Bustan-i Sa'di (Sa'di Namih) Persiska (Farsi) 2008

Bustan is one of the greatest masterpieces of classical Persian literature and a lasting landmark of didactic poetry. Composed as a poetic work in ten chapters and containing more than four thousand verses, the book presents, in Saadi’s fluent and graceful style, themes such as justice, love, humility, contentment, education, gratitude, and human ethics, while portraying an ideal moral and humane society.

Written under the influence of Saadi Shirazi’s travels and life experiences, the work employs anecdotes, allegories, and wise reflections that make it both engaging and instructive for general readers and a valuable treasure for admirers of Persian literature. Because it shares the same poetic meter as the Shahnameh of Ferdowsi, Bustan has often been compared to that monumental epic, and traces of Ferdowsi’s influence can also be observed within it.

Among the numerous editions of the work, the critical edition prepared by Gholamhossein Yousefi is considered one of the most authoritative and comprehensive versions of Bustan. It includes explanations of difficult vocabulary as well as discussions of textual variants found in different manuscripts.