Sadi's Scroll of Wisdom, by Arthur N. Wollaston, [1906], at sacred-texts.com
IN CONDEMNATION OF PARSIMONY
Were the spheres to fall to the share of the miser,
Were fortune the slave of the miser,
Were the wealth of Korah 1
in his hand,
Were a quarter of the universe subservient to him
The miser is not worthy that thou shouldest mention his name.
And were fortune to become his servant,
Pay no regard to the property of the miser—
Speak not of the miser's property and possessions.
Were the miser a devotee both on land and sea, p. 34
He would be so it is ordered—unknown in Paradise.
Though the miser be rich in possessions,
He would suffer distress, as if he were a poor man.
Benevolent persons enjoy the fruit of their wealth;
The niggardly suffer grief from their gold and silver.
Footnotes
33:1 A man proverbial for his wealth and avarice.