Real Rumi quotes from the Masnavi (with verse numbers)
The top 3 according to 1,509 votes from people: If you are irritated by every rub, how will your mirror be polished? · If you are wholly perplexed and in straits, have patience, for patience is the key to joy. · Many of the faults you see in others, dear reader, are your own nature reflected in them.. (Updated Sep 5, 2020.)
The mirror that cannot be polished if every rub irritates you, patience as the key to joy and the two wings God gives you to fly: genuine lines from Rumi's Masnavi with book and verse — not the viral "Come, come, whoever you are", which is not his.
Top 12
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1
If you are irritated by every rub, how will your mirror be polished?
Masnavi, I, 2980 (tr. Kabir Helminski).
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2
If you are wholly perplexed and in straits, have patience, for patience is the key to joy.
Masnavi, I, 2908 (tr. Kabir Helminski).
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3
Many of the faults you see in others, dear reader, are your own nature reflected in them.
Masnavi, I, 1319 (tr. Kabir Helminski).
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4
The lion who breaks the enemy's ranks is a minor hero compared to the lion who overcomes himself.
Masnavi, I, 1389 (tr. Kabir Helminski).
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5
Fortunate is he who does not carry envy as a companion.
Masnavi, I, 431 (tr. Kabir Helminski).
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6
If you wish mercy, show mercy to the weak.
Masnavi, I, 822 (tr. Kabir Helminski).
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7
If you dig a pit for others to fall into, you will fall into it yourself.
Masnavi, I, 1311 (tr. Kabir Helminski).
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8
God turns you from one feeling to another and teaches by means of opposites, so that you will have two wings to fly, not one.
Masnavi, II, 1552-1554 (tr. Kabir Helminski).
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9
Come, seek, for search is the foundation of fortune: every success depends upon focusing the heart.
Masnavi, III, 2302-2305 (tr. Kabir Helminski).
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10
Whoever gives reverence receives reverence.
Masnavi, I, 1494 (tr. Kabir Helminski).
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11
If an ant seeks the rank of Solomon, don't smile contemptuously upon its quest.
Masnavi, III, 1445-1449 (tr. Kabir Helminski).
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12
Sell your cleverness and buy bewilderment. Cleverness is mere opinion, bewilderment intuition.
Masnavi, book IV (tr. E. H. Whinfield).
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Comments (9)
Didn't know "Come, come, whoever you are" wasn't his. It's literally on the wall at the Mevlana museum in Konya gift shop lol
Would love a second list from the Divan-e Shams.
Helminski's translations are the best entry point imo. Whinfield is beautiful but heavy going.
Thank you for leaving out the fake ones. Half of what gets shared as Rumi on Instagram is Coleman Barks or straight up made up.
"If you are irritated by every rub, how will your mirror be polished?" I have this one on a post-it on my monitor.
Two wings to fly, not one. Beautiful way to think about bad days.
The ant and Solomon one is underrated. Never mock someone for aiming high.
The lion who overcomes himself. Needed that today.
Reading the Masnavi in Turkish translation with my grandmother was a big part of my childhood. Nice to see verse numbers for once.