The Following are random selections from Boostan of Hazrat Saadi(R.A). I have rendered the pearls of wisdom into simple English to share it with my friends relatives and students. The need arose when I found that none of them knew Urdu the language in which the books are freely available in Delhi India. If the books are available in English their price is forbidding . Please forgive Me for my poor language and style.
I have based my English translation on the Urdu translation of Boostan by Respectable Maulana Quazi Sajjad Hussain the rector of Madrasa Ahliya Fatahpuri Delhi, Publisher Subrang Kitab Ghar Delhi 6
I have based my English translation on the Urdu translation of Boostan by Respectable Maulana Quazi Sajjad Hussain the rector of Madrasa Ahliya Fatahpuri Delhi, Publisher Subrang Kitab Ghar Delhi 6
The Fox and the Mendicant
A certain person came by a limbless fox
He marveled at the design and providence of Allah
That how she nurtures her life
And with these limbs how she is able to feed herself
While the mendicant was frenzied in his thought
A lion came with a jackal clutched in his paw
The lion ate the unfortunate jackal
And the fox ate to her fill over the leftovers
The other day the same coincidence happened
"The sustainer provided her with provision for the day
Faith opened his eyes
He set forth reposing his trust in his creator
"That I would sit like an ant in a corner"
"That even an elephant do not get his sustenance by its power" (he said to himself)
For few days he confined himself
With his head down tucked between his shoulders
He marveled at the design and providence of Allah
That how she nurtures her life
And with these limbs how she is able to feed herself
While the mendicant was frenzied in his thought
A lion came with a jackal clutched in his paw
The lion ate the unfortunate jackal
And the fox ate to her fill over the leftovers
The other day the same coincidence happened
"The sustainer provided her with provision for the day
Faith opened his eyes
He set forth reposing his trust in his creator
"That I would sit like an ant in a corner"
"That even an elephant do not get his sustenance by its power" (he said to himself)
For few days he confined himself
With his head down tucked between his shoulders
That the sustainer would sustain him by divine providence
Nobody Felt sorry for him neither his friends nor his foes
He had no more of his sense and patience left
Through the arch of the wall he heard
O ye lowly and mean go and be the devouring lion
Do not put yourself down like the limbless fox
Make efforts so that you too would have leftovers like those of the lion
Why fill yourself with the leftovers like the fox
A dog is better than a person whose neck is fat like the lion yet he lays himself like the fox
Fetch by paws and feed others do not keep your eyes on what others have discarded
As far as possible eat by your arms- so long your power keep the balance tilted in your favor
Like a man bear pain and give relief.
Those who live off the earnings of others are eunuchs
Oh ye the acceptor of the counsel go and extend thy benevolence and not that thee make thyself fall and ask for benevolence.
Allah’s kindness is on the man whose existence is a source of well being for his creatures
The head which has brain takes action
Because men with less of courage are skins without kernels
Nobody Felt sorry for him neither his friends nor his foes
He had no more of his sense and patience left
Through the arch of the wall he heard
O ye lowly and mean go and be the devouring lion
Do not put yourself down like the limbless fox
Make efforts so that you too would have leftovers like those of the lion
Why fill yourself with the leftovers like the fox
A dog is better than a person whose neck is fat like the lion yet he lays himself like the fox
Fetch by paws and feed others do not keep your eyes on what others have discarded
As far as possible eat by your arms- so long your power keep the balance tilted in your favor
Like a man bear pain and give relief.
Those who live off the earnings of others are eunuchs
Oh ye the acceptor of the counsel go and extend thy benevolence and not that thee make thyself fall and ask for benevolence.
Allah’s kindness is on the man whose existence is a source of well being for his creatures
The head which has brain takes action
Because men with less of courage are skins without kernels
He sees blessings in both the worlds who causes the blessings to reach the creatures
