He seizes not in haste the disobedient, nor drives away the penitent6 with violence. The two worlds are as a drop of water in the ocean of His knowledge.
He withholds8 not His bounty9 though His servants sin; upon the surface of the earth has He spread a feast, in which both friend and foe10 may share.
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Peerless He is, and His kingdom is eternal. Upon the head of one He placeth a crown; another he hurleth from the throne to the ground.
The fire of His friend He turneth into a flower-garden; through the waters of the Nile He sendeth His foes11 to perdition.
Behind the veil He seeth all, and concealeth our faults with His own goodness.
In the heart of a stone hath He placed a jewel; from nothing hath He created all that is.
Who can reveal the secret of His qualities; what eye can see the limits of His beauty?
The bird of thought cannot soar to the height of His presence, nor the hand of understanding reach to the skirt of His praise.
Think not, O Sadi, that one can walk in the road of purity except in the footsteps of Muhammad.
He is the patriarch of the prophets, the guide of the path of salvation16; the mediator17 of mankind, and the chief of the Court of Judgment18. What of thy praises can Sadi utter? The mercy of God be upon thee, O Prophet, and peace.
[21]
On the Reason for the Writing of the Book
I travelled in many regions of the globe and passed the days in the company of many men. I reaped advantages in every corner, and gleaned19 an ear of corn from every harvest. But I saw none like the pious20 and devout21 men of Shiraz—upon which land be the grace of God—my attachment22 with whom drew away my heart from Syria and Turkey.
I regretted that I should go from the garden of the world empty-handed to my friends, and reflected: “Travellers bring sugar-candy from Egypt as a present to their friends. Although I have no candy, yet have I words that are sweeter. The sugar that I bring is not that which is eaten, but what knowers of truth take away with respect.”
When I built this Palace of Wealth,[1] I furnished it with ten doors of instruction.[2]
It was in the year 655 that this famous treasury23 became full of the pearls of eloquence24. A quilted robe of silk, or of Chinese embroidery25, must of necessity be padded with cotton; if thou obtain aught of the silk, fret26 not—be generous and conceal12 the cotton. I have heard that in the day of Hope and Fear the Merciful One will pardon the evil for the sake of the good. If thou see evil in my[22] words, do thou likewise. If one couplet among a thousand please thee, generously withhold7 thy fault-finding.
Assuredly, my compositions are esteemed27 in Persia as the priceless musk28 of Khutan. Sadi brings roses to the garden with mirth. His verses are like dates encrusted with sugar—when opened, a stone[3] is revealed inside.
Concerning Atābak Abu Bakr, Son of Sád[4]
Although not desiring to write in praise of kings, I have inscribed29 this book to the name of a certain one so that perhaps the pious may say: “Sadi, who surpassed all in eloquence, lived in the time of Abu Bakr, the son of Sád.” Thus, in this book will his memory remain so long as the moon and sun are in the skies. Beyond count are his virtues—may the world fulfil his desires, the heavens be his friend, and the Creator be his guardian30.
点击收听单词发音
1 compassionate | |
adj.有同情心的,表示同情的 | |
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2 sage | |
n.圣人,哲人;adj.贤明的,明智的 | |
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3 attains | |
(通常经过努力)实现( attain的第三人称单数 ); 达到; 获得; 达到(某年龄、水平、状况) | |
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4 prostrate | |
v.拜倒,平卧,衰竭;adj.拜倒的,平卧的,衰竭的 | |
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5 supplication | |
n.恳求,祈愿,哀求 | |
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6 penitent | |
adj.后悔的;n.后悔者;忏悔者 | |
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7 withhold | |
v.拒绝,不给;使停止,阻挡 | |
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8 withholds | |
v.扣留( withhold的第三人称单数 );拒绝给予;抑制(某事物);制止 | |
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9 bounty | |
n.慷慨的赠予物,奖金;慷慨,大方;施与 | |
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10 foe | |
n.敌人,仇敌 | |
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11 foes | |
敌人,仇敌( foe的名词复数 ) | |
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12 conceal | |
v.隐藏,隐瞒,隐蔽 | |
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13 lament | |
n.悲叹,悔恨,恸哭;v.哀悼,悔恨,悲叹 | |
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14 untold | |
adj.数不清的,无数的 | |
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15 revolve | |
vi.(使)旋转;循环出现 | |
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16 salvation | |
n.(尤指基督)救世,超度,拯救,解困 | |
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17 mediator | |
n.调解人,中介人 | |
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18 judgment | |
n.审判;判断力,识别力,看法,意见 | |
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19 gleaned | |
v.一点点地收集(资料、事实)( glean的过去式和过去分词 );(收割后)拾穗 | |
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20 pious | |
adj.虔诚的;道貌岸然的 | |
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21 devout | |
adj.虔诚的,虔敬的,衷心的 (n.devoutness) | |
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22 attachment | |
n.附属物,附件;依恋;依附 | |
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23 treasury | |
n.宝库;国库,金库;文库 | |
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24 eloquence | |
n.雄辩;口才,修辞 | |
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25 embroidery | |
n.绣花,刺绣;绣制品 | |
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26 fret | |
v.(使)烦恼;(使)焦急;(使)腐蚀,(使)磨损 | |
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27 esteemed | |
adj.受人尊敬的v.尊敬( esteem的过去式和过去分词 );敬重;认为;以为 | |
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28 musk | |
n.麝香, 能发出麝香的各种各样的植物,香猫 | |
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29 inscribed | |
v.写,刻( inscribe的过去式和过去分词 );内接 | |
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30 guardian | |
n.监护人;守卫者,保护者 | |
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