C.D. Warner, et al., comp. The Library of the World’s Best Literature.
An Anthology in Thirty Volumes. 1917.
A Valuable Voice
By Sa’dī (c. 1213–1291)
From the ‘Rose-Garden’: Translation of Edward Backhouse Eastwick
A
PERSON was performing gratis the office of summoner to prayer in the mosque of Sanjāriyah, in a voice which disgusted those who heard him. The patron of the mosque was a prince who was just and amiable. He did not wish to pain the crier, and said, “O sir! there are Mūazzins attached to this mosque to whom the office has descended from of old, each of whom has an allowance of five dīnārs, and I will give thee ten to go to another place.” This was agreed upon, and he departed. After some time he returned to the prince and said, “O my lord! thou didst me injustice in sending me from this place for ten dīnārs. In the place whence I have come they offered me twenty dīnārs to go somewhere else, and I will not accept it.” The prince laughed and said, “Take care not to accept it, for they will consent to give thee even fifty dīnārs.”
COUPLET
No mattock can the clay remove from off the granite stoneSo well as thy discordant voice can make the spirit moan.
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