Saadi
If thou art wise, incline to truth; for truth, not the semblance, remains in its place.Collection: Wise
Expose not the secret failings of mankind, otherwise you must verily bring scandal upon them and distrust upon yourself.Collection: Secret
Riches are intended for the comfort of life, and not life for the purpose of hoarding riches.Collection: Comfort
No reliance can be placed on the friendship of kings, nor vain hope put in the melodious voice of boys; for that passes away like a vision, and this vanishes like a dream.Collection: Dream
Obedience is not truly performed by the body of him whose heart is dissatisfied. The shell without a kernel is not fit for store.Collection: Heart
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.Collection: War
He, who learns and makes no use of his learning, is a beast of burden, with a load of books.Collection: Book
Be generous, and pleasant-tempered, and forgiving; even as God scatter favors over thee, do thou scatter over the people.Collection: People
Wherever the tree of beneficence takes root, it sends forth branches beyond the sky!Collection: Roots
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?Collection: Book
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.Collection: Essence
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.Collection: Dog
Now that another is suffering pain at thy hand, trust not that thy heart shall be exempt from affliction.Collection: Bullying
Better hold the hand for coin, though small, Than lose, for one half a dang, it all.Collection: Hands
Fear not the proud and the haughty; fear rather him who fears God.Collection: Fear
The greedy man is incontent with a whole world set before him.Collection: Men
That sorrow which is the harbinger of joy is preferable to the joy which is followed by sorrow.Collection: Joy
Court the society of a superior, and make much of the opportunity; for in the company of an equal thy good fortune must decline.Collection: Opportunity
Use a sweet tongue, courtesy, and gentleness, and thou mayest manage to guide an elephant by a hair.Collection: Sweet
Whoever interrupts the conversation of others to make a display of his fund of knowledge, makes notorious his own stock of ignorance.Collection: Ignorance
People are crying up the rich and variegated plumage of the peacock, and he is himself blushing at the sight of his ugly feet.Collection: Confidence
A dog will never forget the crumb thou gavest him, though thou mayst afterwards throw a hundred stones at his head.Collection: Friendship
Better is the sinner who hath thoughts about God, than the saint who hath only the show of sanctity.Collection: Saint
If a piece of worthless stone can bruise a cup of gold, its worth is not increased, nor that of the gold diminished.Collection: Gold
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 craneCollection: Wisdom
He who lives upon the fruit of his own labor, escapes the contempt of haughty benefactors.Collection: Fruit
It is better to break off a thousand friendships, than to endure the sight of a single enemy.Collection: Sight
Make no friendship with an elephant keeper If you have no room to entertain an elephantCollection: Wisdom
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.Collection: Best Love
Patience accomplishes its object, while hurry speeds to its ruin.Collection: Ruins
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?Collection: Wise
Have patience. Everything is difficult before it is easy.Collection: Healing
A grateful dog is better than an ungrateful man.Collection: Dog
O wise man, wash your hands of that friend who associates with your enemies.Collection: Wise
Whoever recounts to you the faults of your neighbour will doubtless expose your defects to others.Collection: Faults
When the belly is empty, the body becomes spirit; and when it is full, the spirit becomes body.Collection: Body
Whoever gives advice to a heedless man is himself in need of advice.Collection: Wisdom
Be not so severe as to cause shyness, nor so clement as to encourage boldness.Collection: Causes
Publish not men's secret faults, for by disgracing them you make yourself of no repute.Collection: Men
Every person thinks his own intellect perfect, and his own child handsome.Collection: Children
Holiness comes by holy deeds. Not starving flesh of daily needs.Collection: Deeds
Keep belly lightly loaded, if mind would wisdom see;For bodies crammed to bursting, make empty souls to be.Collection: Soul
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.Collection: Years
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.Collection: Heaven
Whatever is produced in haste goes hastily to waste.Collection: Haste
God gives sleep to the bad, in order that the good may be undisturbed.Collection: Sleep
Do good even to the wicked; it is as well to shut a dog's mouth with a crumb.Collection: Dog
Do to me, O Allah, what is worthy of Thee; And not what is worthy of me.Collection: Wisdom