An ornate gold bowl stands beside a plain clay bowl on a warm terracotta surface.

Original artwork, not a still

Sa'di

The beloved of the Almighty are the rich who have the humility of the poor, and the poor who have the magnanimity of the rich

Behind the line

What it means

Our interpretation.

The speaker's ideal reverses the usual pairing: wealth joined with modesty, and poverty joined with generosity. Those who hold riches yet stay humble, and those who have little yet give freely, are said to be most cherished by God. Virtue, not fortune, decides who is favoured.

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