The Bustan of Sadi

📖 Saadi of Shiraz (1210-91) was a major Persian poet and prose writer of the medieval period. Admired for the quality of his writings and for the depth of his social and moral thoughts, he is recognized as one of the greatest poets of the classical literary tradition, earning him the nickname of 'Master of Speech', or simply 'Master,' among Persian scholars. His best-known works are Bustan (The Orchard), completed in 1257, and Gulistan (The Rose Garden), completed in 1258. Bustan is written entirely in verse (epic metre) and consists of stories aptly illustrating the standard virtues recommended to Muslims (justice, liberality, modesty, contentment), and reflections on the behaviour of dervishes and their ecstatic practises. This English translation by A Hart Edwards, who also wrote the introduction, was published in 1911 as part of John Murray's The Wisdom of the East series.