A man said to a friend whom he had not seen in a long time, "Where have you been? I've been longing for your company."
The friend replied, "Longing is better than growing tired of me."
You came late, O intoxicated beloved,
But we won’t quickly let go of your hem.
A beloved who is seen rarely
Is better than one who is seen too often and tires the heart.
When a lover arrives with companions, they come to show indifference, for such meetings are not free from jealousy and opposition.
When you visit me with company,
You come as if to fight, not to reconcile.
When my beloved mixes with others,
It doesn't take long for my jealousy to overpower me.
She laughed and said, "I am the candle in the gathering, Saadi.
What does it matter to me if the moth destroys itself?"
