Rumi's Masnavi - Oh, many an iniquity that you see in others is your own nature (reflected) in them, O reader!

Oh, many an iniquity that you see in others is your own nature (reflected) in them, O reader!

ای بسا ظلمی که بینی از کسان ** خوی تو باشد در ایشان ای فلان‌‌

In them shone forth all that you are in your hypocrisy and iniquity and insolence. 1320

اندر ایشان تافته هستی تو ** از نفاق و ظلم و بد مستی تو

You are that (evil-doer), and you are striking those blows at yourself: you are weaving a curse upon yourself at that moment.

آن تویی و آن زخم بر خود می‌‌زنی ** بر خود آن دم تار لعنت می‌‌تنی‌‌

You do not see clearly the evil in yourself, else you would hate yourself with (all) your soul.

در خود آن بد را نمی‌‌بینی عیان ** ور نه دشمن بودیی خود را به جان‌‌

You are assaulting yourself, O simpleton, like the lion who made a rush at himself.

حمله بر خود می‌‌کنی ای ساده مرد ** همچو آن شیری که بر خود حمله کرد

When you reach the bottom of your own nature, then you will know that that vileness was from yourself.

چون به قعر خوی خود اندر رسی ** پس بدانی کز تو بود آن ناکسی‌‌

At the bottom (of the well) it became manifest to the lion that he who seemed to him to be another was (really) his own image. 1325

شیر را در قعر پیدا شد که بود ** نقش او آن کش دگر کس می‌‌نمود

Whoever tears out the teeth of a poor wretch is doing what the falsely-seeing lion did.

هر که دندان ضعیفی می‌‌کند ** کار آن شیر غلط بین می‌‌کند

O you who see the bad reflexion on the face of your uncle, it is not your uncle that is bad, it is you: do not run away from yourself!

ای بدیده عکس بد بر روی عم ** بد نه عم است آن تویی از خود مرم‌‌

The Faithful are mirrors to one another: this saying is related from the Prophet.

مومنان آیینه‌‌ی همدیگرند ** این خبر می‌‌از پیمبر آورند