Religion
Description of Rectitude
Translated by Arthur N. Wollaston (1906) · From Sadi's Scroll of Wisdom (1906)
O soul! if thou makest choice of rectitude,
Fortune will become to thee an auspicious companion.
A wise man doth not turn aside his head from rectitude,
Since from rectitude a man's name is exalted.
If thou breathest truth at morn
Thou wilt avoid the darkness of ignorance.
Beware that thou breathest nought save rectitude,
Since the right hand holdeth pre-eminence over the left,
Nought is better in the world than rectitude,
For in the rosebud of rectitude there is no thorn.
Cite this poem
MLA
Shiraz, Sa'di of. “Description of Rectitude.” Translated by Arthur N. Wollaston. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/sadi/20/.
Chicago
Shiraz, Sa'di of. “Description of Rectitude.” Translated by Arthur N. Wollaston. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/sadi/20/.
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