Story of a Rich Man who censured a begger: From Shaykh Saadi’s Bostaan

A poor man, desperate and in need, approached a rich man who was known not only for his wealth but also for his ill nature. The beggar, with a trembling voice, said, “Please, sir, I am in distress. I have nothing left. Could you spare something for a man in need?”

The rich man, scowling, replied harshly, “Why should I waste my wealth on the likes of you? Get away from me.”

The beggar’s heart sank at these cruel words. He thought to himself, “How strange it is that someone so wealthy can be so unkind. Perhaps he believes he will never experience the bitterness of begging.”

The rich man, growing impatient, turned to his servant and barked, “Get rid of him! Drive him away!”

The servant obeyed, and the beggar, heartbroken, left the place. As time passed, Fortune turned her back on the rich man. Through a series of misfortunes, he lost all his wealth, and eventually, even his loyal servant was sold to a new master.

 

 

The servant’s new owner was a generous and kind-hearted man. One evening, a beggar came to the door asking for alms, and the kind master said to his servant, “Go and give that man something to eat. No one should leave my door hungry.”

The servant hurried out with food but stopped in his tracks when he saw the beggar’s face. His eyes widened in shock, and he involuntarily let out a cry before rushing back to his master, tears streaming down his face.

“Why are you crying?” the master asked, concerned.

The servant, wiping his eyes, said, “Master, the beggar outside… he was once my master. He was wealthy beyond measure, and now he is reduced to this. I served him just as I now serve you.”

The master, smiling with a touch of sadness, replied, “Do not grieve. Time, in its way, is not unjust. That beggar was once a proud merchant who refused me aid when I was in need. I am the very man he once drove away from his door.”

The servant stared in disbelief. “You knew him, master?”

The master nodded. “Yes. But fate has a way of balancing things. Heaven was kind to me, and my fortunes changed. Though one door closed, God, in His mercy, opened another.”

He paused, then added with a thoughtful expression, “Many who were once full are now empty, and many who were empty are now full. Such is the way of the world.”

And so, the once-proud rich man learned the hard lesson that fortune does not remain with any man forever. Fate, in its wisdom, balances all accounts in time.