Rumi's Masnavi - The darkness of the well is better than the dark shades of the world: he that followed at the heels of the world never saved his head.

The darkness of the well is better than the dark shades of the world: he that followed at the heels of the world never saved his head. 1300

ظلمت چه به که ظلمتهای خلق ** سر نبرد آن کس که گیرد پای خلق‌‌

“Come on,” said the lion; “my blow subdues him: see thou whether that lion is in the well at present.”

گفت پیش آ زخمم او را قاهر است ** تو ببین کان شیر در چه حاضر است‌‌

The hare answered, “I am consumed with (dread of) that fieriness (wrath): perhaps thou wilt take me beside thee,

گفت من سوزیده‌‌ام ز آن آتشی ** تو مگر اندر بر خویشم کشی‌‌

That with thy support, O mine of generosity, I may open my eyes and look into the well.”

تا بپشت تو من ای کان کرم ** چشم بگشایم به چه در بنگرم‌‌

How the lion looked into the well and saw the reflexion of himself and the hare.

نظر کردن شیر در چاه و دیدن عکس خود را و آن خرگوش را

When the lion took him to his side, under the lion's protection he began to run towards the well.

چون که شیر اندر بر خویشش کشید ** در پناه شیر تا چه می‌‌دوید

As soon as they looked at the water in the well, there shone forth in the water the light (reflected) from the lion and him (the hare). 1305

چون که در چه بنگریدند اندر آب ** اندر آب از شیر و او در تافت تاب‌‌

The lion saw his own reflexion: from the water shone the image of a lion with a plump hare at his side.

شیر عکس خویش دید از آب تفت ** شکل شیری در برش خرگوش زفت‌‌

When he beheld his adversary in the water, he left him (the hare) and sprang into the well.

چون که خصم خویش را در آب دید ** مر و را بگذاشت و اندر چه جهید

He fell into the well which he had dug, because his iniquity was coming (back) on his own head.

در فتاد اندر چهی کاو کنده بود ** ز آن که ظلمش در سرش آینده بود

The iniquity of evil-doers became (for them) a dark well: so have said all the wise.

چاه مظلم گشت ظلم ظالمان ** این چنین گفتند جمله عالمان‌‌

The more iniquitous one is, the more frightful is his well: (Divine) Justice has ordained worse (punishment) for worse (sin). 1310

هر که ظالمتر چهش با هول‌‌تر ** عدل فرموده ست بدتر را بتر

O you who on account of (your) high estate are committing an act of injustice, know that you are digging a well (pit) for yourself.

ای که تو از ظلم چاهی می‌‌کنی ** دان که بهر خویش دامی می‌‌کنی‌‌

Do not weave (a cocoon) round yourself, like the silkworm. You are digging a well for yourself (to fall in): dig with moderation (not too deep).

گرد خود چون کرم پیله بر متن ** بهر خود چه می‌‌کنی اندازه کن‌‌

Deem not the weak to be without a champion: recite from the Qur’án (the words), When the help of God shall come.

مر ضعیفان را تو بی‌‌خصمی مدان ** از نبی ذا جاء نصر الله خوان‌‌

If you are an elephant and your foe fled from you, lo, the retribution came upon you, birds in flocks.

گر تو پیلی خصم تو از تو رمید ** نک جزا طیرا ابابیلت رسید

If any poor man on the earth beg for mercy, a loud tumult falls on (arises among) the Host of Heaven. 1315

گر ضعیفی در زمین خواهد امان ** غلغل افتد در سپاه آسمان‌‌

If you bite him with your teeth and make him bleed, toothache will attack you—how will you do (then)?

گر بدندانش گزی پر خون کنی ** درد دندانت بگیرد چون کنی‌‌

The lion saw himself in the well, and in his fury he did not know himself at that moment from the enemy.

شیر خود را دید در چه وز غلو ** خویش را نشناخت آن دم از عدو

He regarded his own reflexion as his enemy: necessarily he drew a sword against himself.

عکس خود را او عدوی خویش دید ** لا جرم بر خویش شمشیری کشید

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

You held a blue glass before your eye: for that reason the world seemed to you to be blue.

پیش چشمت داشتی شیشه‌‌ی کبود ** ز آن سبب عالم کبودت می‌‌نمود

Unless you are blind, know that this blueness comes from yourself: speak ill of yourself, speak no more ill of any one (else). 1330

گر نه کوری این کبودی دان ز خویش ** خویش را بد گو، مگو کس را تو بیش‌‌

If the true believer was not seeing by the Light of God, how did things unseen appear naked (plainly revealed) to the true believer?

مومن ار ینظر بنور الله نبود ** غیب مومن را برهنه چون نمود

Inasmuch as you were seeing by the Fire of God, in (your) badness you became forgetful of goodness.

چون که تو ینظر بنار الله بدی ** در بدی از نیکویی غافل شدی‌‌

Little by little throw water on the fire, that your fire may become light, O man of sorrow!

اندک اندک آب بر آتش بزن ** تا شود نار تو نور ای بو الحزن‌‌

Throw Thou, O Lord, the purifying water, that this world-fire may become wholly light.

تو بزن یا ربنا آب طهور ** تا شود این نار عالم جمله نور

All the water of the sea is under Thy command; water and fire, O Lord, are Thine. 1335

آب دریا جمله در فرمان تست ** آب و آتش ای خداوند آن تست‌‌

If Thou willest, fire becomes sweet water; and if Thou willest not, even water becomes fire.

گر تو خواهی آتش آب خوش شود ** ور نخواهی آب هم آتش شود

This search (aspiration) in us is also brought into existence by Thee; deliverance from iniquity is Thy gift, O Lord.

این طلب در ما هم از ایجاد تست ** رستن از بی‌‌داد یا رب داد تست‌‌

Without (our) seeking Thou hast given us this search, Thou hast opened to all the treasure of (Thy) beneficence.

بی‌‌طلب تو این طلب‌‌مان داده‌‌ای ** گنج احسان بر همه بگشاده‌‌ای‌‌

How the hare brought to the beasts of chase the news that the lion had fallen into the well.

مژده بردن خرگوش سوی نخجیران که شیر در چاه افتاد

When the hare was gladdened by deliverance (from the lion), he began to run towards the beasts until (he came to) the desert.

چون که خرگوش از رهایی شاد گشت ** سوی نخجیران دوان شد تا به دشت‌‌

Having seen the lion miserably slain in the well, he was skipping joyously all the way to the meadow, 1340

شیر را چون دید در چه کشته زار ** چرخ می‌‌زد شادمان تا مرغزار

Clapping his hands because he had escaped from the hand of Death; fresh and dancing in the air, like bough and leaf.

دست می‌‌زد چون رهید از دست مرگ ** سبز و رقصان در هوا چون شاخ و برگ‌‌

Bough and leaf were set free from the prison of earth, lifted their heads, and became comrades of the wind;

شاخ و برگ از حبس خاک آزاد شد ** سر بر آورد و حریف باد شد

The leaves, when they had burst (forth from) the bough, made haste to reach the top of the tree;

برگها چون شاخ را بشکافتند ** تا به بالای درخت اشتافتند

With the tongue of (seed that put forth) its sprouts each fruit and tree severally is singing thanks to God,

با زبان شطاه شکر خدا ** می‌‌سراید هر بر و برگی جدا

Saying, “The Bounteous Giver nourished our root until the tree grew big and stood upright.” 1345

که بپرورد اصل ما را ذو العطا ** تا درخت استغلظ آمد و استوی‌‌

(Even so) the spirits bound in clay, when they escape glad at heart from their (prisons of) clay,

جانهای بسته اندر آب و گل ** چون رهند از آب و گلها شاد دل‌‌

Begin to dance in the air of Divine Love and become flawless like the full moon's orb,

در هوای عشق حق رقصان شوند ** همچو قرص بدر بی‌‌نقصان شوند

Their bodies dancing, and their souls—nay, do not ask (how their souls fare); and of that which surrounds the soul—nay, do not ask of those things!

جسمشان در رقص و جانها خود مپرس ** و آن که گرد جان از آنها خود مپرس‌‌

The hare lodged the lion in prison. Shame on a lion who was discomfited by a hare!

شیر را خرگوش در زندان نشاند ** ننگ شیری کاو ز خرگوشی بماند