>be <\/span>slain. <\/span>There <\/span>happened <\/span>to <\/span>be <\/span>a <\/span>youth <\/span>among <\/span>them, <\/span>the <\/span>fruit <\/span>of <\/span>whose <\/span>vigour <\/span>was <\/span>just <\/span>ripening <\/span>and <\/span>the <\/span>verdure <\/span>on <\/span>the <\/span>rose-garden <\/span>of <\/span>whose <\/span>cheek <\/span>had <\/span>begun <\/span>to <\/span>sprout. <\/span>One <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>veziers, <\/span>having <\/span>kissed <\/span>the <\/span>foot <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>king’s <\/span>throne <\/span>and <\/span>placed <\/span>the <\/span>face <\/span>of <\/span>intercession <\/span>upon <\/span>the <\/span>ground, <\/span>said: <\/span>‘This <\/span>boy <\/span>has <\/span>not <\/span>yet <\/span>eaten <\/span>any <\/span>fruit <\/span>from <\/span>the <\/span>garden <\/span>of <\/span>life <\/span>and <\/span>has <\/span>not <\/span>yet <\/span>enjoyed <\/span>the <\/span>pleasures <\/span>of <\/span>youth. <\/span>I <\/span>hope <\/span>your <\/span>majesty <\/span>will <\/span>generously <\/span>and <\/span>kindly <\/span>confer <\/span>an <\/span>obligation <\/span>upon <\/span>your <\/span>slave <\/span>by <\/span>sparing <\/span>his <\/span>life.’ <\/span>The <\/span>king, <\/span>being <\/span>displeased <\/span>with <\/span>this <\/span>request, <\/span>answered: <\/span><\/p>\n

‘He <\/span>whose <\/span>foundation <\/span>is <\/span>bad <\/span>will <\/span>not <\/span>take <\/span>instruction <\/span>from <\/span>the <\/span>good, <\/span><\/p>\n

To <\/span>educate <\/span>unworthy <\/span>persons <\/span>is <\/span>like <\/span>throwing <\/span>nuts <\/span>on <\/span>a <\/span>cupola. <\/span><\/p>\n

‘It <\/span>is <\/span>preferable <\/span>to <\/span>extirpate <\/span>the <\/span>race <\/span>and <\/span>offspring <\/span>of <\/span>these <\/span>people <\/span>and <\/span>better <\/span>to <\/span>dig <\/span>up <\/span>their <\/span>roots <\/span>and <\/span>foundations, <\/span>because <\/span>it <\/span>is <\/span>not <\/span>the <\/span>part <\/span>of <\/span>wise <\/span>men <\/span>to <\/span>extinguish <\/span>fire <\/span>and <\/span>to <\/span>leave <\/span>burning <\/span>coals <\/span>or <\/span>to <\/span>kill <\/span>a <\/span>viper <\/span>and <\/span>leave <\/span>its <\/span>young <\/span>ones. <\/span><\/p>\n

If <\/span>a <\/span>cloud <\/span>should <\/span>rain <\/span>the <\/span>water <\/span>of <\/span>life <\/span><\/p>\n

Never <\/span>sip <\/span>it <\/span>from <\/span>the <\/span>branch <\/span>of <\/span>a <\/span>willow-tree. <\/span><\/p>\n

Associate <\/span>not <\/span>with <\/span>a <\/span>base <\/span>fellow <\/span><\/p>\n

Because <\/span>thou <\/span>canst <\/span>not <\/span>eat <\/span>sugar <\/span>from <\/span>a <\/span>mat-reed.’ <\/span><\/p>\n

The <\/span>vezier <\/span>heard <\/span>these <\/span>sentiments, <\/span>approved <\/span>of <\/span>them <\/span>nolens <\/span>volens, <\/span>praised <\/span>the <\/span>opinion <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>king <\/span>and <\/span>said: <\/span>‘What <\/span>my <\/span>lord <\/span>has <\/span>uttered <\/span>is <\/span>the <\/span>very <\/span>truth <\/span>itself <\/span>because <\/span>if <\/span>the <\/span>boy <\/span>had <\/span>been <\/span>brought <\/span>up <\/span>in <\/span>the <\/span>company <\/span>of <\/span>those <\/span>wicked <\/span>men, <\/span>he <\/span>would <\/span>have <\/span>become <\/span>one <\/span>of <\/span>themselves. <\/span>But <\/span>your <\/span>slave <\/span>hopes <\/span>that <\/span>he <\/span>will, <\/span>in <\/span>the <\/span>society <\/span>of <\/span>pious <\/span>men, <\/span>profit <\/span>by <\/span>education <\/span>and <\/span>will <\/span>acquire <\/span>the <\/span>disposition <\/span>of <\/span>wise <\/span>persons. <\/span>Being <\/span>yet <\/span>a <\/span>child <\/span>the <\/span>rebellious <\/span>and <\/span>perverse <\/span>temper <\/span>of <\/span>that <\/span>band <\/span>has <\/span>not <\/span>yet <\/span>taken <\/span>hold <\/span>of <\/span>his <\/span>nature <\/span>and <\/span>there <\/span>is <\/span>a <\/span>tradition <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>prophet <\/span>that <\/span>every <\/span>infant <\/span>is <\/span>born <\/span>with <\/span>an <\/span>inclination <\/span>for <\/span>Islam <\/span>but <\/span>his <\/span>parents <\/span>make <\/span>him <\/span>a <\/span>Jew, <\/span>a <\/span>Christian <\/span>or <\/span>a <\/span>Majusi.’ <\/span><\/p>\n

The <\/span>spouse <\/span>of <\/span>Lot <\/span>became <\/span>a <\/span>friend <\/span>of <\/span>wicked <\/span>persons. <\/span><\/p>\n

His <\/span>race <\/span>of <\/span>prophets <\/span>became <\/span>extinct. <\/span><\/p>\n

The <\/span>dog <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>companions <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>cave <\/span>for <\/span>some <\/span>days <\/span><\/p>\n

Associated <\/span>with <\/span>good <\/span>people <\/span>and <\/span>became <\/span>a <\/span>man. <\/span><\/p>\n

When <\/span>the <\/span>vezier <\/span>had <\/span>said <\/span>these <\/span>words <\/span>and <\/span>some <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>king’s <\/span>courtiers <\/span>had <\/span>added <\/span>their <\/span>intercession <\/span>to <\/span>his, <\/span>the <\/span>king <\/span>no <\/span>longer <\/span>desired <\/span>to <\/span>shed <\/span>the <\/span>blood <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>youth <\/span>and <\/span>said: <\/span>‘I <\/span>grant <\/span>the <\/span>request <\/span>although <\/span>I <\/span>disapprove-of <\/span>it.’ <\/span><\/p>\n

Knowest <\/span>thou <\/span>not <\/span>what <\/span>Zal <\/span>said <\/span>to <\/span>the <\/span>hero <\/span>Rastam: <\/span><\/p>\n

‘An <\/span>enemy <\/span>cannot <\/span>be <\/span>held <\/span>despicable <\/span>or <\/span>helpless. <\/span><\/p>\n

I <\/span>have <\/span>seen <\/span>many <\/span>a <\/span>water <\/span>from <\/span>a <\/span>paltry <\/span>spring <\/span><\/p>\n

Becoming <\/span>great <\/span>and <\/span>carrying <\/span>off <\/span>a <\/span>camel <\/span>with <\/span>its <\/span>load.’ <\/span><\/p>\n

In <\/span>short, <\/span>the <\/span>vezier <\/span>brought <\/span>up <\/span>the <\/span>boy <\/span>delicately, <\/span>with <\/span>every <\/span>comfort, <\/span>and <\/span>kept <\/span>masters <\/span>to <\/span>educate <\/span>him, <\/span>till <\/span>they <\/span>had <\/span>taught <\/span>him <\/span>to <\/span>address <\/span>persons <\/span>in <\/span>elegant <\/span>language <\/span>as <\/span>well <\/span>as <\/span>to <\/span>reply <\/span>and <\/span>he <\/span>had <\/span>acquired <\/span>every <\/span>accomplishment. <\/span>One <\/span>day <\/span>the <\/span>vezier <\/span>hinted <\/span>at <\/span>his <\/span>talents <\/span>in <\/span>the <\/span>presence <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>king, <\/span>asserting <\/span>that <\/span>the <\/span>instructions <\/span>of <\/span>wise <\/span>men <\/span>had <\/span>taken <\/span>effect <\/span>upon <\/span>the <\/span>boy <\/span>and <\/span>had <\/span>expelled <\/span>his <\/span>previous <\/span>ignorance <\/span>from <\/span>his <\/span>nature. <\/span>The <\/span>king <\/span>smiled <\/span>at <\/span>these <\/span>words <\/span>and <\/span>said: <\/span><\/p>\n

‘At <\/span>last <\/span>a <\/span>wolf’s <\/span>whelp <\/span>will <\/span>be <\/span>a <\/span>wolf <\/span><\/p>\n

Although <\/span>he <\/span>may <\/span>grow <\/span>up <\/span>with <\/span>a <\/span>man.’ <\/span><\/p>\n

After <\/span>two <\/span>years <\/span>had <\/span>elapsed <\/span>a <\/span>band <\/span>of <\/span>robbers <\/span>in <\/span>the <\/span>locality <\/span>joined <\/span>him, <\/span>tied <\/span>the <\/span>knot <\/span>of <\/span>friendship <\/span>and, <\/span>when <\/span>the <\/span>opportunity <\/span>presented <\/span>itself, <\/span>he <\/span>killed <\/span>the <\/span>vezier <\/span>with <\/span>his <\/span>son, <\/span>took <\/span>away <\/span>untold <\/span>wealth <\/span>and <\/span>succeeded <\/span>to <\/span>the <\/span>position <\/span>of <\/span>his <\/span>own <\/span>father <\/span>in <\/span>the <\/span>robber-cave <\/span>where <\/span>he <\/span>established <\/span>himself. <\/span>The <\/span>king, <\/span>informed <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>event, <\/span>took <\/span>the <\/span>finger <\/span>of <\/span>amazement <\/span>between <\/span>his <\/span>teeth <\/span>and <\/span>said: <\/span><\/p>\n

‘How <\/span>can <\/span>a <\/span>man <\/span>fabricate <\/span>a <\/span>good <\/span>sword <\/span>of <\/span>bad <\/span>iron? <\/span><\/p>\n

O <\/span>sage, <\/span>who <\/span>is <\/span>nobody <\/span>becomes <\/span>not <\/span>somebody <\/span>by <\/span>education. <\/span><\/p>\n

The <\/span>rain, <\/span>in <\/span>the <\/span>beneficence <\/span>of <\/span>whose <\/span>nature <\/span>there <\/span>is <\/span>no <\/span>flaw, <\/span><\/p>\n

Will <\/span>cause <\/span>tulips <\/span>to <\/span>grow <\/span>in <\/span>a <\/span>garden <\/span>and <\/span>weeds <\/span>in <\/span>bad <\/span>soil. <\/span><\/p>\n

Saline <\/span>earth <\/span>will <\/span>not <\/span>produce <\/span>hyacinths. <\/span><\/p>\n

Throw <\/span>not <\/span>away <\/span>thy <\/span>seeds <\/span>or <\/span>work <\/span>thereon. <\/span><\/p>\n

To <\/span>do <\/span>good <\/span>to <\/span>wicked <\/span>persons <\/span>is <\/span>like <\/span>Doing <\/span>evil <\/span>to <\/span>good <\/span>men.’ <\/span><\/p>\n

<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Saadi Shirazi A band of Arab brigands having taken up their position on the top of a mountain and closed the passage of caravans, the inhabitants of the country were distressed by their stratagems and the troops of the sultan foiled because the robbers, having obtained an inaccessible spot on the summit of the mountain, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":888,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[33],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-887","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-middle-east"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gih.al-emam.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/887","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gih.al-emam.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gih.al-emam.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gih.al-emam.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gih.al-emam.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=887"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/gih.al-emam.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/887\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":889,"href":"https:\/\/gih.al-emam.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/887\/revisions\/889"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gih.al-emam.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/888"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gih.al-emam.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=887"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gih.al-emam.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=887"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gih.al-emam.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=887"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}