Page:Tales from the Gulistan (1928).pdf/297



book of the Gulistân has been completed, and Allah had been invoked for aid! By the grace of the Almighty—may His name be honoured—throughout the work the custom of authors to insert verses from ancient writers by way of loan has not been followed.

Most of the utterances of Sa'di being exhilarant and mixed with pleasantry, shortsighted persons have on this account lengthened the tongue of blame, alleging that it is not the part of intelligent men to spend in vain the kernel of their brain, and to eat without profit the smoke of the lamp; it is, however, not concealed from enlightened men, who are able to discern the tendency of words, that pearls of curative admonition are strung upon the thread of explanation, and that the bitter medicine of advice is commingled with the honey of wit, in order that the reader's mind should not be fatigued, and thereby excluded from the benefit of acceptance; and praise be to the Lord of both worlds.

We gave advice in its proper place, Spending a lifetime in the task. If it should not touch anyone's ear of desire, The messenger told his tale; it is enough, O thou who lookest into it, ask Allah to have mercy On the author and to pardon the owner of it. Ask for thyself whatever benefit thou mayest desire, And after that pardon for the writer of it.