Top 160 Saadi Quotes (2025 Update)
Page 3 of 4

101. “Take care what you say before a wall, as you cannot tell who may be behind it.”

— Saadi

102. “Oh God, I say not hear my prayers! I say: Blot with forgiving pen my sins away!”

— Saadi

103. “Pride thyself on what virtue thou hast, and not on thy parentage.”

— Saadi

104. “Holiness comes by holy deeds. Not starving flesh of daily needs.”

— Saadi

105. “Expose not the secret failings of mankind, otherwise you must verily bring scandal upon them and distrust upon yourself.”

— Saadi

106. “Nothing is so good for an ignorant man as silence; and if he was sensible of this he would not be ignorant.”

— Saadi

107. “A garden is a delight to the eye and a solace for the soul.”

— Saadi

108. “The sea does not contain all the pearls, the earth does not enclose all the treasures, and the flint-stone does not inclose all the diamonds, since the head of man encloses wisdom.”

— Saadi

109. “If a piece of worthless stone can bruise a cup of gold, its worth is not increased, nor that of the gold diminished.”

— Saadi

110. “The greedy man is incontent with a whole world set before him.”

— Saadi

111. “To tell a falsehood is like the cut of a saber: for though the wound may heal, the scar of it will remain.”

— Saadi

112. “The bird alighteth not on the spread net when it beholds another bird in the snare. Take warning by the misfortunes of others, that others may not take example from you.”

— Saadi

113. “It is safer to be silent than to reveal one’s secret to any one, and telling him not to mention it.”

— Saadi

114. “Court the society of a superior, and make much of the opportunity; for in the company of an equal thy good fortune must decline.”

— Saadi

115. “Be not so severe as to cause shyness, nor so clement as to encourage boldness.”

— Saadi

116. “It is wrong to follow the advice of an adversary; nevertheless it is right to hear it, that you may do the contrary; and this is the essence of good policy.”

— Saadi

117. “Where the hand of tyranny is long we do not see the lips of men open with laughter.”

— Saadi

118. “To be over much facetious is the accomplishment of courtiers and blemish of the wise.”

— Saadi

119. “He who is a slave to his stomach seldom worships God.”

— Saadi

120. “It is better to break off a thousand friendships, than to endure the sight of a single enemy.”

— Saadi

121. “The hand of liberality is stronger than the arm of power.”

— Saadi

122. “Now that another is suffering pain at thy hand, trust not that thy heart shall be exempt from affliction.”

— Saadi

123. “But for the cravings of the belly not a bird would have fallen into the snare; nay, nay, the fowler would not have spread his net. The belly is chains to the hands and fetters to the feet. He who is a slave to his belly seldom worships God.”

— Saadi

124. “The covetous map explores the whole world in pursuit of a subsistence, and fate is close at his heels.”

— Saadi

125. “Much contention and strife will arise in that house where the wife shall get up dissatisfied with her husband.”

— Saadi

126. “Liberty is of more value than any gifts; and to receive gifts is to lose it. Be assured that men most commonly seek to oblige thee only that they may engage thee to serve them.”

— Saadi

127. “None can be so true to your secret as yourself.”

— Saadi

128. “So long as money can answer, it were wrong in any business to put the life in danger.”

— Saadi

129. “Poverty snatches the reins out of the hand of piety.”

— Saadi

130. “Be generous, and pleasant-tempered, and forgiving; even as God scatter favors over thee, do thou scatter over the people.”

— Saadi

131. “Whenever thy hand can reach it, tear out the foe’s brain, for such an opportunity washes anger from the mind.”

— Saadi

132. “If wisdom was to cease throughout the world, no one would suspect himself of ignorance.”

— Saadi

133. “He who, when he hath the power, doeth not good, when he loses the means will suffer distress. There is not a more unfortunate wretch than the oppressor; for in the day of adversity nobody is his friend.”

— Saadi

134. “If thou covetest riches, ask not but for contentment, which is an immense treasure.”

— Saadi

135. “Obedience is not truly performed by the body of him whose heart is dissatisfied. The shell without a kernel is not fit for store.”

— Saadi

136. “I have heard that in the day of Hope and Fear the Merciful One will pardon the evil for the sake of the good. If you see evil in my words, do the same.”

— Saadi

137. “Though a man be wise and intelligent, he is a fool in the eyes of the ignorant.”

— Saadi

138. “Posion kills only where there is no antidote.”

— Saadi

139. “Inflict not on an enemy every injury in your power, for he may afterwards become your friend.”

— Saadi

140. “To use the hands in making quicklime into mortar is better than to cross them on the breast in attendance on a prince.”

— Saadi

141. “A tree, freshly rooted, may be pulled up by one man on his own. Give it time, and it will not be moved, even with a crane.”

— Saadi

142. “A friend whom you have been gaining during your whole life, you ought not to be displeased with in a moment. A stone is many years becoming a ruby – take care that you do not destroy it in an instant against another stone.”

— Saadi

143. “There is a difference between him who claspeth his mistress in his arms, and him whose eyes are fixed on the door expecting her.”

— Saadi

144. “If thou art of elephant-strength or of lion-claw, still peace is, in my opinion, better than strife.”

— Saadi

145. “Whoever has his foe at his mercy, and does not kill him, is his own enemy.”

— Saadi

146. “The stranger has no friend, unless it be a stranger.”

— Saadi

147. “A lovely face is the solace of wounded hearts and the key of locked-up gates.”

— Saadi

148. “If thou art wise, incline to truth; for truth, not the semblance, remains in its place.”

— Saadi

149. “No reliance can be placed on the friendship of kings, nor vain hope put in the melodious voice of boys; for that passes away like a vision, and this vanishes like a dream.”

— Saadi

150. “He who lives upon the fruit of his own labor, escapes the contempt of haughty benefactors.”

— Saadi