Sa di

Here you will find the Poem Ch 03 On The Excellence Of Contentment Story 21 of poet Sa di

Ch 03 On The Excellence Of Contentment Story 21

It is related that a sultan thus addressed a miserly beggar who had accumulated great riches: `It is evident that thou possessest boundless wealth and we have an affair on hand in which thou canst aid us by way of a loan. When the finances of the country are in a flourishing condition it will be repaid.? The miser replied: `It is not befitting the power and dignity of a padshah to soil the hands of his noble aspirations with the property of an individual like myself who has collected it grain by grain.? The king replied: `It does not matter because the money will be spent upon infidels: The wicked women should be joined to the wicked men.?

 If the water of a Christian?s well is impure 
 What matters it if thou washest a dead Jew therein? 
 They said: `The lime-mortar is not clean.? 
 We replied: `We shall plug therewith the privy holes.? 

I heard that he refused to comply with the behest of the king, began to argue and to look insolently; whereon the king ordered the sum in question to be released from his grasp by force and with a reprimand.

 If an affair cannot be accomplished with gentleness 
 He forsooth turns his head to impudence. 
 Who has no regard for himself 
 It is proper that no one should pay him any.