A man of virtue, judgment, and prudence speaks not until there is silence.
-Saadi
Obedience is not truly performed by the body of him whose heart is dissatisfied. The shell without a kernel is not fit for store.
-Saadi
If thou art wise, incline to truth; for truth, not the semblance, remains in its place.
-Saadi
Of journeying the benefits are many: the freshness it bringeth to the heart, the seeing and hearing of marvelous things, the delight of beholding new cities, the meeting of unknown friends, and the learning of high manners.
-Saadi
That knave preserves the pearl in his purse who considers all people purse-cuts.
-Saadi
He will deal harshly by a stranger who has not been himself often a traveller or stranger.
-Saadi
Oh God, I say not hear my prayers! I say: Blot with forgiving pen my sins away!
-Saadi
So long as money can answer, it were wrong in any business to put the life in danger.
-Saadi
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.
-Saadi
None can be so true to your secret as yourself.
-Saadi
A peace-mingling falsehood is preferable to a mischief-stirring truth.
-Saadi
A little beauty is preferable to much wealth.
-Saadi
The rose and thorn, the treasure and dragon, joy and sorrow, all mingle into one.
-Saadi
If a piece of worthless stone can bruise a cup of gold, its worth is not increased, nor that of the gold diminished.
-Saadi
Be not so severe as to cause shyness, nor so clement as to encourage boldness.
-Saadi
The stranger has no friend, unless it be a stranger.
-Saadi
Use a sweet tongue, courtesy, and gentleness, and thou mayest manage to guide an elephant by a hair.
-Saadi
All is going well so far. There are some remarks here and there and there are some complaints here and there but we expect to resolve those questions or complaints Sunday and the next day.
-Saadi
Do to me, O Allah, what is worthy of Thee; And not what is worthy of me.
-Saadi
If thou covetest riches, ask not but for contentment, which is an immense treasure.
-Saadi
Every person thinks his own intellect perfect, and his own child handsome.
-Saadi
When the ruler is obedient to God, God is his protector and friend.
-Saadi
If wisdom was to cease throughout the world, no one would suspect himself of ignorance.
-Saadi
The sea does not contain all the pearls, the earth does not enclose all the treasures, and the flint-stone does not inclose all the diamonds, since the head of man encloses wisdom.
-Saadi
Independence is of more value than any gifts; and to receive gifts is to lose it.
-Saadi
Whenever thy hand can reach it, tear out the foe’s brain, for such an opportunity washes anger from the mind.
-Saadi
Keep belly lightly loaded, if mind would wisdom see;For bodies crammed to bursting, make empty souls to be.
-Saadi
The world is not a courtroom There is no judge no jury no plaintiff. This is a caravan filled with eccentric beings telling wondrous stories about God.
-Saadi
A grateful dog is better than an ungrateful man.
-Saadi
I have never seen a man lost who was on a straight path.
-Saadi
Great God, have pity on the wicked, for thou didst everything for the good, when thou madest them good!
-Saadi
Who eat their corn while yet ’tis green At the true harvest can but glean.
-Saadi
In the faculty of speech man excels the brute; but if thou utterest what is improper, the brute is they superior.
-Saadi
If thou tellest the sorrows of thy heart, let it be to him in whose countenance thou mayst be assured of prompt consolation.
-Saadi
Much contention and strife will arise in that house where the wife shall get up dissatisfied with her husband.
-Saadi
Riches are intended for the comfort of life, and not life for the purpose of hoarding riches.
-Saadi
The whelp of a wolf must prove a wolf at last, notwithstanding he may be brought up by a man.
-Saadi
The rich man is everywhere expected and at home.
-Saadi
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 crane
-Saadi
That which is not allotted the hand cannot reach; what is allotted you will find wherever you may be.
-Saadi
Though someday we may become as eloquent as Sahban, but we might also miss the essence of the Forgiving One.
-Saadi
Shut the door of that house of pleasure which you hear resounding with the loud voice of a woman.
-Saadi
Whoever interrupts the conversation of others to make a display of his fund of knowledge, makes notorious his own stock of ignorance.
-Saadi
Religion is only in the service of the people; it is not in the rosary and the prayer-carpet.
-Saadi
Astride a horse I am not, nor camel-like carry a load, Subjects I have none, nor follow any sultan’s code; I worry not for what exists, nor fret for what is lost, I breathe with extreme ease, and live at very little cost.
-Saadi
An enemy to whom you show kindness becomes your friend.
-Saadi
Inflict not on an enemy every injury in your power, for he may afterwards become your friend.
-Saadi
To pardon the oppressor is to deal harshly with the oppressed.
-Saadi
He who learns the rules of wisdom, without conforming to them in his life, is like a man who labored in his fields, but did not sow
-Saadi
He who, when he hath the power, doeth not good, when he loses the means will suffer distress. There is not a more unfortunate wretch than the oppressor; for in the day of adversity nobody is his friend.
-Saadi
The sons of Adam are formed from dust; if not humble as the dust, they fall short of being men.
-Saadi