Rumi's Masnavi - Like the Ethiopian (negro) who saw in the mirror that his face was ugly, et in speculum cacavit, [Like the Ethiopian (negro) who saw in the mirror that his face was ugly, and defecated upon the mirror,]

Like the Ethiopian (negro) who saw in the mirror that his face was ugly, et in speculum cacavit, [Like the Ethiopian (negro) who saw in the mirror that his face was ugly, and defecated upon the mirror,] 2490

هم‌چو آن زنگی که در آیینه دید ** روی خود را زشت و بر آیینه رید

Saying, ‘How ugly thou art! Thou art deserving only of this.’ (The mirror replies), ‘My ugliness belongs to thee, O vile blind one.

که چه زشتی لایق اینی و بس ** زشتیم آن تواست ای کور خس

Thou art putting this filth on thy ugly face: it is not on me, for I have splendour.’

این حدث بر روی زشتت می‌کنی ** نیست بر من زانک هستم روشنی

At one time thou wert seeing (in vision) thy raiment burnt; at another time thy mouth and eyes stitched up;

گاه می‌دیدی لباست سوخته ** گه دهان و چشم تو بر دوخته

Now a (rapacious) animal seeking thy blood; now thy head in the teeth of a wild beast;

گاه حیوان قاصد خونت شده ** گه سر خود را به دندان دده

Now (in thy dream thou wert) upside down in the midst of a latrine; now sunk in a fierce blood-dyed torrent; 2495

گه نگون اندر میان آبریز ** گه غریق سیل خون‌آمیز تیز

Now from this pure heaven came to thee a voice crying, ‘Thou art damned, thou art damned, damned’;

گه ندات آمد ازین چرخ نقی ** که شقیی و شقیی و شقی

Now from the mountains came to thee a voice, (saying) plainly, ‘Begone! Thou art one of the people of the left hand’;

گه ندات آمد صریحا از جبال ** که برو هستی ز اصحاب الشمال

Now from every inanimate thing was coming to thee a voice (which cried), ‘Pharaoh is fallen into Hell for evermore’;

گه ندا می‌آمدت از هر جماد ** تا ابد فرعون در دوزخ فتاد

(And thou sawest) worse things than these, which from shame I will not tell, lest thy perverted nature become hot (with anger).

زین بترها که نمی‌گویم ز شرم ** تا نگردد طبع معکوس تو گرم