The Gulistan or Rose Garden of Sa'di

The Gulistan is among the most famous works of Persian literature by one of Persia's greatest poets, Muslih-uddin Sa'di Shirazi. Born in Shiraz sometime between 1184 and 1210 CE, Sa'di received his education in Baghdad and spent several decades in travel and pilgrimage. In 1256, Sa'di returned to Shiraz. He wrote the Gulistan in 1258, the same year that the Mongols sacked Baghdad.

The Gulistan or Rose Garden of Sa'di, intended as a "mirror for princes," includes prose didactic tales interspersed with short verses. The book is divided into eight parts: The Manners of Kings, The Morals of Dervishes, The Excellence of Contentment, The Advantages of Silence, Love and Youth, Weakness and Old Age, The Effects of Education, and Rules for Conduct in Life.

This classic translation by Edward Rehatsek has been edited and updated with a new introduction by David Rosenbaum.