Tales from the Gulistan/Introduction

by Sa'di

INTRODUCTION

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The truly renowned and highly esteemed Persian poet Sa'di produced in A.D. 1258 a work that he called The Gulistân; or, Rose-Garden, whose leaves, as he says, 'cannot be touched by the tyranny of autumnal blasts, and the delights 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.

And so it has proved to be. It is read with admiration and rapture both in Asia and Africa, while in Europe it has been translated into Latin, English, French, German, and Dutch.

To a student of Persian the present work presents very great attractions as an embodiment of a real and natural translation from an Oriental language; while, to the student of the world, it gives a good representation of the ideas of this great author, and of the manner in which he impresses them, both upon his readers and his hearers, the latter in the East being as numerous as the former. In Persia and other Eastern countries where Persian is spoken and understood, quotations from Sa'di are constantly used in society, and are also current among the people. Often a ready or appropriate allusion to this talented author, or a quotation from his works, has saved a head or filled a purse.

Sheikh Muslih-udden Sa'di Shirazi was born at Shirâz about A.D. 1193, and after his education at the college of Baghdad, became a Dervish and a great traveller. His life may be divided into three parts; the first, his youth and education; the second, his travels; and the thrid, his literary labors at Shirâz, where he built a hermitage, settled down, and worked there till his death in A.D. 1291,

Sa’di has left many literary remains, consisting of poems, odes, elegies, verses, anecdotes, mortal maxims, fragments, discourses, and essays. The great beauty of his style is its elegant simplicity. His imagination is more sober than the erotic flights of Hafiz, or the mysticisms of Jalal-uddin Rumi, while many good, useful, and noble sentiments are to be found in all his works.

Sa'di has been called by a brother poet 'The nightingale of the groves of Shirâz.' European poets have long since appreciated and admired his style, his language, and his witty and telling similitudes, while an admiration for his talents has caused his name to be added to a family in France which has lately come prominently into notice.

The present work has been ably and faithfully translated. It will repay perusal, not once only, but several times. Indeed, the oftener it is read, the more the reader will be impressed with Sa'di's truth, wisdom, and knowledge of the humanities.

We gave advice in its proper place,

Spending a lifetime in the task.

If it should not touch anyone's ear of desire,

The messenger told his tale; it is enough.