15 Saadi Shirazi Poems in Farsi and English (2024)

15 Saadi Shirazi Poems

The best Persian poet of all time, Saadi Shirazi (Persian:سعدی شیرازی), was born in Shiraz in the 13th century. He’s famous for being one of the most prominent Persian poets of the medieval era, and he’s well-known for his talent in communicating the most profound moral and social ideas in the most straightforward language for people of all ages. If you’re a literature enthusiast, you shouldn’t miss Persian literature, especially Saadi Shirazi poems. Scholars of Persian literature regard him as a “Master of Speech” and one of the finest poets of traditional Persian literature. Among all his works, Golestan (or Gulistan) and Bustan are two of his most notable works of literature. In this article, we will provide you with 15 Saadi Shirazi poems.

Saadi Shirazi Poems in English

His actual date of birth is unknown at this time. According to Saadi Shirazi poems, he left home to travel throughout the globe around 1225 A.H., which was about the time of the Mongol invasion of the Persian Empire. In Gulistan, written in 1258 A.H., he describes himself as a 50-year-old man who is still naive and uninformed about the world around him. According to some estimates, when he returned to his hometown of Shiraz, he was probably in his late forties. In 1231–60, Atabak Abubakr ibn Sa’d ibn Zangi, the Salghurid king of Fars, reigned in Shiraz, and the city was enjoying a period of relative peace. They not only welcomed Saadi but also the ruler admired Saadi Shirazi poems. Read this article to the end to get more familiar with Saadi Shirazi poems.

چنان به موی تو آشفته‌ ام به بوی تو مست

که نیستم خبر از هر چه در دو عالم هست

Transcript:

Chenan be moye to ashofteham be boye to mast

Ke nistam khabar az harche dar do aalam ast!

English Translation:

(I am) lost in your hair, drunk in your hair’s smell

That I have forgotten about the world and the creatures in it!

من چرا دل به تو دادم که دلم می‌شکنی

یا چه کردم که نگه باز به من می‌ نکنی

دل و جانم به تو مشغول و نظر در چپ و راست

تا ندانند حریفان که تو منظور منی

دیگران چون بروند از نظر از دل بروند

تو چنان در دل من رفته که جان در بدنی

Transcript:

Man chera del be to dadam ke delam mishekani

Ya che kardam ke negah baz be man nakoni

Del o janam be to mashghol o nazar dar chap o rast

Ta nadanand harifan ke to manzore mani

Digaran chon beravand az nazar az del beravand

To chenan dar dele man rafte ke jan dar baladi

English Translation:

Why have I given you my heart to let you break it?

What have I done that you ignore me?!

My heart and soul are constantly thinking about you

However; I look at you in secret

To hide you from foes!

Others are forgotten when they’re absent

But, you are so deep in my heart and soul!

دوست دارم که بپوشی رخ همچون قمرت

تا چو خورشید نبینند به هر بام و درت

جرم بیگانه نباشد که تو خود صورت خویش

گر در آیینه ببینی برود دل ز برت

Transcript:

Dost daram ke beposhi rokhe hamchon ghamarat

Ta cho khorshid nabinand be har bam o darat

Jorme bigane nabashad ke to khod sorate khish

Gar dar ayineh bebini beravad ze barat

English Translation:

I want you to cover your moon-like face

Don’t be as evident as the sun

Others are not guilty (when they fall in love with you.)

If you even look at yourself in the mirror, you will lose your mind!

هرگز وجود حاضر غایب شنیده‌ ای

من در میان جمع و دلم جای دیگرست

Transcript:

Hargez vojode hazere ghayeb shenidehee?

Man dar miyane ja’m o delam jaye digar ast!

English Translation:

Have you ever heard of a present but an absent person?

That’s me! I am among others, but my heart is somewhere else!

از در درآمدی و من از خود به درشدم

گفتی کز این جهان به جهان دگر شدم

Transcript:

Az dar dar amadi o man az khod be dar shodam

Gofti kea z in jahan be jahane degar shodam

English Translation:

You came to me, and I was super delighted

As if I was in the seventh heaven!

Saadi Shirazi Poems About Love

As we mentioned before, two of Saadi’s most famous books are Gulistan and Bustan. Saadi finished writing Bustan in1257 A.H, which is entirely in verse. This book has 183 tales divided into ten chapters, each of which focuses on a different virtue such as justice, kindness, love, liberality, generosity, contentment, and happiness, as well as the ecstatic rituals of dervishes, all of which aim at helping everyone live a better and happier life—previously known as Saadi Nameh. It comprises roughly 4000 verses. Let’s continue reading Saadi Shirazi poems about love.

گفتم ببینمش مگرم درد اشتیاق

ساکن شود بدیدم و مشتاقتر شدم

تا رفتنش ببینم و گفتنش بشنوم

از پای تا به سر همه سمع و بصر شدم

Transcript:

Goftam bebinamash magaram dardeh eshtiyagh

Saken shavad bedidam o moshtaghtar shodam

Ta raftanash bebinam o goftanash beshenavam

Az pay ta be sar hame sam’ o basar shodam

English Translation:

I wished to see her to end the pain (of not seeing her for a long time)

I saw her; I became more enthusiastic!

I wanted to see and listen to her

Suddenly, all my body became eyes and ears!

او را خود التفات نبودش به صید من

من خویشتن اسیر کمند نظر شدم

Transcript:

Ou ra khod eltefat nabudash be seideh man

Man khishtan asire kamande nazar shodam

English Translation:

She wasn’t aware that she had trapped me

I myself fell in love with her capturing eyes!

ما همه چشمیم و تو نور ای صنم

چشم بد از روی تو دور ای صنم

روی مپوشان که بهشتی بود

هر که ببیند چو تو حور ای صنم

Transcript:

Ma hame cheshmim o to nor ey sanam

Cheshme bad az roye to dor ey sanam

Roy maphoshan ke beheshti bud

Har ke bebinad cho to hor ey sanam

English Translation:

We are all eyes, and you are light, O’ beautiful face

May the evil eyes be away from you

Don’t turn over face, O’ beautiful

Because, whoever looks at you, nymph face

Will be in heaven

گفتیم که عقل از همه کاری به درآید

بیچاره فروماند چو عشقش به سر افتاد

Transcript:

Goftim ke aghl az hame kar be dar ayad

Bichareh foro mand cho eshghash be sar oftad!

English Translation:

We thought the brain (wisdom) overcomes everything

Poor thing was all devastated when fell in love!

من از آن روز که دربند توام آزادم

پادشاهم که به دست تو اسیر افتادم

همه غم‌های جهان هیچ اثر می‌نکند

در من از بس که به دیدار عزیزت شادم

Transcript:

Man az aan ruz ke dar bande toam aazadam

Padeshaham ke be daste to asir oftadam

Hame ghamhaye jahan hich asar nakonad

Dar man az bas ke be didare azizat shadam

English Translation:

I have been free since the day I was confined in your eyes!

I am a king trapped in your love

No pain can affect me

Since I am delighted waiting to see you!

Saadi Shirazi Quotes

It’s noteworthy to mention that he finished writing Gulistan, his other famous book, in 1258 A.H., a year after writing Bustan. It is mostly in prose. It has eight chapters mainly regarding the kings’ morals, the dervishes’ conduct, advantages of contentment, quietness and talking at the correct time, love and youthfulness, fragility in old age, and education. It’s possible to find Saadi Shirazi poems in this book as well. In Persian literature, it’s one of the most outstanding prose masterpieces. In Gulistan, Saadi seeks to counsel people to live freely and to enhance the quality of their lives. It features numerous stories, pieces of wisdom, and quotes. It may depict the cultural and social circ*mstances of the society during the time of Saadi, too. We’ve read Saadi Shirazi poems so far now let’s know much more about his quotes.

سر گرگ باید هم اول برید

نه چون گوسفندان مردم درید

Transcript:

Sare gorg bayad aval borid

Na chon gosfandane mardom darid

English Translation:

Kill the wolf as soon as possible

Not when it slew all the sheep!

مبخشای بر هر کجا ظالمیست

که رحمت بر او جور بر عالمیست

Transcript:

Mabakhshay bar har koja zaalemist

Ke rahmat bar ou jor nar aalamist!

English Translation:

Don’t ever forgive the oppressors!

Because mercy over them is tremendous cruelty to all people!

نادان را به از خاموشی نیست و اگر این مصلحت بدانستی ، نادان نبودی

Transcript:

Nadan ra beh az khamoshi nist va agar in maslehat bedanesti, nadan nabudi!

English Translation:

The best thing for an ignorant person is to stay silent!

If he knew this secret, he wouldn’t be ignorant!

Saadi Shirazi Poems about Friendships

He’s well known as one of the best ghazal-writers of Persian poetry alongside Hafiz. Many experts consider the finest ghazals were written by Saadi and Hafiz. Saadi has nearly 700 ghazals, primarily with the essence of love and some with mystical teachings. You can find irony in Saadi Shirazi poems to depict and condemn the shortcomings and corruptions in the society of his day. Let’s continue reading Saadi Shirazi poems.

یارا بهشت صحبت یاران همدمست

دیدار یار نامتناسب ،جهنمست

نه هر که چشم و گوش و دهان دارد آدمیست

بس دیو را که صورت فرزند آدمست

Transcript:

Yara behesht, sohbate yarane hamdamast

Didare yare namotenaseb, jahanam ast

Na hark e chesh o gosh o dahan darad aadamist

Bas div ra ke sorate farzande aadamast!

English Translation:

Oh dear, talking with loved ones feels like heaven

Being with the wrong people is hell, indeed!

Note: Many Saadi Shirazi poems talk about the importance of choosing the right friends.

!چون دوست دشمن است، شکایت کجا بریم؟

Transcript:

Chon dost dushman ast, shekayat koja berim?!

English Translation:

To whom should I complain, when the friend is the foe?!

Conclusion

Saadi Shirazi poems provide a clear distinction between the spiritual and the mundane in life. Even the most ordinary individuals may benefit from his works since he attempts to depict life’s most profound truths in the most tangible contexts and in a language as near to conversational as feasible. In this article, you read 15 of the best Saadi Shirazi poems. Enjoy!

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15 Saadi Shirazi Poems in Farsi and English (2024)

FAQs

Who is the most famous Persian poet? ›

Khwaja Shams-ud-Din Muhammed Hafez-e Shiraz was born in Shiraz, Iran, presumably to well-educated parents, but little of his life is known outside of references in his works. He is considered the greatest Persian poet, regarded almost as a saint, for the insight and spiritual elevation of his work.

Which Persian poet is called the Sadi of India? ›

Saadi Shīrāzī (Persian: ابومحمّد مصلح‌الدین بن عبدالله شیرازی), better known by his pen name Saadi (/ˈsɑːdi/; Persian: سعدی, romanized: Saʿdī, IPA: [sæʔˈdiː]), also known as Sadi of Shiraz (سعدی شیرازی, Saʿdī Shīrāzī; born 1210; died 1291 or 1292), was a Persian poet and prose writer of the medieval period.

Does Persian poetry rhyme? ›

Persian poems always use rhyme, and from the point of view of rhyme can be classified into various types: Poems in rhyming couplets, each couplet with a different rhyme, thus with the scheme aa bb cc .... A poem of this type is known as a masnavi (plural masnavīyāt).

How many books has Sheikh Saadi written? ›

Saadi Shirazi

Who is the best poet in Iran? ›

Ferdowsi. Ferdowsi is perhaps Iran's most famous poet, credited for writing the Shahnameh, the national epic of the Persian speaking world and the longest work of epic poetry ever written, composed of more than 60,000 verses.

Is Farsi the same as Persian? ›

Persian, known to its native Iranian speakers as Farsi, is the official language of modern day Iran, parts of Afghanistan and the central Asian republic of Tajikistan. Persian is one of the most important members of the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European family of languages.

When was Saadi born? ›

What was the real name of Sheikh Saadi? ›

What is the subject matter of Gulistan? ›

Written some seven and a half centuries ago by Sadi of Shiraz the Gulistan or Rose Garden is a collection of moral stories divided into eight themes: The Conduct of Kings, The Character of Dervishes, The Superiority of Contentment, The Benefits of Silence, Love and Youth, Feebleness and Old Age, The Effects of ...

Why Persian poetry is so good? ›

Persian language is considered among the most poetic languages of the world. Persian words enjoy a soft and melodic quality and the phrases have a unique rhythmic nature. This singing quality gives Persian poets such as Hafez and Rumi, a marvelous chance to create rhythm through the matchlessly euphonic words.

What are the famous forms of Persian poetry? ›

During this period, three major styles of Persian poetry came to prominence: the epic panegyric Khorasani style, developed around the tenth century in eastern Persia; the Iraq-i 'Ajami (Western Persian style) that emerged in the thirteenth century, a lyrical style that uses mystical Sufi concepts; and the Sabk-i Hindi ...

Who wrote Persian? ›

The Persian poet and mystic Rumi (1207–1273) (known as Molana in Iran, Afghanistan and Tajikistan, and as Mevlana in Turkey), has attracted a large following in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.

How many chapters there are in Gulistan? ›

After the introduction, the Golestan is divided into eight chapters, each consisting of a number of stories, decorated with short poems: 1. The Manners of Kings.

When and where was Sheikh Saadi born? ›

What is poetry in Persian? ›

Rubai. Rubai is a poetry style which is used to describe a Persian quatrain. The plural form of the word, rubaiyat is used to describe a collection of such quatrains. In classical Persian poetry, the ruba'i is written as a four-line (or two-couplet) poem, with a rhyme-scheme AABA or AAAA.

Who is the most famous Arab poet? ›

1. Imru' al-Qais (501-565)

What is the history of Persian literature? ›

Persian literature is therefore commonly dated from c. 750 CE, with the rise of the Abbasid Dynasty, through the 15th century CE and earlier works, for the most part, can therefore only be referred to as “ancient” in that many medieval poets preserved stories and themes from pre-Islamic Iran.

How do you say hello in Farsi? ›

Learn Persian - Persian in Three Minutes - Greetings - YouTube

Is Farsi hard to learn? ›

While by no means among the easiest of languages to learn, Persian is considered relatively easy for English-speaking people to learn compared to other Middle Eastern languages. It is remarkably simple in terms of formal grammar.

Is Persian older than Arabic? ›

As for the question that which of them is older, then Persian takes the prize if we include the history of its earliest version. The Old Persian had been around since 550-330 BC until it transitioned into the Middle version of the tongue in 224 CE. Old Arabic, on the other hand, emerged in the 1st century CE.

What is the meaning of Saadi? ›

Saadi is a Muslim Boy Name. Saadi name meaning is Righteous. It has multiple Islamic meaning. The name is originated from Arabic. The lucky number of Saadi name is 9.

What is the meaning of Gulistan? ›

Gulistan, Golestan or Golastan (Persian: گلستان) means "flower land" in Persian language (gol meaning "flower", and -stan or meaning "land").

Who painted the Gulistan manuscript? ›

Two Illustrations from a Manuscript of Gulistan by Sadi | The Walters Art Museum.

Who wrote Gulistan Bostan? ›

Is Farsi a beautiful language? ›

Persian is a soft, poetic language and it has been described as one of the most beautiful language's in the world. It is a bit challenging for English speakers to pronounce some Persian words.

Which country has best poets? ›

INDIA. India, the country known for its richness in culture and history, naturally has several forms of traditional poetry in the many, many languages that are spoken in the nation. One of the most famous, however, is epic poetry, which formed much of the base of Hinduism.

Who is the most popular poet in the world? ›

William Shakespeare is arguably the world's most famous poet and playwright. His works have been translated into every major language, and his plays have been performed more often than those of any other playwright.

Who is the father of Persian literature? ›

Rūdakī, byname of Abū ʿAbdollāh Jaʿfar ibn Moḥammad, (born c. 859, Rudak, Khorāsān—died 940/941, Rudak?), the first poet of note to compose poems in the “New Persian,” written in Arabic alphabet, widely regarded as the father of Persian poetry.

What are the main features of Persian poetry? ›

On the other hand, Persian poets and writers are proven masters of vignettes, aphorisms, pithy remarks, proverbial sayings, felicitous formulations, pregnant allusions, illustrative anecdotes, and imaginative short descriptions; almost all of these techniques are exemplified in the pages of the most celebrated Persian ...

What is the root of Persian language? ›

It originated in the region of Pars (Persia) in southwestern Iran. Its grammar is similar to that of many European languages.

Was Persian spoken in India? ›

The Persian language in the Indian subcontinent (Persian: زبان فارسی در شبه قاره هند), before the British colonisation, was the region's lingua franca and a widely used official language in North India.

Where is Persia? ›

Persia, historic region of southwestern Asia associated with the area that is now modern Iran. The term Persia was used for centuries and originated from a region of southern Iran formerly known as Persis, alternatively as Pārs or Parsa, modern Fārs.

What is Persian book? ›

Persian literature, body of writings in New Persian (also called Modern Persian), the form of the Persian language written since the 9th century with a slightly extended form of the Arabic alphabet and with many Arabic loanwords.

Who is the most popular poet? ›

1. William Shakespeare (1564–1616, England) William Shakespeare is arguably the world's most famous poet and playwright. His works have been translated into every major language, and his plays have been performed more often than those of any other playwright.

Who is Persian poet? ›

Persian poets such as Ferdowsi, Saadi, Hafiz, Attar, Nezami, Rumi and Omar Khayyam are also known in the West and have influenced the literature of many countries.

Who is the national poet of Iran? ›

Simin Behbahani, Iran's national poet, dies at 87 | PBS NewsHour.

Who composed poetry in Persian? ›

Abd Allah-i Ansari (1005–1089), who wrote in both Persian and Arabic, became the founder of Persian mystical poetry with his Munajat, a mixture of prose and poetry. 'Umar Khayyam (1048–1131), though widely known as a poet, has always been better known among Muslims as a scholar, scientist, and mathematician.

What are the top 8 greatest poems of all time? ›

  • A Psalm of Life by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882) ...
  • Ozymandias by Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792-1822) ...
  • Ode on a Grecian Urn by John Keats (1795-1821) ...
  • Invictus by William Ernest Henley (1849-1903) ...
  • Sonnet 29 by William Shakespeare (1564-1616) ...
  • Harlem by Langston Hughes (1902-1967)

Who wrote the first poem? ›

The oldest known "poems" are anonymous - such as the Rig Vedas of Hinduism, the Epic of Gilgamesh, and the Song of the Weaver by an unknown Egyptian of the Second Dynasty.

Who is the father of Persian poetry? ›

Rūdakī, byname of Abū ʿAbdollāh Jaʿfar ibn Moḥammad, (born c. 859, Rudak, Khorāsān—died 940/941, Rudak?), the first poet of note to compose poems in the “New Persian,” written in Arabic alphabet, widely regarded as the father of Persian poetry.

Who is the father of Farsi language? ›

Abul-Qâsem Ferdowsi Tusi (Persian: ابوالقاسم فردوسی توسی; 940 – 1019/1025 CE), also Firdawsi or Ferdowsi (فردوسی), was a Persian poet and the author of Shahnameh ("Book of Kings"), which is one of the world's longest epic poems created by a single poet, and the greatest epic of Persian speaking countries.

Is Farsi a poetic language? ›

Persian language is considered among the most poetic languages of the world. Persian words enjoy a soft and melodic quality and the phrases have a unique rhythmic nature. This singing quality gives Persian poets such as Hafez and Rumi, a marvelous chance to create rhythm through the matchlessly euphonic words.

Who is the oldest poet? ›

Enheduanna was born more than 4,200 years ago and became the high priestess of a temple in what we now call southern Iraq. She wrote poems, edited hymnals, and may have taught other women at the temple how to write.

What is the longest poem in the world? ›

The Mahabharata is one of the longest epic poems ever written. It has over 200,000 verse lines, 1.8 million words and it is believed that it could have taken over 600 years to write! The oldest surviving piece of text is believed to be dated from 400BCE.

Why did Allama Iqbal write in Persian? ›

During his study in Europe, Iqbal began to write poetry in Persian. He preferred to write in this language because doing so made it easier to express his thoughts. He would write continuously in Persian throughout his life.

What are the famous forms of Persian poetry? ›

During this period, three major styles of Persian poetry came to prominence: the epic panegyric Khorasani style, developed around the tenth century in eastern Persia; the Iraq-i 'Ajami (Western Persian style) that emerged in the thirteenth century, a lyrical style that uses mystical Sufi concepts; and the Sabk-i Hindi ...

Who is the first Persian poet of India? ›

Amir Khusrau
Born19 May 1253 Patiyali, Delhi Sultanate (now in Uttar Pradesh, India)
DiedOctober 1325 (aged 71–72) Delhi, Delhi Sultanate
GenresGhazal, Qawwali, Ruba'i, Tarana
Occupation(s)Sufi, singer, poet, composer, author, scholar
5 more rows

What is poetry in Persian? ›

Rubai. Rubai is a poetry style which is used to describe a Persian quatrain. The plural form of the word, rubaiyat is used to describe a collection of such quatrains. In classical Persian poetry, the ruba'i is written as a four-line (or two-couplet) poem, with a rhyme-scheme AABA or AAAA.

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