The Bustan or Orchard of Sa'di

Of the works of Persia’s great poet Sa‘di, the Bustan is second only to the Gulistan in reknown and popularity. Born in Shiraz sometime between 1184 and 1210 CE, Muslih-uddin Sa‘di Shirazi received his education in Baghdad and spent several decades in travel and pilgrimage. In 1256, Sa‘di returned to Shiraz. He wrote the Bustan in 1257, and the next year wrote the Gulistan. The Bustan or Orchard of Sa‘di, intended as a “mirror for princes,” was written entirely in verse and included “ten doors of instruction,” that were the following ten chapters: Justice and Counsel, Benevolence, Love, Humility, Resignation, Contentment, Education, Gratitude, Repentance, and Prayer. This prose translation by A. Hart Edwards has been edited and updated by David Rosenbaum.