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C.D. Warner, et al., comp. The Library of the World’s Best Literature.
An Anthology in Thirty Volumes. 1917.

The Penalty of Stupidity

By Sa’dī (c. 1213–1291)

From the ‘Rose-Garden’: Translation of John T. Platts

A MAN got sore eyes. He went to a horse-doctor, and said, “Treat me.” The veterinary surgeon applied to his eyes a little of what he was in the habit of putting into the eyes of quadrupeds, [and] he became blind. They carried the case before the judge. He said, “No damages are [to be recovered] from him: if this fellow were not an ass, he would not have gone to a farrier.” The object of this story is, that thou mayst know that he who intrusts an important matter to an inexperienced person will suffer regret, and the wise will impute weakness of intellect to him.

  • The clear-seeing man of intelligence commits not
  • Momentous affairs to the mean.
  • Although the mat-weaver is a weaver,
  • People will not take him to a silk factory.