I was constantly engaged in prayer, at the head of the prophet <br />Yahia's tomb in the cathedral mosque of Damascus, when one of the Arab <br />kings, notorious for his injustice, happened to arrive on a pilgrimage <br />to it, who offered his supplications and asked for compliance with his <br />needs. <br /> <br /> The dervish and the plutocrat are slaves on the floor of this <br /> threshold <br /> And those who are the wealthiest are the most needy. <br /> <br /> Then he said to me: 'Dervishes being zealous and veracious in <br />their dealings, unite thy mind to mine, for I am apprehensive of a <br />powerful enemy.' I replied: 'Have mercy upon thy feeble subjects <br />that thou mayest not be injured by a strong foe.' <br /> <br /> With a powerful arm and the strength of the wrist <br /> To break the five fingers of a poor man is sin. <br /> Let him be afraid who spares not the fallen <br /> Because if he falls no one will take hold of his hand. <br /> Whoever sows bad seed and expects good fruit <br /> Has cudgelled his brains for nought and begotten vain imaginations. <br /> Extract the cotton from thy ears and administer justice to thy <br /> people <br /> And if thou failest to do so, there is a day of retribution. <br /> <br /> The sons of Adam are limbs of each other <br /> Having been created of one essence. <br /> <br /> When the calamity of time afflicts one limb <br /> The other limbs cannot remain at rest. <br /> If thou hast no sympathy for the troubles of others <br /> Thou art unworthy to be called by the name of a man.<br /><br />Saadi Shirazi<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/ch-01-manner-of-kings-story-10/
