When the belly is empty, the body becomes spirit; and when it is full, the spirit becomes body.
SaadiRead
Human beings are members of a whole,_x000D_ In creation of one essence and soul._x000D_ If one member is afflicted with pain,_x000D_ Other members uneasy will remain._x000D_ If you have no sympathy for human pain,_x000D_ The name of human you cannot retain.
Interpretation
What this quote means
We are all interconnected, and the suffering of one affects us all.
This quote by Saadi emphasizes the interconnectedness of humanity, stating that we share a common essence and soul. When one person experiences pain or suffering, it creates a discomfort in others who empathize and feel a sense of solidarity. Therefore, lacking compassion for the struggles of others undermines our humanity.
Themes
HumanityInterconnectednessCompassionSympathySuffering
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about social justice, one might reference this quote to emphasize the need for empathy towards those who are suffering.
More from Saadi
All quotes →A friend whom you have been gaining during your whole life, you ought not to be displeased with in a moment. A stone is many years becoming a ruby - take care that you do not destroy it in an instant against another stone.
SaadiRead
The bad fortune of the good turns their faces up to heaven; the good fortune of the bad bows their heads down to the earth.
SaadiRead
However much you study, you cannot know without action. A donkey laden with books is neither an intellectual nor a wise man. Empty of essence, what learning has he whether upon him is firewood or book?
SaadiRead
Ants, fighting together, will vanquish the lion.
SaadiRead
An enemy to whom you show kindness becomes your friend, excepting lust, the indulgence of which increases its enmity.
SaadiRead
Similar quotes
We learned that orphans are easier to ignore before you know their names. They are easier to ignore before you see their faces. It is easier to pretend they’re not real before you hold them in your arms. But once you do, everything changes.
David PlattRead
However important the struggle is and however much misery and poverty and degradation exist, we know that it cannot be more important than one human life.
Cesar ChavezRead
We may be different races and religions but we are all part of the same human family
Dalai LamaRead
In their greatest hour of need, the world failed the people of Rwanda.
Kofi AnnanRead
The destiny of world civilization depends upon providing a decent standard of living for all mankind.
Norman BorlaugRead
For me the Holocaust was not only a Jewish tragedy, but also a human tragedy. After the war, when I saw that the Jews were talking only about the tragedy of six million Jews, I sent letters to Jewish organizations asking them to talk also about the millions of others who were persecuted with us together - many of them only because they helped Jews.
Simon WiesenthalRead