Truthfulness : * "Arabian Wisdom", by John Wortabet, [1913], TRUTHFULNESS "Koran." O ye that believe, fear God and be truthful! Verily God recompenseth the truthfulness of the truthful. "Traditions." Be ever truthful, for truthfulness leads to righteousness, and righteousness leads to heaven. Veracity brings...
Self Respect And The Sense Of Shame : * "Arabian Wisdom", by John Wortabet, [1913], SELF-RESPECT, AND THE SENSE OF SHAME Son of man, if you have no self-respect, do what you will. Men see no fault in one who respects himself. If you fear not the consequences of an evil life, and have no sense of shame, you are free to do what you will...
Health : * "Arabian Wisdom", by John Wortabet, [1913], HEALTH Health is a crown on the head of the hale, invisible except to the sick. Sound health is beyond all price. p. 60 The greatest gift to man is a long healthy life. If there be anything more valuable than life, it is sound health. It is wonderful...
War : * "Arabian Wisdom", by John Wortabet, [1913], WAR War is an evil thing to both victor and vanquished. p. 46 It is better to avoid than to make war. The most honourable death is on the battlefield. To die in battle from a thousand cuts of the sword is easier than to die in bed. He who incites...
Introduction : * "Arabian Wisdom", by John Wortabet, [1913], p. 11 INTRODUCTION The wise sayings and proverbs of ancient and modern times, and in all the languages I know or to which I had access in translations, have always had a great attraction for me. Drawn from the experiences and study of human life, they...
Youth And Old Age : * "Arabian Wisdom", by John Wortabet, [1913], YOUTH AND OLD AGE An old man among his people is like a prophet sent from God. To venerate old age is to revere God. Youth is a kind of madness. The wisest young men are they who follow the good example of the old, and the most foolish old men are they...
Salutation, Visiting : * "Arabian Wisdom", by John Wortabet, [1913], p. 58 SALUTATION, VISITING Return a salutation by something better, or at least by something as good "(Koran)". A warm greeting renews friendship. Respect is due to a visitor. The best of men is a rich man who visits the poor, and the worst is a po...
Benevolence : * "Arabian Wisdom", by John Wortabet, [1913], BENEVOLENCE "Koran." Do good unto others as God has done unto you. Is the reward of kindness anything but kindness? p. 23 He who does a kindly act shall be recompensed tenfold. Ye can never be righteous unless ye give away from that which ye love...
Character : * "Arabian Wisdom", by John Wortabet, [1913], CHARACTER A man is truly religious when he is truly good. A good character is a great boon. Kind words are the bonds of love. A kind word is like an act of charity. If you cannot help men with money, help them with a cheerful face and a kindly bearing...
Gratitude : * "Arabian Wisdom", by John Wortabet, [1913], GRATITUDE He is unthankful to God who is unthankful to man. He who is unthankful for little is unthankful for much. God continues His favours to him who is grateful. He who is ungrateful for the good he receives deserves that it should be withdrawn...
Hatred, Malice : * "Arabian Wisdom", by John Wortabet, [1913], HATRED, MALICE Of all men God abhors most an implacable enemy. Of all things nothing is so bad as the making of enemies. Of all evils nothing is so hard to be borne as the triumph of an enemy. Rejoice not over a fallen man--he may rise and you may fall...
Economy : * "Arabian Wisdom", by John Wortabet, [1913], ECONOMY Economy saves half the cost of living. The value of economy is equal to half of your profits, p. 41 Frugality saves a man from poverty. Little with economy is better than much with waste. Poverty with freedom from debt is great wealth. If you...
Avarice, Stinginess, Greed : * "Arabian Wisdom", by John Wortabet, [1913], AVARICE, STINGINESS, GREED Avarice and faith in God can never live together in the heart of man. Avarice and ill-nature have no place in the heart of a good man. Avarice is the parent of all evil dispositions. The riches of an avaricious man go either...
Generosity : * "Arabian Wisdom", by John Wortabet, [1913], GENEROSITY Generosity is to do a kindness before it is asked, and to pity and give a man who asks. p. 24 A generous man is nigh unto God, nigh unto men, nigh unto paradise, far from hell. Overlook the faults of a generous man, for God helps him when he...
Brothers, Relations : * "Arabian Wisdom", by John Wortabet, [1913], BROTHERS, RELATIONS A man who has no brother is like one who has a left arm and no right. A brother is a wing. When evil befalls you, you will know the value of a brother. Your brother is he who shares your distress. The same regard is due...
Title Page : * "Arabian Wisdom", by John Wortabet, [1913], p. 1 p. 2 p. 3 THE WISDOM OF THE EAST SERIES Edited By L. CRANMER-BYNG Dr. S. A. KAPADIA ARABIAN WISDOM SELECTIONS AND TRANSLATIONS FROM THE ARABIC By JOHN WORTABET, M.D. NEW YORK E. P. DUTTON AND COMPANY [1913] Scanned, proofed and formatted , March...
Knowledge : * "Arabian Wisdom", by John Wortabet, [1913], KNOWLEDGE "Koran." O God, increase my knowledge. Are they who know and they who know not equal? He who has been given wisdom has been given a great good. What ye have been given of knowledge is only a small part. Above a learned man there is one more...
A Sinner's Cry Unto God : * "Arabian Wisdom", by John Wortabet, [1913], A SINNER'S CRY UNTO GOD 1 O Thou who knowest every thought, and hearest every cry, Who art the source of all that is, or ever shall be, Who art the only hope in every trouble, The only help in every plaint and every woe, Whose treasures of bounty...
Truthfulness To Secrets : * "Arabian Wisdom", by John Wortabet, [1913], p. 37 TRUTHFULNESS TO SECRETS To keep a secret is a divine law. A secret is a trust, and to betray it is perfidy. The least of all noble traits is to keep a secret, and the greatest is to forget it. He controls himself most who hides a secret from his...
Recompense : * "Arabian Wisdom", by John Wortabet, [1913], RECOMPENSE To recompense good for good is a duty. Neglect of recompense is contemptible. If a man do you a favour recompense him, and if you are unable to do so, pray for him. The worst kind of recompense is to requite evil for good. Reproach faults by...
Filial Duty : * "Arabian Wisdom", by John Wortabet, [1913], FILIAL DUTY When your father and mother become old, and you take them into your house, say not a word of impatience to them, nor rebuke them, but speak graciously, and be humble to them, and say: "O my God, be merciful to them, even as they tended me...
Anger : * "Arabian Wisdom", by John Wortabet, [1913], ANGER The first part of anger is madness and the second is regret. p. 47 Passion and blindness are inseparable mates. Beware of anger, for it ends in the humiliation of apology. Anger leads to all kinds of evil. When you are angry be silent. It is not...
Wisdom, Prudence, Experience : * "Arabian Wisdom", by John Wortabet, [1913], WISDOM, PRUDENCE, EXPERIENCE Reason is a light in the heart which distinguishes between truth and error. A wise man sees with his heart what a fool does not see with his eyes. Men should be judged according to their lights (reason). A wise man is not...
Neighbors : * "Arabian Wisdom", by John Wortabet, [1913], NEIGHBOURS He is a good man who is a good neighbour. No man enters heaven who is a bad neighbour. A good neighbour is he who is not only harmless, but bears harm with patience. Be friends, but do not become neighbours. In social life be as friends...
Flaunting Kindness : * "Arabian Wisdom", by John Wortabet, [1913], FLAUNTING KINDNESS To carry a heavy rock to the summit of a mountain is easier than to receive a kindness which is flaunted. p. 26 The bane of a generous action is to mention it. It is better to refuse a kindness than to be reminded of it. I would not...
Speaking, Writing ,books : * "Arabian Wisdom", by John Wortabet, [1913], SPEAKING, WRITING, BOOKS If it were not for the faculty of speech, man would be nothing more than a silent picture or a contemptible animal. The tongue is the best part of man. Man is hidden behind his tongue. A man's talk shows what kind of mind he...
Ignorance, Folly : * "Arabian Wisdom", by John Wortabet, [1913], IGNORANCE, FOLLY Ignorance is the greatest poverty. Ignorance is death in life. There is no evil so great as ignorance. Folly is an incurable disease. A foolish man is like an old garment, which if you patch it in one place becomes rent in many other...
Rashness : * "Arabian Wisdom", by John Wortabet, [1913], RASHNESS Beware of rashness, for it has well been called the Mother of Regrets. He who acts hastily either makes a blunder, or comes very near it. p. 50 He who is deliberate is either right, or very nearly so. A hasty act comes from the Evil One...
Envy : * "Arabian Wisdom", by John Wortabet, [1913], ENVY The difference between envy and emulation is, that in the first the desire is for the cessation of a good enjoyed by another, and in the second the desire is for the possession of a similar good. An envious man is angry with God for His favours...
Love Of Country And Home : * "Arabian Wisdom", by John Wortabet, [1913], LOVE OF COUNTRY AND HOME Love of one's own country is a religious duty. A true man yearns towards his native country, and longs for his home as a lion longs for his lair. p. 59 It is a sign of sound judgment when the heart craves for country and home...
Forgiving Others : * "Arabian Wisdom", by John Wortabet, [1913], FORGIVING OTHERS "Koran." God forgiveth past sins; let men forgive and pardon. Forgive freely. Forgiving others is the nearest thing to piety." "Traditions." He who forgiveth others, God forgiveth him. Be merciful, and you will have mercy; forgive...
Patience : * "Arabian Wisdom", by John Wortabet, [1913], p. 43 PATIENCE God is with them that are patient. God loveth them that are patient "(Koran)". Patience is one-half of religious duty. There are two kinds of patience--one is for something which you desire, the other in something which you hate; and he...
Marriage : * "Arabian Wisdom", by John Wortabet, [1913], MARRIAGE The advantages of marriage are purity of life, children, pleasures of home, and the happiness of exertion for the comfort of wife and children. This life is a joy, and its greatest delight is a good wife. An honourable marriage is...
Silence, Guarded Speech : * "Arabian Wisdom", by John Wortabet, [1913], SILENCE, GUARDED SPEECH Wise men are silent. Silence is often more eloquent than words. Be not hasty with your tongue. If words are silver, silence is gold. Not all that is known should be said. Silence is a wise thing, but they who observe it are few...
Opportunities : * "Arabian Wisdom", by John Wortabet, [1913], p. 40 OPPORTUNITIES Opportunities move like clouds, or pass rapidly like meteors. Seize a thief before he seizes you. Take advantage of the light of day before the night sets in. Seize on opportunities, for they are either a spoil if improved...
Children : * "Arabian Wisdom", by John Wortabet, [1913], CHILDREN Children are a gift from God. A child is a flower which has come down from Paradise. Nothing is dearer than a child, except a grandchild. When your son is young, train him; when he is grown, make a brother of him. That child is loved most who...
Deceit : * "Arabian Wisdom", by John Wortabet, [1913], DECEIT Deceit does more harm to the deceitful than to the deceived. If a man commit these three things they will p. 38 rise against him in judgment and punishment--aggression, perfidy, and deceit. To be true to the perfidious is perfidy, and to deceive...
Vicissitudes Of Fortune : * "Arabian Wisdom", by John Wortabet, [1913], VICISSITUDES OF FORTUNE Man is like an ear of wheat shaken by the wind--sometimes up and sometimes down. Man is a target to the accidents of time. One day for us, and one day against us. p. 42 With to-day there is to-morrow. To every Moses there is...
Cheerfulness : * "Arabian Wisdom", by John Wortabet, [1913], CHEERFULNESS God loves a cheerful man. A main part of friendship is cheerfulness. p. 45 Cheerfulness denotes a generous nature, as a flower denotes fruit. The first duty of a host is cheerfulness. He who is sparing in cheerfulness is more sparing...
Exertion, Perseverance, Success : * "Arabian Wisdom", by John Wortabet, [1913], EXERTION, PERSEVERANCE, SUCCESS A man obtains only what he strives for. He who seeks and struggles shall find. Struggles bring the most unlikely things within reach. When a man makes up his mind to do a thing it becomes easy for him to do it. If you...
Laziness : * "Arabian Wisdom", by John Wortabet, [1913], LAZINESS Hopes are never realised by sloth. A lazy man can never succeed in life. It is one of the signs of weakness to leave things to fate. A lazy man loses what is due to him. Weakness and sloth lead to ruin. A man gets tired of having nothing to do...
True Nobility : * "Arabian Wisdom", by John Wortabet, [1913], p. 20 TRUE NOBILITY True nobility lies in high character and refined manners, not in noble birth or ancient pedigree. A noble man is he who aims at noble ends--not he who glories in an ancestry mouldering in the dust. A noble man is noble though he...
Speculative Studies : * "Arabian Wisdom", by John Wortabet, [1913], SPECULATIVE STUDIES All speculative research ends in perplexing uncertainty. p. 28 I sought in the great sea of theoretical learning a bottom on which to stand--and found nothing but one wave dashing me against another. After a lifetime of research...
Humility : * "Arabian Wisdom", by John Wortabet, [1913], HUMILITY Humility is that line of conduct which is a mean between overbearing pride on the one hand and abject servility on the other, as economy is the middle term between extravagance and avarice. Humility is the crown of nobility, a ladder to honour...
Contentment : * "Arabian Wisdom", by John Wortabet, [1913], CONTENTMENT Contentment is to refrain from coveting what others have. Contentment is a treasure which is inexhaustible. The most thankful of men is he who is contented. He who seeks riches must seek them in contentment. Give freely, and be content with...
Appendix : * "Arabian Wisdom", by John Wortabet, [1913], p. 63 APPENDIX What Is Righteousness? "Righteousness is not that ye turn your faces [in prayer] to the east or west; but righteousness is to him who believeth in God and the Last Day, and Angels, and Revealed Books, and Prophets; who giveth cheerfully...
Editorial Note : * "Arabian Wisdom", by John Wortabet, [1913], p. 10 EDITORIAL NOTE The object of the Editors of this Series is a very definite one. They desire above all things that, in their humble way, these books shall be the ambassadors of good-will and understanding between East and West--the old world...
Friends, Companions : * "Arabian Wisdom", by John Wortabet, [1913], FRIENDS, COMPANIONS A friend is a second self and a third eye. A true man is he who remembers his friend when he is absent, when he is in distress, and when he dies. A friend is known only in adversity. If your friend is sweet, do not eat him up. If...
Murder : * "Arabian Wisdom", by John Wortabet, [1913], MURDER The first thing which shall be taken up in the Day of Judgment is murder. Man is a building made by God, and he who destroys the building of God shall be demolished. Put no man to undeserved death, for God forbids murder. Announce violent death...
Death : * "Arabian Wisdom", by John Wortabet, [1913], DEATH All life ends in death. When I see all paths leading men unto death, and no paths leading from death unto us--no traveller there ever returning--not one of ages past ever remaining--I see that I also shall assuredly go where they have gone. If...
Consultation : * "Arabian Wisdom", by John Wortabet, [1913], CONSULTATION If you consult a wise man, his wisdom becomes yours. Confide your secret to one only, and hear the counsel of a thousand. (In the multitude of counsellors there is safety. Prov. xi. 14.) A counsellor is a trusted man. When men consult...
Repentance, And God's Forgiving Mercy : * "Arabian Wisdom", by John Wortabet, [1913], REPENTANCE, AND GOD'S FORGIVING MERCY "Koran." O ye who believe, repent unto God, for He loveth them who are penitent. O ye who believe in me, who by much sin have done a p. 16 great wrong to themselves, despair not of the mercy of God, for He...
Clemency, Forbearance, And Gentleness : * "Arabian Wisdom", by John Wortabet, [1913], CLEMENCY, FORBEARANCE, AND GENTLENESS "Koran." Those who worship the Merciful One are they who walk on the earth gently, and who, when fools speak to them, say "Peace." (25, 64.) "Traditions "Be friendly to him who would be unfriendly to you, give him...
Truthfulness To Promises : * "Arabian Wisdom", by John Wortabet, [1913], TRUTHFULNESS TO PROMISES "Koran." Be true to a covenant, for a covenant holds a man responsible. Be faithful to your pledged covenants and keep your oaths. "Traditions." A man who keeps not his word has no religion. A true man's word is like an oath...
Complaint, Blame : * "Arabian Wisdom", by John Wortabet, [1913], COMPLAINT, BLAME To God alone I make my plaint of sorrow and grief ("Koran" 12, 86). To bewail grief, except to God, is an humiliation. Lamentation is the weapon of the weak. A good man sees his own faults and is blind to the faults of others. Censure...
Thoughts, Doubts : * "Arabian Wisdom", by John Wortabet, [1913], THOUGHTS, DOUBTS Most thoughts are wishes. The thoughts of the wise are more trustworthy than the convictions of fools. Do not confuse opinions with certainties. If you are doubtful of a thing let it alone. Remove doubts by enquiry. A thing that is...
The First Chapter Of The Koran : * "Arabian Wisdom", by John Wortabet, [1913], p. 15 THE FIRST CHAPTER OF THE KORAN In the name of God, who is abundant in mercy and compassion! Praise be to God, the Lord of the universe, the most merciful and compassionate, the Sovereign of the day of judgment. Thee alone we worship...
Travelling : * "Arabian Wisdom", by John Wortabet, [1913], TRAVELLING In travelling you will find health and profit. If water stagnates long it becomes foul. A roaming dog is better than a couching lion. During a journey a man's character is weighed and revealed. The day on which a journey is begun is half...
