Sadi's work is often referred to for its description of the history of ancient Persia. He is recognized as the first Persian poet to employ the lyric to illustrate
the principles and the problems of love.

The Children of Adam are limbs of each other
Having been created of one essence.
When the calamity of time afflicts one limb
The other limbs cannot remain at rest.
If thou hast no sympathy for the troubles of others
Thou art unworthy to be called by the name of a man.

--Sa'adi

Last night I dreamed that angels stood without 
The tavern door, and knocked in vain, and wept; 
They took the clay of Adam, and, methought, 
Moulded a cup therewith while all men slept. 
Oh dwellers in the halls of Chastity! 
You brought Love's passionate red wine to me, 
Down to the dust I am, your bright feet stept.

For Heaven's self was all too weak, to bear 
The burden of His love God laid on it, 
He turned to seek a messenger elsewhere, 
And in the Book of Fate my name was writ. 
Between my Lord and me such concord lies. 
As makes the Huris glad in Paradise, 
With songs of praise through the green glades they flit.

A hundred dreams of Fancy's garnered store 
Assail me - Father Adam went astray 
Tempted by one poor grain of corn!  Wherefore 
Absolve and pardon him that turns away 
Though the soft breath of Truth reaches his ears, 
For two-and-seventy Jangling creeds he hears, 
And loud-voiced Fable calls him ceaselessly.

That, that is not the flame of Love's true fire 
Which makes the torchlight shadows dance in rings, 
But where the radiance draws the moth's desire 
And send him fort with scorched and drooping wings. 
The heart of one who dwells retired shall break, 
Rememb'ring a black mole and a red cheek, 
And his life ebb, sapped at its secret springs.

Yet since the earliest time that man has sought  
To comb the locks of Speech, his goodly bride,  
Not one, like Hafiz, from the face of Thought  
Has torn the veil of Ignorance aside.

--Hafiz

There is the righteous one, here is ruined me.  
See how far it is from one to the other!

What link do piety and righteousness have to the rend's way?  
There is the sound of the sermon, here is the melody of the rabab.

My heart grew weary of the cloister, the hypocrite's cloak.  
Where is the monastery of the Magi? Where is pure wine?

The day of union are gone. Let them be a joyful memory.  
Where is that amorous glance?  Where is that reproach?

What can the enemy's heart find in my love's face?  
There is that dead lamp, here is this sun candle.

Do not be seduced by her dimpled chin, there is a well in that road.  
Where are you going, O heart, in such a hurry?

Since the kohl of our insight is the dust of your doorway,  
Please tell us, where do we go from this threshold?

Do not cover rest and sleep from Hafiz, O friend.  
What is rest?  Which is patience?  And where is sleep?

-- Hafiz