Saadi Quotes

Two orders of mankind are the enemies of church and state; the king without clemency, and the holy man without learning.
SAADI

Enemy Kind Learning Man Religious Rule
Virtue is in the mind, not in the appearance.
SAADI

Appearance Deep Mindset Virtue
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.
SAADI

Bad Earth Face Fortune Heaven Nature
The true disciple should aim to live for the gospel, rather than to die for it.
SAADI

Book Death Discipline Live Religious True
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?
SAADI

Action Book Empty Fire Himself Intellectual Learning Philosophy Study Wisdom
Do to me, O Allah, what is worthy of Thee; And not what is worthy of me.
SAADI

God Wisdom Worth
The hand of liberality is stronger than the arm of power.
SAADI

Generosity Hands Power Strong
There is a difference between him who claspeth his mistress in his arms, and him whose eyes are fixed on the door expecting her.
SAADI

Difference Expectation Eyes Herself Himself
A little beauty is preferable to much wealth.
SAADI

Beautiful Money Worth
Whoever acquires knowledge but does not practice it is as one who ploughs but does not sow.
SAADI

Educational Inspirational Knowledge Practice
Religion is only in the service of the people; it is not in the rosary and the prayer-carpet.
SAADI

People Prayer Religion Service
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?
SAADI

Book Carry Learning Library Stupidity
It’s no virtue to gain the whole world. Just gain the heart of one person.
SAADI

Heart Oneself Person Virtue World
Whoever gives advice to a heedless man is himself in need of advice.
SAADI

Advice Help Men Wisdom
If a piece of worthless stone can bruise a cup of gold, its worth is not increased, nor that of the gold diminished.
SAADI

Gold Pieces Worth
Whoever interrupts the conversation of others to make a display of his fund of knowledge, makes notorious his own stock of ignorance.
SAADI

Ignorance Knowledge
Kings stand more in need of the company of the intelligent than the intelligent do of the society of kings.
SAADI

Company Intelligence Need Society
When a man appreciates only eating and sleeping, what excellence has he over the reptiles?
SAADI

Animal Eat Excellence Men Praise Sleep
When the belly is empty, the body becomes spirit; and when it is full, the spirit becomes body.
SAADI

Body Deep Empty Food Spirit Spiritual
A wise man among the ignorant is as a beautiful girl in the company of blind men.
SAADI

Beautiful Company Girl Ignorance Man Wasted Wisdom
Were the diver to think on the jaws of the shark, he would never lay hands on the precious pearl.
SAADI

Fear Hands Himself Jewel Thinking
Take care what you say before a wall, as you cannot tell who may be behind it.
SAADI

Care Listening Yourself
None can be so true to your secret as yourself.
SAADI

Secret True Yourself
A grateful dog is better than an ungrateful man.
SAADI

Better Dog Gratitude Men Worth
The rose and the thorn, and sorrow and gladness are linked together.
SAADI

Deep Happiness Rose Sorrow Togetherness 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.
SAADI

Best Character Charity God Humility Love Rich
Virtue pardons the wicked, as the sandal-tree perfumes the axe which strikes it.
SAADI

Advice Deep Prison Tree Virtue

Famous Poets