Harm not the ant, its sustenance doth it seek
For it has life and life is pleasant and sweet
Do not force an oppressive hand upon the weak
For like the ant, one day, it may be you at another’s feet
– Ferdowsi
~ Translated by Hadi Rizvi
The poem is attributed to Ferdowsi by Sa’di in his Bustaan.
Not all oppression is carried out by governments, institutions, or groups.
Sometimes we overlook our oppression of those more vulnerable than ourselves.
We may at times be powerless to stop oppression overseas or on a large scale, but there are forms of oppression going o around us everyday, from within the house to the workplace and everywhere in between, that we can play a role in ending.
EpisteMess 