is wide spread?  When a man has acquired reputation by liberality and munificence, it does not become him to tie up his money-bags.  When your good name has been spread through the street, you cannot shut your door against it.”  I perceived (continues Saadi) that he did not approve of my admonition, and that my warm breath did not affect his cold iron.  I ceased advising, and, quitting his society, returned into the corner of safety, in conformity with the saying of the philosophers:  “Admonish and exhort as your charity requires; if they mind not, it does not concern you.  Although thou knowest that they will not listen, nevertheless speak whatever you know is advisable.  It will soon come to pass that you will see the silly fellow with his feet in the stocks, smiting his hands and exclaiming, ‘Alas, that I did not listen to the wise man’s advice!’” After some time, that which I had predicted from his dissolute conduct I saw verified.  He was clothed in rags, and begging a morsel of food.  I was distressed at his wretched condition, and did not think it consistent with humanity to scratch his wound with reproach.  But I said in my heart:  Profligate men, when intoxicated with pleasure, reflect not on the day of poverty.  The tree which in the summer has a profusion of fruit is consequently without leaves in winter.

    [7] Auvaiyar, the celebrated poetess of the Tamils (in
        Southern India), who is said to have flourished in the
        ninth century, says, in her poem entitled Nalvali: 

          Mark this:  who lives beyond his means
          Forfeits respect, loses his sense;
          Where’er he goes through the seven births,
          All count him knave; him women scorn.

The incapacity of some youths to receive instruction is always a source of vexation to the pedagogue.  Saadi tells us of a vazir who sent his stupid son to a learned man, requesting him to impart some of his knowledge to the lad, hoping that his mind would be improved.  After attempting to instruct him for some time without effect, he sent this message to his father:  “Your son has no capacity, and has almost distracted me.  When nature has given capacity instruction will make impressions; but if iron is not of the proper temper, no polishing will make it good.  Wash not a dog in the seven seas, for when he is wetted he will only be the dirtier.  If the ass that carried Jesus Christ were to be taken to Mecca, at his return he would still be an ass.”

One of the greatest sages of antiquity is reported to have said that all the knowledge he had acquired merely taught him how little he did know; and indeed it is only smatterers who are vain of their supposed knowledge.  A sensible young man, says Saadi, who had made considerable progress in learning and virtue, was at the same time so discreet that he would sit in the company of learned men without uttering a word.  Once his father said to him:  “My son, why do you not also say something you know?” He replied:  “I fear lest they should question me about something of which I am ignorant, whereby I should suffer shame.”