batch.motif.persian-sadi-gulistan-ross-gutenberg-l4883-l4921
---
record_id: batch.motif.persian-sadi-gulistan-ross-gutenberg-l4883-l4921
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/persian/project-gutenberg/gulistan-sadi-ross.md
passage_locator:
label: CXVII / CXVIII / CXXII / THE CONCLUSION OF THE BOOK; lines 4883-4921
start: '4883'
end: '4921'
translation: The Persian Literature, Volume 2, The Gulistan
notes: Generated from OpenAI Batch run motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority;
human review required.
canonical_text:
quote: ''
summary: The passage gives a moral aphorism on regret, miserliness, knowledge without
practice, and generosity. The conclusion states that the Gulistan was completed
by God's assistance, defends Sa'di's original style and humorous instruction,
and closes by asking the reader to pray for mercy and forgiveness for the author,
transcriber, owner, and translator.
language: English
quote_policy: summarized
literal_observations:
- id: obs:1
text: 'Two kinds of people are described as dying with regret: those who possessed
wealth but did not spend it, and those who knew but did not practise.'
category: attribute
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:2
text: A miser is described as a wretched mortal whose faults people try to point
out.
category: attribute
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:3
text: A generous man's liberality is said to cover his defects.
category: attribute
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:4
text: The book is said to have been completed through the assistance and grace of
God.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:5
text: The author states that he did not insert poetry borrowed from former authors.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:6
text: The author compares using one's own patched old cloak favorably against borrowing
another person's garment.
category: object
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:7
text: Critics are described as objecting to the hilarity and gaiety in Sa'di's sayings.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:8
text: The passage says salutary admonition is presented with elegant language and
instruction is sweetened with facetiousness so the reader will not be disgusted.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: obs:9
text: The passage asks the reader to seek God's mercy for the author, forgiveness
for the transcriber, charitable benefit for themselves, and pardon for the owner.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: obs:10
text: The translator asks to be included in the reader's prayer.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: obs:11
text: The book is declared finished through the favor of the Lord God Paramount
and bestower of all good.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
figures:
- id: fig:1
name_or_label: Two orders of mankind
description: People who die with regret because they either had and did not spend,
or knew and did not practise.
role_refs:
- role:1
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: fig:2
name_or_label: Miser
description: A wretched mortal who does not spend and whose faults are pointed out.
role_refs:
- role:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: fig:3
name_or_label: Generous man
description: A person whose liberality covers his blemishes despite defects.
role_refs:
- role:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: fig:4
name_or_label: Sa'di / author
description: The speaker associated with the sayings and with the completion and
presentation of the Gulistan.
role_refs:
- role:4
- role:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:4
- ev:6
- ev:7
- id: fig:5
name_or_label: God / Lord God Paramount
description: The divine source whose assistance, grace, favor, and bestowal of good
are invoked.
role_refs:
- role:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:7
- ev:8
- id: fig:6
name_or_label: Short-sighted critics
description: Critics who object to the hilarity and gaiety in Sa'di's sayings.
role_refs:
- role:7
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: fig:7
name_or_label: Holy and good / enlightened audience
description: The addressees for whom the discourses are said to be specially addressed.
role_refs:
- role:8
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: fig:8
name_or_label: Reader / peruser of the book
description: The recipient whose taste is considered and who is asked to pray.
role_refs:
- role:9
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:7
- id: fig:9
name_or_label: Transcriber
description: A person for whom forgiveness is requested.
role_refs:
- role:10
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: fig:10
name_or_label: Owner
description: A person for whom pardon is requested.
role_refs:
- role:10
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: fig:11
name_or_label: English translator
description: The translator who asks for the reader's prayer.
role_refs:
- role:10
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
roles:
- id: role:1
label: Regretful moral examples
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: They are described as dying while carrying regret.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: role:2
label: Negative moral example
assigned_to:
- fig:2
basis: The miser is associated with wretchedness and faults.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: role:3
label: Positive moral example
assigned_to:
- fig:3
basis: The generous man's liberality is said to cover his defects.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: role:4
label: Author of admonition
assigned_to:
- fig:4
basis: The passage discusses Sa'di's sayings and the advice offered in the work.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: role:5
label: Original composer
assigned_to:
- fig:4
basis: The author states that he did not borrow poetry from former authors.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: role:6
label: Divine benefactor
assigned_to:
- fig:5
basis: God is credited with assistance, grace, favor, and bestowal of good.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:8
- id: role:7
label: Critics of style
assigned_to:
- fig:6
basis: They criticize the hilarity and gaiety of Sa'di's sayings.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: role:8
label: Intended discerning audience
assigned_to:
- fig:7
basis: The discourses are said to be specially addressed to the enlightened judgment
of the holy and good.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: role:9
label: Recipient of instruction and prayer appeal
assigned_to:
- fig:8
basis: The reader is to receive instruction without disgust and is asked to pray.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:7
- id: role:10
label: Beneficiary of requested prayer
assigned_to:
- fig:9
- fig:10
- fig:11
basis: Forgiveness, pardon, or prayer is requested for these figures.
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- ev:8
symbols:
- id: sym:1
label: Unspent possession
literal_form: Wealth or goods had but not spent
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: sym:2
label: Liberality as covering
literal_form: A generous man's liberality covering blemishes
associated_figures:
- fig:3
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: sym:3
label: Own patched cloak
literal_form: The author's own patched and old cloak contrasted with another man's
garment
associated_figures:
- fig:4
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: sym:4
label: Borrowed garment
literal_form: Another man's garment requested as a loan
associated_figures:
- fig:4
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: sym:5
label: Pearls on a cord
literal_form: Pearls of salutary admonition threaded on a cord of elegant language
associated_figures:
- fig:4
- fig:8
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: sym:6
label: Bitter potion with honey
literal_form: The bitter potion of instruction sweetened with the honey of facetiousness
associated_figures:
- fig:4
- fig:8
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: sym:7
label: Prayer request
literal_form: Requests for mercy, forgiveness, charitable benefit, and pardon
associated_figures:
- fig:4
- fig:5
- fig:8
- fig:9
- fig:10
- fig:11
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- ev:8
- id: sym:8
label: Flower-Garden book
literal_form: The Gulistan, or Flower-Garden, as the completed book
associated_figures:
- fig:4
- fig:5
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
scenes:
- id: scene:1
label: Aphorism on regret and generosity
summary: The passage contrasts people who die regretting unused wealth or unused
knowledge with the moral contrast between miserliness and generosity.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: scene:2
label: Completion of the Gulistan by divine grace
summary: The author states that the Gulistan was completed through God's assistance
and grace.
figure_refs:
- fig:4
- fig:5
symbol_refs:
- sym:8
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: scene:3
label: Claim of original composition
summary: The author says he did not borrow poetry from former authors and compares
this to wearing one's own patched cloak instead of borrowing another's garment.
figure_refs:
- fig:4
symbol_refs:
- sym:3
- sym:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: scene:4
label: Defense of humorous instruction
summary: The passage acknowledges critics of Sa'di's gaiety but explains that admonition
and instruction are made pleasing through elegant language and facetiousness for
the reader's benefit.
figure_refs:
- fig:4
- fig:6
- fig:7
- fig:8
symbol_refs:
- sym:5
- sym:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:6
- id: scene:5
label: Closing prayer appeal
summary: The reader is asked to pray for mercy, forgiveness, pardon, and benefit
for the author, transcriber, owner, translator, and themselves, while the book's
completion is attributed to God.
figure_refs:
- fig:4
- fig:5
- fig:8
- fig:9
- fig:10
- fig:11
symbol_refs:
- sym:7
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- ev:8
candidate_motifs:
- id: motif:1
label: Wisdom instruction made pleasing
taxonomy_refs:
- wisdom
basis: The passage frames the book as good advice, salutary admonition, and instruction
sweetened so that readers will accept it.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
confidence: high
cautions: The motif is ethical and literary rather than narrative-mythic.
- id: motif:2
label: Knowledge must be practiced
taxonomy_refs:
- wisdom
basis: One order of mankind dies with regret because they knew but did not practise.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
confidence: high
cautions: This is an aphoristic moral pattern rather than a developed mythic episode.
- id: motif:3
label: Generosity covers faults
taxonomy_refs:
- wisdom
basis: The passage states that liberality would cover all blemishes of a generous
man.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
confidence: high
cautions: This is a moral maxim, not a full narrative motif.
- id: motif:4
label: Book completed by divine favor
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: The conclusion twice attributes the completion of the book to God's assistance,
grace, and favor.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:8
confidence: medium
cautions: The passage supports a devotional literary closure, but no specific available
motif-family taxonomy reference is a precise fit.
- id: motif:5
label: Reciprocal prayer at textual conclusion
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: The reader is asked to pray for the author, transcriber, owner, translator,
and themselves.
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- ev:8
confidence: medium
cautions: This is a manuscript or book-closing devotional convention rather than
a mythic motif.
comparison_claims: []
evidence:
- id: ev:1
type: quote
locator: 4883-4886
quote_or_summary: "“Two orders of mankind died, and carried with them regret: such
as had and did not spend, and such as knew and did not practise.”"
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/persian/project-gutenberg/gulistan-sadi-ross.md
rights_note: Public domain source text; short excerpt used for extraction.
- id: ev:2
type: summary
locator: 4886-4889
quote_or_summary: The passage contrasts a miser whose faults are pointed out with
a generous man whose liberality covers his blemishes.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/persian/project-gutenberg/gulistan-sadi-ross.md
rights_note: Public domain source text; summarized for extraction.
- id: ev:3
type: quote
locator: 4892-4894
quote_or_summary: The Gulistan “was completed through the assistance and grace of
God.”
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/persian/project-gutenberg/gulistan-sadi-ross.md
rights_note: Public domain source text; short excerpt used for extraction.
- id: ev:4
type: summary
locator: 4894-4898
quote_or_summary: The author says he did not borrow poetry from former authors and
says it is better to wear one's own patched old cloak than borrow another man's
garment.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/persian/project-gutenberg/gulistan-sadi-ross.md
rights_note: Public domain source text; summarized for extraction.
- id: ev:5
type: summary
locator: 4900-4905
quote_or_summary: Critics object to the hilarity and gaiety of Sa'di's sayings,
using images of a shrivelled brain and a profitless lamp.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/persian/project-gutenberg/gulistan-sadi-ross.md
rights_note: Public domain source text; summarized for extraction.
- id: ev:6
type: summary
locator: 4905-4915
quote_or_summary: The passage says admonition is threaded like pearls on elegant
language and instruction is sweetened like a bitter potion with honey so that
the reader may accept it; it also says prophets deliver or warn and that is enough.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/persian/project-gutenberg/gulistan-sadi-ross.md
rights_note: Public domain source text; summarized for extraction.
- id: ev:7
type: summary
locator: 4917-4920
quote_or_summary: The peruser is asked to seek God's mercy for the author, forgiveness
for the transcriber, charitable benefit for themselves, and pardon for the owner.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/persian/project-gutenberg/gulistan-sadi-ross.md
rights_note: Public domain source text; summarized for extraction.
- id: ev:8
type: summary
locator: 4920-4921
quote_or_summary: The English translator asks for prayer, and the book is declared
finished through the favor of the Lord God Paramount and bestower of all good.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/persian/project-gutenberg/gulistan-sadi-ross.md
rights_note: Public domain source text; summarized for extraction.
confidence:
extraction: high
motif_candidates: medium
comparison_claims: high
notes: The passage is mainly aphoristic and literary-devotional; wisdom motifs are
clear, while mythological motif extraction is limited.
reviewer_status:
status: needs_review
reviewer: ''
reviewed_at: ''
notes: Machine-generated draft from OpenAI Batch; not human-reviewed.
extracted_by: openai_batch:gpt-5.5
extracted_at: '2026-04-28'
notes: |-
No comparison claims were added because the passage itself does not support a specific comparison to another text, tradition, or motif family beyond internal motif classification.
batch_run_id=motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority
custom_id=motif_extract:persian-sadi-gulistan-ross-gutenberg__l4883-l4921
passage_sha256=a0a73f6e0feab842b5d31380a059936a63e1593033319a586c293aa64d803d1b