How the lion looked into the well

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

چون که شیر اندر بر خویشش کشید
در پناه شیر تا چه می‌‌دوید
When the lion took him to his side, under the lion’s protection he began to run towards the well.
چون که در چه بنگریدند اندر آب
اندر آب از شیر و او در تافت تاب‌‌
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).
شیر عکس خویش دید از آب تفت
شکل شیری در برش خرگوش زفت‌‌
The lion saw his own reflexion: from the water shone the image of a lion with a plump hare at his side.
چون که خصم خویش را در آب دید
مر و را بگذاشت و اندر چه جهید
When he beheld his adversary in the water, he left him (the hare) and sprang into the well.
در فتاد اندر چهی کاو کنده بود
ز آن که ظلمش در سرش آینده بود
He fell into the well which he had dug, because his iniquity was coming (back) on his own head.
چاه مظلم گشت ظلم ظالمان
این چنین گفتند جمله عالمان‌‌
The iniquity of evil-doers became (for them) a dark well: so have said all the wise.
هر که ظالمتر چهش با هول‌‌تر
عدل فرموده ست بدتر را بتر
The more iniquitous one is, the more frightful is his well: (Divine) Justice has ordained worse (punishment) for worse (sin).
ای که تو از ظلم چاهی می‌‌کنی
دان که بهر خویش دامی می‌‌کنی‌‌
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.
گرد خود چون کرم پیله بر متن
بهر خود چه می‌‌کنی اندازه کن‌‌
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).
مر ضعیفان را تو بی‌‌خصمی مدان
از نبی ذا جاء نصر الله خوان‌‌
Deem not the weak to be without a champion: recite from the Qur’án (the words), When the help of God shall come.
گر تو پیلی خصم تو از تو رمید
نک جزا طیرا ابابیلت رسید
If you are an elephant and your foe fled from you, lo, the retribution came upon you, birds in flocks.
گر ضعیفی در زمین خواهد امان
غلغل افتد در سپاه آسمان‌‌
If any poor man on the earth beg for mercy, a loud tumult falls on (arises among) the Host of Heaven.
گر بدندانش گزی پر خون کنی
درد دندانت بگیرد چون کنی‌‌
If you bite him with your teeth and make him bleed, toothache will attack you—how will you do (then)?
شیر خود را دید در چه وز غلو
خویش را نشناخت آن دم از عدو
The lion saw himself in the well, and in his fury he did not know himself at that moment from the enemy.
عکس خود را او عدوی خویش دید
لا جرم بر خویش شمشیری کشید
He regarded his own reflexion as his enemy: necessarily he drew a sword against himself.
ای بسا ظلمی که بینی از کسان
خوی تو باشد در ایشان ای فلان‌‌
Oh, many an iniquity that you see in others is your own nature (reflected) in them, O reader!
اندر ایشان تافته هستی تو
از نفاق و ظلم و بد مستی تو
In them shone forth all that you are in your hypocrisy and iniquity and insolence.
آن تویی و آن زخم بر خود می‌‌زنی
بر خود آن دم تار لعنت می‌‌تنی‌‌
You are that (evil-doer), and you are striking those blows at yourself: you are weaving a curse upon yourself at that moment.
در خود آن بد را نمی‌‌بینی عیان
ور نه دشمن بودیی خود را به جان‌‌
You do not see clearly the evil in yourself, else you would hate yourself with (all) your soul.
حمله بر خود می‌‌کنی ای ساده مرد
همچو آن شیری که بر خود حمله کرد
You are assaulting yourself, O simpleton, like the lion who made a rush at himself.
چون به قعر خوی خود اندر رسی
پس بدانی کز تو بود آن ناکسی‌‌
When you reach the bottom of your own nature, then you will know that that vileness was from yourself.
شیر را در قعر پیدا شد که بود
نقش او آن کش دگر کس می‌‌نمود
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.
هر که دندان ضعیفی می‌‌کند
کار آن شیر غلط بین می‌‌کند
Whoever tears out the teeth of a poor wretch is doing what the falsely-seeing lion did.
ای بدیده عکس بد بر روی عم
بد نه عم است آن تویی از خود مرم‌‌
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! 
مومنان آیینه‌‌ی همدیگرند
این خبر می‌‌از پیمبر آورند
The Faithful are mirrors to one another: this saying is related from the Prophet.
پیش چشمت داشتی شیشه‌‌ی کبود
ز آن سبب عالم کبودت می‌‌نمود
You held a blue glass before your eye: for that reason the world seemed to you to be blue.
گر نه کوری این کبودی دان ز خویش
خویش را بد گو، مگو کس را تو بیش‌‌
Unless you are blind, know that this blueness comes from yourself: speak ill of yourself, speak no more ill of any one (else).
مومن ار ینظر بنور الله نبود
غیب مومن را برهنه چون نمود
If the true believer was not seeing by the Light of God, how did things unseen appear naked (plainly revealed) to the true believer?
چون که تو ینظر بنار الله بدی
در بدی از نیکویی غافل شدی‌‌
Inasmuch as you were seeing by the Fire of God, in (your) badness you became forgetful of goodness.
اندک اندک آب بر آتش بزن
تا شود نار تو نور ای بو الحزن‌‌
Little by little throw water on the fire, that your fire may become light, O man of sorrow!
تو بزن یا ربنا آب طهور
تا شود این نار عالم جمله نور
Throw Thou, O Lord, the purifying water, that this world-fire may become wholly light.
آب دریا جمله در فرمان تست
آب و آتش ای خداوند آن تست‌‌
All the water of the sea is under Thy command; water and fire, O Lord, are Thine.
گر تو خواهی آتش آب خوش شود
ور نخواهی آب هم آتش شود
If Thou willest, fire becomes sweet water; and if Thou willest not, even water becomes fire.
این طلب در ما هم از ایجاد تست
رستن از بی‌‌داد یا رب داد تست‌‌
This search (aspiration) in us is also brought into existence by Thee; deliverance from iniquity is Thy gift, O Lord.
بی‌‌طلب تو این طلب‌‌مان داده‌‌ای
گنج احسان بر همه بگشاده‌‌ای‌‌
Without (our) seeking Thou hast given us this search, Thou hast opened to all the treasure of (Thy) beneficence.

Special Offers

The Greatest Works of Persian Literature! (11 Books)

$349.99 $119.99

Masnawi: In Farsi with English Translation (6 Books)

$199.99 $59.99

Bustan: In Farsi with English Translation

$29.99 $19.99

1000 Most Common Farsi Phrases: Essential Expressions for Communicating in Farsi

$24.99 $14.99

Learn Farsi in 100 Days: The Ultimate Crash Course to Learning Farsi Fast

$39.99 $14.99