Great Throughts Treasury

"A great person is always polite."

"A human being is quite impatient."

"A kick works as a treatment to a hunch backed person."

"A king for a moment, and a beggar soon after."

"A lie doesn't have a foot to stand on."

"A lie doesn't last for long."

"A lonely fellow in the house."

"A man loves his own shortcomings."

"A new matter lasts only for nine days."

"A person does not appreciate the efforts of others, when he is (merely) jealous."

"A person is influenced by the company he/she keeps."

"A person who has been tried is (as good as) prostrated (won over)."

"A person who wants to have something, but is feeling shy in asking for it."

"A pestle upon a peg, and a mortar upon a clothes line."

"A pimple has grown on the ulcer."

"A poor man with rich desires."

"A relative remains a relative, as long as relations are maintained."

"A rich young man, who lived in the times of Jesus, fell in love with a girl met occasionally on the way and married her. The girl missed one hand, and she was unable to look in the face of the young man. God heard her prayer and restored her hand. After the spouses had got home, once, during the diner, they heard the voice of dervish. The wife took two pieces of bread and wanted to give them to the beggar, but her husband did not allow her. She thought that he was avaricious and started crying. But he said: ? This is too little, give him a full plate. She looked at the beggar and saw that he was her first husband, who became a beggar due to his avarice. Then she told her story to the young man. Her first husband was extremely avaricious. Once, when he was out of home, she gave to a beggar a whole chicken with a precious ring hidden inside. Having come back home her husband got frustrated, divorced her and drove her away from the town, after having cut her hand off. At those words the young man burst into tears and said that he was that very beggar, - the ring brought him wellbeing. - Attar"

"A seeker went to ask a sage for guidance on the Sufi way. The sage counseled, "If you have never trodden the path of love, go away and fall in love; then come back and see us." - Jami"

"A sheep in appearance, but a wolf at heart."

"A sin committed does not harm an individual so much as looking down upon one?s own fellow human beings."

"A single log of wood does not burn even in an oven (fireplace)."

"A single person cannot do much."

"A small stone can be hidden under a big one."

"A spendthrift does not have a second thought while spending money."

"A spendthrift. One who does not think about tomorrow. Eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow you may die."

"A stupid person does not know the importance of quality."

"A stupid person doesn't know what is good or bad."

"A thief has a guilty conscience."

"A thorn is struck in the beard of one who stole a fried fish."

"A tranquil mind is not a little gift."

"A vessel full of soybeans for a single sheep."

"A wandering life."

"A wastage of resources or talent."

"A wolf in sheep's clothing."

"A word to a wise, and hundred lashes to the stupid."

"Acquaintance is the world."

"Advice is lost on stupid people."

"Advice to a stupid person is wasted."

"After killing a yakur (a kind of bird), hands will stink."

"Agreement with two people, lamentation with three."

"Al-Amash had a neighbor, who showed his house to him and said always: "Oh, if you could come in and taste some bread and salt", ? but Al-Amash refused. Still once Al-Amash, being hungry, accepted the invitation. The neighbour told him: "Let's go with me". He entered the house and the host put bread and salt in front of him. Here came a beggar, and the host told him: "Your misfortune is inside of you". The beggar asked him again, and the host repeated: "Your misfortune is inside of you". When the one asked for the third time, the host cried:? Go away, or, I swear, I will drive you away with a stick. And Al-Amash called the beggar up and said: ? Leave, or woe unto you. I have not seen anyone, who would fulfil more precise his oaths: from long ago he has been inviting me for bread and salt and I swear with Allah that he did not add a crumb to them. ? Imam Al-Ghazali"

"Ali greased his head with ghee, but the lice licked it up."

"All people came (were born) in good health, but none left (died) healthy."

"All the same to a person whether good or bad."

"An apple gets color on seeing another apple."

"An ass does not know the importance of saffron."

"An educated person is a nicely cut (stone)."

"An educated person is well groomed."

"An idle person has three tasks: sleeping, eating and quarreling."