If each had held a candle, the argument would have ended.

What it means

In the story, people feel an elephant in a dark room and argue: a pipe, a fan, a pillar. Each touched part of the truth and called it the whole. Bring more light before you argue.

The source

"If each had held a candle, the argument would have ended." Rumi said it in Masnavi III, The Elephant in the Dark. Translated from the original Persian by Spartan Surfers.

"در کف هر کس اگر شمعی بدی / اختلاف از گفتشان بیرون شدی"

Original Persian, Masnavi III, The Elephant in the Dark. Text read at fa.wikisource.org.

Who said it

Rumi (1207–1273). Persian poet and Sufi teacher, born near Balkh and settled in Konya. His Masnavi, six books of rhyming couplets, opens with the song of a reed flute.

Questions

What does "If each had held a candle, the argument would have ended." mean?

In the story, people feel an elephant in a dark room and argue: a pipe, a fan, a pillar. Each touched part of the truth and called it the whole. Bring more light before you argue.

Who said "If each had held a candle, the argument would have ended."?

Rumi (1207–1273). Source: Masnavi III, The Elephant in the Dark.

What is the original Persian?

در کف هر کس اگر شمعی بدی / اختلاف از گفتشان بیرون شدی. Translated from the original Persian by Spartan Surfers.

Is "If each had held a candle, the argument would have ended." on a shirt?

Yes. We print it to order on our tees in 7 illustrated looks, from $44, with free US shipping.

"If each had held a candle, the argument would have ended." (Rumi, Masnavi III, The Elephant in the Dark, translated by Spartan Surfers). https://spartansurfers.com/quotes/if-each-had-held-a-candle-the-argument