Ancient Wisdom

In two verses of poetry, ' Al-Mutanabbi' , one of the greatest Arabian poets and philosophers, reduces the number of happy men to three classes. They have been paraphrased and put into English verse as fellows: 'The three life seems a summer sky: The first who has no mind to know The heights and depths of life below, Nor ever asks the reason why. The second he to whom life's sum Is self at ease; who never lets The past disturb with dark regrets, Nor hopes and fears from days to come The third who, led by fancies crude, In scorn of truth, deceived at heart. Makes fruitless dreams his better part, And hollow hopes the highest good.

The most worthless things on earth are these four: (a) rain on a barren soil; (b) a lamp in sunshine; (c) a beautiful woman given to a marriage to a blind man; (d) and a good deed to one who is grateful