Sa di

Ch 05 On Love And Youth Story 15

The beautiful wife of a man died but her mother, a decrepit old hag, remained in the house on account of the dowry. The man saw no means of escaping from contact with her until a company of friends paid him a visit of condolence and one of them asked him how he bore the loss of his beloved. He replied: ‘It is not as painful not to see my wife as to see the mother of my wife. ’ The rose has been destroyed and the thorn remained. The treasure has been taken and the serpent left. It is better that one’s eye be fixed on a spear-head Than that it should behold the face of an enemy. It is incumbent to sever connection with a thousand friends Rather than to behold a single foe. THE GULISTAN OF SA'DI Translated by Richard Francis Burton (1821-1890)