Today marks the national day of Sa'adi Shirazi to commemorate the birth of this Iranian renowned poet, one who is considered as the Master of Speech among the prominent literary figures and scholars.
Iran (IMNA) - Abū-Muhammad Muslih al-Dīn bin Abdallāh Shīrāzī (born c.1213, Shiraz—Died 1291, Shiraz) ,better known as Sa'adi or Sa'adi of Shiraz, is one of the greatest Iranian figures in classical Persian literature. He is widely regarded as “Master of Speech” among literary figures and scholars due to the profound thoughts epitomized in his works.
Sa'adi masterpieces are the Bustan (1257, The Orchard) and the Gulistan (1258, The Rose Garden). The Bustan ,which is written entirely in verse, includes Saadi’s experiences upon life. This great verse work of Sa'adi as a book consists of ten chapters aptly illustrating standard virtues such as justice, liberality, modesty, contentment (recommended to Muslims).
Besides, Gulistan (The Rose Garden) as a landmark of Persian literature is mainly in prose which has profoundly influenced the West as well as the East. According to The Guardian, Bustan (The Orchard) is considered as one of the 100 greatest books of all time. The Gulistan is divided into eight chapters, widely as a source of wisdom, which is interspersed with variety of short poems and containing advice, aphorisms and humorous reflections.
1. The Manners of Kings
2. On the Morals of Dervishes
3. On the Excellence of Contentment
4. On the Advantages of Silence
5. On Love and Youth
6. On Weakness and Old Age
7. On the Effects of Education
8. On Rules for Conduct in Life
Bani Adam (Children of Adam) is a well-known poem from Gulistan. As a symbol of humanistic behavior, this poem is inscribed on a hand-made carpet installed in 2005 on the wall of a meeting room in the United Nations building in New York. As a matter of fact, Bani Adam poem is a declaration for peace and empathy between all human beings.
The original Persian text is as follows:
بنى آدم اعضای یکدیگرند
که در آفرینش ز یک گوهرند
چو عضوى بدرد آورَد روزگار
دگر عضوها را نمانَد قرار
تو کز محنت دیگران بی غمی
نشاید که نامت نهند آدمی
And its English translation by H. Vahid Dastjerdi
Adam's sons are body limbs, to say;
For they're created of the same clay.
Should one organ be troubled by pain,
Others would suffer severe strain.
Thou, careless of people's suffering,
Deserve not the name, "human being"
Elahe Jalali
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