Sheikh Muslihu'd-Din known as Saadi lived about 1207- 1291. He was born in Shiraz. Unlike Hafez, he travelled for about 30 years of his life. He died in his hometown; his tomb is in Shiraz.
His father name was Abdullah who was descended from Ali (first Shiite Saint), the son- in- law of Prophet Muhammad. From his book Bustan (Kitchen Garden), one can learn that he lost his father when he was a child; and from Gulistan (Rose Garden) his mother lived to a later period of his life.
His life is divided into three parts. The first twenty five to thirty years of his life, he spent in different countries in educating himself and learning. He received his education at the Nizamiah College at Baghdad where he had a scholarship. From Gulistan, we can learn that Arabic was spoken with great purity at that time in Baghdad. Then, for thirty years he travelled widely from India in East to Syria in West making himself practically acquainted with things. He made his first pilgrimage to Mecca with his instructor in theology Abdul-Kabir Gilani. He repeated this pilgrimage not less than fourteen times. Finally, Sheikh Saadi returned to Shiraz and devoted the latter part of his life to writing books and to his students. Sadi was a disciple of Sheikh Shahabud-Din Sahrawardi.
His most famous masterpieces are: The Gulistan (Rose Garden) and The Bustan (Kitchen Garden). His tone in these two collections is more wry (kenayeh amiz), metaphorical and meant to be a means of teaching. His other work includes 1-6 Risalah or Treatise, Arabian Qasaids, Persian Qasaids, Marasi or Dirges, Mixed Poems, Persian and Arabic, Plain Ghazals, Rhetorical Ghazals, Fragments, Poems with recurring lines, Poems addressed to Shamsu'd-Din, Writings in earlier life and Writings in later life, Tetrastichs, and Distichs. Saadi is one of the wittiest writers of modern or ancient times. The beauty of Saadi's style is that it is simple yet elegant. Mir Saiyid Ali Mushtak called Saadi the "Nightingale of a Thousand Songs" meaning that Saadi displayed perfection of genius in every part of poetry.
There is this story that one day Saadi saw a man who was looking to buy his book. Saadi asked the man what the man likes about this writer? The man who didn't recognized Saadi said, "He's a funny man." Saadi was pleased with the man remark and gave his book for free to the man.
Saadi's work is translated by Ross who was an English military surgeon and a scholar in poetry. Saadi's work is translated into many western languages as well. His words are still commonly used in conversations by Iranians.
Poem
by Sheikh Moslehedin Saadi Shirazi
from
"The Bustan"
Translated
By Tirdad Daei
On Justice, Management,
and good Judgment
I've heard that, while he yielded up his soul,
Thus spoke to Hurmuz, Nushirwan:
Be a guardian of the poor man's mind,
Lie not in the bonds of your own ease!
No one in your land is easy,
When your own ease is all you seek;
No wise man will approve the case
Where the shepherd sleeps and the wolf's
among the sheep.
Go! Keep watch upon the poor and needy,
For by virtue of the people the emperor
holds his crown.
The people are like a root, the ruler is
the tree;
The tree, my son, from the root draws its
strength.
So far as you are able, hurt not the hearts
of men;
If you do, you but tear up your own roots!
Do you need a highway, straight?
The road of the devout is that of Hope
and Fear;
Nature, this becomes to a man in prudence:
In hope of good and fear of evil;
If in a prince these both you find,
You find a solid footing for his clime
and realm:
For indulgence he brings to the hopeful,
In hope that the Maker will be indulgent;
He does not look with favour on any persons'
harm,
Fearing that harm may come to his realm.
But if this temper be not in his
composition,
In that land there's no hope of rest.
If you are hobbled, practice resignation;
But if galloping at will, then make your
own way!
Look not for amplitude in that march and
land,
Where you see the people distressed by
the emperor.
Fear the bold and proud ones,
But fear also the one who fears not the
just One!
Only in dreams will he see a land prosper,
Who ruins the hearts of the land's inhabitants:
From tyranny derive ruination and ill-repute;
The foresighted one will plumb these words.
Unjustly, the people may not be slain,
For they are authority's asylum and support;
For your own sake, care for the yeoman,
For the happy labourer does more work!
It is not manly to do evil to one
From whom you have received much good.
I've heard that Khusrau said to Shiruya,
As sleep befell his eyes that used to see:
So be that all you purpose
Envisages the people's welfare.
Turn your head never from Justice and Good
judgment,
That men turn not their footsteps from
your hand!
The people from the unjust one flee,
Making his ugly name a byword in the world;
Not long it is before his own foundation
He uproots, who laid a bad foundation.
