Page:Tales from the Gulistan (1928).pdf/278

The Gulistân

strike one's fist on a lion, and to grasp [the sharp edge of] a sword with the hand is not the part of an intelligent man.

Do not fight or try thy strength with a furious man; hide thy hands in thy arm-pits to avoid his finger-nails.

man trying to show his prowess off against a strong one only aids his foe to encompass his own destruction.

What strength has one brought up in the shade to go against champions in a fight? A man with weak arms, in his folly throws his fist upon a man with iron claws.

does not listen to advice will have occasion to hear reproof.

If admonition enters not thy ear, be silent when I blame thee.

void of accomplishments cannot behold those who possess some without barking like the curs of the bazar on seeing a hunting-dog, but dare not come forward; that is to say, when a base fellow is unable to vie with an accomplished man he sets about slandering him according to his own wickedness. The envious, mean fellow will certainly slander, whose tongue of speech is dumb when face to face.

there were no craving of the stomach, no bird would enter the snare of the fowler; nay, he would not even set the snare.