Rumi's Masnavi - Then he sent that keen-witted one away to do (his behest): (he sent him) to a bathhouse, saying, “Go, scrub yourself.”

Then he sent that keen-witted one away to do (his behest): (he sent him) to a bathhouse, saying, “Go, scrub yourself.”

آن ذکی را پس فرستاد او به کار ** سوی حمامی که رو خود را بخار

And to this other one he said, “Good! you are a clever lad: in truth you are a hundred slaves, not one.

وین دگر را گفت خه تو زیرکی ** صد غلامی در حقیقت نه یکی‏

You are not such as your fellow-servant declared: that envious one would (fain) have made me cold to (disgusted with) you, 875

آن نه‏ای که خواجه‏تاش تو نمود ** از تو ما را سرد می‏کرد آن حسود

(For) he said that you are thievish and dishonest and ill-behaved, immoral and infamous and so forth.”

گفت او دزد و کژ است و کژنشین ** حیز و نامرد و چنان است و چنین‏

The slave said, “He (my fellow-servant) has always been veracious; I have not seen any one so truthful as he is.

گفت پیوسته بده ست او راست گو ** راست گویی من ندیده ستم چو او

Veracity is inborn in his nature; whatever he says, I do not say it is void (of truth).

راست گویی در نهادش خلقتی است ** هر چه گوید من نگویم تهمتی است‏

I deem not that good-minded one malicious: I (rather) suspect my own person.

کژ ندانم آن نکو اندیش را ** متهم دارم وجود خویش را

Maybe, he sees in me faults I do not see in myself, O King.” 880

باشد او در من ببیند عیبها ** من نبینم در وجود خود شها

Any one saw his own faults before (seeing those of others) —how should he be unconcerned with correcting himself?

هر کسی گر عیب خود دیدی ز پیش ** کی بدی فارغ خود از اصلاح خویش‏

These people (of the world) take no heed of themselves, O father: consequently they blame one another.

غافلند این خلق از خود ای پدر ** لاجرم گویند عیب همدگر