Sadi's Scroll of Wisdom
Tr. by Arthur N. Wollaston
The Persian poet Sadi, best known for his poetic collections the Bustan and Gulistan, also wrote this work, the Pand Namah, or Scroll of Wisdom. This is a small collection of poems on moral themes. Translated by Arthur N. Wollaston, this entry in the Wisdom of the East series is one of the best.
SHAIKH MUSLIH-UD-DIN SADI, the celebrated Persian poet, was born at Shiraz between the years 1175 and 1193 of the Christian era. His father, whose name was Abdullah, is generally supposed to have held some minor post about the Court of the Atabak ruler of Fars, by name Sa’d bin Zangi (A.D. 1195–1226), from whom was derived the poetical nom de plume of Sadi.