Gulistan of Saadi
On the Advantages of Silence
Story 5
Galenus saw a fool hanging on with his hands to the collar of a learned man and insulting him,
whereon he said: ‘If he were learned he would not have come to this pass with an ignorant man.’
Two wise men do not contend and quarrel
Nor does a scholar fight with a contemptible fellow.
If an ignorant man in his rudeness speaks harshly
An intelligent man tenderly reconciles his heart.
Two pious men keep a hair between them untorn
And so does a mild with a headstrong man.
If however both sides are fools
If there be a chain they will snap it.
An ill-humoured man insulted someone.
He bore it and replied: ‘O man of happy issue,
I am worse than thou canst say that I am
Because I know thou art not aware of my faults as I am.
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Gulistan of Saadi | On the Advantages of Silence | Story 4